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Biomedical subjects

G Rahav

Publications and source records attributed to G Rahav.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Conventional dose of omeprazole alters gastric flora.

Quantitative cultures were carried out on samples from gastric juice obtained from 12 ambulatory patients with esophagitis before and one month after omeprazole therapy. An increase in the number of patients in whom gastric juice was culture-positive, as well as an increment in the bacterial counts were noted. The spectrum of microorganisms isolated from gastric juice was identical to the normal flora of the oral cavity, mainly alpha-hemolytic streptococci, corynebacteria, and Candida species. Thus, the counts of organisms within gastric contents are simply a reflection of swallowed oral microflora that were able to survive due to the less acidic environment.

Antacids↗
PubMed1995

Aeromonas hydrophila myonecrosis accompanying mucormycosis five years after bone marrow transplantation.

A 36-year-old man, five years after bone marrow transplantation for aplastic anemia, was admitted with myonecrosis of the forearm after he had immersed his hand in sewage water several days prior to his admission. Blood cultures and specimens taken from the necrotic tissue of the arm all grew Aeromonas hydrophila. Following extension of the infection, the patient underwent amputation of the arm but ultimately died of cerebral mucormycosis. The epidemiology of Aeromonas infections is discussed and the literature of Aeromonas myonecrosis is reviewed.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Bacteriuria following extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy in patients whose urine was sterile before the procedure.

During 10 months at our hospital, 413 patients underwent extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (ESWL). The occurrence of complications was examined in the 126 (30.5%) of these patients who had sterile urine before the procedure and who had neither indwelling catheters nor stents. No patient received prophylactic antibiotics. After ESWL, nine patients (7%) developed bacteriuria, which was usually transient and required no therapy. Seven of the nine cases developed within 2 weeks of ESWL. In no case did other complications follow bacteriuria. Patients in whom bacteriuria was suspected because of fever all proved to have sterile urine. Our results indicate that patients whose urine is sterile before ESWL do not need antimicrobial prophylaxis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Group A streptococcus bacteremia at the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem.

Streptococcus pyogenes bacteremia occurred in 104 patients over a 6-year period, during which time the annual incidence remained constant. The clinical and epidemiologic characteristics are described for 90 of these patients. Of the 90 patients, 90% had community-acquired infection, and 77% had an underlying illness predisposing them to infection. Skin infection was the cause of bacteremia in 61% of the cases. Septic shock developed in 13 patients. The overall mortality rate was 15%. An increased likelihood of death was associated with septic shock and diabetes mellitus.

Bacteremia↗
PubMed1992

Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis: report of a case.

We describe a case of a young adult who had chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis that was diagnosed by exclusion and review the distinct clinical course of this disease. It is important to make a correct diagnosis so that unnecessary repeated invasive diagnostic procedures and prolonged use of antibiotics, steroids, or other chemotherapeutic agents can be avoided.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Alcohol consumption among Israeli youth--1989: epidemiology and demographics.

Epidemiological and sociodemographic findings on alcohol (wine, beer, hard liquor) consumption among the Israeli youth are presented. Three samples of adolescents, aged 12-18, were studied by means of an anonymous self-report questionnaire: a nationwide representative sample of high school students; a sample of detached youth; and a sample of inmates in institutions for juvenile delinquents. Alcohol consumption was assessed by three indices: frequency of use during the last year, use during the last month and use during the last week. Since alcohol is imbibed ceremonially in the Jewish tradition, only non-ritualistic consumption of alcoholic beverages was considered. Prevalence of drinking during the last year was 58%, during the last month 42% and during the last week 25%. Thus, it appears that Israeli youth are approaching the drinking prevalence of European adolescents. The results clearly indicate that alcohol consumption is concentrated among groups of deviant adolescents. These adolescents consume all types of alcoholic beverages at rates considerably exceeding those found among high school students. As for the effect of sociodemographic variables, the results strongly support previous findings showing that the patterns and contexts of alcohol use among Israeli youth are similar to those found among youth in other cultures.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Falciparum malaria-induced hypoglycaemia in a diabetic patient.

We report a patient with diabetes mellitus who suffered severe falciparum malaria complicated by profound and persistent hypoglycaemia. The hypoglycaemia evolved before therapy with quinine was begun and resolved with eradication of the parasitaemia. The patient reverted to her baseline hyperglycaemia despite continuation of quinine. This case illustrates the critical role of falciparum malaria in the pathogenesis of malaria-associated hypoglycaemia, rather than quinine-mediated mechanisms. Anticipation of hypoglycaemia in falciparum malaria and its vigorous treatment may improve the poor prognosis associated with this complication.

Blood Glucose↗
PubMed1992

Nail pigmentation associated with zidovudine: a review and report of a case.

Zidovudine has become the standard therapy for patients with AIDS and for asymptomatic HIV infected patients with low helper-T-cell levels. As experience with the drug has grown, knowledge of the range of side effects has increased. We describe progressive pigmentation of finger and toe nails in a white patient due to zidovudine therapy, a phenomenon not often described. Nail pigmentation occurs primarily in black patients. It appears to be reversible and relatively dose dependent. The mechanism responsible for the discoloration is unknown. It is important to alert patients to this side effect and to prevent unnecessary investigations and treatment for other diagnoses, such as cyanosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Acceptance of mental retardation and help-seeking by mothers and fathers of children with mental retardation.

