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Biomedical subjects

M Pickering

Publications and source records attributed to M Pickering.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

A comparison of ultrasonic and mechanical stadiometry.

AIM: To compare an ultrasonic height measuring device (Gulliver) with mechanical stadiometry and the classical "book and tape measure" method. METHODS: Blinded duplicate measurements of height were made on each of 14 children by a pair of observers using a stadiometer (H) and Gulliver (G). Height was measured on a further 18 children by parents and an auxologist using Gulliver and the book and tape method (TM), and the results were compared with those obtained with a single stadiometry measurement. Finally, measurement of a rigid metal box was made on 10 occasions by the three methods. RESULTS: In the group of 14 children, the mean difference (range) in height (H minus G) was +2.8 cm (+0.5 to +4.55 cm), with H giving a systematically higher value in 276 of 280 individual measurements. In the group of 18 children, height by H was greater than by G or TM in 47 of 52 individual measurements. The mean (SD) height of the box by H (61.60 (0.07) cm) was greater than by G (60.96 (0.15) cm; p < 0.001) but not TM (61.4 (0.16) cm; p > 0.05). G and TM produced three times less reliable estimations of height than H, but with a large difference in cost, and there was evidence of systematic underrecording of height by 0.5 cm with G. CONCLUSIONS: Stadiometry is precise and reproducible, and can detect true changes in height over one month periods in mid-childhood, and should remain the standard way of observing growth. The book and tape method can produce clinically acceptable quarterly estimations of height that can be performed in the home.

Anthropometry↗
PubMed1996

Thrombosis in Churg-Strauss syndrome. Beyond vasculitis?

Thromboembolism is considered a rare occurrence in the course of Churg-Strauss syndrome. We report three patients who experienced vascular occlusions at relapse and at first diagnosis of Churg-Strauss syndrome. The pathogenesis of thrombosis in Churg-Strauss syndrome and the potential role played by the eosinophil are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Head growth in cystic fibrosis following early diagnosis by neonatal screening.

Growth in length, weight gain, and head circumference were recorded from 3 months to 4 years of age in 25 children with cystic fibrosis diagnosed by neonatal screening. Mean standard deviation (SD) scores at 3 months for length, weight, and head circumference were -0.78, -0.91, and -0.52 respectively. Over the first 2 years length SD scores showed a consistent improvement and stabilised at 0.1 SD below mean from 2 to 4 years. Weight SD scores remained essentially unaltered throughout, approximately 1 SD below the mean. Head circumference, however, after an initial increase from -0.52 at 3 months to -0.25 at 18 months, slowed and fell to 1 SD below the mean at 4 years. The data suggest that head growth continues to lag behind somatic growth in children with cystic fibrosis despite early diagnosis and good nutritional management in early infancy. These data also support functional expression of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator in the brain.

Body Height↗
PubMed1995

Disproportionate head growth retardation in cystic fibrosis.

Monthly increments of length, weight gain, and head circumference were recorded from birth to 4 years of age in 52 children with cystic fibrosis. At birth the children showed stunting. Standard deviation (SD) scores at birth for height, weight, and head circumference were -1.24, -0.72, and -1.82 respectively. Over the first four years, length and weight SD scores showed a consistent improvement. However, there was very limited improvement in head circumference, which stabilised 1 SD below the mean from 1.5 years to 4 years. Our data suggest that head growth lags behind gain in height and weight in children with cystic fibrosis despite good nutritional management in early infancy. The data may also support the expression of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator in choroid plexus and ependyma.

Body Height↗
PubMed1988

The mechanism of the drug induced partial displacement of methyl green from DNA.

The displacement of methyl green, a dye bound ionically to double stranded DNA, has been suggested as a potential assay for drug-DNA interaction. The present investigation studies the equilibrium system of methyl green, its colorless carbinol form and DNA in the presence of salt (MgSO4), ethidium bromide, and quinine. The reversibility of the equilibrium, and the absence of sequestered sites or two modes of binding for methyl green are demonstrated.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Interpersonal communication in speech-language pathology supervisory conferences: a qualitative study.

