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Biomedical subjects

T F Ho

Publications and source records attributed to T F Ho.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

Transcutaneous estimation of oxygen tension in unusual clinical situations.

Transcutaneous oxygen monitoring has been used successfully in the assessment of trend in tissue oxygenation in neonates and children. This study highlights the application of transcutaneous oxygen monitoring in three unusual clinical situations: dual channel oxygen monitoring in persistent foetal circulation, hyperoxia test in the differentiation of cardiac or pulmonary central cyanosis and the effect of endotracheal intubation on tissue oxygenation. Its usefulness and potential application in these situations are discussed.

Cyanosis↗
PubMed1984

Normal standards of in vitro induced platelet aggregation.

Measurement of in vitro induced platelet aggregation by turbidimetric method is a very important investigative tool when patients are evaluated for bleeding diasthesis due to possible underlying platelet functional disorders. As commercial controls are not available, it is important that each laboratory establishes its own normal pattern of platelet aggregation induced by standard aggregating agents. The aggregation curves in terms of maximal % aggregation, Vmax and lag time in 50 normal Chinese controls are reported. The final concentrations of the aggregating agents used, namely adenosine diphosphate, adrenaline, collagen and ristocetin, are 20 microM, 10 microM, 0.2 mg/ml and 1.0 mg/ml, respectively. 20% of the controls had either no aggregation or only primary aggregation with adrenaline. Lag time by collagen-induced aggregation is significantly longer, but other parameters of platelet aggregation by adenosine diphosphate, adrenaline and collagen in Chinese are comparable to one reported control study. The maximal % aggregation induced by ristocetin in Chinese does not differ significantly from the reported values in whites but is significantly higher than in Blacks at a concentration of 1.0 mg/ml. Interpretation of platelet aggregometry in patients with bleeding tendency should be based on the normal patterns established from a group of normal controls in each laboratory rather than by comparison with a single control alone.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗
PubMed1983

Doppler ultrasonic brachial blood pressure measurements in normal Chinese neonates: a preliminary report.

The purpose of this study was to determine brachial blood pressures in normal Chinese neonates using a Doppler ultrasonic blood pressure monitor (Roche Arteriosonde 1020). The systolic (SP) and diastolic (DP) pressures of 100 healthy, full-term Chinese neonates were determined in triplicate under resting conditions. The pulse pressures (PP) were derived from the SP and DP. Correlation studies reveal significant positive correlation between age and PP (r = 0.34, P less than 0.0002), between weight and SP (r = 0.23, P less than 0.02) and between weight and PP (r = 0.40, P less than 0.02). No significant difference exists between blood pressures of males and females (P greater than 0.05). Comparison with three Western studies reveals that our mean SP is the lowest (1-3). This may be due to technical factors, e.g. different Doppler ultrasonic device, anthropometric factors or true genetic or environmental differences.

Anthropometry↗
PubMed1983

The prevalence of obesity in singapore primary school children.

The purpose of this study is to survey the prevalence of obesity in Singapore primary school children from 1976 to 1980. The number of children screened comprised of 221,988 in primary I and 218,104 in primary VI. The male to female ratio was 1.04:1. Obesity is defined as body weight above 120% of Harvard standard weight for height. The overall prevalence rate was 3.51% with a significantly higher rate in boys (3.95%) than in girls (3.06%), p less than 0.0001. This sex difference prevailed in both the primary I and primary VI group. Furthermore, primary VI students had a higher prevalence rate (4.29%) compared to the primary I students (2.75%) p less than 0.0001. The prevalence rates were rising over the years with a rate of 5.33% in 1980 compared to that in 1976 (1.80%). Our observations suggest that the problem of obesity is an increasing one. The tendency to become obese increases with age and boys are more prone to obesity.

Child↗
PubMed1983

Reliability of transcutaneous oxygen monitoring of critically ill children in a general pediatric unit.

While transcutaneous continuous monitoring of partial pressure of oxygen (TcPO2) is a proven valuable diagnostic tool in intensive care of sick neonates, its use in older children is less well defined. The purpose of this study is to establish the accuracy and reliability of TcPO2 as a reflection of arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) in critically ill pediatric patients. Twenty-six children, age ranging from 4 days to 13 years, were studied. The main diagnostic categories were cardiac 54 per cent, respiratory 27 per cent, gastrointestinal 15 per cent, and neurologic 4 per cent. Forty three estimations of PaO2 (by radial arterial sampling) and TcPO2 (by cutaneous monitor) were obtained simultaneously. Their correlation coefficient, regression equation, and confidence limits were calculated by standard statistical methods with the aid of a microcomputer. Our data show that the high degree of correlation between TcPO2 and PaO2 is highly significant (r = 0.90, p less than 0.001) for the full range of PaO2 between 0 to 200 mm Hg. At the lower range of PaO2 (0-79 mm Hg), the degree of correlation (r = 0.91, p less than 0.001) is better than that (r = 0.77, p less than 0.001) at the higher range (80-200 mm Hg), although the difference between the two correlation coefficients is not significant (p greater than 0.05). It is important to note that TcPO2 consistently underestimates the PaO2 and the 95% confidence limits are rather wide. We conclude that TcPO2 is a reasonably accurate reflection of PaO2 in critically ill pediatric patients. Its main advantage is in predicting and showing trends in tissue oxygenation by noninvasive means. However, when critical assessment of the degree of hypoxemia is required, TcPO2 is no substitute for PaO2.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

The incidence of atopy in steroid-responsive nephrotic syndrome: clinical and immunological parameters.

Fifty-nine children with steroid-responsive nephrotic syndrome (SRNS), ages ranging from two to 18 years, were studied to determine the incidence of atopy, using both clinical and immunological parameters. Children with SRNS were found to have a significantly higher incidence of atopy both in themselves (z = 2.51, p less than 0.05) and their first-degree relatives (z = 2.34, p less than 0.05). The proportion of children with raised serum IgE levels (60%) and the geometric mean (631 U/ml) in SRNS children were significantly higher than control values, 14.5% and 136 U/ml, respectively (p less than 0.0001). Intra-group comparison showed that children with multiple relapses (more than two relapses) had higher incidence of skin test positivity to house dust mite (p less than 0.01) and to two or more antigens (p less than 0.05). Our data would suggest that atopy may be a predisposing factor in local children with SRNS.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Automated blood pressure reading--its claims and its reliability.

Advances in technology have made available automated devices for rapid and easy measurements of arterial blood pressure. This study evaluates the performance of one such device, the Hitachi Digital Blood Pressure and Pulse Monitor, Model HME-20, against a standard mercury sphygmomanometer, the Accoson . Fifty four sets of systolic and diastolic readings were simultaneously obtained using the two instruments. The readings obtained by both methods correlated significantly with each other (p less than 0.001). However, the mean diastolic pressure obtained by HME-20 is significantly lower than that obtained by the Accoson (p less than 0.05). There is also a consistent underestimation of systolic and diastolic pressures of 8 mm Hg by HME-20. Moreover, linear correlation studies between HME-20 and Accoson readings reveal that the 95% confidence limits are fairly wide, which limit, therefore, the value of a single reading by HME-20. Our preliminary evaluation suggests that HME-20 is more suited to monitor the trend of blood pressure changes rather than to provide precise determination of arterial blood pressures.

Adult↗