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Biomedical subjects

T Mathew

Publications and source records attributed to T Mathew.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

Nasal carriage of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a cardiovascular tertiary care centre and its detection by Lipovitellin Salt Mannitol Agar.

Ecological niches of Staphylococcus aureus are the anterior nares. Carriage of Staphylococcus aureus in the nose appears to play a key role in the epidemiology and pathogenesis of infection. Numerous studier have shown that elimination of nasal carriage using Mupirocin also eliminated hand carriage and the spread of infections in hospitals. Lipovitellin-Salt-Mannitol Agar was used for screening, isolation and presumptive identification of Staphylococcus aureus from nasal carriers. From November; 97 to August'98, 724 nasal swabs were cultured and 18.23% of health care workers were found to be nasal carriers of Staphylococcus aureus. Of these 12.15% were carriers of MRSA. The carrier rate was highest in December' 97 (32.07%). All MRSA carriers were treated with local application of Mupirocin for three days. A study of the antibiogram of the clinical isolates during the corresponding period showed 100% susceptibility of MRSA to Vancomycin. Susceptibility of MRSA to Clindamycin, Netilmycin, Rifampicin & Ofloxacin was 86.6%, 69.5%, 66% & 64.7% respectively.

Bacteriological Techniques↗
PubMed1998

Effect of dental treatment on the lung function of children with asthma.

In this preliminary study, the authors evaluated whether dental treatment can trigger a reaction in the hyperactive airways of children with asthma, thereby affecting lung function. They also examined the variables, if any, that predict a change in lung function in relation to dental treatment. They tested the lung function of 57 6- to 18-year-old subjects with histories of active asthma, using spirometry before, immediately after and 30 minutes after routine dental treatment. Results revealed a statistically significant decrease (P < .05) in lung function and a clinically significant decrease in lung function in approximately 15 percent of the subjects.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Risks of cerebrovascular events related to open heart surgery.

Prevention of perioperative cerebrovascular injury in patients undergoing open heart surgery is a serious task for the surgeon, especially as age and severity of atherosclerotic disease increases. The most significant predisposing factors have been identified as existing carotid arterial disease or prior stroke, heavy calcification of the aorta, renal dysfunction, advanced age, and diabetes mellitus. We have studied a series of 600 open heart patients from 1992 to 1995 from the incidence of peri-operative stroke and mortality, evaluating 16 risk factors: heavy calcification of the ascending aorta, asymptomatic carotid disease, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, prior CVA, left ventricular function (ejection fraction of 20% or less), age greater than 70, renal dysfunction, transmural myocardial infarction, fluid balance index greater than 2500 ccs, smoking, type of procedure, emergency procedure, non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, cardiopulmonary bypass time, gender, and hypertension Stroke occurred in 8 patients (1.3%), one of whom die postoperatively. Full or near-full recovery was experienced by 5 patients; 2 patients remained partially dysfunctional at the end of the study period. The operative mortality was 2.0% (12 patients); 10 deaths occurred in hospital and 2 following discharge within 30 days postoperatively. The risk of stroke was 15 times greater in patients over age 70; 16 times greater in older males (> or = 70 years); 5 times greater in patients with prior stroke or existing (asymptomatic) carotid artery disease; 8 times greater in patients with renal dysfunction; 4 times greater with a positive fluid balance index; and twice greater when cardiopulmonary bypass exceeded 110 minutes. Four of the stroke patients had diabetes mellitus. Two of 9 patients with heavy calcification of the aortic arch suffered cerebrovascular injury. Six or more of the risk factors studied were present in 81 patients; all 8 stroke patients (9.9%) came from this subgroup. The study suggests the importance of pre-operative evaluation of cerebrovascular atherosclerotic disease and the minimal manipulation ("minimal touch" technique) of a calcific aortic arch.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1997

Mycophenolate mofetil in renal allograft recipients: a pooled efficacy analysis of three randomized, double-blind, clinical studies in prevention of rejection. The International Mycophenolate Mofetil Renal Transplant Study Groups.

