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Biomedical subjects

N West

Publications and source records attributed to N West.

33 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Attitudes and beliefs within the Sikh community regarding organ donation: a pilot study.

The current shortage of organs for transplantation is a matter of considerable concern in the United Kingdom (U.K.). Whilst issues of histocompatibility create particular problems in this respect for the Asian population in the U.K., it is sometimes suggested that there is also a resistance to the idea of organ transplantation among this community. To explore this issue, a small-scale interview study was conducted in Coventry among members of the Sikh community. A judgemental sample of 22 individuals, from different strata of the local Sikh community, were interviewed either in one-to-one interviews or in a focus group. These interviews had two broad aims: to determine the prevailing attitudes towards organ transplantation, and to gauge the impact and acceptability of the current Department of Health campaign literature. It was found that, whilst there were a number of misgivings to do with notions of mutilation and reincarnation, and anxieties as to technical or clinical aspects of the transplantation process, the prevailing view was supportive of transplantation, and organ donation was seen as a highly appropriate means of exhibiting the altruistic tradition within Sikhism. Such barriers that exist to the idea of transplantation seem to have more to do with knowledge and understanding than with cultural or religious factors. Concerning the campaign literature, informants identified a number of shortcomings, and indicated ways in which the impact of the leaflets and posters might be enhanced. Although the generalizability of these findings is limited, and despite possible threats to the validity of the data collected, this study has produced findings with significant implications for future policy in this area.

Ethnicity↗
PubMed1996

The admission of Asian patients to intensive therapy units and its implications for kidney donation: a preliminary report from Coventry, UK.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the relative admission rates of Asian and non-Asian patients to intensive therapy units (ITUs) in Coventry and to explore the implications of these rates for the transplantation of organs to Asian people. DESIGN: Examination of 1991 census data and a retrospective review of ITU admissions books. Data were collected on ethnic background, presenting diagnosis, and clinical outcome for each admission. SETTING: The three ITUs in Coventry. PATIENTS: All admissions to the ITUs from 1990-93 inclusive. RESULTS: Asian patients were admitted to ITUs disproportionately to their numbers in the Coventry population. Members of the Asian community were less than half as likely to be admitted to an ITU (p < 0.001) and more likely to die while there (p = 0.007) than members of the non-Asian population in Coventry. The proportions of patients referred to the transplant unit and the rates of subsequent donation do not seem to differ significantly for Asian and non-Asian patients (p = 0.26 in both cases). CONCLUSIONS: There are clear implications for the availability of cadaveric kidney transplantation to Asian patients, given that few kidneys from non-Asian donors are histocompatible with Asian recipients. Indeed, in Asians, promotion of living related donation may be more effective in countering the organ shortfall than efforts to increase consent to cadaveric transplantation. However, it may be valuable to investigate any patterns of morbidity or social or cultural factors that might explain the initial low admissions rates to ITUs for Asian patients.

Asia↗
PubMed1995

The satisfaction and savings of early discharge with drain in situ following axillary lymphadenectomy in the treatment of breast cancer.

A pilot study was performed to determine if early discharge with the drain in situ following axillary lymphadenectomy is feasible and safe. One hundred and one women who had axillary lymphadenectomy as part of their breast cancer treatment were studied. Ninety-six were offered early discharge with the axillary drain in situ, five were unsuitable for early discharge. The cohort who opted for early discharge (n = 39) had a lower rate of seroma formation (18% vs 34%) and a reduction in median hospital stay of 5 days. Patient satisfaction was high in both groups and there were no complications associated with early discharge or drain displacement. Early discharge after axillary lymphadenectomy with the axillary drain in situ is safe, feasible, popular with patients and offers considerable resource savings.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

The subjective and psychosocial nature of breathlessness.

