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Biomedical subjects

M Walsh

Publications and source records attributed to M Walsh.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

What causes acute otitis externa?

External otitis is an extremely common condition and can affect between five to twenty per cent of the patients attending ENT clinics (Hawke et al., 1984). Its precise pathogenesis remains unclear, despite several aetiological classifications in the literature. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between infection, water exposure and trauma and the development of acute otitis externa. The study comprised 100 patients with their first attack of otitis externa and 150 age and sex matched controls. In only 40 per cent of cases could a primary microbiological cause be found. There was no significant statistical difference found between the two groups regarding the use of agents capable of traumatizing the external canal. Regular swimming, showering and hair washing were significantly more common in patients with acute otitis externa. Allergic disorders were nearly three times more common in the external otitis group suggesting a possible immunological aetiology.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1993

Effect of pre-operative antibiotic treatment on the bacterial content of the tonsil.

The impact of 7 days pre-tonsillectomy antibiotics on the aerobic bacterial content of the tonsil was studied in 70 consecutive patients. One group received no antibiotic, one group received pre-operative amoxycillin and the final group, pre-operative cefaclor. The qualitative bacteriology was similar in the three groups Haemophilus influenzae was the predominant isolate present in the centre ('core') of the resected tonsil. Similar numbers of beta-lactamase producers including H. influenzae and Straphylococcus aureus were found in all three groups. Quantitative bacteriology of the tonsil core demonstrated that there was a significant reduction in core tonsil pathogens associated with antibiotic therapy. The most statistically significant difference was between the untreated control group and the cefaclor treated group. We conclude that in patients with established recurrent acute tonsillitis, oral antibiotics penetrate the diseased tonsil and influence the predominant core aerobic microflora.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

The incidence and role of actinomyces in recurrent acute tonsillitis.

Although actinomyces has been identified in between 1.77% and 37% of resected tonsils its possible role in recurrent acute tonsillitis has received little attention. A histological and bacteriological study of 129 pairs of tonsils from patients with recurrent acute tonsillitis showed actinomyces to be present in 29.5%. The organism, however, was also present in 40% of tonsils from 10 patients with no history of tonsillar disease. In neither of these groups was there any specific evidence of tissue reaction to actinomyces nor was there a male preponderance as in clinical actinomycosis. The presence of actinomyces in the tonsil was not favoured by the concurrence of beta-lactamase producing bacteria. These data indicate that actinomyces does not have a causal role in recurrent acute tonsillitis.

Actinomyces↗
PubMed1993

Chronic bullous disease of childhood and ulcerative colitis.

A 12-year-old girl with ulcerative colitis (UC) treated by colectomy with rectal stump preservation, salazopyrin, and systemic steroids developed persistent mouth ulcers, cutaneous targetlike lesions, papulopustules, and bullae. The clinical, histologic, and immunopathologic features were typical of chronic bullous disease of childhood (CBDC). Although resistant to combined immunosuppressive therapy with low-dose prednisolone, cyclosporin, and thalidomide, striking remission of the mucocutaneous symptoms resulted with surgical resection of the diseased rectal stump. An etiologic association between CBDC and UC is postulated.

Child↗
PubMed1993

Microalbuminuria and coronary heart disease in non-diabetics.

Microalbuminuria (or urinary albumin excretion rates (AER) above normal limits) is associated with coronary heart disease (CHD) particularly in diabetics. To determine the sensitivity and specificity of AER for CHD in a non-diabetic population we prospectively studied 115 consecutive patients undergoing coronary angiography and 66 undergoing exercise electrocardiography (ECG). There was no relationship between AER and the severity of CHD determined by angiography (Gensini-scored). While microalbuminuria (AER > 20 micrograms/minute) was 91% specific it had low sensitivity (12%). Microalbuminuria is not a sensitive indicator of CHD in a non-diabetic population.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Depression following laryngectomy. A pilot study.

