Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J Kelleher

Publications and source records attributed to J Kelleher.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Radio-opaque pellets as faecal markers for faecal fat estimation in malabsorption.

Thirty-seven patients undergoing routine investigation for malabsorption were given radio-opaque pellets (ROP) which were compared with polyethylene glycol and chromic oxide as continuous faecal markers. Percentage recovery of all markers showed a wide range. The recovery of all markers was very similar, and radio-opaque pellet-corrected daily faecal fat correlated very closely with PEG-and chromic oxide-corrected fat results. Estimation of ROP is precise, simple, and minimises faecal handling. ROP are suitable for routine use in faecal fat studies and have advantages over markers used at present.

Chromium↗

Intrathoracic rib: radiographic features of two cases.

Two cases of intrathoracic rib are presented. In one of these the anomalous rib was not supernumerary, and the investing layers of pleura caused the rib to appear abnormally dense. The relevant literature is briefly reviewed.

Adult↗

Neonatal intestinal opacification secondary to transplacental passage of urographic contrast medium.

Neonatal intestinal opacification in five infants (one set each of triplets and twins) after maternal excretory urography is described, and mechanisms leading to this phenomenon are discussed. Transplacental passage of urographic contrast medium with subsequent excretion by the fetal kidneys and possibly liver and small bowel seems to explain the radiographic appearance. Although the contrast medium probably does not harm the fetus, it should be distinguished from other more sinister causes of colonic opacification in the neonate.

Adult↗

The diagnostic value of the oral pancreatic function test.

An oral pancreatic function test (PFT) using the synthetic peptide N-benzoyl-L-tyrosyl-p-aminobenzoic acid can assess pancreatic exocrine function, since urinary recovery of the ingested dose is an indirect index of chymotryptic activity. We have studied 34 subjects using this oral PFT, which correctly distinguished the control group (8 subjects) from the pancreatitis group (10 patients), results correlating well with Lundh test findings. However, the test was falsely abnormal on 9 out of 16 occasions in patients with bowel or liver disease. We therefore conclude that the present test cannot distinguish small-bowel disease from pancreatic disease, which is often the diagnostic problem, and is also frequently falsely abnormal in the presence of chronic liver disease.

4-Aminobenzoic Acid↗

Improved diagnostic accuracy of a modified oral pancreatic function test.

The oral pancreatic function test (PFT) depends upon urinary recovery of p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) released by chymotrypsin hydrolysis of orally administered N-benzoyl-L-tyrosyl-p-aminobenzoid acid. The diagnostic value of the test is limited because falsely abnormal results frequently occur in patients with bowel or liver disease in whom PABA recovery is impaired by abnormal absorption or hepatic conjugation, even though pancreatic function is normal. To overcome this problem, we have modified the oral PFT to correct for impaired PABA absorption and conjugation. Results of the oral PFT have been compared with urinary recovery of an equivalent dose of free PABA in order to derive a PABA excretion index (PEI). When the modified oral PFT is used, the PEI clearly distinguished patients with pancreatic disease from normal subjects. In patients with small-bowel or liver disease and normal exocrine pancreatic function, the PEI results were similar to those of normal subjects, although a previous oral PFT had been falsey abnormal. The modified test can therefore distinguish abnormal results due to pancreatic disease from the falsely abnormal results found in liver and small-bowel disease.

4-Aminobenzoic Acid↗

Congenital intrathoracic bronchopulmonary foregut malformations in childhood.

Bronchopulmonary foregut malformations (BPFM) are a group of related disorders. They include tracheoesophageal fistula with or without atresia, bronchopulmonary sequestration, intestinal duplication cyst, bronchogenic cyst, aberrant systemic arterial supply to the lung, and bronchial mucosal rests in the esophagus. This paper describes 12 cases which illustrate the spectrum of clinical and radiographic features of these anomalies. The embryogenesis of these malformations is reviewed and appropriate radiographic investigation is discussed.

Bronchi↗

Is plasma zinc a useful investigation?

Plasma zinc is totally protein bound and its concentration is markedly influenced by alteration in protein concentration. Venous occlusion such as is used prior to venepuncture causes a marked increase in plasma zinc concentration. The extent of this change exceeds the analytical variation for zinc determination and may cause difficulty in the interpretation of plasma values. Although in most individuals there is a close correlation between plasma zinc and total protein, collectively this is not so, thus adjusting zinc values for change in protein is inappropriate. For plasma zinc to be a useful investigation blood samples should be obtained without venous occlusion.

