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Biomedical subjects

Y M Lam

Publications and source records attributed to Y M Lam.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

Plasma and erythrocyte zinc and birth weight in pre-eclamptic pregnancies.

Plasma and erythrocyte zinc concentrations in 45 proteinuric pre-eclamptic Chinese women were measured. There was no difference in either the plasma or erythrocyte zinc concentration between pre-eclamptic patients with and without intrauterine growth retardation. There was no correlation between either plasma or erythrocyte zinc concentration with the gestation at delivery, birth weight, mean arterial pressure and plasma albumin concentration. On the other hand, both plasma albumin concentration and mean arterial pressure were significantly correlated to birth weight, and the mean arterial pressure was also significantly higher in patients with intrauterine growth retardation. Plasma and erythrocyte zinc are not useful as indices of severity in pre-eclampsia.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Maternal thyroid hormones and outcome of pre-eclamptic pregnancies.

Plasma concentrations of total and free thyroxine (TT4 and FT4), total and free triiodothyronine (TT3 and FT3), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), plasma albumin and urate were measured in 39 proteinuric pre-eclamptic patients presenting before labour. Pre-eclamptic patients had significantly lower FT4 and higher TSH concentrations compared with values in third trimester normotensive pregnancies. There was a significantly higher frequency of lower TT4, TT3 and high TSH levels in the subgroup of pre-eclamptic patients who had low-birthweight babies. Thyroid hormone concentrations were not correlated with gestation at delivery or birthweight but, with the exception of FT4, were correlated with plasma albumin and urate concentrations. Plasma TSH correlated with birthweight and with plasma urate. The results suggest that mild biochemical hypothyroidism may be found in proteinuric pre-eclampsia, and the concentrations of TT4, TT3, FT3 and TSH may reflect the severity of pre-eclampsia.

Birth Weight↗
PubMed1990

Zinc and birth weight in uncomplicated pregnancies.

The relationship between zinc status and birth weight in uncomplicated pregnancies was studied in 59 nulliparous and 27 multiparous Chinese women with singleton pregnancies, delivered at term. Maternal and umbilical cord blood, maternal pubic hair and a segment of the umbilical cord were collected at delivery for analysis. The zinc concentration was significantly higher (p less than 0.0001) in the plasma of newborn infants (13.9 +/- 2.8 mumol/l) than in maternal plasma (9.3 +/- 2.2 mumol/l), while the converse was found in tissue (60.8 +/- 17.0 vs 208.1 +/- 96.2 micrograms/g, p less than 0.0001). There was no significant correlation between birth weight and either maternal or newborn plasma or tissue zinc concentrations. Parity had no significant effect on maternal or newborn zinc concentrations in tissue and plasma.

Birth Weight↗
PubMed1989

Prognostic index in prediction of mortality from infective endocarditis.

Out of 176 patients with infective endocarditis complicating rheumatic (120) and congenital heart disease (38), mortality occurred in 35 patients (19.9%). Presence of leukocytosis, heart failure, major embolisation and isolation of certain organisms including Staphylococci, beta-haemolytic Streptococci, Pseudomonas and Klebsiella were ominous with higher mortality rates compared with those when they were absent (P less than 0.02). Stepwise logistic multiple regression was then applied and the four most important independent variables were identified. A prognostic index for the prediction of mortality for infective endocarditis was then constructed by the summation of the regression coefficients. By applying this index, patients with infective endocarditis could be divided into subgroups with increasing proportional mortality from 5.8 to 83.3%. It provides an objective assessment of the risk patients with infective endocarditis, and a more reliable evaluation of benefit of any new treatment regimen, including cardiac surgery, during the acute stage.

Endocarditis, Bacterial↗
PubMed1989

Birth weight and thyroxine-binding globulin in pre-eclampsia.

Plasma concentrations of thyroxine (T4) and thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG) as well as triiodothyronine uptake (T3U) were measured in 32 proteinuric pre-eclamptic patients and 24 normotensive pregnant women at similar gestations in the third trimester. The pre-eclamptic patients had slightly lower TBG, and significantly lower T4, concentrations, which were significantly correlated. They also had significantly lower infant birth weight which was correlated to the TBG and T3U values. There was no correlation between T4 and TBG or between birth weight and TBG or T3U in the normotensive women. It is likely that the correlation between TBG and birth weight in the pre-eclamptic patients reflects the severity of proteinuria in pre-eclampsia.

