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Biomedical subjects

J R Akin

Publications and source records attributed to J R Akin.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1985

Clinical superiority of a new nonionic contrast agent (iopamidol) for cardiac angiography.

The hemodynamic and electrophysiologic alterations induced by ionic contrast agents during cardiac angiography are well described. Recently nonionic contrast agents have become available for cardiac angiography. To evaluate the safety of these new agents, a double-blind randomized study was performed comparing a new nonionic agent (iopamidol) with a commonly used ionic contrast agent (Renografin-76). Eighty-one patients undergoing left ventriculography and coronary angiography were included; 41 received iopamidol and 40 received sodium meglumine diatrizoate (Renografin-76). After left ventriculography, there was a decrease in the arterial pressure with both contrast agents. However, the severity and the duration of hypotension were both significantly greater with Renografin-76 compared with the new nonionic agent (p less than 0.001). After selective injections of the coronary arteries, electrocardiographic analysis demonstrated that the increase in the QT interval (p less than 0.0002) and the changes in both the ST segment and T wave amplitude (p less than 0.001) were significantly greater in the Renografin-76 group compared with the iopamidol group. During coronary angiography, 8 of the 40 patients receiving Renografin-76 required temporary pacing for sinus pauses of 2.5 seconds or more, and 2 of the 40 also developed ventricular fibrillation. None of the 41 patients receiving iopamidol had these complications. This report demonstrates that the electrocardiographic changes, the severity and duration of hypotension and the incidence of serious arrhythmias are significantly greater with Renografin-76 than with iopamidol. Thus, this new nonionic agent appears to enhance the safety of cardiac angiography.

Aged↗
PubMed1985

Radiologists and informed-consent lawsuits.

A national survey on informed-consent lawsuits that resulted from studies using contrast material revealed that 123 (8%) of 1,513 radiologists surveyed or others in their groups had been involved in informed-consent lawsuits. In response to a detailed follow-up questionnaire, 67 radiologists anonymously provided additional information regarding their lawsuits, which most often involved excretory urography (37%) or angiography (38%), with death or neurologic impairment the most common patient injuries. As a result of these lawsuits, many radiologists provide more detailed information to patients. In the United States, the total number of informed-consent lawsuits, however, was small in relation to the total number of studies done using contrast material.

Angiography↗
PubMed1982

Amylase levels in the tissues and body fluids of several primate species.

1. Serum amylase levels in the gorilla, orang-utan, chimpanzee and squirrel monkey are similar to man. Serum amylase in the Rhesus macaque is almost a whole order of magnitude higher than man. 2. Of the several species tested, all have appreciable amylase in saliva or the parotid gland except the squirrel monkey. 3. High levels of amylase were found in the pancreas of all species tested. Amylase was found in the livers of all species tested. 4. In in vivo experiments with squirrel monkeys, injection of puromycin did not alter serum amylase levels.

Amylases↗
PubMed1980

Optimum radiographic examination for consideration of compensation awards: III. Knee, hand and foot.

In a large Veterans Administration (VA) hospital, a prospective study was undertaken to determine the optimum number of radiographic projections needed to assess applicants for VA compensation for knee, hand, and foot diseases or injury claimed to be service-related. Results show that the final radiographic assessment could be made in all 535 (100%) of the knee examinations using two views (anteroposterior and lateral), all 181 (100%) of the hand examinations using one view (anteroposterior), and all 223 (100%) of the foot examinations using two views (anteroposterior and lateral). Extrapolating these results to data on compensation examinations performed in the entire VA system (fiscal year 1978), it was concluded that limiting the radiographic examinations of the knee, hand, and foot to these views would eliminate 91,000 radiographs in the evaluation of 119,000 applicants and yield an annual savings of about $500,000.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMed1979

Amylase levels in the tissues and body fluids of the domestic cat (Felis catus).

1. The amylase activities of serum, liver, pancreas, submaxillary and parotid glands, saliva, duodenum, colon, lung, heart, spleen, kidney and skeletal muscle of the domestic cat, were determined. 2. As in most mammals, the highest amylase content was found in the pancreas. Levels in saliva and salivary glands were very low. 3. Amylase activities of the serum, liver and pancreas have an optimum pH 7.0-7.5. 4. Amylases of serum, liver and pancreas were inactivated by removal of chloride and these activities mainly restored by addition of chloride.

Amylases↗
PubMed1979

Single, well centered lateral view of lumbosacral spine: is coned view necessary?

A single lateral view, centered 1 cm above the top of the palpable iliac crest, has been shown to adequately demonstrate the entire lumbar spine and lumbosacral junction in over 90% of patients, thereby eliminating the necessity to obtain both a full lateral and coned lateral view of the lumbosacral junction. Eliminating this extra film from the routine lumbosacral examination results in enormous savings in patient cost and patient radiation exposure, without sacrificing any diagnostic accuracy.

Humans↗