Biomedical subjects

R P K Ford

Publications and source records attributed to R P K Ford.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2003

Overnight central and peripheral temperature changes in normal infants.

AIM: To explore the relationship between central and peripheral temperature in normal infants after being put down to sleep. METHODS: Overnight shin and rectal temperatures of 21 normal infants were continuously recorded at home for three nights at 2 wk, 6 wk, 3 mo and 5 mo of age. Parents documented the start and end of feed/nappy changes during the night. RESULTS: An initial fall in rectal temperature was recorded on 149 out of 161 nights. This was linearly correlated with a rise in shin temperature for 106/149 (71%) nights (median R2 = 0.95, lower quartile 0.92, upper quartile 0.97). It was not possible to rule out a change in thermal insulation over the shins as a confounding variable in this strong association. However, a similar inverse relationship was seen between shin and rectal temperature during 111 of 121 (92%) feed/nappy changes. CONCLUSION: The fall in rectal temperature after being put down to sleep may be due to redistribution of heat rather than decreased production or heat loss. If causal, the development in early infancy of an inverse relationship between shin and rectal temperature may be important for cardiovascular homeostasis. Further sleep laboratory work is required to distinguish peripheral temperature changes on falling asleep from those associated with changes in thermal insulation.

Body Temperature↗

PubMed2002

Hair-element analysis--still on the fringe.

Increasing biological interest in minerals has led to the search for reliable methods to quantify body levels of trace elements and toxic metals. Hair has been a prime candidate because of its ease of collection and the possibility that this body tissue might accurately reflect body loads of these substances. A vast amount of research effort has been expended to explore the value of hair-element analysis. Unfortunately, there are so many confounding factors that influence these measurements that isolated individual results cannot be relied upon. Their current value is in epidemiological studies.

Body Burden↗

PubMed2002

Central and peripheral temperature change in normal infants.

The purpose was to explore the relationship between the fall in rectal temperature seen in normal infants after being put down to sleep and the concomitant rise in peripheral shin temperature. In this observational study 21 normal infants had continuous overnight peripheral shin and central rectal temperature recorded, for three nights at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months and 5 months of age. Parents documented the start and end of feed/nappy changing episodes during the night. All recordings were made in the infants' own home. A strong inverse linear correlation (median r2 = 0.95, lower quartile 0.92, upper quartile 0.97) was seen between rectal temperature and shin temperature on falling to sleep when put down on 106 (65%) of 161 nights. On many other nights a significant nonlinear association was present. It was not possible to exclude the process of being put down to sleep as a confounding variable in this strong association. However, a similar inverse relationship between shin and rectal temperature was seen overnight during 111 of 121 (92%) feed/nappy changing episodes. If causal, the development in early infancy of an inverse relationship between shin and rectal temperature may be important for cardiovascular homeostasis. Further sleep laboratory work including video recording is required to separate the peripheral and central temperature changes that take place on falling to sleep from those associated with removal of clothing during a nappy change.

Ankle↗

PubMed2002

A biochemical prevalence study of smoking in pregnancy for a cross-section of women in Christchurch, New Zealand.

OBJECTIVE: To biochemically measure and compare the prevalence of maternal smoking by trimester in a cross-section of pregnant women residing in Christchurch, New Zealand, during 1997. METHODS: Residual sera from routinely collected blood samples drawn in early and late pregnancy over a 12-month period, 1 January 1997 to 31 December 1997, was accumulated and anonymously assayed. Cotinine levels were measured by an ELISA test with a result greater than 14 ng/mL indicative of active smoking. RESULTS: Analysis was conducted upon 4,178 samples collected from 3,082 women. Adjusted cotinine validated smoking rates in the first, second and third trimesters were 26.8% (95% CI 24.5-29.2%), 25.0% (95% CI 22.3-27.8%) and 23.0% (95% CI 20.8-25.2%), respectively. This represents an absolute reduction in smoking rates of 4.7% (p = 0.02), 6.6% (p = 0.04) and 3.8% (p = 0.04) for the first, second and third trimesters, respectively, among pregnant women in Christchurch since 1994. CONCLUSION: Smoke reduction and cessation programs implemented locally and nationally have been effective in significantly reducing the biochemically measured prevalence of maternal smoking in pregnancy within a three-year period. IMPLICATIONS: Cigarette smoking during pregnancy is an important yet preventable factor affecting rates of prenatal, perinatal and paediatric morbidity and mortality. Reliable and repeated surveys of pregnant women are necessary to accurately measure changes in the maternal smoking prevalence and determine the efficacy of smoke reduction and cessation programs.

Cotinine↗