PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J Collett

Publications and source records attributed to J Collett.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Validation of the saliva-based H. pylori test, heliSAL, and its use in prevalence surveys.

The saliva-based H. pylori test, HeliSAL, is insufficiently accurate for use in the clinical setting. However, its ease of use and non-invasiveness make it attractive for population-based studies of the epidemiology of H. pylori. We validated HeliSAL, and comment here on its usefulness in prevalence surveys. One hundred and ninety-six patients receiving endoscopy at a clinic in New Zealand provided saliva samples for H. pylori assessment, which were compared to CLOtest (Delta West Pty Ltd, Western Australia) as a gold standard measure. Nineteen percent were truly H. pylori positive, 41% were positive according to HeliSAL. Test sensitivity was 74% and specificity was 67%. While HeliSAL is not well suited for the clinical diagnosis of H. pylori infection, it may be useful for large-scale prevalence surveys because, provided it is validated locally, mathematical adjustment can be made for misclassification. Being inexpensive, non-invasive, and easily stored and handled, HeliSAL may be a valuable tool for studies of the epidemiology of H. pylori.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Enteral nutrition by nasojejunal tube in hyperemesis gravidarum.

We describe two cases in which self-propelling, blind placed nasojejunal tubes were placed in severe hyperemesis gravidarum. This method provides an alternative to parenteral nutrition and to percutaneous endoscopic tubes, is well tolerated, cost effective and with a low rate of complication. Both mothers were given nutritional support at home, had normal subsequent pregnancies and normal babies.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

The 'cut and push' method of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube removal.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The standard method of removing percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tubes is by gastroscopy. This has implications for endoscopy time and resources, and we believe is not always necessary. Depending on the type of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube used we often used the 'cut and push' method. This involves cutting the catheter at skin level and allowing the tube and internal bumper to spontaneously pass. The cut and push method also represents a considerable resource saving compared to the endoscopic method that we think warrants further discussion. METHOD: We reviewed all the files of the percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tubes removed in our unit over the last 4 years. RESULTS: During the period of July 1995 to July 1999, we have inserted 384 percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tubes. Seven tubes have been removed endoscopically and 73 tubes have been removed with the cut and push method. Only two possible complications have been recorded (2.7%). CONCLUSIONS: We believe that we have provided further evidence that percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tubes can be removed safely using the cut and push method. Patients who are often frail and who have multiple medical problems are saved an often-long journey to the endoscopy unit as well as the hazards of an endoscopy. The saving in resources in what is already an overworked system by not performing endoscopies is also considerable.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Screening protocol for Torulopsis (Candida) glabrata.

A screening test has been developed for the presumptive identification of Torulopsis (Candida) glabrata from other common clinical isolates of yeast-like fungi. An interlaboratory comparison of a protocol consisting of morphology on cornmeal Tween 80 agar and trehalose fermentation at 42 degrees C was successful in differentiating T. glabrata from other taxa that are frequent or possible clinical isolates. The screening results for 517 clinical yeast isolates, 241 of which were T. glabrata, were compared with their final identification via commercial systems (API20C Yeast Identification System [bioMERIEUX, Hazelwood, Mo.] and Rapid Yeast Identification Panel [Dade Microscan, Sacramento, Calif.]). The trehalose screening test has a sensitivity and a specificity of 97.8 and 95.8%, respectively, and a positive predictive value of 97.4% and a negative predictive value of 96.5%. Overall, the trehalose screen had an efficiency rating of 93.9% for ruling in or out T. glabrata. Since T. glabrata represents a substantial part of the workload in a clinical laboratory, a significant reduction in direct and indirect costs should be realized.

Candida↗
PubMed1989

The risk of infection from Giardia lamblia due to drinking water supply, use of water, and latrines among preschool children in rural Lesotho.

