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Biomedical subjects

M Rowson

Publications and source records attributed to M Rowson.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Intra-individual variation of irritant threshold and relationship to transepidermal water loss measurement of skin irritation.

Irritant susceptibility studies have used either visual assessment or transepidermal water loss (TEWL) to determine subject response. We have developed a visual assessment method which determines subject irritant threshold. We examined the relationship between sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) irritant threshold and TEWL measurements from normal skin and SLS patch tests. 19 subjects were recruited. The irritant threshold of each subject was measured and TEWL measurements made from the applied SLS patch tests. Individuals with a lower irritant threshold (easily irritated skin) had elevated TEWL levels compared to those with higher thresholds. The irritant threshold test had a low intraindividual variation. This study showed that the 2 methods grouped patients in a similar manner. The variation seen may reflect the different outcomes measured: irritant threshold visually assesses the skin inflammatory response while TEWL measures skin barrier modification.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Poverty and Health: Debt Relief Could Help Achieve Human Rights Objectives.

Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights clearly emphasizes health as a human right. Poverty and social exclusion are the most important drivers of ill-health. The causes of increasing poverty are complex but one significant factor is international debt. This affects mainly sub-Saharan Africa but, with the global economic crisis in South East Asia, may spread. Structural adjustment policies which cut social spending compound the health effects of debt and poverty. Privatization of health care and user charges particularly affect women, children, the disabled, and other marginalized communities. To improve health, governments and international institutions have a duty to examine the determinants of health, including human rights and economic policy.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1997

The classification of skin irritants by human patch test.

The human 4 hour patch test provides an opportunity to identify substances with significant skin irritation potential without recourse to the use of animals. The protocol is designed to avoid the production of more than mild irritant reactions and meets the highest ethical standards. This paper provides the background to the development of the method and comments on its performance in the light of recent intra- and inter-laboratory investigations. In particular, the value of the method in providing 'gold standard' data for the identification of those substances (or preparations) which should, or should not, be classified as irritant to skin in European legislation is discussed. On the basis of the published data and supplementary investigations, recommendations are made on both the conduct and interpretation of the human 4 hour patch test. Finally, the lack of any necessity for formal validation of this assay is addressed.

Health Planning Guidelines↗
PubMed1997

Visual assessment of human skin irritation: a sensitive and reproducible tool.

Human volunteer studies of skin irritation have been carried out for decades, both for research and for safety evaluation purposes. For the majority of this time, and consequently for the majority of the studies, assessment of the skin reactions has been made visually. Typical endpoints include erythema, oedema, dryness and scaling, some or all of which would be rated on a simple scale, eg 0, +/-, +, ++, + + +. Such approaches can be criticized as subjective, of poor reproducibility, lacking in sensitivity and highly variable between observers and/or institutions. In consequence, instrumental methods of assessment have been strongly promoted and do indeed offer several advantages, not least their objectivity. However, it is possible to use the human eye, which is a very sensitive tool, to make detailed, accurate and reproducible descriptions of skin irritation reactions. To achieve this, it is necessary to give prolonged and thorough training to each observer. In this paper, 3 examples of human volunteer studies, in which different pairs of trained observers independently carried out double blinded scoring of the irritation reactions, are reported. The grading patterns produced were almost identical; statistical analysis showed that properly trained observers are in fact able to reliably measure a grade of erythema to within +/- 1 on a 10 point scale; 97.6% of scores were within 2 grade points on this scale. These results provide evidence that visual scoring can be sensitive, reliable and reproducible within a testing institution.

Dermatitis, Irritant↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Globalization and health--some issues.

Globalization is happening. But it appears that it has been associated with a rise in inequalities both between and within nations. Financial and trade liberalization, the main motors of the current phase of globalization, have been introduced with reckless abandon and little thought to the consequences. Future policy advice must bolster the role of the state in defending populations from the excesses of market forces, and there should be rigorous analysis of the health and other social impacts of economic policies.

Developing Countries↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The World Trade Organization: implications for health policy.

Agreements negotiated at the World Trade Organization already have important implications for health and health policy. They impact on the ability of governments to regulate trade in the interests of health; on national and international governance and public health standards; and on the future of the precautionary principle. Agreements on trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights and trade in health services could benefit the multi-national health care and pharmaceutical industries, and impact negatively on cost and equity.

Developing Countries↗