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Biomedical subjects

J T Flynn

Publications and source records attributed to J T Flynn.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Ophthalmologic abnormalities in the pediatric cochlear implant population.

To determine the nature and prevalence of ophthalmologic abnormalities in children with congenital or prelinguistic sensorineural deafness, we performed complete ophthalmologic examinations on 54 children aged 2 to 14 years from the University of Miami Ear Institute's Cochlear Implant Program. Of 54 children, 33 (61.1%) had some form of ophthalmologic abnormality, with the majority (24 patients; 44.4%) being refractive errors. Of 54 patients, two (3.7%) had strabismus and two (3.7%) had external adnexal anomalies. One child (1.8%) had cataracts. The cause of the deafness, which had previously been unknown, was determined in three of 54 cases (5.6%) as a result of ocular examinations documenting rubella retinopathy, tapetoretinal degeneration (Usher's syndrome), and iris heterochromia (Waardenburg's syndrome). Routine ophthalmologic examination must be mandated for this population, and the ophthalmologist should be encouraged to play a broader role in the care of children with deficiencies of both vision and audition.

Adolescent

Growth after conversion to alternate-day corticosteroids in children with renal transplants: a single-center study.

During the 1980s all children with growth potential and stable/adequate renal function at 6-9 months after kidney transplantation underwent conversion to alternate-day corticosteroids in an attempt to maximize growth. Conversion was attempted in 79 of 160 children who received allografts during this decade and was considered successful if they remained on alternate-day prednisone for more than 1 year, with a calculated creatinine clearance of at least 75% of the pre-conversion baseline value. Conversion succeeded in 55 children but failed in 24. Growth was markedly improved among those successfully converted when compared with the failure group, as measured by standard deviation score for growth velocity based on chronological age (+0.94 +/- 1.58 vs. -0.86 +/- 1.53, P < 0.001) and bone age (+0.49 +/- 0.61 vs. -1.24 +/- 1.47, P < 0.001). The improved growth among the successfully converted patients is believed to have been related to the combined effects of lower corticosteroid dose (0.36 +/- 0.16 vs. 0.48 +/- 0.21 mg/kg per day, P < 0.02) and better renal function (calculated creatinine clearance 87 +/- 32 vs. 47 +/- 21 ml/min per 1.73 m2, P < 0.001) at 1 year post conversion. Two factors appeared to improve the likelihood of successful conversion: the use of cyclosporine and receiving a live-related rather than cadaver transplant. Cyclosporine was associated with improvement in the overall rate for successful conversion in all recipients, from 59% to 83% (P < 0.05). Recipients of allografts from live-related donors underwent successful conversion in 90% of cases compared with 58% receiving cadaver allografts (P < 0.05). (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent

Increased organ blood flow in chronic endotoxemia is reversed by nitric oxide synthase inhibition.

We evaluated regional blood flows in a hyperdynamic sepsis model and the reversal of increased flows by blockade of nitric oxide (NO) synthase. Seven awake sheep were continuously infused with Escherichia coli endotoxin [lipopolysaccharide (LPS), 10 ng.kg-1.min-1] for 48 h. The NO synthase inhibitor N omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 25 mg/kg) was injected after 24 h. Blood flows to systemic organs were determined with the radioactive microsphere technique. LPS induced elevation of cardiac index by 36% (P < 0.05) and a fall in systemic vascular resistance index by 37% (P < 0.05) at 0 h [time of L-NAME administration, 24 h after infusion of LPS had begun] L-NAME administration normalized cardiac index [6.1 +/- 0.5 at 4 h posttreatment, 6.1 +/- 0.5 l.min-1.m-2 at -24 h (baseline)] and systemic vascular resistance index (1,333 +/- 105 at 4 h posttreatment, 1,280 +/- 163 dyn.s.cm-5.m2 at -24 h) and reduced all regional blood flows to near-baseline levels for the remainder of the study period (24 h). O2 consumption was unaffected by treatment.

Amino Acid Oxidoreductases

A cohort study of transcutaneous oxygen tension and the incidence and severity of retinopathy of prematurity.