When a group of 10 patients who had received surgery for carcinoma of the larynx were compared with 10 control patients who had received radiotherapy for carcinoma of the larynx, four of the former but none of the latter were found to be suffering from depression, a statistically significant difference. Depression was associated with poor communication skills and geographical isolation. Psychiatric intervention is recommended for patients undergoing mutilating forms of surgery.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Innervation of the rat tympanic membrane from the superior cervical and glossopharyngeal ganglia.

True Blue and Fluorogold were applied to the external surface of the tympanic membrane and middle ear mucosa of Sprague-Dawley rats and neurons in the superior cervical and glossopharyngeal ganglia were labelled with these retrograde tracer dyes. Dye absorption was poor from the tympanic membrane unless the keratinized layer was damaged with crystalline silver nitrate prior to dye application. Stained neurons were scattered throughout the superior cervical ganglion with no evidence of somatotopy. Several neurons in the glossopharyngeal ganglion stained with both dyes when these had been simultaneously applied to both sites in single animals. There was no evidence of dual staining of neurons in the superior cervical ganglion.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

The effects of continuous exposure to 20-kHz sawtooth magnetic fields on the litters of CD-1 mice.

Mated CD-1 mice were exposed to 20-kHz sawtooth magnetic fields similar to those associated with video display terminals (VDT). Four groups of animals were continuously exposed from day 1 to day 18 of pregnancy to field strengths of 0, 3.6, 17, or 200 microT. There were no less than 185 mated dams in each exposure group. On day 18, the dams were sacrificed and assessed for weight gain and pregnancy. The litters were evaluated for numbers of implantations, fetal deaths and resorptions, gross external, visceral and skeletal malformations, and fetal weights. There were no less than 140 pregnant females in each group, and there were no significant differences between any of the exposure groups and the sham group (0 microT) for any of the end points. The results of this study do not support the hypothesis that the 20-kHz VLF magnetic fields associated with video display terminals are teratogenic in mammals.

Abnormalities, Radiation-Induced↗
PubMed1992

The correlation between clinical diagnosis of knee pathology and findings at arthroscopy.

175 patients referred for arthroscopy were studied prospectively to assess the accuracy of clinical examination supplemented by standard radiology in the evaluation of knee symptoms. Clinical diagnosis of medial meniscal tears was inaccurate while greater confidence could be placed in the diagnosis of anterior cruciate ligament and lateral meniscus tears. Clinical accuracy rates could be improved if patients with minimal symptoms were excluded from arthroscopy examination.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries↗
PubMed1992

Multiple lentigines, myxoid tumours and endocrine overactivity; four cases of Carney's complex.

Four patients with Carney's complex, one sporadic and three familial, are described. The sporadic case was a young male with centrofacial lentigines, who developed cyclical Cushing's syndrome secondary to bilateral pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease, two separate left atrial myxomas, and buccal mucosal myxomas. The three familial cases, who all had varying degrees of centrofacial/mucosal lentigines and cutaneous myxoid tumours, were a woman with myxoid mammary fibroadenomatosis and a left atrial myxoma, her daughter who developed a prolactin-secreting pituitary adenoma, and her son who had bilateral large-cell calcified Sertoli cell testicular tumours, and an axillary psammomatous melanotic schwannoma.

Adenoma↗
PubMed1992

Erythropoietic protoporphyria, transfusion therapy and liver disease.

A 28-year-old man who had suffered from erythropoietic protoporphyria since infancy was referred because of worsening photosensitivity. Conventional therapy with beta-carotene, terfenadine and topical sunscreens was ineffective or not tolerated, and he was treated with transfusions of washed packed cells. Unexpectedly, his photosensitivity deteriorated further, his whole blood protoporphyrin levels doubled and he developed abnormal liver function tests. This is the first report of such an adverse response to blood transfusion therapy for erythropoietic protoporphyria and may have been related to subclinical hepatitis or the increased iron load associated with blood transfusion.

Adult↗