PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

S Holmes

Publications and source records attributed to S Holmes.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Use of the ASI titanium stent in the management of bladder outflow obstruction due to benign prostatic hyperplasia.

An expandable titanium intraprostatic stent was inserted into 30 patients with infravesical obstruction due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). All of the men were considered unsuitable for transurethral resection of the prostate as a result of comorbid conditions. In 25 patients effective micturition was reestablished with this technique. In 21 of these men, who have been followed for longer than 1 year, the mean maximum flow rate at 1 year was 10.8 ml. per second and the mean residual urine was 56 ml. Although urinary tract infections occurred subsequent to stent insertion in 10 individuals, these resolved after appropriate antibiotic treatment and no stents have had to be removed for this reason. Followup cystoscopy or examination by electron microscopy of those stents that have been removed has shown partial epithelialization of the stent surface in a proportion of patients, and a minor degree of incrustation occurred in 1 case. We conclude that an expandable intraprostatic titanium stent is an acceptable alternative to transurethral resection of the prostate or long-term catheterization in this particular group of high risk patients.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

The oral complications of specific anticancer therapy.

Oral complications commonly affect cancer patients undergoing active treatment. These include oral infection, gingival bleeding, stomatitis/mucositis, xerostomia, dental caries and periodontal disease. The oral cavity also acts as an entry site for systemic infection, particularly in those who are myelosuppressed. This paper reviews the structure and function of the oral cavity and how this may be affected by anticancer therapy. Oral care procedures are discussed and controversial areas highlighted showing that, although it is generally agreed that oral care is essential in preventing/minimizing complications and maintaining general comfort, there is no general agreement about the frequency with which care is required or about the tools and agents to be employed. Areas for future research are highlighted.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed1991

Food production towards the year 2000: implications for hospital feeding.

Less than optimum nutrition has been identified in significant numbers of hospital patients and, furthermore, it can be shown that the longer the patient remains in hospital the worse his nutritional condition may become. Predicted developments in food technology and anticipated changes in eating practices are considered. It appears that convenience foods and 'grazing' will become increasingly important, and that the diet will include unusual items. The implication for feeding in hospitals is that the catering style and diets must change to meet the expectation of patients.

Feeding Behavior↗
PubMed1991

Preliminary investigations of symptom distress in two cancer patient populations: evaluation of a measurement instrument.

The study reports the results of a preliminary investigation into the incidence of symptom distress in two cancer patient populations--those receiving chemotherapy and those undergoing radiotherapy--and discusses the further evaluation of a symptom distress scale. The scale is found to be both reliable and valid for use in both patient populations. The results indicate that, although overall symptom distress is similar between chemotherapy and radiotherapy patients, there is considerable individual variation in the extent of that distress and the symptoms causing distress may differ between the groups. As in previous studies, tiredness was the most common complaint. Those patients receiving chemotherapy also complained of an inability to concentrate, mood changes and alterations in appearance. Those undergoing radiotherapy most commonly reported significant distress due to pain, altered appearance, constipation and appetite change. The findings suggest that the Symptom Distress Scale may be a useful addition to the assessment of individual patients and may provide a means by which the effects of interventions, designed to alleviate physical distress, could be evaluated.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1991

Quality of life: verification and use of a self-assessment scale in two patient populations.

The study described further evaluates the use of the Holmes & Dickerson linear analogue self-assessment scale in assessing the quality of life of both in-patients and out-patients undergoing radiotherapy for the treatment of malignant disease. The scale is shown to be feasible for use in both clinical settings and to be both reliable and valid. It is quick to use, easy to score and demonstrates marked differences between the patient populations. These differences are discussed and supported on clinical grounds. The results emphasize the fact that cancer patients cannot be regarded as a homogeneous group and highlight the need for care to be planned on an individual basis. Similarly, the need for a means by which individual response can be assessed is demonstrated. It is suggested that this self-assessment technique may be of considerable value in such assessment.

Evaluation Studies as Topic↗
PubMed1991

Responding to parental concerns at the six-month stage.

Health visitors who are able to respond to parental worries about their babies' specific ailments and problems may be providing a more useful service than those who focus on routine assessment of growth and development, write Frances Sherratt, Ann Johnson and Sheila Holmes. Better understanding of the particular concerns of parents of both high and low risk infants could allow more appropriate targeting of resources and improved health care planning.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Pharmacocavernometry in the assessment of erectile impotence.

