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Biomedical subjects

A B Price

Publications and source records attributed to A B Price.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Effect of vertical banded gastroplasty on the natural history of gastritis in patients with morbid obesity: a follow-up study.

Vertical banded gastroplasty is an accepted surgical treatment for morbid obesity. The aim of this study was to evaluate its effect on the natural history of gastritis, as the occurrence of gastritis and dysplasia have been reported after gastric bypass, another type of bariatric surgery. Thirty-four patients who underwent vertical banded gastroplasty between 1983 and 1987 were studied, and the follow-up varied from 1 to 47 months (mean 22 months). We found no increase of gastritis and intestinal metaplasia after surgery, and we did not observe any case of gastric dysplasia. Only one patient with pre- and postoperative specimens showed a deterioration in gastric histology after surgery, and this was of a minor degree. These initial results are encouraging for surgeons interested in the treatment of morbid obesity.

Adult↗

Clinicopathological features of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug-induced small intestinal strictures.

The clinicopathological features in 4 patients are described where nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs appear to have caused small intestinal strictures. Two patients had rheumatoid arthritis and 2 patients had osteoarthritis; all had received nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs for 1.5-30 yr. Three patients had an initial illness characterized by diarrhea, profound weight loss, and hypoalbuminemia. Intestinal radiology at this stage ranged from subtle changes to those of Crohn's disease. Three patients underwent surgery. At operation the bland external appearance contrasted with the striking mucosal appearances of multiple concentric, circumferential, diaphragmatic strictures that caused luminal stenosis to a pinhole. These septa were due to submucosal fibrosis and the histopathological picture appears to represent a new nosological entity.

Adult↗

Observer variation in the assessment of dysplasia in ulcerative colitis.

Six histopathologists allocated 100 sections from patients with long-standing ulcerative colitis into four diagnostic categories, regular hyperplasia, reactive atypia, low-grade and high-grade dysplasia. Their allocations were analysed using kappa statistics, including Fleiss's multiple kappa for groups of observers, and agreement on specific diagnoses was explored by constructing a conditional probability matrix. The nature of their disagreements was investigated using coefficients for systematic and haphazard errors. Over the four diagnostic categories there was a wide range of pairwise agreement from a low of 49% up to 72% and kappa values were only 'fair' or 'moderate'. As expected, agreement over the two categories 'dysplasia' vs 'no dysplasia' was better, ranging from 68% to 84%, and for 'atypia present' (reactive atypia, low- and high-grade dysplasia) vs "no atypia' two pairings achieved over 90% and 11 pairings over 80% agreement. In view of its clinical importance, conditional agreement on high-grade dysplasia, pairwise agreement on this diagnosis ranged from 100% down to as low as 33%. However, most of these disagreements fell into the low-grade dysplasia category so that closer follow-up and further biopsies would still have been indicated. It is a truism that the basis for safe management is careful co-operation between clinicians and pathologists who have all the relevant facts and who know and trust one another's judgement. Thus, several aspects of the ideal diagnostic process cannot be evaluated in inter-observer studies and the element of artificiality should be borne in mind when applying the findings to diagnostic practice. Nevertheless, the low level of agreement on the diagnosis of high-grade dysplasia achieved by certain pairings of specialist pathologists is a disturbing outcome of this study. Inaccuracies should be minimized by a concensus approach and we therefore recommend referral of putative cases of dysplasia to interested pathologists for further opinions. We would also advocate that pathologists faced with appearances which are indefinite between reactive atypia and dysplasia, would do better to describe them in terms of "atypia, significance uncertain', so that closer surveillance is undertaken, rather than force them into more precise diagnostic categories which may be incorrect.

