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Biomedical subjects

L Harrison

Publications and source records attributed to L Harrison.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

Anti-sperm antibodies in homosexual men: prevalence and correlation with sexual behaviour.

The sera of 60 homosexual males were examined for the presence of antibodies to sperm using an indirect immunobead test (IBT). Six of 60 (10%) had antibodies of IgG isotype; in addition two of the six had antibodies of IgA isotype. The presence of antibodies was associated with the practice of unprotected receptive anal intercourse in the previous six months. Antibodies were not found in homosexual men who were celibate, or who practised only oral intercourse during the same period. There was no correlation between the presence of anti-sperm antibodies and antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), or numbers of T lymphocytes. These preliminary results lend support to the hypothesis that antigen presentation in the lower gut may be a source of sensitisation against sperm. The possibility that anti-sperm antibodies may be a marker of receptive anal intercourse merits further investigation.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Norfloxacin use in urinary tract infection by urologists and infectious disease specialists.

One hundred thirty-one patients of urologists and infectious disease specialists were entered into an open trial of norfloxacin in the therapy of urinary tract infections (UTIs). All patients were evaluable for tolerability and 98 were evaluable for efficacy. The patient population in this study was older (mean age 53 years) and had more underlying urogenital disorders (30%) or recent invasive urologic procedures (20%) than the typical patient population with UTIs. Over 50% of the patients had infections due to organisms other than Escherichia coli, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa (14), Klebsiella pneumoniae (5), Enterobacter spp (3) and Group D streptococcus (6). Clinical and bacteriologic cure rates were 90 and 91%, respectively. Side effects occurred in 5 patients and were generally mild.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1990

Norfloxacin versus trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in the treatment of urinary tract infections.

In a controlled, randomized trial of 133 patients with proven urinary tract infections (UTIs), significantly more pathogens were found to be susceptible to norfloxacin than to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMZ) (p less than 0.01). Among patients with pathogens susceptible to both drugs, more of those treated with norfloxacin were cured or improved (p = 0.06). When at least one patient variable, i.e., prior history of therapy, was corrected for, this difference became significant (p = 0.03). Norfloxacin eradicated 11 of 13 infections due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa and 6 of 7 due to enterococci. Five patients treated with norfloxacin and two treated with TMP-SMZ had relapses within 6 weeks. Significantly fewer adverse experiences occurred in patients receiving norfloxacin (p less than 0.01).

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Carcinoma of major salivary glands. Recent trends.

We have reviewed a 44-year experience with previously untreated carcinomas arising in major salivary glands to compare 319 patients treated before 1966 with 155 who received therapy between 1966 and 1982. Actuarial analysis indicates that five- and ten-year survival of our more recently treated patients was 80% and 65%, compared with 60% and 50% in patients treated before 1966. Explanation for this includes the higher proportion of patients with less aggressive histologic subtypes seen in recent years, as well as the fact that many of our patients treated before 1966 had surgical procedures considered inadequate by current standards. We also believe that adjunctive radiation oncology enhanced survival, but it could not be proved in this retrospective study. Multivariate analysis confirms that the clinical stage was the most important prognostic variable.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1989

New intraoperative brachytherapy techniques for positive or close surgical margins.

Tumors attached or adjacent to critical structures can often not be completely resected or resected with adequate surgical margins. Sites involving major blood vessels, the paravertebral spaces, or critical abdominal structures often present technical difficulties for standard brachytherapy procedures using I-125 or Ir-192 implants. These techniques allow for a high-dose delivery to the tumor bed with minimal normal tissue toxicity. A relatively simple and accurate method is described using I-125 seeds in Vicryl suture threaded through Gelfoam. These permanent implant procedures with radioactive I-125 seeds effectively treat small residual tumors or suspicious margins where standard brachytherapy techniques may be unsatisfactory and technically difficult to perform.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Remote afterloading intraluminal brachytherapy in the treatment of rectal, rectosigmoid, and anal cancer: a feasibility study.

From 1981 to 1986, 28 patients (27 evaluable) were treated with intraluminal brachytherapy (ILBT) using a remote afterloading technique for persistent or recurrent anal, rectal and rectosigmoid cancers. Eighty-nine percent underwent previous surgery for colorectal cancer. Seventy-seven percent of the patients received external beam irradiation (ERT) as a part of the present treatment. Intraluminal brachytherapy was given with a 2 cm diameter cylinder and the dose per fraction ranged from 440 cGy to 840 cGy at 0.5 cm from the surface of the cylinder. Follow-up ranged from 1 to 74 months with a median of 12 months. Patients were divided into two groups. Group I consisted of 15 patients receiving elective ILBT; Group II: 13 patients with recurrent disease. Seventy-one percent of the patients in Group I and 39% of the patients in Group II achieved local control. The majority of patients tolerated treatment well with only transient reactions. However, three patients (11%) developed grade 3 (G3) complications requiring surgical intervention. Eight patients developed moderate complications--grade 2 (G2)--requiring only conservative treatment. This study has identified several factors which appear to influence the risk of developing complications with this combined treatment, using remote afterloading apparatus, among which are technique of previous external beam irradiation, treatment length, anatomical location, intraluminal brachytherapy fractionation, and total cumulative dose (ERT + ILBT). This experience suggests that intraluminal brachytherapy appears to be an acceptable form of treatment, as a boost to external beam radiation therapy, in the management of rectal and colorectal cancers.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Treatment of primary unresectable carcinoma of the pancreas with I-125 implantation.

