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Biomedical subjects

S Savolainen

Publications and source records attributed to S Savolainen.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Bacterial flora in the nasopharynx and nasal cavity of healthy young men.

The bacterial flora of the nose and nasopharynx was studied in 86 healthy young men. Common pathogens (Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae) were isolated from only 6% of all 172 nasal cavities. The same pathogens were isolated from 27% of 86 nasopharyngeal samples. H. influenzae dominated over S. pneumoniae both in the nose and the nasopharynx. No culture either from the nose or nasopharynx grew Streptococcus pyogenes. Potentially pathogenic bacteria, non-group-A hemolytic streptococci and various groups of Neisseria meningitidis were isolated from the nasopharynx in 20% of the subjects. According to the present study healthy adults do not carry group-A hemolytic streptococci in the nose and seldom if ever in the pharynx. Thus, isolation of S. pyogenes by bacterial culture is suggestive of a bacterial infection by this agent at these sites. Isolation of hemolytic streptococci other than group A from the pharynx does not necessarily indicate bacterial infection, and the same holds true for H. influenzae and S. pneumoniae.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

The bacteriology of acute maxillary sinusitis.

Sinus secretions obtained by antral aspiration from 347 patients with acute maxillary sinusitis were examined bacteriologically. Special attention was paid to the method by which anaerobic bacteria could be recovered. On the total, 485 sinus secretion samples were examined, of these 336 were aspirates, 149 yields of injection-aspirations. Aerobic bacteria were cultured from 263 aspirates and from 100 injection-aspiration samples. Only anaerobes were recovered from 6 sinuses. Bacterial culture was negative in 115 sinuses (24%). The most common pathogens isolated were Haemophilus influenzae (50.5%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (18.5%), Streptococcus pyogenes (5%) and Branhamella catarrhalis (1.5%). A true anaerobic infection was considered to be present in only 7 sinuses (1.5%) indicating that anaerobes are not a significant cause of acute maxillary sinusitis. According to this study the most common pathogen in acute maxillary sinusitis in young adults is H. influenzae. From this follows that in such patients aminopenicillins may be a more appropriate choice than conventional penicillin in the antimicrobial treatment of acute maxillary sinusitis.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Splenic dynamics of indium-111 labeled platelets in idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.

Splenic dynamics of 111In-labeled platelets and platelet-associated IgG in 33 patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) were studied. Two half-lives were calculated for the biexponential splenic time-activity curve after i.v. injection of 111In-labeled platelets. There was no difference in the mean half-life of the rapid component of the splenic curve (ST1) when patients with negative or slightly positive platelet suspension immunofluorescence test (PSIFT) were compared to those with strongly positive PSIFT (3.0 +/- 0.7 min vs. 3.6 +/- 0.4, p greater than 0.05). Mean half-life of the slow component of the splenic curve (ST2) was found to be longer in patients with a strongly positive than a negative or weakly positive PSIFT (26 +/- 5 min vs. 13.2 +/- 1.0 min, p less than 0.01). It seems that determination of the two components of the splenic time-activity curve provides a useful method for studying platelet kinetics in ITP.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Differential diagnosis of purulent and non-purulent acute maxillary sinusitis in young adults.

In acute maxillary sinusitis, purulence could best be assessed from sinus washings, but evaluation based on aspirates was also reliable, provided that the amount of secretion was adequate. Injection-aspirates were of negligible diagnostic value in this respect. Sinus washings and aspirates which were clinically defined as purulent were almost invariably indicative of bacterial infection. The bacterial etiology was most accurately obtained by sinus aspiration. Only 14.5% of cultured specimens were negative for pathogenic bacteria. In maxillary sinusitis, judged to be non-purulent, 52.5% of cultures grew a pathogen. The most common pathogen was Haemophilus influenzae, which accounted for 90% of these isolations. There was a clear correlation between occurrence of many PMNs and pathogen positive culture in non-purulent cases. Thus, antimicrobial therapy which is effective against Haemophilus influenzae seems indicated in most cases of non-purulent maxillary sinusitis.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1988

Tonsillar penetration of erythromycin and its 2'-acetyl ester in patients with chronic tonsillitis.

