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S O'Reilly

Publications and source records attributed to S O'Reilly.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

The dysfunctional voiding scoring system: quantitative standardization of dysfunctional voiding symptoms in children.

PURPOSE: Academic research on pediatric nonneurogenic voiding dysfunction has long been hampered by the lack of a standardized reporting system for voiding symptoms. We evaluated the performance of a newly devised, objective instrument to quantify or grade the severity of abnormal voiding behaviors of children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: There were 10 voiding dysfunction parameters that were assigned scores of 0 to 3 according to prevalence, and possible total scores ranged from 0 to 30. The Dysfunctional Voiding Symptom Score was completed by 2 groups of patients. Group 1 consisted of patients 3 to 10 years old presenting to the pediatric urology clinic with a history of diurnal urinary incontinence, urinary tract infections or abnormal voiding habits. Group 2 consisted of an age matched cohort with no history of urological complaints presenting to hospital clinics outside of urology. Patients diagnosed with organic or anatomical disease, such as posterior urethral valves or meningomyelocele, were excluded from our analysis. RESULTS: Group 1 consisted of 104 patients (female-to-male ratio 4:1) with a median symptom score of 14 and group 2 consisted of 54 patients (female-to-male ratio 1.3:1) with a median score of 4. The dysfunctional voiding odds ratio was 2.93 for females compared to that of males. Using receiver operating characteristics the optimum cutoff score was 6.026 (sensitivity 92.77% and specificity 87.09%) for females and 9.02 (sensitivity of 80.95% and specificity of 91. 30%) for males. In addition, we found certain questions to be more reflective than others of dysfunctional voiding symptoms in our population. CONCLUSIONS: The Dysfunctional Voiding Symptom Score appears to provide accurate and objective, that is, numerical, grading of voiding behaviors of children. Comparative research studies of dysfunctional voiding diagnosis and response to therapy as well as objective measurements of treatment efficacy and outcomes analysis should be aided greatly by this system.

Child↗

Phase I and pharmacologic study of oral fluorouracil on a chronic daily schedule in combination with the dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase inactivator eniluracil.

PURPOSE: To determine the maximum-tolerated dose (MTD), toxicities, and pharmacokinetics of oral fluorouracil (5-FU) administered twice daily in combination with oral eniluracil, an inactivator of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase, administered for 28 days every 35 days. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Oral 5-FU 1.35 mg/m(2) twice daily was administered with oral eniluracil 10 mg daily for 14 to 28 days, followed by a 1-week rest period. Eniluracil was started 1 day before 5-FU. Patients then received escalated doses of oral 5-FU 1. 35 to 1.8 mg/m(2) twice daily with an increased dose of eniluracil 10 mg twice daily for 28 days. A reduced dose of 5-FU 1.0 mg/m(2) with eniluracil 20 mg twice daily was evaluated. RESULTS: Thirty-six patients with solid malignancies were enrolled onto the study. Diarrhea was the principal dose-limiting toxicity of oral 5-FU and eniluracil given on this chronic schedule. The recommended phase II dose is 5-FU 1.0 mg/m(2) twice daily with eniluracil 20 mg twice daily. Mean (SD) values for terminal half-life, apparent volume of distribution, and systemic clearance of 4.5 hours (0.83 hours), 19 L/m(2) (3.0 L/m(2)), and 51 mL/min/m(2) (13 mL/min/m(2)), respectively. An average of 77% of 5-FU was excreted unchanged in urine after 28 days of treatment. The mean (range) 5-FU C(SS,min) values achieved at the 1.0 mg/m(2) dose level were 22 ng/mL (8 to 38 ng/mL). CONCLUSION: Chronic oral administration of 5-FU with oral eniluracil is tolerable and produces 5-FU steady-state concentrations similar to those achieved with protracted intravenous administration of 5-FU on clinically relevant dose schedules. Eniluracil provides an attractive means of administering 5-FU on protracted schedules.

Administration, Oral↗

A prospective pharmacologic evaluation of age-related toxicity of adjuvant chemotherapy in women with breast cancer.

