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Biomedical subjects

N P Williams

Publications and source records attributed to N P Williams.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

A Caribbean perspective on Barrett's oesophagus.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of Barrett's oesophagus at the University Hospital of the West Indies which serves a population predominantly of African descent. In order to maximize accession of all cases in this preliminary study, the broad definition of columnar metaplasia of the lower oesophagus was utilized. Nevertheless, of 18 cases identified in the 21-year period, 14/17 cases (82%) available for review had specialized columnar epithelium diagnostic of Barrett's oesophagus. There was male predominance 5:1, the mean age was 53.8 years and there were two associated adenocarcinomas. These data confirm the occurrence but low prevalence of Barrett's oesophagus in this population but with a disease pattern that is consistent with that reported in other populations, warranting systematic evaluation of the gastro-oesophageal junction even in a Caribbean population.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

An unusual presentation of group B streptococcal sepsis.

This paper describes the devastating outcome of a neonate who presented with severe late onset group B beta-haemolytic streptococcal (GBS) disease. There were extensive infarcts of the brain and gangrene of the toes. The purpose of this report is to alert healthcare workers of the unusual presentation and that fatal late onset group B beta-haemolytic streptococcal disease may occur despite early and effective management.

Cellulitis↗
PubMed2003

Hepatic abscesses at the University Hospital of the West Indies. A 24-year autopsy review.

A retrospective review of all hepatic abscesses identified at autopsy over the 24-year period 1977-2000 at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI), Kingston, Jamaica, was conducted. Post mortem and microbiology records were reviewed. Data collected included age, gender, predisposing factors, organisms isolated, number of abscesses and associated conditions, such as diabetes mellitus. Data for the adults was analyzed separately. Thirty-nine cases of pyogenic abscesses were identified from 7480 post-mortems. Thirty-three occurred in adults of mean age 59.5 years. Sixty per cent of the abscesses were solitary. Biliary tract disease was the predisposing factor in 33% of cases. Six per cent were cryptogenic: 11/33 patients were diabetic and these were significantly older than non-diabetics (p < 0.014) Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most common organism isolated from diabetics (6.9). Only 2/33 abscesses were diagnosed ante-mortem. The abscesses in children were more frequently multiple and associated with extra-abdominal infection. Gram positive cocci were the commonly isolated organisms in children. There were no cases of amoebic abscess. The prevalence of hepatic abscess was low. Diabetes mellitus was a significant contributing factor. A high index of clinical suspicion is therefore warranted particularly in elderly diabetics.

Abdomen↗
PubMed2002

Smooth muscle tumours of the vulva in Jamaica.

Smooth muscle tumours of the vulva are uncommon and their behaviour is unpredictable. A 30-year retrospective analysis of the pathology files and patient records revealed 10 cases diagnosed at the University Hospital of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica, with one malignant and one recurrent tumour. Size, infiltrating margins and mitotic count are important parameters to determine prognosis. Although these tumours are of low malignancy, mitotic count may be mandatory in determining their potential for recurrence.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Salivary gland lesions: a Jamaican perspective.

A retrospective analysis of the spectrum and relative frequency of salivary gland lesions diagnosed in the Department of Pathology, University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica, between 1965 and 1994, is reported. Four hundred and sixty-four salivary gland biopsies were received. Of these 99 (21.3%) were non-neoplastic and the remaining 365 (78.7%) were neoplasms: 261 (71.5%) were benign and 104 (28.5%) malignant. Benign mixed tumour (BMT)/pleomorphic adenoma (PA) was the most common neoplasm (63.3%) while mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) was the most common malignant neoplasm (9.6%), followed by adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) (7.4%). The increased frequency of MEC over ACC is at variance with other reported series but the preponderance of pleomorphic adenoma is consistent. In the major salivary glands, benign neoplasms predominate at a ratio of 3:1, while a higher proportion of minor salivary gland neoplasms was malignant, ratio 1.2:1 (p = 0.003). These data represent the first attempt to document the spectrum of disease related to oral and maxillofacial pathology in Jamaica.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Colonic lipomas at the University Hospital of the West Indies.

