PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

N J Lewiston

Publications and source records attributed to N J Lewiston.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1982

Malignant histiocytosis presenting as interstitial pulmonary disease.

Three children presented with progressive respiratory symptoms and radiographic evidence of diffuse interstitial infiltrates. All three had a pulmonary pathologic diagnosis of malignant histiocytosis. The pulmonary manifestations of this disease appear to have been responsive to combined chemotherapy. Malignant histiocytosis needs to be considered in the differential diagnosis of interstitial pulmonary disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Microtiter solid-phase radioimmunoassay for specific immunoglobulin E.

A microtiter solid phase-radioimmunoassay (MSPRIA) for perennial rye grass-specific IgE is described. The assay is carried out in flexible polyvinyl chloride "u" microtiter plates by sequentially incubating antigen, albumin, test sera, and finally radiolabeled antihuman IgE. Wells are cut free of the plate with a hot wire-cutting apparatus and counted individually in a gamma counter. The amount of radioactivity bound is proportional to the amount of specific IgE in the serum. The MSPRIA is shown to be antigen and antibody specific, reproducible, and easily done. Rye-specific IgE levels assayed with the MSPRIA correlated with quantitative end point titration skin testing using perennial rye grass antigen performed on 31 volunteers with a maximum correlation coefficient of 0.92. The MSPRIA was compared with the radioallergosorbent test (RAST) method using sera from the same 31 volunteers. The rye-specific IgE levels assayed by MSPRIA correlated with those assayed by RAST with a correlation coefficient of 0.95. The MSPRIA is well suited for mass screening and represents a useful method for measuring specific IgE.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

125I-Clq-binding and specific antibodies as indicators of pulmonary disease activity in cystic fibrosis.

We studied the incidence and levels of circulating immune complexes by the 125I-Clq-binding assay in patients with cystic fibrosis in relation to clinical respiratory status and specific IgG and IgE antibodies to Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus fumigatus, and Candida albicans. Overall prevalence of CIC was 43%, but 86% of serially studied patients had evidence of CIC at some time. Patients with acute respiratory exacerbations and deteriorating pulmonary function had a higher incidence of CIC (76%) as compared to stable patients (36%, P less than 0.01), as well as significantly higher levels of CIC. Acute exacerbations were also associated with significant increases in IgG antibody to Pseudomonas (P less than 0.005) but not in other antibodies. CIC did not correlate with Pseudomonas-specific IgG nor with any other specific antibody studied. A variety of age-related differences in specific antibody levels were seen. The episodic appearance of CIC is common in CF and is usually associated with exacerbation of lung disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Measurement of hypothetical burnout in cystic fibrosis caregivers.

Three hypothetical phases of staff burnout were measured in a population of cystic fibrosis caregivers and a control population from other areas of specialty pediatrics. The cystic fibrosis caregivers displayed a higher level of emotional exhaustion, lower level of patient depersonalization, and an equal sense of personal accomplishment from the job compared to the controls. We conclude that hypothetical staff burnout can be measured and postulate that these values can be used to quantitate the outcome of anti-burnout programs.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

A microtiter solid phase radioimmunoassay for total serum IgE.

A two-step microtiter solid phase radioimmunoassay (MSPRIA) for total serum IgE has been developed by the authors. Microtiter wells are coated with rabbit antihuman IgE. During the first incubation. IgE in serum samples or the standard is bound to the antibody coated wells. The wells are then overlaid with radiolabeled goat anti-IgE antibodies. The amount of radioactivity bound is proportional to the amount of IgE in the test serum. The mean IgE level of 25 cord sera was found by this assay to be 0.3 U/ml. The total serum IgE's of 40 volunteers ranged from 4 to 593 U/cc. These values agreed with the values determined by commercial PRIST assay with a correlation coefficient of 0.98. The MSPRIA is a specific, sensitive, convenient and economical means of quantitating total serum IgE.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Sleeping bradycardia during recovery from childhood status asthmaticus.

Seventeen of 67 children recovering from status asthmaticus developed sleeping bradycardia. They were compared to a control population of asthmatic children who did not develop sleeping bradycardia and differed only in the low heart rate. The authors speculate that this phenomenon is due to a combination of withdrawal of sympathomimetic stimulation and catch-up in REM (rapid eye movement) sleep.

Aminophylline↗
PubMed1980

Immune complexes and humoral response to Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis.

