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At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

A quantitative test for xerostomia. The Saxon test, an oral equivalent of the Schirmer test.

We describe a simple, reproducible, and low-cost test for xerostomia, which involves chewing on a folded sterile sponge for 2 minutes. Saliva production is quantitated by weighing the sponge before and after chewing. Normal control subjects produced greater than or equal to 2.75 gm of saliva in 2 minutes. Three of 32 consecutive, unselected outpatients in allergy-immunology clinics and 9 of 38 patients in rheumatology clinics had decreased saliva production, which was significantly different compared with controls (P less than 0.01). The presence of sicca symptoms was highly correlated with quantitatively abnormal tear and saliva production, according to the results of the Saxon and Schirmer's tests.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Erythrocyte unsaturated fatty acid test (E-UFA test): a biological test to detect optic neuritis as initial feature of multiple sclerosis.

Retrobulbar optic neuritis, though suspicious is not always considered as a possible onset of MS. For this reason we submitted to the E-UFA (erythrocyte unsaturated fatty acid) test, 41 subjects who suffered from one or several episodes of retrobulbar optic neuritis with no other neurological signs. The test was positive in 14 subjects (34, 1%).

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Comparison of new alcohol use test, the Helsinki Alcohol Use Test questionnaire, and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test and laboratory markers serum gamma-glutamyl transferase and carbohydrate-deficient transferrin.

The purpose of the present study was to compare and evaluate the new Helsinki Alcohol Use Test (HAUT) and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) as screening instrument in the general working population. The relationship between the HAUT and serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), and carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) was also evaluated. Our results seem to indicate that the HAUT has good performance as screening instrument for alcohol-related problems in the general population.

Alcohol Drinking↗
PubMed1990

Historical estimates of external gamma exposure and collective external gamma exposure from testing at the Nevada Test Site. II. Test series after Hardtack II, 1958, and summary.

The historical data on the cumulative individual external gamma exposures are tabulated for communities around the Nevada Test Site for the time periods of 1961 to the signing of the Limited Test Ban Treaty on 5 August 1963, and from then until 1975. The collective exposures during the two time periods are calculated to be 610 and 320 person-R, respectively. The total collective external gamma exposure from 1951 through 1975 for these communities s calculated to be 86,000 person-R. The area considered includes the countries of Clark, Lincoln, Nye, and White Pine in Nevada and the countries of Iron and Washington in Utah; inclusion of Salt Lake City would have substantially increased the calculated collective exposure because of the large population. The methods of calculation are reviewed. Also, the historical data on the assessment of dose via ingestion are reviewed with emphasis on the dose to the thyroid of infants living in St. George, UT, at the time of fallout from event HARRY on 19 May 1953.

Environmental Exposure↗
PubMed2006

Case-Control study of Firefighters with documented positive tuberculin skin test results using Quantiferon-TB testing in comparison with Firefighters with negative tuberculin skin test results.

BACKGROUND: Phoenix Firefighters have had abnormally high rates of tuberculin skin test (TBST) results on medical surveillance. The objectives of this study were to evaluate our firefighters using QuantiFERON-TB (QFT), comparing the results to their TBST results. METHODS: Using QFT results obtained during the study, we compared previously positive TBST responders (Cases) to negative responders (Controls). We also compared both groups for QFT results for Mycobacterium avium (MA) exposure. RESULTS: QFT effectively monitored our working population. 12.9% of the 148 cases, and 3.2% of the 220 controls had a positive QFT result. Another 14.8% of cases and 4.5% of controls had conditionally positive QFT results. There was an unusually high rate of MA response on QFT testing in both groups. CONCLUSION: Phoenix Firefighters have a higher than expected TBST and QFT results, which cannot be explained by the increased MA rate. The decreased level of QFT positivity in comparison to TBST results may indicate a considerable false positive TBST rate. The QFT offers many advantages as a surveillance method over TBST in exposed worker populations.

Journal Article↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Confirmatory test results on milk from commercial sources that tested positive by beta-lactam antibiotics screening tests.

Fifty-four milk samples from commercial sources that tested positive for beta-lactam antibiotics were analyzed by a multiresidue liquid chromatographic (LC) procedure based on LC fractionation. Penicillin G and cephapirin were the beta-lactam antibiotics found most frequently. Some samples did not contain detectable beta-lactam antibiotics. In a few, the presence of a beta-lactam antibiotic was suspected because certain LC fractions tested positive for antimicrobial activity, which was no longer present in a replicate treated with beta-lactamase. However, the unknowns could not be identified by LC analysis.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

[Electronystagmography of sudden head impulses (head-only impulsive rotational testing, head thrust test, head impulse test)].

