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Biomedical subjects

G Whelan

Publications and source records attributed to G Whelan.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1981

Traveler's diarrhea: clinical observations.

We made an observational study of traveler's diarrhea in all members of a 48-person medical seminar group during a trip to Egypt and the Nile in September 1979. In addition to comparing symptoms in those who took antibiotic prophylaxis with doxycycline and those who did not, we also took into account water and dietary restrictions. Although our study supports the use of prophylactic doxycycline, the response appears to be considerably influenced by dietary or water restrictions. This study emphasizes the need to assess diet and water intake of travelers when conducting trials of medication aimed at preventing traveler's diarrhea.

Diarrhea↗
PubMed1980

The influence of diethylmaleate on the biliary excretion of infused sulphobromophthalein sodium and its glutathione conjugate in guinea-pigs.

1. Hepatic sulphobromophthalein (BSP) transport was studied in guinea-pigs pretreated intraperitoneally with 0.7 ml of diethyl maleate to depress hepatic glutathione levels. 2. Diethyl maleate depressed the hepatic transport of infused conjugated BSP from hepatocytes into bile without influencing hepatic uptake. 3. Unconjugated BSP transport was also depressed markedly as a result of (a) a reduction in the intrahepatic conjugation of BSP with glutathione and (b) suppression of conjugated BSP excretion.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

The metabolic consequences of jejunoileal bypass for obesity.

Twenty-one female patients studied between six and 12 months following a jejunoileal bypass procedure for obesity were found to have a wide variety of metabolic disturbances. Hepatic histological abnormalities were common and included liver cell necrosis and inflammation in nine patients and hepatic fibrosis in five. Liver function tests were no guide to the degree of hepatic impairment. Vitamin B12 malabsorption occurred in seven patients, in six probably as a result of bacterial intestinal overgrowth; three of these six patients had the most serious hepatic morphological changes. Malabsorption rather than poor oral intake of food appeared to account for continued postoperative weight loss in the majority of patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Fungal infection associated with gastroduodenal ulceration: endoscopic and pathologic appearances.

Three patients with peptic ulcers diagnosed at upper gastrointestinal endoscopy are reported. All were seriously ill (2 debilitated alcoholics) and died soon afterwards. Fungi were recognized in the antemortem specimen of one of the two ulcers biopsied at the time of endoscopy and in the postmortem specimens of all. In two, demise appears to have been precipitated by erosion of the wall of a major artery by fungal invasion. Culture of the ulcer based as well as throat swabs and stool examination for mycelial and yeast forms of fungus in susceptible patients may allow a more accurate diagnosis to be made and therapy to be instituted.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Prevalence of hepatitis B in a general hospital: screening of patients and staff.

Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was sought over a six-month period in patients and staff members of the intensive care, cardiothoracic, and haematology/oncology units of a large general hospital. In addition, HBsAg was sought in all inpatients, outpatients and staff members at one point in time during August, 1977. A positive HBsAg state occurred with a prevalence of 1.55% in the three intensively studied units (cardiothoracic unit, 0.88%; haematology/oncology unit, 1.65%; and intensive care unit, 3.1%) and 0.9% for the point prevalence survey of hospital patients excluding the three intensively monitored areas. Very few of these patients had disorders traditionally associated with hepatitis B antigenaemia. In the survey of staff members, 0.72% of results were HBsAg positive. Of the factors examined, the most important determinant of the hepatitis B positive state both in patients and in staff members was their country of origin (that is, being born in southern or eastern Europe or in Asia).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

The diagnosis of reflux oesophagitis: an evaluation of five investigative procedures.

Five methods of diagnosis have been compared prospectively in 43 patients referred for suspected reflux oesophagitis. A final diagnosis of reflux oesophagitis, as defined by the presence of at least two of the three features of typical symptoms, abnormal endoscopic findings, and abnormal findings on oesophageal biopsy, was made in 27 patients. Observer error in the interpretation of endoscopic and histological appearances was small. Measurement of resting pressure of the lower oesophageal sphincter (LES) failed to identify individual patients with reflux oesophagitis, although the mean pressure in 26 patients with oesophagitis (10.1 +/- 5.2 mm Hg) was significantly lower that in 13 patients without oesophagitis (16.8 +/- 10.2 mm Hg, P less than 0.005). Barium studies were unhelpful, as a hiatus hernia was present in only 14 and barium reflux in only 11 of the 27 patients with oesophagitis. Acid perfusion (Bernstein test) was positive at 15 minutes in 23 of the 27 oesophagitis patients, but was falsely positive in seven of the 14 patients without oesophagitis. By accepting only those responses to acid perfusion which were positive at or before seven minutes, the false positive responses were reduced to one out of the 14 patients. Typical symptoms and/or an early positive Bernstein response will correctly identify most patients with reflux oesophagitis, but the diagnosis should be confirmed by endoscopy and biopsy when important therapeutic decisions are pending.

Esophagitis, Peptic↗
PubMed1975

The influence of cage bedding on the metabolism of sulphobromophthalein sodium by an hepatic cytosol-located enzyme system.

The use of cage bedding prepared from pinewood shavings has been shown to be associated with an increase in the activity of sulphobromophthalein sodium (BSP) S-aryltransferase in the hepatic cytosol in rats houses on this substance. This increase was associated with enhanced secretion rates of dye into the bile due to an elevation in the biliary excretion rate of conjugated BSP. Analysis of the hepatic dye content at the time of maximal excretion of BSP into the bile indicated that this phenomenon was due to increased intrahepatic conjugation of BSP. This observation emphasizes the importance of considering environmental factors that may influence results when designing experiments on hepatic metabolism.

Animals↗
PubMed1972

Immunosuppressive activity in patients with active chronic hepatitis and primary biliary cirrhosis treated with azathioprine.

The rosette inhibition test was used to measure serum immunosuppressive activity after azathioprine (1.5 mg/kg) in 20 patients with liver disease (10 with active chronic hepatitis, six with primary biliary cirrhosis, and four with miscellaneous hepatic disorders) and in nine healthy normal volunteers. Where possible testing was repeated after one week and after at least two months of treatment. The titre of immunosuppression was related to the degree of impairment of hepatic function, and was found to be low in those with severe and normal in those with mild disturbance of hepatic function. Titres were unrelated to the presence of immunological abnormalities such as smooth muscle antibodies. In patients treated for at least two months there was no relationship between the initial titre of immunosuppressive activity and the response to treatment. Thus some patients improved despite failure to develop immunosuppressive activity, while others deteriorated even though immunosuppressive activity was normal when first studied. The development of immunosuppressive activity after azathioprine seems to be dependent on adequate hepatic function and the favourable response of some patients with liver disease to the drug may not be due entirely to immunosuppression.

Adolescent↗