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Biomedical subjects

K Lauer

Publications and source records attributed to K Lauer.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

[DNA content of the tumor cell. A new prognostic parameter in hepatocellular carcinoma?].

Hepatocellular carcinoma is a heterogeneous disease with considerable differences in malignant behaviour. Some relevant factors for prognosis are known. In this study we analysed DNA ploidy as a potential prognostic parameter. With DNA image cytometry we were able to differentiate between diploid, hypotriploid, triploid, hypertriploid, tetraploid and aneuploid tumours. The best prognosis was for patients with diploid, hypotriploid and tetraploid tumours with a median survival time of 41 months in contrast to 3 months for patients with triploid, hypertriploid or aneuploid tumours. There was a strong correlation between histomorphological parameters and the DNA content. The DNA content of tumour cells may be considerable clinical relevance in hepatocellular carcinoma regarding the decision as to whether or not to perform a resection. In patients with prognostically unfavorable parameters adjuvant oncological therapy may improve the prognosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Environmental risk factors in MS: a case-control study in Moscow.

Environmental influences operating as possible risk factors in MS were studied in Moscow. The study included 155 MS patients from the Neurology Departments and the outpatient clinics of the First City Hospital of Moscow and 155 controls matched for sex, age in 5-year intervals, nationality, and origin (Moscow vs. non Moscow). 72.3% of controls were recruited among patients from the same hospital as the cases. The remaining controls were volunteers from the hospital staff or medical students. Exposures before age 15 were of special interest. MS patients reported a higher frequency of: 1) tonsillitis; 2) allergic reactions age 15; 3) head trauma below age 16; 4) a predominant meat vs. vegetable diet during childhood. Stratified analysis and logistic regression pointed to "meat predominance" as the most significant risk factor. Other associations were confounded by the respondents' occupations/education.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

[Is there a connection between intramedullary pressure increase, bone marrow intravasation and deep venous thrombosis of the leg in endoprosthetics?].

Deep vein thrombosis still is a severe problem in hip replacement. Based on pathophysiological considerations, it is postulated that there is a connection between intramedullary pressure peaks, resulting intravasation of bone marrow, and the induction of deep vein thrombosis. The content of the bone marrow cavity can be considered active where coagulation is concerned. Intravasation may contribute to the development of deep vein thrombosis. In addition to medicamentous prophylaxis and early mobilization, a surgical technique also helps in the prophylaxis thrombosis. In this technique, intramedullary pressure increases are avoided as far as possible, which consequently minimizes intravasation of the content of the bone marrow cavity.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

The effect of midazolam on median nerve somatosensory evoked potentials.

OBJECTIVE: To quantify the effect of an induction dose of midazolam on median nerve somatosensory evoked potentials. METHODS: We studied 10 patients undergoing lumbar spine surgery. After an induction dose of intravenous midazolam was given, MNEPs were collected for ten minutes. After ten minutes the patients were intubated and their anesthetic was supplemented with 0.5% isoflurane, narcotic, and N2O. RESULTS: We found a clinically significant decrease in amplitude and an insignificant delay in latency. CONCLUSION: When midazolam is used as an anesthetic induction agent, a decrease in amplitude can be expected.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

The risk of multiple sclerosis in the U.S.A. in relation to sociogeographic features: a factor-analytic study.

The multiple sclerosis (MS) case-control ratio by state originating from the U.S. veteran series from World War II (Kurtzke Neurology 1979; 29: 1228-1235) was geographically compared with 46 sociogeographic variables from the period 1935-1958. Latitude was, by far, the variable most closely associated with MS in univariate testing. Multivariate analysis by factor analysis revealed that the MS rate was associated with 2 independent settings ("factors"). The first one was defined mainly socioeconomically and was characterized by indicators of higher affluence; better nutrition with a higher meat consumption in particular, and a higher sanitary level were the prominent features. The second MS-related bundle comprised characteristics of a colder climate along with further dietary variables (i.e. a diet low in fish and high in dairy products). The findings suggest a possible interaction of both socioeconomic and geoclimatic features in the etiology of MS; sanitation, diet and climate being of particular interest.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

A possible paradox in the immunology of multiple sclerosis: its apparent lack of 'specificity' might provide clues to the etiology.

