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Biomedical subjects

J C Rosenberg

Publications and source records attributed to J C Rosenberg.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Multi-array antibody screening in detecting antibodies to mismatched HLA in patients awaiting a second transplant.

Effective identification of HLA specificities to which a prospective transplant recipient has antibodies depends on how effective the most sensitive assay is in detecting these antibodies. To ascertain the assay's efficacy, the results of antibody screening of patients on the waiting list for a second transplant were studied. A commercially available panel of fluoro-coded microbeads coated with multiple and single purified class I or II HLA antigens was used with flow cytometry to detect antibodies in human serum (LABScreen, One Lambda, Canoga Park, Calif, USA). A total of 112 HLA-A, B, and DR mismatches between donors and recipients were present among 34 patients. Antibodies to 56% of the mismatches were detected with 67% of the HLA-A, 38% of the HLA-B, and 63% of the HLA-DR mismatches detected, respectively. Thirty percent of the patients had antibodies to all of the mismatched HLA, 43% had antibodies to some, and 27% did not develop antibodies to any of the mismatched antigens. Among patients who developed antibodies to all of the mismatched HLA, 60% had had a transplant nephrectomy. Only 11% of patients who had no antibodies detected to mismatched HLA had had a transplant nephrectomy and 44% of them were still on immunosuppression. Using the Matchmaker program developed by Duquesnoy, the latter group of patients had a sufficient number of triplet mismatches that could have resulted in an antibody response. All of the undetected antibodies had been identified in other patients in this group. The assay used in this study to detect antibodies is considered the most sensitive one available. Nonetheless, antibodies to slightly less than half of the mismatched HLA antigens were not detected. It appears that the assay system is capable of detecting the antibodies, since in other patients with the same mismatched HLA, antibodies were detected. It is likely that the recipients could develop antibodies since there was a sufficient degree of disparity in the HLA of donors and recipients. Antibodies were more likely to be detected when there had been a transplant nephrectomy and the absence of immunosuppression. There was no way of knowing whether we were missing detecting antibodies or if they were not present. The results of this study have important implications with respect to utilizing "unacceptable antigens" in an allocation system for patients awaiting a second transplant.

Histocompatibility Testing↗

Changes in notification and demographics of deceased donors during the past decade in the state of Michigan, USA.

From 1993 to 2003 there have been significant changes in the number and demographics of deceased donors referred to the organ procurement organization (OPO) in the state of Michigan (USA). It was the aim of this study to document the magnitude of these changes and attempt to explain them. There has been a 26-fold increase in the number of reported in-hospital deaths from 1993 to 2003. Most of these calls (96%) concerned patients who were already dead and thus not suitable for organ donation. There has also been a 72% increase in the number of antemortem calls, but there has been only a 30% increase in the number of organ donors, primarily because the majority of the deceased individuals referred for donation (57% in 2003) do not meet the criteria for brain death. The median age of donors over the past 10 years has increased from 31 to 45. The proportion of African-American donors increased from 9.8% in 1993 to 21.3% in 2003. An increase in the age of donors and the increased frequency of cerebrovascular accidents as the cause of death of donors may be a reflection of changes in criteria for donation. Mandatory reporting of hospital deaths has resulted in an increase in notification to the OPO but has not had a major impact on the number of organ donors. On the other hand, increased donation from African-Americans indicates that public information programs may be contributing to the increased donation from this segment of the population.

Adult↗

The adequacy of informed consent for placement of gastrostomy tubes.

BACKGROUND: Gastrostomy tubes are placed commonly in patients with limited life expectancy. However, it is unclear whether the process of informed consent is adequate in these patients. This study examined the quality of informed consent in hospitalized patients undergoing placement of gastrostomy tubes. METHODS: Retrospective review of the medical records of a cohort of 154 consecutive hospitalized adults undergoing placement of gastrostomy tubes in the context of chronic progressive illness, in the setting of a large community-teaching hospital. RESULTS: The medical record documented a procedure-specific discussion of benefits and burdens of and alternatives to tube feeding in only 1 of 154 patients. Only 12 of 33 definitely or probably competent patients signed the hospital consent form; in the remaining 21, a surrogate decision-maker signed the form. The cumulative 1-year mortality for this cohort was 50%. CONCLUSIONS: The quality of informed consent for placement of gastrostomy tubes was inadequate in a large community-teaching hospital. Indirect evidence from the literature suggests that these results are not unique to this institution. Physicians should become more familiar with the medical and ethical issues relevant to medically administered nutrition near the end of life, and institutions should develop procedures to improve the quality of decision-making for patients considering this intervention.

