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Biomedical subjects

W Deschner

Publications and source records attributed to W Deschner.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Individual reference ranges of CA 15-3, MCA and CEA in recurrence of breast cancer.

The long-term intra-individual variation of the title tumour markers was studied in the group of 33 patients which developed no relapse. The average biological intra-individual CV was 11.2% for CA 15-3 and 14.9% for MCA whereas those of CEA strongly depended on the concentration. The intra-individual standard deviation of CEA was independent of concentration and amounted to 0.23 g/L. Individual reference ranges the analytes were much smaller than the group reference ranges. Individual reference limits were calculated on the basis of the average intra-individual variation. In 21 of the 22 patients who developed recurrence during the follow-up period, individual reference limits of CA 15-3 and/or CEA were exceeded 1 to 31 months (median 10 months) before clinical evidence (diagnostic sensitivity 95%). Group reference limits were exceeded only in 13 patients (diagnostic sensitivity 60%) and occurring later. The diagnostic specificity was 97%. MCA did not provide additional information. The combination of CA 15-3 and CEA is an excellent for detection and exclusion of recurrence in the follow-up of breast cancer patients if decision-making is based on individual reference limits. Improvement of the long-term analytical quality of the tumour marker assays, particularly in the low concentration range is necessary.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Early experience with homograft aortic root replacement for complex aortic pathology.

BACKGROUND: Complex aortic valve and root pathology presents a serious operative challenge. METHODS: During the last 45 months 21 cryopreserved homograft root replacements have been performed in 19 patients. The ages of the patients ranged from 28 to 77 years; there were 15 men and four women. Six patients had endocarditis, four prosthetic and two native valve endocarditis. One patient underwent homograft aortic root replacement twice; one underwent concomitant homograft right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction for pulmonic endocarditis. Causes of aortic pathology in the other 13 patients included ascending aortic aneurysm with valvular regurgitation in seven, Marfan syndrome in two, and four aortic dissections with aortic regurgitation. Ten of the nineteen patients were undergoing reoperative procedures. RESULTS: There were three hospital deaths and one death at home of unknown cause. Two of the three patients who died in hospital had undergone redo cardiac procedures. Dramatic functional class improvement was seen in all survivors. CONCLUSIONS: Follow-up from 2 to 45 months in the fifteen survivors revealed no clinical or significant echocardiographic evidence of valvular regurgitation or recurrent infection. We believe homograft root replacement provides an excellent method of reconstruction with several advantages unique to human valved conduits, including ease of handling, lack of synthetic nidus for recurrent infection, and absence of thrombogenic materials. Homografts should be considered the approach of choice in complex valvular and root infectious processes.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

[Modification of the risk profile of obese essential hypertensive patients by the group "hypertension discussion" program].

The programme "Discussions on Hypertension" is a programme for group treatment of obese essential hypertensives in medical practices on the basis of behavioural therapy. A co-operation model was developed between the Department for General Medicine of the "Medizinische Hochschule Hannover", the Institute for Medical Psychology of the "Philipps-Universität Marburg" and the company Galenus Mannheim and was offered to doctors in general practice. The effects of the programme on the modifying of the risk profile for coronary heart disease was investigated in a controlled study in 137 patients by nine general practitioners. 81 patients were enrolled in the experimental group and 56 patients were assigned to a control group that was not using the programme. The experimental and control groups were comparable with respect to sociodemographic, psychological and medical parameters. Three months after completing the programme, the results of the study was shown in specific effect both on the psychological criteria of success (well-being, health knowledge, healthy behaviour, salt use and compliance) and in a reduction of the diastolic blood pressure in spite of a reduction of the antihypertensive drug treatment. The blood lipid levels (cholesterol and triglycerides) and the blood glucose level were also favourably affected. Patients in the experimental group had reduced their weight by an average of 5.6 kg. The patients in the control group only by 0.8 kg. Overall, there was a marked reduction in the proportion of patients with several risk factors in the experimental group, so that the programme can be attributed a preventive effect.

Antihypertensive Agents↗
PubMed1988

Intra-individual variation of serum thyroxin and triiodothyronine in pregnancy.

The mean concentrations of triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxin (T4) in serum were increased in pregnancy, the increases for individuals remaining stable for week 16 to week 40 of gestation. For this period biological intra-individual variations of T3 and T4 in serum were estimated and compared with those of non-pregnant women. The average biological intra-individual CVs for T3 and T4 were of the same order for pregnant and non-pregnant women (6.9-8.4%). The ratios of the biological intra-individual CVs to the biological group CVs were 0.5 to 0.6. Individual values were normally distributed. There was no increase of the intra-individual variation with the lapse of time between two consecutively observed values. The estimated average biological intra-individual CVs were used to derive decision-making criteria in monitoring thyroid function during the 2nd and 3rd trimester of gestation.

Adult↗