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Biomedical subjects

H Finestone

Publications and source records attributed to H Finestone.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Benefits of activity and virtual reality based balance exercise programmes for adults with traumatic brain injury: perceptions of participants and their caregivers.

OBJECTIVE: To explore multi-dimensional benefits of exercise participation perceived by adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and their caregivers. METHODS: Adults (n=27, aged 18-66) with moderate or severe TBI 6 months or more earlier participated in focus groups following 6 weeks of an activity-based (ABE) or a virtual reality (VR) delivered balance exercise programme. Family members and care providers participated in separate focus groups. Perceptions related to programme participation as well as balance confidence and lower extremity function were extracted from focus group verbatim and quantitative scales, respectively. OUTCOMES: Benefits in three domains, psychosocial, physical and programme, were identified from transcription and analyses of focus group verbatim. Improvements were noted in balance confidence and function in both groups. Substantially greater enthusiasm and knowledge was expressed by participants in the VR group and their caregivers. CONCLUSIONS: Both exercise programmes offered benefits in addition to improved balance. The VR participants had greater improvements on quantitative measures and provided more comments expressing enjoyment and improved confidence. Applications in terms of community reintegration and quality of life are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Use of percutaneous gastrojejunostomy feeding tubes in the rehabilitation of stroke patients.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the characteristics of and complications in the rehabilitation of stroke patients in whom percutaneous gastrojejunostomy (PGJ) feeding tubes have been placed. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: A rehabilitation unit in a tertiary care hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Stroke patients (n = 563) admitted to a tertiary care hospital over a 10-year period. INTERVENTION: PGJ feeding tubes. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Evidence of aspiration in all videofluoroscopic modified barium swallow (VMBS) studies was noted. For patients with a PGJ feeding tube, the following were recorded: stroke location; results of subsequent VMBS reports; length of time from stroke onset to PGJ feeding tube insertion; total time the PGJ feeding tube remained in situ; discharge disposition; and concurrent feeding status. Follow-up was at 1-year poststroke. Complications during the inpatient stay attributable to the PGJ feeding tube were recorded. RESULTS: Thirty-two of all 563 (5.7%) stroke patients admitted and 28 of the 115 (24.3%) proven aspirators, as shown on VMBS studies, had a PGJ feeding tube inserted. Twenty-one of the 563 (3.7%) stroke patients were discharged to the community with PGJ feeding tubes in place. The tubes were inserted on average 37 days after stroke onset. Seventeen of all 88 (19.3%) brainstem stroke patients and 15 of all 29 (51.7%) brainstem stroke patients with documented aspiration had feeding tubes inserted, whereas only 15 of 475 (3.2%) hemispheric stroke rehabilitation patients received a tube. Eleven of 32 (34.3%) patients with a feeding tube were able to resume oral feedings at discharge; within 1 year of discharge, 24 of 32 (75%) had done so. Although there were no serious complications resulting from tube insertions, minor complications were documented in more than 50% of the cases. The tubes were associated with prolonged institutionalization in only 1 case; most patients were discharged on a home tube-feeding program. CONCLUSIONS: PGJ feeding tubes were placed in approximately 1 of every 20 of our stroke rehabilitation patients. One third of the tubes were removed before the patients were discharged from rehabilitation and 75% were removed within 1 year. Insertion of the tubes was most common in patients with evidence of aspiration and in patients with brainstem strokes. Complications caused by the tube were minor and all patients but 1 who were discharged with feeding tubes were able to manage the home tube-feeding program.

Cohort Studies↗
PubMed2000

Hypofrontality and negative symptoms in patients with dementia of Alzheimer type.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the current study was to examine the relation between regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and negative symptoms (NS) in patients with dementia of Alzheimer type (DAT). BACKGROUND: Negative symptoms in neuropsychiatric disorders were associated with altered rCBF in frontal cortex. METHODS: Twenty-five subjects with a diagnosis of DAT were administered the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS), the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale, the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, and the Mini-Mental State Examination. The subjects were divided into two groups by means of a median split with regard to NS severity (high NS group, N = 12; low NS group, N = 13). Each patient underwent a single photon emission tomography scan using 99mTc-HMPAO at rest. Cortical and subcortical regions of interest were symmetrically defined in each hemisphere. Cortical-to-cerebellar perfusion ratios were established quantitatively using ADAC software. RESULTS: High NS group subjects had a significantly lower rCBF than low NS group subjects in the frontal cortex and cingulate gyrus (MANOVA: p = 0.022) as a result of differences in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex bilaterally (right: F = 12.12, p = 0.002; left: F = 6.55, p = 0.02) and in the frontal cortex, mainly in the right hemisphere (right: F = 6.33, p = 0.02; left: F = 3.26, p = 0.08). For all the subjects (N = 25), there were negative correlations between the SANS total score and rCBF, most prominently in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex bilaterally (right: r = -0.48, p <0.01; left: r = -0.49, p = 0.01). No significant correlation was found between rCBF in any of the regions of interest and either the Mini-Mental State Examination or the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression scores. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that decreased perfusion in the frontal cortex is associated with NS severity but not with measures of cognitive impairment or depressive symptoms in DAT patients. These results support the hypothesis that the frontal lobes may be involved in the cause of NS in DAT, and they underscore the importance of NS evaluation in neuroimaging studies.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Frequency of videofluoroscopic modified barium swallow studies and pneumonia in stroke rehabilitation patients: a comparative study.

