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W Siegenthaler

Publications and source records attributed to W Siegenthaler.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Exploring the doctor-patient relationship reduces staff stress and enhances empathy when caring for AIDS patients.

At our AIDS outpatient clinic we presently care for more than 1,200 HIV-infected patients. All physicians in this unit have participated for 1 year in a case work group supervised by a liaison psychiatrist. The doctor-patient relationship, the assessment in the case work group and the ensuing influence on perception and behavior are demonstrated by 3 cases. Different issues challenge the doctor-patient relationship: the serious prognosis of predominantly young AIDS patients; isolation and stigmatization of patients; fear of contagion, and questions of confidentiality regarding contact tracing. Reflection upon the doctor-patient relationship improves communication skills and increases empathy towards AIDS patients.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1990

Progression of HIV infection in misusers of injected drugs who stop injecting or follow a programme of maintenance treatment with methadone.

OBJECTIVE: To see whether misusers of injected drugs who stop injecting or switch to a programme of maintenance treatment with methadone have a reduced risk of progression of HIV infection when compared with a group of persistent misusers. DESIGN: Observational cohort study in HIV seropositive subjects with a current or past history of misusing injected drugs. SETTING: HIV outpatient clinic at the University Hospital of Zurich, Switzerland. PATIENTS: 297 Current and former parenteral drug misusers (median age 27) with asymptomatic HIV infection. During the observation period 80 subjects adhered to a programme of maintenance treatment with methadone, 124 continued with parenteral drug misuse, and 93 former misusers remained free of illicit drugs. No antiretroviral treatment was given during the study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Probability of progression of HIV infection from asymptomatic to symptomatic (Centers for Disease Control stage IV) as calculated by life table analysis and compared in the three groups of patients by means of a log rank test, and predictors of disease progression as analysed with a Cox proportional hazards regression model. RESULTS: The 297 patients were followed up for a median of 16 months. The median duration of injecting drug misuse before enrollment was 7.1 years. There were no significant differences among the three groups with respect to CD4+ counts at the beginning of the study (median 0.44 x 10(9)/l). Life table analysis showed a significantly lower probability of progression of HIV disease in both the methadone treated group and former drug misusers than in persistent injecting drug misusers. Multivariate regression analysis showed a relative risk of progression of the disease of 1.78 (95% confidence interval 1.20 to 2.67; p less than 0.01) in persistent injecting drug misusers, 0.48 (0.29 to 0.77; p less than 0.01) in the methadone treated group, and 0.66 (0.41 to 1.06; p = 0.085) in former drug misusers. CONCLUSIONS: Stopping the misuse of injected drugs slows the progression of HIV disease in infected subjects. Drug treatment programmes are effective in secondary prevention of HIV associated morbidity.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Paroxysmal non-hereditary angioedema].

Recurrent hypovolaemic shock had been occurring over the last five and four years, respectively, in a 53-year-old woman and a 46-year-old man who had previously been healthy. The attacks were characterized by a tension feeling and sometimes oedema in the limbs, as well as increased thirst. Within a few hours sweating, tachycardia, orthostatic complaints and shock would occur. The woman's systolic blood pressure would fall to 70 mm Hg and the pulse rate rise to 150/min. The man's blood pressure was not measurable by sphygmomanometer during his first attack. Haematocrit rose to 61 and 71.5%, haemoglobin concentration to 20.7 and 21.3 g/dl, respectively. On administration of plasma expanders all abnormal clinical and biochemical changes quickly disappeared, only to recur within weeks or months. The cause of the condition is an increased permeability of the tissue capillaries, while renal, pulmonary and cerebral vessels apparently are unaffected. During ketotifen and tebonin (gingko biloba extract) administration to the man, he required no further hospitalization for nine months, after which he had three severe attacks. The woman had a severe attack of hypovolaemic shock one month on this treatment. The prognosis of capillary leak syndrome is bad.

Angioedema↗
PubMed1990

[Disseminated histoplasmosis as the first manifestation of HIV infection].