Help-seeking preferences of parents of children with mental retardation were examined. A specially constructed Acceptance of Retardation Scale was administered to 25 fathers and 25 mothers. Respondents were asked to consider a number of need situations associated with their child's retardation and rate the likelihood that they would try to help themselves or seek external help from various sources. Results showed that mothers and fathers may have different help-seeking patterns. The fathers' help-seeking behavior seems to be instrumental, whereas mothers seem to be affected by ego considerations. Several demographic correlates of help-seeking behavior were also collected. Implications were discussed.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1990

Development of sensitive methods for the detection of mycobacteria by DNA probes.

A sensitive method allowing the detection of mycobacteria by DNA probing has been developed. Besides the choice of a relevant probe encoding for part of the ribosomal RNA genes, the critical step allowing this high sensitivity was the method by which mycobacteria were lysed. Sonication of mycobacteria in the presence of chloroform followed by dot blot by this lysate gave the highest sensitivity in the detection of sequences homologous to the DNA probes.

Cloning, Molecular↗
PubMed1990

Relationship between the acetylator phenotype, plasma sulfapyridine levels and adverse effects during treatment with salicylazosulfapyridine in patients with chronic bowel diseases.

We examined 122 patients with inflammatory bowel disease treated with salicylazosulfapyridine. Forty-two (34.5%) had adverse effects that led to discontinuation of therapy in 14 (11.5%). In 33 patients the effects appeared to be dose dependent. The plasma sulfapyridine levels in patients exhibiting gastrointestinal side effects were significantly higher than in patients with no adverse effects (41.0 +/- 20.3 and 23.8 +/- 14.8 micrograms/ml respectively, P less than 0.001). Plasma sulfapyridine levels were significantly higher in slow than in fast acetylators (31.5 +/- 17.1 vs. 22.2 +/- 17.1 micrograms/ml). Slow acetylators had three times as many side effects as fast acetylators; however this difference was not statistically significant.

Acetylation↗
PubMed1989

Prolonged pyrexia and lung metastases. A rare presentation of an occult epithelioid sarcoma.

A 31-year-old patient presenting with fever of unknown origin, night sweats and weight loss, associated later with pulmonary nodules, is described. Multiple invasive diagnostic procedures, including exploratory laparotomy and open-lung biopsy, suggested a benign inflammatory granulomatous disease. Metastatic epithelioid sarcoma was ultimately diagnosed after biopsy of an enlarging groin mass. Epithelioid sarcoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of prolonged fever, associated with granulomas of obscure etiology.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Sensation seeking, state and trait anxiety, and depressive mood in adolescent substance users.

The following hypothesis has been tested: sensation seeking, A-state and A-trait, and depressive mood should positively affect adolescent substance use. The personality variables and alcohol and drug use were assessed among 1,900 Israel adolescents, 14 to 19 years old. The major findings were as follows: (a) Sensation seeking and availability significantly affected the "ever" and "current" substance use among adolescents. On the other hand, contrary to our hypothesis, neither A-trait nor depressive mood significantly affected substance use. (b) A-State affected the use of alcoholic beverages and nonprescribed medications. (c) The data emphasized the significant role of availability of drugs in the understanding of adolescents' substance use. The implications of these findings for interventions among adolescents are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis (Sweet's syndrome).

We describe a patient who displayed the classic features of acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis (Sweet's syndrome): sudden onset of erythematous plaques, fever, arthritis, and characteristic histologic findings. Unusual findings in her case were the localization of the lesions mainly on the legs, absence of leukocytosis and preceding illness, and marked neutrophilic infiltration in the subcutis. In addition, the fever and eruption subsided on the day the results of pathologic examination were available, making any treatment unnecessary. The short course of the disease in this patient suggests the possibility of postponing steroid treatment for one week in all patients with acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1989

Suicide and attempted suicide: their relation to subjective social stress indicators.

We investigated the relationship between the subjective perception of external stress and suicidal behavior, using a stress model which indicated that the probability of suicide and attempted suicide, as a reaction to stress, increases when social support systems fail or malfunction. We conceived the subjective perception of social stress as expressions of worry or dissatisfaction regarding cardinal life domains such as economic, security, or political situations. We defined support systems in terms of national solidarity expressed as positive (or improved) attitudes regarding the relations between various segments of the population, and we derived the data regarding the subjective indicators from continuing surveys of representative samples of urban Israeli population during the years 1967 through 1979. Eight stress indicators and three solidarity indicators were included, and our findings generally supported the theoretical model. However, the findings regarding men conformed best in relation to suicide, whereas those regarding women confirmed the theoretical model mainly in relation to attempted suicide. Contrary to the model, female suicide rates decreased in times of stress. Feelings of social solidarity in the population were found to reduce suicidal behavior of both men and women.

Cross-Sectional Studies↗