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G Hill

Publications and source records attributed to G Hill.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

A population-based study of neuroblastoma incidence, survival, and mortality in North America.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to provide a population-based estimate of neuroblastoma incidence, disease stage and age distribution, and survival and mortality rates in North America; and (2) to compare these figures in the province of Quebec at a time shortly before the institution of province-wide screening with those in a population-based control group, the Greater Delaware Valley (GDV) Pediatric Tumor Registry. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In Quebec, the four major pediatric teaching hospital records were searched for children with a diagnosis of neuroblastoma. Tumor board registry data and information supplied to the Division of Vital Statistics were also reviewed. Birth statistics were obtained from the population registry. The GDV Pediatric Tumor Registry is a population-based registry of pediatric cancer covering all of Delaware and parts of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. Age, stage of disease, and follow-up data were obtained through December 31, 1989, with Evans neuroblastoma staging data used for all comparisons. RESULTS: One hundred thirty children with neuroblastoma were identified in Quebec and 165 in the GDV, in a combined population of 3,178,736 children. The annual incidence of neuroblastoma was 10.95/10(6) under the age of 15 years and 27.75/10(6) between the ages of 0 and 4 years. The annual mortality rate due to neuroblastoma was 4.89/10(6) and 9.10/10(6) for the age groups 0 to 14 and 0 to 4, respectively. The overall 10-year survival rate for the 295 cases of neuroblastoma was 55%. The 10-year survival rates for patients with Evans stage I-IV and IVS disease were 88%, 90%, 63%, 21%, and 81%. There was no significant difference observed in the incidence, mortality, or survival in the two populations. CONCLUSION: These data represent the first large, population-based description of the clinical presentation and outcome of patients with neuroblastoma in North America, with no significant differences noted between Quebec patients and the GDV patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Increasing brain cancer rates in Canada.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse brain cancer patterns in Canada, particularly according to age and sex distributions, temporal patterns and regional variations. Changes in diagnostic techniques, survival rates and trends by tumour type were also examined. DESIGN: Descriptive epidemiologic study based on Canada-wide population data for 1959-88. OUTCOME MEASURES: Rates of death, incidence and admission to hospital because of brain cancer, as well as survival time and methods of diagnosis. SUBJECTS: Incidence and death rates and time trends were examined for Canada as a whole, by province and by census division. RESULTS: The rates of death from brain cancer increased rapidly among Canadians aged 55 years or more from 1959 to 1988. In particular, age-adjusted death rates increased by 117%, 797% and 118% among men 65 to 74 years, 75 to 84 and 85 or more respectively. The corresponding increases among women were 138%, 535% and 400%. The incidence rates also increased substantially. The trends in incidence rates by tumour type indicated that the increase was more pronounced for glioblastomas. The incidence rates of cases detected histologically, radiologically and clinically all increased. CONCLUSIONS: Because glioblastomas are generally easier to diagnose than astrocytomas and because the incidence rates of glioblastomas were found to increase substantially, the increased brain cancer rates among elderly people may not be entirely attributable to improved diagnostic techniques. However, analytic investigations of the impact of changes in diagnostic procedures on brain cancer trends are needed to clarify this issue.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

The antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of the Bacteroides fragilis group in the United States, 1987.

A nationwide survey to monitor the susceptibility of the Bacteroides fragilis group, which began in 1981, was continued during 1987. In addition to the eleven drugs evaluated in 1986, sulbactam, a potent beta-lactamase inhibitor, was tested alone and in combination with ampicillin and cefoperazone. Imipenem, ampicillin/sulbactam, cefoperazone/sulbactam, and ticarcillin/clavulanic acid were the most active newer drugs tested, with less than 1% resistance rates. Chloramphenicol, metronidazole and clindamycin also had excellent activity with resistance rates of 0%, 0%, and 3% respectively. Resistance rates to cefoxitin remained stable at 8%. Ceftizoxime and cefotetan had resistance rates of 26% and 29%, respectively. Rates of resistance varied among different institutions and between the various species.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1990

Comparative activities of newer beta-lactam agents against members of the Bacteroides fragilis group.