OBJECTIVE: To study the association between the frequency of videofluoroscopic modified barium swallow (VMBS) studies and the incidence of pneumonia in stroke rehabilitation patients. DESIGN: Retrospective comparative study. SUBJECTS AND SETTING: Five hundred sixty-three consecutive stroke patients admitted to one hospital rehabilitation unit in London, Ontario, Canada were compared with 461 consecutive stroke patients admitted to another hospital rehabilitation unit in the same city. INTERVENTIONS: The number of initial and total VMBS studies and the timing from stroke onset to initial VMBS studies. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Incidence of pneumonia. RESULTS: At the first hospital, 146 patients (25.9%) had 232 total VMBS studies performed, whereas at the second hospital 57 patients (12.4%) had 73 total studies (p<.001). For the first 15 days there was no significant difference in the number of initial VMBS studies performed (8.2% vs. 9.2%). There was a marked difference in the number of initial VMBS studies performed after 15 days (17.2% vs. 2.0%, p<.0001). The difference between the hospitals in the number of VMBS studies in patients with brain stem strokes was not statistically significant, but for patients with hemispheric stroke, the difference was statistically significant. Pneumonia developed in 12 patients at the first hospital (2.1%) and 10 patients at the second hospital (2.2%), a difference that was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: The more frequent use of VMBS beyond 15 days after stroke was not associated with a change in the incidence of pneumonia among hemispheric stroke rehabilitation patients, assuming the two units were otherwise similar.

Aged↗
PubMed1998

Hypofrontality and negative symptoms in major depressive disorder.

UNLABELLED: The purpose of the current study was to compare regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) to that of healthy subjects and to examine the relationship between rCBF, depressive symptoms (DS) and negative symptoms (NS) in these patients. METHODS: Eleven psychiatric inpatients with diagnosed (MDD) and 15 normal control subjects were administered the scale for the assessment of negative symptoms (SANS) and the modified Hamilton rating scale for depression with items descriptive of NS excluded (HRSD-DS). Each patient underwent a SPECT scan using 99mTc-HMPAO at rest. Cortical and subcortical regions of interest (ROIs) were symmetrically defined in each hemisphere. Cortical-to-cerebellar perfusion ratios were established quantitatively using ADAC software. RESULTS: Subjects in the MDD group had significantly lower rCBF in the frontal cortex and cinglulate gyrus (MANOVA, p = 0.038) due to differences in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex bilaterally (right F = 7.69, p = 0.01; left F = 8.41, p = 0.01) in the right orbitofrontal cortex (F = 6.79, p = 0.02) and in the cingulate gyrus (F = 5.34, p = 0.03). The MDD group also had lower rCBF in the posterior cortical structures (MANOVA, p = 0.072), which was due to decreased perfusion in the right parietal cortex (F = 7.54, p = 0.01). There were negative correlations between the SANS total score and rCBF in both the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (Pearson's correlation coefficient r = .-67, p < 0.05) and the left anterior temporal cortex (r = -0.71, p < 0.01) in MDD patients. Additionally, there were positive correlations between HRSD scores and rCBF in the left anterior temporal (r = 0.71, p < 0.01), left dorsolateral prefrontal (r = 0.70, p < 0.01), right frontal (r = 0.82, p < 0.01) and right posterior temporal (r = 0.74, p < 0.01) cortices. Cerebral blood flow was not correlated with either mini-mental state examination scores or age. CONCLUSION: This preliminary study replicates the finding of hypofrontality in MDD and indicates that decreased perfusion is associated specifically with negative symptom severity. These results support the hypothesis that, in MDD, negative symptoms and symptoms of depression are distinct phenomena and underscore the importance of negative symptom evaluation in neuroimaging studies of MDD and other disorders.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Gallium scanning in the 'new' tuberculosis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the findings and usefulness of Ga-67 scanning in recent cases of tuberculosis (TB). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors reviewed chest x-ray films and Ga-67 citrate scans of 52 patients with culture-confirmed infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis treated after 1988. RESULTS: Ga-67 scans were positive in every case, delineating upper lobe lung lesions in 6 patients, diffuse involvement or lower lobe disease in 34 patients, and intrathoracic adenopathy in 15 patients. Pulmonary parenchymal lesions were not detected on x-ray films in 3 patients, and nodal lesions were not apparent in 3 patients. In addition, in 6 patients cervical adenopathy was detected by Ga-67 scintigraphy; 4 underwent biopsy with culture confirmation. CONCLUSIONS: Ga-67 scanning is more sensitive than routine chest radiography for detection of both TB parenchymal lung involvement and adenopathy. Ga-67 imaging facilitates the choice of biopsy sites by identifying accessible peripheral nodes. Typical patterns in recent cases of TB differ significantly from the upper lobe predilection of classical TB.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

