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Biomedical subjects

W Lutz

Publications and source records attributed to W Lutz.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

[Liver function test based on various biochemical parameters and the RBI-131 test in workers chronically exposed to organic solvents].

The studies covered 21 workers chronically exposed to benzine and tetrachloroethylene. The average age of subjects was 45.6 years, whereas average duration of exposure--17.8 years. All the test workers underwent determinations of half-time of the decrease in the activity of Bengal rose labelled J-131 in blood. In addition, a number of biochemical and enzymatic tests have been carried out. The obtained results have been compared to those in a group of people non-exposed to any noxious substances, in whom no liver lesions had been diagnosed by biochemical tests. No changes in the test biochemical parameters have been found in the group of workers chronically exposed to organic solvents, as compared to the non-exposed group. In the test group only statistically significant differences were found in T1/2 values of CBJ-131 test, as compared to controls, which may be indicative of a slight impairment of liver parenchyma in the test workers; on the other hand, no interrelation between T1/2 CBJ-131 and duration of work in exposure has been demonstrated.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Comparative pathology of prevalent and incident cancers detected by breast screening. Edinburgh Breast Screening Project.

In the Edinburgh Breast Screening Project 210 cancers were detected from commencement in 1979 up to December, 1984. By this time the full initial cohort had completed at least 3 visits and a proportion had attended for up to 5 visits, so pathological characteristics for prevalent and incident cancers could be compared. The main differences are in distribution of histological type of cancer, detection of occult invasive disease, and lymph-node positivity among incident tumours. Only the first of these was statistically significant. This evaluation shows that cancer detection by screening in Edinburgh conforms with screening theory, in which detection of good prognosis tumours is favoured at the prevalence screens, and faster growing, aggressive tumours are found at the incidence screens. Qualitative histopathology may provide a better measure than standard quantitative judgments of size and lymph node status to compare the varieties of cancer detected by screening programmes and to understand the biology of the disease.

Aged↗
PubMed1986

A prospective evaluation of the Björk-Shiley, Hancock, and Carpentier-Edwards heart valve prostheses.

From 1975 to 1979, 540 patients undergoing valve replacement were entered into a randomized trial and received either a Björk-Shiley (273 patients) or a porcine heterograft prosthesis (initially a Hancock valve [107 patients] and later a Carpentier-Edwards prosthesis [160 patients]). Two hundred and sixty-two patients required mitral valve replacement, 210 required aortic valve replacement, 60 required mitral and aortic valve replacement, and eight also required associated tricuspid valve replacement (six mitral valve replacement; two mitral plus aortic valve replacement). Analysis of 34 preoperative and operative variables showed the treatment groups to be well randomized. In-hospital mortality was not significantly different among patients receiving the three prostheses for aortic valve replacement (7.6% overall) and mitral plus aortic valve replacement (10% overall), but there was a higher in-hospital mortality for patients undergoing mitral valve replacement with the Carpentier-Edwards prosthesis (15.5% compared with 8.8% overall; p = .03). This difference could not be explained on the basis of any preoperative or operative variable. Median follow-up was 5.6 (range 2.8 to 8.3) years. Actuarial survival after mitral valve replacement was 56.7 +/- 7.0% at 7 years, that after aortic valve replacement was 69.6 +/- 9.6% at 7 years, and that after mitral plus aortic valve replacement was 62.5 +/- 20.0% at 7 years. There was no significant difference in actuarial survival of patients receiving the three prostheses within the mitral, aortic, and mitral plus aortic valve replacement groups, nor was there a difference when these groups were amalgamated. Thirty-seven patients required reoperation for valve failure (15 with Björk-Shiley, 12 with Hancock, and 10 with Carpentier-Edwards valves; p = NS) and 11 died at reoperation (four with Björk-Shiley, four with Hancock, and three with Carpentier-Edwards valves; overall operative mortality 29.7%). Up to 7 years after surgery, there was no significant difference in the incidence of thromboembolism in patients with different prostheses undergoing mitral or aortic valve replacement. There were too few patients undergoing mitral plus aortic valve replacement for meaningful comparison. There was no significant beneficial effect of anticoagulants in patients undergoing mitral or aortic valve replacement with porcine prostheses, but patients were not randomly allocated to anticoagulant treatment. All patients with Björk-Shiley prostheses received anticoagulants.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Aged↗
PubMed1986

[Child mortality in Nepal: an analysis of its socioeconomic determinants and a comparison with other developing countries].