A 29-year-old man who had been abroad for several years (mainly Mexico) fell ill with fever (up to 39.8 degrees C), night sweats, weight loss of 10 kg in 6 months (height 181 cm, weight 50.5 kg) and abdominal pain. Computed tomography of the abdomen revealed many enlarged abdominal lymph nodes. Serological tests were positive for HIV antibodies. Fine-needle biopsy of one of the enlarged lymph nodes revealed numerous macrophages with round inclusions, typical for Histoplasma capsulatum. Disseminated histoplasmosis was confirmed by direct antigen demonstration in serum and urine. The patient's serious clinical condition clearly improved and lymph node enlargement regressed after starting specific i.v. treatment with amphotericin B (initially 20 mg/dl, then 50 mg/dl). Although complete cure of the histoplasmosis in connection with the HIV infection is not to be expected, the patient has remained without symptoms for four months on 50 mg weekly of amphotericin B i.v., later changed to imidazole derivatives (400 mg ketoconazole or 200 mg itraconazole, respectively.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Compliance and laboratory data predict relapse rate of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia during prophylaxis with aerosol pentamidine.

We evaluated 43 AIDS patients on prophylaxis with aerosol pentamidine (60 mg biweekly) after Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP). The effects of patients' inhalation compliance and of laboratory data during the initial PCP on subsequent PCP relapses were assessed. After a median of 8 months (range, 2-21.5 months) on pentamidine prophylaxis, 13 patients suffered a PCP relapse. Six of them had missed at least one inhalation within the last month before the relapse. Two of these six relapses were fatal. The relapse occurrence was significantly associated with the percentage of missed inhalations. Additional significant associations were found between relapses, low levels of T4 lymphocytes, and elevated serum lactate dehydrogenase during the initial PCP episode (29 patients). Mean levels of T4 lymphocytes were 27/mm3 and 47/mm3 in patients with and without subsequent relapses, mean levels of lactate dehydrogenase were 692 U/L and 605 U/L, respectively. Multivariate Cox regression did not reveal further differences between patients with and without relapses. The increased relapse risk associated with poor inhalation compliance stresses the need for appropriate guidance and motivation of the patients.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1990

[A comparison of sonography and intravenous pyelography in diseases of the kidneys and urinary organs].

Ultrasonography and intravenous pyelography (IVP) were compared for their diagnostic value in 65 patients (29 women, 36 men; mean age 57 [19-85] years) thought to have disease of the kidneys or urinary tract (microhaematuria in 16, macrohaematuria in 5, urinary tract infection in 11, suspicion of renovascular hypertension in 6, suspected tumour in 5, suspected nephrolithiasis in 15, and flank pain of uncertain cause in 7). Ultrasound established an abnormal condition in 29, in five of which IVP gave false positive results, false-negative results in three. The false-negative results were an indirect sign of renal artery stenosis in one patient and in one patient each of duplex ureter and cystic ureteritis. Mild hydronephrosis (n = 3), stone in a kidney or the renal calyx system (n = 2) and tumour of the right kidney (n = 1), diagnosed by ultrasound, were not seen by IVP. Concordant results were thus obtained in 70% of cases. Ultrasound examination of the urinary tract gives such reliable results that in many cases an additional IVP is unnecessary.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Dissecting aneurysm of the pulmonary artery with pulmonary hypertension.

Pulmonary artery dissection was observed in a 64-yr-old female patient with severe pulmonary hypertension, which was probably primary (pulmonary vascular resistance, 817 dyn.s.cm-5; normal range less than or equal to 200 dyn.s.cm-5). The patient was admitted to the hospital because of severe dyspnea on exertion. Echocardiography demonstrated a dissecting aneurysm of the pulmonary artery. Right heart catheterization revealed severe pulmonary hypertension (mean pulmonary artery pressure, 64 mm Hg; normal range, 10 to 22 mm Hg); dissection of the pulmonary artery was confirmed by pulmonary arteriography. One-year follow-up was uneventful. In the literature, 28 patients with dissecting aneurysm of the pulmonary artery are reviewed. The dissection has only been diagnosed in life in one patient (by echocardiography).

Aortic Dissection↗
PubMed1990

[HIV infections].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Antiviral Agents↗
PubMed1989

Co-infection with human immunodeficiency virus-type 1 (HIV-1) and cytomegalovirus in two intravenous drug users.

