Biomedical subjects

A Senthilselvan

Publications and source records attributed to A Senthilselvan.

49 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

PubMed1990

A model for determining immunogenic relationships between avian infectious bronchitis viruses.

A model for determining immunogenic relationships between strains of infectious bronchitis virus is described that is based upon the vaccinating dose required to induce prevention of multiplication of a standard challenge dose of an homologous strain in the lungs of specific-pathogen-free chickens. The model has been used to demonstrate that: (1) Approximately 100 times the vaccinating dose must be used to produce immunity from one compared with two doses; (2) differences of immunogenicity of greater than 1,000-fold exist between Australian strains; (3) immunogenicity is greatest for live virus administered directly to the trachea, followed by live virus administered by the ocular route, inactivated virus administered intratracheally and inactivated virus administered intramuscularly; (4) for chickens inoculated with Australian vaccine strains, protection against challenge is unrelated to serotype.

Aging↗

PubMed1989

Hydatidiform mole in the elderly: hysterectomy or evacuation?

Ten patients with hydatidiform mole treated by primary hysterectomy were retrospectively compared with 24 patients whose moles were evacuated by suction curettage. All patients were 35 years old or more and were followed up for 1 year following the evacuation. During follow-up, 10% of the hysterectomized patients needed chemotherapy in comparison with 33.4% of the non-hysterectomized patients. This difference was not statistically significant. There was also no statistically significant difference when the serial serum beta-subunit of human chorionic gonadotrophin (beta-hCG) regression rates of the two groups were compared. The study shows that primary hysterectomy does not worsen the prognosis of gestational trophoblastic disease, however, it does not negate the need for careful follow-up.

Adult↗

PubMed1989

The haematocrit value in diabetic patients with ischaemic stroke.

During a 3-yr period, 238 patients with acute ischaemic stroke were admitted to the medical department of Mubarak teaching hospital, Kuwait. One hundred patients had diabetes, (42%), including 55 females, and 45 males. Compared with non-diabetics, no significant difference was found in age, sex, prevalence of hypertension, heart disease, atrial fibrillation, transient ischaemic attacks or in plasma cholesterol and triglycerides. Plasma glucose on admission was significantly higher in diabetics (14.6 +/- 5.7) compared with non-diabetics (6.1 +/- 1.2 mmol/l) p less than 0.0001. Haematocrit (HCT) was also significantly higher in diabetics (43.17 +/- 5.75) than in non-diabetics (41.20 +/- 5.85) p less than 0.046. Diabetics had higher mortality (21%) than non-diabetics (10%) p less than 0.05. Severe disability was also more frequent in diabetics (23%) than in non-diabetics (10.8%) p less than 0.05. Diabetic men had significantly higher HCT (45.7 +/- 5.2) than non-diabetic (43.1 +/- 4.1) p less than 0.04. Diabetic women had also higher HCT (41.1 +/- 6.2) than non-diabetic (38.8 +/- 5.8), but this was not statistically significant. Compared with age (+/- 2 yr) and sex matched diabetic patients with other clinical problems, diabetic stroke patients had significantly higher plasma glucose (14.6 +/- 5.7) than non-stroke patients (11.8 +/- 3.7 mmol/l) p less than 0.01. Hct was also significantly higher in diabetic stroke patients (43.17 +/- 5.75) compared with other diabetic patients (41.04 +/- 4.3) p less than 0.04.

Blood Glucose↗

PubMed1989

Cause and prognosis of acute renal failure in Kuwait: a 2-year prospective study.

At the Mubarak Al-Kabeer University Hospital of Kuwait (Arabian Gulf), 77 episodes of acute renal failure were collected prospectively over 2 years, yielding a mean annual incidence rate of 9.5/100,000 population. Forty-four episodes occurred in hospital, a rate of 1.3 per 1000 admissions. In this group, acute tubular necrosis was the commonest cause (27 episodes). Thirty-three episodes occurred in the community, acute tubular necrosis accounting for 11 episodes. In contrast to hospital-acquired renal failure there was a tendency for increased incidence of community-acquired renal failure in the summer months. A more striking observation was the lower mortality in the community-acquired form. The mortality was not related to severity of renal failure even within the group with acute tubular necrosis.

Acute Kidney Injury↗

PubMed1988

A serogrouping scheme for the study of the epidemiology of Bacteroides fragilis.

To study the hospital epidemiology of Bacteroides fragilis, 343 isolates from infected hospitalised patients (112), infected out-patients (102), and from the faeces of uninfected hospitalised patients (47) and normal subjects in the community (82), were examined by an immunofluorescence technique. In tests with antisera against strains of 20 distinct serotypes of the fragilis group of Bacteroides, 271 (79%) strains were typable. Similarity between strains was estimated by the Jaccard similarity measure and strains were then serogrouped by cluster analysis; 88.1% of hospital strains were typable but only 71.2% of community strains (p less than 0.001). Three serogroups were prevalent among both faecal and infection isolates of hospital strains (p less than 0.01). However, no particular serogroup was prevalent among community strains and no difference was found in the distribution of serogroups between strains from faeces and those from infected lesions. One serogroup showed a significant increase (p less than 0.05) within the period of study. These findings suggest that strains of B. fragilis infecting hospitalised patients may be acquired in hospital and that they may spread to other patients.

