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Biomedical subjects

R F Dyck

Publications and source records attributed to R F Dyck.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Preventing NIDDM among aboriginal people: is exercise the answer? Description of a pilot project using exercise to prevent gestational diabetes.

Rates of diabetes and its complications have reached epidemic proportions among North American Aboriginal peoples. This appears largely due to changes in diet and activity levels associated with a shift away from traditional lifestyles. Since exercise has been shown to be effective in preventing non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), Aboriginal communities may be able to reduce their rates of the disease by incorporating exercise programs into their public health programs. We describe a pilot project in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, whose ultimate purpose is to evaluate the effect of exercise in preventing gestational diabetes. If successful, this would reduce the risk of developing NIDDM for both women and their offspring.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Non-diabetic end-stage renal disease among Saskatchewan aboriginal people.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the rates, causes and outcomes of non-diabetic end-stage renal disease (ESRD) among aboriginal and non-aboriginal people in Saskatchewan. DESIGN: Retrospective population-based study using data from the Canadian Organ Replacement Register. SETTING: Saskatchewan. SUBJECTS: All patients with non-diabetic ESRD diagnosed between Jan. 1, 1981, and Dec. 31, 1990. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Age- and sex-specific as well as age-adjusted incidence rates of non-diabetic ESRD among aboriginal and non-aboriginal people in Saskatchewan, causes of non-diabetic ESRD, mortality rates, causes of death and renal transplantation rates. RESULTS: The 10-year incidence rates of non-diabetic ESRD were higher in all age groups among aboriginal people than among non-aboriginal people. The overall risk ratio for aboriginal people was 2.56. Aboriginal people experienced non-diabetic ESRD at an earlier age and were twice as likely to have a form of glomerulonephritis as a cause. Crude mortality rates, causes of death and transplantation rates were similar in the 2 populations, although we were unable to adjust these for differences in age. CONCLUSION: Although diabetes is the most common cause of ESRD among aboriginal people in Saskatchewan, this population also experiences an excessive burden of non-diabetic ESRD, which is largely explained by a higher rate of glomerulonephritis.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1998

Impairment of methylamine clearance in uremic patients and its nephropathological implications.

The urinary levels of methylamine were analyzed by an HPLC/fluorometric method following derivatization of the amine with O-phthaldialdehyde (OPA). The excretion of methylamine in the uremic patients was found to be dramatically reduced. The impairment of clearance of methylamine explains why this amine was substantially increased in the serum of uremic patients. Increased deamination of methylamine would enhance formaldehyde and oxidative stresses, i.e. in the blood vessels, and cause vascular damage. This may be related to the increased risk of angiopathy associated with renal failure, and accelerate the progression of renal failure.

Deamination↗
PubMed1994

Rates and outcomes of diabetic end-stage renal disease among registered native people in Saskatchewan.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the rates and outcomes of diabetic end-stage renal disease (ESRD) among registered native people and non-native people in Saskatchewan. DESIGN: Retrospective population-based study using data from the Canadian Organ Replacement Registry. SETTING: Saskatchewan. PATIENTS: All patients with diabetic ESRD diagnosed between Jan. 1, 1981, and Dec. 31, 1990. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence rates of diabetic ESRD in the general population, rates of diabetic ESRD among patients with diabetes mellitus, nature of initial dialysis treatment, length of survival from start of dialysis, cause of death and renal transplant rates. RESULTS: The 10-year incidence rates of diabetic ESRD were higher among all age groups among registered native people than among non-native people. The overall relative risk ratio for native people was 16.2. When a higher prevalence of diabetes among native people was taken into account, native diabetic people were still seven times as likely as non-native diabetic people to manifest diabetic ESRD. The median survival from start of dialysis was under 2 years in both groups, but more native people died of stroke and more non-native people died of heart disease. Non-native diabetic people were more likely than native diabetic people to receive renal transplants. CONCLUSIONS: Although the overall incidence of diabetic ESRD in Saskatchewan is increasing, registered native people have a disproportionate risk for this serious complication.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

HLA matching enhances long-term renal graft survival but does not relate to acute rejection.

