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Biomedical subjects

J Olak

Publications and source records attributed to J Olak.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

Frequent exposure to invasive medical care in early childhood and operative dental treatment associated with dental apprehension of children at 9 years of age.

AIM: This was to study prospectively a cohort of children as to whether behaviour at a 3-year examination, exposure to medical care and operative dental treatment are associated with each other, and with the level of dental apprehension at 9 years of age. METHODS: Data were collected at three subsequent dental examinations of 126 children (67 boys, 59 girls). Cooperation, general health condition and operative dental treatment during the preceding 3 years were obtained at dental examinations with 3-year intervals, i.e. at 3, 6 and 9 years of age. Children's dental apprehension was assessed at the age of 9 years. The data were analysed using an ordinal logistic regression model. RESULTS: Dental apprehension at 9 years of age was associated with frequent exposure to invasive medical care (p<0.001) and past experience of operative dental care (p<0.002), but not with cooperation at 3 years of age (p=0.124). CONCLUSION: Frequent invasive medical care in early childhood and operative dental treatment, tooth extractions in particular, are associated with dental apprehension at 9 years of age.

Case-Control Studies↗
PubMed2000

Simple technique for sizing and positioning tracheal stents.

Accurate placement of tracheobronchial stents is essential, since little adjustment can be made once the stent is deployed. We describe the use of an inexpensive tool, a radio-opaque ruler, to aid in the proper positioning of tracheobronchial stents.

Bronchoscopy↗
PubMed2000

A randomized, controlled trial comparing thoracoscopy and limited thoracotomy for lung biopsy in interstitial lung disease.

BACKGROUND: Lung biopsies are frequently needed to diagnose diffuse interstitial lung diseases. A prospective randomized, controlled trial comparing limited thoracotomy (open lung biopsy) and thoracoscopy for lung biopsy was done. METHODS: Ambulatory patients with a clinical diagnosis of diffuse interstitial lung disease were randomized to thoracoscopy or limited thoracotomy. Data on postoperative pain, narcotic requirements, operating room time, adequacy of biopsy, duration of chest tube drainage, length of hospital stay, spirometry, and complications were collected. RESULTS: A total of 42 randomized patients underwent lung biopsy (thoracoscopy 20, thoracotomy 22). The two study groups were comparable with respect to age, gender, corticosteroid use, and preoperative spirometry. Visual analog scale pain scores were nearly identical in the two groups (p = 0.397). Total morphine dose was 50.8 +/- 27.3 mg in the thoracoscopy group and 52.5 +/- 25.6 mg in the thoracotomy group (p = 0.86). Spirometry (FEV1) values in the two groups were not significantly different on postoperative days 1, 2, 14, and 28 (p = 0.665). Duration of operation was similar in both groups (thoracoscopy 40 +/- 30 minutes, thoracotomy 37 +/- 15 minutes; p = 0.67). The thoracoscopy and thoracotomy groups had equivalent duration of chest tube drainage (thoracoscopy 38 +/- 28 hours, thoracotomy 31 +/- 26 hours; p = 0.47) and length of hospital stay (thoracoscopy 77 +/- 82 hours, thoracotomy 69 +/- 55 hours; p = 0.72). Definitive pathologic diagnoses were made in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: There is no clinical or statistical difference in outcomes for thoracoscopic and thoracotomy approaches. Both thoracoscopy and thoracotomy are acceptable procedures for diagnostic lung biopsy in diffuse interstitial lung disease.

Biopsy↗
PubMed2000

Sex-associated differences in survival of patients undergoing resection for lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: The increasing incidence of lung cancer among women prompted us to assess whether sex-associated differences exist in the presentation and survival of patients who undergo major lung resection for lung cancer. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of patients who had major lung resection for lung cancer from January 1980 to June 1998. RESULTS: There were 265 men and 186 women. Women were younger (60.7+/-0.8 versus 63.6+/-0.6 years; p = 0.005). Adenocarcinoma was more common among women (48% versus 40%; p = 0.001). Pathologic stages for men were: I = 43%, II = 26%, IIIA = 25%, IIIB or IV = 6%, and for women: I = 52%, II = 20%, IIIA = 22%, IIIB or IV = 6% (p = 0.146). Median survival was better for women (41.8 versus 26.9 months; p = 0.006). This was due both to a difference in stage at presentation and to a better median survival rate for adenocarcinoma compared with squamous cell cancer. The data suggest an association between sex and survival, although this failed to reach statistical significance. Sex influenced survival with a relative risk for women of 0.67 (95% confidence interval 0.35 to 1.29; p = 0.231 adjusted for stage, cell type, age, and spirometry). CONCLUSIONS: There are sex-associated differences in the presentation and possibly in the survival of patients with lung cancer. This finding has possible implications regarding the selection of patients for therapy and for the design of randomized therapeutic trials.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1999

