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Biomedical subjects

T Wheatley

Publications and source records attributed to T Wheatley.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Thirst and salt appetite in horses treated with furosemide.

When a preliminary experiment in sodium-replete ponies revealed an increase, but not a significant increase, in salt consumption after furosemide treatment, the experiment was repeated using sodium-deficient horses in which aldosterone levels might be expected to be elevated to test the hypothesis that a background of aldosterone is necessary for salt appetite. Ten Standardbred mares were injected intravenously with furosemide or an equivalent volume of 0.9% sodium chloride as a control to test the effect of furosemide on their salt appetite and blood constituents. Sodium intake and sodium loss in urine, as well as water intake and urine output, were measured and compared to determine accuracy of compensation for natriuresis and diuresis. Plasma protein and packed cell volume showed significant increases in response to furosemide treatment (F = 29.31, P less than 0.001 and F = 11.20, P less than 0.001, respectively). There were no significant changes in plasma sodium concentration or osmolality in response to the treatment (P greater than 0.05). The furosemide-treated horses consumed 126 +/- 14.8 g salt, significantly more than when they were given the control injection (94.5 +/- 9.8 g; t = 2.22, P = 0.05). In response to furosemide, horses lost 962 +/- 79.7 and consumed 2,170 +/- 5 meq sodium; however, compared with control, they lost 955 meq more sodium and ingested only 570 meq more sodium, so they were undercompensating for natriuresis. The furosemide-treated horses drank 9.6 +/- 0.8 kg of water, significantly more than when they received the control injection (6.4 +/- 0.8 kg; t = 6.9, P less than 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals

Abnormalities of thyrotrophin (TSH) evening rise and pulsatile release in haemodialysis patients: evidence for hypothalamic-pituitary changes in chronic renal failure.

Using a sensitive enzyme amplified immunoassay for TSH, the evening rise and pulsatile release of TSH were studied in 10 men with chronic renal failure treated by haemodialysis. Compared to euthyroid male controls the evening rise of TSH was attenuated (median 0.066 vs 0.195 mU/l/h, P less than 0.01) and the rate of rise correlated with the TSH response to TRH (r = 0.93, P less than 0.001). All subjects showed TSH pulsatility in at least one method of data analysis but the less sensitive incremental method showed no significant difference in pulse frequency and amplitude between the two groups. However, with time series analysis, periodicity was shorter (median 45 vs 95 min, P = 0.013) and pulse amplitude smaller (median 0.06 vs 0.175 mU/l, P = 0.017) in renal patients. Pulse amplitude, but not periodicity, correlated with the TSH response to TRH (r = 0.68, P less than 0.05). In addition, serum total thyroxine, free thyroxine and free triiodothyronine concentrations were reduced, while serum prolactin and 17 beta-oestradiol concentrations were raised. These changes in TSH evening surge and pulsatile release may contribute to the reduction in thyroidal hormone concentrations seen in renal failure and emphasize the value of sensitive methods of hormone and pulse data analysis.

Adult

Studies of the entero-insular axis following pancreas transplantation in man: neural or hormonal control?

To study the role of hormonal and neural factors in the control of the entero-insular axis the insulin, C-peptide, and glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP) responses to oral and intravenous glucose were investigated in 5 patients who had received a combined kidney and paratopic pancreas transplant, with physiological portal venous drainage. The incremental areas under the insulin and C-peptide responses to oral glucose were significantly greater than the responses to intravenous glucose (insulin: patients 7983 +/- 1937 (+/- SE) vs 3513 +/- 2188 mU l-1 min, p less than 0.002, control subjects 5505 +/- 1035 vs 1066 +/- 484 mU l-1 min, p less than 0.004; C peptide: patients 440 +/- 80 vs 144 +/- 61 nmol l-1 min, p less than 0.01, control subjects 200 +/- 38 vs 63 +/- 16 nmol l-1 min, P less than 0.01). The incretin effects for insulin (patients 4.4 +/- 1.4, control subjects 7.7 +/- 1.8) and C-peptide (patients 4.4 +/- 0.9, control subjects 3.7 +/- 0.9) and the GIP responses to oral and intravenous glucose were not significantly different between transplant patients and control subjects. As the incretin effect was preserved, despite a denervated pancreas, hormonal rather than neural factors may be more important in mediating increased insulin secretion after oral carbohydrate. The normal GIP response is compatible with its proposed role as an insulinotropic hormone.

