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Biomedical subjects

L M March

Publications and source records attributed to L M March.

33 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Musculoskeletal disability among elderly people in the community.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence and determinants of disability among elderly people living in the community. DESIGN: A cross-sectional postal questionnaire survey. SETTING: Northern Sydney Area Health Service. PARTICIPANTS: 1527 residents (622 men and 905 women) aged 65 years and over. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Self-reported chronic illnesses, injuries or conditions; difficulties with activities of daily living assessed by the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ); and home modification and use of functional aids. RESULTS: "Arthritis or rheumatism" was the leading long term condition, reported by 59.5%, 55.8% and 59.7% of women and 40.5%, 47.0% and 43.6% of men in the three age groups (65-74, 75-84 and 85 years and over), respectively. The back, neck and knees were the most common sites of pain and stiffness. Of the respondents, 23.4% of women and 24.3% of men reported regularly taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Impaired performance of activities of daily living increased with age, with 53.9%, 70.7% and 89.6% of women and 37.6%, 63.6% and 73.2% of men in the respective age groups reporting at least some difficulty (HAQ score > 0). Multivariate analysis found self-reported poor general health, loss of a limb, arthritis or rheumatism, other long term conditions restricting physical activity, impaired vision, female sex, and age to be significant predictors of disability as measured by HAQ scores. Only 13.9% of women and 9.4% of men had made changes to their home. Functional aids were used by 27.7%, 37.3% and 65.9% of women and 15.6%, 33.4% and 59.1% of men in the respective age groups. CONCLUSION: Arthritis and rheumatism were the most prevalent chronic conditions among elderly people in the community, and were significantly associated with difficulty with performing activities of daily living, after controlling for effects of age, sex and other chronic conditions.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1998

Clinical validation of self-reported osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the use of a postal survey to detect subjects in the community with osteoarthritis (OA) and the ability of metrologists to detect clinical OA. METHODS: Questionnaires were posted to a random sample of residents of the Northern Sydney Health Area, aged 45-64 years old, asking for details of musculoskeletal complaints and diagnoses. A questionnaire definition of OA was made if 'osteoarthritis' was reported or 'degenerative arthritis', 'joints wearing' out together with pain in joints during the previous 6 months. Hands, hips, and knees of 106 subjects were examined by one of two trained metrologists according to ACR clinical criteria for OA. A second subsample was examined by two metrologists and two rheumatologists independently to test for inter-observer variation. Data were analyzed for percentage agreement and concordance using the kappa statistic. RESULTS: After two mailouts, 59% responded (526 males and 796 females). Definite OA (excluding spine alone) was reported by 52 males (10%), 155 females (19.5%) and possible OA by 62 males (11.8%), 164 females (20.6%). Following examination, 81% of self-reported 'definite' OA was confirmed, while 57% of 'possibles' and one self-reported 'negative' were determined to have clinical OA. Reporting of specific joint OA was less reliable than the highly reliable self-reporting of general OA. Good agreement was demonstrated between rheumatologists and metrologists in the clinical diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Postal questionnaires have the potential to detect OA in the community. The clinical diagnosis can be confirmed by a trained metrologist. Further evaluation of this instrument is warranted in other populations.

Australia↗
PubMed1997

Osteoarthritis.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

Economics of osteoarthritis: a global perspective.

Musculoskeletal disorders, of which osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common, incur significant economic, social and psychological costs. Costs of illness have risen over recent decades accounting for up to 1-2.5% of the gross national product for those countries studied so far, including the USA, Canada, the UK, France and Australia. Arthritis has a significant impact on psychosocial and physical function and is known to be the leading cause of disability in later life. There are also significant out-of-pocket costs and loss of earnings due to changes in occupation and roles in domestic duties. Current guidelines for the management of OA of hip and knee include the recommendation of inexpensive but effective interventions. Although the guidelines have not had a specific economic evaluation, cost reductions may be expected. OA is a very common disease and will become an increasing economic burden as the population ages.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

New insights into osteoarthritis.

Not only has our understanding of cartilage structure, synthesis and breakdown increased over the last decade, but so have the possibilities for investigation and treatment of osteoarthritis. New strategies for investigation include ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, radionuclide scintigraphy, monitoring of biochemical markers for cartilage breakdown and miniarthroscopy. There is greater appreciation of the importance of exercise and analgesics in pain management, and drugs to retard cartilage breakdown are under development.

Diagnosis, Differential↗
PubMed1995

Hepatitis B vaccination rates among staff at a district general hospital.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the uptake of hepatitis B vaccination by staff of a metropolitan district general hospital and associated community health service in order to determine if the existing vaccination program was adequate. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A cross-sectional survey of all 1464 staff of a 304-bed district general hospital and associated community health service, serving a population of approximately 240,000 people in a middle socioeconomic area of northern Sydney, by means of a self-reported anonymous questionnaire. RESULTS: The overall response rate was 56.4%, with 61.9% of high-risk and 48.7% of low-risk staff responding to the survey. The overall vaccination rate was 55.8%. Of high-risk respondents, 70.7% had been or were in the process of being vaccinated, compared with 29.4% of low-risk respondents. Of those already vaccinated, only 45.9% had subsequently been tested for antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs); 12% of this group did not know whether their response to the vaccine had been adequate and 18% reported being advised to have another anti-HBs test later. Vaccination rates were higher in younger staff (68.7% of 20-29-year-olds) than in older staff (42.7% of 50-59-year-olds). There was no significant difference in vaccination rates between men (55.6%) and women (55.8%). Vaccination rates for doctors, dentists and nurses were 69%, 80% and 74.6%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The vaccination rate among high-risk staff is suboptimal: more than half did not know whether their vaccination had induced a suitable level of antibodies; more than 10% had been vaccinated more than five years previously; and 5% had not completed the full course of three injections. High-risk staff should be targeted in future vaccination programs.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Delayed childbearing--are there any risks?

