Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A N Exton-Smith

Publications and source records attributed to A N Exton-Smith.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1977

Accidental hypothermia and impaired temperature homoeostasis in the elderly.

A longitudinal study of the age-related decline in thermoregulatory capacity was made in 47 elderly people to try to identify those at risk from spontaneous hypothermia. During the winters of 1971-2 and 1975-6 environmental and body temperature profiles were obtained in the home, and thermoregulatory function was investigated by cooling and warming tests. Environmental temperature and socioeconomic conditions had not changed but the body core-shell temperature gradients were smaller in 1976, indicating progressive thermoregulatory impairment. People at risk of developing hypothermia also seem to have low resting peripheral blood flows, a nonconstrictor pattern of vasomotor response to cold, and a higher incidence of orthostatic hypotension.

Aged↗
PubMed1977

Falls in the elderly related to postural imbalance.

Two hundred and forty-three elderly people aged 60 to 96 years were questioned about their falls, and their sway was measured. For comparison sway was also measured in 63 younger subjects. Sway increased with age and was higher in women at all ages. There was no difference in sway between those with no history of falls and those who fell only because of tripping. In both sexes sway was significantly increases in people who fell because of loss of balance and in women whose falls were due to giddiness, drop attacks, turning the head, and rising from bed or a chair. This suggests that there is a physiological decline in postural control with advancing age and also a decline due to disease of the central nervous system.

Accidents, Home↗
PubMed1976

Disorders of bone and fracture of the femoral neck. Evaluation of computer image analysis in diagnosis.

The quantity of bone and osteoid has been measured in undecalcified sections of iliac-crest biopsy specimens taken from patients with fracture of the femoral neck. A control group of bone samples was obtained from post-mortem material. The 'Quantimet 720' image-analysing computer system was used to measure the area of bone and osteoid. An eye-piece graticule was used to measure the proportion of bone-surfaces covered with osteoid, and there was good correlation between the results obtained by these two methods. Little difference was found between the proportion of bone in the fracture and control groups, but the fracture group contained many more individuals with an increased proportion of trabecular osteoid measured with the quantimet and of osteoid-covered surfaces measured with an eyepiece graticule.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1976

Factors predicting mortality in the elderly in the community.

Factors which best predict mortality within five years have been examined in a random community sample of 852 people over 65. Apart from sex, multiple-regression analysis shows the best predictive factors to be higher age and the occurrence of proteinuria in both sexes. In men, low vitamin c intake and an unfavourable clinician's assessment of the subject's health were also significant predictors. In women, whether the subject was housebound, the diagnoses of stroke and of diabetes and a low serum pyridoxine were additional adverse factors. The findings regarding low vitamin C intake in men and low serum pyridoxine levels in women should be regarded with caution. The former appears unlikely to represent a true vitamin deficiency effect and whilst the latter might, the evidence is no more than suggestive and further confirmatory studies are required.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1976

Sweat responses in the aged.

The sweating responses to thermal stimulation and to the intradermal injection of acetyl choline or methacholine were measured in 28 men and 18 women aged 70 and over and were compared with the responses in young control subjects of both sexes. There was found to be a marked reduction in the sweating activity of the majority of aged men in comparison with the younger age groups and the body temperature threshold for the onset of sweating was increased. The reduced response and elevated threshold were even more pronounced in aged females. There is considerable variability in response in different subjects and at different bodily sites. Impairment of thermoregulatory function due to diminished or absent sweating is thought to be one of the factors responsible for increased mortality in the elderly population during heat-waves.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed1973

Body temperatures in the elderly: a national study of physiological, social, and environmental conditions.

Two large-scale surveys of body temperatures in elderly people living at home were carried out in the winter of 1972. Most of the homes visited were cold with room temperatures below the minimum recommended by the Department of Health. Deep body temperatures below 35.5 degrees C were found in 10% of those studied, and the difference between the skin temperature and the core temperature was also reduced in this group. Such individuals are at risk of developing hypothermia since they show evidence of some degree of thermoregulatory failure. Further research is needed, but meanwhile there are practical measures that could be taken to reduce the risk of hypothermia in the elderly.

Age Factors↗