PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

P Harrington

Publications and source records attributed to P Harrington.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

The "silver-haired" general medical services patient. Clinical activity of the non-means tested over-70's during their first six months.

The objective was to examine the impact on general practice clinical activity of the granting of medical cards to all patients over 70 years of age on 01.07.01 under the General Medical Services (GMS) scheme. Retrospective case-control study. Chart review of 50 "new GMS" patients who received medical cards on 01.07.01 compared with 50 "old GMS" patients with means tested medical cards on this date. Single-handed mixed urban/rural general practice in Ireland. 1. Attendance rates. 2. Health status as measured by total number of chronic diseases, prevalence of hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. 3. Quality of preventive care comprising influenza and pneumococcal vaccine uptake rates; hypertension control; hyperlipidaemia control; level of screening activity for hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidaemia, prostate specific antigen (among men) and smoking behaviour. Comparisons were made both before and after free GMS care for all between the "old GMS" and "new GMS" patient groups. Behaviour of the "new GMS" group was also compared, both before and after GMS eligibility. Prior to universal eligbility "old GMS" patients attended more often (p=0.0002), had more documented chronic illness (p=0.0002), consumed more medications (p=0.0002), were more likely to be diagnosed hypertensive (p=0.0336) and to have prostate specific antigen (PSA) measurement (men only) (p=0.048) than "new GMS" patients. Within the first 6 months of free GMS care for all, the "new GMS" patients attended significantly more often than before with the percentage of high consulters increasing from 24% to 52% (p=0.0039), took more medications (from 1.72 to 2.2), showed improvement in all quality of care parameters (with the exception of PSA screening which remained static) and had improved attendance for influenza 40% to 62% (p=0.0277) and pneumococcal vaccines 2% to 26% (p=0.00054). More "new GMS" patients were diagnosed as hypertensive (24% to 38%) to a prevalence no longer significantly different from the "old GMS" group. Free general practice care has impacted positively on this "new GMS" patient group of over 70's. Our data suggests that the low consultation rate of this group when fee paying may have resulted in less exposure to practice screening activities. The apparent better health status among this group may in fact be a façade masking undiagnosed chronic disease, notably hypertension.

Aged↗
PubMed2003

A stereotactic method for the three-dimensional registration of multi-modality biologic images in animals: NMR, PET, histology, and autoradiography.

The objective of this work was to develop and then validate a stereotactic fiduciary marker system for tumor xenografts in rodents which could be used to co-register magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), PET, tissue histology, autoradiography, and measurements from physiologic probes. A Teflon fiduciary template has been designed which allows the precise insertion of small hollow Teflon rods (0.71 mm diameter) into a tumor. These rods can be visualized by MRI and PET as well as by histology and autoradiography on tissue sections. The methodology has been applied and tested on a rigid phantom, on tissue phantom material, and finally on tumor bearing mice. Image registration has been performed between the MRI and PET images for the rigid Teflon phantom and among MRI, digitized microscopy images of tissue histology, and autoradiograms for both tissue phantom and tumor-bearing mice. A registration accuracy, expressed as the average Euclidean distance between the centers of three fiduciary markers among the registered image sets, of 0.2 +/- 0.06 mm was achieved between MRI and microPET image sets of a rigid Teflon phantom. The fiduciary template allows digitized tissue sections to be co-registered with three-dimensional MRI images with an average accuracy of 0.21 and 0.25 mm for the tissue phantoms and tumor xenografts, respectively. Between histology and autoradiograms, it was 0.19 and 0.21 mm for tissue phantoms and tumor xenografts, respectively. The fiduciary marker system provides a coordinate system with which to correlate information from multiple image types, on a voxel-by-voxel basis, with sub-millimeter accuracy--even among imaging modalities with widely disparate spatial resolution and in the absence of identifiable anatomic landmarks.

Algorithms↗
PubMed2002

Intramedullary hip screw versus sliding hip screw for unstable intertrochanteric femoral fractures in the elderly.