Forty patients with end-stage chronic renal failure received living donor renal grafts, matched at more than 1 HLA haplotype, over the last 25 years. Of these grafts, 33 were first and 7 were second grafts. All recipients received prophylactic corticosteroids. Thirty-four also received prophylactic azathioprine, and 6, prophylactic cyclosporine. Acute rejection occurred in 65% (11/17) of non-cyclosporine treated grafts when the recipient was given 5 or fewer units of blood preoperatively, but in only 18% (3/17) when more than 5 units were given. High-dose steroid therapy reversed the acute rejection each time. Chronic rejection occurred in 2 grafts. Irreversible rejection did not occur in any second graft. Chronic glomerulonephritis, possibly due to recurrent disease, occurred in 1 graft. Five grafts have been lost, 1 each from technical and immunosuppressive complications, and 3 from incidental death. The 1-year actuarial graft survival rate is 95% and the 10-year rate 84%. All surviving patients lead normal lives without significant health restriction, and employ minimal medication. It is postulated that: 1) acute cellular rejection is HLA-independent, and chronic rejection is HLA-dependent, and 2) hyperacute and chronic rejection are related and are parts of a spectrum of humoral immunity.

Actuarial Analysis↗
PubMed1990

A modification of the urine osmolal gap: an improved method for estimating urine ammonium.

A modification of the urine osmolal gap was evaluated as an estimate of urine [NH4+]. We proposed that: Urine [NH4+] = Urine osmolality - [2(Na+ + K+) + urea + glucose]/2 Spot urine samples were collected from normal volunteers and from individuals with ketonuria; the modified urine osmolal gap as well as two other previously described estimates of urine [NH4+] were compared with measured urine [NH4+]. There was a significant positive linear correlation between the urine [NH4+] and the modified urine osmolal gap in normal volunteers (r = 0.81; p less than 0.01) and in individuals with ketonuria (r = 0.93; p less than 0.001). The originally described urine osmolal gap greatly overestimated the urine [NH4+] but also showed a significant correlation. The urine anion gap was not a valid estimate of urine [NH4+] within the range of values measured in our subjects. The modified urine osmolal gap is an improvement over previously described estimates of urine [NH4+] and can be used as a single calculation in place of the other two.

Acid-Base Equilibrium↗
PubMed1990

The response of plasma fibronectin to acute myocardial infarction in humans.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the plasma fibronectin response to complicated and uncomplicated acute myocardial infarction. All patients admitted to a Coronary Care Unit over a six-month period were prospectively assessed by measuring admission and daily plasma fibronectin levels using an electroimmunoassay. Of 166 patients admitted to the Unit, 66 were diagnosed as having an acute myocardial infarction. Plasma fibronectin levels were significantly lower 48 h after the onset of symptoms in 15 patients with a complicated acute myocardial infarction, compared to fibronectin levels in patients with an uncomplicated course; patients who had received intracoronary streptokinase had consistently higher plasma fibronectin levels than those seen in patients who did not receive this thrombolytic agent. This hepatocyte-derived plasma protein not only has diagnostic potential, but alterations in its levels may also provide insight into the systemic response to acute myocardial injury.

Acute-Phase Reaction↗
PubMed1990

Intravenous pulse methylprednisolone for the treatment of a child with Sjögren's nephropathy.

Six years after the onset of polyarthritis and after several episodes of recurrent parotitis, our patients developed the abrupt onset of renal insufficiency. Kidney histopathology showed interstitial and peritubular lymphocytic infiltration typical of Sjögren's nephropathy. Treatment with high dose intravenous methylprednisolone resulted in rapid and sustained normalization of kidney function. The favorable response of our patient to intravenous pulse corticosteroids suggests that this therapy is effective for the treatment of Sjögren's nephropathy.

Child↗
PubMed1988

C-reactive protein: a better indicator of complications other than acute rejection in renal allograft recipients?

