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Biomedical subjects

V Wright

Publications and source records attributed to V Wright.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources
PubMed1982

Joint laxity in selected athletic populations.

Joint laxity was established in 96 subjects from six different athletic groups. Three different methods of measurement were applied to each subject: a hyperextensometer method, a generalized joint laxity method, and a global index method. The hyperextensometer detected two significant differences (P less than 0.01) between paired athletic groups using the Bonferroni t-statistic. The generalized joint laxity method detected four significant differences between the pairs, whereas the global index method detected seven significant differences. Thus the commonly used methods of measuring joint laxity are failing to detect statistically significant distinctions observed by using a more complicated method.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Evaluation of aids and equipment for the bath: II. A possible solution to the problem.

One hundred patients needing bath aids is leaving Leeds hospitals in 1978 were randomly allocated into control and treated groups. The former 50 patients received aids through the usual channels, the latter obtained bath aids immediately on discharge and were instructed in their use at home by the peripatetic occupational therapist. All were assessed independently at three to six months. Prompt, correct prescription of aids and supervision of their use in bathing shortly after discharge by a hospital-based occupational therapist resulted in safe bathing by all treated subjects. In contrast, only 82% of controls bathed, 50% of these from the seated position (compared with 90% of the treated group) and only 39% of controls received their aids within two weeks of discharge (compared with 74% of the treated group).

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Enteric-coated aspirin in rheumatoid arthritis.

Sixty patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (mean ESR = 51 mm/h) were treated for six months with D-penicillamine (15 patients), sodium aurothiomalate (15 patients), hydroxychloroquine (15 patients) or enteric-coated aspirin (15 patients). The three groups receiving specific anti-rheumatoid therapy were also allowed enteric-coated aspirin in the dose of their choice as the only 'back-up' drug; the group treated with aspirin alone was encouraged to take the maximum tolerated dose. The mean duration of treatment tolerated by patients receiving aspirin alone was 12.3 weeks. Only four patients completed a 24-week treatment period and n improvement was seen in acute-phase reactants. Those patients receiving an anti-rheumatoid drug showed serial improvements in ESR as the dose of aspirin required fell. Plasma salicylate concentrations correlated well with aspirin dosage. Even as an enteric-coated formulation, aspirin alone is not the treatment of choice for active rheumatoid disease.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗
PubMed1981

An investigation into the problems of easy chairs used by the arthritic and the elderly.

Groups such as the arthritic and the elderly are particularly susceptible to seating problems. An extensive questionnaire to determine the nature and extent seating difficulties was given to patients at rheumatology clinics and members of day centres for the elderly in Leeds. Forty-two per cent of subjects had some degree of difficulty in rising from their easy chair at home and of these 18% either experienced great difficulty or could not rise unaided. Only 13% had chairs designed to aid rising (e.g. high chair) and 40% of subjects thought their chair could be improved. Thirty-four per cent said that their easy chair caused them pain or discomfort. Information about subjects' body dimensions and their easy chair dimensions was also collected. Further research based on the survey results is planned in order to develop criteria for the design of easy chairs for the arthritic and the elderly.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1981

Effect of klebsiella capsular antisera on lymphocytes from patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

The cytotoxicity of klebsiella capsular antisera for lymphocytes from 10 HLA B27-positive patients with ankylosing spondylitis and eight B27-negative normal control subjects was examined. None of the antisera was cytotoxic for lymphocytes from nine patients but several antisera were cytotoxic for the lymphocytes from one patient. There were no differences between the results obtained with lymphocytes from the nine patients and those with lymphocytes from the normal controls. If klebsiella carriage is important in the pathogenesis of ankylosing spondylitis, the results of this investigation suggest that the capsular antigen is probably not involved.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗
PubMed1981

A pharmacokinetic and tolerance study of Ro13-9904, a new cephalosporin antibiotic.

1 Six healthy male volunteers received a total of 2500 mg of a new cephalosporin antibiotic Ro13-9904 by intramuscular injection in five divided doses at intervals of 12 h. 2 No significant systemic side-effects were observed and this was confirmed haematologically and biochemically. 3 The drug was distributed following intramuscular injection reaching a mean peak plasma concentration of 55 micrograms ml-1 (range 46-66) 1 to 2 h after the first injection. 4 Monoexponential elimination of drug was demonstrated. No significant difference was recorded in the plasma half-life after the initial dose (mean 6.7 h) and at steady state (mean 6.7 h). The half-life is long compared with other cephalosporin antibiotics. 5 On the basis of the observed half-life, steady state should be reached within 48 h. A mean peak plasma concentration of 74 micrograms ml-1 (range 65-87) was recorded at steady state. Steady state plasma concentrations of Ro13-9904 with a dose of 500 mg every 13 h may be predicted from the pharmacokinetics of a single dose.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Traumatic synovitis in a classical guitarist: a study of joint laxity.

A classical guitarist performing for at least 5 hours each day developed a traumatic synovitis at the left wrist joint that was first erroneously considered to be rheumatoid arthritis. Comparison with members of the same guitar class suggested that unusual joint laxity of the fingers and wrist, probably inherited from the patient's father, was of more importance in the aetiology of the synovitis than a wide range of movement acquired by regular practice. Hyperextension of the metacarpophalangeal joint of the left index finger, quantified by the hyperextensometer, was less marked in the guitarists than in 100 normal individuals. This may be attributed to greater muscular control of the fingers. Lateral instability in the loaded joint may be the most important factor in the aetiology of traumatic synovitis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Plasma viscosity--a new appraisal of its use as an index of disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis.

