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Biomedical subjects

H McFarlane

Publications and source records attributed to H McFarlane.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

Prediction of a small internal jugular vein by external jugular vein diameter.

The relationship between internal jugular vein diameter as measured with an ultrasound imaging machine (SiteRite, Dymax) and external jugular vein diameter was studied in 50 anaesthetised patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery. There was an inverse correlation between external jugular vein diameter and internal jugular vein diameter (r = -0.47, p < 0.001). All patients with an external jugular vein diameter of 7 mm or greater had an internal jugular vein diameter of less than 15 mm. No patient with an external jugular vein diameter of less than 7 mm had an internal jugular vein diameter of less than 20 mm. No other patient dimension (height, weight, body mass index, neck circumference) predicted internal jugular vein size. These results suggest that a large external jugular vein (i.e. 7 mm or greater in external diameter) may be associated with a small internal jugular vein. A size 5.0-mm internal diameter tracheal tube may be used to provide a rapid assessment of external jugular vein diameter.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Isoflurane for removal of chest drains after cardiac surgery.

Thirty-five patients who had undergone uncomplicated cardiac surgery were randomly allocated to receive either Entonox or isoflurane 0.25% in Entonox as inhalational analgesia for the removal of their two chest drains. The gases were presented premixed in high-pressure cylinders and were self-administered by means of a demand valve. The removal of the second drain was more painful than the first but that pain was better controlled by isoflurane 0.25% in Entonox than by Entonox alone.

Analgesia, Patient-Controlled↗
PubMed1997

Theatre usage for emergency surgery--use or abuse?

A prospective study was performed to characterise the activity in the designated Emergency Operating Theatre of a fourteen hundred bed teaching hospital. The main conclusion was that a large group of non-emergency but non-elective patients undergo surgery in this facility. The study has shown that in this hospital, despite apparently adequate emergency facilities including a separate orthopaedic trauma theatre, additional theatre time equivalent to six designated theatre sessions would be required to optimise the management of these patients who are often elderly and require major surgery.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

DSP-4 treatment influences olfactory preferences of developing rats.

Control cagemates of rats treated with the norepinephrine (NE) neurotoxin DSP-4, showed normal olfactory learning as infants, but abnormal aversion to home-cage odors as juveniles. Neither age nor social housing conditions influenced the odor preferences of DSP-4-treated rats: they showed tolerance or attraction to familiar odors at both developmental stages. Controls, but not DSP-4-treated juveniles, housed in mixed treatment groups, showed elevated concentrations of a serotonin metabolite and reduced NE concentrations in the hippocampus, suggesting that this social situation was particularly stressful for the controls. DSP-4-treated juveniles, but not infants, produced odors that were discriminable from controls'. Thus, conflicting olfactory signals in the home-cages of mixed juvenile groups may have led to the development of stress in controls. NE depletion appeared to lessen social stress effects in their DSP-4-treated cagemates. These findings support other data suggesting that NE modulates the biobehavioral effects of the social environment.

Adrenergic Agents↗
PubMed1994

Existence of a silent gene for pseudocholinesterase in a Trinidad population.

Although the values reported were higher than those reported for Caucasians, differences in dibucaine number for pseudocholinesterase values among the three ethnic groups in Trinidad and Tobago, were not significant. Eight individuals had intermediate dibucaine number values between 40 and 70; one of them was African, 3 were East Indians, and 4 Mixed. Two of the Mixed group were of Portuguese lineage and had significantly lower dibucaine numbers and enzyme concentration. Two sisters of East Indian origin had an inestimable dibucaine number and their pseudocholinesterase values were just detectable, suggesting the presence of a 'silent gene' for pseudocholinesterase. These studies, which are being extended, suggest that the dibucaine number should be estimated prior to succinylcholine administration in patients in Trinidad and Tobago who are at risk of apnoea.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Sick sinus syndrome and primary systemic amyloidosis.

A sixty-eight-year-old woman with documented sick sinus syndrome was found to have, five year later, florid clinical features of systemic amyloidosis which only then led to recognition of an underlying IgA, Kappa paraproteinaemia. The literature on this association is outlined. Underlying plasma cell dyscrasias should be excluded in cases of unexplained sick sinus syndrome.

Amyloidosis↗
PubMed1990

Hyperkalemic periodic paralysis and the adult muscle sodium channel alpha-subunit gene.

Hyperkalemic periodic paralysis (HYPP) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by episodes of muscle weakness due to depolarization of the muscle cell membrane associated with elevated serum potassium. Electrophysiological studies have implicated the adult muscle sodium channel. Here, portions of the adult muscle sodium channel alpha-subunit gene were cloned and mapped near the human growth hormone locus (GH1) on chromosome 17. In a large pedigree displaying HYPP with myotonia, these two loci showed tight linkage to the genetic defect with no recombinants detected. Thus, it is likely that the sodium channel alpha-subunit gene contains the HYPP mutation.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

A genetic linkage map of chromosome 17.

