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Biomedical subjects

Z F Udwadia

Publications and source records attributed to Z F Udwadia.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1994

Rabies.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Humans↗
PubMed1993

Thyrotropin concentration predicts outcome in critical illness.

Concentrations of thyrotropin, total thyroxine, total tri-iodothyronine and cortisol were measured on admission to an intensive care unit in 200 consecutive patients who did not receive dopamine. Thyrotropin concentration was subnormal (< 0.4 mU.l-1) in 25 patients (12%) and increased (> 5.0 mU.l-1) in 27 (13%). Mortality in these groups differed 22-fold (88% and 4% respectively) despite comparable APACHE II outcome predictions (51% and 32%). Thyrotropin concentration correlated positively with total thyroxine concentration (r = 0.46, p < 0.001) and negatively with cortisol concentration (r = -0.56, p < 0.001). In 15 of the patients with increased thyrotropin concentration on admission, repeat measurements were made on recovery and were normal in 13. The high frequency of abnormal thyrotropin concentrations casts doubt on the assumption of euthyroidism in critical illness. Admission thyrotropin concentration is of prognostic value in critically ill patients.

Critical Care↗
PubMed1992

Nasal ventilation to facilitate weaning in patients with chronic respiratory insufficiency.

BACKGROUND: The non-invasive technique of nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) has an established role in providing domiciliary nocturnal ventilatory support in patients with chest wall disorders, neuromuscular disease, and chronic obstructive lung disease. NIPPV was used to simplify ventilatory management and assist the return of spontaneous breathing in patients with chronic respiratory insufficiency who had failed to wean from conventional intermittent positive pressure ventilation (IPPV). METHODS: A trial of NIPPV was carried out in 22 patients with weaning difficulties. Nine patients had chest wall disorders or primary lung disease, six had neuromuscular conditions, and seven had cardiac disorders with additional pulmonary disease. Conventional IPPV via an endotracheal tube or tracheostomy had been continued postoperatively in nine patients and 13 had been ventilated after acute cardiorespiratory decompensation. RESULTS: Conventional IPPV had been continued for a median of 31 days (range 2-219). Eighteen patients were successfully transferred to NIPPV and discharged home a median of 11 days (range 8-13) after starting this type of ventilation. Sixteen patients remain well 1-50 months after hospital discharge and 10 of these continue on domiciliary nocturnal NIPPV. Seven patients have returned to work. CONCLUSION: NIPPV can be used to facilitate the return of spontaneous breathing and to reduce the need for intensive care accommodation in patients with an acute exacerbation of chronic respiratory insufficiency that requires intubation and IPPV.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Haemodynamic studies during the management of severe tetanus.

Detailed invasive haemodynamic studies were performed in 27 of 32 patients with severe tetanus. Nineteen had severe uncomplicated tetanus and eight had associated major complications, chiefly infection and pulmonary complications. The results were compared with those obtained from 15 healthy male volunteers who served as controls. There were two deaths in 32 patients (mortality 6.25 per cent). Severe tetanus without major complications was characterized by a high output hyperkinetic circulatory state with tachycardia (heart rate 131 (19.2) beats/minute), increased stroke volume index (43.1 (10.7) ml/m2), increased cardiac index (5.48 (0.94) l/min/m2) and a normal left ventricular stroke work index (60.5 (15.9) g/m/m2). Volume loading demonstrated a significant haemodynamic response and increased vascular capacitance. Even so the maximum percent rise from baseline values of these indices after volume load was significantly higher in controls (p < 0.001). Autonomic cardiovascular disturbances affected both sympathetic and parasympathetic activity. Hypertension and tachycardia alternating with hypotension and bradycardia were related to sudden fluctuations in systemic vascular resistance. Our studies suggested some degree of myocardial dysfunction in patients with severe uncomplicated tetanus. The haemodynamics of severe tetanus were masked and altered by complicating infection, pneumonia, and atelectasis.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1991

Cortisol response to corticotropin and survival in septic shock.

