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Biomedical subjects

H Eigen

Publications and source records attributed to H Eigen.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Pulmonary function abnormalities in survivors of near drowning.

To determine the pulmonary status of children surviving near-drowning accidents, we studied the pulmonary function of ten asymptomatic children 6 months to 8.5 years (mean 3.3 years) after the accident. All ten children had normal FEF max, FVC, FEV1/FVC, FEF 50%, FRC, and RV/TLC. However, six patients had an elevated VisoV and five of these had a reduced delta Vmax 50%, indicating peripheral airway disease. Seventy percent of the patients had bronchial hyperactivity. Only one patient had completely normal pulmonary function. These results indicate that near drowning results in large and small airway dysfunction in children with no predisposition to lung disease, which may be present years after the initial insult. Such children may be at increased risk of developing chronic lung disease, especially if exposed to known airway irritants such as cigarette smoke.

Adolescent↗

Oral theophylline disposition in cystic fibrosis.

Theophylline absorption and disposition of CF patients have not been systematically studied. To evaluate these factors in CF subjects, seven CF patients were fasted overnight and administered a dose of aminophylline liquid equivalent to 4 mg/kg of anhydrous theophylline. Liver function tests (SGOT, GGT, alkaline phosphatase) were normal in all seven patients. maximum serum theophylline concentrations occurred between 30 and 60 minutes post-dose in all subjects and ranged from 4.8 to 8.6 mcg/ml. These values are similar to those reported in non-CF subjects for a single 4 mg/kg oral dose. The mean serum half-life of 3.5 hours with a range of 1.2 to 5.0 hours is similar to that reported in non-CF populations. The authors conclude that theophylline elimination (half-lives) in CF patients with normal liver function is similar to those of normal and asthmatic patients. CF patients with clinical liver disease may have a decreased clearance and should be carefully monitored.

Administration, Oral↗

Recurrent pneumonia in children and its relationship to bronchial hyperreactivity.

To determine what conditions are most likely to cause persistent or recurrent pneumonia (PRP) in children, the records of 81 children referred to James Whitcomb Riley Hospital for Children for evaluation of PRP were reviewed. Twenty patients had an apparent underlying cause that predisposed them to PRP. Of the 61 remaining patients (mean age 3.8 years) without any apparent cause for PRP, 49% had a history of allergy or family history of asthma, 31% patients had a history of wheezing and 18% were wheezing during their initial visit. No patient had an elevated sweat chloride determination or immunoglobulin deficiency. Of the 12 patients who were able to be recalled for pulmonary function testing, three had airflow obstruction that responded to an inhaled bronchodilator (isoproterenol). Of the nine patients with normal function, eight responded to methacholine with a decrease from base line in the one-second forced expiratory volume of greater than 20%. In all, 92% of those tested had bronchial hyperreactivity. These results indicate that asthma is a common cause of PRP in children and that PRP may occur as the initial symptom even in the absence of wheezing.

Adolescent↗

Isozymes of ribonuclease in human serum and urine. II. A survey of patients with cystic fibrosis.

A comparison of serum and urine RNase isozymes from CF patients, heterozygotes, and control subjects demonstrated that the major RNase isozymes are not abnormal in CF. Some preliminary evidence indicated that RNase activity of the pancreatic extracts administered to CF patients may appear in the urine and result in a slightly different urine isozyme pattern. In addition, the mean serum RNase activities of the CF patients and heterozygotes were significantly greater than the mean activity of the controls, but there was much overlap in values between the groups.

Animals↗

Changing feeding trends as a cause of electrolyte depletion in infants with cystic fibrosis.

Between June 1979 and June 1980, 16 infants with cystic fibrosis (CF) were cared for at the James Whitcomb Riley Hospital for Children. Five of these children (average age 5.8 months) had a total of eight episodes of electrolyte depletion, with six episodes unassociated with high environmental temperature, fever, or significant gastrointestinal symptoms. Their primary symptoms were poor weight gain and anorexia. According to their dietary records, these five infants, at the time of their initial presentation, had an average electrolyte intake of 8 mEq of sodium, 12 mEq of potassium, and 10 mEq of chloride per day. All infants had been fed either standard infant formula or breast milk. Infant feeding surveys indicate that the estimated average sodium intake of 6-month-old infants has decreased from 45 mEq/day in 1965 to 15 mEq/day since 1977 when manufacturers stopped adding salt to baby foods. In addition, since 1971 the percentage of infants 6 months age receiving breast milk or standard infant formula rather than cow's milk, which is higher in sodium content, has increased from 33% to 72%. This decreased salt intake places the infant with CF at greater risk for electrolyte depletion than in the past. It is expected that a larger percentage of infants with CF will have electrolyte depletion as their initial symptom especially during periods of increased sweating or when electrolyte losses are experienced during gastrointestinal illnesses. CF should be suspected in any infant with electrolyte depletion, and infants known to have CF need daily salt supplementation. Serum electrolytes should be measured if the infant is experiencing weight loss or anorexia, particularly during periods of excessive salt losses.

Breast Feeding↗

The relationship between peak inspiratory pressure and positive end expiratory pressure on the volume of air lost through a bronchopleural fistula.