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether women delivering their first child at age 35 years or older are at increased risk of adverse (non-genetic) pregnancy outcomes. DESIGN AND SETTING: A cross-sectional analytic study of singleton deliveries in Northern Sydney Area Health Service (NSAHS) hospitals. PARTICIPANTS: All women aged > or = 20 years delivering their first child between 1 January 1990 and 31 December 1991. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Obstetric complications and procedures, type of delivery and neonatal outcomes. RESULTS: Compared with women aged 20-29 years, women delivering their first child at > or = 35 years were at increased risk of pre-existing maternal hypertension (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 3.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7-7.0), antepartum haemorrhage (adjusted OR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.6-3.7), preterm delivery (33-36 weeks) (adjusted OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.5-2.8) and breech presentation (adjusted OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.3-2.4). Women aged > or = 35 years were also substantially more likely to have an operative delivery, induced labour and/or epidural anaesthesia. Neither these women nor their infants were at increased risk of pregnancy-induced hypertension, gestational diabetes, threatened premature labour, postpartum haemorrhage, very preterm delivery (< or = 32 weeks), perinatal death, low Apgar scores or the need for neonatal resuscitation. CONCLUSIONS: Women who delay the birth of their first child face some increased risks, but these risks, for the most part, are manageable in the context of modern obstetric care.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

The effect of removal of profile requesting on chemical pathology requesting patterns.

We investigated the effect on pathology requesting behaviour in a metropolitan teaching hospital, following the proscription by the Health Insurance Commission of the MBA (multiple biochemical analysis) request. Our laboratory had provided a 20 test profile in response to a request for MBA until February 1991, when the MBA request was no longer accepted. During the period February to June 1991, requesting clinicians had to comply with the new requesting requirements, although they continued to receive the results of the 20 test profile because of limitations imposed by our laboratory instrumentation. After June 1991, with the installation of a new analyzer that allowed discretionary requesting, results were provided only for those tests requested. We studied requesting patterns in the 3 time periods: i.e. (1) before the MBA request was withdrawn, and after the MBA request was withdrawn, (2) firstly while results for the 20 test profile were still provided and (3) secondly when the results were provided only for the tests requested. For each of the 3 periods the average number of requests per day for MBA, group and individual tests was calculated. The effect of removal of the MBA request on the Medicare Benefits payable was estimated. We found compliance by the requesting clinicians with the new requirements and a reduction in the number of tests requested. There was a reduction from 20 to 12 in the average number of tests per request. This was associated with a 2.2% reduction in the Medicare Benefits payable.

Clinical Laboratory Techniques↗
PubMed1988

Benign joint hypermobility with neuropathies: documentation and mechanism of median, sciatic, and common peroneal nerve compression.

We report three patients in whom carpal tunnel syndrome was due to neurapraxis as a consequence of unusual sleep postures enabled by their benign joint hypermobility syndrome (BJHS). A fourth patient also had bilateral sensory sciatic neuropathy and a common peroneal palsy, similarly due to regularly adopted unusual postures. Recognition of such cause-effect mechanisms and their simple solution in BJHS should obviate needless investigation and unnecessary surgery.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Dendritic cells in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis.

The cause of rheumatoid arthritis is unknown. It appears that abnormal or overstimulated cell-mediated immune mechanisms are operating. Dendritic cells, with their potent antigen presenting and immunostimulatory properties, have been found in increased numbers of rheumatoid synovial fluids and membranes. It is postulated that these cells play a key role in inducing and perpetuating the immune response with subsequent synovial proliferation and joint destruction.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗
PubMed1987

Interleukin-1 secretion by peripheral blood monocytes and synovial macrophages from patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Blood monocytes and synovial fluid and tissue macrophages were examined for their ability to produce interleukin-1 (IL-1) measured in a mouse thymocyte proliferation assay. Spontaneous production of IL-1 by monocytes from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or ankylosing spondylitis was higher than that by cells from normal subjects, patients with osteoarthritis or patients with RA treated with gold. IL-1 production in response to LPS stimulation was similar in all groups. Spontaneous IL-1 production by synovial fluid macrophages from patients with RA was similar to that of their monocytes, but the response to LPS was smaller. Synovial tissue macrophages produced little IL-1. Similar results were obtained in assays of fibroblast proliferation.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗
PubMed1986

Cytophagic panniculitis.

A 60 year old woman developed generalised erythema nodosum-like lesions together with hectic fever, lymphadenopathy, and hepatitis. Biopsies revealed lobular panniculitis with a benign histiocytic infiltrate and prominent phagocytosis in subcutaneous sites, lymph nodes, and bone marrow. All immunological, serological, and culture studies were negative, apart from throat isolation of herpes simplex. The patient responded to high-dose corticosteroids. The case illustrates the differential diagnosis of lobular panniculitis, with histiocytic infiltrate and cytophagocytosis. These combined features are consistent with the recently described syndromes of cytophagic panniculitis and virus-associated hemophagocytic syndrome.

Erythrocytes↗