Alpha-Globulins↗
PubMed1989

Renal function in the newborn. Newborn creatinine related to birth weight, maturity and maternal creatinine.

The maternal and newborn renal function in 84 normal pregnant women delivering at term was investigated. There was no difference between maternal and newborn plasma concentrations of urea (3.9 +/- 1.0 vs. 3.9 +/- 1.2 mmol/l) and creatinine (65.8 +/- 13.3 vs. 65.3 +/- 11.6 mumols/l). The plasma sodium and potassium concentrations were significantly higher in the newborn (139.6 +/- 4.1 vs. 136.8 +/- 5.1 mmol/l, p less than 0.001, and 5.1 +/- 1.3 vs. 4.2 +/- 0.9 mmol/l, p less than 0.001, respectively). Significant correlations were found between newborn sodium (p less than 0.02) and potassium (p = 0.0001) with maternal potassium concentrations, newborn urea with maternal urea concentrations (p = 0.0001), and newborn creatinine with maternal creatinine concentrations (p = 0.0001), gestation of delivery (p less than 0.05) and birth weight (p = 0.025).

Birth Weight↗
PubMed1988

The significance of proteinuria in pre-eclampsia; proteinuria associated with low birth weight only in pre-eclampsia.

To examine the significance of proteinuria in pre-eclampsia, we studied 87 nulliparous patients in whom pre-eclampsia was diagnosed clinically and whose blood pressure and urine findings returned to normal after delivery. There was no difference in the gestation at diagnosis, highest systolic and diastolic blood pressures before treatment/delivery, or the number given antenatal hypotensive therapy between patients with proteinuria (group A, n = 46) and without proteinuria (group B, n = 41). Group A patients had higher plasma urea concentration (p less than 0.02), but similar creatinine and urate concentrations to group B patients. Group A patients had a higher rate of induction of labour (p less than 0.04) and Caesarean section before labour (p less than 0.04), and the mean gestation at delivery as well as the birth weight were less (p less than 0.03 and p less than 0.004, respectively). The results suggest that proteinuria in pre-eclampsia is associated with more severe fetal involvement and growth retardation only, but not with an increased severity of the maternal condition such as hypertension and a higher plasma urate concentration.

Blood Pressure↗
PubMed1987

A randomised cross-over trial comparing low-dose metoclopramide and chlorpromazine with high-dose metoclopramide in Chinese patients with advanced cancer receiving cisplatinum and 5-fluorouracil.

Nineteen Chinese patients receiving chemotherapy for advanced cancer were studied for chemotherapy-induced acute nausea and vomiting. The chemotherapy consisted of cisplatinum 100 mg/m2 i.v. infusion over 4 h on day 1 and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) 1000 mg/m2 120-h continuous infusion from day 2 to day 6, repeated every 3 weeks. At the first course of chemotherapy the patients were randomized to receive either low-dose metoclopramide and chlorpromazine or high-dose metoclopramide, and then crossed over for the second course. In the high-dose metoclopramide group there was a suggestion of an earlier onset of emesis, with slightly more frequent retching and vomiting and less food consumed. However, the duration of emesis was shorter in the high-dose group. These differences were not statistically significant. There were no major side effects. Mild salutary drowsiness was noticed in patients receiving low-dose metoclopramide and chlorpromazine. This trial suggests that, in the dosage, route and schedule described, high-dose metoclopramide is no more effective than low-dose metoclopramide together with chlorpromazine in preventing cisplatinum-induced nausea and vomiting. The low-dose scheme is more economic and suitable for patients with advanced cancer.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Minimizing work of breathing with continuous positive airway pressure and intermittent mandatory ventilation: an improved continuous low-flow system.