We have developed a genetic linkage map of 19 markers (including nine genes) on human chromosome 17, providing 13 reference points along virtually the entire length of this chromosome. The map covers an estimated 149 cM in length (sex-averaged), with a total length of 214 cM in females and 95 cM in males. This sex difference appears to be significant along virtually the entire length of the map. This map will be useful both for providing reference points for fine structure genetic and physical mapping and for genetic linkage studies of diseases, including von Recklinghausen neurofibromatosis and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.

Chi-Square Distribution↗
PubMed1990

Hypotension due to unexpected cardiac tamponade.

We report a case of profound hypotension, after induction of general anaesthesia, that resulted from unexpected cardiac tamponade. The differential diagnosis was complicated by the absence of any evidence to indicate that there was significant direct chest injury. Many of the recognised clinical signs of cardiac tamponade were absent, in particular, there was no compensatory tachycardia, and heart rate remained stable despite severe hypotension before surgical drainage of the pericardium. The possible aetiology and pathophysiology is discussed. It is suggested that after major trauma, cardiac tamponade should be considered as a possibility even in the absence of significantly abnormal cardiovascular signs, evidence of direct chest injury, or an abnormal chest X ray.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Malignant carcinoid syndrome. Failure of anti-oestrogenic therapy.

A pre-menopausal patient with a six-year history of symptoms of the metastatic carcinoid syndrome leading to progressively worsening carcinoid heart disease is described. The failure of anti-oestrogenic therapy (sequential bilateral oophorectomy and Tamoxifen therapy) to halt progression of disease was documented. Death resulted from right ventricular failure associated with pulmonary and tricuspid valvular disease.

Biopsy↗
PubMed1989

ACTH--inosine pranobex in the treatment of AIDS. Encouraging results.

Twenty patients with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) received treatment with Inosine Pranobex and specific antibacterial and anti-parasitic therapy. Five died shortly after hospitalization, but a further fifteen who also received ACTH, survived, gained weight and improved clinically, biochemically and haematologically.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1989

Homozygote for Huntington disease.

Four offspring of three different Huntington disease (HD) affected x affected matings were assessed by genetic linkage analysis for possible homozygosity. One individual was found to have a 95% likelihood of being an HD homozygote. The homozygote individual had an age at onset and symptoms which were similar to those of affected HD heterozygote relatives, including some with younger onset. This confirms the observation of Wexler et al. that in HD the homozygote is not more severely afflicted than the heterozygote.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Studies of lipoproteins and fatty acids in maternal and cord blood of two racial groups in Trinidad.

The high mortality rate from coronary heart disease (CHD) among Indians compared to Negroes in Trinidad led us to test plasma lipid profiles to see whether dietary or genetic factors might be involved. There were no interracial differences in the composition of plasma cholesterol ester fatty acids of the tested women and neonates. This finding suggests that dietary fat does not account for the interracial difference in CHD, nor does the cause appear to be due to genetic differences in lipid profiles, as there was no significant difference between values for plasma triglycerides, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, apo-I, apo-II, apo B or cholesterol ester fatty acids in the cord blood of each racial group. Blood samples were collected from 69 nonpregnant and 71 postpartum, fasted Negro and Indian women. Also taken were 71 umbilical cord blood samples. The mean triglyceride level was significantly lower in the Negro nonpregnant and postpartum women than in the Indians. HDL cholesterol and apo-I values were lower in the Indian women. There were no significant differences in the total cholesterol and apo B measurements. The triglyceride values for postpartum women were higher than those of the nonpregnant Negroes and Indians (75% and 47%, respectively), whereas the total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol, apo A-I and apo A-II ranged from 9% to 29% higher in the postpartum women. Apo B was about 40% higher postpartum in both ethnic groups. The high CHD rate of Indians in Trinidad cannot be explained by dietary factors, plasma total cholesterol or fatty acid composition.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1981

The development and nature of immune deficit in primates in response to malnutrition.

Within 2--3 days of establishing protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) in primates there was a significant reduction (P less than 0.01) of the serum transferrin and C3 concentrations. No such changes occurred in the serum albumin until 21 days later. There was an early marked development of immune deficiency, at least 3 weeks before any signs of infection. Lymphocyte E and EAC rosetting, DNA stimulation, in vivo delayed hypersensitivity, passive cutaneous anaphylaxis and skin-graft rejection were all markedly decreased as early as Day 7 of the restricted diet. There was a disproportionately high percentage of null cells, especially in the spleen and bone marrow. The same types of organisms were grown from cultures of conjunctival and throat swabs of control and malnourished animals. Four weeks after the primates had been on their respective diets, a higher number of coagulase-negative staphylococci were isolated from blood cultures of the most severely malnourished baboons. Serum C-reactive protein was negative and the IgG concentration remained at virtually the same level throughout. Extensive histopathological examination and culture revealed no infection in lungs, spleen, lymph nodes or liver. These results clearly indicate that severe immunosuppression in PEM may occur long before the onset, and in the absence of, any infection.

Animals↗