Bacteroides Infections↗

PubMed1987

The high rate of prevalence of CT-detected basal ganglia calcification in neuropsychiatric (CNS) brucellosis.

Of 65 cases presenting with neuropsychiatric manifestations of brucellosis (CNS-brucellosis), 9(13.8%) had CT-detected basal ganglia calcification (BGC). Of these, 5 had meningitis and 4 had psychiatric manifestations as presenting features. The diagnosis of brucellosis was made by the finding of consistent history and physical findings and the presence of significantly elevated antibody titres and/or positive culture in the blood and/or CSF. In all the cases, BGC was in the form of punctate hyperdense non-enhancing shadows with average density 44.5-58.4 and maximum density 49-64HU. The calcification was unilateral in 3 cases, bilateral and symmetrical in 4 and bilateral but asymmetrical in 2. None of the cases had other predisposing conditions to BGC and in one of the cases did specific anti-brucella treatment effect a detectable change in the BGC. The finding of CT-detected BGC in patients coming from areas endemic for brucellosis should alert physicians to the possibility of underlying brucellar infection.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1981

Preoperative prognosis for cancer of the vulva.

Fourteen preoperative variables were individually assessed on 408 patients with primary vulvar cancer to determine their effect upon survival. Age, clinical node involvement, secondary tumor spread, tumor size, and menses were found to be the best individual indicators of survival time. Further analyses explored the dependence of survival time on these 5 variables jointly. Age was followed for by dividing the patients into 4 age groups; in each of these strata 4 prognostic categories, based on the variables clinical groin node involvement and secondary tumor spread, were defined: category 1, impalpable nodes and no secondary tumor spread; category 2, palpable nodes and no secondary tumor spread; category 3, impalpable nodes and secondary tumor spread; and category 4, palpable nodes and secondary tumor spread. Survival curves for each of these categories were plotted and showed progressively worsening prognoses from group 1 through group 4. It is believed that such methods should be used preoperatively to produce staging criteria and estimates of prognosis more objective and informative than those in common use.

Age Factors↗

PubMedDate not supplied

A controlled trial of cognitive behavioral treatment of panic in alcoholic inpatients with comorbid panic disorder.

Patients entering a 4-week inpatient alcoholism treatment program were screened for anxiety symptoms. Those with panic disorder with or without agoraphobia were randomly assigned to two groups. The treatment group received 12 hours of cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) for panic disorder in addition to the regular alcoholism treatment program: the control group received the regular program. Dropouts from the treatment group were also followed. Problem drinking and anxiety symptoms were measured at the start of the study, and at 3, 6, and 12 months posttreatment. Abstinence from drinking, and anxiety and mood symptoms improved after treatment in all of the groups; there were few differences in outcome between the groups. We concluded that this particular intervention had not been more effective than the regular alcohol treatment program in reducing problem drinking in those with panic disorder.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Excess body fat distribution and glucose homeostasis in obese Arab women.

The relationship of body fat distribution to glucose intolerance and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in Arab women was studied in 102 obese non-diabetic and 40 obese women with diabetes. The obese women underwent a glucose tolerance test. Linear regression analysis revealed a significant correlation between the waist/hip ratio and the plasma glucose concentration at 120 min. When divided into two groups according to the median of their waist/hip ratio (0.815), obese women without history of diabetes but with high waist/hip ratio (0.86 +/- 0.07, mean +/- SD) had significantly higher prevalence of glucose intolerance and of diabetes mellitus than those with the low ratio (0.78 +/- 0.03, chi 2 = 9.32, p less than 0.001). The highest ratio (0.89 +/- 0.06) was observed in the obese women with known diabetes mellitus.

Adipose Tissue↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Predictors of onset of wheezing in grain elevator workers.

A longitudinal study of Canadian grain elevator workers over a 12-year period was conducted. Data on respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function tests were collected once every three years as part of the Grain Dust Medical Surveillance Program started by Labour Canada in 1978; each three-year interval was called a 'cycle'. Of workers who had two or more observations, 1848 subjects (67.2%) were free of respiratory symptoms (wheeze, dyspnea, cough or sputum) at the baseline (cycle II). Predictors of first episode of wheezing were examined in these symptoms-free grain workers. Baseline mean age +/- SD of the grain workers was 34.0 +/- 11.4 years and mean duration of work in the industry was 9.9 +/- 8.7 years. Of the 1848 symptoms-free grain workers at cycle II, 203 (11.0%) subsequently reported wheezing during the study. Cox's proportional hazards model for analysis of survival data was used to determine significant predictors of first episode of wheezing. Significant predictors for first episode of wheezing were current smoking (relative risk [RR] 2.33; 95% CI 1.63 to 3.33; P<0.0001) and baseline forced expiratory volume in 1 s to forced vital capacity ratio [RR 0.02; 95% CI 0.003 to 0.20; P<0.0001). Baseline pulmonary function measurements and smoking habits appear to be important predictors of future development of asthma-like symptoms in grain elevator workers.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Predictors of longitudinal changes in pulmonary function among swine confinement workers.

