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Biomedical subjects

R I Harris

Publications and source records attributed to R I Harris.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1982

Growth hormone, prolactin and thyrotropin responses to gonadotropin-releasing hormone in depressed patients and healthy volunteers.

Growth hormone (GH), prolactin (PRL) and thyrotropin (TSH) release following gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) administration were examined in 56 patients with major affective disorder (37 unipolar, 19 bipolar) and 38 normal healthy subjects. There were no differences in GH, PRL or TSH responses after GnRH infusion between the patients and the normal subjects, in contrast to previously reported abnormalities in depressed patients. Serum GH concentration increased after GnRH in both normal and depressed men; serum TSH increased after GnRH in both normal women and bipolar women, but not in unipolar depressed women. Further studies comparing GnRH to saline infusion will be necessary to determine if the GH and TSH responses seen in this study are due to GnRH or result from the stress of the experimental procedures.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Prevalence of bacteria in the vagina of normal young women.

We report on factors related to the prevalence of bacteria in the vagina of 1498 women who were attending a family planning clinic. Anaerobes were significantly commoner in women with an abnormal vaginal discharge on clinical examination, in women with a history of a troublesome vaginal discharge and in women who used an intrauterine contraceptive device (IUCD) than in others. The association between anaerobes and abnormalities of vaginal discharge was found both in women who used the IUCD and in women who did not. We found no significant associations between symptoms and other bacterial species or combinations of species. Coliforms were significantly commoner in women who did not use tampons, in women who used the diaphragm and in women who had received recent antibacterial or antifungal treatment than in others. Lactobacilli were significantly commoner in women who used the contraceptive pill, and were significantly less common in women who harboured Candida albicans, anaerobes, coliforms or enterococci and in women who had been treated with antibacterial drugs, than in others. We found no important associations between the presence of bacteria and the patients' age, parity or social class.

Bacteria↗
PubMed1980

Mortality, morbidity, resource allocation, and planning: a consideration of disease classification.

The report of the Resource Allocation Working Party recommended that revenue allocations to health authorities should be based, in part, on national patterns of bed usage and local standardised mortality ratios for conditions aggregated according to the chapters of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). Similar criteria are now being considered for planning purposes by regions. The extent to which diseases which commonly result in the use of hospital care are also common causes of deaths within their ICD chapter was studied. National utilisation figures show that most beds in ophthalmology, ear, nose, and throat surgery, gynaecology, and consultant dentistry, and an estimated one-third or more of the beds used in general surgery, neurosurgery, and plastic surgery, are used for the treatment of conditions which are uncommon causes of death, both in absolute terms and relative to their ICD chapters. It seems unlikely that the requirements for care of patients with these diseases can be measured simply, either by all-causes mortality statistics, or by the use of mortality statistics ascribed to the ICD chapter which such diseases share with other, more common, causes of death. Consideration needs to be given to the diseases treated by each specialty in deciding whether and how to apply mortality statistics in planning for and funding the specialty.

Bed Occupancy↗
PubMed1979

Low-dose factor VIII in adults with haemophilic arthropathy.

27 adults with haemophilic arthropathy infused freeze-dried factor-VIII concentrate at a mean initial dose of 7.3 and 5.5 units/kg, respectively, during two successive 6-month periods of home therapy. A single infusion at either dosage level successfully terminated over 80% of bleeds. A 32% reduction in use of concentrate was achieved at the lower dose, with a cost saving equivalent to pounds 30 000 per annum and with no apparent short-term clinical disadvantage. Thus low-dose therapy can be successfully applied to severely affected adult patients with established haemophilic arthropathy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

Family therapy in treatment of the deaf: a case report.

Deaf patients with psychological problems have developmental handicaps and clinical characteristics that reduce the effectiveness of traditional modes of psychotherapy. Attempts have been made to utilize individual and group therapy, but family therapy has been largely overlooked as a method of alleviating problems of the deaf. Clinical and research writings provide us with rich insights into the family dynamics of the deaf. These data suggest to the authors that the problems of deaf individuals are largely related to family problems, and therefore merit a family orientation as the focus for treatment. This paper describes an attempt to apply family therapy with a range of deaf patients over a period of two years. From a review of their work, the authors conclude that family therapy can be effective, particularly in the treatment of deaf adolescents and children.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1974

The pre-albumin fraction: a useful parameter in the interpretation of routine protein electrophoresis.

A technique of protein electrophoresis suitable for routine use which ensures good separation of the prealbumin fraction is described. The clinical value of visually estimating this protein fraction from the electrophoretic strip is shown with reference to 134 cases. Low levels of prealbumin were found to be associated with liver disorders, malignancy, collagen diseases, congestive cardiac failure, and burns. Finally, pitfalls in electrophoretic technique which may cause failure to visualize the prealbumin fraction are discussed.

Blood Protein Electrophoresis↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Anatomic variance of the coracoclavicular ligaments.

The coracoclavicular ligaments vary widely in morphology and anatomic descriptions. Few authors have adequately described the coracoclavicular ligaments' anatomy, and a number of discrepancies exist in the anatomy literature. This study examines the complex anatomy of the coracoclavicular ligaments and their relationships to clinically important bony landmarks. The geometric dimensions of 24 coracoclavicular ligament specimens from fresh human cadaveric shoulders were examined and quantified with 13 different measurements. Particular attention was given to any inter-specimen anatomic variance. The coracoid insertions of the conoid ligaments displayed high variance, with 33% (8/24) being confluent with the lateral fibers of the superior transverse scapular ligament. A further 15% (3/24) presented an additional lateral fascicle. The distance from the lateral trapezoid ligament to the distal clavicle averaged 15.3 mm. Three distinct and previously unreported conoid ligament variants lend themselves to an anatomic classification (types I, II, and III). A safety margin of 15 mm is suggested for distal clavicle resection in incomplete acromioclavicular joint injuries to preserve the intact coracoclavicular ligament.

Acromioclavicular Joint↗