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Biomedical subjects

M J Cooper

Publications and source records attributed to M J Cooper.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Gastric emptying and enterogastric reflux after conservative and conventional pancreatoduodenectomy.

BACKGROUND: Retention of the entire stomach during pancreatoduodenectomy should theoretically improve postoperative nutrition, but some studies have reported a high incidence of delayed gastric emptying (GE). An intact pylorus should also prevent enterogastric reflux and its attendant problems, provided that the operation does not impair sphincteric competence. METHODS: We studied pyloric function in 24 patients who underwent pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy (PPP) and 12 who underwent a conventional Whipple resection including distal hemigastrectomy. Resection had been performed for benign (n = 19) or malignant (n = 17) disease. A double isotope technique was used to measure liquid and solid GE, and enterogastric reflux was measured by means of cholescintigraphy. RESULTS: Only two patients who underwent PPP required nasogastric intubation beyond 8 days. At follow-up (median, 5 months; range, 2 to 42 months) one patient with persistent vomiting required remedial surgery after PPP (apart from two with recurrent carcinoma affecting the anastomosis); after Whipple resection there were three patients with intermittent vomiting and one with dumping. Median half-time for liquid GE was not significantly different (65 minutes for PPP vs 103 minutes for Whipple resection; n < 70 minutes); likewise, the median half-time for solid GE was not significantly different (140 minutes for PPP vs 180 minutes for the Whipple procedure; n < 110 minutes). Persistent enterogastric reflux was seen in three of 20 patients who underwent PPP and three of eight who underwent Whipple resection. CONCLUSIONS: Isotopic test results of GE are frequently abnormal after either type of pancreatoduodenectomy, but symptoms are uncommon. The retained pylorus is competent to prevent enterogastric reflux and does not itself impair emptying of the stomach.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Asymmetric septal hypertrophy in infants of diabetic mothers. Fetal echocardiography and the impact of maternal diabetic control.

Maternal hyperglycemia may result in fetal hyperinsulinemia and asymmetric septal hypertrophy, macrosomia, and hypoglycemia in infants of diabetic mothers. We monitored glycosylated hemoglobin levels in 61 pregnant diabetic women each trimester as an index of maternal glycemic control and did serial fetal echocardiograms starting at 18 weeks of gestation. At delivery, cord blood C-peptide levels were obtained as an index of fetal hyperinsulinemia. Infants were assessed for hypoglycemia, macrosomia and septal thickening by echocardiography. Nineteen of the 61 infants (31%) had septal hypertrophy, were heavier, and had higher cord blood C-peptide levels and lower serum glucose levels than unaffected infants. Maternal glycosylated hemoglobin levels were higher during the third trimester in mothers of affected infants. Our data support a possible relationship between third-trimester maternal hyperglycemia and neonatal asymmetric septal hypertrophy, macrosomia, and hypoglycemia.

Echocardiography↗
PubMed1992

Thoughts about eating, weight and shape in anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

Concurrent verbalisation and a self-report questionnaire were used to investigate self-statements in patients with anorexia nervosa, patients with bulimia nervosa, two groups of dieters and non-dieting controls. Thoughts were collected while subjects performed three behavioural tasks, looking at themselves in a full-length mirror, weighing themselves and eating a chocolate covered mint. Both groups of patients had more negative thoughts related to eating, weight and shape than those in the three control groups. In addition, patients with anorexia nervosa showed a greater concern with eating while patients with bulimia nervosa showed a greater concern with weight and appearance. Differences were found between the patients and non-dieting controls using both methods but the self-report questionnaire was less sensitive than concurrent verbalisation to differences between the patients and dieters. Implications of the findings for cognitive-behavioural treatments of the two disorders are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Selective processing of eating-, shape-, and weight-related words in persons with bulimia nervosa.

The Stroop color-naming task was used to investigate selective information processing in people with bulimia nervosa. Three cards were used: a target card consisting of words related to eating, weight, and shape; a control word card; and the standard conflicting-color card. Thirty-six patients with bulimia nervosa were compared with a group of age-matched female controls. It was found that the amount of disruption caused to color naming by the target card was significantly greater in the bulimia nervosa group than in the female control group, whereas that caused by the color card was similar in the two groups. The Stroop color-naming task may be a useful objective measure of one aspect of the cognitive disturbance of patients with bulimia nervosa.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Bile acids and trypsin are unimportant in alkaline esophageal reflux.