Blood Proteins↗

Plasma whole blood and urine zinc in the assessment of zinc deficiency in the rat.

Serial measurements of plasma, whole blood, and urine zinc have been made in young adult rats fed zinc deficient and zinc supplemented diets for a total period of 65 days. After commencing a zinc deficient diet plasma zinc fell within 48 hours to 25% of control values and remained at this level throughout the period of study. A substantial diurnal variation was observed in plasma zinc, and the level was significantly lower in the fasting state. Whole blood zinc was unaffected by fasting, showed no diurnal variation, and remained at control values even after 65 days of zinc deficient diet. Urine zinc fell to very low values, 10 days after commencing a zinc deficient diet, but after 30 days rose to control values. Under controlled conditions plasma zinc can be used as an indication of zinc deficiency. Whole blood zinc is of no value in the detection of zinc deficiency. Urine zinc concentration varies with time following a zinc deficient diet.

Animals↗

The influence of dietary selenium and vitamin E on glutathione peroxidase and glutathione in the rat.

The effect of dietary selenium (Se) and vitamin E supplementation on tissue reduced glutathione (GSH) and glutathione peroxidase activity has been studied in the rat. Increasing Se intake by 0.4 ppm gave significantly higher enzyme levels in all tissues studied, an effect not influenced by vitamin E intake. Further increasing Se to 4 ppm gave higher enzyme levels in red blood cells only, while in liver there was a significant decrease in enzyme activity probably reflecting Se hepatotoxicity. In the absence of Se supplements increasing dietary vitamin E to 100 mg/kg diet significantly increased enzyme activity but this effect was modified by simultaneous Se supplementation. Se intake had no effect on GSH levels. Rats on a high vitamin E intake 500 mg/kg had a significantly higher tissue GSH level. Dietary Se had a sparing effect on vitamin E, rats supplemented with Se having significantly raised plasma vitamin E levels. These results confirm the role of selenium in glutathione peroxidase and also show that vitamin E influences the activity of the enzyme.

Animals↗

Nutrition in cryptogenic cirrhosis and chronic aggressive hepatitis.

The nutritional status of 80 patients with non-alcoholic chronic liver disease was assessed by determination of various nutritional parameters in body fluids. With the exception of vitamin C there was a higher incidence (40%) of fat soluble vitamin deficiency (vitamins A, E, and carotene) than of the water soluble vitamins. Less than 10% of patients showed evidence of vitamin B12, nicotinic acid, thiamin, or riboflavin deficiency, and 17% had evidence of folic acid deficiency. The presence of deficiency was not related to age of the patient or fat absorption, and an inadequate dietary intake was not a major cause of deficiency. The incidence of nutritional deficiency is less frequent in non-alcoholic as compared with alcoholic liver disease.

Adult↗

Serum transaminase levels after experimental paracetamol-induced hepatic necrosis.

The relationship between serum transaminase levels and the extent of paracetamol-induced liver necrosis has been investigated in the rat. Three methods of histological quantitation were used to assess of necrosis--arbitrary grading, point counting, and the image-analysis computer. Highly significant correlations were obtained between the three methods and all were found to be reproducible. A close correlation was found between the extent of hepatic necrosis and the serum ASAT and ALAT 24 hours after a large dose (4 g/kg) of paracetamol. Likewise, the mean grade of necrosis correlated reasonably well with the serum enzyme levels in the recovery phase at 36 and 72 hours, although the transaminase level for a given degree of necrosis was considerably lower at 72 hours than at 24 hours. These findings suggest that serum transaminase levels gives a reliable indication of the severity of hepatic necrosis if the time of ingestion of the paracetamol is known and taken into account.

Acetaminophen↗

Increase in urinary indican excretion in pancreatic steatorrhoea following replacement therapy.

Urinary indican excretion was studied in 5 patients with steatorrhoea of pancreatic origin, 4 patients with steatorrhoea due to other causes, and 5 normal subjects. Treatment with pancreatic extract resulted in an immediate increase in indican excretion to above the normal range in patients with steatorrhoea due to pancreatic insufficiency. Administration of pancreatic extract did not result in a rise in the patients with steatorrhoea not due to pancreatic insufficiency, or in the normal subjects. In one patient with pancreatic insufficiency maintained on a low protein diet, the rise in indican excretion on replacement therapy was much slower and did not reach as high a level as in the patients on a normal protein diet. The possible mechanisms underlying these observations are discussed. It is suggested that the finding of a low indican excretion in the presence of steatorrhoea and its rise to above normal on pancreatic enzyme therapy is strongly suggestive of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.

Adult↗