Biomedical subjects

M E Shipley

Publications and source records attributed to M E Shipley.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1992

Ankylosing spondylitis and HLA-B27: restriction fragment length polymorphism and sequencing of an HLA-B27 allele from a patient with ankylosing spondylitis.

Two groups of patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) from England and Poland were examined for restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) associated with the disease. No preferential association was found between the 9.2 kb PvuII fragment in HLA-B27 positive patients with AS compared with HLA-B27 healthy subjects as had been previously reported. In the English group, however, a 14 kb PvuII fragment was more common in HLA-B27 positive subjects with AS than in normal controls. Also 4.6 and 3.7 kb PvuII fragments were more prevalent in subjects without AS than in the group with AS, but these results were confined to the English group. Furthermore, the sequence of an HLA-B*2705 gene isolated from a patient with AS was examined, and no significant differences were found compared with the sequence isolated from a healthy subject. There do not seem to be significant genetic differences in the coding or in the regulatory region in HLA-B27 alleles, in subjects with or without AS.

Alleles↗

PubMed1990

What do rheumatologists do? A pilot audit study.

Four consultant rheumatologists from different health districts compared their out-patient and in-patient workloads for 3 months. Data collection proved simple and valuable to each local unit. Inflammatory joint disease (particularly severe rheumatoid arthritis) dominated the workload in all centres. Large differences in the number of new referrals with osteoarthritis, soft tissue diseases and polymyalgia rheumatica were observed. Differences were also apparent in the organization of clinics, provision of follow-up appointments for different diagnostic groups, and usage of steroid injections. Although there may be a variety of explanations for these similarities and differences, the data emphasize the need for further audit of rheumatology practice in the UK.

Ambulatory Care Facilities↗

PubMed1990

Specificity of rheumatoid factors in relation to the disease state in rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid factors found in patients with rheumatoid arthritis react with human IgG and with IgG from some other species. The levels of rheumatoid factor give some indication of prognosis, albeit a rather poor one in this highly variable disease. The high degree of variability may, in part, be due to differences in the fine specificity of the rheumatoid factor in each individual patient, leading to differences in the types of immune complex formed. To study this hypothesis the fine specificity of rheumatoid factors of the IgM, IgA, and IgG classes for IgG from human, baboon, orangutan, macaque, owl monkey, gorilla, marmoset, cow, pig, sheep, goat, horse, mouse, and chicken was examined. Differential reactivity for these species was found and associations between the presence of rheumatoid factor and the development of moderate or severe erosions.

Animals↗

PubMed1988

Pulsed methylprednisolone in active early rheumatoid disease: a dose-ranging study.

A dose-ranging, double-blind study of pulsed methylprednisolone in 71 patients with active classical or definite RA is reported. Single pulses of 40 mg, 500 mg or 1 g were administered during a 24-h admission. All patients benefited transiently, but only in those who received 1 g was this prolonged beyond 3 weeks. Laboratory measurements showed no significant change in any group. Significantly more patients in the 1 g group felt the treatment worthwhile than in the other groups. The drop-out rates in the 40 mg and 500 mg groups differed significantly from that seen in the 1 g group and were such that statistical analysis beyond 3 weeks was difficult to interpret. Side-effects were mild. Three patients subsequently developed avascular necrosis, one in the 1 g and two in the 40 mg groups. The study suggests that single doses of MP below 1 g are not helpful in the management of acute RA.

Adult↗