We recorded esophageal alkaline exposure time (AET) in 52 patients with gastroesophageal reflux and in 20 control subjects to determine whether esophageal pH monitoring can measure reflux of bile acids and trypsin from the duodenum. Patients underwent a further 16-h study (divided into 2-h periods) in which AET was correlated with bile acid and trypsin concentrations in esophageal aspirates. Patients had greater nocturnal AET than controls (22.7 versus 0.9%, p = 0.005). Patients with a stricture had a greater AET than patients with erosive esophagitis (25.2 versus 13%, p less than 0.05). There was no relationship between esophageal bile acid concentrations and AET, and total bile acid concentrations were similar regardless of whether a 2-h period contained alkaline episodes. Esophageal bile acid concentrations were no different, in patients with a normal esophagus, esophagitis, stricture, or Barrett's esophagus. Trypsin was found in only 5% of aspirates, and could not be predicted by AET. We conclude that measurement of AET is not useful in the clinical evaluation of duodeno-esophageal bile reflux, and bile acids and trypsin are not important in the pathogenesis of reflux esophagitis.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Bile acids do not modify the effects of pepsin on the fine structure of human oesophageal epithelium.

Oesophageal mucosal specimens (n = 250) were taken from 25 normal subjects (14 females, 11 males; median age 52 years; range 19-63 years) and incubated in physiological saline, pepsin and bile acid solutions to determine whether conjugated bile acids modify the epithelial cytotoxic action of pepsin. Short (5 min) and long (22 min) incubations were carried out and the results were assessed by transmission electron microscopy. Six different parameters of epithelial damage were scored (0-4) by a single 'blinded' pathologist for each of four epithelial layers. The scores after incubation in saline (pH 7 and titrated to pH 2 with HCl) were not different from those of the controls (P = 0.35). Both pepsin and bile acids (pH 2) caused more damage than saline at pH 2 (P less than 0.001) which was similar for the two substances (P = 0.136). Conjugated bile acids in combination with pepsin (pH 2) did not alter the overall extent or pattern of damage caused by pepsin alone (pH 2); P = 0.142). Conjugated bile acids, in concentrations commonly encountered during gastro-oesophageal reflux, did not appear to modify the cytopathic effects of pepsin on oesophageal mucosal cells in vitro. Conjugated bile acids may not be important in the pathogenesis of oesophagitis in patients with acid/peptic gastro-oesophageal reflux.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Selective processing of eating, weight and shape related words in patients with eating disorders and dieters.

The Stroop colour-naming task was used to investigate selective processing of eating, weight and shape related words in two groups of dieters, patients with anorexia nervosa, patients with bulimia nervosa and a group of non-dieting controls. 'Normal dieters' were not different from the non-dieting controls. Dieters with a history of features of an eating disorder but no diagnosis and the patients with anorexia nervosa, like the patients with bulimia nervosa, showed selective processing of information related to eating, weight and shape.

Anorexia Nervosa↗
PubMed1992

Plasticity of neuroblastoma tumor cells to differentiate along a fetal adrenal ganglionic lineage predicts for improved patient survival.

We have recently presented a model of human adrenal medullary histogenesis that incorporates all neural crest-derived lineages (chromaffin, sustentacular, and ganglionic) known to compose this tissue. To determine if neuroblastomas correspond to the arrested maturation of embryonal adrenal medullary cells, we evaluated the expression of adrenal medullary developmental markers in 81 neuroblastoma tumors. We found that patterns of chromaffin-related gene expression in these tumors correlated exactly with the patterns observed during maturation of adrenal medullary cells (P2 < 10(-5). In a multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis of developmental marker expression and other well-recognized prognostic variables, evidence of maturation along a fetal ganglionic lineage, as monitored by HNK-1 immunoreactivity (relative risk of 6.42, P2 = 0.0001), and age at diagnosis (relative risk of 5.05, P2 = 0.0042) were independent and significant prognostic indicators of patient survival. These studies demonstrate that neuroblastomas correspond to embryonal adrenal medullary cells arrested at recognizable stages during development, and that evidence of maturation along a fetal ganglionic lineage appears to have major importance in predicting patient survival.

Adrenal Medulla↗
PubMed1992

Evaluation and surgical correction of esophagitis after partial gastrectomy.

