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Biomedical subjects

W H Sutherland

Publications and source records attributed to W H Sutherland.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Sensory nerve pathology in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

A detailed morphometric study was performed on sural nerve biopsies to determine the consistency of sensory nerve pathology in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and to seek a correlation between the severity of peripheral nerve pathology and disease duration. Nerve biopsies from patients with ALS consistently showed evidence of early axonal atrophy, increased remyelination and a shift in the diameter distributions curve towards smaller fiber diameters. Importantly, the severity of sensory nerve pathology in ALS patients correlated with disease duration. The peripheral nerve sodium pump concentration of patients was not reduced. It is concluded that an ingravescent dorsal root ganglion neuronopathy is seen in the incipient stages of ALS, preferentially affecting the largest neurons and resulting in turn in progressive axonal atrophy, secondary demyelination-remyelination and finally in nerve fiber degeneration. Etiologically, a parallel involvement of motor and sensory neurons suggests a more widespread metabolic disturbance in ALS than simply "sick" motor neurons.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Fecal bile acid concentration in distance runners.

Fecal bile acid concentration, fecal characteristics, bowel habits and habitual food intake were measured in male distance runners (n = 14) and sedentary men (n = 14). Fecal bile acid concentration was significantly (p less than 0.05) lower and stool weight, frequency of defecation and daily intake of fibre, carbohydrate, and protein were significantly (p less than 0.01) higher in the runners. After adjustment for differences in dietary fibre intake, fecal bile acid concentration was no longer significantly different between the distance runners and the sedentary men, but frequency of defecation remained significantly (p less than 0.05) higher in the runners. This study has identified lower fecal bile acid concentration in distance runners, which was probably due mainly to dilution of colon contents by higher consumption of dietary fibre. These findings may be relevant to the reduced incidence of colon cancer in physically active subjects.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Effect of eicosapentaenoic acid on restenosis rate, clinical course and blood lipids in patients after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.

In order to study the effects of eicosapentaenoic acid (Maxepa), Maxepa placebo and aspirin/dipyridamole combination on the clinical course and restenosis rate of atherosclerotic lesions after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty 79 men and 29 women were randomly divided into three treatment groups and restudied angiographically within one year of the procedure. Angina recurred less in the Maxepa group than in the other groups, although not statistically so. Restenosis rate was significantly reduced in the Maxepa group (11%) compared to the placebo group (30%) but, while less, was not significantly lower than in the aspirin/dipyridamole group (17%). Maxepa treatment appears to reduce restenosis rate of coronary artery lesions after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty and may be an acceptable and equally effective alternative therapy to aspirin/dipyridamole.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Simvastatin (MK 733): an effective treatment for hypercholesterolemia.

This study describes the efficacy of the drug simvastatin. It is likely to be the first HMG CoA reductase inhibitor in Australia and New Zealand available for the treatment of hyperlipidemia. Twenty-four patients, 12 men and 12 women with primary hypercholesterolemia were randomly allocated to treatment by cholestyramine (eight patients) or to simvastatin (16 patients) for a 12-week period. With simvastatin, total cholesterol levels decreased by 37.5% from a baseline mean of 10.33 mmol/L to 6.4 mmol/L after 12 weeks. Low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol concentration decreased by 48.2% from 8.40 mmol/L to 4.39 mmol/L. These effects were better than observed for cholestyramine alone where cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol reductions were 24.9% and 33.1% respectively. Thirteen patients, however, did not achieve target LDL levels of 3.62 mmol/L, or below, and therefore were treated with a combination of cholestyramine and simvastatin, resulting in a decrease of total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol by 45.5% and 53.5% of baseline values studied over an eight-week period. No major clinical side-effects were encountered. One patient appeared to have had a change in colour vision at the end of the study at 20 weeks, without loss of visual acuity.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Sitosterolaemia and heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia in a three year old girl: case report.

A case of a 3 1/2 year old female child is described in which symptomless cutaneous xanthomatosis led to the diagnosis of sitosterolaemia in the presence of a defect of low-density lipoprotein uptake by cultured fibroblasts. The condition responded to treatment by cholestyramine with normalisation of the blood lipid levels. Normal growth and development continued for three years of observation.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1988

Cholesterol in the plasma very low density lipoprotein fraction in patients with type III hyperlipoproteinemia: analysis of factors which modulate its concentration.