Dyspnoea, also referred to as breathlessness, is a concern of nurses in most clinical settings. Nursing interventions are directed toward preventing or treating dyspnoea in a timely manner. Even though dyspnoea is a common phenomenon found in clinical settings and discussed in the literature, it has not been added formally to the list of diagnoses developed by the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association, most likely because it is an isolated, observable sign. However, breathlessness, the related construct, is a distinctly different phenomenon from dyspnoea. The terms dyspnoea and breathlessness are used interchangeably in the literature. Traditionally, dyspnoea is defined as difficult or laboured breathing observable to another person. Breathlessness is the subjective feeling of laboured breathing with and without dyspnoea and/or abnormal pulmonary functions. These authors submit that the nursing diagnosis of breathlessness consists of two essential defining criteria, the subjective feeling of difficulty in breathing and anxiety, in the presence or absence of dyspnoea and/or abnormal pulmonary functions. A biopsychosocial model is presented to guide research and nursing care for individuals who experience breathlessness.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed1994

Measuring pain in pediatric oncology ICU patients.

Thirty patients (ages 5 to 13) hospitalized in a pediatric oncology intensive care unit (ICU) rated the presence and severity of their pain on the Faces Pain Scale (FPS) and the Poker Chip Tool (PCT). Parents independently rated the child's pain on these scales and each patient's nurse completed the Objective Pain Scale (OPS). Patients' ratings on the FPS correlated significantly with parents' ratings on this scale (tau = .48, P = .002) but not on the PCT (tau = .23, P = .16). Nurses' ratings on the OPS were moderately correlated with patients' FPS ratings (tau = .37, P = .02) but were only weakly associated with PCT ratings (tau = .27, P = .09). The majority of patients, parents, and nurses expressed a preference for the FPS over the PCT. The FPS appears to be a clinically useful and accurate approach for measuring the pain of pediatric oncology patients in an ICU but is limited to those who can participate in a self-report measurement.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Etiology, mechanisms, and management of dentine hypersensitivity.

Dentine hypersensitivity is a common painful condition of the teeth for which little is known of the etiology and predisposing factors. This tends to compromise management, and recurrence of the condition is frequent. Abrasive and erosive factors, by their effects on enamel and gingiva, are important in localizing sites of exposed dentine. Erosive agents are probably responsible for initiating sensitivity by opening dentinal tubules. Management should not only be treatment based. First, a differential diagnosis should be considered. Then, etiologic and predisposing factors should be identified and where possible removed, reduced, or modified. Treatments are largely aimed at blocking the hydrodynamic mechanism for stimulus transmission across dentine by occluding dentinal tubules. There is a need for further research into understanding the condition itself, its etiology, and the mode of action of the large number of varied but apparently effective therapeutic agents.

Dentin↗
PubMed1984

Comparison of the analysis of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol capsules by high-performance liquid chromatography and capillary gas chromatography.

The modification of a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system and the development of a capillary gas-chromatographic (GC) system for the analysis of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol, encapsulated in soft gelatin capsules, are described. A photodiode array detector was used to evaluate peak homogeneity after each HPLC system modification. Sesame oil was separated from the extract by Sep-Pak filtration prior to GC analysis. Quantitation by both systems had r values greater than 0.999 and R.S.D. values less than 1.0%. Simultaneous capsule assays by both methods agreed within 1%.

Capsules↗
PubMed1983

Multicenter comparison of cyclacillin and amoxicillin in the treatment of acute streptococcal pharyngitis.

A double-blind study of 134 pediatric outpatients with acute streptococcal pharyngitis demonstrated that cyclacillin, administered three times a day for ten days, is as effective as a similar regimen of amoxicillin. Clinical success was achieved in 95% of the children treated with either drug. A bacteriological cure was seen in 82% of the children evaluated in the cyclacillin group and 90% of those evaluated in the amoxicillin group. The mean time required for remission of signs and symptoms in the respective treatment groups was 3.1 and 3.0 days. Only two patients (3%) in each treatment group experienced an adverse effect of the prescribed drug.

Acute Disease↗