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Biomedical subjects

B Currie

Publications and source records attributed to B Currie.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

ECMO in newborn infants: the New South Wales experience.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been used at the Prince of Wales Children's Hospital, Sydney for the treatment of newborn infants with life-threatening respiratory or cardiac failure since August 1989. The main indications are that the disease is reversible, the surviving infant is likely to be normal and there is an 80% likelihood of death without ECMO. Eighteen of 19 newborn infants have survived at least 2 months after ECMO. The 15 infants receiving ECMO (nine with meconium aspiration, six with persisting pulmonary hypertension) who did not have a congenital diaphragmatic hernia were normal survivors. One death occurred at 5 months of age from chronic lung disease. Three of four infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia were discharged following ECMO and appeared normal at 6, 9 and 18 months of age. These results are similar to results from other centres internationally. It appears that ECMO is a useful therapy for near-term newborn infants with otherwise fatal cardiorespiratory failure.

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation

Acetylator phenotype and short-course chemotherapy for tuberculosis in Papua New Guinea.

In Papua New Guinea the slow acetylator phenotype is unusual and peripheral neuropathy during isoniazid therapy is uncommon. Acetylator status and other factors influencing isoniazid-induced peripheral neuropathy are discussed, and statistics from Papua New Guinea are presented. The relevance of acetylator phenotype to other side-effects of isoniazid is less well defined. Prophylactic pyridoxine supplementation during short-course chemotherapy for tuberculosis is not generally necessary in the daily 'A' regimen, but should be maintained in the twice-weekly (high-dose isoniazid) 'B' regimen for adults and children over 20 kg.

Acetylation

A focus of Rocky Mountain spotted fever within New York City.

In the spring and summer of 1987, four persons acquired Rocky Mountain spotted fever within New York City, an area in which the disease had not previously been known to be endemic. Three of the four patients were residents of the Soundview area of the Bronx. All diagnoses were confirmed by indirect fluorescent-antibody tests. Environmental investigation revealed that the tick vector for Rickettsia rickettsii, Dermacentor variabilis, was present in a local park. Of the 66 specimens of D. variabilis collected, 5 (8 percent) were positive for rickettsiae from the spotted fever group. Of an additional 96 specimens of D. variabilis, 5 (5 percent) were found positive for rickettsiae by a more specific monoclonal antibody assay. Eight additional New York City parks in all five boroughs were searched for ticks. D. variabilis was found in only one other park; of the 147 ticks collected there, none were positive for rickettsiae. These findings emphasize the focal nature of Rocky Mountain spotted fever and the need to consider that disease in the differential diagnosis of any obscure acute febrile illness, even in the absence of a history of travel to known endemic areas.

Adult

Resolution of neurotoxicity with anticholinesterase therapy in death-adder envenomation.

A case of the reversal of death-adder (Acanthophis antarcticus) neurotoxicity by treatment with neostigmine methylsulphate in a Papua New Guinean villager is described. While antivenom remains the mainstay in the treatment of snake-bite envenomation, the possible role of anticholinesterase therapy for death-adder bites in Papua New Guinea is discussed. In addition, some problems with first-aid management are outlined.

Adult