Adult↗

Comparison of three sonographic circumference measurement techniques to predict birth weight.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the accuracy of three different sonographic circumference measurement techniques in predicting birth weight in term fetuses, using a standard equation for estimating fetal weight. METHODS: Fifty-three singleton, term fetuses were examined sonographically within 24 hours of scheduled elective cesarean delivery. The biparietal diameter (BPD) and femur length (FL) were measured using standard techniques, and head circumference (HC) and abdominal circumference (AC) were measured using three separate circumference measurement techniques (Two-diameter, ellipse, and trace). With the use of each circumference method, estimated fetal weights were determined for each fetus according to a weight-estimation formula incorporating BPD, HC, AC, and FL. The accuracy of the formula using each circumference measurement technique for predicting actual birth weight was calculated. RESULTS: The mean (+/- standard deviation [SD]) gestational age was 38.1 +/- 0.9 weeks and the mean actual birth weight was 3536 +/- 472 g. The two-diameter and ellipse circumference measurements allowed more accurate birth weight prediction than did the trace method, with mean (+/- SD) percent deviations from the actual birth weight of -0.5 +/- 7.8%, 1.9 +/- 8.0%, and 8.2 +/- 11.6% (P < .05), respectively. The trace method was the least accurate, with a mean birth weight overestimation of 266 g and measurements within 10% of the actual birth weight only 49.1% of the time. The two-diameter and ellipse method yielded predicted birth weights within 10% of actual birth weights in 77.4 and 79.2% of cases, respectively. CONCLUSION: Two-diameter and ellipse circumference measurement techniques are similarly accurate in predicting birth weight and both are significantly better than the trace technique.

Adult↗

The consequences of overdiagnosis and overtreatment of Lyme disease: an observational study.

BACKGROUND: The adverse consequences associated with overdiagnosis and overtreatment of Lyme disease, although previously recognized, have received inadequate attention. OBJECTIVE: To determine the use of health services and occurrence of treatment-related illness, disability, and distress among patients in whom Lyme disease is inappropriately diagnosed or treated. DESIGN: Observational cohort study. SETTING: University-based Lyme disease clinic. PARTICIPANTS: 209 patients with a presumptive diagnosis of Lyme disease previously assigned by referring physicians, the patients themselves, or both. MEASUREMENTS: Self-reported data, review of medical records, and standardized instruments were used to determine 1) use of health services in terms of number of outpatient visits, number of physicians seen, types of serologic tests, and days of antibiotic treatment; 2) occurrence of antibiotic-related adverse events; and 3) levels of disability, depression, and stress. RESULTS: Of the 209 patients, 44 (21%) met criteria for active Lyme disease, 40 (19%) had previous but not active Lyme disease, and 125 (60%) had no evidence of current or previous infection. In general, patients with active Lyme disease (who were not the focus of this study) had good outcomes. Patients with previous Lyme disease and patients with no evidence of Lyme disease used considerable health resources (median number of office visits, 11 and 7; median number of serologic tests, 4 and 4; and median days of antibiotic treatment, 75 and 42), had frequent minor adverse drug events (53% and 55%), reported significant disability (proportion of symptomatic days during which normal activities could not be performed, 16% and 18%), and had high rates of depression (38% and 42%) and stress (52% and 45%). CONCLUSIONS: Overdiagnosis and overtreatment of Lyme disease are associated with inappropriate use of health services, avoidable treatment-related illness, and substantial disability and distress.

Adult↗

The relationship between sleep deprivation and the nocturnal decline of blood pressure.

Blood pressure (BP) has a circadian pattern with a 10% to 15% drop in systolic and diastolic BP comparing nighttime and daytime averages. The mechanism and the "reason" for the decline of nocturnal blood pressure has not been described. If the nocturnal decline is a restorative physiologic process we reasoned that sleep deprivation would increase the nocturnal drop. Thus, we tested the hypothesis that there is a compensatory decline in nocturnal sleep blood pressure after a period of nocturnal sleep deprivation. Twenty-four house staff personnel (normotensive and not taking any BP medications) with a mean age of 29.3 years were recruited for this study (13 men and 11 women). Subjects were randomly assigned to have 24-h BP monitoring after being sleep deprived (on call with 3 +/- 1.3 h of sleep) or after a normal night's sleep (7.3 +/- 0.8 h). There was no significant difference in hours asleep or time to bed or time awake for both 24-h studies. Subjects had similar activities for both monitoring intervals. The percent change in day awake versus night asleep mean values for systolic BP, diastolic BP, and mean arterial pressure for sleep deprived and normal night's sleep intervals were compared using paired t tests. None of these paired parameters were significantly different despite a subjectively "deeper" sleep postcall. In conclusion, sleep deprivation does not appear to result in a compensatory decline in nocturnal blood pressure. Thus, the "reason" for the normal nocturnal decline in blood pressure remains to be explored.

