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Biomedical subjects

J J Biundo

Publications and source records attributed to J J Biundo.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Sensation-seeking and traumatic spinal cord injury: case-control study.

A retrospective case-control study was carried out to determine whether sensation-seeking preferences were associated with spinal cord injury (SCI). One hundred forty male SCI patients were individually matched by age, race, gender, educational attainment at the time of SCI, and current zip code with 140 current Louisiana driver's license holders. Participants were interviewed by telephone. Sensation-seeking was assessed by the Disinhibition (Dis) and Boredom Susceptibility (BS) subscales of Zuckerman's Sensation-Seeking Scale (SSS, Form V). Although an earlier study found no difference on the SSS between a group of SCI patients and published norms, modest but statistically significant differences were found between SCI subjects and control subjects with respect to both subscales and the combined SSS score. The mean difference on the latter was 1.6 units on a scale of 0-20 (t = 4.11, p = .0001). Compared to patients scoring below the tenth percentile on the SSS, those scoring above the 90th percentile were significantly younger at the time of SCI, more likely to report an arrest before their SCI, and more likely to be using drugs or alcohol at the time of SCI.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Association between pressure sores and immobilization in the immediate post-injury period.

Pressure sores are a frequent complication of spinal cord injury (SCI) and are assumed to result from insufficient rotation following admission to the acute care unit. The likelihood of pressure sores occurring before admission to the nursing unit is not usually recognized. This study attempts to determine whether pressure sores are associated with prolonged immobilization in the early post-injury period, before admission to the acute care ward, and to identify other etiological factors relating to evacuation, transportation, and emergency room treatment. Thirty-two SCI patients were studied, 16 of whom developed sores in the hospital, and 16 who did not. Excluding five patients who failed to recall their immediate post-injury care, none of the remaining 14 patients with sores recalled being turned within two hours of injury; all 13 patients without sores said that they were rotated within two hours. Almost all patients said they were first turned on the hospital ward by a nurse. Whereas most of those without sores took less than two hours to reach the ward, most of those who later developed sores took three hours or longer.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Alpha 1-antitrypsin phenotypes, including M subtypes, in pulmonary disease associated with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic sclerosis.

Alpha 1-antitrypsin is a glycoprotein that functions as the major protease inhibitor in human serum. Many genetic variants of alpha 1-antitrypsin can be detected by electrophoretic techniques. We used isoelectric focusing on ultrathin gels to determine the common M subtypes as well as other variants of alpha 1-antitrypsin in 62 white patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 51 white patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). We found no increased prevalence of variant phenotypes in either disease group as a whole. In RA, however, the association between pulmonary interstitial fibrosis and alpha 1-antitrypsin variants was striking. Interstitial fibrosis was seen on chest roentgenogram in only 1 of 30 subjects apparently homozygous for M1 (the "wild type" or "normal" phenotype), compared with 13 of 32 patients with variant phenotypes. Seven of 15 patients with M1M2 (the most common variant phenotype) had pulmonary fibrosis. In contrast, there was no apparent association of variant phenotypes with pulmonary involvement in SSc. Our findings suggest a possible role of alpha 1-antitrypsin in the pathogenesis of interstitial fibrosis in patients with RA. The absence of such an association in SSc suggests that pulmonary involvement in these 2 rheumatic diseases may have different pathogeneses.

Aged↗
PubMed1985

A longitudinal study of high and low avidity antibodies to double-stranded DNA in systemic lupus erythematosus.

The role of avidity in the pathogenicity of double-stranded DNA/anti-double-stranded DNA immune complexes in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has been controversial. We used polyethylene glycol to identify low avidity antibodies and the standard Farr assay to detect high avidity antibodies against double-stranded DNA in a longitudinal study of sera from 19 patients with SLE. We found that high and low avidity antibodies to double-stranded DNA did not move independently, but instead, rose and fell in a parallel and relatively fixed manner in these patients. The mechanisms responsible for the changes in titer of anti-double-stranded DNA antibody appeared nondiscriminatory in regard to avidity. In addition, the humoral immune response in SLE depicted by these antibody measurements appeared atypical, lacking maturational features.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Anti-SSA(Ro) antibody: a connective tissue disease marker.

The characteristics of 100 patients with anti-SSA(Ro) antibody were studied. By accepted criteria 34 patients had systemic lupus erythematosus, 25 had other known connective tissue diseases (CTD) and 9 had no significant evidence of a CTD. Thirty-two patients had an unclassified CTD characterized in most instances by arthritis, dermatitis, and a positive fluorescent antinuclear antibody test. The results support the concept of a continuous spectrum of autoimmune disease in which anti-SSA(Ro) antibody may be a marker and in which a variety of disorders may be found that cannot be classified by accepted criteria.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Contrasting beliefs and actions of drivers regarding seatbelts: a study in New Orleans.

To study the association between actual and claimed belt usage, to determine drivers' attitudes toward seatbelts, and to identify some of the factors associated with the use and nonuse of seatbelts, we administered a one-page questionnaire to 1,103 drivers attending their annual brake tag inspection in New Orleans, Louisiana. Actual belt use was unobtrusively recorded at the same time. Fifty-one per cent of drivers stated that they wore seatbelts always or most of the time, 52% agreed that seatbelts should be worn, and 28% favored mandatory seatbelt use. Yet only 5.4% of drivers were actually observed wearing seatbelts. Drivers who had experienced a previous auto injury that required a doctor's visit were 1.7 times as likely to be wearing seatbelts as those without prior injury, yet only 8% of the injured were wearing them. The results of the survey are discussed in relation to the discrepancy between attitudes towards seatbelts and observed seatbelt use.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Leukopenia in Still's disease.