A nationwide susceptibility survey of 557 isolates of the Bacteroides fragilis group was continued in 1986. The most active beta-lactam drugs were imipenem and ticarcillin-clavulanic acid, which had 0.2 and 1.7% resistance, respectively. The rank order of activity of beta-lactam drugs was imipenem, ticarcillin-clavulanic acid, cefoxitin, piperacillin, moxalactam, ceftizoxime, cefotetan, cefotaxime, cefoperazone, and ceftazadime.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1990

Links between passive smoking and disease: a best-evidence synthesis. A report of the Working Group on Passive Smoking.

We reviewed the toxicologic, clinical, and epidemiologic evidence on the health effects of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). For each type of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke we have sought articles in the English language reporting studies of effects on human health. Formal criteria that stressed study design, quality of execution and generalizability of results were used to select 116 scientifically admissible reports from over 2,900 articles. We concluded that: (a) there is strong evidence of an association between residential exposure to environmental tobacco smoke and both respiratory illness and reduction of lung function, and also between maternal smoking and reduced birth weight; (b) the weight of evidence is compatible with an association between active maternal smoking during pregnancy and increased infant mortality, and also between residential exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (primarily spousal smoking) and the risk of lung cancer; (c) there is evidence consistent with a relationship between exposure to environmental tobacco smoke in the workplace and respiratory symptoms, (d) the evidence is insufficient to implicate residential exposure to environmental tobacco smoke in relation to other forms of malignant disease or congenital malformations; (e) there is no evidence in the literature of an association between nonresidential exposure to environmental tobacco smoke and any form of cancer. Further studies are required to address the effects of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, especially nonresidential exposure, in carcinogenesis and as a risk factor for atherosclerosis. Further work is also needed to improve measurement of exposure in such studies and to assess the importance of confounding factors.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Canadian Study of Health and Aging (CaSHA).

A Canada-wide study of the epidemiology of dementias was initiated in the summer of 1990 with the support of Health and Welfare Canada. The four objectives are to estimate the prevalence of dementias among elderly Canadian citizens, to determine the risk factors for dementia of the Alzheimer type, to describe the current pattern of caring for demented patients and assess the burden on informal caregivers, and to establish a uniform database for future incidence and longitudinal studies of dementias. Trained interviewers will screen a representative sample of senior citizens in the community. The screening is followed by a standardized clinical assessment for putative cases of dementia, for institutionalized patients and for a number of controls. Diagnosis will follow DSM-III-R criteria for dementia, the NINCDS-ADRDA criteria for dementia of the Alzheimer type and the ICD-10 criteria for other dementias. A sample of cases and controls will then enter the caregiver and risk factor sub-studies.

Aged↗
PubMed1988

Survival rates among patients with cancer in Alberta in 1974-78.

We calculated 5-year crude and relative survival rates, by age and sex, for patients in Alberta in whom cancer was diagnosed between 1974 and 1978. Cancers with low overall 5-year relative survival rates (less than 35%) included stomach cancer, cancer of the pancreas, lung cancer, brain cancer, multiple myeloma and myeloid leukemia. Cancers with high overall 5-year relative survival rates (more than 70%) included melanoma, breast cancer, cancer of the uterus, cancer of the bladder and Hodgkin's disease. Five-year relative survival rates were generally lower in the highest age group (75 years or more). A strong inverse relation between age and survival was noted for brain cancer, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloid leukemia.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Susceptibility of the Bacteroides fragilis group in the United States: analysis by site of isolation.