Thirty-three impotent men underwent pharmacocavernometry and cavernography. Ten patients had a good clinical response to 60 mg papaverine, nine had a moderate clinical response and in 14, the response was judged to be a poor one. Twelve patients had evidence of abnormal venous leakage from the corpora. Subsequent investigation with isotope phallography showed six patients to have arterial insufficiency and in three of these patients this was amenable to reconstructive vascular surgery. We conclude that pharmacocavernometry provides a useful, cheap and reliable method for the investigation of impotent men which may be performed on an outpatient basis.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Immune response of patients with congenital coagulation disorders to hepatitis B vaccine: suboptimal response and human immunodeficiency virus infection.

Seventy-eight patients with congenital coagulation disorders were treated with hepatitis B vaccine either subcutaneously or intradermally. All the children (eight vaccinated subcutaneously and eight vaccinated intradermally) responded. Seventeen of 19 (90%) anti-HIV-negative adults vaccinated subcutaneously and 14/25 (56%) anti-HIV-negative adults vaccinated intradermally showed an immune response. At 24 months, the anti-HBs level was greater than 10 IU/l in all children vaccinated subcutaneously, 83% of children vaccinated intradermally, 77% of adults vaccinated subcutaneously, and 55% of adults vaccinated intradermally. Eight of 15 (53%) adult patients who were anti-HIV positive were also anti-HBc positive before vaccination and 6/8 (75%) failed to produce an amnestic response to vaccine. Subcutaneous vaccination with regular monitoring of anti-HBs levels and appropriate boosting is recommended.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Use of a modified symptom distress scale in assessment of the cancer patient.

Symptom distress was assessed in a heterogeneous sample of cancer patients using a modified version of the McCorkle and Young (Cancer Nurs. 1, 373-378, 1978) Symptom Distress scale based on a linear analogue self-assessment (LASA) scale. Validity was assessed. Reliability, based on estimation of internal consistency (Cronbach's coefficient alpha), was high (alpha = 0.97) showing the tool to be reliable and effective in assessment of symptom distress. Of the 120 patients included 73% indicated significant distress from at least one symptom, 55% from two or more and 28% from at least five. Only 25% were suffering widespread or advanced disease suggesting that the incidence of symptom distress is not, of necessity, dependent on the extent of disease. The results obtained using the modified index were compared with those previously obtained by McCorkle and Young (1978) and showed marked similarities between the different cancer patient populations. This indicates that the modified scale is no less effective in assessing symptom distress but this has considerable advantages due to its simplicity and ease of administration.

Female↗
PubMed1989

Patients' and nurses' perceptions of symptom distress in cancer.

A modified version of the McCorkle & Young Symptom Distress Scale, based on a linear analogue self-assessment scoring system, was used to assess symptom distress in a heterogeneous sample of 53 cancer patients. The scale was simultaneously completed by the nurses caring for those patients, who were asked to rate the patient according to how they perceived he was feeling with regard to each particular symptom. The scores were compared for congruency. This preliminary study suggests that, although nurses appear able to estimate the degree of distress due to changes in mobility and appearance or the presence of diarrhoea, constipation and tiredness, they are less effective in perceiving the degree of distress due to the less 'visible' symptoms such as pain, nausea, anorexia, sleeping disturbances, concentration and mood. Perhaps surprisingly, the trend was for nurses to overestimate the degree of distress when this was compared with the patients' self-assessment.

Humans↗
PubMed1989

SSC1, an essential member of the yeast HSP70 multigene family, encodes a mitochondrial protein.

SSC1 is an essential member of the yeast HSP70 multigene family (E. Craig, J. Kramer, and J. Kosic-Smithers, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:4156-4160, 1987). Analysis of the SSC1 DNA sequence revealed that it could encode a 70,627-dalton protein that is more similar to DnaK, an Escherichia coli hsp70 protein, than other yeast hsp70s whose sequences have been determined. Ssc1p was found to have an amino-terminal extension of 28 amino acids, in comparison with either Ssa1p, another hsp70 yeast protein, or Dnak. This putative leader is rich in basic and hydroxyl amino acids, characteristic of many mitochondrial leader sequences. Ssc1p that was synthesized in vitro could be imported into mitochondria and was cleaved in the process. The imported protein comigrated with an abundant mitochondrial protein that reacted with hsp70-specific antibodies. We conclude that Ssc1p is a mitochondrial protein and that hsp70 proteins perform functions in many compartments of the cell.

Amino Acid Sequence↗