OBJECTIVE: To determine predictors of longitudinal changes in pulmonary function in swine confinement workers. DESIGN: Longitudinal study conducted from November 1989 to June 1991 and January 1994 to May 1995. SETTING: Swine confinement workers in Saskatchewan. PARTICIPANTS: Forty-two swine confinement workers who were studied in 1989/90 and studied again in 1994/95. RESULTS: Of 98 male swine confinement workers (mean age SD 36.3 11.1 years) studied at baseline, 42 were studied again five years following. Complete information on baseline across-shift pulmonary function (preshift forced expiratory volume in 1 s [FEV1], forced vital capacity [FVC], and every 2 h FEV1 and FVC during the shift), and five-year follow-up pulmonary function (with FEV1 and FVC) were available on all 42 subjects. Mean across-shift changes (preshift measurement to last measurement of the day) at baseline were -159. 8 61.7 mL in FEV1 and -35.3 65.6 mL in FVC. Mean annual rate change between baseline and follow-up for FEV1 was -53.9 61.7 mL/year and for FVC -48.9 71.6 mL/year. After adjusting for age, height, smoking and hours spent in the barn, the baseline across-shift change in FEV1 and FVC was a significant predictor of annual rate change in FEV1 (P=0.01) and FVC (P=0.02), respectively. To determine the effects of indoor air quality on longitudinal lung function decline, indoor air environmental measurements were analysed. Complete information on respiratory health and indoor air quality was available on 34 of the 42 subjects. Assessment of indoor environment of swine barns included a summer and winter measurement for airborne dust, gases and endotoxin levels. After adjusting for age, height, smoking, ammonia and hours spent in the barn, the endotoxin level (Eu/mg)was a significant predictor of annual rate change for FEV1 but not FVC. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that shift change is an important predictor of longitudinal changes in lung function in swine confinement workers and that endotoxin exposures may mediate annual decline in FEV1 in these workers.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Seasonal changes in lung function in a farming population.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the changes in respiratory health from winter to summer seasons in a rural population. DESIGN: A longitudinal design was used in the study. SETTING: A population-based study was conducted as part of the Environmental Pesticide Exposure and Human Health component of the Prairie Ecosystem Study (PECOS) in southwestern Saskatchewan. PATIENTS: In the winter season, 358 patients participated in the study. Of these patients, 234 returned for the second assessment during the summer season. After excluding 34 children aged 17 years and under, 200 adult patients were available for analysis. MEASUREMENTS: Questionnaires were used to obtain information on demographic factors, smoking habits, occupational and environmental exposures, and respiratory conditions. Pulmonary function measurements were obtained using a volume displacement spirometer. RESULTS: Mean ages (+/- SD) of the 106 men and 94 women participating in the study were 50.1+/-13.3 and 49.0+/-13.1 years, respectively. Mean percentage changes in maximal midexpiratory flow rate from winter to summer assessments indicated an improvement for town residents and a decline for farm residents. Mean percentage changes in the ratio of forced expiratory volume in 1 s to forced vital capacity indicated an improvement for town residents who were not engaged in farming, and increasing declines for town residents engaged in farming, farm residents not engaged in farming and farm residents engaged in farming. CONCLUSIONS: Seasonal changes occurred in measurements of pulmonary function between winter and summer seasons; these changes may be related to the environmental or occupational exposures experienced by the participants during the study.

Agricultural Workers' Diseases↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Use of gastrointestinal and respiratory illness hospitalization rates as indicators of different social influences.

The hospitalization rates for gastrointestinal and respiratory illnesses in children under five years of age were examined on two Indian reserves in Northern Saskatchewan. The gastrointestinal illness rate was used as an index of waterborne disease, and the respiratory rate as an index of general health and of local customs affecting hospitalizations. The reserve rates were compared with those for other Saskatchewan status Indians and for other Saskatchewan residents. The risk ratios between the reserves and other Indians, and between the reserves and other Saskatchewan residents, were increased for both gastrointestinal and respiratory illnesses. The risk ratio of gastrointestinal rate divided by respiratory rate was greater for either reserve than for other Indians or other Saskatchewan residents. Waterborne illnesses were an even greater problem on the two study reserves than on other reserves. Comparing hospitalization rates for different illness groups is a useful method to compare the effect of different social factors.

Child, Preschool↗