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Biomedical subjects

W E Scott

Publications and source records attributed to W E Scott.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Human islet oxygen consumption rate and DNA measurements predict diabetes reversal in nude mice.

There is a need for simple, quantitative and prospective assays for islet quality assessment that are predictive of islet transplantation outcome. The current state-of-the-art athymic nude mouse bioassay is costly, technically challenging and retrospective. In this study, we report on the ability of 2 parameters characterizing human islet quality: (1) oxygen consumption rate (OCR), a measure of viable volume; and (2) OCR/DNA, a measure of fractional viability, to predict diabetes reversal in nude mice. Results demonstrate that the probability for diabetes reversal increases as the graft's OCR/DNA and total OCR increase. For a given transplanted OCR dose, diabetes reversal is strongly dependent on OCR/DNA. The OCR and OCR/DNA (the 'OCR test') data exhibit 89% sensitivity and 77% specificity in predicting diabetes reversal in nude mice (n = 86). We conclude that the prospective OCR test can effectively replace the retrospective athymic nude mouse bioassay in assessing human islet quality prior to islet transplantation.

Animals↗

A simplified approach to the treatment of Duane's syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: To report the results of a large series of patients undergoing treatment for Duane's syndrome. METHODS: Patients with Duane's syndrome undergoing strabismus surgery of a horizontal muscle recession procedure, medial rectus recession for an esodeviation or lateral rectus recession for an exodeviation, in order to correct an abnormal head position (AHP) and a significant tropia in primary position were identified. Amount of recession varied with the angle of deviation in forced primary position, versions and ductions, and intraoperative forced ductions. Elimination of AHP was used as a criterion for success. RESULTS: Fifty nine patients were treated with either unilateral or bilateral medial or lateral rectus recession. Mean follow up was 3.1 years. Ninety three percent achieved a postoperative alignment of < or =15 degrees AHP, 66% achieved < or =5 degrees AHP. Only three patients, two from the unilateral Type II group and one from the bilateral combined Types I and II group, went on to have a second procedure for a noticeable residual AHP. CONCLUSIONS: Success (good to excellent results) of horizontal muscle recession was achieved in 93% of patients. Unilateral or bilateral horizontal rectus muscle recession offers a simple and effective surgical option for eliminating AHP and is our treatment of choice in patients with Duane's syndrome.

Adolescent↗

Optic neuritis: a novel presentation of Schilder's disease.

The clinical features of a 7-year-old girl who presented with unilateral optic neuritis are presented. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed lesions in the affected optic nerve and the centrum semiovale bilaterally. Biopsy of one of the cerebral lesions was consistent with a diagnosis of Schilder's disease. Visual acuity returned to normal, and the demyelinating MRI lesions improved markedly with corticosteroid treatment. Optic neuritis is a novel mode of presentation in Schilder's disease.

Biopsy↗

Apparent central nervous system depression in infants after the use of topical brimonidine.

PURPOSE: To report two cases in which topical brimonidine resulted in apparent central nervous system depression and unresponsiveness in an infant. METHODS: Review of two patients. An 11-day-old infant became lethargic and apneic after a single drop of brimonidine. These symptoms were reproduced after a second administration of brimonidine. A 5-month-old infant became lethargic and poorly responsive after receiving 1 drop of brimonidine in each eye. RESULTS: The first patient required admission to the hospital for medical stabilization. He recovered without sequelae. The second patient recovered spontaneously approximately 2.5 hours after administration of brimonidine. CONCLUSIONS: Topical brimonidine may be associated with central nervous system depression in infants. The use of brimonidine is not recommended in these patients until further data are available.

Adrenergic alpha-Agonists↗

Dissociative phenomena in congenital monocular elevation deficiency.

INTRODUCTION: Monocular elevation deficiency is characterized by unilateral limitation of elevation in both adduction and abduction and is usually present at birth. Dissociative phenomena such as dissociated vertical deviation are well recognized in association with conditions such as congenital esotropia but much less so in association with conditions such as congenital monocular elevation deficiency. METHODS: All 129 patients given the diagnosis of monocular elevation deficiency or double elevator palsy in the Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Clinic at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics between 1971 and 1995 were reviewed. After those with history of trauma, myasthenia gravis, thyroid eye disease, orbital lesions, Brown syndrome, or monocular elevation deficiency with acquired onset were excluded, 31 patients with congenital monocular elevation deficiency remained for retrospective study. RESULTS: First diagnosed at median age 2.6 years (although all were noted by parents at less than 6 months of age) with mean follow-up of 5.0 years (up to 15.5 years), 9 of 31 (29%) developed dissociated vertical deviation in the eye with monocular elevation deficiency, all of whom had undergone strabismus surgery 0 to 9.7 years previously (mean 3.5 years). Those who developed dissociated vertical deviation were generally younger, were followed up longer, and had more accompanying horizontal strabismus than did those who did not develop dissociated vertical deviation. The results did not reach significance. CONCLUSION: The current study demonstrates that dissociated vertical deviation occurs in association with monocular elevation deficiency.

