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Biomedical subjects

M J Miguel

Publications and source records attributed to M J Miguel.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Lipid profile in haemodialysis patients treated with recombinant human erythropoietin.

BACKGROUND: The long-term effect of recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) on the blood-lipid profile has not been well documented. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether rhEPO therapy affects the lipid pattern. METHODS: A group of 102 maintenance haemodialysis patients were treated for 2 years with rhEPO given intravenously at the end of the dialysis session. Attempts were made to keep the haemoglobin (Hb) at 10-11 g/dl and/or the haematocrit (Hct) at 30-35%. Twenty maintenance haemodialysis patients not treated with rhEPO were examined as controls. Total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, apolipoproteins A1 and B, and lipoprotein (a)[Lp (a)] were assessed at baseline (without rhEPO), and 1 and 2 years after the beginning of treatment. Hb, Hct and ferritin were measured monthly, and Kt/v was evaluated monthly and kept above 1.1. RESULTS: During follow-up, in both groups, there was a significant increase in Apo A1 and no significant changes in the other lipid parameters. In the treated group, Hb and Hct increased significantly after the fourth month of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Erythropoietin therapy does not affect significantly the levels of total cholesterol, LDL- and HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, Apo B and Lp (a) in maintenance hemodialysis patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

[Cardiac troponin-T. Diagnostic efficacy in acute myocardial infarction. Clinical and laboratory assessment].

Cardiac troponin-T is a subunit of the myofibrillar regulatory troponintropomiosin complex, with sufficient specificity to myocardium. In normal conditions it is absent from serum and its presence indicates lesion of the cardiac cells. The authors evaluated the analytical and clinical performance of an immunoassay for cardiac troponin-T, before its introduction in their own laboratory routine. They concluded that the test had good analytical performance, with some difficulties in practicability that can be surpassed by using a rapid bedside test for troponin-T in urgency departments, already approved by FDA in USA and available in Portugal. The diagnostic specificity and sensitivity was better than the one of the classic enzymatic markers for Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) but it is necessary to establish clear clinical protocols that allow its use in AMI.

Biomarkers↗
PubMed1997

[Computerization of a clinical chemical laboratory. A contribution for quality assurance].

The application of computer science to the practice of laboratory medicine, one of the medical informatics fields, brings a complete revolution in laboratory work and the clinical pathologists profile. The authors explain the methodology for the implementation of such a system, in a perspective of quality assurance, defining the goals, objectives, customer requirements and analysis of the benefits they achieve. Finally the authors explain the future perspectives.

Clinical Laboratory Information Systems↗
PubMed1994

Long-term effect of lovastatin on lipoprotein profile in patients with primary nephrotic syndrome.

Eight patients with biopsy-proven primary nephrotic syndrome were included in an open, prospective, two-year study of lovastatin. One patients was withdrawn after 6 months due to an asymptomatic rise in creatinine phosphokinase, which was rapidly reversed after interruption of lovastatin. In the remaining patients, treatment was well-tolerated and produced no side effects. After 2 years of treatment, these 7 patients had decreases in total cholesterol from 446 +/- 165 to 250 +/- 57 mg/dl (p < 0.001), LDL cholesterol from 343 +/- 121 to 174 +/- 49 mg/dl (p < 0.001), Apo B lipoprotein from 162 +/- 60 to 108 +/- 42 mg/dl (p < 0.05), triglycerides from 336 +/- 273 to 182 +/- 71 mg/dl (p < 0.04). There was no change in HDL cholesterol. The LDL/HDL cholesterol and the total/HDL cholesterol ratios fell from 15.0 +/- 12.1 and 19.1 +/- 17.2 mg/dl before the study to 4.4 +/- 1.2 and 6.3 +/- 1.6 mg/dl, respectively, at 2 years. A decrease in proteinuria from 8.6 +/- 4.6 to 5.0 +/- 3.7 g/24 h (p < 0.02) was noted in 4 patients on concomitant ACE inhibitor therapy. Renal function remained stable in all patients throughout the study, except for one whose moderate impairment progressed to end-stage renal failure requiring dialysis 3 months poststudy. We conclude that long-term lovastatin in patients with primary nephrotic syndrome is an effective and generally safe treatment for accompanying dyslipidemia.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Salt and blood pressure: a community trial.

The effect of a health education programme on salt reduction and blood pressure was studied in two matched rural communities in Portugal, each of about 800 adult inhabitants. Initial salt intake was high (about 360 mmol/person/day) and 30% of persons were hypertensive (DBP 95 mmHg or above). In the intervention community average blood pressure fell by 3.6/5.0 mmHg at one year and 5.0/5.1 mmHg at two years, due to a general distribution shift. In the control community diastolic pressures remained stable and systolic pressures rose. The difference in trends between the two communities was highly significant. There were also significant correlations within individuals in the intervention community between fall in blood pressure and fall in urinary sodium/creatinine ratio. At least in this high-intake population a fall in salt consumption seems to have caused an important fall in average blood pressure.

Adolescent↗