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Biomedical subjects

P Mortimer

Publications and source records attributed to P Mortimer.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

The public health applications of unlinked anonymous seroprevalence monitoring for HIV in the United Kingdom.

BACKGROUND: In order to monitor the epidemiology of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), integrated national programmes of unlinked anonymous (blinded) HIV sero-surveys have taken place in the UK since 1990. METHODS: The programmes comprise multi-centre surveys primarily using specimens gathered routinely for screening groups of patients. All specimens are irreversibly unlinked from patient identifiers before being tested. RESULTS: The surveys have met their prime aim of providing at low cost minimally biased estimates of current HIV prevalence and trends in sentinel populations. The surveys have remained acceptable to professionals and the public, being successfully implemented without breech of their founding principles. The findings have had major public health applications, have influenced HIV policy and funding, been used for monitoring the spread of HIV, for targeting and evaluating health promotion and improving projections of severe HIV disease. The surveys have detected substantial prevalence rises and under-diagnosis of HIV which would otherwise have been unrecognised. The programmes' value is being increased by sub-typing HIV-1 isolates, capturing additional demographic information to detect spread among minority groups. The same specimens are used for monitoring other infections (initially hepatitis A, B and C). CONCLUSIONS: Monitoring HIV and other infections through unlinked anonymous HIV surveillance has become an integral essential part of national HIV and AIDS surveillance. Although it has unique applications the value of unlinked anonymous surveillance is maximized when used in conjunction with behavioural data, information from HIV and AIDS reporting, and behavioural data and surveillance for other sexually transmitted infections.

Confidentiality↗
PubMed1999

Mapping of primary congenital lymphedema to the 5q35.3 region.

Primary lymphedema is a chronic tissue swelling, most frequently of the lower limbs, resulting from deficient lymphatic drainage. The variability of the affected phenotype, incomplete penetrance, lack of large families, and possible genetic heterogeneity have hampered the identification of causative genes until now. We carried out a genomewide search, using a four-generation North American family with dominantly inherited primary congenital lymphedema (PCL), otherwise known as "Milroy disease," or "hereditary lymphedema type I" (MIM 153100). Linkage to markers from the 5q35.3 region in this and four additional, British families was established. A minimum of 79 directly scorable haplotypes (37 affected) in five families conspicuously segregated with the most telomeric region of 5q35.3, thus suggesting a major locus for PCL in this vicinity. No recombination was observed with D5S408 (Z = 10.03) and D5S2006 (Z = 8.46) with a combined multipoint score of 16.55. While D5S2073 and WIAF-2213 defined the upper centromeric boundary, no recombinants were obtained for the last telomeric marker of D5S2006. Four unaffected subjects were identified as gene carriers and provided an estimated penetrance ratio of.84 for this condition. A few of the positionally mapped genes in the 5q35 region that may potentially be involved in the etiology of this condition are CANX, FGFR4, HK3, and hnRPH1.

Chromosome Mapping↗
PubMed1998

Happy ending

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Journal Article↗
PubMed1997

Evidence for altered cell-mediated immunity in postmastectomy lymphoedema.

Patients with chronic lymphoedema are prone to develop chronic infections and various tumours in the lymphoedematous limb, suggesting that regional immune surveillance is impaired. To test the hypothesis that cutaneous cell-mediated immunity is impaired, 35 women with postmastectomy lymphoedema were investigated using dinitrochlorobenzene to test the afferent and efferent loops of the allergic contact immune response. The results support the role of lymphatics as an important component of the immune response to allergens by the demonstration of impairment of both the afferent and efferent loops of the allergic contact dermatitis reaction, and confirm that there is suppression of immune competence in a lymphoedematous limb.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Inflammation of solar keratoses following systemic 5-fluorouracil.

Several cutaneous reactions have been reported following systemic 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) for the treatment of malignancies. We report three patients with marked inflammation of the solar keratoses following continuous infusion of 5-FU for solid tumours. This side-effect with 5-FU, only previously reported in three other cases, was beneficial as most solar keratoses cleared following the inflammatory reaction. The reasons why 5-FU should be selectively taken up by solar keratoses are discussed.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

A comparative study of the interaction of Myocrisin with albumin and gamma-globulin.

The reactions of Myocrisin with albumin and gamma-globulin have been investigated using atomic absorption spectrometry and gel filtration. Albumin rapidly binds gold up to the levels predicted from the concentration of free sulphydryl groups present in the protein. However, in the presence of glutathione, gold incorporation is increased, suggesting that in vivo, free thiols (glutathione, thiomalate) may facilitate gold uptake by the protein. In comparison, gamma-globulin is found to be capable of binding up to one atom of gold per molecule of protein in a slow reaction which requires high Myocrisin concentrations.

Binding Sites↗
PubMed1995

A pilot study of infectious intestinal disease in England.

Pilot studies to test methods to determine the incidence, agents, risk factors and socioeconomic costs of infectious intestinal disease (IID) in England were carried out as recommended by the Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food (the Richmond Committee) by eight general practices. There were case control and enumeration studies of patients presenting to general practice with IID, a population-based prospective cohort study, and a survey of socioeconomic costs of cases of IID. Information on risk factors was obtained by questionnaire (self-administered compared with interview) and a stool sample was requested on all cases and controls. Response rates in the GP case control study were 75% for case questionnaires and 74% for stools; for controls the figures were 70% and 68% respectively. The acceptance rate into the cohort study was 49%; this was significantly higher where phone contact was made. The rate was similar if recruitment was by individual or household. Follow-up of the cohort by negative reporting was complete for up to 6 months. Direct postage by subject was required to obtain fresh stool specimens. Estimates were obtained of presentation rates of IID and the distribution of risk factors which were used to plan the main study. The pilot study demonstrated that it is possible to undertake a national study based in general practice to determine the incidence of IID in the population and presenting to GPs and its agents, risk factors and costs.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

The psychosocial morbidity of breast cancer patients with lymphoedema.

Lymphoedema is a problem for many women after treatment for breast cancer, leading to physical, psychosocial, and psychological problems, which have been acknowledged but are poorly understood. This article discusses the findings of two studies that used the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale to examine the psychosocial morbidity of patients with breast cancer with lymphoedema. Women with lymphoedema were found to experience increased psychosocial maladjustment and psychological morbidity to their disease and lymphoedema when compared with a group of patients with breast cancer who did not have lymphoedema. These difficulties were not related to the degree of swelling present and persisted after 6 months of specialised treatment to the swollen arm. The findings indicate that the development of lymphoedema in patients with breast cancer carries psychosocial and psychological implications that should be acknowledged and addressed at an early stage by a trained health-care professional.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1994

Gnashings of HIV.

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Dental Care↗