We studied the humoral immune status of 51 patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) as compared to 25 patients with other respiratory diseases (RD). CF patients had higher serum concentrations of IgG and IgA (p less than 0.001), C5, and CH50 (p less than 0.05), than did RD patients. Twenty-three % of CF patients had increased IgE concentrations. Of 32 CF and 1 RD patients colonized with mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA), 91% had serum precipitins to PA, whereas no precipients were found in patients not colonized with mucoid PA. Fifty-one % of CF patients had circulating immune complexes detected by 125I-C1q binding (for CF patients mean values +/- SD, 14.5 +/- 12% versus 7.5 +/- 3.4% for RD patients; p less than 0.005). Complexes were correlated with higher serum IgA concentrations but not other immunoglobulins, complement components, response to PA, or pulmonary function at time of assay. Extra vascular formation of complexes was suggested by uniform absence of plasma C3 activation in vivo.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Fatal myocardial toxicity during continuous infusion intravenous isoproterenol therapy of asthma.

We recently utilized continuous infusion intravenous isoproterenol in the treatment of respiratory failure in an 18-yr-old steroid-dependent asthmatic female. Aminophylline, hydrocortisone, aerosolized isoetharine, and oxygen were also administrered. The patient responded to this therapy, with PaCO2 falling from 70 torr to 33 torr in 18 hr. The maximum isoproterenol dosage administered was 0.32 microgram/kg/min. Thirty-six hours following the institution of therapy, while the isoproterenol was being tapered, the patient experienced an increase in respiratory distress followed by cardiac arrest. Postmortem examination revealed multiple small areas of myocardial necrosis. These findings, unusual in asthma, probably were related to the effects of isoproterenol or the combination of isoproterenol and aminophylline on the stressed myocardium. The vulnerability of the hypoxic myocardium to the effects of isoproterenol suggests that careful cardiac monitoring is essential in the management of patients receiving this medication for treatment of respiratory failure secondary to severe asthma.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Antimicrobial susceptibilities of rough, smooth, and mucoid colony types of Pseudomonas isolated from cystic fibrosis patients.

Minimal inhibitory concentrations of carbenicillin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline, gentamicin, tobramycin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole were determined for rough, smooth, and mucoid Pseudomonas sp. isolates from sputa collected from 40 cystic fibrosis patients. Ninety-four percent of the minimal inhibitory concentrations obtained by using mixed inocula of colonies of different morphological types fell within one serial dilution of the most resistant minimal inhibitory concentration obtained when each colony type was tested separately.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1979

Social work practice and chronic pediatric illness.

The role of social workers in a pediatric chronic illness setting is presented. The difference between acute and chronic illness is explored, with emphasis on the ramifications of these differences for social work practice. Early assessment of patients and families provides the social worker with a data base from which to select an appropriate intervention with families. Of primary importance is the amelioration of feelings of helplessness, dependency, and isolation. This may be accomplished by helping families anticipate problems, mobilizing resources to help, and encouraging families to share their experiences with other families. Because the medical system, particularly in a teaching hospital, may not provide continuity of care for patients, the relationship of the social worker to patient and family, and resulting knowledge of the family, becomes an important resource in the provision of high-quality care.

California↗
PubMed1979

Chronic neuropathy presenting as a floppy infant with respiratory distress.

Respiratory distress was the presenting feature in a 4-month-old male infant suffering from Déjérine-Sottas disease, an inherited sensory-motor polyneuropathy. This unusual but potentially benign disorder can be diagnosed upon peripheral nerve biopsy by noting extensive demyelination with "onion bulb" formation. Polyneuropathy should be considered in the differential diagnosis of infantile neuromuscular weakness including or solely involving bulbar and respiratory muscles.

Biopsy↗
PubMed1977

Alterations of lymphocytes and of antibody content of human milk after processing.

The effects of pasteurization, lyophilization, and freezing on immunoglobulin and lymphocytes in human milk was studied. We found a significant decrease in total lymphocyte count after all three processing methods. Pasteurization and lyophilization caused a significant decrease in immunoglobulin concentration and in specific antibody titer to Escherichi coli. Freezing specimens up to four weeks resulted in no significant alteration of IgA content or in E. coli antibody titer. Since a major advantage of human milk is the transference of passive local immunity, these quantitative changes may have clinical importance.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