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Biomedical subjects

M J Fox

Publications and source records attributed to M J Fox.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

Patient selection and the assessment of blood pressure in clinical trials.

A new method for selecting patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension who are appropriate for entry into clinical trials and a technique for assessing small but statistically significant decreases in diastolic blood pressure resulting from drug therapy are described. In this method, mild-to-moderate hypertension is defined to exclude subjects whose diastolic blood pressure decreases while they are taking placebo and to exclude subjects with highly variable diastolic blood pressure. A subject receives placebo for four weeks, during which time diastolic blood pressure while supine is measured three times on a single day of each week, the time between measurements not being less than 30 minutes. With the 12 measurements obtained during the four-week placebo period, the following calculations are made: an average of the 12 measurements; and average of the three measurements obtained on a given day, yielding the average diastolic blood pressure per week; and the range of the 12 measurements. Subjects are selected for study if their average diastolic blood pressure per week for the four-week placebo period is neither below 95 nor above 115 mmHg, if their average diastolic blood pressure per week does not decrease successively from week 1 to week 4, and if the range of the 12 measurements of diastolic blood pressure recorded over the four-week placebo period does not exceed 28 mmHg (equivalent to a standard deviation of 8.5). Use of the method is demonstrated in the selection of 63 patients for a double-blind study of two antihypertensive drugs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Antihypertensive Agents↗
PubMed1982

Factitious asthma. Physiological approach to diagnosis.

Three patients with recurrent emergency room visits and hospitalizations for bronchial asthma are described. Although each patient had respiratory distress associated with wheezing and an apparent response to conventional therapy, other features were inconsistent with the pathophysiology of asthma. These included absence of a significantly elevated alveolar-arterial oxygen tension difference, lack of roentgenographic hyperinflation, and normal small airway function soon after clinical response. Furthermore, bronchial hyperreactivity, a constant feature of asthma, was absent in all patients. Each patient demonstrated wheezing that was self-induced and heard loudest over the neck. Two patients had previous psychiatric illness, one of whom had been hospitalized for factitious fever. We believe that these patients had a form of factitious illness not previously described. Recognition of this syndrome may avoid unnecessary medical care and allow initiation of appropriate psychiatric follow-up.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Collective bargaining in higher education.

Collective bargaining in higher education is a phenomenon that is less than 20 years old. This article chronicles the development of legal jurisdiction and the growth of bargaining activity in the public and private sectors. It focuses on the relevant differences between two- and four-year institutions in the public and private sectors as well as several of the major problem areas in higher education and their current legal status, including the Yeshiva decision. The author cites a number of inconsistent rulings that cover collective bargaining in higher education and takes the position that, in spite of all diversity and inconsistencies, the collective bargaining process continues to grow.

Collective Bargaining↗
PubMed1981

Herpetic canalicular obstruction.

Primary herpes simplex infection may involve the lining of the lacrimal canaliculi and result in permanent strictures and epiphora. Five cases are reported and analyzed in combination with previously reported cases. Antiviral medication was not responsible for lacrimal drainage obstruction in these cases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

A controlled trial of naftidrofuryl (Praxilene) in the treatment of intermittent claudication.

We present the results of a double-blind trial of naftidrofuryl (Praxilene) in the treatment of intermittent claudication. One hundred and twenty-eight patients were subjected to a standard walking test 3 and 6 months after treatment. There was no significant objective improvement attributable to the drug. Although both groups significantly increased their walking time to the onset of pain, those patients over 60 years old taking naftidrofuryl showed a significant improvement over their pretreatment walking times to onset of pain, whereas their controls did not.

Ankle↗
PubMed1980

Bilateral optic nerve hypoplasia with unilateral retinal vessel abnormality.

