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Biomedical subjects

R H Taylor

Publications and source records attributed to R H Taylor.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Trends in the severity of self-poisoning.

Of 2947 patients admitted to a district general hospital over an 11-year period for the management of self-poisoning, 148 (5%) required intensive care unit (ICU) treatment. There was a significant increase in the number of self-poisonings admitted each year, whereas the number requiring ICU admission did not change. Therefore the proportion of patients requiring ICU admission fell significantly over the study period (P less than 0.0005). Of 898 patients admitted from 1973 to 1977, 62 (6.9%) were treated in ICU. Of 2049 patients admitted from 1978 to 1983, 86 (4.2%) required ICU treatment. It is felt that this trend is explained by a rise in parasuicidal self-poisonings. The impact of change in drug availability is evident in the significant reduction in ingestion of sedative barbiturates.

Adolescent↗

Slowly digested carbohydrate food improves impaired carbohydrate tolerance in patients with cirrhosis.

To test whether impaired carbohydrate tolerance in cirrhosis could be modified by dietary means ten cirrhotic patients, five of them taking insulin, took as breakfast either lentils or wholemeal bread and cottage cheese containing the same amount of carbohydrate and protein. Lentils resulted in significantly diminished blood glucose, insulin (in those not on insulin) and gastric inhibitory peptide responses. Enteroglucagon and neutrotensin levels were high with lentils, suggesting that absorption of lentil carbohydrate continued into the ileum with perhaps some malabsorption, so confirming the results of earlier studies in vitro. However, breath hydrogen studies on a separate group of eight healthy volunteers indicated that the difference in carbohydrate malabsorption between lentil, and wholemeal bread was insignificant. It is suggested that slowly digested carbohydrate foods, such as leguminous seeds, may minimize carbohydrate intolerance in patients with cirrhosis.

Blood Glucose↗

Chromatographic analysis of sugars in physiological fluids by postcolumn reaction with cuprammonium: a new and highly sensitive method.

A new highly sensitive method of high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis has been used to separate mono-, di-, and oligosaccharides present in jejunal aspirates from experimentally perfused animals. The sugars in the column eluant are detected at 280 to 310 nm after reaction with cuprammonium. No reaction coil is required between the column and uv detector because the reaction is virtually instantaneous. This technique is more sensitive than differential refractometry, so that it is possible to detect 2.5 nmol (450 ng) of glucose routinely, compared to a minimum detection limit of 100 nmol (18 micrograms) using a commercial refractive index detector. Using a suitable postcolumn pump, the technique is not sensitive to changes in solvent composition, as with gradient elution, and is applicable to analysis of other cis-cis glycols.

Ammonia↗

Single intubation test for investigation of malabsorption and diarrhoea.

A one session multipurpose intubation method for the investigation of diarrhoea and malabsorption is described. It enables tests for bacterial colonisation, infestations, and luminal cytology of the small intestine to be combined with a pancreatic exocrine function test and a jejunal biopsy during the same intubation. The technique has proved acceptable, reliable, diagnostically valuable, and convenient for use on outpatients.

Biopsy↗

Relationship between rate of digestion of foods and post-prandial glycaemia.

The amount of carbohydrate released at 1 and 5 h by digestion in vitro of 2 g carbohydrate portions of 14 foods by human digestive juices was compared with the area under the 2-h blood glucose response curve when 50 g carbohydrate portions were fed to groups of five to ten healthy volunteers. A significant relationship was found between the amounts of sugars and oligosaccharides liberated at 1 and 5 h and the food blood glucose area expressed as a percentage of the blood glucose area for 50 g glucose (r = 0.8627 and 0.8618, p less than 0.001). A significant relationship was also found between the glycaemic index and the food fibre content (p less than 0.02) and between the glycaemic index and the glucose trapping capacity of the foods (p less than 0.05). Legumes as a group liberated 56% less sugars and oligosaccharides (p less than 0.01) than the eight cereal foods over 5 h. It is suggested that such studies in vitro may help to identify food of use for diabetic patients, and at the same time throw further light on factors which affect post-prandial glycaemia.

Adult↗

Flurbiprofen in dysmenorrhea.

Reports on the efficacy of flurbiprofen for dysmenorrhea conflict. We gave 59 dysmenorrheic patients flurbiprofen (50 mg), aspirin (650 mg), or placebo. Paired drug comparisons showed that patients preferred flurbiprofen and that it was more effective in relief of pain, in allowing patients to pursue normal daily function, and in reducing the need for additional analgesics. Except in patient preference, aspirin was only marginally superior to placebo, There was an increase in minor side effects in the flurbiprofen group, but our results indicate therapeutic utility for flurbiprofen in dysmenorrhea.

Adolescent↗

Slow release dietary carbohydrate improves second meal tolerance.

Breakfasts of lentils or wholemeal bread of identical carbohydrate content were taken by seven healthy volunteers. The lentils produced a significant 71% (p less than 0.001) reduction in the blood glucose area and flattened the plasma insulin and gastric inhibitory polypeptide responses by comparison with the bread. In addition, the lentil breakfast was followed by a significantly flatter blood glucose response to the standard bread lunch which followed 4 h later (by 38%, p less than 0.01). The blood glucose pattern was mimicked by feeding the bread breakfast slowly over the 4 h before lunch. Giving a bread breakfast containing a quarter of the carbohydrate reduced the breakfast glucose profile but resulted in a significantly impaired blood glucose response to lunch (168% of control, p less than 0.01). These results, together with breath hydrogen studies, performed on a separate group of four volunteers, indicate that the flattened response to lentils is not due to carbohydrate malabsorption. Slow release or "lente" carbohydrate foods such as lentils may form a useful part of the diets of those with impaired carbohydrate tolerance.

Adult↗

Effect of processing on digestibility and the blood glucose response: a study of lentils.

To test the effect of processing on digestibility and the glycemic response to a leguminous seed, a group of eight healthy volunteers took a series of breakfast test meals containing either lentils which had been processed in four different ways or the same amount of carbohydrate as white bread. Lentils, boiled for 20 min, resulted in a flattened blood glucose response by comparison with bread. This was unaltered by blending the lentils to a paste or boiling them for an additional 40 minutes. However the blood glucose response was significantly enhanced by drying the boiled blended lentils for 12 h at 250 degrees F. In vitro digestion with human saliva showed the rate of sugars released from the food related positively to the blood glucose rise. Breath hydrogen studies indicated that carbohydrate malabsorption was too small to account for differences in the blood glucose response. These results emphasize the importance of processing in determining digestibility and hence the glycemic response to a food.

Blood Glucose↗