BACKGROUND: Retinopathy of prematurity is a disease affecting the blood vessels of the retina in premature infants that may result in scarring, retinal detachment, and loss of vision. An association between this condition and the exposure of premature infants to supplemental oxygen has been postulated, but the relation between retinopathy of prematurity and blood oxygen levels has not been defined. The purpose of this study of a cohort of preterm infants was to correlate the incidence and severity of retinopathy of prematurity with the duration of exposure to different ranges of oxygen tension as measured by transcutaneous monitoring (tcPO2). METHODS: One hundred one premature infants (birth weight, 500 to 1300 g) requiring supplemental oxygen had continuous monitoring of tcPO2. The number of hours during which the tcPO2 was 80 mm Hg or higher was tabulated for each infant during the first four weeks of life. RESULTS: There was a significant association between the amount of time that the tcPO2 was greater than or equal to 80 mm Hg and the incidence and severity of retinopathy of prematurity. The odds ratio for each 12-hour period in which the tcPO2 was greater than or equal to 80 mm Hg was 1.9 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.2 to 3.0) after adjustment for the following factors: birth weight less than or equal to 1300 g (odds ratio, 2.3 [95 percent confidence interval, 1.6 to 3.4]), five-minute Apgar score of 7 or less (odds ratio, 7.2 [95 percent confidence interval, 2.5 to 21]), and exposure to inspired oxygen at a concentration greater than or equal to 0.4 (odds ratio, 1.0 [95 percent confidence interval, 0.97 to 1.05]). The association was stronger for tcPO2 values of greater than or equal to 80 mm Hg occurring from the second through the fourth week of life; during this period, the adjusted odds ratio for a 12-hour period of such exposure was 3.1 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.6 to 6.1). CONCLUSIONS: This study supports an association between the incidence and severity of retinopathy of prematurity and the duration of exposure to arterial oxygen levels of 80 mm Hg or higher, measured transcutaneously.

Apgar Score

The correlation of visual function with posterior retinal structure in severe retinopathy of prematurity. Cryotherapy for Retinopathy of Prematurity Cooperative Group.

The Multicenter Trial of Cryotherapy for Retinopathy of Prematurity previously reported reduced incidence of both poor structural and functional outcomes after cryotherapy. We compared the results in 304 eyes of patients in the randomized portion of the trial in whom both structural and functional assessments were performed 12 months after randomization. Two hundred fifty-five eyes (83.9%) had concordant outcomes: 153 eyes had favorable structural and functional outcomes and 102 eyes had unfavorable structural and functional outcomes. Twenty-nine eyes (9.5%) had discordant outcomes: 20 eyes had favorable structural and unfavorable functional outcomes and nine eyes had unfavorable structural and favorable functional outcomes. The small number of discordant outcomes could generally be accounted for by three factors: (1) retinal abnormalities beyond those considered in the photographic grading system (12 eyes), (2) nonretinal visual pathway disease (five eyes), or (3) false-positive and false-negative results in the measurement systems used to evaluate structure and function (five eyes). In 20 eyes (6.6%), photographs could not be graded or the visual acuity was untestable. We conclude that the appearance of the posterior pole of the eye correlates well with grating acuity in the 12-month-old infant with a history of severe retinopathy of prematurity.

Cryosurgery

Treatment of steroid-resistant post-transplant nephrotic syndrome with cyclophosphamide in a child with congenital nephrotic syndrome.

A child with congenital nephrotic syndrome underwent renal transplantation, was treated for acute rejection, and then developed nephrotic syndrome and renal failure. He was felt to have minimal change disease on allograft biopsy, but failed to respond to therapy with corticosteroids. Cyclophosphamide was substituted for cyclosporine and rapidly induced a complete remission of his nephrotic syndrome. We feel that this case not only represents an important example of a useful therapeutic approach to the child with congenital nephrotic syndrome who develops nephrotic syndrome post transplantation, and also raises questions concerning the pathogenesis of congenital nephrotic syndrome.

Cyclophosphamide

Urinary tract infections in children with posterior urethral valves after kidney transplantation.

The records of 14 boys with posterior urethral valves who had renal failure and subsequently underwent renal transplantation were reviewed to determine the postoperative incidence of urinary tract infection relative to that of 29 male transplant children without valves, who served as controls. There were no significant differences between the posterior urethral valve patients and controls with regard to age, donor source, immunosuppression, followup after transplantation or mean calculated creatinine clearance. Vesicoureteral reflux was found in 1 child with posterior urethral valves and 3 of the children in the control group (p not significant). A total of 15 urinary tract infections occurred in 5 children (36%) with posterior urethral valves, for a rate of 1 per 30 patient-months of followup, and 6 urinary tract infections occurred in 2 controls (7%), for a rate of 1 per 216 patient-months of followup (p < 0.05). However, only 1 of 26 controls (4%) without vesicoureteral reflux had urinary tract infection, for a rate 1 per 1,144 patient-months (p < 0.01). Conversely, the rate of urinary tract infections in controls with vesicoureteral reflux was similar to that of children with posterior urethral valves. Of the 5 children with posterior urethral valves 4 had the initial urinary tract infection within 2 months of transplantation and 10 of 15 episodes occurred within the first 4 months. Antimicrobial prophylaxis did not appear to decrease the rate of infection in children with posterior urethral valves. A history of posterior urethral valves increases the frequency of urinary tract infection after renal transplantation but the usefulness of antimicrobial prophylaxis and the relationship to long-term graft function remain to be determined. Urinary tract infection rarely develops in other transplanted boys without vesicoureteral reflux.