The basis of the head-thrust test is when a head thrust is done in the horizontal plane, the ipsilateral semicircular canal is the only which gets the gaze stabilization, being the other HSC completely inhibited. In this paper are investigated the ENG records according the test and analyzed the main parameters obtained. As conclusion we admit that the main parameters are the compensating ocular movements amplitude and their latencies.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Inhaled Nitric Oxide as a Preoperative Test (INOP Test I): the INOP Test Study Group.

BACKGROUND: This study was performed to determine whether a preoperative hemodynamic evaluation with oxygen and inhaled nitric oxide identifies patients with pulmonary hypertension who are appropriate candidates for corrective cardiac surgery or transplantation more accurately than an evaluation with oxygen alone. METHODS AND RESULTS: At 10 institutions, 124 patients with heart disease and severe pulmonary hypertension underwent cardiac catheterization to determine operability. The ratio of pulmonary and systemic vascular resistance (Rp:Rs) was determined at baseline while breathing approximately 21% to 30% oxygen, and in approximately 100% oxygen and approximately 100% oxygen with 10 to 80 parts per million nitric oxide to evaluate pulmonary vascular reactivity. Surgery was performed in 74 patients. Twelve patients died or developed right heart failure secondary to pulmonary hypertension following surgery. Rp:Rs<0.33 and a 20% decrease in Rp:Rs from baseline were chosen as 2 criteria for operability to determine, in retrospect, the efficacy of preoperative testing in patient selection. In comparison to an evaluation with oxygen alone, sensitivity (64% versus 97%) and accuracy (68% versus 90%) were increased by an evaluation with oxygen and nitric oxide when Rp:Rs<0.33 was used as the criterion for operability. Specificity was only 8% when a 20% decrease in Rp:Rs from baseline was used as the criterion for operability. CONCLUSION: By using a combination of oxygen and inhaled nitric oxide, a greater number of appropriate candidates for corrective cardiac surgery or transplantation can be identified during preoperative testing when a specific value of Rp:Rs is used as a criterion for operability.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed1987

[Value of cellular immunity tests (lymphocyte transformation test and leukocyte migration test) in the detection of sensitivity to drugs].

We studied degranulation of human basophils (HBDT), lymphoblast transformation and leucocyte migration in 8 cases of patients who were sensitive to penicillin (type 1 hypersensitization of the Gell and Coombes classification). The HBDT was negative in 7 of the cases, whilst the lymphoblast transformation and leucocyte migration tests were positive in 6 cases and negative in 2. These latter tests are more efficient than HBDT in the detection of human sensitization to penicillin.

Cell Migration Inhibition↗
PubMed1981

[The hydrocortisone test (400 mg hydrocortisone test) for the study of the "recirculating" lymphocyte population. Tests of patients with lymphoproliferative diseases and solid neoplasms].

The hydrocortisone test has been performed on 20 patients with lymphoproliferative disease (MH, LNH, CLL, MM, BMG) and 12 patients with solid neoplasm to study the "recirculating" lymphocytic population (mainly T lymphocytes with "helper" function). Therefore, as proposed by Fauci and Dale, we counted the basal venous blood lymphocytes in the morning after fasting and then 4 h after the administration of hydrocortisone 400 mg. While the test did not appear to be statistically modified in patients with solid neoplasms as compared to normal controls, it appears particularly compromised in lymphoproliferative diseases, but with different values in each disease. The results are discussed on the basis of lymphocytic kinetic data.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Photopatch testing: the 12-year experience of the German, Austrian, and Swiss photopatch test group.