An ongoing survey of the susceptibility of the Bacteroides fragilis group of bacteria was continued at New England Medical Center in 1984 and 1985. A total of 1,229 strains were obtained from eight centers in the United States. These results were compared with those for 1,847 isolates tested in 1981 through 1983. The most active beta-lactam drugs were imipenem and ticarcillin-clavulanic acid (Timentin), which had a less than 1% resistance rate. No metronidazole- or chloramphenicol-resistant isolates were found during the 5 years of the study. Isolates obtained from blood, perinatal, and bone sites of infection were more resistant to a variety of antimicrobial agents. Susceptibility patterns of the members of the B. fragilis group varied at the eight hospitals and among species. These data indicate the need for determining the susceptibility patterns for the B. fragilis group of organisms at each hospital.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1987

Clinical assessment of 31 patients with Wilson's disease. Correlations with structural changes on magnetic resonance imaging.

Thirty-one patients with Wilson's disease were evaluated with detailed neurologic and medical examinations. Mean age (+/- SD) at onset was 21 +/- 5 years and at examination was 28 +/- 6 years. Of the 90% of patients who were first treated with penicillamine, 31% deteriorated initially despite therapy, and half never recovered to pretherapy baseline. At the time of our evaluations, the most common neurologic findings were dysarthria (97%), dystonia (65%), dysdiadochokinesia (58%), rigidity (52%), gait and postural abnormalities (42%), and tremor (32%). Chorea and dementia were rare. Twenty-two patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging. All but one of the 19 symptomatic patients had abnormal scans. The three asymptomatic patients had normal scans. Most lesions were seen in the caudate, putamen, subcortical white matter, midbrain, and pons. Generalized brain atrophy was also common. Lesions were less common in the thalamus, cerebellar vermis, midbrain tegmentum, globus pallidus, red nucleus, and dentate nucleus. Dystonia and bradykinesia correlated with putamen lesions, and dysarthria correlated with both putamen and caudate lesions.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

The treatment of Wilson's disease with zinc. IV. Efficacy monitoring using urine and plasma copper.

Progress has been made in establishing the efficacy and safety of oral zinc as a maintenance therapy for Wilson's disease. It is important to develop simple, noninvasive monitoring methods to assure the adequacy of zinc therapy in individual patients. In this paper we report the use of 24-hr urine copper and plasma copper measurements to monitor efficacy of zinc maintenance therapy in 30 Wilson's disease patients. In examples of therapeutic inadequacy such as noncompliance, these values increase. With continued long-term adequate therapy, they remain stable or decrease. These two simple monitoring tools appear to be very useful in monitoring Wilson's disease patients receiving zinc therapy.

Ceruloplasmin↗
PubMed1987

Mediastinal emphysema in marrow transplant recipients.

Six of 146 patients at our institution developed mediastinal emphysema following marrow transplantation. Five patients were the recipients of marrow from their HLA fully matched sibling donors and one patient had an autologous marrow transplant. Features common to all included single-dose total body irradiation and high-dose systemic adrenocorticosteroids. Five of the patients had clinical and radiological evidence of recent or active interstitial pneumonitis. The clinical implications and possible aetiologies of mediastinal emphysema developing in the post-transplant patient are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Yaws reappears.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Disease Outbreaks↗
PubMed1985

Recidivism, perceived problem-solving abilities, MMPI characteristics, and violence: a study of black and white incarcerated male adult offenders.

This study examined recidivism, perceived problem-solving abilities, type of offense, and personality characteristics in an incarcerated male population. Twenty black males and 32 white males were selected systematically from inmate populations. The MMPI, its special scales, and the PSI scales were analyzed; F, L, Re, and Do scales reported significant results. Recidivists scored significantly higher than nonrecidivists on the impulsive scale of the Problem Solving Inventory. Black recidivists generated significantly higher scores on the F scale than did black or white nonrecidivists. The Pd scale reported a significant main effect for type of offense (p less than .05). Offenders incarcerated for violent crimes scored higher on the Pd scale than the nonviolent criminals. This research study demonstrated the utility of the MMPI and the PSI in discriminating between nonviolent and violent criminals.

Adult↗