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Biomedical subjects

M R Salzberg

Publications and source records attributed to M R Salzberg.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Epilepsy, depression and antidepressant drugs.

Apart from constituting an important management problem, depression coexisting with epilepsy is also an interesting psychiatric phenomenon, with multiple interacting biological, psychological and social factors involved in its causation. New research approaches to the study of epilepsy and depression, including neuroimaging, neurochemical and neuroendocrine techniques, and the arrival of new classes of antidepressants in recent years, suggest it is timely to reconsider this topic. We review current knowledge of the prevalence and causes of interictal depression in epilepsy, focussing mainly on neurobiological factors, and give an overview of recent concepts concerning the management of depression. We also discuss pharmacological treatment of depression in epilepsy, focussing on the association between antidepressants and seizures, and drug interactions.

Antidepressive Agents↗
PubMed1994

Hyperthermia.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

1-Propanol↗
PubMed1992

An analysis of associations between social class and ambient magnetic fields in metropolitan Melbourne.

In the course of a study on residential magnetic-field exposure, some incidental data were obtained that bear on the issue of confounding of magnetic field exposure by social class. We have explored the possibility that the magnetic flux density of 50 Hz fields measured in Melbourne streets is correlated with a number of variables that index the socio-economic status of the neighborhood. We have examined also for a correlation between field-intensity levels and sums of some or all of the indicators, which were weighted to provide an overall score on socio-economic status. Although some of the indexes were weakly, but significantly, correlated with environmental levels of magnetic fields, the combined indices were not. These results indicate that socio-economic status is not likely to be a confounder in epidemiological studies of residential exposure to ELF magnetic fields in Melbourne.

Electromagnetic Fields↗
PubMed1992

Relative-risk-estimate bias and loss of power in the Mantel test for trend resulting from the use of magnetic-field point-in-time ("spot") measurements in epidemiological studies based on an ordinal exposure scale.

We assessed the merits of various point-in-time ("spot") measurement protocols in case-control studies based on an ordinal exposure scale. After classifying a number of houses on the basis of prolonged monitoring of the ambient, extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic field, we determined the probability of misclassification for each "spot" measurement protocol. We calculated the effect of this misclassification on the relative risk estimates and on the Mantel test for trend. We found that classification based on a small group of point-in-time measurements allows an adequate estimate of the relative risk, although the statistical significance of the dose-response gradient may be seriously underestimated. However, the use of automated ambient-field monitors, which results in loss of information on spatial variability, can lead to similar consequences. Therefore, manually collected point-in-time measurements remain a viable option for exposure assessment.

Air Pollution, Indoor↗
PubMed1991

The use of 'spot' measurements in epidemiological studies of the health effects of magnetic field exposure.

In several countries, epidemiological studies are being planned, or are in progress, to test the hypothesis that a causal relation exists between exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields and cancer incidence. One of the major difficulties in these studies is the development of valid and efficient protocols to assess magnetic field exposure. In studies focusing on residential magnetic fields, many researchers are turning to recently developed stationary automated magnetic field monitors to characterize exposure. We argue that a relatively small number of manually collected 'spot' measurements may be an adequate alternative which has several advantages. We compared a dichotomous exposure classification based on continuous magnetic field monitoring of 40 houses with that obtained through 'spot' measurements randomly sampled from the continuous records. We found that a single spot measurement had at least an 80% chance of classifying houses correctly and that this probability did not increase significantly as the number of readings was increased. We also calculated the sensitivity and specificity of various simulated measurement protocols and, from these, the effect of misclassification on estimates of relative risk. Since relatively large spatial variations in background magnetic field exist in many homes, we suggest that a small number of readings collected manually at several points within a residence may characterize the magnetic field better than continuous monitoring at one fixed location.

Australia↗
PubMed1990

Physician assistants in emergency medicine.

Physician assistants (PAs) specially trained in emergency medicine can be used effectively to work with emergency medicine physicians to provide efficient and expedient high-quality patient care. The concept of using PAs in the emergency department is reviewed, and items of concern to professionals who are reluctant to use PAs are discussed. Financial issues and malpractice risk are examined, and our experience with patient perceptions is summarized. The PA program at Beth Israel Medical Center is used as a case study to demonstrate the use and integration of the PA within the division of emergency services. Although a well-trained emergency physician is the gold standard for quality patient care, cost-effective quality care for certain patient complaints can be rendered acceptably by others.

Emergency Service, Hospital↗
PubMed1987

Evaluation of the automated leukocyte differential count in emergency department patients.

This study compares the results of the leukocyte three-part differential count as determined by the Coulter S-Plus IV in 104 consecutive patient samples from the emergency department with results obtained by conventional visual differential. A high rate (40%) of instrument rejection was found, reflecting the high prevalence of disease and hematologic abnormalities in the patient population. No clinically significant abnormality went undetected, demonstrating that the automated leukocyte three-part differential is effective as a screening test in the emergency department patient population.

Emergency Service, Hospital↗
PubMed1984

Dissecting thoracic aortic aneurysm in a 16-year-old.

A 16-year-old boy presented with a one-hour history of left lower extremity pain and weakness, and was found to have a dissecting aortic aneurysm. The patient underwent emergency aortic angiography and immediate reparative aortic aneurysm surgery. He died on the fifth postoperative day. Because the majority of cases occur in the fifth to sixth decade of life, dissecting aortic aneurysm is a rare and usually fatal condition in adolescents. Potentially favorable outcome in this age group depends on prompt diagnosis and immediate medical and surgical intervention.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Propranolol overdose.

This is a report of a patient who survived a large propranolol overdose, as documented by toxic blood levels. The signs and symptoms were those of profound inotropic and moderate chronotropic cardiotoxicity which failed to respond to parasympatholytics or catecholamines, but subsequently reversed coincident with the administration of glucagon. We report this case because of the sudden development of shock in a patient who looked deceptively well, and because of the improvement apparently brought about by glucagon.

Adult↗