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Biomedical subjects

M G Chapman

Publications and source records attributed to M G Chapman.

52 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Echocardiography in the investigation of anterior abdominal wall defects in the fetus.

Of 20 pregnancies referred for fetal echocardiography with a diagnosis of anterior abdominal wall defect, congenital heart disease was present in eight of the 17 with exomphalos and in none of the three with gastroschisis. Four of these eight affected pregnancies were terminated because trisomy 18 was diagnosed, of the remaining four, only one baby survived infancy. We conclude that ultrasound investigation of the fetal heart is an important part of the diagnostic assessment of anterior abdominal wall defect if an accurate prognosis and appropriate obstetric management are to be provided.

Abdominal Muscles↗

Spironolactone in combination with an oral contraceptive: an alternative treatment for hirsutism.

The clinical efficacy of a combination of spironolactone and an oral contraceptive pill (Conova 30) was assessed in 23 patients presenting with hirsutism of whom 20 completed 6 months of treatment. Of the 20 patients, 16 showed improvement on objective (Ferriman & Gallwey hair score) and subjective assessment. Serum levels of androgens (testosterone, androstenedione and 17-hydroxy progesterone) were suppressed and sex hormone binding globulins were elevated. Nausea was the only significant side effect.

Contraceptives, Oral, Combined↗

The development and validation of a radioimmunoassay for human pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A).

A specific and sensitive radioimmunoassay for human pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) is described. This assay utilized tracer repurified by affinity chromatography on heparin-Sepharose. The most sensitive assay developed had a detection limit of 5 microliters PAPP-A in serum, and this protein could not be detected in sera from non-pregnant subjects. During pregnancy, mean circulating levels rose from 0.6 mg/l at 6 weeks gestation to 110 mg/l at term, and PAPP-A was detected in 44 of 101 umbilical blood samples. The use of the anticoagulants EDTA and acid citrate dextrose resulted in significantly different results in the plasma compared to the corresponding serum sample. PAPP-A was also measured in amniotic fluid.

Amniotic Fluid↗

Absence of prolactin receptors in normal and malignant uterine cervix.

Bromocriptine has been found to be an effective agent in the treatment of advanced cancer of the uterine cervix, and it was thus possible that the tumours were prolactin-dependent. A prolactin receptor assay was established and validated, but no receptors were found in cervical tissue whether normal or with benign or malignant disease. It is unlikely that cervical tumours are prolactin-dependent.

Animals↗

The radioimmunoassay of human placental protein 14 (PP14).

The development and validation of a radioimmunoassay for the measurement of human placental protein 14 in maternal serum is described. The mean concentration of this protein in serum from 22 normal pregnant women showed a decline during the third trimester from 120 micrograms/l at 27 weeks gestation to 65 micrograms/l at term. Serum samples from 16 patients with intra-uterine growth retardation tended to contain lower concentrations of placental protein 14, these results reaching significance at weeks 36-38 of gestation. Of seven patients with pre-eclampsia from whom two or more blood samples were taken, four showed increases in concentration of this protein as pregnancy proceeded, compared with the normal pattern of decreasing values.

Blood Specimen Collection↗

Effect of cyproterone acetate-ethinyl oestradiol treatment on adrenal function in hirsute women.

Pituitary adrenal suppression has been assessed in twenty-two patients receiving cyproterone acetate (100 mg) and ethinyl oestradiol (30 micrograms) for the treatment of hirsutism. Cortisol responsiveness to ACTH and to insulin induced hypoglycaemia, and diurnal variations of plasma cortisol levels were measured before and after 6 months of treatment. There was no evidence that adrenal suppression is a significant problem in this group of patients.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗

Pregnancy-specific beta 1-glycoprotein as a screening test for at-risk pregnancies.