Between January 1 1974 and October 31 1987, 98 patients with biopsy proven unresectable adenocarcinoma of the pancreas were treated with I-125 implants during laparotomy. Presenting symptoms were pain (57 patients), jaundice (45 patients), and weight loss (34 patients). All patients underwent laparotomy and surgical staging. Thirty patients had T1NoMo disease, 47 patients had T2-3NoMo disease, and 21 patients had significant regional lymph node involvement (T1-3N1Mo). The surgical procedure performed was biopsy only (16 patients), gastric bypass (36 patients), biliary bypass (49 patients), and partial or total pancreatectomy with incomplete resection (5 patients). The total activity and the number of seeds used were determined from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) nomogram. Stereoshift localization X ray films were taken 3-6 days after operation. The mean activity, minimal peripheral dose (MPD), and volume of the implants were 35 mCi, 13,660 cGy, and 53 cm3, respectively. In addition, 27 patients received postoperative external irradiation and 27 patients received chemotherapy. Postoperative complications were observed in 19 patients. These included post-operative death (1 patient), biliary fistula (4), intraabdominal abscess (4), GI bleeding (3), gastric or small bowel obstruction (6), sepsis (5), and deep vein thrombophlebitis (4). Pain relief was obtained in 37/57 patients (65%) presenting with pain. A multivariate analysis showed that four factors significantly affected survival: T stage, N stage, administration of chemotherapy, and more than 30% reduction in the size of the implant on follow-up films. The median survival for the entire group was 7 months. A subgroup of patients with T1No stage disease who received chemotherapy survived 18.5 months. The indications for I-125 seed implantation in unresectable carcinoma of the pancreas are discussed.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1989

A study of repeatability of dietary data over a seven-year period.

A repeatability study of dietary intake has been carried out using 94 control subjects from a previously reported case-control study of diet and colorectal cancer. Dietary histories readministered on average seven years after an initial interview were used to estimate intake of various macro- and microdietary components. Comparisons of current intake with intake of seven years previously yielded good reliability for macrocomponents among subjects reporting no dietary change during the time period. Reliability was poorer for microcomponents and for subjects reporting a dietary change. Comparisons were also made between diet measured seven years previously with subjects' recall of that diet. It is concluded that current diet is at least as reliable a measure of past diet as that assessed by a questionnaire addressed to the past period.

Aging↗
PubMed1988

New catheter technique for recording left free-wall accessory atrioventricular pathway activation. Identification of pathway fiber orientation.

The ability to record accessory atrioventricular (AV) pathway activation consistently may be uniquely beneficial in improving pathway localization, identifying anatomic relations, and providing insight into unusual conduction properties. For the purpose of recording left AV accessory pathway activation, an electrode catheter was specially designed for use in the coronary sinus. The orthogonal catheter has three sets of four electrodes spaced evenly around the circumference. Electrograms were recorded at low gain (less than 1 cm/mV) between adjacent electrodes on the same set (interelectrode distance, 1.5 mm, center to center). This provides a recording dipole perpendicular to the atrioventricular groove to enhance recording of accessory pathway activation while minimizing overlapping atrial or ventricular potentials. The orthogonal electrode catheter was used in the electrophysiological study of 48 consecutive patients with 59 left AV accessory pathways. The catheter could be advanced along the coronary sinus beyond the site of earliest retrograde atrial activation in 49 of the 59 accessory pathways. Activation potentials were recorded from 45 of the 49 (92%) accessory pathways accessible to the catheter (5 of 5 anterior, 8 of 8 anterolateral, 15 of 16 lateral, 5 of 5 posterolateral, 5 of 5 posterior, and 7 of 10 posteroseptal). Accessory pathway potentials were validated by dissociating them from both atrial and ventricular activation by programmed-stimulation techniques. During surgery, accessory pathway potentials were identified from orthogonal catheter electrodes in the coronary sinus in 14 of 16 accessory pathways (12 patients). Epicardial mapping confirmed the location of the accessory pathway, and direct pressure over the orthogonal catheter electrode that recorded the accessory pathway potential resulted in transient conduction block in nine of the 14 accessory pathways. Orthogonal electrode maps of the coronary sinus identified an oblique course in 39 of 45 recorded accessory pathways. Thirty-two of 38 left free-wall accessory pathways were oriented with atrial insertion 4-30 mm (median, 14 mm) proximal (posterior) to the ventricular insertion. In the remaining six free-wall accessory pathways, the lateral excursion could not be determined because either only the atrial end of the accessory pathway was recorded or activation of multiple pathway fibers prevented tracking of individual strands. The seven recorded posteroseptal pathways exhibited accessory pathway potentials throughout an 8-18-mm (median, 10 mm) length of the proximal coronary sinus, but fiber orientation was difficult to determine.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Atrioventricular Node↗