Hypertension and AIDS leading causes of SA maternal deaths.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to J S Jones.
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We report the use of coronary stenting to treat disease in an anomalous coronary artery. The patient had a single coronary artery with anomalous left anterior descending artery arising from the right sinus of Valsalva and coursing between the aorta and pulmonary artery. Although balloon angioplasty has been used in patients with anomalous coronary arteries, this is the first report of stent placement in this circumstance.
Major changes in serum levels of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs) occur in children with end-stage liver disease in association with changes in body composition. We hypothesized that these changes would be associated with changes in hepatic messenger RNA (mRNA) expression. Eleven children with end-stage extrahepatic biliary atresia and 11 controls (liver donors) were studied. Serum samples were obtained from the children with biliary atresia immediately before orthotopic liver transplantation. Serum IGF-I, IGFBP-1, and IGFBP-2 levels were measured by radioimmunoassay, and IGFBP-3 by immunoradiometric assay. In both groups, growth hormone receptor mRNA expression was examined by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, IGF-I mRNA expression by ribonuclease protection assay, and IGFBP-1 to -4 mRNA expression by Northern analysis. Growth hormone receptor and IGF-I mRNA levels were reduced 1.7-fold (P = .003) and 9.6-fold (P = .0001) in biliary atresia compared with levels in controls. Despite increased serum IGFBP-1 levels and reduced IGFBP-3 levels in biliary atresia, there was no change in either IGFBP-1 or IGFBP-3 mRNA expression. In contrast, serum levels and mRNA expression of IGFBP-2 were increased 1.6-fold (P = .003) and twofold (P = .0001), respectively, compared with controls. Gene expression did not correlate with liver dysfunction or body composition. Changes in growth hormone receptor and IGF-I mRNA expression may account for the reduction in serum IGF-I found in pediatric liver disease. In contrast, the marked alteration in circulating IGFBP levels was not accompanied by changes in hepatic IGFBP gene expression, suggesting that posttranslational mechanisms may be important.
To determine the perceived magnitude of elder mistreatment, physician awareness of applicable state laws, and the barriers to reporting suspected cases, we surveyed a random sample of 3,000 members of the American College of Emergency Physicians in the United States. Survey questions included practice characteristics, number and type of suspected cases of elder mistreatment seen in the ED, number of cases actually reported, and reasons for not reporting abuse. Physicians were also asked about the availability of elder-mistreatment protocols and their familiarity with local laws and reporting requirements. We received 705 completed surveys, for a response rate of 24%. Most physicians (52%) described elder mistreatment as prevalent but less so than spouse or child abuse. The respondents had evaluated a mean of 4 +/- 8 (range, 0 to 93) suspected cases of elder mistreatment in the preceding 12 months; approximately 50% were reported. Only 31% of emergency physicians reported having a written protocol for the reporting of elder mistreatment, and physicians were generally not familiar with applicable state laws. Twenty-five percent were able to recall educational content pertaining to elder mistreatment during their emergency medicine residencies. Most physicians were not certain or did not believe that clear-cut medical definitions of elder abuse or neglect exist (74%); that emergency physicians can accurately identify cases of mistreatment (58%); or that their states had sufficient resources to meet the needs of victims (92%). These results suggest that practicing emergency physicians are not confident in identifying or reporting geriatric victims of abuse or neglect. This lack of confidence may reflect inadequacies of training, research, and continuing education with regard to mistreatment of older people.
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A 22-year-old woman was found in bed unresponsive and hypotensive after an apparent overdose. Subsequent workup in the emergency department identified a ruptured ectopic pregnancy and extensive hemoperitoneum. A significant delay occurred when emergency physicians excluded the possibility of pregnancy because of the patient's normal menstrual history. A qualitative serum or urine pregnancy test is recommended in all women of child-bearing age who present with poisoning or drug overdose.
Levels of proteolytic activity directed against insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3) and the distribution of phosphorylated isoforms of IGFBP-1 were assessed in matched sample sets of maternal serum, coelomic fluid and amniotic fluid from 21 pregnancies at 6-12 weeks gestation. In addition, concentrations of immunoreactive IGFBP-1 to -3, insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I and -II were determined in all three compartments in 21 pregnancies, and in coelomic fluid and maternal serum in 58 pregnancies. IGF-I concentrations were highest in maternal serum and similarly low in coelomic and amniotic fluid. IGF-II concentrations were also highest in maternal serum but easily detectable in coelomic fluid where concentrations showed a significant correlation with gestational age. IGFBP-1 concentrations were higher in coelomic fluid than in either maternal serum or amniotic fluid and showed a significant correlation with gestational age in this compartment. Analysis of IGFBP-1 phosphoforms showed clear differences in phosphorylation of IGFBP-1 between groups with maternal serum containing predominantly the phosphorylated forms and coelomic fluid almost exclusively the non-phosphorylated form. First trimester amniotic fluid IGFBP-1 was barely detectable and appeared non-phosphorylated. These findings suggest that the high IGF-II concentrations and lack of inhibitory phosphoforms of IGFBP-1 in coelomic fluid could potentially enhance mitogenic activity in the early human gestational sac. IGFBP-2 concentrations were high in coelomic fluid compared with maternal serum whereas coelomic fluid IGFBP-3 concentrations were intermediate, easily detectable and correlated strongly with gestational age. Protease activity was far less in coelomic fluid than in matched maternal serum samples. Marked differences in both concentrations and post-translational modification of IGFBPs in maternal serum compared with embryonic fluid suggest different regulatory pathways.
