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Biomedical subjects

P Wright

Publications and source records attributed to P Wright.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

Topical retinoic acid therapy for disorders of the outer eye.

Topical all trans retinoic acid (tretinoin) 0.1 per cent has been used to treat eight patients with squamous metaplasia and keratinisation of the conjunctiva. In four patients the changes followed Stevens-Johnson syndrome, one patient had chronic atopic kerato conjunctivitis, one had persistent epithelial erosions following sarcoid related kerato conjunctivitis sicca complicated by preservative induced epithelial toxicity, one had a recurrent Bowen like epithelial dysplasia and one had an unclassifiable primary ocular surface disorder. Improvement in symptoms and signs were noted in all patients but local irritation developed in some and the optimum dosage remains to be determined. Problems of formulation and stability of the preparation need to be solved before topical retinoid therapy can be more widely used.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed1985

Skin diseases and the dry eye.

Patients with oral cicatricial pemphigoid, who present to an oral medicine department, should be examined by an ophthalmologist because over 65 per cent have been found to have an asymptomatic cicatrising conjunctivitis. Early detection and treatment of these patients may help to slow down the scarring process that eventually leads to a dry eye and blindness. The same is true for a group of patients who present to the dermatologist with a non-scarring bullous dermatosis distinguished by the presence of a linear deposit of IgA along the dermo-epidermal junction of uninvolved skin examined by direct immunofluorescence. The cicatrising conjunctivitis found in about 50 per cent of adults with this condition is indistinguishable from that of cicatricial pemphigoid. Ten per cent of patients with cicatricial pemphigoid affecting mucous membranes alone were found to have linear deposits of IgA along the dermo-epidermal junction of uninvolved skin. This suggested that there may be a common pathogenic pathway with varying clinical expression in these groups of patients and presents new possibilities for therapy in some patients with cicatricial pemphigoid.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

In vivo measurements of facial tissue thicknesses in American caucasoid children.

Ultrasonic determinations were made of facial tissue thicknesses in 50 healthy American caucasoid children, ranging in age from 4 to 15. Twenty measurements were taken at sites along the median, right sagittal, and right lateral planes. A static scanner was used in the B-mode. Three measurements significantly increased with age, the mid-philtrum (rs = 0.43, p less than 0.01) in females, the mental sulcus (rs = 0.30, p less than 0.05) in males, and the frontal eminence (rs = 0.32, p less than 0.05) in both sexes. Moreover, 25% of the measurements, while not statistically significant, decreased with increasing age. These data provide a basis for facial reproductions in caucasoid children.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

The effect of alcoholic cirrhosis on the two kinetic components (high and low affinity) of the microsomal 0-deethylation of 7-ethoxycoumarin in human liver.

The activities of the two kinetic components (high and low affinity) of the microsomal 0-deethylation of 7-ethoxycoumarin have been measured in liver from patients with alcoholic cirrhosis and in normals. The activity (expressed as pmol 7-OH coumarin formed/mg microsomal protein/min) of both components of the enzyme was significantly lower in alcoholic cirrhosis (high affinity = 3.27 +/- 1.18, low affinity 60.9 +/- 11.6) than in normals (high affinity 9.43 +/- 2.37, low affinity 111.3 +/- 9.2). These results are further evidence that there is a broad impairment of hepatic microsomal mono-oxygenase activity in alcoholic cirrhosis.

7-Alkoxycoumarin O-Dealkylase↗
PubMed1984

The relationship between linear IgA disease and benign mucous membrane pemphigoid.

Nine out of thirty-four patients with linear IgA disease (LAD) had oral ulceration. Four out of seven of these patients who were examined by an ophthalmologist had changes of a cicatrising conjunctivitis indistinguishable from those of benign mucous membrane pemphigoid (BMMP). Three of these patients gave no history of ocular symptoms up to the time of examination. These findings indicate a need for oral and ophthalmological assessment in all patients with LAD. Twenty-seven patients with a diagnosis of BMMP were also studied. Nine presented with oral symptoms alone, nine with ocular symptoms alone, seven with oral and ocular symptoms, and two with cutaneous lesions in addition to oral and ocular symptoms. All the patients were examined by the same ophthalmologist. Six of the nine patients who presented with oral symptoms alone had signs of a cicatrising conjunctivitis. Four of these six patients had the clinical pattern of erosive gingivitis which was not previously thought to be associated with a cicatrising conjunctivitis. There is a similar need, therefore, for an ophthalmological assessment in all patients presenting with oral BMMP. Three of the twenty-seven patients with BMMP had homogeneous-linear deposits of IgA in uninvolved skin. The finding of linear IgA deposits in the skin of these patients with only mucous membrane lesions, and the finding that patients with LAD have a high incidence of oral and conjunctival lesions, raise the possibility of a common pathogenic pathway but with varying clinical expressions in these two groups.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

The effect of alcoholic cirrhosis on the activities of microsomal aldrin epoxidase, 7-ethoxycoumarin O-de-ethylase and epoxide hydrolase, and on the concentrations of reduced glutathione in human liver.