BACKGROUND: In 1984, the German, Austrian, and Swiss Photopatch Test Group was founded to standardize the photopatch test procedure and to investigate photoallergic reactions, as well as the epidemiology of photoallergy, in central Europe. Therefore in a first test period from 1985-1990, 32 test substances were applied on the backs of patients suspected to be photosensitive. After evaluation of these data, some substances were dismissed, and others were additionally integrated into the test tray. Thus a modified test tray comprising 26 test substances was used for the second test period (1991-1997). OBJECTIVE: According to the standard photopatch test procedure defined in the first test period, the aim of this multicenter study was to apply compounds from the modified second test tray to a large group of photosensitive patients. After evaluation of the second test period (1991-1997), the outcome was compared with the results of the first period. On the basis of these results and influenced by concurrently published case reports, a third modified photopatch test tray has been established. METHODS: After the application of a duplicate test tray for 24 hours, one test site was irradiated with 10 J/cm(2) UVA, and the other test site served as the control area. Readings were performed immediately and 24, 48, and 72 hours after irradiation. Test reactions were qualitatively graded according to a 4-point scale and classified by the investigators of the participating centers. In 49 participating clinics 1261 photopatch tests were performed. All data were subjected to computer-assisted analysis by using a specially developed software to classify all positive test reactions as plain contact or photoinduced reactions (nonspecific, toxic, or allergic photoreactions) and to define substance-specific reaction patterns. RESULTS: In test period 1 data of 1129 patients were evaluated. From 2859 positive test reactions, 28.6% were excluded as plain contact reactions, 71.4% were found to be photoinduced reactions, and 3.8% were classified as photoallergic. In test period 2 data of 1261 patients were evaluated. One thousand four hundred fifteen positive test reactions were observed, and of these, 28.7% were excluded as plain contact reactions, 71.3% were classified as photoinduced reactions, and 8.1% were classified as photoallergic reactions. In both test periods nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, disinfectants, and phenothiazines represented the leading photoallergens in the evaluated central European region. By using computer-assisted reaction pattern analysis, substance-specific reaction patterns could be distinguished. These substance-specific reaction patterns comprised 4 main categories: the well-known decrescendo (phototoxic) and crescendo (photoallergic) reaction patterns, as well as a combined and a plateau pattern. CONCLUSION: The test modification after the first test period led to a notably reduced number of positive (mainly nonphotoallergic and thus nonrelevant) test reactions per patient in the second test period (from 2.6 to 1.1). In contrast, the percentage of photoallergic reactions increased significantly from 3.8% to 8.1% of all positive test reactions. Test modifications after the first test period led to a remarkably improved specificity of the photopatch test. Furthermore, substance-specific reaction patterns observed in test period 1 were confirmed in test period 2.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

The bear-hug test: a new and sensitive test for diagnosing a subscapularis tear.

PURPOSE: It was our intent to devise a new clinical test that would more accurately diagnose subscapularis tears than the current clinical tests. This new test is called the bear-hug test. The purpose of this study was to assess the bear-hug test and compare it with the current tests of subscapularis function (lift-off, belly-press, and Napoleon tests). METHODS: Between January 2004 and March 2004, 68 consecutive patients scheduled for an arthroscopic procedure were evaluated preoperatively; the preoperative clinical examination findings were then correlated with arthroscopic findings. Lift-off, belly-press, Napoleon, and bear-hug tests were included in the examination. Furthermore, for the belly-press and bear-hug tests, the strength was precisely quantified by means of an electronic digital tensiometer (Kern HBC). Diagnostic arthroscopy was the reference that determined the actual pathologic lesions. RESULTS: Subscapularis tears occurred with a prevalence rate of 29.4%. Of the subscapularis tears, 40% were not predicted by preoperative assessment by use of all of the tests. The bear-hug test was found to be the most sensitive test (60%) of all of those studied (belly-press test, 40%; Napoleon test, 25%; and lift-off test, 17.6%). In contrast, all 4 tests had a high specificity (lift-off test, 100%; Napoleon test, 97.9%; belly-press test, 97.9%; and bear-hug test, 91.7%). No statistically significant difference was found between the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the bear-hug test and that of the belly-press test in diagnosing a torn subscapularis. However, the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve for both the bear-hug test and the belly-press test were significantly greater than those for the lift-off and Napoleon tests (P < .05). Positive bear-hug and belly-press tests suggest a tear of at least 30% of the subscapularis, whereas a positive Napoleon test indicates that greater than 50% of the subscapularis is torn. Furthermore, a positive lift-off test is not found until at least 75% of the subscapularis is torn. CONCLUSIONS: The bear-hug test optimizes the chance of detecting a tear of the upper part of the subscapularis tendon. Moreover, because the bear-hug test represents the most sensitive test, it can be considered to be the most likely clinical test to alert the surgeon to a possible subscapularis tear. Performing all of the subscapularis tests is useful in predicting the size of the tear. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level I, diagnostic study: testing of previously developed criteria in a series of consecutive patients with arthroscopy used as the criterion standard.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Test-retest reliability and influence of practice effects on performance in a multi-user computerized psychometric test system for use in clinical pharmacological studies.