A bronchopleural fistula (BPF) may complicate the management of patients with major pulmonary disease or thoracic surgery. Neonates with idiopathic respiratory distress syndrome and requiring ventilation are especially susceptible to pulmonary barotrauma, which may result in a BPF. Morbidity and mortality are consistently high. In ventilating patients with BPF, the effects of peak inspiratory pressure (PIP) and positive and expiratory pressure (PEEP) on air leak have not been documented. These relationships were studied in rabbits prepared by thoracotomy and creation of a standardized BPF. Randomized trials of various levels of PIP and PEEP were applied, and the percent of inspired tidal volume lost through the BPF calculated. The percent of inspired volume lost does not increase significantly from 10 to 30 cm H2O PIP (p greater than 0.05). Percent leak does increase significantly when increasing PEEP frm 0 to 16 cm H2O (p less than 0.001). Any PEEP greater than 6 cm H2O results in more air loss through the BPF than any level of PIP (p less than 0.01). Linear regressions through a common origin were calculated to illustrate the relationship of PIP versus leak and PEEP versus leak. The slopes of these lines (0.572 and 3.97, respectively) are significantly different (p less than 0.001). When using equal increments of PIP and PEEP, PEEP will have over a sixfold greater effect on air leak than doses PIP. These data suggests that PIP should be increased preferentially when ventilating patients with BPF in order to minimize air leak. PEEP less than 6 cm H2O can be used without any significant increase in the volume of air lost.

Animals↗

Gastroesophageal reflux in infants and children comparative accuracy of diagnostic methods.

To assess the diagnostic accuracy of methods employed for detection of gastroesophageal reflux, 30 infants and children with symptoms of GER were evaluated by upper gastrointestinal series, gastroesophageal scintiscan, measurement of mean resting lower esophageal sphincter pressure, esophageal intraluminal PH measurement (acid reflux test), and endoscopy. Fifteen control patients were also evaluated by the above studies. GER was demonstrated by UGI in 15 and by GE scintiscan in 17 study patients. LESP less than 15 mm Hg was noted in 12 and a positive acid reflux test was obtained in 29 study patients. Esophagitis was detected in two (of 30) study patients radiographically and in 15 (of 21) study patients by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Pulmonary aspiration of gastric contents was not detected by the radionuclide method. None of the 15 control patients had GER demonstrated with any of the above methods. These studies indicate that (1) the acid reflux test correlates most closely with symptoms of GER; (2) THE GE scintiscan is complementary to the UGI in the diagnosis of GER, i.e., the combination increases sensitivity; (3) normal LESP does not necessarily exclude GER; and (4) endoscopy is superior to the UGI in detecting the presence of esophagitis.

Adolescent↗

Isolated pulmonary leukemic relapse following successful bone marrow transplant in a child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Leukemic relapse and interstitial pneumonitis are common complications for leukemic patients following bone marrow transplantation. We present the case of a successful bone marrow transplantation patient who developed an interstitial infiltrate on chest roentgenogram 212 days post-transplant that was diagnosed by open lung biopsy and found to be a leukemic relapse of the lung parenchyma. No extrapulmonary sites were involved and the infiltrate cleared in three weeks with systemic chemotherapy. Pulmonary function tests continued to demonstrate restrictive disease. The patient remained in remission for nine months following pulmonary relapse on systemic chemotherapy. This patient illustrates an unusual site of leukemic relapse and the importance of open lung biopsy in the diagnosis of the immunosuppressed patient with a pulmonary infiltrate.

Adolescent↗

Congenital lobar emphysema: long-term evaluation of surgically and conservatively treated children.

The clinical conditions, roentgenographic findings, and pulmonary function tests of 6 children (mean age, 10.9 years) with surgically treated congenital lobar emphysema (group 1) were compared with those of 5 children (mean age, 10.3 years) with congenital lobar emphysema who had been treated conservatively, i.e., nonsurgically (group 2). At the time of this study, patients in both groups were asymptomatic. Patients in group 1 were surgically treated because of severe respiratory distress in the newborn period, with the exception of one patient, who was eupneic as a newborn and was not operated on until the age of 9 years. Patients in group 2 were eupneic or mildly distressed in the neonatal period and received only conservative treatment. Two patients in group 1 had occasional wheezing and labored breathing, but no patient in group 2 had recurrent respiratory distress. Roentgenographically, at the time of the study, patients in group 1 had generalized overinflation, whereas those in group 2 had only localized overinflation of the involved lobe and minimal compression of remaining lung tissue. Pulmonary function studies in both groups were not significantly different (P greater than 0.05). Both groups had reduced forced vital capacities, large trapped gas volumes, and reduced forced expiratory flows at low lung volumes. Reductions in forced vital capacity were proportional to the unventilated volumes of lung either excised because of congenital lobar emphysema (group 1) or chronically obstructed by congenital lobar emphysema (group 2). These studies suggest that lung growth was not different in these 2 groups and that asymptomatic or midly symptomatic patients do not benefit from surgical treatment.

Adolescent↗

Magnetic resonance imaging of inflammatory lung disorders: preliminary studies in children.

Magnetic resonance(MR) scans were performed on 14 children with a variety of inflammatory disorders of the lungs. MR successfully identified disease in all of the children and accurately localized the disease within the lung fields. In patients with pneumonia and lung abscesses the acute inflammation was associated with a marked increase in signal intensity on T2 when compared with T1 weighted images. One patient with an inflammatory pseudotumor demonstrated a smaller increase in signal intensity on T2 weighted images than was seen in acute pneumonia. Abscess cavities were well identified along with the wall thickness. In patients with diffuse lung disease (diffuse histoplasmosis, miliary tuberculosis, Letterer-Siwe disease, and allergic alveolitis), each disease appeared different on the MR images. These preliminary studies indicate that magnetic resonance imaging is effective for identifying pulmonary disease in children and may improve the radiologist's ability to differentiate pulmonary disorders.

Adolescent↗