Aging↗

General anaesthetic for a pilonidal sinus excision in a patient with hereditary angio-oedema.

Hereditary angio-oedema is an autosomal dominant condition resulting in a deficiency of C1 esterase inhibitor protein in serum. The condition is characterized by oedematous attacks in the skin, mucous membranes and gastrointestinal tract triggered by mental and physical stress. We present the rare case of a young girl with known hereditary angio-oedema and spina bifida occulta being admitted for an elective pilonidal sinus excision. This case presented different challenges for the anaesthetists and surgeons.

Adolescent↗

Glaucoma and ocular hypertension in pediatric patients with cataracts.

BACKGROUND: The pathogenesis of open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension in patients who have undergone surgical correction of their congenital cataracts remains undetermined. This study examines the prevalence of glaucoma and ocular hypertension in a population of patients who did not undergo surgical correction of their pediatric cataracts. METHODS: Fifty-eight eyes of 41 patients had cataracts before 2.5 years of age and were followed up until at least 5 years of age without operative correction. The patients were studied for the following parameters: age at diagnosis, type of cataract, etiology, bilaterality, optic nerve head cup-to-disc ratio, intraocular pressures, and reason why the patient did not undergo an operation. Glaucoma was defined as the presence of glaucomatous optic nerve head cupping with intraocular pressures of greater than 22 mm Hg. Ocular hypertension was defined as intraocular pressures greater than 22 mm Hg with no optic nerve changes. RESULTS: Nine of the 58 eyes had cataracts caused by persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous. The average age to the last intraocular pressure measurement was 19 years (range 5 to 48 years). Closed-angle glaucoma developed in two patients with persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous. Neither open-angle glaucoma nor ocular hypertension developed in any patients. CONCLUSION: Pediatric cataracts not of the persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous type were not associated with ocular hypertension or glaucoma in the absence of surgical cataract correction. In eyes with persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous cataracts, spontaneous closed-angle glaucoma developed in two of nine patients and open-angle glaucoma developed in none. Surgical cataract correction, or the aphakic state that follows such operations, may be responsible for pediatric aphakic glaucoma.

Adolescent↗

Baerveldt implant surgery in the treatment of advanced childhood glaucoma.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of Baerveldt implant (Pharmacia & Upjohn, Inc., Kalamazoo, Mich.) surgery in the treatment of advanced childhood glaucoma is unknown. METHODS: We reviewed the results of 23 consecutive 350 mm Baerveldt implants in 20 eyes of 17 children. Results were classified as follows: (1) success; no further reoperation, no decrease in vision, and intraocular pressure at last follow-up less than 21 mm Hg with no medications; (2) qualified success; medication necessary to bring intraocular pressure to less than 21 mm Hg or complication not associated with tube failure; and (3) failure; intraocular pressure >20 mm Hg, tube failure complication or reoperation causing tube removal, phthisis, or enucleation. RESULTS: Original glaucoma types were bilateral aphakic (five), unilateral aphakic or persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous (four), primary infantile (four), juvenile (three), secondary(two), Peter syndrome (one), and Lowe syndrome (one). Patients had undergone a mean of 2.8 previous intraocular procedures. Mean preoperative intraocular pressure was 33.6 mm Hg; average number of preoperative glaucoma medications was 3.0. Mean follow-up was 19 months (range, 6 to 32 months). Eight procedures were considered successful (mean intraocular pressure 15.5 mm Hg), six were qualified successes (mean number of medications 0.8; mean intraocular pressure 16 mm Hg), and nine failed. Two eyes in the qualified success group do not have useful vision as a result of complications. Complications included retinal detachment (five), corneal decompensation (five), corneal graft rejection in five of six grafts; dislocated tubes (three), and recurrent uveitis (two). One of these eyes is phthisic and one has been enucleated. Only two of nine procedures in eyes with a history of one or no previous intraocular operations failed,whereas seven of 13 procedures in eyes with a history of three or more previous procedures failed. Only seven of 13 procedures in aphakic eyes were successes or qualified successes, whereas seven of 10 procedures in phakic eyes had good results. CONCLUSION: Baerveldt implants can produce good short-term results, especially in phakic eyes. Aphakic eyes and eyes that have undergone multiple procedures are at a much higher risk for devastating complications.

