Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A Gregor

Publications and source records attributed to A Gregor.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMed1979

Radiographic progression of asbestosis: preliminary report.

In a collaborative study with the Pneumoconiosis Medical Panel, 232 asbestos workers were seen between 1967 and 1975. During this time, 50 of the 232 (21.5%) workers dies, 33 (13.8%) from respiratory disease probably related to asbestos exposure [10 (4.3%) pleural mesothelioma, three (1.3%) peritoneal mesothelioma, 10 (4.3%) asbestosis, 10 (4.3%) carcinoma of the lung]. Of the 182 survirors, 119 were recalled for other studies, and follow-up data were obtained as additional information at the same time, over a 1--7 year period. Paired radiographs were read, and 21 patients (17.6%) had worsened. As expected, the frequency of progression increased with a longer follow-up time, so that about one third of the subjects displayed progression after a minimum follow-up of 6 years. Ten of 73 patients (13.6%) had progressed in 3 years or less and may be defined as rapid progressors. No particular clinical feature distinguished clearly between progressors and nonprogressors, but there was a trend toward a greater frequency and higher titer of ANA among the progressors in this group. There was also a higher frequency of progression in those who were initially classified radiographically as 1/1 of 1/2 than in those with other initial radiographic appearances. This pilot study is now forming the basis for a larger, longer-term comprehensive survey.

Antibodies, Antinuclear↗
PubMed1979

Small cell carcinoma: combined approach to treatment.

Fifty-six patients with untreated small cell carcinoma of the bronchus were treated with three courses of chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and procarbazine and methotrexate) and assessed for response. Thirty-one patients (55.4%) were classified as responders; they were given a course of radiotherapy and were then randomly allocated to continued cyclical chemotherapy or not further chemotherapy until relapse. Non-responders to chemotherapy were treated with radiotherapy or palliatively. The median survival was 10.5 months in responders and 6 months in non-responders (P less than 0.01). The one-year survival in responders was 42%. There was no statistical difference in survival between patients treated with continued chemotherapy and those treated at relapse. Sixty-nine per cent of patients experienced no side effects from chemotherapy. Three indicators of non-response to chemotherapy were identified--exercise tolerance at diagnosis, macroscopic liver metastases, and inappropriate ADH secretion.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

The role of histocompatibility (HLA) antigens in asbestosis.

Histocompatibility antigens on the A, B and C loci have been studied in 172 asbestos workers, 92 of whom had radiographic evidence of asbestosis and 80 of whom had normal radiographs. Within each population, 77 were selected who matched for age, sex, duration from first exposure, duration of exposure and approximate heaviness of exposure. Results were also compared with 174 normal unexposed volunteers. No differences of statistical significance were found in the frequency of histocompatibility antigens tested when the matched or the total population of asbestos workers with and without asbestosis were compared. There was, however, a consistent trend of increase in B27 amongst those with asbestosis (11%) and this reached conventional significance (P < 0.05) when the 92 asbestotics were compared with the whole group having normal radiographs (asbestos workers 5.0% and volunteers 5.2%). Amongst the group having asbestosis, those with HLA-B27 had a significantly shorter exposure to the dust (13.5 years) compared with those without asbestosis (22.3 years), although the mean radiographic profusion score for the two categories was similar. No statistical differences could be found when B5, B8 and B12 were analysed in a similar way, but there was a trend suggesting that B5 was less frequent amongst a small group of cases showing radiographic progression over a three-year follow-up, compatible with the suggestion that this antigen might be linked with with some protective effect.

Asbestos↗