Lipomas of the colon are uncommon but cause diagnostic difficulty when they are symptomatic. The clinical and pathological features of 17 cases of colonic lipomas diagnosed at the University Hospital of the West Indies between 1970 and 1999 are reported. Ten cases were symptomatic, two of these being diagnosed with adult intussusception. Six patients had incidental lipomas in bowel resected for other pathology while one lipoma was diagnosed on sigmoidoscopy. Increased awareness of these lesions will enhance pre-operative diagnostic accuracy.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

Mast cell derangement in salivary glands in patients with Sjögren's syndrome.

Mast cells (MCs) have been implicated in many immune-inflammatory disorders. Deranged mast cell distribution and function may contribute to the local pathomechanisms in the labial salivary glands (LSG) in Sjogren's syndrome (SS). Evidence for MC presence, localization, frequency, subtype, and degree of activation was sought by using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), immunohistochemistry (IHC)/image analysis, transmission electron microscopy, Western blotting, spectrophotometric activity assay, and radioimmunoassay. The overall expression (densitometric units) of MC tryptase mRNA (1483 +/- 228 vs 1044 +/- 308) did not differ between SS and control LSGs. However, IHC disclosed an uneven distribution of MCs in SS with an absence in lymphocyte foci and increased numbers (cells/mm2 77 +/- 7 vs 38 +/- 4, P < 0.01) elsewhere. Absence of MCs in the lymphocyte foci was not a fixation artefact and was not explained by the presence of "phantom" MCs in these areas. In both SS and controls, 80% of all MCs were chymase containing, but the typical lattices/gratings characteristic for connective tissue MCs (CTMCs) were not found. Instead, MC granules had mostly a homogeneous, finely granular substructure characteristic of "new" granules subjected to a continuous, low-grade release. 32 kDa MC tryptase was found in saliva and its activity/concentration was comparable to that found in controls. However, tryptase output was low in SS (1.30 +/- 0.30 microg/min vs 3.49 +/- 0.66 microg/min, P < 0.001). Normal LSGs contain mostly CTMCs, in close contact with various resident and immigrant cells, characterized by a low-grade release of MC mediators. In SS this normal pattern is disturbed so that MCs are absent in lymphocyte foci (but increased elsewhere in the glands). The net salivary output of MC mediators is low in SS. This derangement of MCs may contribute to the pathogenesis of SS via multiple mechanisms.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Systemic phaeohyphomycosis in pregnancy and the puerperium.

Systemic fungal infections are rare. In pregnancy, treatment is problematic because of the risk of possible teratogenic effects of the antifungal drugs. We present the case of a 32 year-old woman who presented during pregnancy with a two-month history of painless subcutaneous nodules. Excision biopsy of one lesion showed dematiaceous fungal elements. Anti-fungal treatment was deferred and the pregnancy proceeded uneventfully. The remaining nodules were excised at the time of caesarean section delivery. Three weeks into the puerperium, she developed generalised seizures and investigations indicated systemic fungal infection with positive cultures for Aureobasidium spp which responded to appropriate antifungal therapy of flucytosine and itraconazole.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Malignant lymphoma of gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue in Jamaica.

The recently appreciated concept of Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue (MALT) and the characteristics of the lymphomas arising therein are discussed with reference to the clinical, histological and immunohistochemical features of the first four cases of gastric MALT lymphomas diagnosed at the University Hospital of the West Indies. These tumours are low-grade B-cell lymphomas, which may undergo high-grade transformation. They are aetiologically associated with Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) infection in the stomach and may be cured in the early stages with antibiotics. Our cases were diagnosed from gastrectomy specimens removed for suspected carcinoma. All were high-grade, and associated with H pylori; 3 cases presented as advanced disease. Documentation of the features of these lymphomas will increase awareness and earlier recognition.

