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Biomedical subjects

C K McPherson

Publications and source records attributed to C K McPherson.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

Economic burden of treated benign prostatic hyperplasia in the United Kingdom.

Recent epidemiological studies suggest that much urological disease is untreated. However, the overall economic burden of urological diseases has never been systematically studied. This report estimates the economic burden of treated benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in the United Kingdom by considering the direct costs falling on the health service, the indirect costs in lost production, and the intangible costs in reduced quality of life. Depending on the assumptions made, the economic burden in 1990 is estimated to have been between 62 million pounds and 91 million pounds annually, excluding the intangible costs. The maximum cost to the National Health Service (NHS) represents approximately 0.4% of total NHS expenditure. This finding is therefore consistent with the results of recent epidemiological studies, which suggest that the main burden of BPH is borne by sufferers in terms of reduction in quality of life and is not reflected in consumption of health care resources. However, this balance may change as a result of the new General Practitioner contract and new treatment options.

Adult↗

Genetic susceptibility to the development of retinopathy in insulin-dependent diabetics.

HLA types and blood glucose control were investigated in 127 insulin-dependent diabetics with different grades of severity of retinopathy. The means of all afternoon clinic blood glucose levels from the diagnosis of diabetes were 9.9 +/- 2.1 mmol/L for patients with no retinopathy, 11.8 +/- 2.1 mmol/L for patients with background retinopathy, and 12.4 +/- 2.1 mmol/L for patients with proliferative retinopathy (P less than 0.0001). HLA-DR4 was present in 61 of 87 patients (70%) with background or proliferative retinopathy and 21 of 39 (54%) with no retinopathy. The frequency of HLA-DR4 was lowest in patients with no retinopathy despite "poor control" (mean blood glucose greater than or equal to 11.5 mmol/L) and highest in those who had developed retinopathy despite "good control;" the frequencies of HLA-DR2 showed the reverse pattern. Mantel-Haenszel tests were used to calculate the odds ratios for the presence of retinopathy associated with "poor control" and with HLA-DR4, since each modified the effect of the other. The odds ratio for retinopathy associated with "poor control" was 6.7 (P less than 0.0001). The odds ratio with HLA-DR4 was 3.7 (P less than 0.005). When both risk factors were present, the odds ratio increased to 33.3 (P less than 0.0001). Genetically determined factors appear to influence susceptibility to retinopathy in insulin-dependent diabetics.

Adult↗

Study of symptoms in middle life with special reference to the menopause.

In an attempt to clarify the nature of the "menopausal syndrome" a survey of symptoms was carried out by means of postal questionnaires in a population sample of 1120 women and 510 men. Special care was taken to avoid letting the participants know that the survey was mainly concerned with the menopause. Response rates were 72% for women and 68% for men. Analysis of patterns of symptoms by age and sex showed that peaks of prevalence of flushing and sweating were closely associated with the mean age of menopause, coinciding with it or occurring a little after it. Less impressive peaks of prevalence of a group of minor mental symptoms were associated with an age just preceding the mean age of menopause. Complaints about aching breasts, irritability, and low backache diminished after the menopause. No association with the menopause was found for various other symptoms. The results of this study support the view that the menopausal syndrome exists but do not, of course, provide any evidence concerning the effectiveness (or safety) of hormone treatment.

Adult↗

Surgeons in the United States. Activities, output and income.

In a national surgical manpower questionnaire survey, 76% of those MD and DO surgeons who were contactable returned questionnaires that included a log diary reporting details of their daily activities. Comparisons were made of allocation of professional time, number of operations performed, and net income of respondents by physician classification (including certification), specialty, practice arrangement, age, and census division. The mean professional workweek was estimated at 46 hours for all respondents. More than two thirds of the total professional time was spent in direct patient care; about half the surgeon's time was spent in the hospital, with nearly 20% in the operating room. The median annual work load of respondents was 170 operations. Their median annual net income was $45,700.

Adult↗

Human fat cell sizing--a quick, simple method.

Two methods were used to determine the mean cell diameters of 37 samples of human adipose tissue, obtained by open or needle biopsy. Method I was the sizing of cells in cell suspensions and Method II was a quick, simple method of sizing cells from fixed sections. The agreement between the two methods was good (r = 0.93, P = less than 0.001). The results using Method II were slightly lower than those using Method I, and a correction factor is suggested. Method II has several advantages over Method I and we propose that it is a suitable method for sizing cells when a quick method with a permanent record is required.

Adipose Tissue↗