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Biomedical subjects

M Sullivan

Publications and source records attributed to M Sullivan.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Nonlymphoblastic lymphoma in children--histology and stage-related response to therapy: a Pediatric Oncology Group study.

From May 1979 to March 1983, 93 eligible patients with nonlymphoblastic lymphoma (NLBL) were treated by members of the Pediatric Oncology Group (POG) with Adriamycin (doxorubicin; Adria Laboratories, Columbus, OH), vincristine, prednisone, cyclophosphamide, and mercaptopurine (ACOP+); CNS prophylaxis with intrathecal (IT) methotrexate, hydrocortisone, and cranial irradiation (2,400 rads), and radiation therapy to the primary disease were administered in stages I and II, and to residual disease in stages III and IV. Duration of treatment was 2 years for stages I, II, and III and 3 years for stage IV disease. Of the 93 patients entered onto the study, 47 had diffuse small noncleaved-cell lymphoma (DSNCL), 38 had diffuse large-cell lymphoma (DLCL), and eight had other histologies. Localized disease (stages I and II) was present in 51 patients, and 42 had advanced (stages III and IV) disease. The study confirmed previously reported importance of stage with a 4-year event-free survival (EFS) of 78% (SE +/- 7%) for patients with localized disease as compared with 44% (SE +/- 9%) in patients with advanced disease (P less than or equal to .001). In localized disease, seven of 11 adverse events occurred in patients who were off therapy and more than 30 months after the initial diagnosis (relapse, three; second malignancy, two; death in remission, two). Large-cell histology proved to be an important prognostic factor in patients with stages III and IV disease with EFS at 4 years of 67% (SE +/- 11%) for DLCL versus 17% (SE +/- 11%) for DSNCL (P less than or equal to .001). We conclude that it is important to distinguish histologically between small noncleaved-cell and large-cell types of NLBL as a basis for further controlled clinical trials.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Quality of life during chemotherapy for small cell lung cancer. I. An evaluation with generic health measures.

The Sickness Impact Profile (SIP) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HAD) were used for assessment of physical and psychosocial functioning and emotional distress in patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) receiving chemotherapy. Treatment schedules extended over 12 months. Before treatment sixty-two patients, 36-80 years of age, completed the questionnaires and a selection of lung cancer symptom items. Approximately 50% of the patients reported clinically significant physical dysfunction, while emotional distress was reported by 25% and social restraints by 40%. Self-reported overall dysfunction, as assessed by SIP total index, was clinically significant in 60% of the patients. SIP physical and total indices were strongly related to WHO performance status (grade 0-4). The assessment was subsequently repeated every third month during the treatment period. Overall tumour response rate was 82%. The changes of physical and psychosocial functioning, as assessed by SIP, were significantly related to tumour response, although a persistent substantial overall dysfunction was shown among 50% of the responders after 3 months and among c. 40% after 6 months. In addition to tumour response, pain and appetite changes correlated with the change of overall SIP in multivariate analysis, implying the importance of pain control and appetite stimulating measures for patients with advanced cancer. Anxiety and depression, as measured by HAD, were reduced in 21 patients who completed 12 months chemotherapy, but only anxiety co-varied with tumour response. The results lend support to the use of the generic SIP and HAD as outcome measures in clinical research with SCLC patients receiving chemotherapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Cyclosporin A and FK-506 both affect DNA binding of regulatory nuclear proteins to the human interleukin-2 promoter.

The structurally unrelated immunosuppressive drugs cyclosporin A (Sandimmun) and FK-506 both interfere with the process of T-cell proliferation by blocking the transcription of the T-cell growth factor interleukin-2 (IL-2). Here we demonstrate that the transcriptional activation of this gene requires the binding of regulatory nuclear proteins to a promoter element with sequence similarity to the consensus binding site for NF-kappa B-related transcription factors. We present evidence that the binding by regulatory nuclear proteins to the kappa B element of the IL-2 promoter is affected negatively by cyclosporin A and FK-506 at concentrations paralleling their immunosuppressive activity in vivo. The decrease in DNA-protein complex formation induced by the immunosuppressive drugs correlates with a decrease in IL-2 production. FK-506 is 10 to 100 times more potent than cyclosporin A in its ability to inhibit sequence-specific DNA binding and IL-2 production. Our findings suggest that the actions of both drugs converge at the level of DNA-protein interaction.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1991