Corticotropin stimulation tests were used to assess adrenocortical function in 32 patients with septic shock. 13 patients had a poor cortisol response (rise less than 250 nmol/l) to corticotropin, all of whom died. However, there were only 6 deaths among the 19 patients with adequate responses (p less than 0.001). These results suggest that some patients with septic shock may have relative adrenocortical insufficiency.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗
PubMed1990

Bronchoscopic and bronchographic findings in 12 patients with sarcoidosis and severe or progressive airways obstruction.

Twelve patients (8 men), aged 33-67 (mean 49) years, with histologically proved sarcoidosis underwent bronchoscopy. All had symptoms, signs (wheeze in 11, high pitched inspiratory "squeaks" in six, stridor in three), and physiological abnormalities characteristic of severe or worsening airways obstruction. Eleven patients also underwent bronchography. At the time of bronchoscopy four patients had stage II, one stage III, and seven stage IV sarcoidosis. All patients had a peak expiratory flow (PEF) of 70% predicted or less and a maximum expiratory flow at 50% (MEF50) and 25% (MEF25) of vital capacity below 35% predicted. The ratio of their forced expiratory volume in one second to forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) ranged from 37% to 65%. Fibreoptic bronchoscopy showed single or multiple areas of segmental bronchial stenoses in 10 patients, two of whom had stenotic webs. Bronchography showed that the sites and severity of stenoses were more widespread than suspected from the bronchoscopic findings. Five of the 11 patients undergoing bronchography had bronchiectasis, which was restricted to the upper lobes in three and a lower lobe in one and affected both upper and lower lobes in one patient. The bronchiectasis had not been suspected or diagnosed from the chest radiography or the bronchoscopy.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

An attempt to determine the optimal duration of hospital stay following a severe attack of asthma.

The optimal duration of hospital stay following admission for acute severe asthma is difficult to determine. An asthmatic is at particularly high risk of sudden death in the 6-12 weeks after admission, and too early hospital discharge may add to this risk. Thirty patients hospitalised for severe asthma recorded peak flows thrice daily for 8 weeks following discharge. Peak flow charts were reviewed at monthly intervals, and dips were divided into 'minor' (peak flow less than 75% of the patient's best), 'major' (less than 50%) and 'catastrophic' (less than 30%). Fourteen of the 30 patients had major dips (including 4 who had catastrophic dips as well). Four of these 14 patients were readmitted with acute severe asthma during the 8 weeks follow-up period; in contrast, none of the 16 patients without major dips required readmission. The only in-hospital factor that correlated with and was predictive of (p less than 0.001) multiple major dips post-discharge was the peak flow variability in the 24 hours before discharge, defined as [(highest-lowest peak flow)/highest] x 100. Thirteen of the 14 patients with major dips had pre-discharge peak flow variation greater than 20% compared with only 2 of the 16 without major dips. We believe it is unwise to discharge asthmatics from hospital until the diurnal variation in their peak flow is below 20%. Discharging them before this target is reached puts them at increased risk of further severe attacks of asthma requiring re-hospitalisation.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1989

Human rabies: clinical features, diagnosis, complications, and management.

A case of rabies was treated with intensive medical support. This led to a prolongation of life to 25 days. The neurologic progression of the disease was monitored clinically and with serial EEG. This prolonged course enabled us to witness and manage a wide variety of unusual complications including the adult respiratory distress syndrome, hypothermia, myocarditis, and diabetes insipidus. This report documents the clinical features, diagnostic problems, complications, and management.

Coma↗
PubMed1988

Penile hyperexcitability with recurrent ejaculations as the presenting manifestation of a case of rabies.

A patient with rabies presented with penile hypersensitivity and recurrent ejaculation. This preceded the more classical manifestations such as hydrophobia and aerophobia by approximately 8 hours. A review of the literature reveals that a variety of urogenital symptoms may rarely occur in rabies. Ours is however the first report documenting the occurrence of these symptoms at the onset of the disease in an autopsy proven case of rabies. Damage to the amygdaloid nucleus has been postulated to be the basis of these urogenital symptoms. This correlates well with our autopsy findings of extensive neuronal damage and Negri bodies in the temporal poles.

Ejaculation↗