A randomized comparison of indwelling pleural catheter and doxycycline pleurodesis in the management of malignant pleural effusions.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness and safety of a chronic indwelling pleural catheter with doxycycline pleurodesis via tube thoracostomy in the treatment of patients with recurrent symptomatic malignant pleural effusions (MPE). METHODS: In this multi-institutional study conducted between March 1994 and February 1997, 144 patients (61 men and 83 women) were randomized in a 2:1 distribution to either an indwelling pleural catheter or doxycycline pleurodesis. Patients receiving the indwelling catheter drained their effusions via vacuum bottles every other day or as needed for relief of dyspnea. RESULTS: The median hospitalization time was 1.0 day for the catheter group and 6.5 days for the doxycycline group. The degree of symptomatic improvement in dyspnea and the quality of life was comparable in each group. Six of 28 patients who received doxycycline (21%) had a late recurrence of pleural effusion, whereas 12 of 91 patients who had an indwelling catheter (13%) had a late recurrence of their effusions or a blockage of their catheter after the initially successful treatment (P = 0.446). Of the 91 patients sent home with the pleural catheter, 42 (46%) achieved spontaneous pleurodesis at a median of 26.5 days. CONCLUSIONS: A chronic indwelling pleural catheter is an effective treatment for the management of patients with symptomatic, recurrent, malignant pleural effusions. When compared with doxycycline pleurodesis via tube thoracostomy, the pleural catheter requires a shorter hospitalization and can be placed and managed on an outpatient basis.

Catheters, Indwelling↗
PubMed1999

Lung cancer staging and treatment in multidisciplinary trials: Cancer and Leukemia Group B cooperative group approach. Thoracic Surgeons of CALGB.

BACKGROUND: Aggressive routine surgical staging is necessary to evaluate patients to be treated on cooperative oncology protocols. Less than 1% of lung cancer patients in the United States are currently being treated in a clinical trial. Only with results from large, prospective trials can the questions of neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapy be answered. METHODS: An outline describing the schema of preoperative patient evaluation, surgical staging, and the definition of surgical staging and resection procedures appropriate for patients considered for cooperative group protocol is presented. Current Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB) protocols are used in the discussion as examples of this systematic approach. CONCLUSIONS: Over the next few years, it will be important to enter the maximum number of patients into combined modality studies to identify the role of neoadjuvant treatment in lung cancer. Entry of patients into protocols will also make their pathological specimens and clinical information available for basic science research related to treatment results. Adherence to a logical sequence of patient evaluation as outlined above will optimize patient care, as well as accrual to cooperative group studies.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗
PubMed1999

Assessment of pulmonary complications after lung resection.

BACKGROUND: We assessed the utility of maximum oxygen consumption during exercise (MVO2) and diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DL(CO)) in the prediction of postoperative pulmonary complications, and the effect of such complications on postoperative length of hospital stay and the cost of hospitalization. METHODS: Candidates for lung resection were prospectively studied by preoperative measurement of DL(CO) (expressed as a percentage of predicted [DL(CO)%]) and MVO2. Postoperative pulmonary complications, duration of postoperative hospitalization, and the cost of hospitalization were assessed. RESULTS: Forty patients had lung resection with no operative mortality. The postoperative length of hospitalization was longer for the 13 patients who developed pulmonary complications compared with the 27 patients who did not (7.7+/-0.8 vs 5.0+/-0.4 days, respectively; p = 0.007), and the cost of hospitalization in the former group was higher ($11,530+/-$1,959 vs $6,578+/-$406, respectively; p = 0.031). Diffusing capacity was higher in patients without than in patients with pulmonary complications (DL(CO)% 90.1+/-5.0 vs 65.3+/-5.9; p = 0.0034). The mean MVO2 did not differ between the groups (17.8+/-0.9 vs 16.3+/-1.2). DL(CO)% predicted pulmonary complications (p = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: DL(CO)% predicts the likelihood of pulmonary complications after major lung resection, which are associated with increased length of hospital stay and cost.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Diffusing capacity predicts operative mortality but not long-term survival after resection for lung cancer.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to determine whether diffusing capacity influences operative mortality and long-term survival after resection for lung cancer. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the case histories of patients who underwent major resection for lung cancer. The association between operative mortality and predicted postoperative diffusing capacity was examined. Long-term survival among operative survivors was compared between the groups with high and low predicted postoperative diffusing capacity. RESULTS: The group comprised 410 patients with a mean age of 62.3 years. We performed 273 lobectomies, 35 bilobectomies, and 102 pneumonectomies. A total of 32 operative deaths (7.8%) were associated with low predicted postoperative diffusing capacity (P <.001). If we examine only operative survivors, there is no significant difference in survival data between patients with a predicted postoperative diffusing capacity of less than 50 and those with a predicted figure of 50 or more (stage I, 111 vs 90 months; stage II, 26 vs 32 months; stage IIIa 32 vs 26 months; log rank P >.5 for each). On the basis of the Cox proportional hazards model, predicted postoperative diffusing capacity did not have a statistically significant effect on long-term survival (estimated hazard ratio corresponding to a 20-point decrease in predicted postoperative diffusing capacity = 1. 13; 95% confidence interval: 0.92 to 1.37). CONCLUSION: A poor diffusing capacity is associated with high operative mortality but does not adversely affect long-term survival after major lung resection among operative survivors. Improving the perioperative management of patients undergoing major lung resection may enable inclusion of more patients with reduced diffusing capacity in the candidate pool for surgery, thus maximizing survival for early-stage lung cancer.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Surgical strategies for metastatic lung cancer.

