PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

I Kaufman

Publications and source records attributed to I Kaufman.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Vaccination against influenza in rheumatoid arthritis: the effect of disease modifying drugs, including TNF alpha blockers.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and safety of vaccination against influenza virus in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, with special emphasis on the effect of disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), including tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) blockers. METHODS: 82 rheumatoid patients and 30 healthy controls were vaccinated with a split-virion inactivated vaccine containing 15 mug haemagglutinin (HA) per dose of each of B/Hong Kong/330/2001 (HK), A/Panama/2007/99 (PAN), and A/New Caledonian/20/99 (NC). Disease activity was assessed by tender and swollen joint count, morning stiffness, evaluation of pain, Health Assessment Questionnaire, ESR, and C reactive protein on the day of vaccination and six weeks later. Haemagglutination inhibiting (HI) antibodies were tested by a standard WHO procedure. Response was defined as a fourfold or more rise in HI antibodies six weeks after vaccination, or seroconversion in patients with a non-protective baseline level of antibodies (<1/40). Geometric mean titres (GMT) were calculated to assess the immunity of the whole group. RESULTS: Six weeks after vaccination, a significant increase in GMT for each antigen was observed in both groups, this being higher in the healthy group for HK (p=0.004). The percentage of responders was lower in rheumatoid patients than healthy controls (significant for HK). The percentage of responders was not affected by prednisone or any DMARD, including methotrexate, infliximab, and etanercept. Indices of disease activity remained unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: Influenza virus vaccine generated a good humoral response in rheumatoid patients, although lower than in healthy controls. The response was not affected by the use of prednisone or DMARDs.

Antibodies, Viral↗
PubMed2001

Spinal anesthesia for a patient with type I sialidosis undergoing abdominal surgery.

Type I and II sialidosis are autosomal recessively inherited glycoprotein storage disorders. Until now, there has been no published reports of patients with these conditions requiring anesthesia. We present the case of a 31-year-old male afflicted with type I sialidosis who underwent a surgical jejunostomy. Regional (spinal) anesthesia was carried out uneventfully. We discuss the anesthetic challenges posed by patients with type I and II sialidosis. Airway assessment and management is particularly crucial.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1997

Neurotoxicity after spinal anaesthesia induced by serial intrathecal injections of magnesium sulphate. An experimental study in a rat model.

We have previously demonstrated in a rat model that the lumbar intrathecal injection of 0.02 ml 6.3% magnesium sulphate, a concentration iso-osmolar with rat plasma, produces a state of spinal anaesthesia and general sedation which reversed completely after 6 h, without evidence of neurotoxicity, immediately or during the week thereafter. Using the same model and five groups of six animals in each, we administered the same volume and concentration of magnesium sulphate and compared its clinical effects with those of 0.02 ml 12.6% magnesium sulphate, 0.02 ml 2% lignocaine and 0.02 ml 0.9% sodium chloride solution, given as a series of 15 injections on alternate days for a period of 1 month. The animals were then killed and their spinal cords and meninges examined histologically. No significant differences were noted in the times of onset, durations of sensory and motor blockade and the times to full recovery throughout the entire period of 1 month's observation in the animals receiving intrathecal 6.3% magnesium sulphate. In the group receiving 12.6% magnesium sulphate, the time of onset of sensory and motor blockade was shorter and the duration of both parameters was significantly longer than in the former group. Full clinical recovery and resumption of normal eating and drinking took place in both groups throughout the entire series of 15 successive intrathecal injections. Identical, mild, uniform histopathological changes in the spinal cord were seen in all the five groups, including the group in which only the intrathecal catheter was implanted. The complete recovery and benign consequences of repeated intrathecal injections of iso-osmolar magnesium sulphate in a rat model indicate a lack of neurotoxicity and provide an impetus for further trials in larger animal species, before initial clinical trials of this substance, given intrathecally, in humans.

Anesthesia, Spinal↗
PubMed1984

Prevalence of diabetes mellitus in southern Wisconsin.

The prevalence of known cases of diabetes was ascertained from patient records in an 11-county area in Wisconsin in July 1979 to June 1980. The prevalence in the noninstitutionalized population was found to be 1%. Prevalence rates rose from 0.5 cases per 1000 population in the first decade of life to 44.7 cases per 1000 population in the eighth decade. The highest rates were found in the nursing home population. Males had higher age-adjusted rates than females. No difference in prevalence was found between persons living in metropolitan or nonmetropolitan counties. Determination of prevalence by these methods is a rapid and inexpensive means of ascertainment of known cases of diabetes.

Adolescent↗