A mononucleosis-like illness is frequently recognized retrospectively as the first manifestation of infection with human immunodeficiency virus-type 1 (HIV-1). This acute but transient retroviral syndrome may include symptoms such as malaise, fever, sweats, myalgia, arthralgia, maculopapular rash, diarrhea, and lymphocytic meningitis. We observed two intravenous drug users who developed a severe, febrile illness with subsequent oral thrush (one also had biopsy-proven esophageal candidiasis). Both patients had weight loss, arthralgia, myalgia, and fatigue. These symptoms occurred two weeks after needle-sharing and persisted for 7 weeks in one patient and 10 weeks in the other. Both patients had serologic evidence for both acute HIV-1 and cytomegalovirus infection. Cytomegalovirus enhances HIV-1 replication in vitro, presumably by stimulating HIV-1 gene expression. Thus, the observed syndrome suggests that this viral interaction may be clinically significant because it appears to cause severe additional morbidity, which is not typical for primary infection with HIV-1. After 6 months of follow-up, one patient is completely asymptomatic but shows markedly reduced CD4+ lymphocytes. The other patient developed persistent lymphadenopathy after the acute illness, but is feeling well 21 months after infection.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1989

[The natural history and laboratory parameters of HIV infection].

Since 1983 the morbidity and mortality rates as well as results of haematological, immunological and (later) HIV serological tests were recorded prospectively for 497 HIV-positive patients during 1837 clinic visits at least twice within at most six months for a median period of observation of 18 months (range 6-64 months). The rate of progression to a higher stage was calculated according to the method of Kaplan-Meier. The rate for asymptomatic patients was 16% after one and 33% after two years; for patients with persisting generalized lymphadenopathy it was 13% and 21%, respectively, for those with AIDS-related complex 28% and 47%, respectively, and for those with AIDS 33% and 82%, respectively. As for results of laboratory tests, patients with progressive disease had significantly lower titres of anti-HIV nuclear antibodies, as well as a higher incidence of HIV-p24 antigen. Haemoglobin levels, platelet and lymphocyte counts and number of CD-4-positive lymphocytes were significantly lower, Neopterin and beta 2-microglobulins higher (P less than 0.01).

AIDS-Related Complex↗
PubMed1989

[Dyspnea, cough, febrile state].

A 71-year old man was admitted because of increasing dyspnea and fever. Myelomonocytic leukemia was diagnosed on blood films. Diffuse bilateral pulmonary infiltrates detected on chest radiographs were related to the febrile state. Because leukemic infiltrates as well as pneumonia were possible causes for the pulmonary lesions antibiotic therapy followed by prednisone on the same day was initiated. An unusually rapid improvement of the pulmonary infiltrates within 4 days was indicative of a leukemic infiltrate. The patient died a few days later and the diagnosis of diffuse leukemic pulmonary infiltrates was confirmed at autopsy.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

[[Colic-like abdominal pain, anemia].

A 41-year old man suffered from increasing attacks of colic-like abdominal pain. Laboratory tests revealed only slight anemia. Microscopic evaluation of blood smears was indicative of lead-poisoning. Elevated values for metabolites of heme-synthesis and an elevated lead concentration in blood confirmed the diagnosis. The source of poisoning could be found: lead leaching from a presumed "tin-pitcher" into cherry-brandy. After reduction of the plasmatic lead concentration with sodium-calcium-EDTA the patient became well within days.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Cure and improvement of renovascular hypertension after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of renal artery stenosis.

In the present study we report our long-term experience in 82 patients with renovascular hypertension (48 with atherosclerotic stenosis, 34 with fibromuscular dysplasia) who were followed up for a mean observation period of 23.6 months after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) of renal artery stenosis. Our results show a highly significant decrease in mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Cure rates were slightly higher in patients with fibromuscular dysplasia (41% cured, 47% improved) than in those with atherosclerosis (23% cured, 54% improved). Kidney function significantly improved in patients with cure, remained stable in those with improvement and worsened in cases classified as unimproved. These results document the good long-term effect of PTA on blood pressure and kidney function in patients with renal artery stenosis.

Adult↗