PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

Ken McLean

Publications and source records attributed to Ken McLean.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2007

Human herpesvirus 8 genoprevalence in populations at disparate risks of Kaposi's sarcoma.

The prevalence of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) in populations at different risks of developing Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) was assessed using a protocol involving immunomagnetic fractionation of CD45+ blood cells prior to detection of the HHV-8 genome by nested PCR. Preliminary studies using blood of eight gay men infected by human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) revealed that, for the detection of HHV-8 DNA derived from open reading frame (ORF) 26 of the HHV-8 genome, this protocol provided substantially higher rates (100%) compared to one involving red blood cell (RBC) lysis (0%) and to another requiring double density gradient centrifugation (DDGC) of leukocytes (13%). When the CD45+ fractionation protocol was applied to samples from 103 other HIV-1-infected patients (the vast majority of whom were gay men) and 100 blood donors, the ORF 26 DNA detection rates obtained were 37% and 8%, respectively. When DNA from the variable region 1 of ORF K1 was additionally amplified from samples of the blood donors, a detection rate of 9% was achieved. This rate was highly concordant with the ORF 26 DNA detection rate. Furthermore, the ORF K1 sequences were predominantly unique, assignable to genotypes A1, A4, and C3. When assays for anti-HHV-8 and anti-herpes simplex viruses (HSV) 1 and 2 were applied, significant concordances between HHV-8 DNA detection rates and those relating to anti-HHV-8 and to anti-HSV 1 and 2 were more frequently observed for HIV-1-infected patients than for blood donors. The higher-than-expected HHV-8 genoprevalence rate in blood donors requires further confirmation in view of its implications for post-transfusion HHV-8 transmission.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed2005

Quality Practice Award and teamworking: the perceptions of Primary Health Care Team members in Scotland.

Evidence exists that those teams which complete an agreed task experience an improvement in team functioning. The aim of this study was to investigate whether completion of the Royal College of General Practitioners Quality Practice Award (QPA) improved the team members' perception of teamworking within their Primary Health Care Teams (PHCTs). A postal questionnaire was sent to all 158 PHCT members in 6 Scottish practices that achieved QPA in 2001 followed by selected telephone interviews. General practitioners (GPs), nurses and administrative staff showed a statistically significant improvement in their perception of teamworking as a result of completing QPA, but nurses reported this to a lesser degree. Protocols and audit work, followed by improvements in communication were perceived to have had the most beneficial effect on teamwork. After completing QPA, 79% of GPs, 64% of nurses and 84% of administrative staff perceived an improvement in the standard of care provided. Qualitative data confirmed that team functioning improved by completing QPA, but that a certain level of team functioning was necessary before a practice begins the QPA process. Teams also hoped to maintain the high standards inherent in QPA in the future but had concerns regarding workload.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed2004

Do patients who are infected with drug-resistant HIV have a different CD4 cell decline after seroconversion? An exploratory analysis in the UK Register of HIV Seroconverters.

Using data from the UK Register of HIV Sero-converters, we compared the rate of CD4 cell decline in antiretroviral-naive individuals with and without evidence of transmitted drug resistance (TDR). Although there was a suggestion that CD4 cell decline in the first year after seroconversion was faster in those with TDR,there was no evidence of a difference in the rate of decline thereafter. The virological and host determinants of this possible phenomenon are worth further exploration.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Recurrent hypersensitivity to Combivir.

The non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) are commonly used in combination antiretroviral therapy and are associated with hypersensitivity reactions on induction therapy. We report a case of recurrent hypersensitivity associated with Combivir, when there was a delay in determining the cause as the NNRTIs were considered to be the more likely cause.

Adult↗