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Biomedical subjects

K Ojala

Publications and source records attributed to K Ojala.

65 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

The differential diagnosis of bacterial and aseptic meningitis using cerebrospinal fluid laboratory tests.

The lactate, lysozyme, C-reactive protein and serum amyloid-A protein concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid were measured in 11 patients with bacterial meningitis, 27 patients with aseptic meningitis and in 31 control patients. The mean concentration of each parameter was significantly higher (p less than or equal to 0.0001) in patients with bacterial meningitis than in those with aseptic meningitis or those without meningitis. The reliability of these tests in the differential diagnosis of bacterial and aseptic meningitis was compared with leucocyte counts in cerebrospinal fluid. Gram staining for bacteria, and protein and glucose levels. The cerebrospinal fluid lactate level proved to be more sensitive than lysozyme. C-reactive protein or serum amyloid-A protein and had a high degree of specificity.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Diagnostic significance of pleural fluid lactate concentrations.

Lactate concentrations in the pleural fluid and plasma of 57 patients with pleural effusions were measured by an enzymatic method. The mean pleural fluid lactate concentrations were significantly higher in patients with empyemas and rheumatoid arthritis than in patients with tuberculosis, cancer, non-specific pleural effusions and congestive heart failure. Pleural fluid lactate concentrations correlated significantly with pleural fluid lactate dehydrogenase activities and inversely with pleural fluid glucose concentrations. An elevated pleural fluid lactate concentration is not diagnostic for empyema, as most patients with rheumatoid arthritis and some with tuberculosis and cancer also show high values.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Bacteriology of the chronically discharging middle ear.

Suitable bacteriological techniques revealed anaerobic bacteria in 38 (33%) of 114 chronically discharging middle ears. The genus Bacteroides was cultured from 25 ears. Aerobic bacteriology showed the predominance of staphylococci, facultative enteric gramnegative rods, diphtheroid bacilli and Pseudomonas species. Anaerobic bacterial cultures were always mixed with aerobic bacteria. 12 ears were culture-negative, and 9 of the 108 Gram-stained smers revealed no bacteria. No significant difference in bacteriology was noted between ears with or without local antimicrobial treatment, or between profusely draining or only moist ears. The ears with postoperative recurrent infection or with clinical suspicion of cholesteatoma grew anaerobes significantly more often, and were seldom sterile. Because anaerobic bacteria are frequently associated with chronic otitis media, their characteristics with regard to susceptibility to antimicrobials and to air must be remembered in the choice of therapy.

Bacteria↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Role of atopic allergy in chronic otitis media. Evaluation based on serum IgE and nasal/aural cytologic findings in patients with operated chronic ears.

Serum IgE levels and nasal/aural secretion eosinophils and basophils cells were studied in 84 patients with ear discharge despite previous radical operation, in 83 patients with postoperatively dry ears, and in 30 normal persons. Serum IgE values suggesting atopy (greater than 100 U/ml, PRIST) were more frequent (p less than 0.05) among patients with draining ears than among persons with healthy ears. Normal IgE concentrations showed reversed frequency distribution. Nasal secretion eosinophils and/or basophilic cells were also found more frequently (p less than 0.05) among patients with discharging ears than in other groups. Analogously, those with both serum IgE of greater than 100 U/ml and 'positive' nasal cytology more often had infected than dry (p less than 0.01) or normal (p less than 0.05) ears. Aural secretions showed eosinophils and/or basophilic cells in 14 (17%) patients; 11 of them had such cells in their nasal secretions too. It would seem that atopy is probably one cause of persistent therapy-resistant otitis media and it must be taken into account when considering the treatment of a chronic ear.

Basophils↗