BACKGROUND: The search for more effective and less toxic immunosuppressive agents to control transplant rejection has led to the extensive testing of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) in clinical renal transplantation. METHODS: A pooled analysis of three phase III, randomized, double-blind, multicenter clinical trials conducted in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia was performed to further characterize the efficacy of MMF in renal allograft recipients. The three studies enrolled a total of 1493 patients. Triple- and quadruple-therapy regimens of cyclosporine, corticosteroids, and standardized MMF dosages with and without antilymphocyte induction were used: MMF in twice-daily doses of 1.0 g or 1.5 g (MMF 2 g or 3 g) was compared with placebo (PLA) or azathioprine (AZA). The primary efficacy endpoint in the individual trials was biopsy-proven rejection or treatment failure at 6 months. This pooled analysis focused on graft loss, patient death, incidence and treatment of rejection episodes, and graft function (serum creatinine) at 1 year. RESULTS: At 1 year, the graft survival rate was 90.4% and 89.2% in the MMF 2 g and 3 g groups, respectively, compared with 87.6% in the PLA/AZA group. This difference was not statistically significant. MMF significantly reduced the incidence of rejection episodes: 40.8% for PLA/AZA patients versus 19.8% and 16.5% for the MMF 2 g and MMF 3 g groups, respectively. Renal function was consistently better for both MMF treatment groups at 3, 6, and 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: MMF proved superior to AZA as a posttransplant immunosuppressant in conjunction with cyclosporine and corticosteroids. MMF-treated groups showed reduced incidence and severity of rejection episodes, similar graft survival, and better graft function over 12 months.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Respiratory syncytial virus infection among hospitalized young children with acute lower respiratory illnesses in Al Ain, UAE.

To establish the frequency and clinical pattern of Respiratory Syncytial virus (RSV) infection in the region, children under 3 years of age admitted for acute lower respiratory illness during two winter seasons of the years 1993-94 and 1994-95 were studied prospectively. Seventy two cases were diagnosed to have RSV infection among the 252 studied, representing 28.57% of these patients. The overall infection rate was 32.1% and 36.5% respectively for the two studied winter seasons. Among these children, 90% were under 12 months of age. A clinical diagnosis of sepsis and respiratory distress was entertained in five RSV positive cases and they were < 1 month of age. The clinical pattern of RSV infection included bronchiolitis in 58.3% of cases, bronchopneumonia (19.4%) and pneumonia (11.1%). RSV activity was detected throughout the year with predominance during cooler months with an associated relative humidity (RH) between 50-60%. These results indicate that RSV plays a significant etiologic role among ALRI in hospitalized infants and young children in the Oasis region of the UAE. Factors such as RH, environmental temperature and lifestyle probably play an additional role in our region for the maintenance and dissemination of infection around the year.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1994

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Optimization of the agar screen plate method.

Swab inoculation of oxacillin agar screen plates was compared with drop inoculation for detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The poor sensitivity of the swab method (59%) was related to heteroresistance of the S. aureus isolates. We recommend the drop method (100% sensitivity) because interpretation of results was significantly easier, making it more reliable.

Methicillin Resistance↗
PubMed1992

Treatment of anaemia of progressive renal failure with recombinant human erythropoietin. A preliminary report.

We report response in anaemia and wellbeing of a lady with chronic renal disease treated with recombinant human erythropoietin 5000 units thrice weekly. Without any blood transfusions, the patient's haematocrit improved (20% to 35%) and a subjective improvement in wellbeing and appetite was noted. This drug seems to be a breakthrough in the management of anaemia of chronic renal diseases, including end stage renal disease, avoiding the risks of repeated blood transfusions.

Anemia↗
PubMed1992

Herpes zoster associated encephalitis.

Herpes zoster associated encephalitis is a very rare complication of herpes zoster. We are reporting a young healthy man who developed this complication along with the usual cutaneous presentation of herpes zoster. He was successfully treated with acyclovir.

Acyclovir↗
PubMed1989

Plasma concentrations of granulocytic elastase-alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor complex in patients with severe head injury, multiple trauma or cerebral bleeding.

In patients with severe head injury or multiple trauma a multitude of inflammatory mediators are released. As in cerebral bleeding, elevations of body temperature can be observed even in the absence of bacterial infections. In order to evaluate the diagnostic significance of plasma elastase levels for the exclusion or early detection of infections in the course of the above diseases, quantitative estimations of granulocytic elastase in complex with alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor were carried out in 11 patients using an enzyme-linked immunoassay over a period from 3 to 47 days. Additionally, leukocyte counts were made and body temperatures measured. In all but two cases, elastase levels were elevated at the beginning of the disease and usually decreased over the period of study. In contrast to leukocyte counts and body temperature, the values correlated with the severity of the clinical symptoms. It is concluded that plasma elastase determinations are useful in the differential diagnosis of infection from other causes of elevated body temperatures.