Minimizing work of breathing (WOB) during intermittent mandatory ventilation (IMV) and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is important as it facilitates weaning from mechanical ventilation. To minimize WOB, we devised a simple, continuous-flow CPAP-IMV system that uses a weighted, partially filled reservoir bag and operates efficiently at low fresh gas flow (FGF). We compared both the pattern and WOB of our system (FGF at 15 L/min) with a conventional continuous-flow CPAP/IMV system (FGF at 15 and 30 L/min) as well as with two relatively efficient demand-value systems, the Servo 900 B and 900 C. Six healthy male subjects were studied; tidal volumes (VT), flow, mouth pressure, and pleural pressure (Ppl) were measured. Ten breaths, matched for VT, from each subject on each system were selected for analysis. Mechanical WOB was estimated by integrating Ppl with respect to VT. The conventional continuous-flow system was associated with a high work/breath relative to the other systems (p less than .001). The weighted reservoir system was associated with a significantly lower work/breath (p less than .001), its performance approaching that of the Servo 900B. Work/breath was least with the Servo 900C (p less than .001). As breathing frequency was higher with the demand valve than continuous-flow systems (p less than .001), the difference in work/time was minimal between the weighted reservoir bag and demand-valve systems. These systems were all associated with significantly (p less than .001) lower work/time than the conventional system at both FGF.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Blood cell values in healthy Hong Kong Chinese adults.

Haemoglobin concentration and other blood cell indices were determined in a Coulter counter (Model S-Sr) in order to establish a reference range for healthy Hong Kong Chinese adults. The mean values for all the blood cell indices were significantly higher (P less than 0.0005) in males than in females, except for MCHC where there was no difference. In males, there was a statistically significant age-related decrease in RBC counts and Hb concentration, whereas MCV showed a statistically significant increase with age. The WBC counts also showed a statistically significant increase with age. In females, however, all the blood cell indices remained relatively unchanged up to 70 years of age, after which there was a drop in the RBC counts (P less than 0.01), PVC (P less than 0.05) and Hb concentration, the latter not reaching statistical significance. The MCH, however, increased after 70 years of age (P less than 0.05). The reference ranges derived for healthy Hong Kong Chinese adults are of a similar order of magnitude to those already published.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Evaluation of the use of visual analogue scale in Chinese patients.

The linear analogue score can be used in Chinese patients with relative accuracy provided it has been well explained. The error from employing a vertical presentation is significantly less than that from a horizontal one. The choice of upward or downward orientation is a matter of convenience. Younger patients and those with higher intelligence are quicker to understand the concept and can make better judgement in placing a mark where they wish it to be. A linear analogue scale seems to be a suitable method to record and study pain in a Chinese population.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Geographical and socio-economic variations in ischaemic heart disease in men in Hong Kong.

Variations in Ischaemic Heart Disease mortality in men in Hong Kong were analysed using registered deaths from 1976 to 1981 and the 1981 Census population, and earlier years. Age-specific rates in Hong Kong as a whole are lower than in Britain and in the USA and have changed relatively little over the past ten years. Standardised Mortality Ratios (SMRs) for districts, Proportional Mortality Ratios (PMRs) for occupations, and Direct Age-Standardized Mortality rates were calculated, using the whole of Hong Kong in 1981 as the standard. In 1981 the SMRs for the affluent districts were significantly high while the SMRs of the most rural areas were significantly low. Although the affluent districts had high proportions of non-Chinese deaths, these were not sufficient to explain the high SMRs. In affluent districts there were high proportions of professional, administrative and managerial workers who had significantly high PMRs for Ischaemic Heart Disease. The district SMRs were positively correlated with the proportions of these workers. The conclusion is that in Hong Kong in 1981, higher levels of socio-economic status were associated with higher levels of Ischaemic Heart Disease in men. Further studies are being made, and attention will be paid in risk-factor studies to areas and population groups with higher risks.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1984

Mortality from nasopharyngeal carcinoma and occupation in men in Hong Kong from 1976-81.

A study of deaths from Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (NPC) among males in Hong Kong from the years 1976 to 1981 was conducted. Variations in NPC mortality among different occupational groups were investigated. The average death rate from NPC among males was 14 per 100,000 in the past ten years which is among the highest in the world. Comparisons using age specific mortality rates and direct age standardized mortality rates between occupational groups revealed increasingly high mortality in agricultural and fishery occupations (p less than 0.01), and being lowest among administrative occupations (p less than 0.05). The ten highest proportional mortality ratios for occupations were calculated and showed significantly high ratios among fishermen, plumbers, welders and fitters. The paper reviewed and discussed the possible reasons for these findings.

Adolescent↗