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Biomedical subjects

M J Harrison

Publications and source records attributed to M J Harrison.

At least 307 records · Page 17Linked to original sources

Muscle wasting after prolonged hypoglycaemic coma: case report with electrophysiological data.

A case of distal muscle wasting associated with hypoglycaemia is described. Motor and sensory conduction studies are reported that provide little evidence of a hypoglycaemic peripheral neuropathy. Damage to anterior horn cells or motor roots appears to be a more likely explanation for the amyotrophy. Recovery occurred clinically with evidence of reinnervation by axonal collateral sprouting.

Adenoma, Islet Cell↗

Relative contributions of history-taking, physical examination, and laboratory investigation to diagnosis and management of medical outpatients.

To evaluate the relative importance of the medical history, the physical examination, and laboratory investigations in the diagnosis and management of medical outpatients some physicians recorded their diagnosis and a prediction of the method of managementafter reading the patient's referral letter, again after taking the history, and againafter performing the physical examination. These diagnoses and predictions were compared with the diagnosis and method of management which had been adopted two months after the patient's initial attendance. A diagnosis that agreed with the one finally accepted was made after reading the referral letter and taking the history in 66 out of 80 new patients; the physical examination was useful in only seven patients, and the laboratory investigations in a further seven. In only one of six patients in whom the physician was unable to make any diagnosis after taking the history and examining the patient did laboratory investigations lead to a positive diagnosis.

Clinical Laboratory Techniques↗

Indications for angiography and surgery in carotid artery disease.

The results of angiographic investigation of 211 patients suffering from transient cerebral ischaemic attacks in the carotid territory have been reviewed. The greatest proportion of patients with carotid stenosis and who were referred for endarterectomy were those with a neck bruit ipsilateral to the affected hemisphere. Ocular involvement (amaurosis fugax) was associated with a still higher prevalence of angiographic abnormality, and carotid occlusion was commonest in this group. The implications for the management of patients with transient ischaemic attacks are discussed.

Adult↗

The results of carotid angiography in cerebral infarction in normotensive and hypertensive subjects.

The results of carotid angiography in 304 cases of cerebral hemisphere infarction have been reviewed. Carotid occlusion was demonstrated in 19% and atheromatous vessel wall change in a further 28%. Hypertensive subjects showed a significantly lower prevalence of carotid occlusion, but a similar prevalence of vessel wall change. There was more likely to be angiographic abnormality if there was a neck bruit or if the ECG showed ischaemic changes. The findings support the concept that the pathogenesis of cerebral infarction differs in normotensive and hypertensive patients.

Adult↗

A genetic study of torsion dystonia.

A family study of 32 patients with torsion dystonia has shown at least two forms of generalized dystonia with onset in childhood. These two forms, an autosomal dominant and an autosomal recessive, are clinically indistinguishable. There were at least three families and probably about six to eight patients with the autosomal recessive variety. The remaining nine to 11 patients with generalized childhood dystonia are thought, because of a probable paternal age effect, to be examples of new dominant mutations. Since fitness with childhood onset is 1/20 of normal, most childhood dominant cases appear sporadically. Most of the other 15 patients (12 with onset in adult life) appear to have a non-genetic torsion dystonia, although an example of a benign adult-onset dominant form associated with a tremor has been observed. It is concluded that there are at least two forms of genetic torsion dystonia, an autosomal recessive form with onset in childhood, which, on evidence from America, is particularly common in Ashkenazi Jews, and one or more dominant forms, with onset in childhood or adult life. The majority of adult-onset isolated cases of idiopathic torsion dystonia seem to be due to exogenous but unidentified causes.

Adolescent↗

No-reflow phenomenon in the cerebral circulation of the gerbil.

The no-reflow phenomenon has been produced in the cerebral hemispheres of the gerbil by 30 minutes of bilateral carotid artery occlusion. The no-reflow phenomenon was found to develop in relation to the fall in blood pressure which occurred on release of bilateral carotid clips. Metaraminol tartrate intravenously prevented the fall of blood pressure and significantly reduced the occurrence of the no-reflow phenomenon. Metaraminol tartrate, however, did not alter the morbidity or mortality of carotid artery occlusion for 30 minutes. There is thus no support from these experiments for the view that the no-relow phenomenon plays an important functional role in the reversibility of the effects of severe cerebral ischaemia.

Animals↗

Ischaemic swelling of cerebral hemisphere in the gerbil.

Ligation of the common carotid artery in the gerbil was found to be associated with an increase in wet weight, volume, and area of the ipsilateral cerebral hemisphere. True swelling and oedema of the hemisphere occurs. This evidence suggests that it is reasonable to continue to use the gerbil as an animal model of the oedema that many accompany cerebral infarction.

Animals↗