Blood Cell Count↗
PubMed1988

Comparison of three immunosuppressive regimens in cadaver renal transplantation: long-term cyclosporine, short-term cyclosporine followed by azathioprine and prednisolone, and azathioprine and prednisolone without cyclosporine.

We conducted a randomized trial in seven Australian hospitals of the efficacy and safety of three immunosuppressive regimens after first transplantation of a cadaver kidney: long-term cyclosporine, short-term (three months) cyclosporine followed by azathioprine and prednisolone, and azathioprine and prednisolone without cyclosporine. Patients assigned to long-term cyclosporine (n = 138) or short-term cyclosporine followed by azathioprine and prednisolone (n = 141) had similar actuarial 12-month survival (98.4 vs. 96.4 percent) and graft survival (83.9 vs. 82.1 percent). Patients assigned to receive only azathioprine and prednisolone (n = 138), with optional use of antithymocyte globulin, had a significantly poorer survival rate (91.3 percent, P = 0.015) because of deaths from cardiac causes and infection, but their graft survival of 76.0 percent (P = 0.31) did not differ significantly from that of either group receiving cyclosporine. After the switch from cyclosporine to azathioprine and prednisolone, 15 percent of patients had reversible rejection episodes, but the frequency of rejection and graft loss did not differ from that in the long-term cyclosporine group. After the change to azathioprine and prednisolone, serum creatinine levels declined in nearly all patients, so that after three months they were comparable to those in the group receiving azathioprine and prednisolone only, and significantly lower than those in the group receiving long-term cyclosporine therapy (P less than 0.003). We conclude that the two cyclosporine regimens result in comparable patient and graft survival, but that changing to azathioprine and prednisolone at three months improves graft function.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Isolation, cultivation and haemadsorption of buffalo pox virus on BHK-21 cell line from Dhule epidemic (Western India).

An epidemic of buffalo pox infection in buffaloes, white cattle, horses, goats and human beings in the Dhule district of Maharashtra State (India) during December, 1975 to March, 1976 is reported. Buffalo pox virus from this epidemic has been propagated in BHK-21 cell line directly from the skin scab materials collected from those animals in phosphate glycerine buffer. A specific cytopathic effect (CPE) produced in these cell lines was differentiated from the non-specific CPE by the demonstration of the characteristic 'Rosette' or 'Sun flower' like haemadsorption with 0.4% fowl erythrocytes. The CPE started appearing as early as 18 hours and the detachment and peeling off the cells from the glass surface were noted on the 4th day onwards. Eosinophilic inclusion bodies with giant cells (multi-nucleated) formation and fusion of the cells were also observed with a few stellate cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiographic evaluation of aortic aneurysm and dissection.

Ten patients with nondissecting aortic aneurysm and 10 with aortic dissection proved by angiography, surgery or both, were studied by real-time, 2-dimensional echocardiography. Multiple transducer positions were used to visualize various aortic segments so that a composite image of the aorta could be formulated. Using this comprehensive approach, the site, size and extent of all nondissecting aneurysms were correctly delineated (2 ascending aorta, 3 ascending aorta plus aortic root and 5 aortic arch with brachiocephalic involvement). In all patients with aortic dissection, the condition was identified by the presence of prominent, flap-like, undulating motion of the inner dissected wall or marked parallel wall widening (greater than or equal to 15 mm) and correctly categorized into DeBakey type I (4 cases), II (2 cases) or III (4 cases). Pulsed Doppler studies were useful in diagnosing reopening of dissection in a patient with previous surgical obliteration of the false channel.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Evidence supporting neural crest origin of an alveolar soft part sarcoma: an ultrastructural study.

A case of an alveolar soft part sarcoma was studied electron microscopically. This showed tumor cells separated by external lamina that incorporated desmosome-like structures. Well defined basal lamina separated several cells from underlying endothelial cells by a zone of tissue composed predominantly of fibrous long-spacing collagen. A unique finding was the presence within several tumor cells of well defined myelin sheaths and myelinated axons. Apart from various other intracellular organelles some of the cells contained closely aggregated fine filamentous structures: the so-called "angulate bodies." All these findings are interpreted as evidence for a tumor showing marked Schwann cell differentiation, and therefore, it is suggested that alveolar soft part sarcoma is histogenetically a neoplasm of the neural crest.

Adult↗