Aged↗
PubMed1998

Clinical, pathologic, and immunologic features of human T-lymphotrophic virus type I-associated infective dermatitis in children.

OBJECTIVES: To define the clinical and laboratory features associated with infective dermatitis (ID) and confirm its association with human T-lymphotrophic virus type I (HTLV-I). DESIGN: A case series of patients with ID were compared with patients with atopic dermatitis (AD), which is an important disease in the differential diagnosis of ID. SETTING: Patients were recruited from dermatology and pediatric clinics at the University Hospital of the West Indies and the Bustamante Children's Hospital, Kingston, Jamaica. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical and laboratory features of patients with AD were compared with those of patients with ID. PATIENTS: Consecutive patients older than 1 1/2 years diagnosed as having ID (n=50) and AD (n=35) were enrolled based on clinical findings. RESULTS: The mean ages of patients with ID and AD were 6.9 and 7.8 years, respectively. Histologically, both diseases were predominantly chronic dermatitis with propensity for skin colonization with Staphylococcus aureus and beta-hemolytic streptococci; however, the distribution of sites of skin involvement differed. Infection with HTLV-I was the most distinguishing feature among patients with ID, with seropositive results in 100%; only 5 (14%) of the 35 patients with AD had results seropositive for HTLV-I. Infective dermatitis was further characterized by dermatopathic lymphadenitis in 16 (67%) of 24 patients with palpable nodes. Anemia, lymphocytosis, and low albumin and elevated serum globulin levels were more prevalent among patients with ID. Significant elevations of IgA, IgD, and IgG levels were observed among patients with ID compared with those with AD. However, both patients with AD and those with ID had levels of IgD and IgE elevated above the normal range. T-cell subsets among patients with ID revealed T-cell activation with a high percentage of HLA-DR antigen positivity, elevated CD4 (2.4 x 10(9)/L) and CD8 (1.4 x 10(9)/L) cell counts, with an increased CD4/CD8 ratio of 1:73. CONCLUSION: Infective dermatitis is a distinct clinical entity associated with HTLV-I, which plays a role in the pathogenesis and immune perturbations observed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Vestibular evaluation in patients with early multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, debilitating disease characterized by multiple areas of focal demyelination that develop throughout the white matter of the central nervous system at varying times. Most patients report disequilibrium at some point in the course of their disease. When balance disturbance occurs early in the course of the disease prior to diagnosis, the patient may present to the otolaryngologist for evaluation. Are there any patterns of balance dysfunction that might suggest the diagnosis to the evaluating physician? An evaluation of ten patients with known early MS suggests that platform posturography and ENG is the test most likely to provide useful diagnostic information in patients with early MS.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Mammary hamartoma--an under-recognised breast lesion.

The clinical, histological and immunohistochemical features of the first three cases of mammary hamartoma diagnosed at the University Hospital of the West Indies are reported. These tumours are innocuous and under-recognized although the mammographic features are characteristic. With increased utilization of this test in breast cancer detection in our region, it is likely that more of these lesions will be identified.

Adenofibroma↗
PubMed1994

Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma in a renal transplant recipient: an opportunistic occurrence.

A 42-year-old man with chronic renal failure and homograft transplantation developed adult T cell lymphoma in one native kidney. The role of transfusion in the acquisition of human T-lymphotropic virus type I and its role in the early development of adult T cell lymphoma, particularly on the background of chronic immunosuppression, are discussed. To our knowledge, this is the first such case.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Solitary rectal ulcer syndrome.

Solitary Rectal Ulcer Syndrome (Rectal Prolapse Syndrome) is an uncommon and imperfectly understood entity which, however, should be included in the differential diagnosis of ano-rectal symptoms. This article reports on the nine cases so far diagnosed at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI), and offers a brief review of the condition.

Adult↗