OBJECTIVES: To determine whether an effective telephone callback system can be successfully implemented in a busy ED and to quantify the benefits that can be obtained related to the follow-up care of elder patients. METHODS: This was a prospective, cohort study conducted at a community teaching hospital during a 6-month period. Consecutive patients > or = 60 years old and released from the ED were selected for telephone follow-up. Calls were made by a research nurse within 72 hours after the patient's ED visit. Follow-up information included current medical status, problems encountered during the ED visit, compliance, and impact of the illness on self-care capabilities. RESULTS: Seventy-nine percent (831/1,048) of the patients selected for telephone follow-up were successfully contacted. The calls lasted an average of 4 +/- 2.5 minutes. Although 94% (778/831) of these patients had a regular physician, 14% failed to make their recommended follow-up arrangements. Compliance was significantly improved when a follow-up physician was contacted during the patient's ED visit. Approximately 96% of the patients were either satisfied or very satisfied with their ED care. However, 13% (109/831) had moderate deterioration in their ability to care for themselves. Of the patients contacted, 333 (40%) required further clarification of their home care instructions, 31 were advised to return to the ED for reevaluation, and 26 were referred to a medical social worker for psychosocial concerns. CONCLUSION: A telephone callback system is a feasible and effective method to improve follow-up care of elder patients released from the ED.
OBJECTIVE: To describe the process and outcomes of nursing home (NH) residents transferred to hospital EDs. METHODS: This was a prospective, observational study conducted at 2 Midwestern community teaching hospitals during a 12-month period. All elder patients (> 64 years of age) transferred to hospital EDs from regional NHs were eligible for the study. Hospital records were used to abstract relevant descriptive and clinical data. Need for ambulance use was graded prospectively using 3 categories of urgency developed in other studies. Transfers were considered "appropriate" based on outcome measures or if the problem necessitated diagnostic and/or therapeutic procedures not available in the NH. Transfer documentation was evaluated using a standardized 18-item checklist. RESULTS: A total of 709 consecutive NH patients made 1,012 ED visits. Their mean age was 83.4 years (range 65-100); 76% were female. The majority of patients (94%) were transferred by ambulance. Ambulance transfer was classified as emergent (16% of patients), urgent (45%), or routine (39%). There were 319 (45%) patients subsequently admitted to the hospital. Approximately 77% (546/709) of the NH transfers were considered appropriate by the emergency physician (EP). Sixty-seven patients (10%) were transferred without any documentation. For those patients with transfer documentation, 6 common discrepancies were identified. CONCLUSION: Although the majority of NH transfers in this population were appropriate, many patients were transferred without adequate documentation for the EP.
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Many lines of evidence point to an important role for the insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) in embryonic and fetal growth in human pregnancy. The bioavailability of IGFs is modulated by IGF-binding proteins (IGFBP-1 to -6), whose permissive or inhibitory actions are regulated in part by posttranslational modification. In second and third trimester pregnancies, maternal IGFBP-1 is elevated in preeclampsia and intrauterine growth retardation. In the first trimester, trisomic pregnancies result in derangement of maternal serum levels of peptides, including hCG beta and pregnancy-associated plasma protein A. Trisomy 18 is characterized by growth failure in the first trimester, whereas trisomy 21 is not; thus, if maternal serum levels of IGFs and IGFBPs reflect fetal growth, changes specific to trisomy 18 may be expected. We report maternal serum levels of IGF-I, IGF-II, and IGFBP-1,-2, and -3; IGFBP-1 phosphorylation; and IGFBP-3 proteolysis in pregnancies (n = 139) complicated by trisomy 18 or trisomy 21 compared with those in normal controls. Maternal IGF-I, IGF-II, and IGFBP-3 showed no significant difference between fetuses with a normal karyotype and those with trisomy 18 or 21. The mean IGFBP-1 level was significantly higher and the mean IGFBP-2 level was lower in fetuses with trisomy 18 compared with normal fetuses [108.8 +/- 6.1 vs. 36.7 +/- 1.9 micrograms/L (P = 0.0001) and 81.2 +/- 5.5 vs. 206.1 +/- 10.2 micrograms/L (P = 0.0001), respectively]. There was no significant difference between the trisomy 21 and normal groups. The reduction in IGFBP-2 was confirmed by Western ligand and immunoblotting, and there was no evidence of variation in lower mol wt products to suggest differential proteolysis. IGFBP-1 phosphoforms and IGFBP-3 proteolysis were not significantly different between groups. The finding of altered maternal serum levels of IGFBP-1 and IGFBP-2 specific to pregnancies complicated by trisomy 18 suggests that these binding proteins may be important mediators of fetal growth in the first trimester, and the clear differences in the ratio of IGFBP-1 to -2 may serve as an additional diagnostic marker for trisomy 18 pregnancies.
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