Biomedical subjects

J F Loughlin

Publications and source records attributed to J F Loughlin.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1988

Diagnostic efficiency of four lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme-1 ratios in serum after myocardial infarction.

We compared the diagnostic efficacy of the ratios LD-1/LD-2, LD-1/LD-3, LD-1/LD-4, and LD-1/LD-5 in 69 documented cases of myocardial infarction. We used 149 patients with congestive heart failure and 67 patients with nonmyocardial infarct as controls. We used a computer program to produce receiver-operating characteristic curves, decision threshold plots, and likelihood ratios for these LD ratios at 6-h intervals up to 108 h after the onset of chest pain or hospital admission. All ratios in the myocardial infarction cases peaked around 36 h after the onset of chest pain, while those for the nonmyocardial and congestive cardiac failure cases did not change over the 108-h period. In all patients with infarctions, LD-1/LD-4 and LD-1/LD-5 increased by 1.7 times (when LD-1 was less than 40%) and 3.4 times (when LD-1 was greater than 40%), respectively, over control values. Optimum decision threshold values were obtained at 13-24 h (LD-1/LD-5), 31-36 h (LD-1/LD-4 and LD-1/LD-3), and 55-60 h (LD-1/LD-2) after onset of symptoms. The highest likelihood ratio was obtained with the LD-1/LD-4 ratio; therefore, we suggest that this is a better diagnostic test for myocardial infarction than LD-1/LD-2.

Humans↗

PubMed1986

Mailbox: program designed to improve communication in clinical laboratories.

A MUMPS program called MAILBOX allows information to be more efficiently disseminated in a hospital department of clinical biochemistry. Readily accessible to all staff as the department is equipped with video display units in every laboratory and office, MAILBOX allows laboratory staff to send and read departmental messages; send, read, and save personal messages; sign in to and out of the department; and locate all other staff. Departmental messages containing information of general interest are automatically displayed on signing on to MAILBOX. Personal messages are directed to specific people, who are so informed when signing on; they can only be read by the sender and intended recipient(s).

Communication↗

PubMed1984

Digitisers: their use in the entry of orders, urinalysis results, and isoenzyme interpretation in a clinical biochemistry computer system.

The processes of order entry, urinalysis result, and isoenzyme interpretation entry into a laboratory computer system is a time consuming activity. We have designed a series of forms for use with a digitising pad that allow us rapidly to enter orders, urinalysis results, and isoenzyme interpretative comments into our laboratory computer system. We have shown that digitiser entry is always significantly faster than manual entry. Although there are many devices available to facilitate computer entry, we believe that the digitiser technique is an attractive option because of its ease of use, speed, reliability, and low cost.

Clinical Enzyme Tests↗

PubMed1984

A BASIC program for serum cholinesterase phenotyping using a microcomputer.

We have modified a BASIC program for serum cholinesterase phenotyping using a microcomputer. This program accepts the reaction-rate result of total and inhibitor assays of activity, allows the patient to be identified and prints out a full account of the fitting process thus allowing adequate documentation. We believe that this modification enhances the usefulness of the program to laboratories engaged in the routine determination of serum cholinesterase phenotyping.

Cholinesterases↗

PubMed1984

Classification of hyperlipoproteinaemias by computer interpretation.

We have developed a microcomputer-based system for the classification and interpretative reporting of lipoprotein electrophoretic data. The decision logic takes into consideration the sex and age of the subject, the concentration of total cholesterol and triglyceride, the appearance of the serum after standing at 4 degrees C for 18 h or more and the type of lipoprotein abnormality observed from polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis to produce a phenotype according to the classification developed by Fredrickson and co-workers. As the hyperlipoproteinaemia may be primary or secondary to a number of associated conditions, these are included in the report with the six possible phenotypes. A high correlation (98.7%) between manual and computer interpretation was found for 152 consecutive cases of lipoprotein phenotyping.

Adolescent↗