Fifty naive drug-free healthy young male or female volunteers performed psychometric tests on 6 sessions with 3- to 4-days intervals, using a new multi-user computerized test system for use in clinical pharmacology. Tests of simple reaction time, complex reaction time, concentration, motor coordination, and short-term memory (word pairs or figures) were performed. Clear practice effects were shown for almost every psychometric variable recorded. The magnitude differed considerably between tests. The magnitude of practice effects was most evident (46.5-55.0%) for the concentration test, the coordination test, and the Vienna reaction test. Intermediate practice effects (20.8-31.0%) were observed with the complex reaction test (percent correct reactions) and both short-term memory tests (test duration). Only small practice effects (5.1-14.3%) were observed with the reaction times of the simple and the complex reaction test, and the percent correct responses in the short-term memory tests. After 3 test sessions, significant further improvements could not be shown for most tests, but for the reaction times in the simple and the complex reaction test this was true from the first or the second test session, respectively. For the concentration test and the coordination test, significant practice effects could be shown even after 5 training sessions. It is recommended to perform at least one training session before the start of clinical pharmacological studies with psychometric testing. Test-retest-reliability, as determined from session 5 to session 6 by Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (R8), was very good (> or = 0.95) for the concentration test (percent correct responses) and the coordination test (mean steering time). Most other variables showed intermediate (0.44-0.68) reliability (reaction times in the simple and complex reaction test, percent correct reactions in the complex reaction test, percent errors in the concentration test, test duration of the short-term memory tests). The percent correct answers, which is the primary variable in both short-term memory tests, had a relatively poor reliability (0.14-0.18).

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Comparing the adrenaline-Pirquet test with international PPD tuberculin tests.

Several tuberculins, strengths and setting methods are in everyday use. We wanted to compare the Norwegian reference adrenaline Pirquet test with the internationally recommended Mantoux PPD test and Rhoditest. In responders of a random sample of young adults, with randomization of test subjects, we intra-individually compared the adrenaline-Pirquet (aP) test with Norwegian-produced synthetic medium tuberculin (SMT) with either the Mantoux test with PPD 2 tuberculin units (TU) (M2), the Mantoux-PPD 5 TU (M5) or the PPD 2 TU-Rhoditest (Rh). The criteria for a positive reaction were > or = 4mm for the aP test, > or = 10 mm for the M2 test, > or = 6 mm for the M5 test and > or = 2 mm for the Rh test. Strongly positive reactions were defined as aP test > or = 10 mm and M2/M5 test > or = 15 mm. One of the tuberculin tests was positive while the comparison test was negative in 14% of the M2 test group (n = 236), 15% in the M5 test group (n = 162) and 20% in the Rh test group (n = 187). The three PPD tests had positive reactions 3-10 times as often, with a simultaneous negative aP test, than vice versa. Strongly positive reactions occurred in 7% of the aP tests (> or = 10 mm), 32% of the M2 tests (> or = 15 mm) and in 41% of the M5 tests (> or = 15 mm). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves gave the best agreement, with aP test >3mm compared with the M2 and the Rh tests. Regression equations are presented for transformations of the Norwegian reference method of adrenaline-Pirquet results to internationally recommended PPD tests. The international recommendations, globalization in general and the skill of Norwegian public health nurses in performing intra-dermal BCG suggest a future shift to the PPD 2 TU Mantoux test in Norway. Due to the lack of sensitivity and specificity of all tuberculin tests they might be used in targeted tuberculin testing and not as a general screening procedure in a low-incidence tuberculosis area with BCG-vaccinated inhabitants.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

[Immunodiagnostic studies in ovarian cancer using the leukocyte adherence inhibition test (LAI test). 1. Detection of cellular sensitization of peripheral blood lymphocytes using the LAI test].

34 patients with histological assured ovarian cancer were investigated with the direct chamber LAI-assay according to Halliday and Miller. As antigens we used KCl-extracts of ovarian cancer, fetal tissue and four other tumor associated antigens, A sensitivity of lymphocytes to ovarian cancer antigens (OCA) and fetal antigens (FA) was detected in the malignant group with significant differences p less than 0.0005 to the control group. The accuracy for OCA was 86% respectively 82% for FA. The LAI-assay has additional value for diagnosing of ovarian cancer. Difficulties in interpreting the individual LAI-assays results as well as false positive tests in the control group are discussed.

Adult↗