Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

H M Mather

Publications and source records attributed to H M Mather.

53 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1981

Vasopressin in plasma and CSF of patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage.

Arginine vasopressin was measured in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 42 patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage. Increased concentrations of vasopressin were present in 10 patients, of whom eight had bled from an anterior communicating artery aneurysm. In three patients high blood vasopressin values were associated with gross hyponatraemia. Five patients were found to have increased CSF vasopressin concentrations in the presence of normal plasma values and in all of these the level of consciousness was severely disturbed. It is suggested that an increased secretion of vasopressin into the blood or CSF may be a contributory factor in the worsening condition of some patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Vasopressin in human cerebrospinal fluid.

Arginine vasopressin was measured by RIA in samples of plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) taken synchronously from 62 patients with proven or suspected disorders of the central nervous system in order to determine the relationship between the secretion of vasopressin into the systemic circulation and that into the CSF. In 12 patients without endocrine or brain disease, mean plasma values (+/- SD) were 2.8 +/- 0.7 pg/ml and CSF values were 2.4 +/- 0.7 pg/ml. Thirty-six patients with various intracranial disorders had plasma and CSF values which were both within the range of 1-4 pg/ml. Eight patients had raised plasma concentrations, but their CSF levels were within the normal range. One patient with posttraumatic diabetes insipidus and 2 patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage had concentrations of CSF vasopressin which were greater than plasma levels. These results indicate that a blood CSF barrier to vasopressin exists in man and that under certain pathological conditions excessive amounts of the hormone can be secreted into the CSF independently of that which is released into the blood, a finding which could have clinical significance in disorders of brain function.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Hypomagnesaemia in diabetes.

The plasma magnesium (Mg) concentrations of 582 unselected diabetic outpatients and 140 control subjects were measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Mean plasma Mg (+/-S.D.) was significantly lower in the diabetic patients (0.737 +/- 0.071 mmol/l) than in the control subjects (0.810 +/- 0.057 mmol/l), and 146 (25%) diabetics had values below those of all control subjects except one. Plasma Mg correlated best with clinic blood glucose concentration (r = -0.32, p less than 0.001) and other significant associations were observed with glycosuria, age, sex, insulin therapy and biguanide therapy. Although its significance is unclear, hypomagnesaemia could conceivably predispose to ischaemic heart disease in diabetes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Leucocyte and erythrocyte magnesium levels after jejuno-ileal bypass surgery.

Leucocyte magnesium concentration was measured in 25 hypomagnesaemic patients following a jejuno-ilean bypass operation for gross obesity. The mean plasma magnesium concentration in the bypass group was 0.67 mmol/l compared with that of 0.90 mmol/l in a group of 17 healthy volunteers, but the leucocyte magnesium concentration in the two groups was not significantly different. The plasma potassium was found to be significantly lower in the bypass group but there was no significant difference in the leucocyte potassium concentration in the two groups. Simultaneous measurements of erythrocyte magnesium, sodium and potassium were made. There was no evidence of intracellular magnesium depletion on the basis of the tissues studied.

Calcium↗
PubMed1979

Heart size and function in acromegaly.

Cardiac size and function was studied in 23 acromegalic patients using echocardiography and systolic time interval measurements. Thirteen patients (56%) had increased left ventricular mass, and in the 20 treated patients this correlated well with the mean of the recent basal growth hormone levels. It is suggested that myocardial hypertrophy may regress in proportion to the degree of control of growth hormone levels. The ejection fraction was normal in all patients except one, and increased left ventricular mass was not associated with detectable impairment of left ventricular performance. Thus, most acromegalic hearts function normally even when their mass is considerably increased, though the long-term effects of this are unknown, Echocardiography will be valuable in the serial monitoring of the cardiac effects of acromegaly.

Acromegaly↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Ethnic minorities in British diabetic clinics: a questionnaire survey.

A questionnaire was sent by the British Diabetic Association to hospital consultant physicians caring for diabetic patients in the UK to estimate the number of ethnic minority patients attending British Diabetic clinics, and the availability of special facilities for their care. Sixty-two clinics were estimated to have at least 50 Asian patients, and 25 had at least 200 Asian patients. For Afro-Caribbeans the corresponding figures were 33 and 14 clinics, respectively. Clinics serving a relatively high proportion of these patient groups were situated primarily in Greater London, the Midlands and the North West. Approximately 40% of clinics with over 50 Asians had no specifically adapted diet sheets, and 34% had no hospital interpreter service. Tapes, slides or video presentations were available in only eight clinics. There is an urgent need to improve the provision of special facilities to clinics with substantial numbers of ethnic minority patients.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The Oxford Community Diabetes Study: evidence for an increase in the prevalence of known diabetes in Great Britain.

A prevalence survey for known diabetes was conducted in a geographically defined population of nearly 40,100 in Oxford in April 1982. The age-adjusted prevalence rate was 10.4/1000 which did not differ significantly from age-adjusted rates of 9.5/1000 in Poole and 10.5/1000 in Southall. The prevalence increased with age and was higher in men than women over the age of 30 years. Our results confirm that there has been a change in the male to female sex ratio and suggest that there are about 500,000 diagnosed diabetics in England and Wales including about 190,000 insulin-treated patients. These findings are consistent with a secular increase in the prevalence of diagnosed diabetes over the last two decades which has important implications for the planning and provision of resources for care.