Two patients, one a 14-year-old girl and the other a 20-year-old man, with typical manifestations of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis had leukopenia and thrombocytopenia, two heretofore unreported findings. The presence of leukopenia should not be used to exclude a diagnosis of Still's disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Sicca syndrome--diagnostic perplexities.

Patients presenting with xerostomia and other signs of Sjogren's syndrome pose diagnostic problems. Many other underlying diseases cause these symptoms and a systematic evaluation is necessary to make an accurate diagnostic assessment. There are immunological tests and histological studies which help make them distinctive and are herein outlined. Patients with this information presenting with sicca syndrome, therefore, can be more accurately assessed and have better treatment regimens instituted. The "sicca syndrome," which is a disorder discussed primarily in the rheumatology literature, is rarely a topic in the otolaryngology literature, although there are often presenting symptoms of this problem in the head and neck. This paper reviews this problem, discusses the confusion regarding terminology, and outlines a practical method of diagnosis for the clinician.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Correlation of antibody to rheumatoid arthritis associated nuclear antigen and immune complexes to disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Twenty-seven patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) maintained on drug regimens were studied monthly for 6-10 months. Disease activity was assessed and levels of anti-RA associated nuclear antigen (RANA) and immune complexes were determined. Anti-RANA generally paralleled disease activity in 64% of cases. Immune complex levels paralleled disease activity in 56% of cases and paralleled anti-RANA in 52% of patients. Immune complexes paralleled anti-RANA together with disease activity in only 33% of patients. Anti-RANA and/or immune complex levels paralleled disease activity indices in 82% of cases. Significant fluctuations (greater than or equal to four-fold) in anti-RANA were frequently found (65%) and were associated with concordant changes in immune complex levels 50% of the time and with changes in disease activity indices 59% of the time. The data suggest that levels of anti-RANA and immune complexes may be important in RA and warrant further investigation.

Antibodies, Antinuclear↗
PubMed1980

Anti-SS-A antibody and other antinuclear antibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Randomly selected sera from 88 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were studied for the frequency of antibodies to SS-A, SS-B, RANA, RNP, Sm, Sc-1, and dsDNA. Results were in agreement with previous reports except for an increased incidence of anti-SS-A antibody (33%). Nine of 14 patients with anti-SS-A antibody on whom serial studies were performed had fluctuating titers. Titer changes often correlated with disease activity and dsDNA antibody levels.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

The rarity of Felty's syndrome in blacks.

Evidence is presented that Felty's syndrome (FS) is rare among black patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). All of 12 patients with FS seen at Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas, Texas betwen 1964 and 1978 were white. During this period 52% of patients admitted to the Parkland medical service were black and 31% of patients dischargd with a diagnosis of RA were black. The number of expected black cases of FS on the basis of the racial distribution of hospitalized patients with RA was 3.7 (P is less than 0.02 when the zero incidence in blacks was compared with the expected incidence). All 7 cases of FS observed at Charity Hospital, New Orleans, Louisiana between 1968 and 1978 were also white. During this period, 65% of patients discharged with a diagnosis of RA were black, and the number of expected black cases of FS was 4.5 (P is less than 0.001). These findings suggest a genetic basis for the development of leukopenia and splenomegaly in RA patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Aortic insufficiency with mild ankylosing spondylitis in black men.

Two black male patients with aortic insufficiency were later found to have mild, asymptomatic ankylosing spondylitis, evident from roentgenograms and from the presence of HLA-B27 antigen. The two cases emphasize the even "subclinical" ankylosing spondylitis may have aortic insufficiency, and that the uncommon occurrence of ankylosing spondylitis in black patients may also be associated with this extra-articular manifestation.

Aged↗
PubMed1976

Rheumatic diseases. 1. Differential diagnosis.

In a case of rheumatic disease, the patient's history and a careful physical examination should yield most of the information needed to identify the specific disorder present. A convenient classification is based on four differentiating features: number of joints affected, acuteness or chronicity of disease, absence of joint involvement, and anatomic distribution.

Arteritis↗
PubMed1976

Rheumatic diseases. 2. Therapeutic considerations.

In the management of rheumatic diseases, the use of corticosteroids should be reserved for active arthritis. Phenylbutazone (Butazolidin) is probably the drug of choice for acute gout and is also effective in ankylosing spondylitis, Reiter's syndrome, and psoriatic arthritis. Indomethacin (Indocin) also is useful in these conditions. Ibuprofen (Motrin) is only slightly more efficacious than aspirin. Aspirin is still the preferred treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and should be tried before ibuprofen. Osteoarthritis of the cervical or lumbar spine calls for a full program of physical therapy. Experimental procedures for total replacement of joints other than hip and knee show promise.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗
PubMed1975

Incidence of serum anti-DNA precipitins in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus by counterimmunoelectrophoresis.

The technique of counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIE) has been adapted for detection of serum precipitins to calf thymus (CT) DNA in patients with SLE, discoid LE, miscellaneous connective tissue and infectious diseases, and control populations. Of seventy-eight LE patients, 58% demonstrated anti-ss DNA precipitins, and 20% exhibited anti-ds DNA precipitins. Good correlation was noted between the presence of ss DNA precipitins and ss DNA binding values determined by the more sensitive ammonium sulphate precipitation assay. Depressed total serum haemolytic complement activity in CH50 mu/ml was noted in 64% of sera exhibiting ss DNA precipitins and 38% of those with negative ss DNA precipitins. There was a strong association, however, between ds DNA precipitins and depressed serum complement levels. Although less sensitive than primary binding assays, CIE can be used as a rapid and simple screening test for detection of circulating anti-native and denatured CT DNA precipitins. CT DNA serum precipitins are present in a significantly higher percentage of SLE patients when compared with other disease states and normal control populations.

Ammonium Sulfate↗