A prospective study was carried out to determine the value of daily C-reactive protein (CRP) measurements in the diagnosis of acute rejections and other complications in the immediate post renal transplant period. Sixty-nine renal allograft recipients were studied. The CRP level was considered to have increased during an acute rejection episode if it rose above baseline values (greater than 10 micrograms/ml) within +/- 3 days of the initiation of antirejection therapy. Sixteen of 33 patients treated with azathioprine and prednisone had at least 1 acute rejection. Twelve of the 16 displayed a significant rise in CRP (mean increase 40 micrograms/ml) but in only 8 did the rise occur prior to or on the day of rejection diagnosis. Seventeen of 36 patients treated with Cyclosporine A and prednisone had at least 1 acute rejection; only 8 of these patients experienced a significant rise in the CRP (mean increase 27 micrograms/ml) and in only 5 of these did the increase occur prior to or on the day of rejection diagnosis. Serious complications other than acute rejection occurred in 24/69 patients. The mean peak CRP value was 114 micrograms/ml during these complications and was significantly higher (p less than 0.001) than the peak CRP found in the rejection group (35 micrograms/ml). Furthermore, the CRP was equal to or greater than 60 micrograms/ml during 23/24 non-rejection complications but only reached this value during 4 of the 33 acute rejections.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

C-Reactive Protein↗
PubMed1985

Fibronectin is an acute phase reactant in mice.

Tissue injury and inflammation are potent stimuli for the immediate increased synthesis of several plasma proteins collectively known as acute phase phase reactants. This dramatic phenomenon is thought to play an important role in inflammation and tissue repair. Plasma fibronectin is a normal plasma glycoprotein and a major non-specific opsonin apparently involved in maintaining the integrity of the mononuclear phagocytic system. Because of its ability to mediate clearance of intravascular particulate matter, increased production following tissue injury could be of benefit to the organism. We now report that plasma fibronectin is a significant acute phase reactant in mice with levels increasing from a baseline mean value of 257 ug/ml to 595 ug/ml by 24 hours (p less than 0.01) after a subcutaneous injection of silver nitrate. Similar findings were observed when subcutaneous casein was used as the acute phase stimulus. This data provides further circumstantial evidence that plasma fibronectin is involved in host defence and tissue repair.

Acute-Phase Proteins↗
PubMed1985

Studies of the in vivo synthesis and catabolism of serum amyloid P component (SAP) in the mouse.

The production of mouse serum amyloid P component (SAP), a major acute phase protein of liver origin, was studied immunocytochemically using the peroxidase staining technique. SAP was not detectable in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes from normal, unstimulated mice, nor was it observed before 24 h after an acute phase stimulus. 125I-labelled mouse SAP was cleared from the plasma in vivo with a half-life of 7.0-8.25 h in all animals studied including: normal mice of different strains with different genetically determined plasma SAP concentrations; mice undergoing acute phase responses with greatly elevated plasma SAP levels and mice with casein-induced amyloidosis. The circulating level of SAP is thus independent of its rate of clearance and catabolism and is determined by the rate of synthesis and/or secretion of SAP.

Amyloid↗
PubMed1984

Serum levels of C-reactive protein in neonatal respiratory distress syndrome.

Serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured within 96 hours of birth in 55 neonates with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), 19 neonates with no significant medical illness other than an unstable cardiovascular state, and 13 neonates with a variety of pulmonary and extra-pulmonary problems either alone or in combination with RDS. The median serum CRP level in patients with RDS (2 micrograms/ml) was neither elevated nor different from CRP levels in infants with unstable cardiovascular systems (median CRP level, 2 micrograms/ml); however, neonates with other problems including pneumonia, aspiration, and extrapulmonary sepsis had significantly elevated serum CRP values (median 24 micrograms/ml). CRP levels are not elevated in neonatal RDS. Measurement of this acute phase reactant provides a rapid and reliable means of helping to distinguish infants with uncomplicated RDS from those with other serious pulmonary and extrapulmonary disease.

C-Reactive Protein↗