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Biomedical subjects

J Brieva

Publications and source records attributed to J Brieva.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

Severe hypothermia: challenging normal physiology.

Accidental hypothermia is not a frequent cause of death in Australia. Moreover it is rare to have an admission to hospital with a core temperature below 32 degrees C. Among the cases described in the literature, it is clear that temperature and prognosis are related. Our patient presented with severe accidental hypothermia and even though the admission core temperature was below 26 degrees she was successfully discharged from hospital after active re-warming with three different devices. She had laboratory and ECG findings associated with severe hypothermia.

Aged↗

Adrenergic airway vascular smooth muscle responsiveness in healthy and asthmatic subjects.

The purpose of the present study was to determine the responsiveness of airway vascular smooth muscle (AVSM) as assessed by airway mucosal blood flow (Qaw) to inhaled methoxamine (alpha(1)-agonist; 0.6-2.3 mg) and albuterol (beta(2)-agonist; 0.2-1.2 mg) in healthy [n = 11; forced expiratory volume in 1 s, 92 +/- 4 (SE) % of predicted] and asthmatic (n = 11, mean forced expiratory volume in 1 s, 81 +/- 5%) adults. Mean baseline values for Qaw were 43.8 +/- 0.7 and 54.3 +/- 0.8 microl. min(-1). ml(-1) of anatomic dead space in healthy and asthmatic subjects, respectively (P < 0.05). After methoxamine inhalation, the maximal mean change in Qaw was -13.5 +/- 1.0 microl. min(-1). ml(-1) in asthmatic and -7.1 +/- 2.1 microl. min(-1). ml(-1) in healthy subjects (P < 0.05). After albuterol, the mean maximal change in Qaw was 3.0 +/- 0.8 microl. min(-1). ml(-1) in asthmatic and 14.0 +/- 1.1 microl. min(-1). ml(-1) in healthy subjects (P < 0.05). These results demonstrate that the contractile response of AVSM to alpha(1)-adrenoceptor activation is enhanced and the dilator response of AVSM to beta(2)-adrenoceptor activation is blunted in asthmatic subjects.

Administration, Inhalation↗

Myiasis in a pregnant woman and an effective, sterile method of surgical extraction.

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous myiasis caused by Dermatobia hominis involves the infestation of tissue with dipterous fly larvae and is common in many tropical and subtropical areas. We describe a patient in her sixth month of pregnancy who returned from Belize with myiasis detected in the right popliteal fossa. Multiple surgical techniques have been described in the past outlining various ways to extract the botfly larva. No single standardized technique for surgical extraction of larvae has been adopted. OBJECTIVE: To describe a highly effective, sterile method of extraction used in a pregnant patient with botfly infestation. METHODS: A combination of injection with plain 1% lidocaine, sterile occlusion with polymyxin B sulfate ointment and a cruciform incision was used to extract the larva. RESULTS: The botfly larva was easily and completely extracted without remnants of the larval body being left in the skin. CONCLUSION: The sterile technique we describe allows for quick and easy extraction of the larva without risk of secondary infection or need for antibiotics. This method is especially appropriate for pregnant patients or those with medical conditions precluding a completely competent immune response to potential secondary infection.

Adult↗

[Use of drugs in a urban population].

We surveyed 605 households selected by conglomerate random sampling in a typical Chilean city in order to study patterns of utilization of medicinal agents. The critical item investigated drug use in the week preceding the interview. The 95% confidence limits for drug utilization were 24.1 and 26.8% and for medicinal plants 16.7 and 18.7%. Mothers (35.7%) and children (32.1%) used more drugs than adult males. Analgesics and minor tranquilizer were the drugs most frequently used, the main indication being related to respiratory diseases. Self prescription of drugs was about 30%.

Adult↗