Despite increasing evidence of benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy, older women with breast cancer are commonly given less aggressive treatment than younger patients. Conflicting prior data regarding age-related toxicity prompted this prospective study. Forty-four women (aged 35-79 years) with early-stage breast cancer were treated with four cycles of adjuvant therapy with doxorubicin 60 mg/m2 i.v. and cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m2 i.v. every 21 days. They were monitored for myelosuppression, cardiotoxicity, and decrease in quality of life. Pharmacokinetics were analyzed using cycle 1 plasma samples. Bone marrow granulocyte and macrophage colony-forming units (CFU-GM) were assayed in vitro for dose response to 4-hydroperoxycyclophosphamide and doxorubicin before cycle 1. There was moderate evidence of age-related decrease in nadir absolute neutrophil count (ANC) when age was viewed as a continuous variable. On average there was a 10/microliter drop in cycle 1 nadir ANC for every year increase in age (p = 0.02). However, when age was viewed as a categorical variable (age < 65 vs. > or = 65 years), a similar proportion of women in each group reached an ANC < 100 (18% vs. 19%). Neither neutropenic complications, alteration in cardiac function, nor change in quality of life scores were significantly age related (p > 0.12). Pharmacokinetic analyses did not demonstrate age-related differences in the clearance of either doxorubicin or cyclophosphamide (p > 0.8). Pharmacodynamic analysis of individual patient bone marrow progenitor cell sensitivity did not reveal any correlation with age (p > 0.48). In women undergoing adjuvant therapy for breast cancer, no clinically significant age-related trends in toxicity were observed. These data suggest that older age alone should not exclude patients from receiving adjuvant therapy with doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide.

Adult↗

Radiation myositis.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Carcinoma, Transitional Cell↗

Screening for hand osteoarthritis (OA) using a postal survey.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of screening for hand osteoarthritis (OA) using a postal survey. METHODS: Men and women aged 40-79, selected at random from a general practice in Nottingham, were sent a postal survey concerning arm pain. Subjects were asked to identify presence of any nodes, based on a diagrammatic example, and to document specific distal (DIP) and proximal (PIP) nodes. One hundred and thirty-nine subjects were subsequently assessed by a nurse metrologist, blinded to the subjects assessment. Subject-observer agreement was measured by calculating unweighted kappa (kappa). In addition, sensitivity and specificity were calculated, taking observer-identified nodes as the 'gold standard'. Intraobserver reproducibility was assessed on 10 subjects with nodes. RESULTS: Intraobserver reproducibility was reasonable at all sites (kappa>/=0.59). Of the 56 subjects with observer-identified 'any nodes', 40 subjects had correctly identified them (sensitivity 71.4%); with three subjects incorrectly identifying nodes (specificity 96.4%). Corresponding kappa was 0.70. Subject-observer agreement was higher for presence/absence of any DIP nodes than PIP nodes (kappa=0.67 and 0.36 respectively). As with nodes overall, specificity was high (100% and 96.6% respectively). Agreement was generally poor for specific joint involvement. CONCLUSION: A postal survey is a useful screening tool for identifying subjects with nodes. Although sensitivity may not be sufficient to permit assessment of prevalence of hand OA in the community, it has potential applications in terms of identifying and defining cases for further study.

Adult↗

A phase I and pharmacologic study of DMP 840 administered by 24-hour infusion.

PURPOSE: DMP 840, a novel bisnaphthalimide, has demonstrated promising schedule dependent anti-tumor activity in vitro and in vivo against several tumor cell lines. A phase I study was conducted to evaluate the effect of a 24-hour infusion schedule repeated every three weeks, on the therapeutic efficacy of DMP 840. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fourteen patients with refractory solid tumor malignancies were treated with DMP 840 at doses of 20, 40, 50 and 60 mg/m2. RESULTS: A combination of neutropenia, thrombocytopenia and stomatitis were dose-limiting at doses of 50 and 60 mg/m2 in both minimally- and extensively-pretreated patients. In contrast, all courses at lower dose levels were well tolerated. Pharmacokinetic analysis demonstrated that DMP 840 had a prolonged terminal half life (median 39 hours; range 25-86) and that dose-limiting events were significantly related to several indices of systemic DMP 840 exposure (P < 0.01, Wilcoxon Rank Sum test). CONCLUSION: The recommended dose of DMP 840 for further disease oriented evaluations is 40 mg/m2 administered over 24 hours every three weeks. The infusion duration evaluated in this study did not result in a substantial increase in the tolerable dose compared to shorter, less cumbersome schedules.

Adult↗

High-dose topotecan with granulocyte-colony stimulating factor in fluoropyrimidine-refractory colorectal cancer: a phase II and pharmacodynamic study.

