Thymoma in dogs: 23 cases (1980-1991).

Medical records of 23 dogs in which thymoma was diagnosed between Jan 1, 1980 and Dec 31, 1991 were reviewed. All thymomas were located in the cranial mediastinum. Eleven dogs had megaesophagus, and myasthenia gravis was confirmed in 7 of these 11. One dog developed clinical signs of myasthenia gravis after removal of the thymoma. Concurrent, nonthymic neoplasms were found in 5 dogs, and 2 had hypercalcemia. Three dogs developed third-degree atrioventricular heart block, 1 of which had generalized myositis involving the cardiac muscle. None of the dogs had evidence of distant metastasis. Histologically, the predominant tumor types were differentiated epithelial type (9/23) and lymphocyte-rich type (6/23). Clear cells (large cells with nonstaining cytoplasm) comprised > or = 50% of the cell population in tumors from 5 dogs. Mast cells were detected histologically in 85% of the thymomas evaluated. Sixteen dogs were treated, and in 15 of these, surgery was the primary means of treatment. Six of the 9 dogs with megaesophagus that underwent surgery died or were euthanized within 1 week of diagnosis; whereas only 1 of the 4 dogs without megaesophagus that underwent surgery died within 1 week of diagnosis. Two dogs underwent surgery and received adjuvant chemotherapy. One dog died of complications associated with chemotherapy. One dog was treated with chemotherapy alone and survived 14 months. Seven dogs did not undergo treatment; 4 of these were euthanatized immediately after the mass was first discovered.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Toxicoses associated with the administration of mitoxantrone to dogs with malignant tumors: a dose escalation study.

Forty-four dogs with histologically confirmed malignant tumors were used in a prospective study to determine the toxicity of the chemotherapeutic agent mitoxantrone, when administered at dosages higher than what has been previously reported for use in dogs. After each dose was administered, dogs were evaluated for signs of toxicosis for 3 weeks or until the dog developed progressive disease, died, or was euthanatized. Forty dogs had been refractory to 1 or more treatment modalities (surgery, n = 26; chemotherapy other than mitoxantrone, n = 17; radiation, n = 2) prior to entering this study. Ten dogs were given mitoxantrone at a dosage of 5.5 mg/m2 of body surface, IV, every 3 weeks (39 total doses); 11 were given mitoxantrone at a dosage of 6.0 mg/m2, IV, every 3 weeks (26 total doses); and 23 were given mitoxantrone at a dosage of 6.5 mg/m2, IV, every 3 weeks (70 total doses). The most common signs of toxicosis were vomiting, anorexia, diarrhea, lethargy, and sepsis secondary to myelosuppression. Two dogs, both of which received the highest dosage, died of complications attributable to mitoxantrone administration. The prevalence of toxicoses was not associated with age, breed, sex, tumor type, number of doses, or dosage. Dogs did develop myelosuppression 7 days after they were given mitoxantrone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Toxicoses and efficacy associated with administration of mitoxantrone to cats with malignant tumors.

Eighty-seven cats with histologically confirmed malignant tumors were used in a prospective study to determine the toxicity of mitoxantrone, a dihydroxyquinone derivative of anthracene, which was administered at 21-day intervals at dosages ranging from 2.5 to 6.5 mg/m2 of body surface, IV. Eleven of these cats were treated concurrently with radiation but were evaluated separately. Each cat was evaluated for signs of toxicosis for 3 weeks after each dose was administered or until the cat developed progressive disease, or until the cat's quality of life diminished to an unacceptable level as determined by the owner or attending veterinarian. Although the primary purpose of this study was to determine a clinically useful dosage and to characterize the toxicoses associated with mitoxantrone administration, each cat was monitored for response to treatment. Forty-nine cats had been refractory to 1 or more treatment modalities prior to inclusion in this study. The most common signs of toxicosis after treatment with mitoxantrone were vomiting, anorexia, diarrhea, lethargy, sepsis secondary to myelosuppression, and seizures. Two cats died of complications that may have been attributed to mitoxantrone: 1 of cardiomyopathy and the other of pulmonary edema of an undetermined cause. Older cats were more likely to develop signs of toxicosis after the third or fourth mitoxantrone treatment than younger cats (P < or = 0.05). Cats with signs of toxicosis during the 21-day interval after administration of the first dose of mitoxantrone were significantly (P < or = 0.05) more likely to develop signs of toxicosis during the 21-day interval between the second and third doses of mitoxantrone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acute and chronic adaptations of muscle proprioceptors in response to increased use.