The suitability of the plasma viscosity (PV) test has been examined in relation to the more commonly used erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) estimations as a diagnostic aid in 120 outpatients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and as an index of improvement during subsequent specific antirheumatic drug treatment (60 outpatients). Correlation data based on 7 clinical variables suggest that PV estimations are at least as reliable as ESR and CRP in terms of diagnosis and as indices of improvement. The methodological advantages offered by the PV test lend support to its application in RA.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗
PubMed1981

A comparison of serum biochemistry in ankylosing spondylitis, seronegative and seropositive rheumatoid arthritis.

The serum biochemistry of 31 patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) was compared with that of 80 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (ARA criteria), 30 of whom were negative for circulating rheumatoid factor and 50 of whom were 'seropositive'. All patients were selected because of moderate to severe disease activity. All 3 groups had distinctive biochemical profiles. Total serum sulphydryl and haemoglobin were particularly good discriminators between AS and RA, IgG, IgA, and acute-phase reactants complemented the sheep cell agglutination test in discriminating between seropositive RA and seronegative RA. In active AS a normal erythrocyte sedimentation rate was often seen in the presence of abnormal C-reactive protein (CRP) and plasma viscosity.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Biochemical indices of response to hydroxychloroquine and sodium aurothiomalate in rheumatoid arthritis.

Biochemical and clinical changes have been monitored in 30 patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with either hydroxychloroquine or sodium aurothiomalate over a period of 6 months. Acute-phase reactants improved in both treatment groups, while serum sulphydryl and serum histidine improved only in the gold-treated patients. Correlation matrices were constructed from mean clinical and biochemical data at successive clinic visits. Correlations obtained with gold were more frequent and of a higher level of significance than those obtained with hydroxychloroquine at the doses we studied. This lends support to the use of correlation matrices as a screening test for potential long-term antirheumatoid activity of drugs in man.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Serum histidine in rheumatoid arthritis: a family study.

We have compared free serum histidine in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, their blood relatives, and their non-blood relatives. The hypohistidinaemia of rheumatoid arthritis is acquired with the disease and does not provide a biochemical marker of those at risk.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗
PubMed1981

Secretory IgA: immune defence pattern in ankylosing spondylitis and klebsiella.

Saliva secretory IgA (sIgA), secretory component (SC); serum immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA, IgM), complement (C3, C4), C-reactive protein (CRP), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were performed in 32 patients with ankylosing spondylitis and 29 normal controls. They were investigated for carriage in the faeces of Klebsiella spp. on 3 occasions over the previous months. Throat swabs and urine were cultured at the same time as immunological estimations were done. 24-hour urine sIgA specimens were studied in 13 patients and 12 normal controls. Significantly raised mean values of saliva sIgA and serum IgG, IgA, C3, and C4 were found in patients with raised values of serum ESR and CRP levels when correlated with controls. Raised values of sIgA in saliva, which is an important factor of the local immune defence mechanism of mucosal surfaces, suggests the presence of an antigenic stimulus from the gastrointestinal system in ankylosing spondylitis during activity of disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and the Sigma SR in rheumatic diseases.

Sigma SR and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were compared before and after treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents in 6 patients with rheumatic diseases. No evidence was found that either was altered by this kind of drug therapy, though there was considerable variation in the shape of sedimentation rate curves (obtained by plotting erythrocyte sedimentation rate every 5 minutes over 150 minutes), between individuals with the same disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Some rheological properties of blood during anti-rheumatoid therapy.

A study was carried out to compare the whole blood and plasma viscosities in 11 patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with hydroxychloroquine to the corresponding values in 10 patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with either sodium aurothiomalate or D-penicillamine to determine whether hydroxychloroquine therapy altered the rheological properties of red blood cells. There was no significant difference for natural and corrected (PVC = 45%) whole blood viscosity measured by Contraves low shear viscometer and Harkness capillary viscometer, plasma viscosity, haematocrit, or erythrocyte sedimentation rate between the two group.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗
PubMed1980

Mönckeberg's arteriosclerosis and metabolic bone disease.

Mönckeberg's medial arteriosclerosis was diagnosed in 34 of 297 patients referred for pelvic radiography for a variety of reasons. It is strongly associated with metabolic bone disease, especially osteoporosis, whether induced by corticosteroids or arising spontaneously.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Clinical metrology--a future career grade?

Clinical metrologists have been employed in Leeds for the past seven years. They have come to assume increasing responsibility, particularly in the conduct and recording of clinical trials in the rheumatic diseases. Their work can be extended to the planning of trials, practical procedures, and other research activities. Analysis of 20 applications for a post that recently fell vacant at Leeds suggests that many married women, highly qualified professionally, who have completed their families, would welcome the opportunity to return to parttime nursing duties in "social hours". Increased responsibility and job satisfaction provided by the post compensate for a reduction in salary. Clinical metrology may be a new career grade in the National Health Service that allows for more careful monitoring of patients with constancy that cannot be achieved with rotating junior medical staff. Physicians can be released from the routine of follow-up, so that they have more time for diagnosis, management of complex problems, and research.

Adult↗