PURPOSE: The premise for this study was that topotecan (TPT) resistance in preclinical studies is associated with low level expression of the p-glycoprotein (Pgp) multi-drug transporter conferred by the multi-drug resistant (MDR) phenotype, which might be overcome in clinical practice by administering moderately (2.3-fold) higher doses of TPT that have shown to be feasible with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) support. This phase II study evaluated the anti-tumor activity of TPT administered at its highest possible solid tumor dose with G-SCF in patients with fluoropyrimidine-refractory advanced colorectal carcinoma. The study also sought to identify pharmacodynamic (PD) determinants of both activity and toxicity. PATIENTS AND METHODS: TPT was administered as a 30-minute infusion daily for five days every three weeks at a dose of 3.5 mg/m2/day to patients with advance colorectal carcinoma who developed progressive disease either during treatment with fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy for advanced disease or within six months after receiving fluoropyrimidine-based adjuvant chemotherapy. This dose of TPT was previously determined to be the maximal tolerated dose (MTD) with G-CSF support in a phase I study involving solid tumor patients with similar risk factors for myelosuppression. Plasma sampling with performed during course 1 to characterize the pharmacokinetic (PK) and PD behavior of TPT. RESULTS: Seventeen patients who received 89 courses of TPT and G-CSF were evaluable for toxicity; 16 patients were evaluable for anti-tumor response. Toxicity, particularly myelosuppression, was substantial. At the 3.5 mg/m2/day dose level, absolute neutrophil counts (ANC) were less than 500/microliters for longer than 5 days in 17% of courses involving seven of seventeen (41%) patients. Severe neutropenia associated with fever occurred in 12.3% of courses; and platelet counts below 25,000/microliters were noted in 26.9% of courses. These toxicities resulted in dose reductions in seven of 17 (41%) patients. Nevertheless, 90% of the planned total dose of TPT was administered. No major responses were observed, though minor activity was noted in several patients. Both the median time to progression and the median survival time were short--2.5 and 4 months respectively. Although interindividual variability in the disposition of total TPT was observed, the lack of objective responses precluded PD assessments related to disease activity. Total TPT exposure was significantly higher than drug exposure achieved in similar patients at an identical dose in a previous phase I study of TPT and G-CSF, which may explain why more severe myelosuppressive effects occurred in the present study. There were no PD relationships evident between relevant PK parameters and the percent decrements in platelets and ANC's during course 1, although patients with severe toxic effects (ANC below 500/microliters for more than five days and/or platelets < 25,000/microliters) had higher drug exposure than patients with less severe toxicity (P < 0.018 and P = 0.09, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Based on these results, the true response rate of TPT at its solid tumor MTD with G-CSF support is unlikely to approach 20%. Although a response rate of less than 20% might be viewed as significant in this disease setting and might be confirmed with sufficient statistical certainty by treating additional patients, the substantial toxicity, inconvenience, and cost associated with this high dose TPT/G-CSF regimen does not warrant the acceptance of a lower level of anti-tumor activity as a criterion for further development.

Adult↗

A phase I-II study of bi-weekly paclitaxel as first-line treatment in metastatic breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Single-agent bi-weekly paclitaxel was studied as first-line metastatic treatment for breast cancer in a phase I-II trial. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-eight women with metastatic breast cancer were enrolled. Thirty-seven are evaluable for toxicity, 35 for response. RESULTS: The MTD was defined at 160 mg/m2 q two weeks with dose limiting toxicity in two patients consisting of hematological toxicity (1) and neurotoxicity (2). Twenty patients were treated at 150 mg/m2, the recommended dose. Response rates were two CRs and nine PRs (overall 61%) at the RD of 150 mg/m2 and three CRs and 11 PRs for an overall RR of 67% for the two top doses. CONCLUSIONS: The good drug tolerance, response rates, and convenience over weekly treatment suggest this may be a worthwhile regimen.

Adult↗

High-dose therapy including carboplatin adjusted for renal function in patients with relapsed or refractory germ cell tumour: outcome and prognostic factors.

Thirty-one consecutive patients with relapsed or refractory GCT received an HDT schedule including carboplatin, the dose of which was adjusted to measured glomerular filtration rate. There was one HDT-associated death (3%), due to acute renal failure. The 3-year probability of overall and disease-free survival for 21 patients with primary refractory disease or responsive relapse was 60% and 42%, respectively, while none of ten patients with refractory relapse have survived disease free.