The role of surgery in the management of synchronous and metachronous metastatic lung cancer is examined. The approach to lung cancer metastatic to the brain is summarized and the literature on the surgical management of solitary adrenal metastasis from lung cancer is reviewed.

Brain Neoplasms↗
PubMed1999

Clinical trials in general surgical journals: are methods better reported?

BACKGROUND: Reports of clinical trials often lack adequate descriptions of their design and analysis. Thus readers cannot properly assess the strength of the findings and are limited in their ability to draw their own conclusions. A review of 6 surgical journals in 1984 revealed that the frequency of reporting 11 basic elements of design and analysis in clinical trials was only 59%. This study attempted to identify areas that still need improvement. METHODS: Eligible studies published from July 1995 through June 1996 included all reports of comparative clinical trials on human subjects that were prospective and had at least 2 treatment arms. A total of 68 articles published in 6 general surgery journals were reviewed. The frequency that the previously identified 11 basic elements of design and analysis were reported was determined. RESULTS: Seventy-four percent of all items were reported accurately (a 15% increase from the previous study), 4% were reported ambiguously, and 23% were not reported; improvement was seen in every journal. The reporting of eligibility criteria and statistical power improved the most. For 3 items, reporting was still not adequate; 32% of reports provided information about statistical power, 40% about the method of randomization, and 49% about whether the person assessing outcomes was blind to the treatment assignment. CONCLUSIONS: Improvements have been made in reporting surgical clinical trials, but in general methodologic questions poorly answered in the 1980s continue to be answered poorly in the 1990s. Editors of surgical journals are urged to provide authors with guidelines on how to report clinical trial design and analysis.

Clinical Protocols↗
PubMed1998

Polyol-combinant saliva stimulants: a 4-month pilot study in young adults.

Several studies indicate that xylitol (X) consumption is associated with certain biochemical changes in dental plaque and whole saliva. In making X-containing saliva stimulants more cost-effective and palatable, manufacturers may use maltitol syrup (MS, which normally contains some sorbitol and higher polyols) or polydextrose (PD, a polysaccharide molecule with a mass > 22 kDa) as bulking agents. Combinations of X with MS and PD have not been tested regarding their salivary effects. One hundred and eighty-eight young subjects (mean age, 22 years) of both sexes were divided into three groups of equal size for a 4-month study. The subjects in one group used X-MS dragees (in 7 daily episodes; 8 g X per day), while the subjects in another group used X-PD dragées in as many daily episodes (8 g X per day). Subjects in the third (comparison) group did not receive saliva stimulants. Paraffin-stimulated whole saliva samples were collected at baseline, after 2 months, and at endpoint. The usage of X-MS was associated with a significant (P < 0.05) reduction in the salivary sucrase activity. After 4 months, the activity of enzymes hydrolyzing N(alpha)-benzoyl-DL-arginyl-p-nitroaniline was significantly reduced in all groups, while the levels of free sialic acid were reduced in group X-PD only (P < 0.05). These salivary changes most likely reflected microbial shifts in the oral cavity and suggest that information from saliva studies may be of avail when deciding which bulking agents should be used in xylitol-based saliva stimulants.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Phase I study of vinorelbine, cisplatin, and concomitant thoracic radiation in the treatment of advanced chest malignancies.

