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Biomedical subjects

J D Briggs

Publications and source records attributed to J D Briggs.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Follow-up after coronary revascularisation in patients with renal transplants.

Seven patients underwent coronary revascularisation 12-145 months (mean: 63.4 months) after receiving cadaver renal transplants. There was no operative mortality and in all patients satisfactory renal function was maintained perioperatively. Hospital stay ranged from 7 days to 10 days (mean: 8 days). During the period of follow-up (5-72 months, mean: 35 months): one patient remained angina-free at 7 months postoperatively; one patient developed meningitis with Listeria monocytogenes 9 weeks after surgery, and died of streptococcal septicaemia 11 weeks later. The other five patients (71.4%) developed recurrence of angina requiring antianginal therapy, and three of them sustained myocardial infarctions. Three patients developed intermittent claudication, two of whom sustained acute leg ischaemia. Two patients developed heart failure, one of whom died 38 months postoperatively. In four patients who were restudied with cardiac catheterisation and coronary angiography (2-17 months postoperatively) there was evidence of progression of the coronary arterial disease in three, although all coronary grafts were patent. Renal function remained satisfactory in 5 patients, and deteriorated in two patients; in one secondary to advanced heart failure; and in one as a terminal event secondary to septicaemia. Although patients with renal transplants can safely undergo open cardiac procedures, the long-term results of coronary surgery are adversely affected by the progressive disease from which they suffer.

Adult↗

Antibodies to cytomegalovirus in renal allograft recipients: correlation with isolation of virus.

A cohort of 47 renal transplant recipients was studied prospectively for up to one year after transplantation. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) was isolated from 21 of the patients. The first time the virus was isolated seven patients were IgM positive, nine showed a significant rise in IgG titres, and 12 had a four-fold or greater rise in complement fixation titre. There was no significant difference in the time at which virus was first detected following transplantation between patients with primary CMV infection and those with reinfection or recurrent infection. In general, patients with primary infection shed virus consistently over long periods. Those with reinfection or recurrent infection shed virus intermittently or not at all. There were considerable differences between individual patients in the timing and pattern of the immune response. Taken overall, a four-fold rise detected by the complement fixation test correlated best with the onset of CMV shedding in primary infection. There was more variation in the pattern of antibody response in cases of reinfection or recurrent infection, with no single serological test correlating better than the others. It is concluded that serology is of limited value in the detection of active CMV infection after renal transplantation.

Adolescent↗

Acute renal failure due to McArdle's disease.

A 37-year-old previously fit man developed acute renal failure associated with rhabdomyolysis following a brief period of strenuous exercise. Subsequent muscle biopsy and ischaemic arm exercise confirmed the diagnosis of McArdle's disease. This case illustrates that McArdle's disease can present with acute renal failure in the absence of a past history of exercise-induced muscle pain and stiffness.

Acute Kidney Injury↗

Longitudinal study of peritoneal defence mechanisms in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD).

Peritoneal cellular and humoral defence mechanisms have been examined in a group of 16 patients over a nine-month period from the day of commencement of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). Significant decreases in the levels of IgG, C3, and opsonic activity occurred with the passage of time in the over-night peritoneal dialysis effluent (PDE). The ability of PDE to inhibit in vitro growth of Staphylococcus epidermidis also decreased. The number of cells in the PDE and their ability to kill S. epidermidis decreased, although there was no significant change in their ability to ingest this organism. These results suggest that the immunological protection of the peritoneal cavity decreases with time, and this may account for the increase in the incidence of peritonitis with length of time on CAPD that some workers have reported.

Adult↗

The effect of random blood transfusions on immunoglobulin production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from uraemic patients.

The effect of blood transfusion on humoral immunity in chronic renal failure was studied by examining immunoglobulin production in vitro, in patients awaiting renal transplantation. Pokeweed mitogen (PWM) induced IgG plaque formation was normal in non-transfused uraemic patients while both spontaneous and Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I (SAC) induced immunoglobulin production were reduced. Five to ten units of third party blood transfusion reduced PWM-driven B cell differentiation, but had no effect on SAC-induced plaque formation, while spontaneous production of immunoglobulin was either enhanced or unaffected. As it is known that the response to SAC is less affected by suppressor T cell activity than that to PWM, these differences in the inhibitory effects of blood transfusion on B cell differentiation are further evidence that transfusion may act by increasing suppressor T cell activity.

Adult↗

The visual status of diabetics on renal replacement therapy (RRT).

The visual status of 48 patients with end-stage diabetic nephropathy who were undergoing treatment either by dialysis or transplantation was assessed. At the time of starting dialysis, the vision was good in 27 (56 per cent), impaired in 7 (15 per cent) and of navigating standard only in 12 (25 per cent) while the remaining 2 (4 per cent) had no useful vision. During the time on dialysis and/or following transplantation, vision improved in 6 patients (12 per cent), deteriorated in 9 (19 per cent) and remained unchanged in 33 (69 per cent). Changes in the degree of retinopathy in the 96 eyes resulting either from treatment of the renal failure or laser therapy were noted. The reasons for any changes in vision and the effect of ophthalmic treatment will be discussed.

Adult↗

Correlation between high-molecular-weight Fc gamma-receptor-blocking factors in serum and renal allograft survival.

In this study, we have demonstrated the occurrence of IgG class noncytotoxic, lymphocyte Fc gamma-receptor-blocking antibodies in a proportion of sera obtained from transfused uremic patients. The presence of these antibodies was not found to correlate with subsequent renal allograft survival. Serum fractionation studies did however reveal a striking correlation between graft survival and Fc gamma-receptor blocking mediated by a serum factor(s) with a sedimentation coefficient of greater than 19S. The precise nature of this factor remains to be clarified.

Blood Proteins↗