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Biomedical subjects

L Yam

Publications and source records attributed to L Yam.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1994

Decreased bone mineral density in premenopausal asthma patients receiving long-term inhaled steroids.

Inhaled corticosteroids have become a key element in the maintenance treatment of bronchial asthma. It is well-known that long-term systemic steroid use causes osteoporosis, whereas its inhaled counterpart has been believed to be devoid of such a side-effect. However, recent studies showed that administration of inhaled corticosteroids was associated with biochemical evidence of derangement in bone turnover. We therefore studied bone mineral density (BMD) by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry in 30 patients (18 females, 12 males) with bronchial asthma treated with steroids, essentially by the inhaled route only (both nasal and tracheobronchial), and compared them with healthy subjects individually matched for age, sex, menopausal status, and body mass index (BMI). There was a significant decrease in BMD in the patient group at the hip (neck of femur, p = 0.007; trochanter of femur, p = 0.034; Ward's triangle, p = 0.016) and the lumbar area of the spine (L2-4, p = 0.041). Further analysis showed that this difference from control subjects was mainly seen in the female patients and not in the male patients (neck of femur, p = 0.049; Ward's triangle, p = 0.025; lumbar spine, p = 0.039). In the female patients, there was significant negative correlation of BMD of the lumbar area of the spine and the trochanter of femur with daily inhaled steroid dose and positive correlation of BMD of the trochanter with BMI.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗
PubMed1992

High prevalence of asthma in patients with bronchiectasis in Hong Kong.

Eighty five Chinese patients with diffuse or localized bronchiectasis (non-cystic fibrosis) were studied regarding the prevalence of asthma. Twenty three of the 85 had concomitant asthma, diagnosed by history and reversibility on lung function testing either spontaneously or after bronchodilator. None fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA). Asthma preceded the onset of bronchiectasis in 13 patients and developed after long duration of bronchiectasis in seven, while the temporal onset could not be differentiated in three patients. Patients with both asthma and bronchiectasis had inferior spirometric values, higher prevalence of bronchial hyperresponsiveness to methacholine, higher prevalence of skin atopy, elevated serum immunoglobulin E (IgE), and more sputum eosinophilia, compared with their non-asthmatic counterparts. Possible mechanisms by which asthma and bronchiectasis predispose to each other include asthmatic obstruction contributing to development of bronchiectasis, and sensitization of airways with increased lability due to microbial colonization of the ectatic bronchial tree.

Aspergillosis, Allergic Bronchopulmonary↗
PubMed1984

Splenectomy in hematologic malignancy.

Fifty patients undergoing splenectomy for complications of hematologic malignancy were reviewed to define indications and results. Primary diseases included lymphoma (n = 14), chronic lymphatic leukemia (n = 13), hairy-cell leukemia (n = 12), myeloid metaplasia (n = 6), and other similar disorders (n = 5). Indications for splenectomy in these patients included cytopenia (n = 37), diagnostic laparotomy (n = 8), "small stomach" syndrome (n = 3), and abdominal pain (n = 2). Splenectomy was performed by the midline approach in 32 patients. In 40 patients, the splenic artery was ligated prior to mobilization of the spleen. The spleens averaged 1650 g; in eight patients accessory spleens were removed. Additional surgical procedures included liver biopsy (n = 30), lymph node biopsy (n = 15), and cholecystectomy (n = 3). Intraoperative blood loss averaged 750 ml. In 14 patients, drainage of the left subphrenic space was used. Splenectomy was effective in 36 of 50 patients. In seven patients, splenectomy was ineffective in correction of cytopenia. Seven mortalities were from bleeding (n = 2), pulmonary embolus (n = 2), postoperative sepsis (n = 2), and progression of primary disease (n = 1). Additional complications included reoperation for bleeding (n = 3), septic complications including pneumonia (n = 14), wound infection (n = 4), and intra-abdominal abscess (n = 2). Splenectomy for the patients with hematologic malignancy is generally effective. Meticulous hemostasis, timely administration of intraoperative platelets, surgical asepsis, and aggressive pulmonary care are essential to reduce morbidity and mortality.

Adult↗