Adolescent

Development of myopia in infants with birth weights less than 1251 grams. The Cryotherapy for Retinopathy of Prematurity Cooperative Group.

The authors report on the incidence of myopia in a large group of premature infants with birth weights of less than 1251 g followed as part of the multicenter study of Cryotherapy for Retinopathy of Prematurity. None of the eyes reported here underwent cryotherapy. Eyes were refracted using cycloplegic retinoscopy at 3 months (n = 2916), 12 months (n = 2626), and 24 months (n = 961 at 5 of the 23 centers) after term. Myopia was observed in approximately 20% of the children at each test age. The percentage of high myopia (greater than or equal to 5 diopters) doubled from 2% to 4.6% between 3 and 12 months and remained stable thereafter. Lower birth weight and increasing severity of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) were strong predictors of myopia and high myopia. In addition, anisometropia, astigmatism, and the presence of posterior pole residua from ROP also were associated with a higher incidence of myopia and high myopia.

Anisometropia

The premature retina: a model for the in vivo study of molecular genetics?

Retinopathy of prematurity is a disease of developing blood vessels. Although it is seen predominantly in premature infants requiring life support systems to survive, it does occur in full-term infants, infants with hypoxia, cyanotic heart disease and in stillborn infants. Although oxygen has been considered to be the prime aetiologic agent, evidence for this, particularly in recent years, is not compelling. The timing of the occurrence of the disease is closely related to the conceptional age of the infant rather than weeks post birth, birth weight, gestational age at birth. In addition, the case to case similarity of the disease, as well as the diverse cell types produced in unfavourable outcomes (cicatricial ROP), point to the possibility of an in utero insult to the clone of cells giving rise to the vascular endothelium providing blood supply to the neural retina.

Cell Differentiation

Endotoxin enhances arachidonic acid metabolism by cultured rabbit microvascular endothelial cells.

This study demonstrates that bacterial lipopolysaccharide and lipid A exert a significant effect on eicosanoid formation by primary cultures of microvascular endothelial cells (MECs). Qualitative studies using [14C]-arachidonic acid demonstrated that prostaglandin E2 was the primary eicosanoid formed by MECs after 20 h of treatment with either vehicle or lipopolysaccharide. Significant, dose-dependent productions of PGE2 and prostacyclin, beginning at an endotoxin dose of 0.01 ng/ml, were quantified by radioimmunoassay in supernatants of cells treated for 20 h with lipopolysaccharide or lipid A. This eicosanoid production was inhibited by meclofenamate and cycloheximide and occurred without cellular injury. The time course and kinetics of eicosanoid production in response to endotoxin demonstrate a significant, time-related enhancement. Endotoxin-treated MECs responded to exogenous substrate with augmented PGE2 production, suggesting enhanced prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase activity. These results demonstrate a significant interaction of endotoxin with endothelial cells of microvascular origin that results in an enhanced potential for eicosanoid metabolism. This effect may be mediated in part through induction of prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase.

Animals

Pentafraction reduces the lung lymph response after endotoxin administration in the ovine model.

For the past half-century, several high molecular weight compounds have been used for volume expansion during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. However, the effectiveness and side effects of these different expanders are varied. We have compared plasma, pentastarch, and a new product, pentafraction, for effective plasma volume expansion before and after tissue injury with endotoxin administration. In each group, eight range ewes instrumented with a Swan-Ganz, arterial, and venous catheters, and lung and flank lymphatic cannulas were compared. Each group received 15 ml/kg of either 6% pentafraction, 6% pentastarch, or plasma followed two hours later by 1.5 micrograms/kg/0.5 hr E. Coli endotoxin over 30 min. Data were collected for an additional 24 hr after endotoxin administration. Our results indicated a plasma volume expansion in all three groups. However, the prior administration of pentafraction significantly attenuated the increase in the lung lymph flow and early evaluation of systemic vascular resistance noted with endotoxin in comparison to the other two groups.

6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha

Mechanism of immunoreactive atrial natriuretic factor release in an ovine model of endotoxemia.

