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Biomedical subjects

R M Ikeda

Publications and source records attributed to R M Ikeda.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Immunization outreach at Income Support Centers, New York City, 1992-1993.

An increase in measles occurred in New York City (NYC) during 1989-1990, affecting primarily unvaccinated preschool-aged children. Many of these children were also enrolled in Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) programs. To determine the immunization status of children receiving AFDC, immunization records were reviewed at three NYC income support centers. Records were assessed for vaccination eligibility on the day of the visit and at various ages. Seventy-six percent of the children were found eligible for vaccination on the day of their visit. Vaccination levels at two years of age were among the lowest measured in New York. Future immunization efforts should be directed toward this population.

Aid to Families with Dependent Children↗

Pleurodynia among football players at a high school. An outbreak associated with coxsackievirus B1.

OBJECTIVE: Enteroviral outbreaks involving athletic teams have been described, although the mode of transmission has been unclear. In September 1991, an outbreak of pleurodynia among high school football players provided an opportunity to identify possible modes of transmission. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort outbreak investigation. SETTING: Public high school in upstate New York. RESULTS: Illness was reported by 17 (20%) of the football players. Behaviors involving contact with common water containers were associated with illness, including eating ice cubes from the team ice chest (relative risk [RR], 9.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3 to 65.5) and drinking water from the team cooler (RR, 6.3; 95% CI, 1.5 to 25.7). Coxsackievirus B1 was isolated in four (50%) of the eight stool specimens collected. CONCLUSIONS: Contamination of common water containers by an infected player may have contributed to or initiated the outbreak. In addition to discouraging direct oral contact with common drinking containers, use of individual water containers and ice packs for injuries was recommended.

Adolescent↗

Effects of simultaneous viewing and vaporization of plaques using the steerable, laser-heated metal cap in the atherosclerotic monkey model.

A steerable, fiberoptic catheter coupled to a laser light guide tipped with a metal cap was used. Four monkeys fed an atherogenic diet for 7-8 years were angiographed and were found to have extensive mural plaque in the iliac arteries. Plaque sites in these monkeys were vaporized using the laser-heated metal cap. Energies of 1.5-9 Joules were employed. Application of the energy was tangential of perpendicular to the plaque. Lased sites were examined histologically at 24 hr or at 3 months after treatment. No effect was seen at 1.5 Joules. Three to six Joules tangentially produced a superficial lesion that extended into the tunica intima. Six Joules perpendicularly produced a burn into the tunica adventitia, with damage to the vasavasorum. Nine Joules tangentially produced a burn into the tunica media. Three months after treatment, this lased site showed no stenosis or aneurysm formation.

Animals↗

Argon laser radiation of human clots: differential photoabsorption in red cell rich and red cell poor clots.

Since argon laser radiation (454-514 nm) can vaporize human clots, we determined whether the absorption of laser energies can differ among different types of blood clots. Thus we performed spectrophotometric studies and examined the ability of this laser to penetrate red cell rich and red cell poor clots. Fifty-four red cell rich and red cell poor clot samples, varying in depth from 1.8 to 5.0 mm, were subjected to 3, 5 and 7 watts from an argon laser beam. At a given power intensity, the deeper the red cell rich clot, the longer was the time needed to penetrate the clot. The higher the power used, the shorter was the red clot penetration time. In contrast, all power levels used up to 5 minutes did not penetrate any of the varying depths of red cell poor clots. Spectrophotometrically, the red cell rich clot had an absorption curve typical of hemoglobin pigment while the red cell poor clot, in the absence of hemoglobin, had poor absorption between 350 and 600 nm and was unable to absorb argon laser energies. Thus, the argon laser provides a therapeutic modality for human red cell rich clot dissolution but the present approach does not appear to be effective against red cell poor clots.

Blood Coagulation↗

A prognostic index for the clinical management of patients with advanced prostatic cancer: a British Prostate Study Group investigation.

Patients with histologically proven carcinoma of the prostate (n = 186) were initially assessed and followed up according to the standardized protocol of the British Prostate Study Group, urologists from which contributed patients to this investigation. These patients were given either endocrine therapy or orchidectomy as first line treatment; the ratio of the number of patients receiving these two treatments was similar in each group of subjects compared for survival. Prognostic indices were derived for all patients and for those classified according to the presence (M1) or absence (M0) of metastases. The prognostic indices were derived from clinical and hormone data obtained at initial presentation. Whereas the degree of tumor differentiation and plasma testosterone concentrations were significant prognostic factors in both M0 and M1 disease, growth hormone was only significant in M1 patients, where age was also of borderline significance; elevated growth hormone, higher Gleason grade, younger age, and lower testosterone indicated a poorer prognosis in M1 patients. These findings indicated the feasibility of selecting a poor prognostic group of patients that may derive benefit from a more aggressive therapy.

Age Factors↗

Applicability of laser to assist coronary balloon angioplasty.