PURPOSE: The cisplatin-vinorelbine regimen has superior activity in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We conducted a phase I trial to identify the maximum-tolerated dose (MTD) and dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) of this regimen with concomitant thoracic radiation (RT) in patients with advanced chest malignancies. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with advanced chest malignancies that required RT were enrolled onto this phase I study of standard chest radiation (30 daily 2-Gy fractions for a total of 60 Gy) and concurrent chemotherapy with cisplatin starting at 100 mg/m2 every 3 weeks and vinorelbine starting at 20 mg/m2/wk. RESULTS: Thirty-seven patients were treated on this study. Two of three patients treated at the maximum-administered dose of cisplatin 100 mg/m2 per cycle and vinorelbine 25 mg/m2/wk experienced acute DLT (neutropenia), which required deescalation. The dose level of cisplatin 100 mg/m2 and vinorelbine 20 mg/m2/wk, although tolerated acutely, produced delayed esophagitis, which proved dose-limiting. The recommended phase II dose was cisplatin 80 mg/m2 every 3 weeks and vinorelbine 15 mg/m2 given 2 of every 3 weeks with concomitant chest RT. CONCLUSION: Concomitant chemoradiotherapy with cisplatin and vinorelbine is feasible. The recommended phase II dose is cisplatin 80 mg/m2 every 3 weeks with vinorelbine 15 mg/m2 given twice over 3 weeks on a day 1/day 8 schedule. Esophagitis is the DLT, with neutropenia occurring at higher dose levels. A Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB) phase II trial is currently underway to evaluate further the efficacy and toxicities of this regimen in unresectable stage III NSCLC.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Pericardial cyst causing right ventricular outflow tract obstruction.

Pleuropericardial cysts are rare. Rarer still are cardiopulmonary complications caused by their presence. We report the case of a pericardial cyst producing high-grade right ventricular outflow tract obstruction and its subsequent management. The clinical importance of transesophageal echocardiography is highlighted.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

Chondromyxoid fibroma of the sternum.

We report the fourth case of chondromyxoid fibroma of the sternum described in the literature. The clinical, radiographic, pathologic and treatment aspects of this case are presented, and the literature on chondromyxoid fibroma in this unusual location is reviewed.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Use of pleural catheter for the management of simple pneumothorax.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: We assessed the use of a pleural catheter (Thoracic Vent) to determine its effectiveness in treating simple pneumothorax (PTX) and in preventing recurrent PTX. DESIGN: A retrospective review was conducted of 84 patients treated with a pleural catheter for iatrogenic (52) and spontaneous (11 primary, 21 secondary) PTX between 1989 and 1994. PATIENTS: There were 45 men and 39 women with a mean age of 50.4 years (range, 18 to 85 years). RESULTS: Mean time to lung reexpansion was 0.5 +/- 0.1 days. Forty-five (57%) patients manifested an air leak after catheter placement for 2.0 +/- 0.2 days. The duration of time to catheter removal was 3.3 +/- 0.2 days. Seventy-one (85%) patients had resolution of PTX with this therapy alone. Thirteen patients (15%) failed to resolve their PTXs and required subsequent tube thoracostomy alone (6) or surgical therapy (7). Four of 11 patients who required tube thoracostomy also failed to respond to this therapy. Treatment failure was more common among patients with spontaneous PTX than with iatrogenic PTX (34% vs 4%; p < 0.005). During a mean follow-up of 3.0 +/- 0.2 years, 6 (7%) patients suffered recurrent PTX an average of 23 days after initial therapy. CONCLUSION: This pleural catheter is effective in the management of simple iatrogenic and spontaneous PTX.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Diagnosis and Treatment of Early-Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Current recommendations for the diagnostic work-up and treatment of early-stage non-small cell lung cancer are presented, and the rationale behind these recommendations is reviewed. Early-stage disease is found in approximately 30% of patients at initial presentation. Surgeons continue to be uncertain with regard to how extensively they should look for metastatic disease, especially in asymptomatic patients with newly diagnosed lung cancer. While it is generally agreed that surgery is an important component of treatment for stage I and II non-small cell lung cancer, the role of adjuvant therapies in early-stage disease merits further study. Stage IIIa lung cancer is evolving as a disease for which multimodality therapy is likely to play a role, but the timing and sequence of treatment is an area of intense investigation. The recommendations made in this article are based upon the results of randomized clinical trials whenever possible.

Journal Article↗