Adult↗

Transumbilical placement of the vaginal probe in obese pregnant women.

Transabdominal ultrasonography in obese pregnant women is often unsatisfactory because of the poor transmission of ultrasound through a thickened abdominal wall. We report our experience with the placement of a transvaginal probe in the umbilicus to improve resolution in obese pregnant patients. The technique, which involves filling the umbilicus with ultrasound transmission gel and inserting the transvaginal probe into the umbilicus, was applied in 25 consecutive obese patients who had unsatisfactory fetal imaging by the standard transabdominal approach. The most frequent reason for incomplete fetal survey by the standard transabdominal approach was unsatisfactory imaging of the fetal heart (19 of 25 cases, 76%). The transumbilical approach resulted in improved resolution and satisfactory cardiac examination in 18 of these 19 cases (95%). In two cases, color and pulsed Doppler interrogation of intrafetal vessels become possible. A complete fetal survey was accomplished in 96% of the cases.

Body Weight↗

A new method using vaginal ultrasound and transfundal pressure to evaluate the asymptomatic incompetent cervix.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the ability of ultrasound with transfundal pressure to detect the incompetent cervix in pregnant women at risk for this condition. METHODS: One hundred fifty pregnant women with no prior pregnancy losses were scanned transabdominally, and 31 asymptomatic pregnant women with a prior history of cervical incompetency or risk for this condition were scanned transvaginally. The control patients were scanned once between 16-24 weeks, and the patients at risk were studied 73 times between 8-25 weeks. After evaluating the cervix and its internal os, transfundal pressure was applied. Cervical cerclages were placed for cervical funneling and shortening in response to transfundal pressure or for a grossly incompetent cervix on ultrasound evaluation. RESULTS: Transfundal pressure elicited no changes in the internal cervical os of the 150 control patients, of whom 141 delivered at term, two miscarried at 22 and 23 weeks, and seven delivered prematurely (4.7%). Fourteen of the 31 pregnancies at risk for cervical incompetency revealed opening of the internal os or descent of the fetal membranes with transfundal pressure. Thirteen of these 14 pregnancies were treated with cerclage, with nine (64%) proceeding to term, three (21%) delivering prematurely, and two (14%) aborting. The one patient who did not receive a cerclage also aborted. In six cases, the cervix and its internal os appeared normal but the membranes protruded into the endocervical canal in response to transfundal pressure. CONCLUSION: Application of transfundal pressure during transvaginal ultrasound evaluation of the cervix and its internal os may assist in detecting the asymptomatic incompetent cervix.

Cervix Uteri↗

Retrieval and allocation of organs for transplantation: the Michigan experience.

The Organ Procurement Agency of Michigan (OPAM) is now in its twenty-third year of service to the transplant community in Michigan. From a beginning with one coordinator in 1971, it now employs 53 individuals, including 8 laboratory technologists for its own on-site histocompatibility laboratory, a dozen procurement coordinators stationed throughout the state, 6 organ placement coordinators in the main office, 6 screening coordinators who provide around-the-clock coverage at the office, a tissue recovery section, as well as additional finance, education, and administrative support staff. This chapter outlines the history and growth in organ recoveries of the organization. More importantly, the chapter also analyzes the Michigan experience regarding racial distribution of kidneys. While African-Americans comprise 14% of the general population of the state, they comprise 40% of the waiting kidney recipients and only 26% of the actual recipients. Depending upon blood type, average waiting time for a kidney for African-Americans can be up to 4 months longer than for Whites. The analysis attributes this variance primarily to the allocation methodology for kidney distribution, which is largely driven by antigen matching and secondarily to the generally greater frequency and higher degree of blood sensitization among African-Americans, which causes a substantially higher frequency of positive-crossmatch results between potential donor and recipient. The authors conclude that changes in the present allocation system could be made to achieve greater equity for African-American patients, without removing the advantages inherent in transplanting kidneys with closely matched antigens.

ABO Blood-Group System↗

Maffucci's syndrome. Review of the literature and case report.

Maffucci's syndrome, a rarely occurring congenital disorder, may present early in life as either a pathologic fracture, an incidental radiographic finding, or primarily as multiple hemangiomas. Patients endure years of orthopedic complications, and are faced with a grim prognosis, with the majority developing either skeletal or extra-skeletal malignancies by the end of their fourth decade.

Adult↗

Perinatal outcome following improvement of abnormal umbilical artery velocimetry.