Adolescent↗

The effect of subhypnotic doses of propofol on the incidence of pruritus after intrathecal morphine for caesarean section.

The effect of subhypnotic doses of propofol on intrathecal morphine-induced pruritus was studied in a prospective, randomly allocated, double-blind controlled trial. Fifty-eight women undergoing elective lower segment Caesarean section for a singleton fetus received spinal anaesthesia with 2.5 ml hyperbaric 0.5% bupivacaine and 0.2 mg of preservative-free morphine. They then received propofol 1 ml (10 mg) or Intralipid 1 ml (control group) intravenously after delivery. Pruritus was assessed using a five-point verbal rating scale at hourly intervals for 8 h. A second dose of their allocated treatment drug was administered at the first recording of significant pruritus. The pruritus score was reassessed after 5 min and the treatment was repeated if pruritus remained. There were no differences between the groups in the onset of pruritus or its successful treatment. No adverse side-effects were associated with this dose of propofol. There were no differences in the incidence of post-operative nausea and vomiting between the two groups. Subhypnotic propofol is not an effective treatment for intrathecal morphine-induced pruritus in women following Caesarean section.

Adult↗

Prediction of survival of critically ill patients by admission comorbidity.

The objective of this study was to determine how well the Charlson index of comorbidity would predict mortality of critically ill patients; and how the predictive ability of the index would compare with that of the comorbidity component (Chronic Health Points) of the APACHE II system. This prospective cohort study included in its setting an intensive care unit (ICU) and intermediate ICU (IICU) in a teaching hospital. Patients included a previously assembled inception cohort of 201 patients consecutively admitted to either unit, followed until death or discharge from the hospital, excluding patients admitted after coronary artery bypass grafting, for planned dialysis, or transferred to the IICU from another intensive care unit. Main outcome measures were recorded as death in hospital versus survival at discharge. For each patient we had prospectively obtained all data necessary to predict the probability of in-hospital death using the APACHE II system, and to classify comorbidity using the Charlson index. The Charlson index had significant ability to discriminate between patients who would live and who would die (ROC curve area = 0.67, SE = 0.05). The Chronic Health Points component of APACHE II had no significant discriminating ability (ROC area = 0.57, SE = 0.05), although the full APACHE II system was an excellent predictor (area = 0.87, SE = 0.04). Logistic regression analyses suggested that the Charlson index could contribute significant (p = 0.03) prognostic information to that obtained from the components of APACHE II other than Chronic Health, i.e., acute physiological derangement, age, and reason for admission, but the Chronic Health Points component of APACHE II could not so contribute to the rest of APACHE II (p = 0.19). Our conclusion is that use of the detailed information about comorbidity captured by the Charlson index could improve prognostic predictions even for critically ill patients.

APACHE↗

The one-year surgical outcome after prism adaptation for the management of acquired esotropia.

PURPOSE: To report the 1-year motor and sensory outcomes for patients with acquired comitant esotropia managed with preoperative prism adaptation. METHODS: Patients entered a multicenter randomized prospective evaluation of prism adaptation before strabismus surgery. Prism responders were randomized to surgery with the target angle based on either the entry angle or the adapted angle of esotropia. Three hundred five patients (92 percent of cohort) completed 1-year postoperative follow-up. RESULTS: The overall motor success rate for all patients in the study was 74 percent. Prism responders operated on for the adapted esotropic target angle had a satisfactory motor outcome more often than those operated on for the entry angle, 90 percent compared with 75 percent (P = 0.04). Significant predictors of a satisfactory motor outcome after surgery were prism adaptation, female sex, and hyperopia greater than or equal to +3.00 D. Prism responders operated on for the adapted angle showed fusion of the Worth 4-dot at substantially more often than did those operated on for the entry angle, 75 percent compared with 60 percent (P = 0.12). CONCLUSION: Prism adaptation significantly improves the 1-year motor outcome after esotropia surgery in prism responders. There is no increase in the number of overcorrections. These results confirm the value of allotting the extra time and potential expense needed for this technique.

Adaptation, Ocular↗