Age Factors↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Consultant post prospects in medical specialties.

Consultant post prospects for Specialist Registrars (SpRs) in all the medical specialties have been analysed using the databases of the Royal College of Physicians and the Joint Committee on Higher Medical Training (JCHMT). A 'bulge' in the numbers of SpRs obtaining Certificates of Completion of Specialist Training (CCSTs) is anticipated over the next 2-3 years, but this effect will be alleviated by the increasing trend to spend extra years in research or flexible training. There are profound differences between the specialties in the ratios of SpRs holding National Training Numbers (NTNs) to consultants, and in the proportions of female SpRs, and these factors will markedly influence consultant post prospects. The outlook within most specialties is favourable, but this is critically dependent on the rate of consultant expansion over the next few years.

Female↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Coping with pressures in acute medicine--the second RCP consultant questionnaire survey.

The second questionnaire survey of consultant physicians involved in acute unselected takes in 1999 achieved a 76% response rate, and the results have been compared with those from the first survey of 1997. The proportion of consultants whose trainees worked partial shifts had increased from 42% to 61%, although these patterns of duty were adjudged to have detrimental effects on the quality and continuity of care, and on junior staff education and training. The benefits of ward-based systems were counterbalanced by their disadvantages, but introductions of admission wards and assessment units were considered a resounding success. The number of hospitals with 'physician of the week' schemes had increased from 12 to 23, but opinion of their value was sharply divided. The provision and competence of all grades of locums was identified as an increasing problem. Seventy per cent of respondents stated that they would never participate in 'hands-on' emergency care, although 86% thought that future consultants might have to do so. Seventy-nine per cent reported increases in the pressures of their posts and in their working hours, and the tensions between general and specialist duties were highlighted. Most consultants considered that the only long-term solution to the staffing crisis was a marked expansion in the numbers of all grades of medical staff.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of the aldose reductase inhibitor, ponalrestat, on diabetic neuropathy.

The effect of treatment with the aldose reductase inhibitor, Ponalrestat*, was studied in 30 diabetic patients with established peripheral and autonomic neuropathy. After a 4-week placebo run-in phase, patients were randomised to 16 weeks active or placebo treatment in a double-blind, parallel-group trial. Changes in neuropathy were assessed using vibration perception thresholds, heart rate responses to deep breathing, pulse and blood pressure changes on standing and the patients' subjective scoring of peripheral and autonomic neuropathic symptoms. In addition, circulating neuropeptides and the responses of circulating gut peptides to an oral glucose tolerance test were studied. There was a significant improvement in the mean vibration perception threshold over the four sites studied in the ponalrestat treated group. There were no significant changes in the other indices of neuropathy, including heart rate variability, blood pressure responses to standing or symptom scores, though there were trends towards improvement. There were no significant changes in the levels of the circulating neuropeptides or in the responses of the circulating gut peptides to oral glucose tolerance test. No clinically important side-effects attributable to ponalrestat were observed. We conclude that ponalrestat improves some of the parameters of diabetic neuropathy and is likely to be of value in the treatment of this condition.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Help for house officers: EFCOS--the Ealing Hospital Firm Computer System.

The Ealing Hospital Firm Computer System is a novel database system which has been designed to meet the needs of house physicians in a busy general medical unit. It is maintained exclusively by them and produces instant lists of all patients on their firm, with all relevant information needed to organise their clinical work. It has proved extremely popular, and its value to both junior and senior staff has been documented in an anonymous questionnaire survey. The system is available for distribution on a non-profit basis, and other colleagues are invited to use it.

Medical Records Systems, Computerized↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Coping with pressures in acute medicine. The Royal College of Physicians Consultant Questionnaire Survey.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact of reduced junior doctors' hours and increasing emergency admissions on patterns of acute medical care, and to evaluate recent innovations. METHODS: Questionnaire survey of all 2,980 consultant physicians in England, Wales and Northern Ireland potentially involved in acute medicine. The response rate was 63% with 1,3632 respondents undertaking unselected takes. RESULTS: WORKLOAD: The median average number of admissions per 24 h was 20-24, but 25% of consultants admitted > or = 30. The median frequency of take duties was 1 day in 5. COMPOSITION OF RESIDENT MEDICAL TEAMS: The most common permutation was one specialist registrar (SpR), senior house officer (SHO) and house physician (HP), coping with 20 admissions on average. However, the teams of 25% of respondents did not include a SpR, and 9% consisted solely of one SHO and one HP, with an average 17 admissions. PARTIAL SHIFT ROTAS: Forty-two per cent of consultants had introduced these. Most were critical of them because of their adverse impact on continuity of care and junior staff training, and their unpopularity with trainees. PATTERNS OF CARE: Only 10% of consultants indicated that myocardial infarction patients were managed exclusively by a cardiological team. Forty per cent operated an age-limit (varying between 65 and 85) for admission under care of the elderly physicians. Seventy per cent had introduced an admissions ward. NEW INITIATIVES TO COPE WITH ADMISSIONS: These included twice-daily consultant take rounds, use of nurse practitioners and staff-grade doctors, 12-hour takes and ward-based admission schemes. Measures to expedite discharges included 'discharge lounges', nurse facilitators, low-dependency wards and 'hospital at home' schemes.

Aged↗