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Biomedical subjects

M N Lowenthal

Publications and source records attributed to M N Lowenthal.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1978

Erythrocytosis in hepatocellular cancer.

A Black patient with hepatocellular cancer and an increased red cell mass (erythrocytosis) is described. Assay of the patient's serum in ex-hypoxic polycythaemic mice showed the presence of erythropoietic activity. To determine the incidence of erythrocytosis in Southern African Blacks with hepatocellular cancer, haemoglobin and haematocrit values in 117 such patients were reviewed. Four patients (3,4%) had haemoglobin levels above the upper limit of normal and 2 (1,7%) of the patients had raised haematocrit values. Fifty-eight per cent of the patients were anaemic when they were first seen.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Chronic myelocytic leukemia. Origin of some lymphocytes from leukemic stem cells.

In three patients with chronic myelocytic leukemia who were heterozygous at the X-linked glucose-6-phospháte dehydrogenase locus, lymphocytes were studied to determine if they had the same stem cell origin as the leukemic myeloid cells. Normal tissues such as skin had both B and A glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase isoenzymes, but the leukemic myelogenous cells displayed only one isoenzyme type, consistent with their clonal origin. A population of cells with undoubted thymus-derived (T)-lymphocyte characteristics had both isoenzymes. Presumably, then, these T cells did not arise from the leukemic stem cell, either because they antedated the development of leukemia in that stem cell or, more likely, because they arose from progenitors not involved by the disease. In contrast, another population of lymphocytes showed only one isoenzyme type, suggesting that it arose from the chronic myelocytic leukemia stem cell. However, although this population contained many cells with the characteristics of bone marrow-derived (B) lymphocytes, it is not certain that the single enzyme produced by the cells over all can be attributed to B lymphocytes rather than to contaminating non-B-lymphoid cells.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Problems experienced in a diabetic clinic for Blacks.

One hundred and seventy Black diabetic patients who regularly attend the Baragwanath Diabetic Clinic were studied. Just over 50% of patients suffered from hypertension, and 10% had angina pectoris. Retinopathy was present in 25% of the patients. The incidence of hypertriglyceridaemia and hypercholesterolaemia was much lower than has previously been found among White diabetic patients in Johannesburg. Attention is drawn to the lack of adequate health education given to Black diabetic patients and also to the reliance on oral hypoglycaemic agents in preference to dietary therapy. It is suggested that there is a need for health educators from the patient's own ethnic group if these problems are to be overcome.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Autonomic neuropathy in Black diabetic patients.

Seventy adult diabetic patients were assessed for the occurrence of autonomic neuropathy by means of simple clinical tests. Objective evidence of autonomic dysfunction was present in 72%, pure sympathetic dysfunction in 28%, pure parasympathetic dysfunction in 10% and impotence in 57% of patients. Approximately 10% of patients had nocturnal diarrhoea and gustatory sweating.

Black or African American↗
PubMed1975

Fulminant tropical splenomegaly syndrome.

Eight patients with the tropical splenomegaly syndrome who presented with an acute febrile illness and severe anaemia due to haemolysis are described. None was pregnant. All were treated with anti-malarial drugs, four received steroids, and another two steroids and other cytotoxic drugs. Two patients died from causes which were, in part, attributed to this complication of the tropical splenomegaly syndrome. This mode of presentation is seldom documented in this condition. The management and differential diagnosis are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

Electrocardiographic changes in African trypanosomiasis caused by Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense.

The electrocardiographic findings in 40 patients with Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense infection are reported. Using rigid diagnostic criteria 7 out of 18 patients (39%) had abnormal electrocardiograms before any form of therapy and 22 of the 40 patients (55%) had abnormal electrocardiograms at some stage of the disease or its treatment. The electrocardiographic abnormalities are described and discussed and the literature is reviewed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1975

Chronic myeloid leukaemia in Zambians.

Sixteen Zambian Africans with chronic myeloid leukaemia are described. Clinical and haematological features were unremarkable except for the relative extreme youth of three patients (aged 18 years or less) and one patient with the aleukaemic form in whom the diagnosis was proved by marrow examination. Thirteen patients were treated with busulphan (Myleran), of whom 12 showed varying degrees of responsiveness, and one was completely resistant both to busulphan and cyclophosphamide. One patient became pregnant while receiving busulphan and another showed depression of spermatogenesis when investigated four years after start of treatment. The poor responsiveness of some Africans to busulphan is briefly speculated upon.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1971

Tropical splenomegaly syndrome in Zambia: further observations and effects of cycloguanil and proguanil.

Nineteen Zambian patients with the tropical splenomegaly syndrome and sinusoidal lymphocytosis on liver biopsy were studied. The association of macrobulinaemia with the tropical splenomegaly syndrome has again been confirmed. Sixteen patients were treated with antimalarials-12 with cycloguanil pamoate alone, 3 with cycloguanil and proguanil, and 1 with proguanil alone. Twelve patients were observed for periods of sufficient length for the drug effect to be assessed, and in 11 there was a good response in terms of decrease in spleen size.Cycloguanil pamoate may be of value both for prophylaxis and treatment in areas where tropical splenomegaly syndrome is endemic.

Adolescent↗