Carboplatin↗

Radiographic assessment of symptomatic knee osteoarthritis in the community: definitions and normal joint space.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate radiographic features of osteoarthritis (OA) to determine which is more closely associated with knee pain and hence might be used as a radiographic definition of OA in the community. To evaluate joint space width in normal subjects. METHODS: 452 subjects from a case-control community study of knee pain (294 women, 158 men, mean age 62 years, range 40-80) underwent AP standing and midflexion skyline radiographs. Joint space width, measured by metered calliper to 0.1 mm, and graded individual features of OA (osteophyte 0-3, narrowing 0-3, sclerosis 0-1, cysts 0-1) were assessed in all three compartments independently by two observers who were blind to clinical status. Subjects were categorised as having knee pain by a positive response to both parts of the question "Have you ever had pain in or around the knee on most days for at least a month? If so, have you experienced any pain during the last year?" RESULTS: Intraobserver reproducibility for joint space width measurements was to within +/- 0.4 mm (95% CI for limits of agreement); kappa values for grading were > 0.7. One hundred and twenty five subjects were without knee pain or osteophyte. In these radiographically normal knees, mean joint space width varied according to sex but did not decrease with age. A definition based on the presence of osteophyte > or = grade 1 in any compartment was more efficient at predicting pain than definitions based on either measurement or grading of joint space; there was no clear threshold of joint space loss at which the likelihood of pain substantially increased. The presence of osteophyte at the patellofemoral joint (PFJ) was more sensitive but less specific than at the tibiofemoral joint (TFJ); the addition of PFJ assessment improved sensitivity from 38.1% to 62.3% with a reduction in specificity from 82.7% to 58.7% for the presence of knee pain. CONCLUSION: Among men and women in the community, osteophyte is the radiographic feature that associates best with knee pain. Radiographic assessment of both TFJ and PFJ should be included in all community studies. Joint space loss is not a feature of asymptomatic aging, and there is not a biological cut off for joint space width below which the likelihood of knee pain markedly increases.

Adult↗

Can x rays be accurately interpreted using a low cost telemedicine system?

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether the quality of x ray films transmitted via a low cost (low resolution) telemedicine link was satisfactory for clinical diagnosis. METHODS: A retrospective study of a set of consecutive accident and emergency (A&E) radiographs. An A&E registrar viewed these directly on a standard x ray viewing box and via a telemedicine link. RESULTS: There were 81 abnormalities out of 234 x ray films. Three abnormalities were missed both on the x ray viewing box and telemedicine link, one of which was significant. There were five additional abnormalities missed on the telemedicine link but detected on the x ray viewing box, of which two were significant. One normal x ray film was interpreted as abnormal on the telemedicine link. There were no false positives on direct viewing. CONCLUSION: Transference of plain radiographs using a low cost/low resolution telemedicine link by A&E doctors is adequate for clinical interpretation.

Emergency Service, Hospital↗

Antitussive action of antihistamines is independent of sedative and ventilation activity in the guinea pig.

We studied the oral actions of antihistamines from six chemical classes, namely: the ethanolamines (ENA, diphenhydramine and clemastine); ethylenediamines (EDA, pyrilamine and tripelennamine); piperidines (PPD, terfenadine and astemizole); piperazines (PPZ, hydroxyzine and cetirizine); phenothiazines (PTZ, promethazine), and the alkylamines (ALA, chlorpheniramine and bromopheniramine) on cough reflexes, pentobarbital-induced sedation and minute ventilation in the conscious guinea pig. Antihistamines of the ENA class had minimal effects on capsaicin-induced cough although both diphenhydramine (30 and 100 mg/kg p.o.) and clemastine (30 and 100 mg/kg p.o.) increased sedation time (ST). The PPZ class demonstrated both antitussive and sedating activity. The minimum effective oral antitussive dose (MED) of cetirizine and hydroxyzine was 30 and 10 mg/kg, respectively. The EDA did not exhibit antitussive activity. Tripelennamine (10, 30 and 100 mg/kg p.o.) but not pyrilamine enhanced ST. The MED for the PTZ, promethazine, was 10 mg/kg, and at 100 mg/kg promethazine increased ST. The ALA group displayed antitussive activity but only chlorpheniramine (10 mg/kg p. o.) had any effects on ST. The MED for chlorpheniramine and bromopheniramine was 3 and 10 mg/kg p.o., respectively. The PPD antihistamines, namely terfenadine and astemizole, inhibited cough (MED 30 and 10 mg/kg p.o.) without sedative effects. Of the antihistamines tested only promethazine (100 mg/kg p.o.) depressed ventilation responses; however, this dose of promethazine was associated with adverse behavioral effects. The present findings indicate that the antitussive actions of antihistamines are not directly related to histamine H1-receptor blockade because several antihistamines did not antagonize capsaicin-induced cough. In addition, the antitussive actions of antihistamines are independent of their sedative or ventilation effects.

Administration, Oral↗