Biomedical subjects

M Lennon

Publications and source records attributed to M Lennon.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1998

Pituitary apoplexy after spinal anaesthesia.

We report the case of a previously healthy 51-yr-old male who underwent an uneventful total hip replacement under spinal anaesthesia. His immediate postoperative course was complicated by the development of a severe frontal headache. Initial conservative treatment included oral analgesics and an epidural blood patch. The headache persisted and was followed by progressive vision loss and a right partial third nerve palsy. The patient was almost blind at the time of transfer to our neurosurgical unit. Relevant investigations revealed marked hyponatraemia (serum sodium concentration 122 mmol litre-1) and second-degree heart block (Mobitz I). A CT scan showed a pituitary tumour and confirmed the clinical diagnosis of pituitary apoplexy. Urgent craniotomy was scheduled and a large necrotic pituitary adenoma was excised. The postoperative course was uneventful with return of near normal vision at the time of discharge. Clinicians should consider this diagnosis when focal neurological deficits occur with post-dural puncture headache.

Adenoma↗

PubMed1994

The effect of a comprehensive, intensive inpatient treatment program on lung function and exercise capacity in patients with cystic fibrosis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The purpose of this investigation was to measure the effects of a 10- to 14-day comprehensive, intensive hospital treatment program on peak exercise capacity, endurance capacity, respiratory function, weight change, and maximum inspiratory and expiratory mouth pressures in patients with cystic fibrosis with a pulmonary exacerbation. SUBJECTS: Fourteen young adults with cystic fibrosis admitted to a hospital for an exacerbation of their pulmonary disease were studied. METHODS: Subjects performed pulmonary function tests, inspiratory and expiratory mouth pressure tests, and stationary bicycle exercise tests at admission and discharge. Comprehensive therapy provided during the hospital admission consisted of intravenous antibiotics, physical therapy, high-calorie diet, and daily medical review. RESULTS: The patients showed improvements in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (46%-55% of predicted values) and forced vital capacity (62%-68% of predicted values). Maximum inspiratory and expiratory mouth pressures also improved (118%-131% and 78%-92% of predicted values, respectively). There was a mean weight gain of 2 kg. Maximum work capacity on a bicycle ergometer improved from a mean of 45% to 52% of predicted values. The most impressive result was the marked increase in exercise endurance time from a mean of 9.5 minutes on admission to 16.6 minutes at discharge. CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION: This study indicates that young adults with cystic fibrosis and an exacerbation of their pulmonary disease obtain measurable benefits from a comprehensive, intensive treatment program, particularly improvement in their capacity for endurance exercise.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1992

Patterns of use of chest physiotherapy.

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Hospitals, Teaching↗

PubMed1990

Human natural killer cells express Na+ channels. A pharmacologic flow cytometric study.

Voltage-gated excitability of purified human NK cells was studied by using flow cytometry and the voltage-sensitive dye, oxonol. Highly purified human NK cells (CD16 = 95 +/- 1%) from normal volunteers were prepared by using a negative panning technique. The Na(+)-channel agonists batrachotoxin (BTX) (1 to 4 microM) and veratridine (Ver) (100 to 400 microM) depolarized a population of highly purified human NK cells as determined by flow cytometry. BTX and Ver responses were concentration-, time-, temperature-, and Na(+)-dependent. The Na+ channel antagonist tetrodotoxin (1 microM) blocked BTX and Ver responses. Ver (100 microM) produced significant inhibition of cytotoxicity when purified NK cells were incubated with K562 tumor target cells in a 4-h 51Cr release cytotoxicity assay. The effect was blocked by tetrodotoxin. These results strongly suggest presence of functional Na+ channels in NK cells. Activation of voltage-dependent Na+ channels depolarizes cells and reduces their in vitro cytotoxic function.

Batrachotoxins↗

PubMed1982

An electron microscopic demonstration of immune complexes of hepatitis B e-antigen using colloid gold as a marker.

Immune complexes of the hepatitis B e-antigen (HBeAg) could be labeled and thus visually identified in the electron microscope by using antibody to HBeAg (anti-HBe) tagged with colloidal gold particles. Circulating immune complexes of HBeAg were detected in sera from patients with acute hepatitis B infections as well as from asymptomatic carriers of hepatitis B surface antigens (HBsAg). Sera positive for rheumatoid factor frequently contained mixed aggregates in which immune complexes of HBsAg were closely bound to immune complexes of HBeAg.

Antibodies, Viral↗

PubMed1976