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Biomedical subjects

J P Sebastian

Publications and source records attributed to J P Sebastian.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

The effect of treatment variables on mood and social adjustment in adult patients with pituitary disease.

OBJECTIVE: Studies of mood in hypopituitary adults have yielded inconsistent results. This investigation was carried out to investigate whether treatment characteristics may be responsible for the inconsistent results. DESIGN AND MEASUREMENTS: We compared three groups of patients with a group of matched healthy controls on self-report measures of mood and social adjustment (Beck depression inventory, State-trait anxiety inventory, Social adjustment scale (modified)) and a measure of quality of life (Nottingham health profile, NHP). PATIENTS: The patient groups were those treated with transfrontal surgery (n = 23), transsphenoidal surgery (n = 23) or medication only (n = 23). In addition, a close informant of each subject was asked to complete a social adjustment measure about the subject's level of adjustment. RESULTS: On the self-report mood and social adjustment measures and the emotion sub-scale of the NHP, the transsphenoidal and medication patient groups rated themselves as being more depressed, anxious and having poorer social adjustment than the transfrontal or control groups. The close informants, however, rated all three patient groups as having poorer social adjustment than the controls. Patients treated with surgery and without radiotherapy reported fewer symptoms of depression than those treated with radiotherapy. Realistic self-appraisal of social adjustment in surgical patients was found only in those treated with transsphenoidal surgery without radiotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Patients treated for pituitary tumour, excepting those treated with transfrontal surgery and to a lesser extent those treated with radiotherapy, suffer from mild mood disturbance and self-perceived decreased social adjustment. All patient groups are seen by others as having decreased social adjustment, raising the possibility that the transfrontal patients and possibly those who have had radiotherapy, lack insight. This may explain some of the discrepancies in the previous literature and needs to be taken into account when using self-report measures with these patients.

Adenoma↗
PubMed1993

Thyrotoxicosis increases right to left shunt in congenital cyanotic heart disease.

We wish to report two cases of congenital cyanotic heart disease in whom coexisting thyrotoxicosis increased the right to left shunt. We review the literature on the cardiac and respiratory effects of thyroid hormone to try to explain this phenomenon. Two patients, one with Fallot's tetralogy (diagnosed at 68 years of age), the other with a ventricular septal defect, developed thyrotoxicosis which resulted in a dramatic but reversible deterioration in their cardiac condition. We conclude that thyrotoxicosis increases right to left shunt in congenital cyanotic heart disease. This effect is profound but reversible. We suggest that when an unexplained rapid deterioration occurs in patients with congenital cyanotic heart disease, thyrotoxicosis should be excluded.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Comparison of measures of body composition in a trial of low dose growth hormone replacement therapy.

OBJECTIVE: We assessed the effects of the administration of low dose growth hormone in growth hormone deficient adults on body composition and physical performance. We compared the validity of different measures of body composition in GH treated adults. DESIGN: An uncontrolled longitudinal study of eight patients with GH deficiency who were treated with 4 units of biosynthetic growth hormone (Norditropin), three times a week. Subjects were studied for 8 weeks. PATIENTS: Eight patients with acquired growth hormone deficiency as defined by < 5 mU/l GH following standard provocative investigations in whom other hormone replacement was optimized. MEASUREMENTS: IGF-I was measured on day 1 and after 4 and 8 weeks of treatment with recombinant human growth hormone. Body composition was estimated by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, bioelectrical impedance, skinfold anthropometry, total body potassium measurement and by computerized tomography of a representative cross-sectional area of thigh on day 1 and following 8 weeks of treatment. Exercise capacity was measured on an electromechanical bicycle and palmar grip strength was measured using a Jamar dynamometer on day 1 and after 8 weeks. RESULTS: IGF-I increased significantly. Exercise capacity and maximum heart rate achieved on the electromechanical bicycle increased significantly. Grip strength did not change. There was a significant increase in fat-free mass and a decline in fat mass as shown by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry and bioelectrical impedance. However, this was not confirmed by other methods. No side-effects were noted. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that a low dose of biosynthetic growth hormone can elevate IGF-I levels and have a pronounced physical impact in the growth hormone deficient adult without the side-effects seen at higher dosage schedules. Over a 2 month period the increase in fat-free mass may be due to an increase in total body water; however, the decline in fat mass is a genuine effect.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗
PubMed1992

Reduced erythropoietin response to anaemia in elderly patients with normocytic anaemia.

We studied the effect of age on the relationship between haemoglobin and serum erythropoietin (EPO) levels in anaemic patients. 568 patients over 70 years of age were compared with 137 patients under 70 and a reference group of 144 patients of all ages with proven iron deficiency. EPO was measured using a radioimmunoassay. We found that elderly patients with a normocytic anaemia (N = 375) had a statistically lower EPO response than younger patients with normocytic anaemia (N = 61) (p < 0.05) or patients of all ages with iron-deficiency anaemia (p < 0.05). There was no difference between the sexes. Elderly patients with microcytic or macrocytic anaemia had a normal EPO response as compared to the "gold standard" of iron deficiency. These findings suggest that a proportion of elderly patients with normocytic anaemia has an impaired EPO response.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Familial malignant retroperitoneal paraganglioma.

Paragangliomas are neuroendocrine tumours and those occurring in the head and neck have well recognized familial association. Retroperitoneal paragangliomas are uncommon and we present two cases of familial malignant retroperitoneal paraganglioma. Review of the literature revealed marked differences in the incidence and malignant potential of familial and non-familial paraganglioma. In contrast to the cases reported here, familial tumours are generally benign, though they may occur at multiple sites. Familial and non-familial paragangliomas may indeed be different disease entities.

Adult↗