Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

H M Swick

Publications and source records attributed to H M Swick.

34 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1980

Peripheral nerve conduction in Fabry disease.

Peripheral nerve conduction was studied in 34 members, aged 3 to 54 years, from three separate kindreds with Fabry disease. Nerve conduction velocity was prolonged in one-third (11 of 34) of the study group. Of the 9 control family members with normal plasma alpha-galactosidase levels, 8 had normal velocity. A 6-year-old girl with normal plasma and leukocyte alpha-galactosidase levels and absent corneal deposits had slightly lower than normal nerve conduction velocity. One of the 3 obligate female carriers and 1 of 10 suspected carriers of Fabry disease had prolonged conduction velocity but normal distal latency. On the other hand, 8 of 12 males affected with Fabry disease demonstrated slow nerve conduction velocity while 4 of the 8 had prolonged distal latency. Frequently, only one of the two nerves studied showed abnormalities. These abnormalities were not related to patient age. Interfamilial variations in the abnormalities were present.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Clinical evaluation of metrizamide for neuroradiology in chilren.

Metrizamide is a nonionic water-soluble contrast medium for neuroradiological studies that is less irritating to the nervous system than other water-soluble agents. Studies in adults have shown that metrizamide has advantages over currently available media, but experience with children has been limited. Sixty-two children have had myelography or ventriculography using metrizamide. The children ranged in age from 11 days to 22 years. Technically satisfactory studies were obtained in every patient. No major complications were encountered. Minor side-effects included headache in 11 children (18%), mild nausea or vomiting in 16 children (26%), and fever in 4 children (6%). Seizures did not occur. One infant in the study subsequently died of unrelated problems; there was no evidence of arachnoiditis at postmortem examination. Metrizamide is a safe, effective contrast medium for neuroradiological use in children.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Human nerve excitability.

The excitabilities of separate fibre populations were examined in the ulnar nerve in 74 healthy subjects, and in the posterior tibial, peroneal, and sural nerves in 23 of these subjects. Square wave electric stimuli of varying duration were applied to the nerve in different locations, while recording the evoked muscle or nerve action potential. "Threshold" strengthduration curves were derived for motor, sensory, and mixed nerve fibre populations. These curves did not vary significantly one from another, in upper versus extremity, or over time. No correlations between excitability and other measures of peripheral nerve function were observed. Excitability appears to reflect some element of nerve structure or function other than myelin.

Action Potentials↗
PubMed1976

A heat-stable blocking factor in the plasma of patients with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis.

The possible role of a defective cell-mediated immune response in the pathogenesis of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis remains unclear. Cell-mediated immunity has been investigated in nine patients with this disorder. In eight patients, a heat-stable blocking factor in the plasma inhibited normal lymphocyte transformation to phytohemagglutinin and mixed lymphocyte cultures. The degree of blocking increased as the disease progressed. The nature of the blocking factor is unknown and is currently under investigation. A heat-stable blocking factor has not been described previously in subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, althouth a heat-labile blocking factor has been reported in a total of five patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

The use of steroids in the treatment of idiopathic polyneuritis.

The efficacy of steroids in the treatment of acute idiopathic polyneuritis (Guillain-Barré syndrome) continues to be uncertain. Since 1965, 38 patients with idiopathic polyneuritis have been at the University of Kentucky Medical Center, and 16 of them were entered in a prospective double blind study designed to assess the effectiveness of steroid therapy. Seriously ill patients were excluded from the study and most of them received steroids. In both the double-blind group and the entire group of patients, the time from the onset of illness to recovery was significantly less in patients treated with steroids, although steroids did not alter the initial severity of illness or the duration of hospitalization.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

Transillumination of the skull in premature infants.

Transillumination of the skull in infants is a simple technique which can be used to detect several major abnormalities of the central nervous system. The usefulness of transillumination has been limited, however, by the lack of standard techniques for its performance and by the absence of normal values, especially in premature infants. In healthy premature infants, there is a progressive increase in transillumination with increasing gestational age over three sites--the anterior fontanelle, the frontotemporal fossa, and the parieto-occipital eminence.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1975

Calcification of intervertebral discs in childhood.

Over 75 cases of intervertebral disc calcification in childhood have been reported, but the illness is seldom considered in the differential diagnosis of back pain inchildren. This paper reports two children who required surgery for intervertebral disc calcification. The histologic changes, which have not been described previously, include an amorphous calcification within the nucleus pulposus without any inflammatory reaction. The etiology of disc calcification remains unknown, but it can be differentiated both clinically and pathologically from other causes of calcified intervertebral discs and from spondylarthritis.

Biopsy↗