Adult

Pituitary apoplexy: an unusual cause of stroke.

A case of pituitary apoplexy complicated by hemiparesis and dysphasia is reported. Investigations revealed complete obstruction of the left internal carotid artery due to haemorrhagic pituitary expansion. This case and the four previously reported suggest that early diagnosis of this rare complication is essential if surgery is to prevent cerebral infarction.

Adult

Pulsatile secretion of TSH in healthy subjects.

The physiological variations in serum TSH concentration have been investigated using an enzyme amplified immunoassay with improved sensitivity and precision. Blood samples were collected at regular intervals from 10 healthy volunteers during the period 1800 h to 0100 h. Spectral analysis followed by periodic regression analysis demonstrated significant serum TSH pulsatility with periodicities of 60 or 85-100 min. In addition, a significant (P less than 0.001) evening rise in serum TSH concentration was demonstrated in all subjects, with levels rising at around 21.30-22.00 h.

Adult

Thyroid stimulating hormone measurement by an ultrasensitive assay during thyroxine replacement: comparison with other tests of thyroid function.

Serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) was measured using a highly sensitive enzyme-amplified immunoassay in 37 clinically euthyroid patients receiving thyroxine replacement therapy and compared with other biochemical tests of thyroid function. A highly significant correlation (P less than 0.001) was found between the basal serum TSH and the increase in serum TSH concentration 20 min after the administration of thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH). The basal serum TSH was negatively correlated with the serum total thyroxine (P = 0.05). When patients results were classified as abnormal or normal many discrepancies were noted between the various thyroid tests. A suppressed serum TSH was found in 65% of patients with a normal serum total thyroxine. However, in patients on thyroxine replacement therapy a basal TSH measured by enzyme-amplified immunoassay provides the same information as a TRH test.

Female

Craniopharyngioma with hyperprolactinaemia due to a prolactinoma.

A case is presented in which a histologically proven prolactin secreting pituitary macroadenoma was associated with a large suprasellar craniopharyngioma. The pre-operative prolactin concentration was 8180 mU/l. Although hyperprolactinaemia up to 3000 mU/l in patients with a craniopharyngioma is usually due to stalk compression, greater values may indicate an associated prolactinoma.

Adenoma

Urine discoloration after acetaminophen overdose.

Three patients with acetaminophen overdose were observed to have dark-brown urine at an early stage of their illness. Subsequently, acute anuric renal failure and hepatic dysfunction developed in all three. p-Aminophenol was identified by chromatographic and colorimetric methods in the urine of each case and is thought to be responsible for the discoloration.

Acetaminophen

Insulin oedema and its clinical significance: metabolic studies in three cases.

Three patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus are described in whom generalized oedema and weight gain followed the administration of excessive monocomponent insulins, in two cases associated with symptomatic hypoglycaemia. Serial measurements of plasma volume and transcapillary escape rate of albumin (TERA) using 125I-labelled albumin, serum colloid osmotic pressure (COP) using a membrane colloid osmometer, packed cell volume (PCV), and serum proteins, showed that oedema was associated with an increased plasma volume and TERA, while serum albumin and total protein concentration and serum COP were reduced. A reduction in daily insulin dose abolished hypoglycaemia and resulted in weight loss, natriuresis, diuresis, a reduction in plasma volume and TERA, and an increase in serum albumin, total protein, and COP. Strict metabolic control in previously poorly controlled patients may cause insulin-induced increments in plasma volume and albumin escape rate.

Adult

Variation in plasma prednisolone concentrations in renal transplant recipients given enteric-coated prednisolone.

Renal transplant recipients receiving intermittent haemodialysis and kept under normal ward conditions showed appreciable differences in plasma prednisolone concentrations after therapeutic doses of enteric-coated prednisolone tablets. This gross day-to-day variation occurred irrespective of the dosage used. Breakfast given before prednisolone tended to reduce the rate of absorption of the drug, the effect being quantitatively most pronounced with large doses. Haemodialysis had no apparent effect on the elimination of prednisolone from plasma. Such erratic blood concentrations of prednisolone as observed in these patients, possibly resulting from variable absorption, may be potentially hazardous. Hence use of enteric-coated tablets in renal transplant recipients should be viewed with caution.

Adolescent