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Biomedical subjects

L Sellars

Publications and source records attributed to L Sellars.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

Vaccination against hepatitis B infection in patients with end stage renal disease.

BACKGROUND: Experience of hepatitis B vaccination in a contemporary renal replacement programme is reported. METHODS: A total of 406 patients were involved: 214 on haemodialysis, 97 on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis, 67 predialysis (serum creatinine >400 micromol/l), and 28 with a failing transplant. Primary vaccination comprised recombinant hepatitis B vaccine (Engerix B) 40 microg intramuscularly at 0, 1, 2, and 3 months. Booster doses were administered three monthly if anti-HBs titre was <100 IU/l. RESULTS: Uptake of vaccine was 61% (haemodialysis 70%, continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis 62%, predialysis 31%, transplant 61%, p<0.0001). Primary seroconversion occurred in 64% of vaccinated patients (anti-HBs; 10-100 U/l, 33%; >100 U/l, 31%). Booster doses led to further improvement in immunity in 66/115 (57%) patients after a first and 8/20 (40%) patients after a second booster dose, but uptake was again poor (first booster 74%, second 31%). Seroprotection declined unexpectedly rapidly; after a mean of 16 months 71/115 patients (62 %) had a significant fall in their anti-HBs titres; 30/115 (26%) lost detectable antibody. CONCLUSIONS: Routine hepatitis B vaccination of patients with end stage renal failure is logistically difficult to administer on a large scale; primary seroconversion is relatively poor, but improves after repeated booster doses; protective anti-HBs titres decline rapidly, and yearly antibody checks with selective booster doses will be required to maintain seroprotection. The cost effectiveness of a vaccination programme will vary greatly depending on the prevalence of hepatitis B in the population at risk.

Female↗
PubMed1997

Atherosclerotic renovascular disease in the elderly: angioplasty with stenting versus reconstructive surgery.

We reviewed our experience of surgical and radiological intervention in 43 patients between 1987 and 1994 with angiographic renovascular disease. We retrospectively compared the effect of angioplasty with stenting versus reconstructive surgery on renal function and blood pressure in those patients with significant atherosclerotic renovascular stenosis. Twenty patients with moderate/non ostial stenosis (less than 60% stenosis) and two with fibromuscular displasia underwent renal angioplasty only. Indications for intervention were refractory hypertension (n = 20), flash pulmonary oedema (n = 8) and/or renal salvage (n = 31). All patients were hypertensive. Angioplasty with stenting was performed in ten patients, (2 female, 8 male), mean age 69 years, 9 with bilateral disease. Plasma creatinine was greater than 240 mumol/L in seven patients. A unilateral procedure was performed in 9 patients. Unilateral reconstructive surgery was performed in eleven patients (4 female, 7 male), mean age 63 years. Plasma creatinine was greater than 240 mumol/L in eight patients. Ten had bilateral disease. In the angioplasty/stenting group there were three technical failure. The mortality rates in the angioplasty/stenting group and surgical group were 10% and 27% respectively. Fifty-one and 165 patient months had elapsed in the stenting and surgical groups respectively. Blood pressure fell in each group, mean decrease in mean arterial pressure (MAP) 16 mmHg (p = 0.025) and 30 mmHg (p < 0.01) respectively. Improvement or stabilisation of renal function was achieved in 67% and 91% of cases respectively. Two surgical patients were able to discontinue haemodialysis. The two methods of treatment appear to be equally effective in lowering blood pressure. Reconstructive surgery offers greater improvement in renal function with the possibility of withdrawal of dialysis, at the expense of a higher mortality rate.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

Sudden deepening of pigmentation during haemodialysis due to severe haemolysis.

A 37-year-old woman with chronic renal failure developed pain in the right flank during haemodialysis followed by rapid and dramatic deepening of pigmentation. Investigation indicated that the cause was severe haemolysis most probably due to mechanical damage to red blood cells passing through a stenosis in a dialysis blood line. Severe haemolysis should be suspected in subjects who suffer rapidly increasing pigmentation during dialysis. Such severe haemolysis should be recognized and treated rapidly since it may produce life-threatening systemic problems.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1995

Multiple cerebral haematomata and peripheral nerve palsies associated with a case of juvenile diabetic ketoacidosis.

A 15-year-old girl presented de novo in diabetic ketoacidosis having been comatose for 24 h (day 1). A CT scan and lumbar puncture performed on admission were normal and her conscious level slowly improved over several days. On day 7 she had central neurological signs of bilateral knee clonus and an extensor plantar response. In addition, she had developed lower motor neurological signs of an ulnar nerve palsy of the left forearm, and ulnar, median, and radial nerve palsies of the right forearm. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), performed on day 12, showed multiple small cerebral haematomata with appearances at least several days of age. The scattered lesions were localized particularly to the parieto-occipital region, with sparing of the basal ganglia and without cerebral oedema, a novel feature not previously described in juvenile ketoacidosis. Four months later there was minimal residual disability of her right arm. The clinical findings together with the MRI images suggested that the peripheral nerve and central lesions were temporally related, suggesting a common aetiology. However, it is likely that MRI showed cerebral lesions which may have been missed by the conventional CT scanning performed initially.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Saphenous vein forearm grafts and gortex thigh grafts as alternative forms of vascular access.