Optic nerve hypoplasia is an uncommon congenital defect of the optic nerve and retina, although recent studies show it occurs more frequently than previously thought. It is characterized by a small, pale optic disc, normal appearing retinal vasculature, and marked visual impairment. This condition may be unilateral or bilateral and familial cases have been described. It may be associated with other defects of the central nervous system but also occurs in otherwise normal individuals. It is different from aplasia of the optic nerve in which there is complete absence of the optic disc and retinal vasculature, usually in a badly malformed eye. The purpose of this communication is to describe the clinical and fluorescent appearance of an infant with bilateral optic nerve hypoplasia and the unilateral abnormality of retinal vessels.

Electroretinography↗
PubMed1979

Respiratory therapy. Current practice in ambulatory patients with chronic airflow obstruction.

The role of respiratory therapy in treating ambulatory patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is becoming more clearly defined. Oxygen therapy on a continuous basis is needed for patients with arterial PO2 values below 45 mm Hg and should be considered for patients with arterial PO2 values between 45 and 55 mm Hg who have chronic cor pulmonale, erythrocytosis with hematocrit value greater than 55%, and disturbances of cognition and sleep. Concentrated bronchodilator and corticosteroid aerosols have established roles in therapy; the place of bland aerosols is less clear They may increase ease of expectoration and should be given by simple compressed-air nebulizer systems; their administration by brief periods of intermittent positive-pressure breathing is rarely justified. Three-positional, postural drainage with chest percussion and vibration may be helpful in mobilizing secretions in patients with severe disease.

Aerosols↗
PubMed1979

Leukocyte larceny: a cause of spurious hypoxemia.

Multiple blood specimens with different leukocyte counts from two patients with extreme leukocytosis secondary to leukemia and unexplained hypoxemia were tonometered with a gas of known oxygen concentration and the decay of oxygen tension (PO2) was measured over time. The decay in PO2 in the first 2 minutes for blood with leukocyte counts of between 55.2 X 10(3)/mm3 and 490.0 X 10(3)/mm3 ranged from 13 to 72 torr. The degree of PO2 decay was blunted by placing the blood on ice and was obliterated by adding potassium cyanide. Thus, extreme leukocytosis secondary to leukemia can cause spurious hypoxemia and spurious lowering of the mixed venous PO2 due to oxygen consumption by leukocytes ("leukocyte larceny").

Adult↗
PubMed1979

PTFE (Goretex) femoropopliteal reconstruction for limb salvage.

We present the results of the use of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, Goretex) grafts for limb salvage in 20 cases of femoropopliteal or more distal arterial reconstruction. There appears to be no relationship between graft survival and 'run-off' or the overall disease state of the vessels. Cumulative graft patency was almost 50% at 6 months, which is in contrast with higher patency rates reported from other countries.

Aged↗
PubMed1977

Intramural lymphatic cyst of bovine heterograft.

An intramural lymphatic cyst of a bovine heterograft is described. This previously unreported complication presented as a pulsatile mass in the thigh of an 84-year-old woman who had undergone vascular reconstruction 12 months previously. The clinical presentation, operative findings, and pathological findings are described, and the management of the case is discussed.

Aged↗
PubMed1976

The haematological hazards of autotransfusion.

Fourteen heparinized dogs were autotransfused from 1-5 to 6 times calculated blood volume. Five animals retransfused 12 litres from an intraperitoneal bleed had marked decreases in all cellular elements, haematuria and a large (82 percent) drop in fibrinogen. All these animals died within 12 hours and post-mortem examination revealed evidence of disseminated intravascular coagulopathy. The dogs in which a smaller volume (3-6 litres) was recycled showed similar, but less devastating, changes. Haematocrit and platelet count dropped by a half and fibrinogen by 20 per cent. A leucocytosis of about 30 000/mm3 occurred within 24 hours. Autotransfusion of salvaged blood which was not allowed extravascular tissue contact significantly lessened these adverse effects. We conclude that the risk of cellular destruction and defibrination in large volume intra-operative autotransfusion is significant and must be weighed against its potential benefits in each case, and that red cell and platelet damage results primarily from extravascular tissue contact and is therefore unavoidable.

Animals↗