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Biomedical subjects

C A Sharp

Publications and source records attributed to C A Sharp.

31 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Plasma aluminium in a reference population: the effects of antacid consumption and its influence on biochemical indices of bone formation.

Aluminium is involved in the etiology of several complications of chronic renal failure and has been firmly established as having toxic effects on bone tissue. We have measured plasma aluminium together with serum osteocalcin, procollagen I C-terminal peptide and total alkaline phosphatase activity in healthy subjects and in a group of subjects who consumed aluminium-containing and non-aluminium containing antacid preparations, with normal renal function. Age-related healthy reference ranges for plasma aluminium are presented and the effects of chronic antacid consumption on plasma aluminium and biochemical markers of bone formation investigated. In 172 healthy subjects the mean plasma aluminium concentration was 4.4 +/- 2.9 micrograms L-1, men having a significantly greater circulating aluminium load than women (5.4 +/- 2.8 micrograms L-1 vs. 4.0 +/- 2.8 micrograms L-1 respectively (P = 0.0039)). Older men were found to have significantly higher plasma aluminium levels than younger men. Increased plasma aluminium was seen in subjects taking antacids although this was not associated with significant changes in most indices of bone formation.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Anomalous rise of serum osteocalcin following desferrioxamine treatment in aluminium intoxication.

A patient with impaired renal function, severe osteomalacia and aluminium intoxication is described. In response to Desferal (desferrioxamine) treatment, serum osteocalcin rose 8-fold whereas serum alkaline phosphatase and procollagen I peptide levels changed little. Chromatographic separation showed that the measured osteocalcin coeluted with intact osteocalcin. The osteocalcin in the serum probably comes from the liberation of pre-existing osteocalcin from the bone, concomitant with aluminium mobilisation, rather than by stimulation of de novo synthesis.

Aluminum↗
PubMed1991

Bone mineral content in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: relationship to low-dose steroid therapy.

Bone mineral content (BMC) of the distal forearm was measured by single photon absorptiometry in 142 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) of whom 27/54 men and 44/88 women received low-dose steroid therapy (less than 10 mg/day). To study the effect of steroid therapy a case-control analysis was undertaken in patients matched for age, sex and disease duration. Steroid therapy was associated with a reduced BMC in men (1.16 +/- 0.29 versus 1.32 +/- 0.23; P less than 0.05) and post-menopausal (0.76 +/- 0.24 versus 0.91 +/- 0.25; P less than 0.02) but not pre-menopausal women (1.1 +/- 0.28 versus 1.1 +/- 0.17). Symptomatic fractures were more common in steroid-treated patients than in those who had not received steroids (10/71 versus 2/71; P less than 0.05). Serum osteocalcin, an index of bone formation, was measured in 106 cases. It tended to be higher in patients with RA than in controls but the values observed in steroid and non-steroid RA groups did not differ significantly. We conclude that low-dose steroid therapy is associated with increased bone loss and numbers of fractures in patients with RA but this does not appear to be the result of a simple defect in bone formation.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗
PubMed1988

Serum osteocalcin and other indices of bone formation: an 8-decade population study in healthy men and women.

In a study of 435 healthy men and women aged 17-97 yr, serum osteocalcin and alkaline phosphatase were measured together with 99TcMDP retention in women. In women, serum osteocalcin falls to a nadir at 35-39 yr, and the mean then rapidly rises 2-fold to a plateau from 50-75 yr. 99TcMDP retention falls to a minimum at 40-45 yr and then rises steadily with increasing age. Serum alkaline phosphatase rises in an indeterminate fashion from 20-25 yr onwards. Osteocalcin in men fell until age 60-70 yr and hardly changed thereafter, whereas serum alkaline phosphatase reached a minimum at age 30-40 yr and thereafter rose with age, as in women.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Evaluation of a commercially available semi-automated bioluminescence system for bacteriuria screening.

A commercially available semi-automated bioluminescence adenosine triphosphate assay system for rapid detection of significant bacteriuria was evaluated. Excellent reproducibility of results using the bioluminescence apparatus was noted, and there was no bacterial carry-over using a pre-diluter. The results obtained with 2,000 urine specimens tested by bioluminescence and a routine cultural technique were compared. The bioluminescence system gave no false negative results and a bioluminescence positive/culture negative finding of 13.6% in general specimens and 45.0% in ante-natal and maternity specimens. In the latter group, the majority of urines yielded growth of lactobacilli and/or diphtheroids (less than 10(4) organisms/ml) when subcultured on enriched media. Results indicated that bioluminescence may identify urinary tract infections in patients receiving antimicrobial therapy. The advantages of this 45 minute technique for bacteriuria screening are presented.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1975

Bacteria in flower vase water: incidence and significance in general ward practice.

Culture of flower vase water from wards in the David Lewis Northern Hospital, Liverpool, revealed large numbers of potentially pathogenic bacteria. The types of organisms isolated may reflect the particular ecology of this hospital as they differed in some ways from those reported from other centres. The incidence of wound infections during the period of study was low (5-2 per cent) despite the regular overgrowth of bacteria in flower vases, and there did not appear to be any definite correlation between the types of bacteria isolated from flower vase water and those responsible for wound infections. The addition of hydrogen peroxide to flower vases proved a very effective antiseptic and is recommended for general use as a precautionary measure.

Cross Infection↗