Concentrations of erythromycin and 2'-acetyl erythromycin were analysed in serum or plasma and tonsil tissue after repeated dosage of erythromycin acistrate (EA), a new erythromycin prodrug, in two separate studies in 61 young patients. The reference preparations were: (1) enterocoated tablets of erythromycin base (EB enterotablets, (2) erythromycin base as enterocoated pellets (EB enterocapsules) and (3) erythromycin stearate (ES). All drugs were given 500 mg tid for three days before scheduled tonsillectomy. Tonsils were removed about 3 h after intake of the last dose. Blood samples were collected at 0, 2 and 6 h and at the time of tonsillectomy. At all time points EA produced several-fold higher total drug (erythromycin + 2'-acetyl erythromycin) concentrations in serum or plasma than any of the reference preparations. Similarly, after EA the mean total antibiotic levels in tonsil tissue exceeded the erythromycin levels after the reference preparations by at least a factor of 3. Tonsil/serum or plasma ratios of the total antibiotic were quite similar with all preparations (means 38-50%). Peak erythromycin levels in circulation did not differ significantly from each other in spite of two nonabsorbers after EB enterotablets. The same was true of tonsil tissue. There were, however, 15 tonsils with undetectable erythromycin: 4/25 (16%) with EA, 5/12 (42%) with EB enterotablets, 2/12 (17%) with EB enterocapsules and 4/12 (33%) with ES. The degree of hydrolysis of 2'-acetyl erythromycin to erythromycin was 23-43% higher in tonsil tissue than in circulation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Concentrations of erythromycin, 2'-acetyl erythromycin, and their anhydro forms in plasma and tonsillar tissue after repeated dosage of erythromycin stearate and erythromycin acistrate.

The concentrations of erythromycin, 2'-acetylerythromycin (2'-AE) and their anhydro forms in plasma and tonsillar tissue were analyzed after a 3-day repeated-dosage regimen of erythromycin stearate (ES; 500 mg twice a day [b.i.d]) and erythromycin acistrate (EA), a new erythromycin prodrug, at two doses (400 and 500 mg b.i.d.). The tonsils of 40 patients were removed at 112 to 329 min after intake of the last dose. Blood samples were collected at the time of tonsillectomy and at 0, 2, and 6 h after the last dose. At all time points, EA produced severalfold more total antibiotic (erythromycin + 2'-AE) concentrations in plasma compared with ES. There were two nonabsorbers in the ES group, but none in the two EA groups. The mean total antibiotic levels in tonsillar tissue after EA treatment exceeded the levels after treatment with ES by a factor of 3 (for EA at 400 mg b.i.d.) and 4.5 (for EA at 500 mg b.i.d.). The ratios of erythromycin concentration in tonsil to that in plasma at the time of tissue removal were quite similar for all groups (means, 0.51 to 0.54). In the EA groups, 2 of 26 (8%) patients had no measurable erythromycin in the tonsillar tissue samples, whereas in the ES group, 3 of 14 (21%) patients had no measurable erythromycin in the same tissue. The degree of hydrolysis of 2'-AE to erythromycin was about 25% in plasma at the time of tonsillectomy for both EA groups and about 40% in tonsillar tissue. There were negligible amounts of anhydro forms in plasma after EA administration, whereas in the ES group, anhydroerythromycin levels were, from time to time, even higher than erythromycin levels. Very high levels of anhydro forms were detected in tonsillar tissue after ES treatment, whereas only low levels were found after EA administration.

Child↗
PubMed1988

Bacteriological findings of acute maxillary sinusitis in young adults.

Bacteriological findings in 339 sinus secretions obtained by puncture were investigated in 238 young adult patients with acute maxillary sinusitis. Aerobic and anaerobic cultures were performed immediately. A total of 76% of the secretions were positive. The most common pathogens isolated were Haemophilus influenzae (50%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (19%), Streptococcus pyogenes (5%), and Branhamella catarrhalis (2%). Coagulase-negative staphylococci and Staphylococcus aureus were isolated in 8 and 1% of the specimens, respectively. The staphylococci were almost invariably present in low numbers and, therefore, probably represented nasal contamination. Other aerobic species were found only occasionally. Anaerobes were isolated in 5% of the secretions. In one-half of these, a low concentration of Propionibacterium acnes was the sole anaerobe that was found, and it was usually mixed with a facultative organism (suggestive of contamination with nasal flora). Only 2% of the sinuses were considered to have true anaerobic infections (high concentrations of several species typical of anaerobic infection), indicating that anaerobes are not a significant cause of acute maxillary sinusitis in a young adult population. The high recovery of H. influenzae in this study indicates that aminopenicillins may be more appropriate choice than conventional penicillin in the antimicrobial therapy of acute maxillary sinusitis (only 2 of 168 H. influenzae strains produced beta-lactamase).