Anthropometric data, plasma lipoprotein lipid levels, and post-heparin lipoprotein lipase (PHLPL) activity were measured in nine patients with type III hyperlipoproteinemia (HLP) and two hypocholesterolemic subjects with the apo-E2/2 phenotype. Five type III HLP patients were treated with clofibrate. Log PHLPL activity was inversely correlated (r = -0.667, p less than 0.05) and age was positively correlated (r = 0.706, p less than 0.05) with cholesterol levels in the VLDL fraction of plasma from type III HLP patients. The correlation between log PHLPL and VLDL cholesterol levels remained significant when age was held constant in partial correlation analysis. Together age and log PHLPL activity accounted for 77% of individual variation in VLDL cholesterol levels in the type III patients. Clofibrate treatment raised PHLPL activity (+48%, p less than 0.05) and reduced the levels of VLDL cholesterol (-67%, P less than 0.05), VLDL triglycerides (-40%, P less than 0.02), and the ratio cholesterol/triglyceride in VLDL (-50%, P less than 0.05) in five type III HLP patients. Mean PHLPL activity was higher in the hypocholesterolemic subjects with the apo-E2/2 phenotype compared to the type III HLP patients. These results suggest that lipoprotein lipase activity and factors associated with age modulate the levels of abnormal and atherogenic remnant particles (beta-VLDL) in the VLDL plasma fraction of type III HLP patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Physical training plasma lipoproteins and faecal steroid excretion in sedentary men.

Thirty sedentary men aged 25-52 participated in a 4-month randomized and controlled study of the effects of exercise on plasma lipoproteins and faecal steroid excretion. After 4 months the aerobic training group showed a significant (P = 0.047) increase in physical work capacity (+38 watts) and a significant (P = 0.025) decrease in faecal total steroid excretion (-257 mg/day) compared to corresponding changes in the control group. The drop in faecal total steroid excretion in the men who trained was mainly due to a significant (P less than 0.05) fall in faecal neutral sterol excretion (-240 mg/day). Plasma lipoprotein lipid concentrations did not change significantly during the study although plasma levels of very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol tended to fall in the men who trained. In the aerobic training group individual changes in plasma LDL cholesterol levels were significantly correlated with decreases in faecal total steroid excretion (p = 0.615, P less than 0.05) and faecal neutral sterol excretion (p = 0.627, P less than 0.05). The results of this study show that regular exercise is associated with a drop in faecal neutral sterol excretion which, if sufficiently large, may be associated with a decrease in plasma LDL cholesterol concentration.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Familial type V hyperlipoproteinaemia in identical twins homozygous for apoliprotein variant E2: report.

Hyperchylomicronaemia and elevated very low density lipoproteins were found in relatively obese 47 year old identical twin brothers. Lipoprotein apoprotein studies showed the presence of apoprotein CII, the activator of lipoprotein lipase, and both men were homozygous E2/2. Studies on the ability of the brothers to clear triglyceride rich particles showed some impairment of post heparin lipase activity, and a slower clearance of infused fat emulsion. The values improved after weight loss. There was some evidence of impaired capacity of the patients' high density lipoprotein to activate post heparin lipoprotein lipase.

Apolipoprotein E2↗
PubMed1986

Physical training and plasma intermediate density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in men with hypertriglyceridemia.

Plasma lipoprotein lipid levels including IDL cholesterol concentration, physical fitness parameters, and anthropometric data were measured in 10 men with primary hypertriglyceridemia during a 12 week program of moderate physical training. Reduced pulse rate at submaximal workload and increased work performed on the treadmill indicated that the men had increased their physical fitness during the training period. Body weight (-4.9%) and total skinfold thickness (-15.6%) fell during the training program. A characteristic fall (-23%) in plasma triglyceride levels was seen over the first 8 weeks training. Plasma IDL cholesterol concentration fell (-18%) after 2 weeks training but then rose after 8 weeks to levels which tended to be higher than baseline values. Our data suggest that regular physical exercise is more likely to raise levels of the "proatherogenic" IDL than to lower them in hypertriglyceridemic patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Plasma lipoprotein levels and in vitro cholesterol synthesis by cells in human blood.

This study has measured plasma lipoprotein lipid levels and the in vitro rate of cholesterol synthesis from [2(-14)C]acetate by mononuclear leukocytes in blood from normolipidemic subjects and two patients with Tangier disease. The rate of cholesterol synthesis in blood was related inversely to plasma levels of HDL cholesterol in the normolipidemic subjects. This relationship was mainly due to a similar correlation in the women. The rate of blood cholesterol synthesis was raised in a woman with Tangier disease, which is consistent with the above correlation, but not in a man with this disease. We suggest that this correlation reflects an association between plasma HDL cholesterol levels and whole-body sterol synthesis.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Serum lipoprotein lipids and haematological variables in veteran runners, before and after a 2100 km relay run.