Acute adaptations to use have been shown to occur in both the muscle spindle and Golgi tendon organ pathways. This short term activation adaptation increases the excitability of the motoneuron pool, thereby potentially providing a nonvoluntary increase in the excitation of subsequent contractions. It is thought that the intrafusal muscle fibres reset to a higher gain after contraction and that the tendon organ pathway undergoes a brief desensitisation. These phenomena could be important clinically when trying to stretch muscles, i.e. a contraction before a stretch should make the stretch more difficult. Also, this could affect the amount of muscle force generated, thereby altering motor behaviours requiring fine accuracy. Research on the adaptations of proprioceptors during free movement, using locomotion as a model, has found that the hypothesis of consistent alpha-gamma coactivation during motor behaviours is much more complicated and adaptable, depending on the environmental circumstance and the specific motor task. These research findings support the use of selective training, i.e. training to the task, for optimal motor learning. The results of the relatively limited research on chronic adaptations of proprioceptors due to exercise has shown that on a microlevel, the intrafusal muscle fibres may show some metabolic changes but do not show any hypertrophy. However, on a more macro level, with extended training, the latency of the stretch reflex response is found to be decreased and the amplitude is found to be increased in both animals and humans. Through classical conditioning research, proprioceptors may also be necessary for motor learning. Lastly, both primates and humans have been shown to be able to up- or down-grade their stretch reflex responses using operant conditioning techniques and many practice sessions. These findings have important implications both for rehabilitation of persons with abnormal reflex activity and in the training of athletes. This review provides some consolidation of the recent research findings, but much more research needs to be done in order to fully understand the purpose and importance of the proprioceptive sensory system.

Performance of preschoolers on the Pediatric Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction for Balance.

The purposes of this study were to describe the performance of 40 children aged 4 and 5 years on the Pediatric Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction for Balance (P-CTSIB) and to determine whether age- and gender-related differences were present. The P-CTSIB measures standing balance when sensory input is systematically altered. Kruskal-Wallis one-way analyses of variance by ranks (p less than or equal to .05) were used for comparisons by age and gender. When the 4-year-olds were compared with the 5-year-olds, significant duration differences were found in 4 of the 6 conditions in the heel-toe position of the P-CTSIB. The age-related differences on the remaining 2 heel-toe conditions, as well as on Condition 6 of the feet-together position, approached significance. Gender differences with 4-year-olds and 5-year-olds combined were statistically non-significant in all instances; however, girls performed better on 9 of the 12 conditions of the P-CTSIB. The results indicate that the feet-together position can discriminate between children without balance deficits and children with balance deficits. The heel-toe position is difficult for children aged 4 and 5 years without balance deficits and consequently has limited diagnostic value for this age group.

Evaluation of a one-hour saline diuresis protocol for administration of cisplatin to dogs.

A study was undertaken to determine the toxic effects of cisplatin, an antineoplastic agent, when administered immediately after a 1-hour saline diuresis. Four treatments with cisplatin (70 mg/m2 of body surface, q 3 wk) were administered IV to 6 healthy dogs over a 20-minute period after 0.9% NaCl (saline) solution was administered IV for 1 hour at a volume of 132 ml (kg)0.75. Each dog vomited at least once within 8 hours after each treatment was administered. Clinical status, body weight, and food consumption were normal throughout the 12-week study for 5 of the 6 dogs. The sixth dog developed acute renal failure and became acutely blind and deaf within 3 days after the fourth treatment with cisplatin. Serum electrolyte, creatinine, and urea nitrogen values remained within established normal limits in all dogs immediately prior to each treatment, and in 5 of 6 dogs evaluated 3 weeks after the final treatment. The serum creatinine value (3.3 mg/dl) obtained from the Beagle euthanatized 2 weeks after the fourth treatment was above established normal values. Despite normalcy for all but 1 of the creatinine values, serum creatinine concentration obtained 3 weeks after the final treatment with cisplatin was significantly (P = 0.0001) higher than pretreatment values. When compared with data from all other evaluation periods, significant decreases in glomerular filtration rate, as determined by exogenous (P less than or equal to 0.0001) and endogenous (P less than or equal to 0.0001) creatinine clearance testing, were identified 3 weeks after the fourth treatment with cisplatin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Interrater and test-retest reliability of two pediatric balance tests.

