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Biomedical subjects

L E Boh

Publications and source records attributed to L E Boh.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1993

Polymyalgia rheumatica.

The epidemiology, relationship to giant cell arteritis (GCA), pathogenesis, pathology, clinical and laboratory features, differential diagnosis, and treatment of polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) are reviewed. Patients with PMR are usually over 50 years of age, white, and female. There is an association between GCA and PMR that has important implications because of the risk of blindness and other severe vascular complications in patients with GCA. The causes of PMR and GCA are unknown, although the immune system is implicated in the pathogenesis of these diseases. PMR is characterized by muscle pain and stiffness in the shoulders and hips. The principal laboratory finding is an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate. The differential diagnosis of PMR includes a number of diseases that cause symmetrical arthritis. It may be particularly difficult to distinguish between PMR and GCA because patients with GCA usually have symptoms associated with PMR. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents may be effective in mild cases of PMR. However, corticosteroids, usually prednisone or prednisolone, are the class of drugs most widely used to treat PMR. They are effective in relieving the pain and reversing the abnormal laboratory values in most patients; responses can be apparent in 24-48 hours. Steroid-sparing agents such as methotrexate, dapsone, and azathioprine have no established role at present. Patients taking corticosteroids for PMR should be monitored for the occurrence of GCA and development of adverse effects associated with drug therapy. Corticosteroids are effective in treating PMR. Although patients with PMR must be monitored for the development of GCA, the prognosis for these patients is excellent.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗
PubMed1992

Computer-based patient simulations: hospital pharmacists' performance and opinions.

The performance of pharmacists in using an interactive computer-based patient simulation program and their attitudes toward the simulations are reported. The Institutional Patient Medication Simulation program is designed to enhance and evaluate the medication problem-solving skills of pharmacists. Each simulation consists of patient data-gathering, case question, and therapy decision modules with initial assessment and monitoring nodes. Five simulations were tested: gout, urinary-tract infection, congestive heart failure, antimicrobial prophylaxis in surgery, and hypertension. Pharmacists from nine hospitals were recruited for the study. Participants were asked to perform the simulations within a specified period and to complete attitudinal questionnaires. Of the 91 pharmacists who volunteered, 72 (79%) completed the simulations and the questionnaires. The practitioners indicated that the simulations adequately tested their knowledge and that they would recommend them to colleagues. Performance scores for data gathering were less than 70%, with no significant differences among the simulations. Case question scores exceeded 80% and again were consistent among simulations, whereas therapy decision scores were more variable, with the lowest scores being recorded for antimicrobial-related simulations. Pharmacists with more hospital experience tended to perform better. Pharmacists completing a patient simulation program found the simulations to be worthwhile. Performance scores indicated some difficulty in gathering patient data and showed that correct therapeutic decisions may not always occur even if adequate information is obtained.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Pathogenesis and management of primary osteoporosis.

The pathophysiology of primary osteoporosis and the various therapeutic regimens that have been used are reviewed. Osteoporosis is a major public health problem because the incidence of hip, wrist, and vertebral fractures associated with bone loss is high. Postmenopausal women are at increased risk for developing osteoporosis because bone mineral content is lower in women than in men, dietary calcium intake is frequently insufficient, intestinal absorption of calcium decreases with age, and the rate of bone loss accelerates at menopause. The efficacy of many single and combination therapies in preventing or treating osteoporosis has been studied. Differences in study design and diagnostic techniques and the heterogeneous nature of osteoporosis make evaluation of clinical trials difficult. Exercise helps to maintain skeletal mass, but amenorrhea caused by vigorous activity may be harmful. The efficacy of estrogen replacement therapy is documented best; many studies have shown that estrogens slow the rate of bone loss and reduce the incidence of fractures, but the association of estrogen use with endometrial cancer and breast cancer is of concern. Progesterones may protect against endometrial cancer, but undesirable effects of oral contraceptives have resulted in a hesitancy to use combination hormonal therapy. All adults should meet daily nutritional requirements for calcium, but this intake may be insufficient for elderly persons and is below recommended doses for treating osteoporosis. A daily intake of at least 1000-1500 mg of elemental calcium has been shown to slow the rate of bone loss. Nutritional requirements for vitamin D should be met, but benefits from pharmacologic doses have not been demonstrated. The role of fluoride, calcitonin, anabolic steroids, and vitamin D metabolites is unclear. Fluoride has the potential to increase bone mass, but effects on bone histology and fracture rates require further study. The major goals for the management of osteoporosis are maintenance of bone mass and prevention of fractures. An adequate intake of calcium and regular weight-bearing exercise are important preventive measures. Despite the documented effectiveness of estrogens, risks associated with long-term use are of concern.

Androgens↗
PubMed1986

Low-dose weekly oral methotrexate therapy for inflammatory arthritis.

The efficacy and toxicity of low-dose, weekly oral methotrexate (MTX) therapy for inflammatory arthritis was evaluated. Fifty-nine patients with a diagnosis of inflammatory arthritis who had failed to respond to or developed toxicity to gold, penicillamine, or hydroxychloroquine therapy were treated with MTX 10-20 mg administered orally or intravenously once a week in divided doses. Various tests to assess arthritis were performed upon each patient's entrance into the study and at specified intervals throughout the 24-month study period. The mean duration of methotrexate therapy was 15.5 months. Patients showed significant improvement in number of swollen joints, duration of morning stiffness, amount of pain, and amount of activity during the study period. Of the 35 patients who had had roentgenographic studies of their hands performed initially and after one year of MTX therapy, 23 had no evidence of new joint erosions after one year. Biopsies of hepatic tissue from 20 patients showed no progressive changes when compared with pretreatment biopsies. Gastrointestinal symptoms, mucocutaneous lesions, or small increases in liver enzyme concentrations were observed in 31 patients; three patients developed pulmonary toxicity and had to be withdrawn from the study. MTX is an effective agent for the treatment of inflammatory arthritis in patients who do not respond to therapy with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or slow-acting antirheumatic drugs. Short-term weekly oral MTX therapy does not appear to result in clinically important liver disease.

Administration, Oral↗