Subject(s)
Evidence-Based Medicine , Biomedical Research/ethics , Clinical Medicine/standards , Evidence-Based Medicine/ethics , Evidence-Based Medicine/standards , Guideline Adherence , Health Services Research/ethics , Health Services Research/methods , Humans , Knowledge , Practice Guidelines as Topic , Qualitative Research , Reproducibility of Results , Social ResponsibilitySubject(s)
Multiple Myeloma/complications , Orbital Neoplasms/etiology , Plasmacytoma/etiology , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Multiple Myeloma/diagnostic imaging , Multiple Myeloma/radiotherapy , Orbital Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Orbital Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Plasmacytoma/diagnostic imaging , Plasmacytoma/radiotherapy , Tomography, X-Ray ComputedABSTRACT
Chronic wounds are a commonly encountered problem. An understanding of their aetiology, combined with a systematic approach to their management, is fundamental to achieving an optimal environment for healing to take place.
Subject(s)
Ulcer/therapy , Wound Healing , Chronic Disease , Diabetic Foot/pathology , Diabetic Foot/therapy , Foot Ulcer/pathology , Foot Ulcer/therapy , Humans , Leg Ulcer/pathology , Leg Ulcer/therapy , Pressure Ulcer/pathology , Pressure Ulcer/therapy , Ulcer/pathology , Varicose Ulcer/pathology , Varicose Ulcer/therapyABSTRACT
The aim of this open, non-comparative study was to assess the potential benefit of tissue-engineered human dermis (Dermagraft) in healing long-standing, difficult-to-heal diabetic foot ulcers, and the practicality of its use in the UK. Six patients with full-thickness neuropathic diabetic foot ulcers which extended into subcutaneous tissue and had an area > 1 cm2 were included. The treatment was applied weekly for eight weeks and the patients were followed for a total of 24 weeks. Four patients completed the study, showing improvement ranging from a reduction of 26% in ulcer area to complete healing. Two patients were withdrawn after developing complications not associated with the treatment. We conclude that this tissue-engineered human dermis has a role in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers as part of a comprehensive treatment package. A study to confirm effectiveness in a comparative trial and optimise patient selection is indicated.
Subject(s)
Diabetic Foot/therapy , Skin Transplantation , Skin, Artificial , Skin/cytology , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Cells, Cultured , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Pilot Projects , Skin/growth & developmentSubject(s)
Abscess/diagnosis , Postoperative Complications/diagnosis , Spinal Diseases/diagnosis , Staphylococcal Infections/diagnosis , Aged , Drug Resistance, Microbial , Epidural Space , Female , Humans , Methicillin/therapeutic use , Penicillins/therapeutic use , Staphylococcal Infections/drug therapySubject(s)
Melatonin/analysis , Pineal Gland/physiology , Saliva/analysis , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Melatonin/blood , Reference ValuesSubject(s)
Melatonin/analysis , Saliva/analysis , Adult , Humans , Longitudinal Studies , Male , Reference ValuesABSTRACT
Myotonic muscular dystrophy (MyD) is a systemic genetic disorder that is thought to result from a generalized cellular membrane defect although the exact nature of this defect is unknown. This study examines two calcium-dependent membrane processes that have been observed in erythrocytes from healthy individuals: calcium-stimulated phosphatidic acid accumulation and calcium-induced potassium leak. We find that erythrocytes from MyD patients, in contrast to controls, have markedly impaired phosphatidic acid accumulations while maintaining normal potassium leaks. The calcium uptakes and ATP contents of MyD erythrocytes are not different from controls. We conclude that phospholipid metabolism is altered in MyD erythrocytes. The specificity of this abnormality and its relationship to altered muscular function are not known.
Subject(s)
Erythrocyte Membrane/metabolism , Erythrocytes/metabolism , Membrane Lipids/metabolism , Myotonia Congenita/metabolism , Phosphatidic Acids/metabolism , Biological Transport, Active/drug effects , Calcium/metabolism , Calcium/pharmacology , Humans , In Vitro Techniques , Potassium/metabolismABSTRACT
The effect of cholesterol depletion on potassium tracer fluxes was studied in sheep red cells. Removal by the plasma incubation method (5, 12, 30) of approximately 31 and 34% membrane cholesterol from high-potassium (HK) and low-potassium (LK) sheep red cells, respectively, did not induce significant changes in the steady-state cation composition of these cells nor in their passive (leak) and active (pump) K+ influxes. In cholesterol-depleted LK sheep red cells, there was no impairment nor augmentation of the Lp an antibody stimulated K+ pump flux and L1-antibody-mediated reduction of K+ leak flux indicating that the removed cholesterol does not contribute to the activity of the Lp and L1 antigens.