The author studies child mortality in Nepal in this section of a large comparative project involving 15 developing countries. "Employing a method suggested by Trussell and Preston (1982) a child mortality index is computed for every woman by relating actual number of child deaths to the expected number of child deaths implied by marital duration, fertility, and the national mortality level. Based on the Nepal Fertility Survey of 1976 bi-, tri-, and multivariate analysis showed significant child mortality differentials according to mothers' and fathers' education, religion, and ecological region. The population of Nepal is still extremely homogeneous in that 96% of all ever-married women aged 15-49 can neither read or write, 95% live in rural areas, and 90% are Hindus. For women deviating from this pattern child mortality is in most cases substantially lower." (SUMMARY IN ENG)

Asia↗
PubMed1986

[The aging of the Austrian population: a graphic analysis].

"This paper applies two kinds of graphs illustrating three-dimensional relationships of the development of Austrian age structure 1869-2025 and of the history of age-specific fertility and mortality rates since 1951. Perspective pictures (3-D mountains) present the evolution of male and female age structures and of age-specific sex-ratios." The author discusses the baby boom generation and the impact of the population aging process on social and economic aspects of life in Austria (SUMMARY IN ENG)

Age Distribution↗
PubMed1985

[Marriages, divorces, and number of children: life tables on the family life cycle in Austria].

A multistate life table approach to the analysis of the family life cycle is outlined. "After calculating one-dimensional nuptiality and divorce tables and presenting a recently developed model of a fertility table based on parity, a multi-state model is described in which the cells represent all possible combinations of marital status and parity." The model is applied to data from the 1976 and 1981 micro-censuses of Austria. Findings regarding marriage, divorce, fertility, and fertility differentials by education are discussed. (summary in ENG)

Austria↗
PubMed1984

The Edinburgh randomised trial of screening for breast cancer: description of method.

Edinburgh was selected as one of the centres in the UK Seven-year Trial of Breast Screening of women aged 45-65 which began in 1979. Subsequently, our study was extended to a randomised trial with its own control population within the city. Half the practices were randomly allocated for screening, giving a cluster sampling of women. The total number in the trial is 65,000. Women with previously diagnosed breast cancer are excluded. Women allocated for screening are invited to the clinic and screened according to the procedures specified in the U.K. protocol, having clinical examination every year and mammography on alternate years. The two modalities of screening are assessed independently and the role of nurses is being evaluated. Breast cancer incidence is monitored by pathology register and the local cancer registry office and deaths from the General Register office. Long-term follow-up will be obtained through flagging at NHS Central Register. To determine the value of screening, standard statistical methods will be used to compare breast cancer mortality rates in the whole of the screening population with that of the controls. This trial has a power of 83% of detecting a reduction in mortality of 35% after 7 years of follow-up and a power of 95% of detecting a similar reduction at 10 years (alpha = 0.05, one-sided test).

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1984

[How consistent are personal data? Analysis of statements on the planning status of pregnancies].

The consistency of responses on the planning status of births is analyzed using data from a longitudinal fertility survey being carried out by the Demographic Institute of the Austrian Academy of Sciences. Interviews were conducted in 1978 and 1981 with a sample of two marriage cohorts; in both sets of interviews a question was asked concerning the reaction to a pregnancy at the time the woman heard about it. "After linking the data for the pregnancies leading to first or second births, a consistency index suggested by Ryder and Westoff...was applied which distinguishes between random and nonrandom consistency. For the first births a proportion of 54.4% identical answers yields a consistency index of 38.0...; for second births a proportion of 53.7% identical answers results in [a] consistency index of 30.1...." Differential consistency is also analyzed according to selected socioeconomic and demographic variables as well as a variable measuring the correspondence of husband's and wife's desired family sizes in the opinion of the husband. (summary in ENG)

Attitude↗
PubMed1984

[Liver function tests and various biochemical parameters in the blood serum of workers chronically exposed to vinyl chloride].

Forty-three persons chronically exposed to vinyl chloride were examined. In their blood serum activity of AlAT and AspAT aminotransferases, alkaline phosphatase, concentration of total protein and electrophoretic fraction, thymol test value, concentration of ferrum, latent and total ability of ferrum binding, and transferrin ferrum saturation coefficient were determined. In addition, determined were bromsulphtaleinic test and J-131 labelled Bengal red test; furthermore, protein synthesis index was determined, using the Se-75 labelled selenemethionine. The test group, as compared to correct values, exhibited a significant increase in Fe concentration in serum, significantly prolonged Bengal rose decay halftime in blood, and statistically significant decrease in the rate of plasma protein synthesis. The greatest percentage of pathological results was that of the index of protein synthesis rate (50%), T1/2 of CBJ-131 activity decay (39.5%), transferrin ferrum saturation coefficient (30.4%), concentration of Fe (26.1%) and gammaglobuline (24.3%) in serum. A considerable part of the reduced protein synthesis index in the test group of workers pointed to its usability for detecting early disturbances in liver functioning.

Adult↗