Umbilical artery velocimetry was investigated to determine whether abnormal flow patterns improved with bed rest and if the prognosis of the pregnancy was different in the improved groups. Abnormal flow waveform was defined as a systolic-diastolic ratio (S/D) above the 95th percentile of established normal values. One hundred twenty-eight women had abnormal waveforms. They were placed on bed rest in the left lateral position and monitored by biophysical profile and growth indices. Sixty-six subjects (51.5%) reverted to normal flow waveforms following bed rest, at a mean (+/- SD) interval of 4.5 +/- 1.5 weeks (range 3-10), and 62 (48.5%) exhibited persistent abnormal flow. None of the improved group exhibited fetal distress or perinatal mortality, whereas in the group with persistent abnormal flow, 15 (24%) experienced fetal distress and 13% experienced perinatal mortality. The diagnosis-to-delivery interval in the improved group was 63 +/- 14 days, versus 26 +/- 21 days in the unimproved group, and the mean gestational age at delivery was 37.3 +/- 2.0 versus 32.8 +/- 3.6 weeks, respectively (P less than .0001). We conclude that a subset of patients with abnormal Doppler velocimetry findings will improve on bed rest and have a better perinatal outcome, whereas persistence of abnormal flow defines a group of patients who are at risk for poor perinatal outcome and who require intensive monitoring and intervention.

Bed Rest↗

Racial perspectives on kidney transplant donors and recipients.

Prior to undertaking a campaign to increase organ donation, demographic patterns of kidney recipients and donors were examined for our transplant center--the city and state in which it is located (Detroit and Michigan respectively). From 1984 to 1986 there were 964 kidney recipients in Michigan; 28% were black and 69% were white, whereas only 13% of the population in Michigan is black. As has been shown elsewhere in the United States, blacks have more end-stage renal disease than whites and thus require renal transplantation more often. There were 413 kidney donors from Michigan during the same period, 13% were black and 85% were white. In contrast to studies from other parts of the United States, our data show that blacks and whites in Michigan donate kidneys at a similar rate--i.e., 1.5 per 100,000 population. Data such as these should be obtained for areas where campaigns are to be conducted to increase organ donation. This information can be used to educate the public about the needs of the community.

Black People↗

Randomized clinical trial of preoperative and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy with cisplatin, vindesine, and bleomycin for carcinoma of the esophagus.

Thirty-nine patients with potentially resectable cancer of the middle or lower esophagus who had not previously been treated were randomly assigned to receive either immediate operation (n = 20) or operation plus preoperative and postoperative therapy with cisplatin, vindesine, and bleomycin (n = 19). Patients were stratified by tumor size and location and by sex, with no significant differences appearing between the two treatment groups. Median follow-up for both groups was 30 months. The preoperative response rate to chemotherapy was 47%. The postoperative complication rate for patients in the operation-only group was 47%; it was 29% for patients receiving chemotherapy. The overall resectability rates were similar for the two groups. Patients responding to chemotherapy preoperatively had significantly prolonged survival (median greater than 20 months) when compared with either nonresponders (median 6.2 months) or patients receiving only operation (median 8.6 months). A highly significant correlation was noted between a weight loss of less than 10% and response to chemotherapy, which suggested that responses occurred in patients with less advanced disease. We conclude that preoperative and postoperative cisplatin, vindesine, and bleomycin chemotherapy has acceptable toxicity and does not increase the incidence of postoperative complications. The natural history of epidermoid carcinoma of the esophagus is altered and overall survival is prolonged for patients responding to preoperative chemotherapy. Potential responding patients can be identified by the degree of preoperative weight loss.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗

Primary adenocarcinoma of the esophagus.

Of 163 patients with carcinomas of the esophagus seen between 1975 and 1982, 11 (6.7%) had a primary adenocarcinoma. Although the high ratio of men to women (10:1) was similar to that seen in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus, the mean age of those with adenocarcinoma was younger (57 years). In contrast to squamous cell carcinomas, which predominantly involve blacks, esophageal adenocarcinomas in these patients involved only Caucasians. The great majority of lesions were found in the lower third of the esophagus. Only 3 (27%) of the patients with adenocarcinomas gave a history of a large daily alcohol consumption and only 2 (18%) had a Barrett's esophagus. Although various combinations of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy could control the primary tumor rather well, the final results were poor. All patients have now expired; median survival time was 16 months.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Fetal giant hemangiolymphangioma: report of a case.

A hemangiolymphangioma is a malformation of both lymphatic and blood vessels. A case of giant hemangiolymphangioma with extensive fetal involvement is presented and considerations in the antenatal diagnosis of this anomaly are discussed.

Female↗