Biomedical subjects

I Cavanagh

Publications and source records attributed to I Cavanagh.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2003

Achieving 95% uptake in an immunisation programme--not an impossibility.

This study sought to document uptake rates achieved for vaccinations administered in a School Immunisation Programme in a school year. In a population of 6436 children uptake rates of more than 95% were achieved for all the vaccines administered, except MMR in the 6th class cohort for which 94.7% was the uptake figure. The success of the programme was attributed to the fact that the programme was the responsibility of a dedicated team, which facilitated the active follow-up of all defaulters as identified by the comprehensive database made available by the schools. Avoidance of deferral for minor illness was also a key factor.

Child↗

PubMed1993

Low levels of total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, and apolipoprotein A1 in association with anticardiolipin antibodies in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if there is an association between low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), apolipoprotein A1 (Apo A1), total cholesterol, and anticardiolipin antibody (aCL) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who are not taking corticosteroids. METHODS: We studied 75 outpatients with documented SLE who were attending our hospital clinics: 57 were aCL positive and 18 were aCL negative. Both IgG and IgM aCL levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Lipid fractions (total cholesterol, HDL, low-density lipoprotein, very-low-density lipoprotein, and triglycerides) were determined by standard enzymatic techniques. Apo A1 and Apo B levels were determined by nephelometry. RESULTS: Patients with SLE who were IgG aCL+ had low levels of serum cholesterol (mean +/- SD 173.6 +/- 34.6 mg/dl) and HDL (43.9 +/- 16.3 mg/dl) compared with aCL- SLE patients, normal donors, and patients with other diseases. Apo A1 levels were also low in the aCL+ group (95.5 +/- 50.9 mg/dl) compared with the aCL- group (152.7 +/- 32.6 mg/dl). There was no association of total cholesterol level or aCL titer with clinical activity. CONCLUSION: These data indicate that in SLE patients, there is an association between antibody against the phospholipid cardiolipin and low levels of cholesterol, HDL, and Apo A1.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Serum thyroid hormone concentrations fluctuate in cats with hyperthyroidism.

We measured serum thyroxine (T4) and 3,3',5-triiodothyronine (T3) concentrations in hyperthyroid cats (hourly for 10 hours in 14 cats, and daily for 15 days in seven cats) to assess fluctuation in thyroid hormone levels. Over the 10-hour study period the coefficient of variation (CV) for serum T4 and T3 concentrations ranged from 6.4-22.6% (mean = 12.0 +/- 4.8%) and from 9.6-33.1% (mean = 17.5 +/- 6.3%), respectively. During the 15-day study period, CV for serum T4 ranged from 6.6-34.8% (mean = 18.4 +/- 9.3%), while CV for serum T3 ranged from 7.8-31.0% (mean = 20.1 +/- 8.6%). These CV values were significantly higher than the expected intra-assay CVs (T4 assay, 5.1%; T3 assay, 7.7%). In addition, some of the cats with mild hyperthyroidism showed one or more normal serum T4 and T3 values during the course of the respective study periods. There was no specific time during the 10-hour study period at which the cats consistently showed peak serum T4 or T3 concentrations. These results suggest that serum thyroid hormone concentrations are subject to a degree of fluctuation that exceeds the usual assay variation, and that cats with mild hyperthyroidism can, at a given time, exhibit normal serum T4 and T3 values. Therefore, a diagnosis of feline hyperthyroidism should not be excluded on the basis of the finding of a single normal serum T4 or T3 value in a cat with clinical signs and physical examination findings consistent with the disease.

Animals↗