Colitis, Ulcerative↗

Diaphragm disease: pathology of disease of the small intestine induced by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Operative small bowel resection specimens received over a period of 16 years were reviewed to assess whether any intestinal disease could be directly attributed to the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID). Seven cases of intestinal disease associated with the use of NSAID were identified, all of which occurred in the final six years of the survey, which may reflect the increasing use of these compounds. A spectrum of patterns was found from multiple pathognomonic ileal mucosal diaphragms to broad strictures similar to those seen as a complication of enteric potassium. It seems likely that the formation of diaphragm lesions requires an additional factor, but what is not known as yet is whether the effects of NSAID are local or systemic.

Adult↗

Histological aspects of Campylobacter pylori colonisation and infection of gastric and duodenal mucosa.

The main features of the histopathology of Campylobacter pylori-associated gastritis are reviewed. The organism is strongly associated with the Type B pattern of chronic gastritis. It colonizes the abnormal antrum and is not usually seen on the normal mucosa. However it fails to colonize the abnormal antrum in the Type A gastritis of pernicious anaemia. When present in the duodenum it is in conjunction with severe duodenitis and gastric metaplasia. Although the organisms are present in over 70% of patients with peptic ulcer disease care must still be taken with identification, as other gastric spiral organisms can be present that are not Campylobacters.

Campylobacter↗

Tendon implantation into bone: an experimental study.

We report the results of an experimental study to investigate the mechanical properties and histological structure of the tendon-bone junction following surgical implantation of tendon into bone in the rabbit. The results following tendon transfer and tendon grafting were compared. The normal four-zone tendon junction was not reproduced histologically, in either group. After 20 weeks, the mechanical strength of the tendon transfers had reached 60% of the controls and that of the tendon grafts 20% of the controls. Microangiography demonstrated that these differences were not related to the vascularisation of the tendon bone junction. The mechanical properties of the tendon-bone junction may be dependent more on the functional state of the implanted tendon than on its structure.

Animals↗

Clostridium difficile--a spectrum of virulence and analysis of putative virulence determinants in the hamster model of antibiotic-associated colitis.

Each of nine different toxigenic strains of Clostridium difficile was administered orally to groups of hamsters pre-treated with clindamycin and housed individually in sterile isolator boxes. Faecal pellets and caecal contents from well, diarrhoeic, moribund and freshly dead animals were analysed for C. difficile and toxins A (enterotoxin) and B (cytotoxin), and tissue obtained when animals were killed was examined histologically. Not all strains were equally virulent in this model. Four strains of C. difficile killed all animals within 48 h and are designated as highly virulent for hamsters. These strains were clinical isolates from three cases of disease in man and one case in a hamster. Five strains caused death of some animals but only after 5 and upt to 13 days and are designated as less virulent for hamsters. These strains were isolated from asymptomatic infants (2) and household pets (2), and from the environment (1). The surviving test hamsters were killed after 14 days and, in most cases, were colonised by C. difficile, though levels of toxins A and B in caecal contents were low. None of the cultures used for challenge was capsulate or hydrophobic. There was no correlation between virulence and production of toxins A and B in vitro in tryptic-nitrate broth. With two strains examined, there was a correlation between virulence and toxin A (but not toxin B) production in caecal emulsions derived from clindamycin pre-treated hamsters. Caecal contents from the majority of moribund and freshly dead animals had quantities of toxin A sufficient to cause disease or death if given orogastrically. Toxin B was not produced in a fixed ratio with toxin A. The data support the view that high virulence of C. difficile is determined by efficient disease-inducing colonisation of the gut and the ability to generate, rapidly, high levels of toxin A in vivo.

Animals↗

The pathogenesis and consequence of non steroidal anti-inflammatory drug induced small intestinal inflammation in man.

Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID's) have recently been shown to cause small intestinal inflammation in the majority of patients receiving these on a regular basis for more than one year. The development of inflammation is preceded by an NSAID effect to increase small intestinal permeability. Increased intestinal permeability is shown to be related to drug potency to inhibit cyclooxygenase and the effect is systemically mediated rather than a local irritant one. More recently, increased intestinal permeability due to NSAID's has been reduced by concomitant prostaglandin administration, showing that prostaglandins are essential for maintaining intestinal integrity in man. It is proposed that altered intestinal permeability allows the mucosa to be exposed to bacterial degradation products or other toxins and together with reduced chemotaxic response and altered neutrophil function due to NSAID's, this series of events leads to bacterial invasion of the mucosa which is evident by the techniques of 111Indium leucocyte scans and faecal collections. The consequence of such inflammation is that it may explain intestinal perforations and strictures which are occasionally seen in subjects on NSAID's. Most patients with NSAID-induced small intestinal inflammation may be bleeding from the intestine, loosing protein and some have ileal dysfunction. The small intestine may be a greater source of morbidity than the stomach, in patients receiving NSAID's.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal↗

Is Entamoeba histolytica in homosexual men a pathogen?

Entamoeba histolytica (EH) in homosexual men is generally considered to be pathogenic. To test this hypothesis, the generally accepted features of invasion (haematophagous trophozoites in faeces; high-titre serum antibody; moderate to severe acute inflammatory change; and presence of EH in the mucosa on rectal biopsy) and the zymodeme pattern of cultured trophozoites were assessed in twenty-three EH excretors and eleven control homosexual men. No trophozoites or antibody to EH were found in either group. When other pathogens were excluded, no patient in either group had severe, acute histopathological proctitis. Moderately severe change was seen in 38% of EH excretors and 18% of controls (not significant). All the zymodemes were non-pathogenic. Successful eradication of EH did not result in even a trend towards normalisation of the moderate inflammatory histopathology. There are, therefore, no data here to suggest that EH is a pathogen in homosexual men.

Adult↗

The relation of birthweight to histological appearances in vessels of the placental bed.

Biopsy of the placental bed was attempted at caesarean section in 109 patients: 77 consecutive and 32 selected because of the maternal or fetal condition. Forty-seven (44%) of these biopsies were from the placental bed and contained spiral arteries suitable for comment. Histological examination separated the patients into four groups: comprising 11 whose vessels showed normal physiological changes, 20 who showed inadequate physiological change, 12 with acute atherosis, and four with a mixed pattern. There was no relation between these changes and maternal age, parity, race or smoking habit, but no physiological change and atherosis were more common in association with maternal hypertension. Mean adjusted birthweight was greatest in those with physiological changes, less in those without physiological changes or the mixed pattern, and least in those with atherosis. The four patients in the mixed group did not have any unifying clinical characteristics.

Arteries↗

The relation between plasma urate and placental bed vascular adaptation to pregnancy.

Placental bed biopsies were obtained at caesarean section from 34 women. Their plasma urate was directly related to maximum mean arterial pressure and inversely to adjusted birthweight; but it was related most closely to the histological appearances of the spiral arteries in the placental bed. Nine women had physiological changes in the spiral arteries: their mean urate (233, SD 28.9 mumol/l) was significantly (P less than 0.001) lower than the mean urate in those who did not have adequate physiological changes (339, SD 90.3 mumol/l) or that in the nine women who had atherosis (397, SD 153.2 mumol/l). Raised plasma urate appears to be better related to maternal vascular pathology than to the clinical condition or infant birthweight.

Arteries↗

Megaloblastic anaemia in a vegetarian Hindu community.

138 Indian patients with megaloblastic haemopoiesis were studied. All were lifelong vegetarians. The diagnosis was nutritional cobalamin deficiency in 95 and pernicious anaemia in 20; only 4 patients had folate deficiency. A third had intestinal malabsorption, 20 had features of osteomalacia, and 87 were iron deficient. Tuberculosis was diagnosed in 17. Cobalamin deficiency may have contributed to these complications via intestinal malabsorption and impaired bacterial killing of phagocytosed bacilli by cobalamin-deficient macrophages. The frequency of pernicious anaemia was the same in Indian subjects as in Caucasians.

Absorption↗