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Biomedical subjects

P Diggory

Publications and source records attributed to P Diggory.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Improved lung function tests on changing from topical timolol: non-selective beta-blockade impairs lung function tests in elderly patients.

Fifty-two elderly glaucomatous patients, without a history of asthma or obstructive airways disease, who were using topical timolol for control of intraocular pressure were recruited. Their topical therapy was changed to either betaxolol or pilocarpine. The change was associated with improvement in mean peak flow from 278 l/min to 328 l/min (t = 5.73, p < 0.001), mean FEV1 from 1.66 l to 1.85 l (t = 7.09, p < 0.001) and mean FVC from 2.40 l to 2.64 l (t = 5.07, p < 0.001). Change to either betaxolol or pilocarpine was associated with improved lung function tests. Lung function tests in a control group of 20 showed no significant changes. Both drugs maintained control of intraocular pressure but betaxolol had fewer ocular side effects.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed1991

Effectiveness of inhaled bronchodilator delivery systems for elderly patients.

A prospective study of inhaler technique using aerosol metered dose inhalers (MDIs), Rotahalers and a breath-activated device (Aerolin Autohaler) was undertaken to assess how effectively elderly patients use their inhalers. Fifty-one patients aged 67-89 years (mean 77.4 years) were enrolled. Peak flow, FEV1 and FVC were recorded, before and after inhalation of 2.5 mg of salbutamol via a nebulizer, to assess the extent of reversible airways obstruction. Inhaler technique was assessed using a scoring system, based on performance in five aspects of inhaler use. Those with poor technique were randomly allocated to an alternative inhaler and reassessed. Twenty-nine of 51 patients demonstrated reversibility in their airways disease. Twenty-one of 47 had poor technique using an MDI and were given Rotahaler or Aerolin devices to use. Ten of 11 given Aerolin Autohalers improved but seven of ten using Rotahaler showed no improvement (p = 0.006). Subsequently, five of these seven were able to improve their technique with the breath-activated autohaler. The breath-activated Aerolin Autohaler is a better delivery system than Rotahalers for inhaled bronchodilators for elderly patients.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1983

Role of the Venereal Disease Research Laboratory test in the detection of syphilis.

Of 9733 consecutive serological samples received by Portsmouth and Southampton Public Health Laboratories (PHL) and tested for syphilis, 190 (140 from men and 50 from women) gave positive results. Thirty new cases of syphilis were identified. Most sera were tested initially by both a specific antibody test (the Treponema pallidum haemaglutination (TPHA) test) and a cardiolipin test (the Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) test). Among the 14 patients whose sera gave VDRL-positive but TPHA-negative results, 12 sera gave false-positive results. The sera of 90 patients gave TPHA-positive but VDRL-negative results; sera from only seven of these patients gave false-positive results. The VDRL test is very unlikely to identify a new case of syphilis where a TPHA test has failed to do so. The results of the survey suggest that the VDRL test should be withdrawn from initial testing for syphilis except where early primary disease is suspected.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