This study examined aspects of interpersonal communication in supervisory conferences in a university-based speech-language pathology practicum, through the use of qualitative methods. This article describes the methodology and presents findings particular to students, particular to supervisors, and relevant to the conference as a whole. The findings indicate that discussions about clients included a focus on the interpersonal relationship between students and clients, but that issues involving the feelings associated with the relationship were not a major focus of the conferences studied.

Clinical Competence↗
PubMed1983

Emergency planning.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Emergency Service, Hospital↗
PubMed1981

The relative roles of sodium and renin in the hypertension of renal disease. An assessment based on the response to frusemide and propranolol.

Twenty-seven patients with hypertension and varying degrees of renal failure were studied before and during the administration of frusemide. In 15 patients studies were repeated following the addition of propranolol. Mean exchangeable sodium was increased before the introduction of frusemide or propranolol in patients with azotemia, possibly due in part to the administration of other antihypertensive drugs, and was reduced to normal during frusemide treatment increasing slightly but significantly following the addition of propranolol. Blood pressure fell significantly with frusemide but there was no further significant fall with propranolol. The relationship of change in blood pressure to change in exchangeable sodium with frusemide did not reach significance. There was no relationship between changes in blood pressure and changes in plasma renin activity with frusemide, suggesting that the blood pressure response to frusemide is not limited by the rise in renin. The fall in blood pressure following the addition of propranolol was proportional to the dose of the drug but inversely proportional to the change in renin suggesting that renin levels are to some extent determined by the blood pressure response to propranolol rather than themselves determining that response. Serum creatinine was significantly increased during treatment with frusemide probably due to a combination of the effects of sodium depletion and the natural progression of the underlying renal disease rather than to nephrotoxicity. The further slight increase in serum creatinine following the addition of propranolol is in keeping with the reported effect of this drug on renal blood flow and glomerular filtration rate in patients without renal disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

A study of the effects of atenolol and propranolol on renal function in patients with essential hypertension.

1 The effects of propranolol and atenolol given in random order in a cross-over study to fifteen patients with essential hypertension have been studied. 2 Both drugs were effective in lowering blood pressure and side effects were not markedly different. 3 There was no change in exchangeable sodium or potassium or in total body potassium during treatment with either drug. 4 Ambulant plasma renin activity was reduced by both drugs but the fall in blood pressure was not related to initial plasma renin. 5 Despite equal mean reduction in blood pressure with the two drugs, creatinine clearance fell significantly only during treatment with propranolol. 6 These observations suggest that intra-renal beta 2-adrenoceptors may be of importance in the regulation of renal function.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Chronic renal vein thrombosis.

Twenty-eight patients with demonstrated chronic renal vein thrombosis were studied. In seven, only small venous channels were involved; in 21, both small and large veins were thrombosed. A constellation of findings occurred with such frequency in these patients that we believe it virtually diagnostic of renal venous obstruction. These findings include the nephrotic syndrome, great variability in proteinuria and glomerular filtration rate, pulmonary embolization, sterile pyuria, hematuria, hyperchloremic acidosis, decreased renal tubular threshold for glucose and increased fibrin degradation products. These findings are an indication for definitive angiographic and biopsy procedures. Prolonged anticoagulant therapy was generally very effective.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

Low dose, long-term treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with azathioprine.

Sixteen patients with classical rheumatoid arthritis which had been present for longer than two years, representing anatomic stages II-IV, were treated with azathioprine in doses of 50 to 175 mg/day. They were followed up for up to six years. Using the criterion of ability to work, 93% of the patients improved markedly during the time observed. Complement levels were low before treatment and tended to stabilize within the normal range as the disease became less active. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) fell during therapy but changes in ESR did not correlate well with the patients' clinical states. Titers of rheumatoid agglutinins showed little change after as long as six years of therapy. When all patients were stable a double-blind cross-over study, using a placebo tablet, was instituted. Fifteen of 16 patients had a marked exacerbation of disease activity after receiving placebo for three to eight weeks. When azathioprine was reinstituted, gradual improvement again occurred so that all patients were back to their asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic state within seven months.

Adult↗