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Biomedical subjects

M Heim

Publications and source records attributed to M Heim.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Multicenter double blind study of paroxetine and amitriptyline in elderly depressed inpatients.

Paroxetine is a phenylpiperidine compound which is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). Ninety-one hospitalised patients with a major depression (DSM-III) aged 65 and over from six Austrian and one German center were entered into the study, which compared the efficacy and tolerability of paroxetine versus amitriptyline. After 6 weeks both groups showed similarly good therapeutic results. In the paroxetine group, 64.3% of the patients had a 50% or more reduction of the HAMD total score compared to 58.1% in the amitriptyline group. Side effects were distributed similarly in both groups. Patients in the paroxetine group showed a higher incidence of anxiety and agitation; anticholinergic side effects were registered more often in the amitriptyline group.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

Supraventricular tachycardia as a presenting sign of pulmonary embolism in paraplegia. Case report and review.

Pulmonary embolism is a major complication after spinal cord injury and difficult to diagnose in any patient. Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is an unusual presentation for pulmonary embolism (PE). This article documents the records of a 60-year-old patient who was undergoing comprehensive rehabilitation after traumatic spinal cord injury and multitrauma. His treatment programme was interrupted by a PE with SVT as the only presenting symptom. This article outlines the clinical approach to the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism. A high index of suspicion of PE should always be kept in mind when SVT occurs in a spinal cord injured patient.

Humans↗
PubMed1995

A rare cause of low back pain.

An 18-year-old new army recruit had been treated by his medical officer for low back pain. The pain was not relieved by medication, and the soldier was referred to an orthopedic clinic. Muscle power, reflexes, and sensation were all normal for the lumbar and sacral nerves. Roentgenograms revealed a hemivertebra at the level of the first sacral segment. This is a very rare cause of backache in patients with intact and functioning lumbar and sacral nerves.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Scanning tunneling microscopy of insulators and biological specimens based on lateral conductivity of ultrathin water films.

Scanning tunneling microscopy is based on the flow of an electrical current and thus cannot be used to directly image insulating material. It has been found, however, that a very thin film of water (about one monolayer) adsorbed to a surface exhibits a surprisingly high conductivity that is sufficient to allow scanning tunneling microscope imaging at currents below 1 picoampere. Hydrophilic insulators, such as glass and mica, can thus be imaged in humid air. The same is true for biological specimens deposited on such surfaces, as demonstrated by the scanning tunneling microscope imaging of plasmid DNA on mica.

1,2-Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine↗
PubMed1994

Expanding mass in the gluteal area of a 7-year-old child.

The following case is presented to illustrate the roentgenographic and clinical findings of a condition of interest to the orthopaedic surgeon. Initial history, physical findings, and roentgenographic examinations are found on the first two pages. The final clinical and differential diagnoses are presented on the following page.

Buttocks↗
PubMed1994

Care for chronically ill adolescents.

Too little is known about the nature and extent of physical impairment suffered by adolescents. A recent study in Israel points the way towards more systematic data gathering and analysis, so that the necessary care can be provided.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

A 26-year-old HIV-positive hemophiliac with knee pain.

The following case is presented to illustrate the roentgenographic and clinical findings of a condition of interest to the orthopaedic surgeon. Initial history, physical findings, and roentgenographic examinations are found on the first page. The final clinical and roentgenographic differential diagnoses are presented on the following pages.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

A new orthotic device for Chopart amputees.

The medical literature has, on the whole, passed seething criticism toward the Chopart foot amputation. The equinous, short, unbalanced stump is prone to pressure injury and the orthopaedic footwear has proved problematic. Many therapeutic modalities have been proposed, such as arthrodeses, tendon transfers, and tenotomies to improve functional ability. Many propose that the results of the Syme amputation are functionally superior and aesthetically more acceptable. The pros and cons of the Syme and Chopart amputations are discussed and a new orthotic device is suggested that improves the function of the Chopart amputation and minimizes the previously described complications.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Attitude and knowledge of high school pupils in Holon (Israel) toward AIDS.

The study was designed to test the knowledge and attitude of pupils in three high schools with respect to AIDS. The 412 pupils who participated in the study represented three different educational institutions: an academic level school, a traditional religious school, and a vocational trade school. The standard of knowledge was found to be relatively lacking (67-75%), and there were significant differences between the three schools (P < 0.00001). There were many misconceptions concerning the symptomatology of the disease, its chronology and its prognosis. Boys were better informed than girls (P < 0.0225), and with age, the pupils' knowledge improved (P < 0.001). There were, however, no differences in the severity of the pupils' attitude towards the disease in any of the three schools (P < 0.00001). Attitudes regarding expulsion of AIDS patients from school, and moral and financial assistance varied from school to school. A most consistent factor was that pupils acquired their knowledge from the media (TV 94.66%, newspapers 89.81%), and that the medical profession contributed very little to the pupils' understanding of the disease (22.09%). Most of the pupils (92.9%) requested that prevention of this disease be incorporated as a subject into the formal teaching program of the school.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1993

Response of hemophilic patients to poliovirus vaccination: correlation with HIV serology and with immunological parameters.

