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Biomedical subjects

P Ford

Publications and source records attributed to P Ford.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Master plan simplifies renovation projects, controls costs.

Healthcare organizations undertaking renovation projects can coordinate these tasks and cut costs by developing master plans for their facilities. Creating such a plan involves making an overall assessment of interior problems and needs, outlining possible solutions, estimating project costs, and developing a specification manual to guide color and material choices. The goal is to give interior spaces a unified look while taking advantage of cost savings through bulk orders of renovation materials.

Color↗
PubMed1989

Interiors master planning: an essential step.

As health executives consider upgrading their facilities in response to both social and economic trends, an interiors master plan becomes an essential part of the strategic planning process and an effective tool in controlling the bottom line. Patricia Ford discusses the advantages and cost-saving strategies of an interior master plan.

Data Collection↗
PubMed1989

Thrombotic endocarditis and lupus anticoagulant. A pathogenetic possibility for idiopathic 'rheumatic type' valvular heart disease.

Lupus anticoagulant and anti-phospholipid antibodies are well recognized as being associated with thromboembolic disorders in patients both with and without systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). There have been recent reports of the association of lupus anticoagulant and antiphospholipid antibodies with severe valvular heart disease in patients with SLE and it has been suggested that organizing thrombus on the surface of the valve may be a cause of distortion and subsequent dysfunction. We describe two patients who did not have SLE, but who did have both lupus anticoagulant and antiphospholipid antibodies. Both had severe valvular heart disease, the pathology of which demonstrates valve distortion by layers of organizing thrombus identical to that of previously described patients with SLE. The gross appearance of these valves is similar to that of the valves in "rheumatic" heart disease. We suggest that in some patients with "rheumatic" heart disease, but without a history of rheumatic fever, the prothrombotic tendency associated with lupus anticoagulant and phospholipid antibodies may either contribute to, or be responsible for, the pathogenesis of "rheumatic" type valve deformities.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

AIDS and the small city: the cost at Kingston General Hospital.

Although AIDS is often thought of as a "big-city" disease, it is also becoming a serious health care issue for doctors and other health care workers in "small-city" Canada. Kingston, Ont., is one of those small cities, and of the facilities trying to come to grips with a disease about which much remains to be learned. In this article, Drs. Peter Ford and David Robertson outline their hospital's estimate of the cost, in manpower and money, of dealing with the AIDS crisis. The final estimate: roughly $700,000. Although most of the cost will involve one-time capital spending, they point out that there will likely be ongoing labour-related costs because of the special programs and increased manpower needed to deal with AIDS patients. Clearly, AIDS is no longer a big-city disease.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1988

Characterization of cell surface antigens on the adrenergic neuroblastoma clone A2(1).

Neuroblastoma cell lines have been extensively used to identify the presence of brain reactive autoantibodies in the sera of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who have neuropsychiatric involvement and in the animal models (murine) of this disorder. In this study, a characterization of murine neuroblastoma cell surface antigens, from the adrenergic A2(1) cell line, have indicated both similarities and differences with the cell surface antigens of normal mouse brain. It has also shown that some of these antigens are nervous system specific, whereas others are not. These data indicate that a more precise definition of the antigens on the surface of neuroblastoma cells, with which anti-brain autoantibodies react, is necessary for an understanding of the neuropsychiatric manifestations associated with autoimmune diseases such as SLE.

Adrenergic Fibers↗
PubMed1988

Identification of novel prognostic indicators in burned patients.

The size and depth of burn and patient age are useful early prognostic indicators in burned patients, but have limited value in predicting which patients in a given cohort are likely to die. The objective of this study was to identify additional variables in the first 10 days of burn injury which could better predict patient outcome. Variables consisting of demographic information, routine laboratory data, and clinical observations on 89 burned patients (63 survivors and 26 nonsurvivors) were analyzed. Compared to survivors, nonsurvivors had significantly larger burns (58 +/- 23% vs. 37 +/- 17%; p less than 0.0002) and a higher incidence of Gram-negative septicemia (20 of 26 [77%] vs. 24 of 63 [38%]; p less than 0.001). Potential prognostic variables were subjected to multivariate logistic regression analysis for each of the first 10 days following burn injury in order to identify a combination of parameters which predicted patient outcome. The regression analyses revealed that, as previously demonstrated, patient age and burn size were significant predictors of mortality on admission and throughout the first 10 days postburn. In addition, absolute monocyte count (AMC), absolute lymphocyte count (ALC), maximum daily temperature (Tmax), and BUN were also significant predictors (p less than 0.05). These data indicate that logistic regression models can identify simple prognostic variables in burned patients which may improve clinicians' ability to identify high-risk patients early in the course of their burn injuries.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Decreased T helper cells in the myelodysplastic syndromes.

The myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are disorders in which the abnormalities are thought to be confined to cells of the myeloid series. However, examination of peripheral blood from 56 patients with MDS showed that the majority had low lymphocyte counts. In a detailed study of 25 patients, using OKT3, OKT4 and OKT8 monoclonal antisera together with SRBC rosettes, it was shown that there is a consistent and significant reduction in peripheral blood T lymphocytes. This decrease was primarily confined to the OKT4-defined helper subpopulation. There is a consequent relative increase in the OKT8-defined subset but in absolute numbers however, suppressor cells are reduced compared to normal particularly in those patients with lymphopenia. No correlations between T cell abnormalities and the different morphological groups of MDS were found. The possible implications of the reversed helper/suppressor ratio in the pathogenesis of MDS are discussed.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1983

T lymphocyte subpopulations in idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP).

Absolute T cell counts and the relative distributions of antibody-defined helper and cytotoxic/suppressor T lymphocytes are reported in 26 patients with chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). T cell numbers are generally normal in ITP and alterations in relative helper (OKT4 positive) and suppressor (OKT8 positive) T cell numbers show no consistent patterns, although 35% of the cases examined showed inverted distributions. The combined percentages of helper and suppressor T cells consistently exceeded 100% in ITP indicating the presence of increased OKT4+8+ cells in these patients. A cell population, previously defined as SRBC positive and OKT3 negative, was found in the normal group and in ITP patients following splenectomy but was absent in those patients with intact spleens. The role of these changes in the pathogenesis of ITP is discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Cardiac tamponade: an initial study in the development of a predictive tool.

This exploratory study was conducted over a 12-month period to describe the relationship between selected clinical variables and the occurrence of postoperative cardiac tamponade. Data were collected on 19 variables. A total of 739 patients were included in the study. A postoperative diagnosis of cardiac tamponade was made in nine of these patients who then comprised the tamponade group. A matched non-tamponade control group of 18 patients was identified for comparison. The following were found to be significantly different in a statistical comparison between variable values in the tamponade and non-tamponade groups: (1) serum creatinine level (p = 0.005), (2) chest tube drainage (p = 0.009), (3) sustained pressure plateau (p = .018), and (4) mediastinal widening (p = 0.039). Two additional variables, pulsus paradoxus and elevated BUN, appeared to be of value in the assessment of late tamponade. Discriminant analysis showed a high predictive accuracy of the above combined variables. Such results warrant the further investigation of these variables in other clinical settings. Both a replication and testing of a tamponade score system would be a fertile and necessary area of research for critical care nurses who provide care for post-cardiac surgery patients. These data suggest that equal weight be assigned to each of the four variables. Thus scores would range from 0 to 4; higher scores would represent greater risk (Table III). With further investigation of this area of clinical practice, the identification of patients at higher risk for tamponade could be greatly facilitated.

Aged↗
PubMed1978

Regionalization of poison centers--a rational role model.

The Rocky Mountain Poison Center is a model system for regionalization. Minimal cost is achieved by concentrating expensive equipment and information materials in the main center. Access to information is rapid because each subregional center has a POISINDEX and thus the capacity to provide standardized initial therapy as soon as contact is made. Full integration of professional activities from training to education is accomplished within the framework of Emergency Medical Services. Public education is uniform throughout the region so that medical interaction is consistent and the public receives maximum reinforcement. Funding is found through many sources and includes a cost-sharing program in which 18 Colorado hospitals participate. Institutions with similar regionalized programs, integrated with Emergency Medical Services and drug consultation, will provide cost effective programs well-tailored to the unique characteristics of each region.

Drug Information Services↗