To compare the survival and complication rates of saphenous vein forearm grafts and gortex thigh grafts. Retrospective study over a twelve-year period with review of case-notes. Saphenous vein forearm grafts were constructed in 17 males and 12 females, mean age 61 years and gortex thigh grafts in 24 males and 22 females (49 grafts), mean age 49 years. Grafts were the primary form of access in 9 patients in each group. Follow-up was 45.6 and 135.2 patient years on dialysis for forearm grafts and thigh grafts respectively. One-year total survival was 89.4% (89.4% at 2 years and 71.5% at 3 years) and 84.9% (82.3% at 2 years and 70.4% at 3 years) for saphenous vein forearm grafts and gortex thigh grafts respectively. The overall complication rates were 0.22 and 0.61 per patient year on dialysis for saphenous vein forearm grafts and gortex thigh grafts respectively. Thrombosis occurred in 10% and 52%, infection in 0% and 35% and no complications in 62% and 24% of saphenous vein forearm grafts and gortex thigh grafts respectively. Both saphenous vein forearm grafts and gortex thigh grafts can provide satisfactory vascular access. The survival is similar at one year but gortex thigh grafts have a higher complication rate.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Hypertension and renal dysfunction in primary hyperparathyroidism: effect of parathyroidectomy.

1. Twenty-four patients with primary hyperparathyroidism were studied before and 18 restudied 6.5 months (mean) after parathyroidectomy, to investigate the pathogenesis of the hypertension which may accompany this condition. Comparison was made with age-matched patients with essential hypertension and with normotensive control subjects. 2. There was a significant inverse relationship between mean arterial pressure and 51Cr-labelled ethylene-diaminetetra-acetate (51Cr-EDTA) clearance in patients with hyperparathyroidism both before and after parathyroidectomy, but not in patients with essential hypertension. 3. Creatinine clearance appeared to overestimate glomerular filtration rate in some patients with hyperparathyroidism, falling significantly after surgery while 51Cr-EDTA clearance was unchanged. This observation may explain the failure of some previous studies to relate hypertension to impairment of renal function. 4. Plasma renin activity, plasma aldosterone and whole-body exchangeable sodium did not differ between normotensive and hypertensive patients with primary hyperparathyroidism and were unchanged after surgery. 5. Parathyroidectomy did not result in any change in blood pressure or in glomerular filtration rate measured by 51Cr-EDTA clearance.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis after the honeymoon: review of experience in Newcastle 1979-84.

Two hundred and twenty nine consecutive patients (129 men, mean age 45) were reviewed 12 to 65 months after starting treatment with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) from January 1979 to December 1983. They received CAPD for a mean of 19.8 (range 0.5-62) months. Actuarial patient survival was 79% at 24 months and 72% at 36 months. Half of the 46 deaths were related to cardiovascular disease, while eight patients died of abdominal complications, including three patients with peritonitis. Peritonitis occurred at a rate of one episode per 35 patient weeks, and 88% of episodes were cleared by one or more courses of antibiotics. This still left peritonitis as the commonest cause of failure of CAPD, leading to a permanent change of treatment in 44 patients and temporary interruption in a further 25. CAPD remains a reasonable medium term treatment in chronic renal failure. Despite the persisting problem of peritonitis the results are comparable with those achieved by haemodialysis, and CAPD has become the treatment of first choice for end stage renal failure in Newcastle. In younger patients judged unsuitable for transplantation and facing long term dialysis, however, haemodialysis is preferred.

Actuarial Analysis↗
PubMed1986

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical suppression and recovery in renal transplant patients returning to maintenance dialysis.

Sixty-six per cent of a group of 21 renal transplant recipients with chronic renal failure were shown to have adrenal suppression due to glucocorticoid treatment. Gradual withdrawal of steroids in these patients returning to maintenance dialysis therapy was achieved with few symptoms of hypoadrenalism. Adrenal recovery occurred in 52 per cent of patients after three months and 71 per cent after six months. However, the plasma cortisol response to insulin-induced hypoglycaemia, studied in patients in whom adrenal recovery had been demonstrated, was impaired in 46 per cent of cases. These results indicate that corticosteroids in renal transplant recipients induce profound hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal suppression which is slow to recover. Such patients returning to maintenance dialysis are at risk of acute adrenocortical insufficiency for several months. Although withdrawal of steroids can be achieved safely, cover during periods of stress should be given until the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis has been shown to respond normally.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Renal vein renin studies in renovascular hypertension--do they really help?

Measurement of the renal vein renin ratio (RVRR) is commonly used to predict the response of blood pressure to surgery in hypertensive patients with unilateral renovascular disease. We have reviewed our experience in 37 such patients in whom renal vein renin levels were measured basally and after stimulation of renin secretion with intravenous diazoxide or tilting. Twenty-four patients were cured or improved. When a basal ratio of greater than or equal to 1.5 (diseased: normal kidney) was taken as a positive test the false positive rate was 39% and the false negative rate 71%, there being little difference in outcome between those with ratios above or below 1.5. No other threshold value of RVRR identified those responding to surgery, and acute stimulation of renin secretion did not increase the value of the test. We conclude that the RVRR is of no prognostic value in the surgical treatment of hypertension due to unilateral renovascular disease.

Adult↗