PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

F Oppenheimer

Publications and source records attributed to F Oppenheimer.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

[Electronic data processing in a surgical and medical intensive care unit].

A prospective documentation of patients data on an internal and a surgical intensive care unit (ICU) has been transacted. The physician and nursing staff used an online electronic documentation program, which has been developed in Frankfurt. Main emphasis has been placed on the epidemiological data, clinical diagnoses as well as diagnostically and therapy costs. The medical ICU of university hospital of Frankfurt has been analysed since 1992 and the surgical ICU of Städtisches Krankenhaus of Lüneburg since 1994. Up to now data from 2001 patients from Frankfurt are available. Period spent on the ICU was 4.7 +/- 0.16 days (average +/- SEM), mortality was 15%. 47% of the whole group suffered from cardiac disease, of which 211 had an acute myocardial infarction (10.6%), 156 patients a serious ventricular arrhythmia (7.8%) as well as 88 patients an unstable angina (4.4%). Long-term observation revealed a rise of the duration spent on the ICU (from 4.1 +/- 0.17 to 5.5 +/- 0.38 days, P < 0.0002), an increasing number of technical examinations (for example: chest x-ray from 2.25 +/- 0.13 to 4.52 +/- 0.4/patient, P < 0.0001) and a steady mortality between 1992 and 1994. Detailed analysis of patients with acute myocardial infarction showed an impressive reduction of total mortality within the 3 years observed. In Lüneburg data of 1004 patients have been recorded so far. The average time spent on the ICU was 6.4 +/- 0.33 days. 4.1% patients passed away. Neoplasia of gastric intestinal tract (143; 14.2%), femoral neck fracture (64; 6.4%) and ilei (54; 5.4%) have been the most frequent diagnoses. Patients underwent 2.2 +/- 0.12 chest x-rays and 1.4 +/- 0.1 ultrasound investigations. The study shows that an online data processing is practicable and can be integrated in the daily work flow. Furthermore, it can be seen that the collected data play an important role to secure the increasing administrative requisition to the modern medicine in view of costs and quality management.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Efficacy of captopril on posttransplant erythrocytosis. Long-term follow-up.

Posttransplant erythrocytosis (PTE) represents a common complication in allograft recipients with normal renal function. Although the pathogenesis is not completely known, an alteration in the regulation of erythropoietin production by native kidneys or by renal allograft have been implicated as the main causes. Traditional therapies include repeated phlebotomies, bilateral native nephrectomies, and anticoagulant therapy. Recently, theophylline has been proposed as an effective therapy, although without general acceptance. Also, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors have been involved in the development of anemia in chronic renal failure and dialysis patients. The aim of the present study was to demonstrate the efficacy of captopril on long-term treatment of PTE. Nineteen renal allograft recipients affected with severe PTE were included in the study. All patients had their native kidneys and none had a renal tumor or hydronephrosis. Restrictive criteria for PTE were applied to all patients and other causes of erythrocytosis were rationally excluded. Captopril was administered at a dose of 25 mg/24 hr (12.5 mg b.i.d.) during 12 months and no change on the initial dose was made during follow-up. After 3 months of captopril therapy and during the study period, significant reductions in hematocrit (P < 0.001), hemoglobin (P < 0.001), and RBC count (P < 0.001) were obtained in all patients. Erythropoietin levels decreased significantly during the study period, although the values were within the normal range of our laboratory. Captopril was well tolerated and only 1 patient had to be withdrawn from the drug because of dry cough. The present study has shown that captopril, at a low dose, represents a safe and effective therapy for PTE, without remarkable side effects or graft dysfunction. Long-term treatment with captopril in PTE did not induce anemia.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

The usefulness of 111In-labeled platelet scintigraphy in the diagnosis of patients with febrile syndrome and a nonfunctioning renal graft.

111In-labeled platelet scintigraphy was used to confirm immunological intolerance as the cause of prolonged febrile syndrome in hemodialyzed patients with a nonfunctioning renal allograft. Thirty-six patients with febrile syndrome (> 38 degrees C) and a nonfunctioning renal graft were studied. Thirteen patients were under minimal steroids (5-10 mg/day) and 23 were free of immunosuppressive therapy. A control group of 6 patients without fever and with a nonfunctioning renal graft was also included. The labeling of autologous platelets with 111In-mercaptopyridine was performed following a modified technique of Thakur. Scans were obtained at 24 and 48 hr after injection of 100-200 microCi of 111In-labeled platelets. A platelet uptake index (PUI) was calculated to evaluate the results of the scintigraphy. A PUI > 1.5 at 24 or 48 hr was considered positive and suggestive of immunological activity in the nonfunctioning renal allograft. In the study group the PUI was considered positive in 26 patients and negative in 10. In 3 patients with positive PUI, fever disappeared after steroid treatment, and transplantectomy was performed in the remaining 23. In 8 of the 10 patients with a negative PUI, fever disappeared with antimicrobial therapy. In the control group, a negative PUI was obtained in all cases. The sensitivity of PUI in demonstrating immunological intolerance of the nonfunctioning renal allograft was 93% with a specificity of 100%. Our results suggest that this new approach with 111In-labeled platelet scintigraphy may constitute a good marker for discriminating the origin of the febrile syndrome in patients with a nonfunctioning renal allograft. A positive PUI (> 1.5) strongly suggested immunological intolerance of the nonfunctioning allograft.

Adult↗