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1988

Macroscopic purulence, leukocyte counts, and bacterial morphotypes in relation to culture findings for sinus secretions in acute maxillary sinusitis.

Macroscopic purulence, leukocyte counts, and bacterial morphotypes in Gram-stained smears were investigated in 335 sinus secretions (240 aspirates and 95 injection aspirates) obtained by puncture in 234 young patients with acute maxillary sinusitis. Over 90% of the 147 aspirates macroscopically classified as purulent also contained high numbers of leukocytes (greater than 20 per oil immersion field). A total of 82% of the 147 macroscopically purulent aspirates and 79% of the 156 aspirates containing high numbers of leukocytes yielded presumed sinus pathogens by culture in quantities of greater than 10(3) CFU/ml. Streptococcus pneumoniae or Streptococcus pyogenes was associated relatively more often (92 or 87%, respectively) with high numbers of leukocytes than Haemophilus influenzae, which was not infrequently (29%) recovered from the less purulent aspirates. When a bacterial morphotype was seen in the Gram-stained smear, a corresponding sinus pathogen was isolated in quantities of greater than 10(3) CFU/ml in 92% of aspirates. Other bacterial species (most often staphylococci) were usually isolated in low numbers and were almost never seen in the smear, suggesting nasal contamination. The 95 injection aspirates behaved, to a large extent, like diluted aspirates, with the exception that there was a higher frequency of probable nasal contamination. Macroscopic purulence, high leukocyte counts, and bacterial morphotypes seen in Gram-stained smears each predicted well the isolation of a presumed sinus pathogen and in some cases supported the significance of an otherwise doubtful culture finding. However, the macroscopic appearance of the secretion should not be used to screen samples for culture, because in several cases H. influenzae grew from nonpurulent samples as well.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1987

Predictive value of nasal bacterial culture for etiological agents in acute maxillary sinusitis.

Nasal secretion, aspiration yield and lavage content from the sinus were studied for bacteria in 175 patients (247 sinuses) with acute maxillary sinusitis. The same pathogen was cultured from the nose and aspiration fluid in 91% of cases of acute purulent sinusitis. This indicated a significant predictive value of the nasal bacteriological culture for presence of pathogenic bacteria in the sinus in purulent cases. In cases with no growth of pathogens in the aspirate, the nasal culture showed pathogenic bacteria in about 50%. Examination of the aspiration fluid may occasionally give false negative result in purulent maxillary sinusitis (at least 3% in the present series). In these cases, culture of the irrigation yield may prove helpful.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1986

The bacterial flora of the nasal cavity in healthy young men.

The nasal cavity of 97 young healthy men (applicants for the pilot education in the Finnish Air Force) was examined. Bacterial culture demonstrated one or more species of aerobic bacteria in all 194 nasal cavities examined and anaerobic bacteria in 76.5%. In ten per cent of the cultures bacteria were detected after enrichment only. The most common aerobic bacteria were Staphylococcus epidermidis (79%), diphtheroids (41%) and Staphylococcus aureus (34%). Haemophilus influenzae was found in 5% and Streptococcus pneumoniae in 0.5%. Anaerobic culture yielded Propionibacterium acnes in 74.5% and Peptococcus magnus in 3.5%.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Astemizole in the treatment of hay fever.

