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Biomedical subjects

M Egger

Publications and source records attributed to M Egger.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

Amniotic fluid index and perinatal morbidity.

Our purpose was: (1) to determine whether assessment of amniotic fluid index in high risk patients with a reactive nonstress test (NST) allowed improved recognition of the fetus at risk for perinatal morbidity than a reactive NST alone; and (2) to determine the optimal low amniotic fluid index (AFI) which should prompt clinical concern. The last NST performed within a week of delivery and amniotic fluid index were retro-spectively compared with various indices of perinatal morbidity. In fetuses with a reactive NST, decreasing AFI was directly correlated with a risk of 5-minute Apgar score of less than 7 and delivery for fetal distress. When various subgroupings of AFI were compared, 7 cm or greater appeared to have a better inverse correlation with the indices of morbidity than lower cut-off values. The addition of AFI assessment to the standard NST allows better prediction of perinatal morbidity than the NSTs alone. Seven centimeters appears to be a reasonable cut-off for clinical concern.

Amniotic Fluid↗
PubMed1996

A controlled HIV/AIDS-related health education programme in Managua, Nicaragua.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of a community-wide intervention to increase HIV/AIDS-related knowledge, change attitudes and increase safer-sex practices in Managua, Nicaragua. DESIGN AND SETTINGS: Household-based health education intervention trial comprising a knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) survey at baseline, a health education intervention and a follow-up KAP survey. Four neighbourhoods were included, two received the intervention, and the other two served as controls. Randomly selected residents aged 15-45 years were interviewed at baseline (n = 2160) and follow-up (n = 2271) using an identical questionnaire. The intervention consisted of a health education campaign that emphasized HIV transmission and condom use. OUTCOME AND ANALYSIS: Knowledge levels regarding transmission and prevention of HIV infection, self-reported use of condoms, levels of worries about HIV/AIDS and perceptions of personal risk of HIV infection. Comparisons between baseline and follow-up employed chi 2 tests with continuity correction. The influence of the intervention was examined in multivariate logistic models including an appropriate interaction term. RESULTS: Intervention and control samples were comparable with regard to sex, age, and age at first intercourse. Significantly less intervention residents had formal education (P < 0.001). At baseline, outcome variables were generally similar in control and intervention samples. Condom use increased from 9 to 16% (P = 0.003) among intervention women, but only from 9 to 11% (P = 0.5) in control women (test for interaction, P = 0.08). Among men, increases were from 31 to 41% (P < 0.001) and from 30 to 37% (P = 0.06), respectively (test for interaction, P = 0.3). Levels of worries about HIV/AIDS decreased in all groups, but perception of individual risk increased only among intervention women (test for interaction, P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: This household-targeted health education intervention appears to have had some effect; however, sustained efforts are needed further to improve levels of knowledge and to increase condom use in Managua.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Genital chlamydial infection among women in Nicaragua: validity of direct fluorescent antibody testing, prevalence, risk factors and clinical manifestations.

OBJECTIVE: To validate the performance of a direct fluorescence antibody (DFA) test and to determine the prevalence, risk factors and clinical manifestations of cervical chlamydia infection in different groups of women in Nicaragua. STUDY POPULATION: 926 women, 863 routine clinic attenders (mean age 27 years) and 63 sex workers (mean age 25 years) attending health centres in León, Corinto, Matagalpa and Bluefields. METHODS: Cervical specimens were examined using the Syva MicroTrak test system with a cut-off of 10 or more elementary bodies (EBs). The DFA results were validated by a one-step polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. Discordant results were further examined in nested PCR assays directed at two different target genes. An interviewer-administered questionnaire and a standard gynaecological examination were completed. RESULTS: Sensitivity of DFA was 80.1%, specificity 98.3%, and positive and negative predictive values 62.5% and 99.3%, respectively. Values were lower in locations where samples thawed because of electricity breaks and higher among sex workers. The majority of discordant results was confirmed as positive in nested PCR assays. Prevalence of cervical chlamydia infection based on positivity in DFA and/or PCR ranged from 2% among routine clinic attenders aged 35 years or older, to 8% among adolescent clinic attenders, and to 14% among sex workers. Among routine clinic attenders, young age (odds ratio [OR] 3.6, 95% confidence intervals [95% CI] 1.4-8.9 for women aged 15-19 years as compared with 1 in women 25 years of age or older) and use of oral contraceptives (OR 4.0, 95% CI 1.7-9.6) were the only statistically significant risk factors identified in multivariate logistic regression analysis. Presence of mucopurulent cervical discharge (OR 5.9, 95% CI 3.0-11.5) and presence of ectropion (OR 2.6, 95% CI 1.1-6.5) were the clinical signs independently associated with infection. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that the DFA test was sensitive and specific while the performance of the PCR assay depends on adequate storage of samples. Genital C trachomatis infection is a common health problem among women in Nicaragua. The wide implementation of syndromic STD management algorithms together with health education programmes aimed at young people is the most promising approach to control STD in Nicaragua.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Electrorotation measurements of diamide-induced platelet activation changes.

Electrorotation is a special dielectric spectroscopic technique capable of measuring the polarizability of single platelets. The rotational speed of the particles is recorded as a function of the frequency of the applied rotating electric field. As previously shown, the speed of electrorotation in the range of the first characteristic frequency (anti-field rotation) decreased upon activation and was correlated with [14C]serotonin release and an increase of the TMA-DPH-induced fluorescence. Diamide upon activation and was correlated with [14C]serotonin release and an increase of the TMA-DPH-induced fluorescence. Diamide incubation induced morphological changes in control platelets. These changes were accompanied by a shift of the first characteristic frequency of electrorotation toward higher values and a parallel increase of the anti-field rotation. This was explained by a decrease of membrane conductivity and by the changed polarizability of platelet interior due to the observed internal platelet structure changes. Diamide inhibited activation assessed by both electrorotation and TMA-DPH fluorescence in the case of all activators except the ionophore A 23187. Because diamide largely inhibited the A 23187-induced serotonin release, it was concluded that, despite the diamide treatment, the direct increase of cytoplasmic Ca2+ was still able to induce membrane conductivity changes accessible by electrorotation, but this did not complete the final release step of the activation process.

Biophysical Phenomena↗
PubMed1994

Statistical problems.

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Anticholesteremic Agents↗