ECT treatment and cerebral perfusion in Catatonia.

A 40-yr-old woman with a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder developed catatonia in the context of a depressive episode. A dramatic decrease in perfusion of the inferior frontal, posterior temporal and parietal lobes bilaterally and in posterior frontal lobes corresponding to the motor cortices was noted on the 99mTc-HMPAO SPECT scan obtained in the acute phase. The most dramatic decreases compared to normal control subjects were observed in the left parietal and left motor cortices. The patient was treated with a five-treatment course of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), which resulted in a complete resolution of catatonia and some resolution of her symptoms of depression. The repeat HMPAO-SPECT scan showed improved perfusion in all areas. The most dramatic increases occurred in the left parietal and left motor cortices. Decreased perfusion in motor and parietal cortices could be state-specific to catatonia. Thus, SPECT imaging may be a useful method for monitoring catatonia treatment response.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Axillary lymph node uptake of technetium-99m-MDP.

UNLABELLED: We sought to determine the frequency and significance of axillary lymph node visualization on bone scans performed with diphosphonates. METHODS: Consecutive 99mTc-methylene diphosphonate (99mTc-MDP) bone scans (2435) were inspected for axillary soft-tissue uptake. In positive cases, the results of physical examination, correlative imaging studies and serial bone scans were recorded, as was the site of venipuncture. RESULTS: Forty-eight studies (2%) showed axillary uptake ipsilateral to the injection site. Extravasation of tracer, documented by focal activity near the injection site, was present in every case. There was no association with axillary adenopathy, mass, induration or radiographically visible calcification. On some images, foci adjacent to the axilla were superimposed on the rib, scapula, or humerus. The bone-to-background ratio was frequently reduced; repeat imaging after 1-2 hr usually improved osseous detail. CONCLUSION: Ipsilateral axillary lymph node visualization due to extravasation of 99mTc-MDP is frequently associated with additional foci superimposed on osseous structures simulating pathology. Delayed skeletal uptake is common in such cases and necessitates a greater time interval between injection and imaging.

Axilla↗
PubMed1994

Bilateral osteomyelitis due to intraosseous infusion: case report and review of the English-language literature.

Intraosseous infusion, a mode of peripheral access largely abandoned in the 1940s and 1950s, is becoming increasingly popular in the setting of pediatric crisis. While complications are rare when the procedure is properly performed, the risk of osteomyelitis increases with prolonged infusions. We present a case of bilateral osteomyelitis secondary to intraosseous infusion.

Humans↗
PubMed1994

Ventilation-perfusion imaging in sarcoidosis: potential for nonembolic segmental mismatch.

We report a case of a postpartum female on oral contraceptives who presented with chest pain and was initially treated for pulmonary embolism on the basis of a lobar mismatch on ventilation-perfusion imaging. Subsequent angiography revealed that the pulmonary artery was extrinsically compressed. Gallium-67-citrate imaging documented sarcoidosis with uptake in bilateral hilar nodes, both lungs and parotid and salivary glands.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Scintigraphic pattern of pneumothorax complicating Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in patients with AIDS.

Spontaneous pneumothorax is a serious though infrequently reported pulmonary complication of AIDS. An unsuspected lung collapse was discovered via gallium scintigraphy for the study of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. Neither the pneumonia nor the pneumothorax were apparent on the most recent chest roentgenogram. In evaluating gallium images during the work-up of AIDS patients with associated pulmonary pathology, the possible complication of lung collapse should be considered. If pneumothorax is suspected on gallium imaging, a chest roentgenogram in expiration must be obtained for prompt delineation of this serious, yet correctable, condition.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