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Biomedical subjects

R Grahame

Publications and source records attributed to R Grahame.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

A comparison of two formulations of indomethacin ('Flexin Continus' tablets and 'Indocid' capsules) in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

A multi-centre, double-blind, crossover study was carried out in 80 patients with rheumatoid arthritis to compare the efficacy and side-effect profiles of two formulations of indomethacin. Patients were allocated at random to receive 75 mg indomethacin per day either as 1 controlled-release tablet at night or as 1 immediate-release capsule given 3-times a day for a period of 4 weeks before being crossed over to receive the alternative treatment for a further 4 weeks. Pain scores, daily symptomatology and the requirement for escape analgesia recorded by both investigator and patient indicated that controlled-release indomethacin tablets, 75 mg given at night, was as efficacous as immediate-release indomethacin capsules given 3-times daily. However, the controlled-release formulation had a superior side-effect profile with a reduced incidence of abdominal/epigastric pain compared to the immediate-release preparation.

Administration, Oral↗

A comparison of two formulations of indomethacin ('Flexin Continus' tablets and 'Indocid' capsules) in the treatment of osteoarthritis.

The efficacy and side-effect profiles of two formulations of indomethacin were compared in a multi-centre, double-blind, crossover study in 77 patients with osteoarthritis. Patients were allocated at random to receive 75 mg indomethacin per day either as 1 controlled-release tablet at night or as 1 immediate-release capsule given 3-times daily for a period of 4 weeks, after which patients were crossed over to receive the alternative treatment for a further 4 weeks. Pain scores, daily symptomatology and the requirement for escape analgesia recorded by the investigator and patient indicate that controlled-release indomethacin tablets, 75 mg given at night, were as efficacious as immediate-release indomethacin capsules, 25 mg given 3-times daily, in the treatment of osteoarthritis. The side-effect profiles of the two formulations were similar.

Administration, Oral↗

Outpatient lumbar epidural corticosteroid injection in the management of sciatica.

The value of epidural injections of corticosteroid as an outpatient treatment of sciatica has been hitherto uncertain. An epidural injection of 80 mg methylprednisolone in 10 ml physiological saline was compared with an interspinous injection of 2 ml physiological saline in a double blind fashion amongst 39 outpatients. Significant differences of pain relief were seen between the two groups within 2 weeks. This benefit disappeared for six (35%) patients within 6 months of treatment although 11 (65%) successfully treated subjects had sustained improvement up to this time. Outpatient epidural injections of corticosteroid are thus a useful short-term means of relieving pain in sciatica but probably have little effect on the long-term natural history of symptoms. Factors associated with a failure to respond to epidural steroid injections are discussed.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗

Recurrent calcific periarthritis leading to erosive osteoarthritis.

Over a period of 31 years the patient described had recurrent attacks of acute calcific periarthritis at multiple sites. In the latter years of her follow-up she has developed an erosive polyarticular osteoarthritis at sites previously affected by calcific periarthritis and we speculate that there may be a pathogenetic link between these two conditions in some patients.

Adult↗

Seronegative and seropositive rheumatoid arthritis: similar diseases.

A case control study of 50 rheumatoid factor positive (RA+) and 50 rheumatoid factor negative (RA-) patients with rheumatoid arthritis has been carried out. As expected, the RA+ group has significantly more nodules and vasculitis. In terms of clinical joint involvement, the RA- had large-joint involvement. Radiologically, seropositive disease was characterized by more severe involvement of the metacarpophalangeal joints of the thumb and index fingers and in all the metatarsophalangeal joints of the feet. There was no difference either clinically or radiologically between the two groups in terms of symmetry of joint disease or wrist involvement. Of special interest was the finding that the prevalence of HLA-DR4 was elevated to the same degree in both groups but that genetic markers for ankylosing spondylitis and for psoriasis (HLA-B27 and Cw6 respectively) were similar in both groups and not increased above control population levels. It is concluded that the entity defined as RA includes patients with and without rheumatoid factor (RF) in their serum and that this determines differences in disease expression. Whether these differences are the consequences or the cause of RF cannot be concluded on the basis of this study.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗

An evaluated programme of rheumatology training for general practitioners.

The management of painful, upper-limb disorders by 34 general practitioners (GPs) was examined 3 months before and 3 months after personal instruction of GPs by a consultant rheumatologist. Tuition was conducted either in GP surgeries or a hospital out-patient department. Following instruction there were significant increases in the application of appropriate treatments (p less than 0.0005) and of local corticosteroid injections by GPs (p less than 0.005), fewer requests for investigations and less-frequent hospital referrals for consultant rheumatology opinions. Hospital out-patient instruction was associated with a significant reduction of patients' time off work (p less than 0.005) and, in general, differences of management appeared to be more pronounced amongst those GPs instructed in the hospital than in GP surgeries. The study showed that personal instruction of GPs by a consultant rheumatologist may result in modifications of practice, at least in the short term. The evidence indicates that such alterations of GP management may significantly reduce patient morbidity.

Arm↗

Subclass distribution of IgG and IgA responses to rubella virus in man.

Monoclonal anti-subclass antibodies were used in a micro-ELISA method to determine rubella-specific IgG subclass antibodies in serum from 22 subjects who had acute rubella or had been vaccinated, from 10 infants with congenital rubella, and in serum and synovial fluid samples from 21 patients with chronic arthritis. In nearly all samples IgG1 was the only type of IgG antibody detected. In acute infections it was present within 10 days of the onset of the rash. IgG4 antibody was detected in sera from two immune individuals. Rubella-specific IgA1 subclass antibody was detected by the same technique in sera from 6 of 12 subjects with acute rubella as early as 3 days but not later than 28 days after the appearance of the rash.

Adult↗

Controlled comparison of short-wave diathermy treatment with osteopathic treatment in non-specific low back pain.

The effectiveness of spinal manipulation carried out by a non-medical qualified osteopath was compared with that of short-wave diathermy (SWD) and a placebo (detuned SWD) in 109 patients with low back pain. More than half the subjects in each of the 3 treatment groups benefited immediately from therapy. Significant improvements were observed in the 3 groups at the end of 2 weeks' treatment, and these were still apparent at 12 weeks. The outcome of treatment was unrelated to the initial severity or duration of pain or to the trend of pain towards deterioration or improvement. It is, therefore, unlikely that the results simply reflect the natural history of low back pain. Benefits obtained with osteopathy and SWD in this study may have been achieved through a placebo effect.

Adult↗