We report a randomised, prospective study comparing a standard sliding hip screw and the intramedullary hip screw for the treatment of unstable intertrochanteric fractures in the elderly. One hundred and two patients were randomised on admission to two treatment groups. Fifty-two patients were treated with a compression hip screw (CHS), and fifty had intramedullary fixation with an intramedullary hip screw (IMHS). Patients were followed for 1 year and had a clinical and radiological review at 3, 6 and 12 months. The mean duration of operation and fluoroscopy screening time was significantly greater for insertion of the intramedullary hip screw. There was no difference between the groups with regard to transfusion requirements or time to mobilise after surgery. There were two technical complications in the CHS group and three in the IMHS group. There was no significant difference between the two groups in radiological or functional outcome at 12 months. It remains to be shown whether the theoretical advantages of intramedullary fixation of extracapsular hip fractures bring a significant improvement in eventual outcome.

Aged↗
PubMed2002

Amelanotic subungual melanoma mimicking pyogenic granuloma in the hand.

Between six and eight per cent of cases of malignant melanoma lack pigmentation on macroscopic examination, making accurate early diagnosis difficult. Delays in diagnosis and misdiagnosis are common in cases of subungual melanoma. We report a patient with an amelanotic subungual malignant melanoma who presented with a lesion that closely resembled a pyogenic granuloma. Since amelanotic melanoma usually presents as a vascular or ulcerating nodule, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a wide range of superficial lesions that occur in the hand.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

Near-normoglycaemic remission in African-Americans with Type 2 diabetes mellitus is associated with recovery of beta cell function.

AIMS: To prospectively determine the frequency of remission and possible mechanism of beta cell recovery in non-Whites with Type 2 diabetes mellitus in the setting of intensive glycaemic regulation using pharmacological agents. METHODS: Twenty-six consecutive, newly diagnosed African-American, Type 2 diabetic patients presenting primarily for severe hyperglycaemia (31.0+/-12.8 mmol/l) were followed for at least 1 year. Initial hospitalization included treatment with insulin, fluids and electrolytes. Outpatient intensive glycaemic regulation included insulin or glibenclamide, diabetes education and diet that altered nutrient content. Plasma glucose and C-peptide responses to an oral glucose tolerance test and HbA1c were measured at < 14, 15-56 and 57-112 days after presentation. Remission was defined as a HbA1c < or = 6.3% and fasting plasma glucose < 6.9 mmol/l, 3 months after discontinuing all pharmacological agents. RESULTS: Eleven of 26 patients (42.3%) developed remission after a mean of 83 days of pharmacological treatment and remained in remission during follow-up for 248-479 days; one relapsed after 294 days. Fifteen patients who did not develop a remission and were followed for 168-468 days, required continuing pharmacological therapy to be well-controlled. (mean HbA1c = 7.1%). There was no significant difference in age, sex, plasma glucose at presentation, initial glycaemic regulation, final body mass index, magnitude of weight change or pharmacological agents used for treatment between the two groups. Plasma C-peptide response to oral glucose was initially (< 14 days) suppressed in all subjects and subsequently increased. The increase was significantly greater in those who underwent a remission than those who did not. Neither significant weight loss nor severe hypoglycaemia was observed in either group during intensive treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Forty-two per cent of newly diagnosed, unselected African-Americans with Type 2 diabetes, treated intensively using pharmacological agents, education and diet developed near-normoglycaemic remission. Remission was associated with a greater recovery of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion suggesting that therapies directed at promoting beta cell recovery and preservation are potentially useful approaches to the treatment of Type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Black or African American↗
PubMed2001

Inappropriate medical management of spinal epidural abscess.

A 67 year old man with longstanding rheumatoid disease was referred to the regional spinal surgery unit with acute onset of paraparesis due to an extensive spinal epidural abscess of the lumbar spine. Ten months previously, he had started antibiotic treatment at another hospital for an epidural abscess arising at the level of the L2-3 disc space. Despite completing seven months of medical treatment with appropriate antibiotics, he had a recrudescence of acute back pain shortly after restarting methotrexate treatment. Urgent anterior spinal decompression with excision of the necrotic vertebral bodies of L1-3 was performed. The indications for the surgical management of spinal epidural abscess are reviewed.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

Multifocal streptococcal pyomyositis complicated by acute compartment syndrome: case report.