Prediction of team care effects in outpatients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Predictive factors for the outcome of 1-year rheuma-team care were studied in 68 female rheumatoid arthritis (RA) outpatients (mean age 56 years, mean RA duration 15 years). Seventy-three background variables were analyzed in a 4-step statistical model including partial and multivariate correlations in order to disclose the best predictors of change scores of the outcome measures chosen. These concerned disease activity (C-reactive protein, Lansbury articular index), physical joint function (Keitel index), mood (Mood Adjective Check List, MACL), and overall health (Sickness Impact Profile). Between 14 and 47% of the variance of the 1-year outcome change scores was explained by combinations of 2 or 3 predictors out of 12 strong background variables. The lowest value of explained variance was noted for MACL, and the highest for C-reactive protein. Both clinical, social, and self-assessed health data were among the predictors. Our results can provide a guide in the selection of patients with RA for multidisciplinary team care, in the formulation of treatment goals, and the creation of cost-effectiveness schedules.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

[Psychosocial problems and needs of cancer patients].

A Swedish-American epidemiological study of the psychosocial problems and needs of cancer patients have shown that the personal needs of such individuals are frequently ignored. The Swedish patients requested psychological support more often than the Americans, who instead reported a need for financial assistance. Swedish patients were very rarely offered psychiatric or psychological counselling, while many Americans felt that they had received good support from physicians and other medical personnel. Fourteen per cent of the Swedes and 2.7 per cent of the American patients had no-one to whom to turn for help. The article gives concrete recommendations for better psychosocial care of cancer patients.

Counseling↗
PubMed1991

Disorders of bladder function in spinal cord disease.

Successful management of bladder function mandates a thorough knowledge of the neuroanatomy and physiology of micturition. Accurate urodynamic diagnosis of the exact vesicourethral dysfunction is a key to successful management. The primary concern for the urologist is preservation of renal function, taking into account the social needs of the patient.

Humans↗
PubMed1991

Absorption of oral ciprofloxacin in a patient with cardiogenic shock.

Congestive heart failure and cardiogenic shock can alter the absorption process of some drugs. The absorption of ciprofloxacin has been studied in several disease states, but the effect of cardiogenic shock on its absorption is unknown. A 63-year-old man had a large myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock. When he began taking ciprofloxacin for pneumonia, he had renal and cardiac failure. Ciprofloxacin 500 mg was administered every 24 hours by nasogastric tube. Blood samples were collected 5 minutes prior to the second dose (20 hrs after the initial dose) and then regularly until 11 hours after the dose. Samples were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography. The trough concentration 20 hours after the initial dose was 3.7 micrograms/ml, and the serum concentrations after the second dose went from 5.6 to 4.94 micrograms/ml over the 11-hour sampling period. The peak concentration of 5.6 micrograms/ml occurred within 30 minutes after ciprofloxacin administration. It can be concluded from this case study that ciprofloxacin was adequately absorbed in this patient with multiple organ failure.

Ciprofloxacin↗
PubMed1991

Nursing skills necessary for competency in the high-tech health care system.

Neighbors, Sullivan, and Eldred tell us how schools of nursing and institutions of nursing practice conform--or fail to conform--in regard to what constitutes basic nursing procedures. Are schools leaving the new graduate unprepared for everyday practice? A survey of association degree schools is revealing.

Clinical Competence↗
PubMed1991

Spinal cord injuries. Clinical, functional, and emotional status.