Hemophilic patients may present immunological dysfunctions resulting from either human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, or other factors like impure factor VIII concentrate and other viral infections. We evaluated prospectively the serologic response to polio vaccination of Israeli hemophilic patients who were vaccinated during an outbreak of poliomyelitis. Eighty-two hemophilic patients, 43 seronegative and 39 seropositive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), were vaccinated with enhanced inactivated poliovirus (eIPV). Titers of antibodies for poliovirus types 1-3 were determined before and 4 weeks after immunization. T helper and suppressor lymphocytes (T4 and T8), B and T lymphocyte mitogenic response, and natural killer cells were tested and correlated with the response to vaccination. Both groups responded to vaccination with increased titers of antibodies to the three viral types, 4 weeks after immunization. HIV-seronegative patients, however, exhibited higher titers than the HIV-seropositive group. The same pattern was found when 21 patients were tested 1 year after the exposure to eIPV. HIV seropositive patients were grouped according to their T4 count (between 16/microliter and 500/microliter). There was no statistically significant difference in the response of these different groups to vaccination. No correlation was found between the response to vaccination and other immune parameters. These results suggest that asymptomatic HIV-seropositive hemophilic patients respond well to eIPV, irrespective of their T4 count.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Morbidity and psycho-social reasons for absence among high school students in Holon, Israel.

Absence of children from school for either health or social reasons, can serve as a parameter for general well-being. Minimal school absence rates reflect a good physical and psycho-social status. The present survey compares the rate of absenteeism as a result of various diseases among 972 adolescent pupils in a high school. The average absenteeism of a pupil during the year is 8.67 +/- 2.93 days. Medical circumstances responsible for absenteeism are discussed. The incidence of absenteeism in chronic diseases is 5.5 times greater than that of healthy children. The ratio of absence caused by medical reasons decreases with maturity, probably as a result of increasing efficiency in coping with the diseases together with stronger motivation for studies. The school physician cognizant of pupil absenteeism can fulfil a valuable role in the early recognition and treatment of psychosocial pathologies.

Absenteeism↗
PubMed1993

A functional and psychosocial assessment of patients with post-Sudeck atrophy amputation.

Twelve patients with reflex sympathetic dystrophy were referred to a comprehensive orthopaedic rehabilitation center after failure of conservative management. Ten underwent amputation of the affected limb and, although functional improvement occurred in the patients undergoing lower limb amputation, psychosocial dysfunction persisted. All the patients required psychological support. In cases of post-Sudeck amputation, early orthopaedic diagnosis and referral to a comprehensive treatment center are recommended. In the 12 cases described here, apart from the obvious limb pathology, severe psychological inadequacies were found to be present.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1993

Studies with positron emission tomography after systemic administration of fluorine-18-uracil in patients with liver metastases from colorectal carcinoma.

Fluorouracil (FU) is the most common cytostatic agent used for chemotherapy in patients with colorectal tumors. Fifty patients with 78 hepatic metastases from colorectal tumors were examined with positron emission tomography (PET) following intravenous infusion of 18F-FU. The uptake of the cytostatic agent was evaluated in normal liver parenchyma, liver metastases and the aorta. Tracer uptake was expressed with the standardized uptake value (SUV). The maximum liver activity was 11.3 SUV (mean value) with a standard deviation of 1.85 SUV. The highest activity concentrations were noted 30 min (mean value) postinjection. In comparison, the activity concentration of individual metastasis was low. Two hours after tracer injection, the mean activity in metastases was 1.3 SUV, but notable individual variation in uptake was seen. Fluorine-18 concentration values 2 hr after FU infusion were approximately 44% of the FU uptake 20 min postinfusion. Fifty-three metastases were also examined with 15O-labeled water. The examination was performed to compare the uptake of the nonmetabolized tracer with FU uptake. We noted a statistically significant correlation between 15O-water concentration, uptake of nonmetabolized FU 8 min after the end of the infusion and FU retention (120 min postinjection) in a subgroup of metastases. The results suggest that FU retention in different metastases is highly variable and mainly dependent on early FU uptake into tumor cells.

Colorectal Neoplasms↗