As a further development from an earlier hypothesis, a pathogenic role of polyspecific natural, idiotypically connected antibodies is claimed, that recognize concomitantly a variety of CNS antigens and are matured to some degree to higher-affinity anti-CNS antibodies without ever losing their network association. On that basis, nitrophenol-carrier conjugates well-known to be foreign target antigens of natural antibodies and present in food commodities that have epidemiological links to MS, are considered as paradigmatic for agents of possible etiologic importance.

Autoantigens↗
PubMed1992

[Epidemiologic aspects of multiple sclerosis].

Epidemiology plays a prominent role in the search for environmental risk factors in multiple sclerosis (MS). The basic pattern with the predilection for temperate zones of the globe, whites, females and medium age groups was confirmed throughout. Whether or not MS is increasing in frequency is highly debated. Although no clear risk factors have been demonstrated so far, a certain association of the MS risk with the factors "low temperatures and precipitation", "consumption of animal proteins/fats or meat", "familiar occurrence of MS" and with a late occurrence of common childhood infections became obvious. Many other putative risk factors were not confirmed in most studies.

Cross-Cultural Comparison↗
PubMed1992

Prognostic criteria in an epidemiological group of patients with multiple sclerosis: an exploratory study.

Demographic and clinical features and data on medical history and prior environmental exposure collected during an epidemiological long-term study of multiple sclerosis (MS) were tested for their possible prognostic value. Fifty-two benign MS patients were compared with 29 patients having a malignant course. A primary or secondary progressive course and cerebellar/lower brain-stem symptoms at onset indicated an unfavourable course, whereas no predictive value of sex or of any other type of onset symptomatology was found. Age at onset per se had no influence on prognosis but was associated with more rapid progression only by its relationship with a chronic progressive type of course. Prior illness, surgery, trauma and childhood exposure to defined environmental factors could not be identified as relevant for prognosis.

Demography↗
PubMed1992

Early prognostic factors for disability in multiple sclerosis, a European multicenter study.

The effects of initial clinical variables on short-term prognosis are analyzed in a cross-sectional study of 574 multiple sclerosis patients from 7 centers in 5 European countries. Patients with a primary progressive course had a 2.3 higher mean disability score (EDSS) than the primary remittent group after a mean duration of disease of 6.6 years. High age at onset was associated with a primary progressive course, and was also related to increased risk of a rapid shift to a secondary progressive course. Among the remittent patients without a secondary progressive course a high age at onset was significantly correlated to a higher disability score. In the whole remittent group the presence of pyramidal and cerebellar symptoms at onset predicted both a high disability score and a rapid shift to a secondary progression, while the effect was reverse for sensory and visual symptoms. No difference between the sexes was found.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

The relationship between disability and memory dysfunction in multiple sclerosis.

We examined the relationship between memory impairment and functional disability in multiple sclerosis. Tests of memory, sensorimotor ability, and functional capacity were administered to fifty-six subjects with chronic-progressive or remitting-relapsing MS. Sensorimotor impairment, functional disability, and chronicity predicted impairment on various measures of memory acquisition, while age and type of diagnosis did not. After accounting for the effects of initial acquisition, delayed-recall performance was weakly-associated with disability. We suggest that: (1) Functional disability is associated with memory loss in MS; (2) MS-forgetting is caused by defective acquisition, rather by a deficit in consolidation or storage; (3) Level of disease activity, rather than type of MS diagnosis, determines the degree of memory impairment; and (4) MS disability needs to be evaluated multidimensionally, to account for both neurologic and functional impairment.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1992

[Multiple sclerosis mortality 1973-1987 in Baden-Württemberg in comparison with socio-geographical variables].

Mortality due to MS in the State of Baden-Württemberg (south-west Germany) during the years 1973-1987 was studied in its geographical distribution for a possible association with selected sociogeographic indices for that period. The overall rate for Baden-Württemberg (1.3/100,000) was lower than in the neighbouring state of Hesse (1.5/100,000). A relative excess of cases was found in the highland region of the Swabian Alps. In multivariate analysis, correlations were found with the characteristics "forest area/inhabitant", "oat cultivation" and "concentration of polyaromatic hydrocarbons in the drinking water", whereas climate and height above sea-level were not associated. These findings require replication elsewhere.

Adult↗