Plasma lipids and lipoprotein lipids, body characteristics, serum insulin concentration, distance run during training and haematological variables were determined in nine men aged between 62 and 72 years and who were regular runners. Multiple regression analysis showed that much of the variation in HDL cholesterol levels was explained by plasma triglycerides, and, to a lesser extent, by the distance run during training; although these variables contributed about equally to the variation in plasma HDL2 cholesterol levels. The effects on measured variables of a 2100 km relay, run over a 17-day period, were also studied. During the relay the men were running an average 20% further, per week, than during their training before the relay. Plasma LDL cholesterol concentration, red blood cell volume, red cell count and haemoglobin levels fell significantly during the relay, and in three men raised serum insulin levels were reduced to within the normal range. Reticulocyte counts were not raised after the relay which suggests that the anaemia, seen in these men, was not due to erythrocyte destruction. The results indicate that in elderly runner, plasma triglycerides are an important predictor of plasma HDL cholesterol levels.

Aged↗
PubMed1984

Polyarthritis associated with gastric carcinoma.

In a 68-year-old man who had polyarthritis associated with gastric carcinoma surgical resection of the tumour was accompanied by prompt resolution of the arthritic syndrome. In 11 years of follow-up the arthritis has remained in complete remission and there has been no recurrence of the carcinoma. An awareness that polyarthritis may be a presenting manifestation of an underlying carcinoma may, especially in an elderly person, lead to early recognition and treatment of the malignant disease.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1984

Clinical features of ischaemic heart disease correlated with high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in men with hyperbetalipoproteinaemia.

Thirty males with familial hypercholesterolaemia were divided on the basis of levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol into tertiles of high, middle and low values. Symptoms and signs were scored on an arbitrary system by three methods which either included or excluded angiographic findings. Symptomatic severity and clinical manifestations of hyperlipidaemia were related to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels irrespective of the effect of age, level of the blood pressure, or levels of other lipoproteins. The association was not improved by adding weightings drawn from coronary angiographic findings.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Post-heparin hepatic lipase activity and plasma high density lipoprotein levels in men during physical training.

Plasma post-heparin hepatic lipase (PHHL) activity, plasma lipids, and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels, pulse rate at submaximal workload, and body weight were measured in 12 men during the 18 weeks physical training for their first marathon run. Reduced pulse rate at submaximal workload indicated that the men increased their physical fitness during the training period. Plasma HDL-C levels (+27%) and PHHL activity (+29%) also increased significantly after 18 weeks training. These changes were not in accord with the inverse correlation between plasma HDL-C levels and PHHL activity which was observed before training. The results of this study do not support the concept that reduced PHHL activity is mainly responsible for increased levels of plasma HDL-C with training.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Physical training and fasting serum insulin levels in sedentary men.

The present study examined fasting serum insulin levels in relation to body composition and dietary intake during the initial 4 weeks of a 12-week physical training programme in 26 previously sedentary men. Fasting serum insulin concentrations decreased markedly during the first 4 weeks of training and remained at these reduced levels for the rest of the study. The early fall in serum insulin concentration was significantly correlated with the concomitant decrease in body fat, the increase in lean body weight and the age of the subjects. Body weight and reported dietary intake on the other hand, did not change significantly over this period. These results indicate that the decrease in fasting serum insulin in previously sedentary men with physical training is associated with the concomitant changes in body composition. Increased muscle tissue in particular may contribute to this training-induced decrease in serum insulin.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1984

Transfer of excess cholesterol from human red blood cells to plasma in vitro.

This study examined the ability of plasma and plasma fractions from normolipidaemic subjects and plasma from a patient with homozygous familial high density lipoprotein deficiency (Tangier disease) to promote loss of excess cholesterol from red blood cells in vitro. Isolated high density lipoproteins were the most potent plasma fraction for removing excess cellular cholesterol. Lipoprotein-deficient plasma and human serum albumin, but not very low density lipoproteins and low density lipoproteins, also removed excess cholesterol from the red blood cells. The near absence of high density lipoproteins in plasma from the patient with Tangier disease did not result in an abnormally low rate of cholesterol loss from the enriched red blood cells. These results suggest that normal levels of high density lipoproteins are not vital for the removal of excess cholesterol from red blood cells by plasma.

Cholesterol↗
PubMed1983

A register of individuals with inborn errors of lipoprotein metabolism and their families.

One hundred and fifty-five hyperlipidaemic families resident in the Christchurch and Dunedin areas were included on a computerised register with built in confidentiality safeguards. Investigation of the relatives of the 155 probands identified 519 with normal lipids and a further 381 with hyperlipidaemia. The presence of 536 hyperlipidaemic individuals in the population of the two areas indicates a frequency of at least 0.12% which extrapolates to approximately 3800 cases of familial hyperlipidaemia nationwide. Our findings suggest that less than half of these are likely to have been detected. The most common condition was the mendelian dominant disorder familial hypercholesterolaemia found in 108 families. The register has been used to facilitate detection of further cases of familial hyperlipidaemias and appropriate counseling as well as for detecting and reassuring normal relatives. It also facilitates the long term study of the treatment of the affected individuals.

Humans↗