We have previously reported an increase in plasma levels of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) in an ovine model of endotoxemia. The purpose of this study was to determine if this IR-ANF release was mediated by the increase of right atrial pressure (RAP) and right heart volumes concomitantly observed following endotoxin (LPS) administration. We studied right ventricular function, renal blood flow (RBF), urinary output (UO), urinary clearance of free water (CH20), urinary osmolality (UOSM), sodium excretion (UENA), and the plasma IR-ANF concentration (radioimmunoassay), following the administration of an E. coli LPS bolus (1 microgram/kg) with (group O, n = 8) and without (group E, n = 10) pretreatment with OKY-046, a selective thromboxane synthetase inhibitor. LPS induced early increases in RAP, right ventricular end-systolic (RVESV) and end-diastolic (RVEDV) volumes, heart rate (HR), and IR-ANF, and delayed increases in RBF, UO, and CH20. OKY-046 prevented the elevation of RAP, RVEDV, and RVESV; however, both groups showed virtually identical increases in IR-ANF (E: 20.03 +/- 3.8 to 192.33 +/- 35.47 pg/ml, O: 17.9 +/- 4.1 to 159.5 +/- 23 pg/ml) as well as an increase of HR, RBF, UO, and CH20. The increase in IR-ANF release noted following the administration of LPS in an ovine model does not appear to be related to the early elevations in right heart volumes or atrial distension.

Animals

Bronchial blood flow during changes in inhaled oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations in conscious sheep.

Bronchial artery blood flow index (BFI) was measured in an unanesthetized sheep model using a chronically implanted ultrasonic flow probe. The bronchial circulation was monitored during changes of the concentrations of oxygen and carbon dioxide in inhaled air. Control BFI was 15.9 +/- 3.8 ml/min/m2 during normoxic breathing with 0% CO2 (n = 6) and 18.0 +/- 1.6 ml/min/m2 while breathing 28% O2 and 0% carbon dioxide (n = 6). Hypoxia (FIO2 = 0.10) significantly increased BFI to 25.8 +/- 4.9 ml/min/m2 with a decrease in the bronchovascular resistance index (BVRI) from a baseline of 7.85 +/- 1.73 to 4.75 +/- 0.86 mm Hg/(ml/min)/m2. Hyperoxia (FIO2 = 1.0) raised BFI to 30.5 +/- 10.1 ml/min/m2 without a significant decrease in BVRI. Changing the inhaled carbon dioxide concentration from 0 to 10% resulted in a significant increase in BFI from 18.0 +/- 1.6 to 43.6 +/- 10.3 ml/min/m2 and a decrease in BVRI from 5.56 +/- 0.44 to 4.63 +/- 2.18 mmHg/(ml/min)/m2 (not significant). The change in BFI varies directly with lymph flow for hypoxia and hypercarbia. This is consistent with changes in cardiac index, indicating probable changes in surface area being perfused in the lung. Changes in BFI with hyperoxia did not follow changes in systemic vascular resistance or cardiac index. Similarly, lymph flow elevation did not occur during hyperoxia. These data suggest that BFI changes with hyperoxia are not related to changes in total systemic vascular resistance, or cardiac index, and a different mechanism may control bronchovascular flow for this condition.

Animals

Operational aspects of terminating randomization in the Multicenter Trial of Cryotherapy for Retinopathy of Prematurity. Cryotherapy for Retinopathy of Prematurity Cooperative Group.

The Multicenter Trial of Cryotherapy for Retinopathy of Prematurity (CRYO-ROP) is a randomized clinical trial sponsored by the National Eye Institute (NEI) designed to test whether cryotherapy applied to eyes of premature infants with a specified extent of stage 3+ ROP significantly decreases the incidence of an unfavorable outcome. An unfavorable outcome is defined as either retinal detachment or a retinal fold and was determined at 3 months posttreatment by the use of a masked photographic system. Enrollment into the trial was terminated on recommendation of the Data and Safety Monitoring Committee 9 months before the scheduled closing date for enrollment because of demonstrated treatment benefit. The purpose of this article is to discuss the operations involved in the orderly termination of enrollment and dissemination of results from this trial. These activities included preparation of trial participants and staff, release of trial information, continuing patient care, data collection and coding, and publication of trial results.

Blindness

Incidence and early course of retinopathy of prematurity. The Cryotherapy for Retinopathy of Prematurity Cooperative Group.

In the Multicenter Trial of Cryotherapy for Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP), 4099 infants weighing less than 1251 g at birth underwent sequential ophthalmic examinations, beginning at age 4 to 6 weeks, to monitor the incidence and course of ROP. Overall, 65.8% of the infants developed ROP to some degree; 81.6% for infants of less than 1000 g birth weight. As expected, ROP incidence and severity were higher in lower birth weight and gestational age categories. Black infants appeared less susceptible to ROP, of all severity categories, than nonblack infants. The timing of retinal vascular events correlated more closely with postconceptional age than with postnatal age, implicating the level of maturity more than postnatal environmental influences in governing the timing of these vascular events. These results include the current incidence of various severity stages of ROP found in the United States and provide new insight into the development of ROP.

Cryosurgery