Activities of the microsomal mono-oxygenases 7-ethoxycoumarin O-de-ethylase (EOC) and aldrin epoxidase (AE), together with microsomal epoxide hydrolase (EH) activity and concentrations of reduced glutathione (GSH) have been measured in liver from patients with alcoholic cirrhosis and in normals. Activities of both mono-oxygenases were significantly reduced in alcoholic cirrhosis. EOC activity (pmol 7-OH coumarin formed/mg microsomal protein/min) was 108.0 +/- 10.6 (n = 8) in normals and 60.9 +/- 11.6 (n = 8) in alcoholic cirrhosis (P less than 0.01). AE activity (pmol dieldrin formed/mg microsomal protein/min) was 58.9 +/- 9.5 (n = 11) in normal liver biopsies and 29.9 +/- 8.6 (n = 9) in alcoholic cirrhosis (P less than 0.05). Microsomal EH activity (nmol styrene glycol formed/mg microsomal protein/min) was similar in normals (39.2 +/- 4.4, n = 11) and alcoholic cirrhosis (40.5 +/- 9.1, n = 6). GSH concentrations (microgram GSH/g liver tissue) were lower (P less than 0.01) in alcoholic cirrhosis (792 +/- 73, n = 10) compared to normals (1182 +/- 76, n = 6).

7-Alkoxycoumarin O-Dealkylase↗
PubMed1983

Hydralazine and prazosin in the treatment of hypertension.

We report the results of an observer blind crossover trial in 31 patients with essential hypertension comparing the hypotensive effect of four doses of prazosin and of hydralazine used as the third step of triple therapy and additional data on the efficacy of low dose combinations of these two drugs. Both drugs had an appreciable antihypertensive effect, 1 mg of prazosin being equivalent to 12.5 mg of hydralazine. Increasing the dose of prazosin from 4 to 8 mg twice daily and hydralazine from 50 to 100 mg twice daily did not consistently reduce blood pressure. The combination of the two drugs at low doses resulted in the blood pressure of more patients being controlled (diastolic blood pressure 90 mm Hg or below) than when either drug was used alone at high dose. The symptoms reported by patients were similar for both drugs. The combination did not lead to an increased reporting frequency. The trial demonstrates one of the problems of a crossover study, namely a treatment/period interaction.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Evaluation of the BACTEC radiometric method for recovery of mycobacteria and drug susceptibility testing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from acid-fast smear-positive specimens.

A total of 463 respiratory specimens, all smear positive for acid-fast bacteria, were inoculated onto routine solid media and into BACTEC 7H12 Middlebrook medium for detection of mycobacterial growth. Conventional drug susceptibility testing (1% proportion method) was performed on Middlebrook 7H10/7H11 medium, and radiometric susceptibility testing was performed on BACTEC 7H12 medium. The average detection times for BACTEC-positive cultures were 8.3 days for Mycobacterium tuberculosis and 5.2 days for mycobacteria other than tuberculosis; by conventional methods, they were 19.4 and 17.8 days, respectively. These detection times do not include time required for identification, which was done by the conventional method only. There was an excellent correlation in the recovery rates of mycobacteria by the two methods. Drug susceptibility test results of M. tuberculosis isolates by the two methods showed 95.1 to 100% overall agreement. The average reporting time for drug susceptibility results ranged from 4.2 to 6.9 days for the BACTEC method and 13.7 to 21 days for the conventional methods. An average of 18 days was required by the BACTEC method for complete recovery and drug susceptibility testing of M. tuberculosis, as compared with 38.5 days for the conventional methods.

Bacteriological Techniques↗
PubMed1983

Slow-release artificial tear inserts in the treatment of dry eyes resulting from the oculomucocutaneous syndrome.

Patients with dry eyes resulting from the practolol syndrome present a therapeutic challenge. Very frequent instillation of preservative-free drops are the only therapy in most cases. Using an entirely new agent--a hydrophilic polymer in insert form--we have provided in this open study an alternative therapy which shows some subjective and objective advantages. Few patients experienced problems, and none left the study because of failure of retention of the insert. Some patients preferred the cooling, soothing effects of frequent drops. The problems in mounting a clinical trial of this sort are discussed.

Aged↗
PubMed1983

The ocular complications of erythema multiforme (Stevens Johnson syndrome) and their management.

Acute ocular complications of erythema multiforme such as infection causing conjunctivitis, suppurative keratitis or endophthalmitis are well recognized and usually easily managed. Late complications include disorders to tear production and drainage, position of lids, abberant or metaplastic lashes and metaplasia of the conjunctiva. Early detection and active management of these abnormalities greatly improves the long term prognosis. The techniques employed and the indications for their use in a recent series of 34 patients are presented.

Conjunctiva↗