PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

T R Poole

Publications and source records attributed to T R Poole.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Causes of blindness in Northern Tanzania: a hospital and rural health centre based study.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the main causes of blindness in Northern Tanzania. METHODS: Ophthalmic patients at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre and on outreach clinics in the Kilimanjaro region of Northern Tanzania were examined. The cause of blindness was documented for any eye seeing less than 3/60 Snellen. If more than one factor contributed to the visual loss, the single factor deemed to be the most visually disabling was documented. RESULTS: 1045 blind eyes of 781 patients were examined. 264 patients were bilaterally blind. The main cause of bilateral blindness was cataract [39%]. The other chief causes of blindness were glaucoma, trauma and corneal scarring. The most important cause of corneal scarring, approximately half the cases, was microbial keratitis. Refractive error alone was responsible for 4.2% of bilateral blindness, of which 2.7% was uncorrected post-cataract surgery aphakia. CONCLUSIONS: Treatable causes of blindness, including cataract and refractive error account for over a third of all blindness in Northern Tanzania. Trauma, glaucoma and microbial keratitis are other important causes of blindness in the region.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Ocular manifestations of rheumatologic disorders.

In the past year, advances have been made in our understanding of the genetics of Behçet disease. Indocyanine green angiography has allowed us to look at the pathologic changes seen in Behçet disease and sarcoidosis in more detail. New steroid-sparing treatment strategies for the control of ocular inflammatory disease are becoming better understood and better used, and their applications in sarcoidosis and juvenile chronic arthritis are reviewed here. The role of antiphospholipid antibodies in ocular disease has received attention, particularly in the context of systemic lupus erythematosus. Outcomes in HLA-B27-positive patients with uveitis and in ocular disease associated with the systemic vasculitides are discussed here, and scalp necrosis in giant-cell arteritis is reviewed.

Diagnosis, Differential↗
PubMed1999

Conjunctival squamous cell carcinoma in Tanzania.

AIMS: To assess changes in incidence of conjunctival squamous cell carcinoma over a 22 year period in Tanzania and to analyse possible reasons for change. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of records from a Tanzanian pathology department serving north and central Tanzania from 1976 to 1997; medical record analysis of cases of conjunctival squamous cell carcinoma presenting in the last 2 years of the study. RESULTS: There was a sharp rise in the incidence of conjunctival squamous cell carcinoma in the last 3 years of the study (1995-7). The mean age of patients presenting with the condition over the full period was 44.7 years (95% confidence interval 42.4-46.9 years). In the final 2 years of the study the mean length of history on presentation was 3.1 months (2.1-4.0 months). Several patients had a previous history of chronic conjunctival disease such as allergic conjunctivitis and trachoma; one had had a conjunctival papilloma excised previously. Only five patients had been tested for HIV status, but of these four were positive. CONCLUSION: Tanzania is experiencing an epidemic of conjunctival squamous cell carcinoma similar to that seen in other African countries. Often the tumours are aggressive and occur in patients of relatively young age. The epidemic appears to be related to HIV infection, on a background of ultraviolet light exposure. Previous chronic conjunctival disease and exposure to human papillomavirus may also have a role.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Blister beetle periorbital dermatitis and keratoconjunctivitis in Tanzania.

Two cases of periorbital dermatitis and one case of keratoconjunctivitis following contact with blister beetle are presented. In Tanzania and Kenya the commonest blister beetle is known as Nairobi Fly and is of the genus Paederus. Ocular symptoms are common, usually secondary to transfer by the fingers of the toxic chemical involved from elsewhere on the skin. Blister beetle keratoconjunctivitis has not previously been described in detail.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

The effects of chronic inhalation of salbutamol on the acute airway responsiveness to salbutamol and ipratropium bromide in the conscious and the anaesthetized guinea-pig.

The effects of chronic exposure to a nebulized mist of salbutamol on the capacity of systemic salbutamol to prolong the time taken for inhaled histamine to produce bronchospasm in guinea-pigs have been examined. Initially a reproducible cough time to inhalation of histamine acid phosphate (0.5 ml ml-1) in 100% O2 was established. Antagonism of this response by intraperitoneal salbutamol or ipratropium Br was assessed to establish submaximal responses to these drugs. A fresh group of animals was then exposed to a persistent mist of nebulized water for 16 days, before and during which each animal was tested by exposure to histamine mist either alone or shortly after salbutamol (10 micrograms kg-1 i.p.) or ipratropium Br (5 micrograms kg-1 i.p.). The nebulized water had no effect on the response to the drugs. The same animals were rested for 7 days and then exposed to nebulized salbutamol solution (5 mg ml-1) for 15 days, during which time tachyphylaxis developed to salbutamol (i.p.) but not to ipratropium Br. At the end of the 15 days the animals were anaesthetized and total lung resistance (RL) measured. At this time, the protective effect of intravenous salbutamol was also diminished by comparison with untreated guinea-pigs while the response to ipratropium Br was unaffected. A separate group exposed to 1 mg ml-1 of nebulized salbutamol for 20 days developed selective tachyphylaxis to intraperitoneal salbutamol. The animals were then allowed to breathe room air and the response to intraperitoneal salbutamol after 13 days returned to normal as did the effects of intravenous salbutamol on the RL response to histamine.

Aerosols↗
PubMed1983

The MIE Carden ventilator. A description and laboratory assessment.

The Carden ventilator is described and assessed when used in adult and paediatric modes against test lungs with varying compliance and airways resistance. The ventilator proved to have limited ability to compensate for changes in test lung compliance and resistance. Repeated confirmation of tidal volume is mandatory, but the Carden combines simplicity with flexibility of design and may prove useful as a theatre ventilator.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Rat fetal development and maternal exposure to trichloroethylene 100 p.p.m.

Thirty-two inbred Wistar rats (study group) were exposed to trichloroethylene 100 p.p.m. in air for 4 h daily from day 8 to day 21 of pregnancy. A control group (31 rats) was exposed to the same experimental conditions but without the addition of trichloroethylene. All the rats were sacrificed on the 21st day of pregnancy and the ovaries, uterus, liver, lungs, heart and the fetuses were examined. There was no evidence of teratogenesis, but a delay in fetal maturation was suggested by reduced fetal weight (P less than 0.05) and by an increase in bipartite or absent skeletal ossification centres (P less than 0.005).

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced↗
PubMed1981

The Blease 5300 ventilator: an assessment.

The Blease 5300 ventilator is described. A laboratory assessment of its performance gave satisfactory results and confirmed the favourable impressions formed by medical and nursing staff, in the intensive therapy unit during a trial lasting 3 months.

Evaluation Studies as Topic↗
PubMed1981

Disopyramide anticholinergic action.

The effect of disopyramide on cholinergic transmission has been studied using the frog isolated abdominis rectus preparation and the guinea pig isolated vas deferens hypogastric nerve preparation. Disopyramide (2 X 10(-5) mol litre-1) reduced the response of the abdominis rectus to carbachol (1.36 X 10(-6)--4.8 X 10(-5) mol litre-1). Furthermore, disopyramide (1 X 10(-6)--3 X 10(-4) mol litre-1) produced a concentration-dependent reduction in the response to carbachol (5.46 X 10(-6) mol litre-1). The response to potassium chloride (3.34 X 10(-2) mol litre-1) was unaltered by disopyramide (1 X 10(-6)--3 X 10(-4) mol litre-1). Disopyramide produced a dose-related ganglionic blockade at concentrations greater than 2 X 10(-5) mol litre-1. Complete blockade to ganglionic transmission occurred at 3 X 10(-4) mol litre-1 disopyramide.

Abdominal Muscles↗