A 5-year-old girl sought treatment for pyrexia of unknown origin. Despite prompt surgical drainage of a streptococcal septic arthritis of the ankle joint, her condition deteriorated. Multifocal pyomyositis was subsequently diagnosed. This was complicated by acute compartment syndrome in three extremities. With aggressive surgical and medical management, the child made a complete recovery. Orthopaedic clinicians in nontropical areas must familiarize themselves with this rare, potentially life-threatening, but eminently curable disease.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2000

The frequency of germ-line mutations in the breast cancer predisposition genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 in familial prostate cancer. The Cancer Research Campaign/British Prostate Group United Kingdom Familial Prostate Cancer Study Collaborators.

Predisposition to prostate cancer has a genetic component, and there are reports of familial clustering of breast and prostate cancer. Two highly penetrant genes that predispose individuals to breast cancer (BRCA1 and BRCA2) are known to confer an increased risk of prostate cancer of about 3-fold and 7-fold, respectively, in breast cancer families. Blood DNA from affected individuals in 38 prostate cancer clusters was analyzed for germ-line mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 to assess the contribution of each of these genes to familial prostate cancer. Seventeen DNA samples were each from an affected individual in families with three or more cases of prostate cancer at any age; 20 samples were from one of affected sibling pairs where one was < or = 67 years at diagnosis. No germ-line mutations were found in BRCA1. Two germ-line mutations in BRCA2 were found, and both were seen in individuals whose age at diagnosis was very young (< or = 56 years) and who were members of an affected sibling pair. One is a 4-bp deletion at base 6710 (exon 11) in a man who had prostate cancer at 54 years, and the other is a 2-bp deletion at base 5531 (exon 11) in a man who had prostate cancer at 56 years. In both cases, the wild-type allele was lost in the patient's prostate tumor at the BRCA2 locus. However, intriguingly, in neither case did the affected brother also carry the mutation. Germ-line mutations in BRCA2 may therefore account for about 5% of prostate cancer in familial clusters.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Management of the floating elbow injury in children. Simultaneous ipsilateral fractures of the elbow and forearm.

Simultaneous ipsilateral fracture of the elbow and forearm--floating elbow--is an uncommon injury. During a 7-year period we prospectively followed 12 children who presented with completely displaced supracondylar fractures of the humerus associated with a forearm fracture of the same limb. All patients underwent emergency operative reduction and percutaneous K-wire stabilisation. At a minimum of 18 months, all patients were assessed clinically and radiologically and the results evaluated according to a conventional scoring system. Ten patients had good or excellent outcomes, and there were two fair results. The incidence of open fractures and nerve injury and the need to perform an open reduction were higher than those recorded for isolated supracondylar fractures. The floating elbow is an indicator of a high energy injury and requires aggressive operative management.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2000

The tolerability of efavirenz after nevirapine-related adverse events.

Eight patients who were infected with human immunodeficiency virus, and who had each sustained an adverse drug reaction while following a regimen including nevirapine, were switched to a regimen including efavirenz. None of the patients experienced adverse events identical to that which necessitated discontinuation of nevirapine. This study demonstrates that adverse events related to nevirapine are not a class-specific effect.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Late onset hepatitis and prolonged deterioration in hepatic function associated with nevirapine therapy.

The aetiology of hepatic dysfunction in patients with HIV infection is multifactorial. Re-activation of hepatitis C infection, drug toxicity, and opportunistic infections are all potential causes. Nevirapine (NVP) is a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor used as part of combination antiretroviral therapy for the treatment of HIV infection. It is associated with a significant incidence of hepatotoxicity, usually occurring in the initial month of therapy. We report the case of a 49-year-old man who developed NVP-induced prolonged hepatotoxicity 5 months after commencing antiretroviral therapy.

Anti-HIV Agents↗