The purpose of this study was to examine the interrater and test-retest reliability of a one-leg balance test and a tiltboard balance test. Twenty-four normally developing children aged 4 through 9 years participated in the study. Time and quality of balance on one leg and degrees of tilt on a tiltboard prior to postural adjustment were measured. Both tests were completed with eyes open and with eyes closed. Interrater reliability was examined using two raters. Test-retest reliability, with a one-week interval between test and retest, was examined for a subgroup consisting of 12 children. Spearman rank-order correlation coefficients were used as indexes of both interrater and test-retest reliability for time and degrees of tilt. To supplement the correlation coefficients, the magnitudes of difference between raters' scores and between test and retest scores were calculated. Spearman coefficients were moderate to high for one-leg balance when scores for both feet were combined for both eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions. The magnitude of difference between scores was low, indicating good agreement between raters and across time. Interrater and test-retest reliabilities of quality of one-leg standing balance were examined by calculating percentages of agreement and Cohen's Kappa statistics. Results of these analyses revealed the need for further study. The Spearman coefficients for the interrater tiltboard test were high; however, the test-retest coefficients were low. The magnitudes of difference between scores were small for the two raters, but large for test and retest. These results are important to consider when using these tests for initial evaluation or for monitoring patient progress.

Clinical implication of the peabody developmental motor scales: a constructive review.

The Peabody Developmental Motor Scales (PDMS) is a standardized, norm-referenced test used to assess the fine and gross motor development of children, birth to 83 months of age. While the PDMS has many positive aspects, several areas of concern are evident which affect the clinical interpretation of test scores. The purpose of this review is to discuss the strengths and areas of concern of the PDMS. In addition, suggestions for improvement are provided. The areas discussed include: (1) test construction, (2) test content, (3) test administration, and (4) scoring and reporting test scores.

Accepted and controversial neuromotor therapies for infants at high risk for cerebral palsy.

Neuromotor therapies are prescribed frequently for infants at high risk for cerebral palsy or other central nervous system (CNS) disorders. Based on the concept of early CNS plasticity, neuromotor therapies are important components of early intervention programs. The purposes of this review article are (1) to describe five neuromotor therapies commonly used in the United States, Europe, and the Far East; (2) to briefly present research results of efficacy studies using these various therapies; (3) to discuss similarities and differences among the various approaches; (4) to highlight controversies surrounding some of these approaches; and (5) to present suggestions for future research on examining efficacy of early neuromotor therapy.

Assessment of the reliability of pediatric screening: a tool for occupational or physical therapists.

This study was conducted to determine interrater and test-retest reliability characteristics of the instrument, Pediatric Screening: A Tool for Occupational and Physical Therapists. This protocol was developed by two public school therapists to be used as a decision-making mechanism for systematically assessing the students' relative need for therapy services. The subjects were 75 children, aged 3 to 16 years, with various types and degrees of disability. Each was scored on the screening tool by three different school therapists within one week to determine interrater reliability. Each of the therapists also tested two or three of the children again several weeks later to determine test-retest reliability. Analysis of interrater reliability using the Spearman-Brown prediction formula showed total scores on the screening tool to be reliable at the .90 level. Test-retest reliability measurements using the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients showed that total scores were highly correlated (r = .96; p less than .001). These measures indicated that the Pediatric Screening tool is a highly reliable instrument in terms of scoring between therapists and by individual therapists across time.