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Biomedical subjects

P Needham

Publications and source records attributed to P Needham.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

Brief report: prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms after severe traumatic brain injury in a representative community sample.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: In this study, the authors investigated the prevalence of symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a community sample of 66 survivors of severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). RESEARCH DESIGN, METHODS AND PROCEDURES: A representative sample of survivors of TBI were selected on the basis of having suffered significant disturbance in consciousness following their trauma event in the form of coma and/or post-traumatic amnesia. Neuropsychological testing confirmed that participants had suffered cognitive deficits consistent with severe brain injury. Participants were administered the Impact of Events inventory for symptoms of PTSD. MAIN OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: The authors found a prevalence rate of 18% for moderate-to-severe PTSD symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: PTSD symptoms are common following severe TBI. Further research is needed to establish protective and predictive factors for PTSD in TBI groups.

Adolescent↗

Audit of prostate cancer: validity and feasibility of registry-based staging.

The sample consisted of 251 prostate cancer patients who were newly registered during 1994 from a Regional Cancer Registry. It was possible for 96% of cases to be staged by Registry clerical staff, but none had been formally staged by clinicians. In 45% of cases tumour extent was based only on Digital Rectal Examination (DRE), and on 32% there was no assessment found. 81% had no investigation of nodal status and 16% of cases had echography other than trans-rectal ultrasound. To find metastases 18% had scintigraphy and 13% had a plain chest X Ray while 61% had no investigation. Cox regression gave age-adjusted hazard ratios relative to stage A (95% CI) of 2.94 (1.59 to 5.44) for Stage B, 6.43 (3.37 to 12.24) for Stage C, and 9.03 (5.12 to 15.95) for stage D. Key lessons were: Registry clerical staff can abstract stage-related information from a high proportion of case-notes even if stage is not explicitly recorded by clinicians; The validity of registry based staging information is supported by survival analysis; This activity has resource implications and would be more appropriately performed by a member of the clinical team.

England↗

Audit of prostate cancer: lessons learnt for current clinical practice, surrogates for quality of care and standardisation and quality assurance.

Two-hundred and fifty-one prostate cancer patients first registered during 1994 were sampled from a Regional Cancer Registry. In the six months after diagnosis, 39% received drug treatment alone, while 37% had no active treatment. Eighty-one percent of cases were histologically proven. Seventy-six percent had a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test and in 3% the PSA test was the basis for diagnosis. Of histologically proven cases 29% had a Gleason grade. None were staged by clinicians. Key lessons were: The result was a snapshot of current clinical practice which suggested other possible surrogates for quality of care, such as basis of stage and timing of investigations; There is a need for standardisation and quality assurance of the content of pathology reports; Standard treatment protocols would aid recording and comparison of treatments.

Biomarkers↗

The selective dopamine antagonist properties of BRL 34778: a novel substituted benzamide.

BRL 34778, exo-4-amino-5-chloro-2-methoxy-N-[9-(4-fluorophenylmethyl)-9-azabi cyclo(3.3.1) non-3-yl]-benzamide, is a very potent and specific dopamine D2-receptor antagonist. It exhibits a Ki value of 2.14 nM for dopamine D2-receptors but much lower affinity for D1-(Ki 5700 nM) and for many other receptor types. Its action is potent and of long duration in models for antipsychotic activity (4 h ED50s PO are 0.017 mg/kg for antagonism of apomorphine-induced climbing in mice and 0.028 mg/kg for antagonism of amphetamine-induced locomotion in rats). In contrast to its high potency in models for antipsychotic activity, BRL 34778 is much weaker in models for extrapyramidal effects and sedation (4 h ED50s PO are 2.4 mg/kg for inducing catalepsy in rats and 1.14 mg/kg for inhibition of rearing behaviour in rats). These data indicate potent activity of BRL 34778 in models for antipsychotic activity but low activity in models for extrapyramidal effects and sedation.

Adenylyl Cyclase Inhibitors↗

In vitro thymus suppression of hemagglutinin production in Xenopus laevis: location, drug and temperature sensitivity.

Suppression of splenic hemagglutinin (HA) production by allothymuses in vitro was further studied in Xenopus laevis, the South African clawed toad. Since thymic capacity to suppress splenic HA secretion into the culture medium is retained in animals previously exposed to N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (NMU), which destroys the thymus cortex in this species, suppressor function must be located in the thymus medulla. Reciprocal thymus-spleen combinations showed that normal thymus can suppress immunised spleen fragments from NMU-treated animals. Since Xenopus exposed to NMU are also devoid of helper function, thymus suppression acts directly on the antibody forming system. Cyclophosphamide removed thymic suppression and enhanced spleen fragment antibody production, while Cyclosporin A enhanced thymic suppression and blocked HA production. Therefore, antigenic stimulation of thymic suppression and antibody production are inversely related in this species. Long-term storage of Xenopus in the cold increased lymphoid cellularity of the thymus medulla, but thymuses from cold-stored animals could not suppress normal spleen fragments and their spleens were not suppressed by normal thymuses. Thus, ectotherms may retain immunological capacity when subjected to prolonged cold by a loss of thymic suppression.

Animals↗

A randomized controlled trial of non-stress antepartum cardiotocography.

In a prospective randomized controlled study of non-stress antepartum cardiotocography (CTG), involving 569 tracings in 300 patients, "non-reactive' traces showed a significant association with still-births and neonatal deaths, intrauterine growth retardation, admission to special care baby unit for conditions associated with intrauterine hypoxia, and low Apgar scores at 1 and 5 min. The report of the CTG was made available to the clinician in 144 patients and withheld in 156 patients. With the report available, significantly more patients were allowed to continue their antenatal care as out-patients, and significantly more antenatal in-patients were allowed home. There were no other significant differences in management, or outcome in the two groups.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗

The absorption of antibiotics from the bladder.

The movement across the bladder epithelium of polymyxin B, bacitracin and neomycin is investigated in the human during postoperative irrigation. No appreciable amounts of these antibiotics enter the systemic circulation by this route.

Bacitracin↗

Preventing feticide.

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Abortion, Spontaneous↗