Ninety-eight patients with traumatic spinal cord injury, at a median age of 33.5 years (range, 16-72 years), with nonremarkable distributions of neurologic characteristics were investigated at a median of 2.3 years (range, 0.1-23 years) after injury. Functioning, mood disturbances, and overall quality of life were recorded with established self-assessment instruments. Physical dysfunction levels were moderate, being proportionate to neurologic impairment. Psychosocial functions, mood states, and quality-of-life perceptions did not differ from those of a control population sample. Psychosocial function and mood disturbances varied greatly during the first 4 years after injury, but patients' later recordings expressed predominantly a balanced emotional state and a rewarding social life. Progress in this direction consisted of clearly lessened physical dysfunction 1 year after injury and better psychosocial function and well-being after 2 years, whereas patterns of social activities and contacts became gradually less inhibited during a 4-year period after injury. Analysis of complications in patients' histories that affected function and mood showed severe pain to be the only complication that related to lower quality-of-life scores. Urinary incontinence and infection and autonomous dysreflexia related to inhibited self-care performance; spasticity related to impaired ambulation and feeding skills. Gainful employment was the only demographic factor linked to high quality-of-life scores.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1990

The effect of complete and incomplete revascularization on exercise variables in patients undergoing coronary angioplasty.

To investigate the effects of complete and incomplete revascularization on the response to exercise, 25 patients underwent symptom-limited exercise testing with continuous assessment of gas exchange a mean of 5 +/- 4 days prior to and 18 +/- 12 days following percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. All antianginal medications were discontinued for testing. Revascularization was considered complete if all stenoses were reduced to less than 50% diameter (13 patients), and incomplete if one or more stenoses remained (12 patients). Consistent improvements in ST-segment depression were observed after angioplasty at matched submaximal exercise levels (mean range 0.5-0.8 mm; p less than 0.05), and were accompanied by a reduction in angina. Significant increases in heart rate and systolic blood pressure were observed at peak exercise following angioplasty in both groups. Gas exchange variables were significantly improved at maximal exercise, with a similar increase in oxygen uptake observed in both groups following angioplasty (mean increase 3.3-3.7 ml/kg/min; p less than 0.01). Thus, incomplete revascularization following coronary angioplasty resulted in hemodynamic, electrocardiographic, symptomatic, and gas exchange responses to exercise that were comparable to complete revascularization.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Sexual ability, activity, attitudes and satisfaction as part of adjustment in spinal cord-injured subjects.

Changes in different aspects of sexuality were investigated and related to overall quality of life and physical, psychological and social adjustment in 73 SCI subjects, who were sexually active both before and after injury. Items on sexual interest and satisfaction were treated as one composite variable, the SIS scale, measuring sexual adjustment after injury. Despite severe genital dysfunction, more than half of the subjects (57%) rated their sexual relations after injury as satisfying or at least rather satisfying. The majority continued having intercourse, although many of them more seldom than before, and about half experienced orgasm. Sexual adjustment after injury was closely and positively correlated to frequency of intercourse, willingness to experiment with alternative sexual expressions and young age at injury. Physical and social independence and a high mood level were further positive determinants of sexual adaptation after injury, whereas the neurological level and completeness of injury showed no significant correlation with sexuality. It is suggested that sexual information and counselling should be integrated in the total care of the SCI patient to reduce the negative effects on sexuality, caused by the injury.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

The quality of life of three functional spinal cord injury subgroups in a Swedish community.

Vast community provisions in Sweden are intended to offer spinal cord injury (SCI) subjects equal opportunities and the same living standards as the able-bodied. This study on all 56 subjects representing 3 distinct functional subgroups, out of a consecutive series treated at a Spinal Unit, explored the skills used in a wide range of community living activities and the details of these subjects' quality of life (QL). C6-tetraplegics with complete lesions (n = 15), wheelchair-bound paraplegics (n = 23) and ambulant paraplegics (n = 18) varied in physical independence in proportion to their disabilities but disturbances of mood states and QL perception did not differ between groups or from a control population sample. Eighty per cent of the subjects were engaged in gainful employment or education. Work/education, home management and mobility in the neighbourhood were clearly restricted by more severe disability but social and recreational activities were not. Degree of social activity and ability to drive a car were closely associated with levels of mental well-being and of perceived QL. Access to transport and home-help services, appropriate housing and technical aids included few unmet subjective needs, possibly explaining why these environmental factors did not inhibit the activity levels of the study population. Extensive society support and stimulation can satisfy important needs and expectations of well-functioning SCI subjects.

Activities of Daily Living↗