Stool samples were collected from 267 rural, preschool children in four districts in Lesotho during October-November, 1984. Sixty-three children (23.6%) were tested positive for Giardia lamblia, the most commonly recovered parasite from stool samples. The use of low amounts of water for personal hygiene was associated significantly with having G. lamblia (OR = 2.42), but the use of traditional, non-improved drinking water sources (OR = 1.38) or lack of latrines (OR = 0.94) was not. Although G. lamblia may be primarily waterborne in developed countries, the amount of water that is used for personal and domestic hygiene may be more important than the quality of drinking water in developing countries. Other risk factors that were identified to be associated significantly with having or not having Giardia were child older than 24 months (OR = 6.79), mother less than 20 years of age (OR = 5.18), residing in Mohales Hoek district (OR = 2.33), and possessing several agricultural tools (OR = 0.70).

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Perinatal mortality in Southland: an ongoing review.

A review of Southland's perinatal mortality was undertaken from 1978 to 1983 and included 124 deaths with a postmortem rate of 90%. The perinatal mortality rate has continued to fall during this period, and has more than halved since 1971. Prematurity remains the single most important factor, and there are still a large number of avoidable deaths. Eighty percent of confinements are attended solely by general practitioner obstetricians.

Birth Weight↗
PubMed1980

Plasma timolol levels and systolic time intervals.

The beta-blocking potency of timolol was compared with that of propranolol under steady-state conditions in eight healthy subjects. The effects on systolic time intervals in healthy subjects and patients (n = 6) with coronary artery disease were evaluated in relation to varying timolol dose schedules and plasma concentrations. The beta-blocking potency was assessed by the inhibition of exercise-induced tachycardia. Timolol was eight times as potent as propranolol. There was wide between-patient variation (2.6 to 13.8) in timolol plasma concentration, and correlation between dose and peak (r = 0.61, p < 0.01) or nadir (r = 0.5 p < 0.01). There was a relatively weak correlation between timolol plasma concentration and degree of beta-blockade (r = 0.45, p < 0.05) and a linear correlation with dose (r = 0.98, p < 0.001). In healthy subjects timolol and propranolol had variable effects on systolic time intervals but in patients with coronary artery disease equipotent doses prolonged the preejection period, isovolumetric contraction time, and the ratio of the preejection period over the left ventricular ejection time. In patients as well as in normal subjects, the data indicated considerable beta-blocking effects for both drugs at the end of a 12-hourly dosing schedule, suggesting that twice-daily timolol and propranolol may be clinically practical.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Hemodynamic effects of intravenous timolol in coronary artery disease.

The hemodynamic effects of intravenous timolol were evaluated in 20 patients with coronary artery disease during diagnostic cardiac catheterization. The threshold dose of 0.25 mg reduced heart rate and cardiac index by 15% (p less than 0.05), left ventricular work index by 21% (p less than 0.05), and left ventricular dp/dt by 16% (p less than 0.05) while increasing left ventricular end-diastolic pressure by 49% (p less than 0.01), mean pulmonary arterial pressure by 17% (p less than 0.01), and systemic vascular resistance by 16% (NS). Larger doses (0.5 mg and 1.0 mg) induced similar responses with a greater effect on systemic vascular resistance (+22%, p less than 0.01, and +31%, p less than 0.001). The mean arterial pressure and stroke volumes were not affected by timolol. Peak effects, occurring at about 10 min after drug injection, did not correlate with plasma levels. The overall hemodynamic effects of timolol were similar to those reported for equipotent doses of propranolol and could be accounted for by the beta-adrenoceptor blocking activity.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Mexiletine: a review of its pharmacological properties and therapeutic efficacy in arrhythmias.

Mexiletine is a new local anaesthetic antiarrhythmic agent whose chemical structure and electrophysiological properties closely resemble those of lignocaine although its anticonvulsant and pharmacokinetic properties differ from that drug. Unlike lignocaine (lidocaine) it is active following oral administration with a plasma half-life varying between 8 and 20 hours so that it can be administered twice or three times daily to sustain therapeutic plasma levels. The drug is effective when given intravenously or by the oral route in controlling ventricular arrhythmias especially following acute myocardial infarction but the side effects are greater during parenteral administration. Side effects during chronic oral therapy with mexiletine have not posed a serious problem. Mexiletine has the pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties of an agent suitable for the chronic oral prophylaxis of serious ventricular arrhythmias in patients with ischaemic heart disease.

Arrhythmias, Cardiac↗