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Biomedical subjects

B J Bailey

Publications and source records attributed to B J Bailey.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Diurnal variation in stature: is stretching the answer?

AIMS: To investigate the extent and timing of diurnal variation in stature and to examine the effectiveness of the stretched technique in reducing the loss in height. SETTING: A Southampton school. DESIGN: Fifty three children, divided into two groups, were measured by two independent auxologists using a Leicester height measure. Each child was measured four times, at 0900, 1100, 1300, and 1500, using both an unstretched and a stretched technique. OUTCOME MEASURES: Height loss after each of the three time intervals for both unstretched and stretched modes. RESULTS: There was a clear decrease in stature during the morning, but no further loss occurred after the subjects had been up for around six hours. The mean height losses for the unstretched (stretched) modes were 0.31 cm (0.34 cm) and 0.20 cm (0.23 cm) for the periods 0900 to 1100 and 1100 to 1300, respectively, but only 0.045 cm (-0.019 cm) from 1300 to 1500. Stretching did not reduce the effects of diurnal variation, but significantly affected the recorded height by an average of 0.28 cm. There was no significant difference in reproducibility using either technique (SD 0.30 cm stretched v 0.31 cm unstretched). CONCLUSIONS: Diurnal variation in stature may substantially affect the reliability of height data and careful consideration should be given to the timing of repeat measurements. As most height loss occurs in the morning, afternoon clinic appointments would be preferable. The standard stretched technique does not appear to reduce diurnal variation, nor does it affect precision. Measurements made using an unstretched method are recommended to avoid interobserver differences, known to occur where different observers are used.

Anthropometry↗
PubMed1997

MR-based brain and cerebrospinal fluid measurement after traumatic brain injury: correlation with neuropsychological outcome.

PURPOSE: To determine the magnitude and time course of changes in the volume of brain and intracranial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) spaces in patients who have sustained traumatic brain injury and to assess the relationship between these findings and long-term cognitive traumatic outcome. METHODS: Axial intermediate and T2-weighted MR images of 123 patients with traumatic brain injury were quantified using a multispectral segmentation algorithm. Measurements were corrected for differences in age, sex, and head size using a previously reported normative database. Brain morphology was compared across groups formed on the basis of chronicity of injury. Cognitive functioning and severity of injury were statistically correlated with brain measurements. RESULTS: Time-dependent expansion of CSF spaces and decreases in brain volume were observed. Increases in ventricular CSF volume, particularly in the temporal horns and third ventricle, preceded subsequent changes in total brain and subarachnoid CSF. High and moderate correlation was observed between volume measures and cognitive outcome and injury severity. Particularly strong was the relation between the volume of the left temporal horn and verbal IQ scores. CONCLUSION: Predictable time-dependent atrophic changes occurring after traumatic brain injury can be quantified using MR volumetric studies. Our results suggest significant contributions by both diffuse and focal mechanisms of injury. In the postacute period (more than 70 days after injury), MR volumetric studies may be predictive of eventual cognitive outcome.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Hypertension treatment compliance: what do patients want to know about their medications?

While poor drug compliance is a significant impediment to the effective treatment of hypertension, knowledge of what patients wish to know about their medications in order to improve compliance is very limited. To develop a preliminary understanding of patients' medication requirements and expectations, a simple 30-item questionnaire was developed and administered to 66 patients who were either taking antihypertensive drugs, or about to commence antihypertensive drug treatment. Ninety percent of patients wanted to know about all possible side effects of medications as well as the most likely side effects. Ninety-six percent wanted to know if their drug treatment would keep them well. In addition, most patients wanted to avoid multiple medications, were concerned about the prospect of life-long treatment, and were worried about potential drug interactions. Effects of the drugs on their lifestyles as well as any lifestyle changes required to augment drug therapy were other issues of concern. The elderly were less interested in many of these issues. A strong desire for further knowledge about their disease was noted in most subjects (82%). If compliance with medication therapy is to be improved, a better understanding of patients' concerns and fears about medications is required, particularly in a relatively asymptomatic disease like hypertension.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Estimating the surface area of the human body.

A number of formulae have been suggested for estimating the surface area (SA) of a human body from measurements of height H and weight W. Most of these are of the same functional form, namely InSA = a(0) + a1lnH + a2lnW in logarithmic terms, but have quite different values of the coefficients. We show that they are all essentially equivalent in view of the strong linear relation between lnH and lnW. The formula due to Gehan and George, in which a(0) = -3.751, a1 = 0.422 and a2 = 0.515 if height is measured in cm, weight in kg and surface area in m2, is based on a sample of 401 surface area measurements and has coefficients estimated by least squares. It should be the medical standard. Moreover, by extending their analysis, it is possible to derive standard errors of surface area estimates and to construct confidence and prediction intervals. Unfortunately, in clinical practice a relation based on just nine subjects, and with coefficients determined in an ad hoc way, is still in common use.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Traumatic brain injury, alcohol and quantitative neuroimaging: preliminary findings.

Magnetic resonance (MR) quantitative neuroimaging analysis was undertaken with a large group of normal (n = 197) and traumatically brain injured (TBI, n = 99) adults. Of the TBI subjects 18 patients were identified with a history of substance-related abuse (TBI/Abuse group). Both the TBI/ Abuse group and the remaining sample of TBI patients (n = 81, TBI/Non-abuse group) without a history of substance-related abuse differed significantly from the control group on most quantitative MR imaging analyses. The TBI/Abuse group displayed the greatest degree of atrophic change. However, the TBI/Abuse group had a significantly lower Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, ostensibly suggesting that those with substance-related abuse suffered more severe brain injury than non-abuse TBI patients. When a subset (n = 18) of the TBI/Non-abuse group was matched by GCS, gender and age to the TBI/Abuse group, both groups differed significantly from the control group on most morphometric measures, but did not differ from one another. Results are discussed in terms of the potential adverse role that substance-related abuse, particularly alcohol, plays in the individual who sustains traumatic injury to the brain.

Adolescent↗