Severe atherosclerotic obstructed coronary artery disease (CAD) may preclude passage of a balloon catheter for transluminal coronary angioplasty (TCA). Since lasers have been shown to effectively vaporize CAD plaque, the initial application of laser to effect a lumen large enough to accommodate the angioplasty catheter for further dilatation was explored. Eleven postmortem human CAD segments which did not permit passage of a 1.33 mm shaft diameter angioplasty catheter were studied. Argon laser radiation (14 to 90 J) transmitted via 400 micron core diameter quartz fiber onto the stenotic channel of 0.58 mm created a vaporized lumen of 1.77 mm (mean increase of 1.31 +/- 0.25 mm, p less than 0.001). The laser procedure allowed the balloon angioplasty catheter to be pushed into the stenosis. TCA was then performed (7 atm, 45 seconds) and expanded the channel to 2.12 mm (additional mean increase of 0.38 +/- 0.07 mm, p less than 0.001). In terms of percent luminal narrowing, laser radiation reduced obstruction from 80% to 45% (mean difference of -38.7 +/- 4.6%, p less than 0.001), and TCA caused a further decrease to 37% (mean difference of -9.3 +/- 1.9%, p less than 0.001). Thus, in tight atherosclerotic lesions, the laser may be useful in creating an initial opening enabling the placement of the balloon angioplasty catheter which, in turn, can further dilate the lased stenotic coronary lumen.

Angioplasty, Balloon↗

Laser therapy of coronary artery obstructions.

Laser energies can be transmitted through flexible optical fiber to vaporize and penetrate coronary atherosclerotic and thrombotic obstructions. There are risks and complications involved in this therapy, however, including perforation, aneurysm formation, and thromboembolic risks, and further research is needed to render the laser recanalization procedure safe.

Angioplasty, Balloon↗

Acute and chronic complications of laser angioplasty: vascular wall damage and formation of aneurysms in the atherosclerotic rabbit.

Acute and chronic vascular responses to laser exposure in atherosclerotic rabbits were studied. In 7 rabbits fed an atherogenic diet for 3 to 5 months before the study to induce aortic atherosclerosis, a flexible quartz fiber, 400 micron core diameter, attached to an argon ion laser was passed anterogradely or retrogradely to the atherosclerotic ascending aorta. The laser was turned on using power intensities of 1 to 2 W for 3 seconds. After laser treatment, the aortas were studied acutely in 3 rabbits and chronically in 4 rabbits after recovery for 1 to 14 days. In 2 rabbits studied acutely, the argon laser produced a vaporized crater within the atherosclerotic plaque at the endothelial surface; however, in 1 there was also vascular damage extending deep into the medial layer. In addition, aortic aneurysm with muscular wall damage occurred in 2 of the 4 animals studied chronically. Thus, vascular complications may arise when catheter laser angioplasty is randomly applied without visualizing specific plaque targets or without using safe dose increments of power intensities and durations of exposure. This study suggests caution in the clinical use of intensive phototherapy to cardiovascular lesions and stresses the need for further understanding of laser vascular consequences before application of laser angioplasty in patients.

Animals↗

Intraoperative use of dual fiberoptic catheter for simultaneous in vivo visualization and laser vaporization of peripheral atherosclerotic obstructive disease.

Since laser energy has been shown to produce controlled thermal injury to atherosclerotic plaques from postmortem human hearts, a 3-mm diameter fiberoptic catheter was devised and tested for use in peripheral vessels. The catheter has channels for viewing, laser delivery, and suction/flushing. In five femoral or carotid arteries from three dogs implanted with near-total human atherosclerotic obstructions, the fiberoptic catheter was capable of viewing and targeting the atherosclerotic plaque for laser irradiation. The plaque was vaporized using 5 watts with time exposures lasting from 2 to 5 sec from an argon-ion laser. In three other animals each implanted with a 3- to 4-cm long segment of human cadaver atherosclerotic vessel, the fiberoptic catheter clearly visualized the internal diseased vascular wall. Thus, this investigation provides the initial demonstration and practicality of applying a flexible dual fiberoptic catheter for simultaneous in vivo visualization and laser vaporization of peripheral atherosclerotic disease.

Animals↗

Effects of laser radiation on the morphology of human coronary atherosclerotic disease.

Laser energy delivered through optical fibers can produce potent controlled thermal dissolution of human coronary obstructive disease, thus widening the stenotic vascular lumen. The ease of vaporization and penetration depends not only on the physical properties of the laser beam but also on the physical characteristics of the atherosclerotic plaque. Lipid-laden plaques are more easily vaporized compared with plaques that are heavily calcified. In atherosclerotic animal models studied in vivo, laser radiation produced a charred lining around the evacuated area and rapid regeneration of a new endothelial lining. After several weeks, the laser-induced crater was still evident, and thrombogenesis was not a significant complication. Focal aneurysmal dilatation may develop when there is thermal injury of the medial layer, and acute perforation can occur if severe laser burn is extended beyond the adventitial layer. Further technical advances and achievements are needed before laser recanalization becomes a clinical reality.

Animals↗