Among 51 patients with refractory symptomatic reflux esophagitis seen during an 18-month period, 8 (16%) had undergone previous partial gastrectomy. Either Billroth II (n = 6) or Billroth I (n = 2) resection had been carried out for peptic ulceration 18 months to 30 years beforehand. Each patients was evaluated by symptom scoring, endoscopy, and 24-hour pH monitoring plus a 16-hour esophageal aspiration study, in which 2-hourly aliquots were measured for acid, pepsin, conjugated and unconjugated bile acids, and trypsin. After conversion to a 45 cm Roux-en-Y gastroenterostomy, symptom scoring and endoscopy were repeated at 6 to 12 months in all eight patients. Pepsin, acid, and unconjugated bile acids were seldom present in esophageal aspirates. Conjugated bile acids in concentrations up to 30 mmol/L and trypsin up to 428 micrograms/ml were found in cases of severe esophagitis, mostly during nocturnal rest. Esophagitis, heartburn, regurgitation, and bilious vomiting were eradicated by Roux-en-Y conversion, but other postgastrectomy symptoms (early satiety, dumping, epigastric pain, and diarrhea) were largely unchanged. Postgastrectomy esophagitis resistant to medical therapy seems likely to be caused by nocturnal exposure to trypsin and conjugated bile acids; it is well controlled by a 45 cm Roux-en-Y conversion.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

Composition of gastro-oesophageal refluxate.

Fifty two patients with abnormal acid gastro-oesophageal reflux were studied by simultaneous oesophageal pH monitoring and continuous aspiration for 16 hours. Aspirates (from discrete two hour periods) were analysed for volume, pH, bile acids (conjugated and unconjugated), trypsin, and pepsin. The results were compared with pH changes and degree of oesophagitis. Patients with oesophagitis had greater acid reflux than those without, but patients with stricture and Barrett's oesophagus had similar acid reflux to those with uncomplicated erosive oesophagitis. Pepsin concentrations were highest in patients with stricture and Barrett's oesophagus particularly during nocturnal periods. Conjugated bile acids were detected in 75% of patients, mainly during the night, but only 2% of aspirates contained concentrations likely to be cytotoxic. Unconjugated bile acids were not detected, and trypsin was seldom found. Reflux oesophagitis is caused by acid and pepsin. Bile acids and trypsin are probably unimportant.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Clinical evaluation of combined use of CEA, CA19-9 and CA50 in the serum of patients with pancreatic carcinoma.

CEA, CA19-9 and CA50 are tumour-associated antigens defined by monoclonal antibodies that have been raised against adenocarcinoma cell lines, but no single antibody is specific for the detection of pancreatic malignancy. The aim of this study was to determine whether the combined use of CEA, CA19-9 and CA50 would improve diagnostic accuracy. An immunoradiometric assay was used for the detection of CEA and CA19-9 and the Delfia system for CA50. Serum was collected from 65 normal subjects, 16 with pancreatitis and 28 with pancreatic carcinoma. Of the 28 cancer patients, 24 (85%) had a CA19-9 level above 46 mu/ml, 26 (92%) had a CA50 level above 21 mu/ml and 10 (37%) had a CEA level above 7 ng/ml. Multivariant discriminant analysis on the combined antibodies showed that 96% of the malignant group, 13% of the pancreatitis group and 11% of the normal group were positive, with an overall correct classification of 91% into the three groups (multivariant discriminant analysis P less than 0.05). Thus the combined use of CEA, CA19-9 and CA50 improves diagnostic accuracy in differentiating benign from malignant disease of the pancreas.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Neuropeptide Y expression in the developing adrenal gland and in childhood neuroblastoma tumors.

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) expression is limited to tissues of the central and peripheral nervous system. In the adrenal gland, NPY is found in a subset of cells of the adrenal medulla. Using in situ hybridization analysis, NPY mRNA expression was characterized during human fetal adrenal medullary development. We found a biphasic pattern of NPY mRNA expression during the development of the human adrenal medulla. NPY mRNA is detectable at the earliest evaluable time point (7.5 weeks of gestational age) through 18 weeks of gestational age, and is then not detectable until 8 months after birth. We also analyzed NPY mRNA expression in neuroblastoma tumors, which often arise in the adrenal medulla. Thirty-eight neuroblastoma tumors were analyzed for NPY mRNA expression using in situ hybridization. We found NPY mRNA expression in 30 of 38 tumors; 15 of 15 Stage IVS tumors from children under 1 year of age at diagnosis expressed NPY mRNA, whereas 0 of 4 Stage IV tumors from children less than 1 year of age at diagnosis expressed NPY mRNA. These data suggest that in children under 1 year of age at diagnosis, Stage IVS and Stage IV neuroblastoma may be marked by the presence or absence, respectively, of NPY mRNA expression. Moreover, since NPY is expressed for only a short period of time during embryogenesis, these tumors may arise from different neuroblast populations occurring during the course of adrenal medullary development.

Adrenal Glands↗