Biomedical subjects
T Kwok
Publications and source records attributed to T Kwok.
Postural hypotension and falls.
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Thiamine status of elderly patients with cardiac failure.
This study compared the thiamine status of 37 elderly patients admitted with cardiac failure (CF) with that of 35 unselected elderly patients with other diagnoses (Non-CF), and with that of 41 apparently healthy elderly people. The thiamine pyrophosphate effect (TPPE) on erythrocyte transketolase activity was used to estimate thiamine status. The prevalence of thiamine deficiency (TPPE greater than 19%) on admission in the CF and Non-CF groups was 13% and 29%, respectively. The TPPE of the CF group was significantly lower than that of the Non-CF group, and was not significantly different from that of the elderly control group. The results indicate that thiamine deficiency is not common in an unselected group of elderly inpatients with cardiac failure, but a potential benefit of thiamine supplementation in such patients cannot be ruled out.
The use of armspan in nutritional assessment of the elderly.
The use of body mass index (BMI) in the elderly is limited by the measurement of height which is often unreliable. Armspan approximates to height at maturity. It may, therefore, be an alternative to height in calculating BMI. We studied the relationship between height and armspan in 101 elderly men and women. A comparison of BMI by height and armspan was made. The correlation between height and armspan was 0.93. Armspan could be estimated by doubling halfspan (recumbent). The mean difference between BMI by height and armspan was 1.79 (SD 1.11) kg/M2. We concluded that armspan is a reliable and practical estimate of height in the non-ambulant elderly. There is a case for the use of armspan instead of height in the determination of BMI in the elderly.
Psoas abscess as a complication of subclavian venous catheterization.
A 76 year old woman developed a psoas abscess from vascular seeding of an infected subclavian venous catheter. The presentation was insidious and diagnosis delayed. Despite adequate surgical drainage, the case proved to be fatal. Venous catheters should be regarded as a potential source of septicaemia and occult abscess formation.