A double-blind parallel trial of astemizole, pheniramine and placebo was carried out in 51 patients with hay fever. Astemizole is a new potent H1-antihistamine with long duration of action but devoid of central activity. Evaluation criteria were daily symptom- and side effect score cards, daily nasal peak flow measurements, clinical examination and blood tests. Control of nasal symptoms was significantly better with both antihistamines than with placebo. Tiredness and anticholinergic side effects were less common in the astemizole group than in the pheniramine group. No significant changes in the "safety evaluation" blood tests were observed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Facial nerve abnormalities after acoustic tumor removal. Morphological and clinical study of seven patients with postoperative facial paralysis.

Operative specimens of the tympanic segment of the facial nerve obtained from seven patients during hypoglossal-facial anastomosis surgery were studied under light and electron microscopy. All patients previously underwent acoustic tumor removal during which the facial nerve was left anatomically intact but attenuated; immediate postoperative facial paralysis was present and persisted. In all specimens, the fascicular area of the nerve had two differing zones: a smaller one with normal-looking populations of myelinated nerve fibers, and a large one with severe reduction of myelinated nerve fibers and an increase of the deposition of endoneurial collagen. The changes indicate that in all cases, the motor fibers have undergone degeneration with subsequent regeneration. However, regeneration has remained incomplete with total lack of normal-sized (7 to 10 micrometers) motor fibers. Incomplete regeneration explains the lack of functional improvement. The structural features of the distal stump of the facial nerve with numerous Schwann's cell tubes were evaluated to provide favorable preconditions for reinnervation through anastomosis. Clinical follow-up of all patients showed varying degrees of functional restoration indicating regeneration.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Cochlear nerve fiber populations in 25 patients with profound deafness due to Menière's disease or sudden deafness.

Surgical biopsy specimens of the cochlear nerve from 19 patients with Menière's disease and six patients with sudden deafness were studied. The total number of myelinated nerve fibres in the transverse fascicular area of each nerve were counted and the results were correlated with the clinical and preoperative audiological data. The total number of cochlear neurons in patients with Menière's disease ranged from 5,760 to 27,722 and in patients with sudden deafness from 8,500 to 22,714. The long duration of the disease or absent speech discrimination appeared not to be connected with lower numbers of neurons than preserved speech discrimination or short history of the disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

The effect of vitamin A acid on the middle ear of the guinea pig.

The bulla in guinea pigs was filled with 0.01%, 0.1%, and 0.5% vitamin A acid (retinoic acid) solution once or twice daily for an average of five days. Pure arachnoid oil was used as a control solution. The mucous membrane appeared normal in the ears receiving arachnoid oil or 0.01% vitamin A acid. In bullae receiving 0.1% and 0.5% solutions, the epithelium remained close to normal, but there were small areas of ossification that were particularly notable in the submucosal layer. There was no indication that the normal guinea pig mucosa showed a metaplastic change into a secreting gland, forming epithelium.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Low-field magnetic resonance imaging of beagle brain with a dedicated receiver coil.

A specially designed radio frequency receiver coil was used in a low-field-strength (0.1 T) magnetic resonance imager to improve the image quality of the Beagle brain. The aim was to obtain better distinction of anatomic details with a better signal-to-noise ratio in shorter imaging time. The spin-echo (TR/TE = 1200/100; TR is the repetition time and TE is the echo time in ms) brain images of three Beagles indicate that the new receiver coil can fulfill these goals.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Pathological features of human facial nerve after central injury during tumor removal, with special reference to the non-motor component.

After injury to the intracranial portion of the facial nerve, undegenerated myelinated nerve fibres were seen to form a distinct bundle in the peripheral part of the transverse fascicular area at the level distal to the geniculate ganglion. The numbers and diameters of the fibres were similar to those seen in the nervous intermedius portion of the facial nerve in experimental animals. The average number of these apparently non-motor fibres was 2500. Their average diameter was 2.4 micrometer.

Cerebellar Neoplasms↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The cochlear nerve in various forms of deafness.

Operative specimens of cochlear nerve of 56 patients with profound deafness of varying origin were examined under the light microscope and the number of myelinated nerve fibers in each specimen was counted. The transverse fascicular area of each nerve was also determined. When the resulting neuron populations were evaluated with regard to the cochlear implant program the only truly unsuitable ears for artificial stimulation were found to be those with cholesteatoma involving the cochlear nerve and ears with local pathology in the internal auditory canal severe enough to cause atrophy of the cochlear nerve.

Adult↗