A serum assay was performed on 605 women for pregnancy-specific beta 1-glycoprotein (SP-1) between 31 and 34 weeks' gestation. SP-1 was also estimated for 255 of these women between 15 and 20 weeks' gestation, coincidental with maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) screening. A clinical classification of pregnancy outcome was constructed for ech group. SP-1 values at 31 to 34 weeks' gestation in pregnancies that resulted in the birth of a small-for-dates (SFD) infant were statistically different from those in normal pregnancies (p less than 0.001). A value of 100 mg per liter was chosen as a suitable discriminatory level at 31 to 34 weeks, below which SP-1 had a sensitivity of 64%, a predictive value of 24%, and defined a relative risk of 5.3 for SFD infants. These parameters compare favorably with published data on the use of human placental lactogen as a screening test. No statistical relationship was found between SP-1 values at 31 to 34 weeks and birth weight, placental weight, parity, or other abnormal pregnancy outcomes. SP-1 screening at 15 to 20 weeks' gestation showed no correlation with serum AFP or with other parameters studied.

Female↗

Metabolic and cardiovascular side effects of the beta 2-adrenoceptor agonists salbutamol and rimiterol.

The metabolic and cardiovascular side-effects of intravenous infusions of therapeutic doses of beta 2-adrenoceptor agonists salbutamol and rimiterol have been determined in four healthy male subjects. There were dose-related increases in plasma glucose, renin activity, serum insulin and heart rate, and significant hyperlactataemia and ketonaemia. There were dose-related decreases in plasma potassium, phosphate and corticosteroids and significant hypocalcaemia and hypomagnesaemia. The effects of equivalent molar amounts of salbutamol and rimiterol were similar. Whichever drug is used, special care is required with patients who may have abnormal glucose tolerance, potassium depletion, or be predisposed to lactic acidosis. Rimiterol may be preferable for infusion because of its short plasma half-life.

Albuterol↗

Routine ultrasound screening in early pregnancy.

A normal range for ultrasonically determined fetal biparietal diameter (BPD) was established on 497 normal obstetric patients attending the Flinders Medical Centre, Adelaide. While composite ranges for mean BPD measurements derived from the literature appear to have wide application, the need is apparent to establish a normal range with standard deviations for local institutional conditions and patient populations. With the established normal range as a reference, a consecutive series of 756 patients had ultrasonic fetal BPD measurements performed before 24 weeks' gestation to confirm or establish gestational maturity. It was held that such a screening procedure was justified in view of the high incidence of initial uncertainty in gestational ageing in the population sampled, and the risks of iatrogenic prematurity in both abnormal and normal patients undergoing induction of labour or elective caesarean section.

Female↗

Significance of the ultrasound location of placental site in early pregnancy.

The placenta was located by routine ultrasound scanning before 24 weeks gestation in 615 consecutive obstetric patients. A 'low lying' placenta was present in 175 (28 per cent) of the total group; the incidence decreasing from 32 per cent at 16 weeks gestation to 18 per cent at 24 weeks. Of 94 women with an initial 'low lying' placenta who were selected for rescanning, only five had a placenta praevia persisting beyond the 34th week. Patients with an early 'low lying' placenta had a significantly higher incidence of small-for-dates babies than those in whom the placenta remained clear of the internal cervical os on ultrasound scanning.

Female↗

Pregnancy-specific beta-1 glycoprotein (SP-1) in normal and abnormal pregnancy.

Maternal serum levels of a pregnancy specific beta-1 glycoprotein (SP-1) were measured by radial-immunodiffusion in 369 normal pregnancies. Mean levels rose progressively to approximately 200 mg/l at 36 weeks of gestation followed by a plateau and a fall at term. The 95% confidence limits were established for SP-1 logarithmic correction of the positively skewed raw data and certain theoretical and practical advantages were demonstrated in the use of SP-1 compared with human placental lactogen (HPL) measurement in the assessment of fetal-placental growth and function. In a preliminary study of abnormal pregnancy states it was found that maternal serum SP-1 assay may aid in the early detection of retarded intrauterine growth, and that it provides a better monitoring system than HPL in this condition. SP-1 levles were normal in pregnancies complicated by hypertension without retarded intrauterine growth.

Female↗