PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

I Merkatz

Publications and source records attributed to I Merkatz.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1993

Doppler velocimetry in pregnant patients with sickle cell anemia.

Women with sickle cell anemia have an increased risk of bearing low-birth-weight (LBW) progeny. To establish prognostic indicators of neonatal outcome, 15 women with sickle cell anemia were followed through their pregnancies with the use of umbilical and uterine Doppler flow velocimetry. The systolic/diastolic ratios obtained were correlated with neonatal birth weight, gestational age, and birth weight percentile. Pregravid hemoglobin levels, reticulocyte counts, dense cell numbers, percentage hemoglobin F, and indirect bilirubin and lactate dehydrogenase levels were also determined, and statistical analysis was performed to assess whether any of these parameters would be useful in conjunction with velocimetry. We report here that, in sickle cell anemia, prenatal umbilical and uterine Doppler velocimetry ratios correlate inversely and significantly with neonatal birth weight (P < 0.005 and P < 0.002, respectively). In addition, prenatal maternal HbF levels also correlate significantly with Doppler velocimetry readings, an independent indicator of LBW progeny. Neither pregravid hemoglobin levels nor dense cell concentration correlates with Doppler umbilical and uterine flow velocimetry ratios determined during pregnancy. Pregravid high levels of HbF and velocimetry readings may serve to delineate a subset of sickle cell patients who may have different requirements for prenatal care. The possible mechanism for the detrimental effects of increased levels of fetal hemoglobin has not been clearly established, but it may involve increased propensity for vasoocclusion due to the unique rheology of the human placenta.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Community screening for diabetes by blood glucose measurement. Results of a five-year experience.

The Diabetes Association of greater Cleveland screened 307,000 individuals in the metropolitan area for diabetes with a 75-gm. oral load of carbohydrate. Of these subjects 12,600 (4.1 per cent) had a two-capillary blood glucose level of greater than 139 mg. per cent and were defined as positive. Seventy per cent of the positives were retested, and 65 per cent of these again had two-hour levels greater than 139 mg. per cent. Seventy-one per cent of the original screening values were between 104 and 199 mg. per cent. The rate of positivity on retesting increased with the original screening bracket reaching 90 per cent at an original screening level of 240 mg. per cent or higher. The frequency of positive retests also increased with age irrespective of whether the original screening level was less than or greater than 200 mg. per cent. The implications of this large detection experience for conducting future mass surveys for diabetes are discussed.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1972

Induction of benzo( )pyrene hydroxylase in human skin.

Foreskins from children who were circumcised 2 to 4 days after birth contain an enzyme system that hydroxylates the carcinogen benzo[alpha]pyrene. When foreskin was cultured for 16 hours in the presence of 10 micromolar benz[alpha]anthracene, a two- to fivefold increase in activity of benzo[alpha]pyrene hydroxylase was obtained. An evaluation of the basal activity and inducibility of carcinogen-metabolizing enzymes in human tissues may provide a means of determining the ability of different individuals to metabolize carcinogens.

Benz(a)Anthracenes↗
PubMedDate not supplied

What do pregnant women know about preventing preterm birth?

Approximately 75% of all perinatal mortality is attributable to preterm birth and its sequelae; therefore, the prevention of preterm birth is a major public health priority. In an effort to determine what pregnant women need to be taught about this subject, 211 pregnant women in an inner-city clinic were given a questionnaire to ascertain their basic knowledge about the subject. Among the results were that almost one-half of the women surveyed did not know how many weeks constituted a normal pregnancy and one-third did not know that neonates born preterm could have health problems. The importance of teaching these and other basic facts (which nurses might think are already known by pregnant women) is a notable finding of this research. If perinatal nurses are to effectively teach pregnant women about the prevention of preterm birth, they must target the appropriate facts and build their patients' knowledge base.

Adolescent↗