Articles: function.
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Journal of anesthesia · Sep 1994
Lumbar epidural block reduces cough strength in healthy young subjects.
Effects of lumbar epidural block on maximum expiratory strength were studied in 12 healthy volunteers. Subjects performed maximum expiratory effort against occluded airway at functional residual capacity (FRC) and total lung capacity (TLC) while measuring airway pressure and electromyogram of the abdominal muscles (EMGab). Cough strength was assessed by maximum expiratory pressure (PEmax) and peak EMGab (peak-EMGab). ⋯ Compared with severe reduction in peak-EMGab, PEmax was well maintained at TLC, but changes in PEmax were identical to those in peak-EMGab at FRC. When analgesia spread to higher than T6, PEmax at TLC decreased considerably. We conclude that lumbar epidural block producing analgesia above T6 paralyzes the abdominal muscles and severely impairs the ability of effective cough in healthy young men.
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Journal of anesthesia · Sep 1994
Crossover effects of acidosis on the recovery of neuronal function following glucose-oxygen deprivation in rat hippocampal slices.
The present study was designed to determine whether acidosis modifies the effect of simulated ischemia on neuronal function. Hippocampal evoked potentials were recorded in vitro from the CA1 region after stimulation of the Schaffer collaterals and the change in the evoked potentials was analyzed in response to glucose-oxygen deprivation under variable acid-base conditions ranging from pH 7.4 to pH 4.5. ⋯ The recovery of PS amplitude during recovery from glucose-oxygen deprivation was not significantly inhibited by moderate acidosis of pH 6 and 5.5 but was significantly inhibited when the pH was 5 or lower. The results suggest that severe acidosis may depress PS amplitude and prevent their recovery after reversal of glucose-oxygen deprivation, and that moderate acidosis may have no significant effect on PS amplitudes on their recovery.
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In rheumatology, all of the more than 400 specified syndromes are associated with pain. In the conceptual discussion on the multidimensional influences postulated to explain the development of chronic pain, fibromyalgia has gained increasing interest. Fibromyalgia (fibrositis) is an unspecific soft-tissue disorder with chronic wide-spread musculoskeletal pain and palpable hypersensitivity at fibrositic tender points. ⋯ Histochemical investigations on muscle biopsy and biochemical tests have revealed unspecific changes but no characteristic muscle abnormality. It is supposed that the clinical features may result from central neurohumoral dysfunction combining with peripheral mechanisms to result in hyperalgesia. An integrated therapeutic concept with a reassuring and positive doctor-patient relationship can be helpful in achieving satisfactory treatment results.
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Annals of Saudi medicine · Jul 1994
Antithyroid antibodies and thyroid dysfunction in Saudi children with Down syndrome.
Fifty children (ages seven months to nine years) with Down syndrome compared with age and sex matched controls were tested for antithyroid antibodies. Seven (14%) of the Down group were found to b seropositive; six (12%) for antimicrosomal antibodies; three for both antimicrosomal and antithyroglobulin; none was positive for antithyroglobulin alone. ⋯ Thyroid dysfunction was not previously suspected in the two symptomatic children. In view of our findings, recommendations are made to regularly screen these children for autoantibdies and evidence of thyroid dysfuntion.
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Retrospective analysis was carried out for 447 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies of the spine. The overall mean age +/- SD of the entire series was 38.7 +/- 12.9 years. Degenerative spinal lesions and prolapsed intervertebral disks were detected in 62% and 73% of all the studies and of those which showed spinal abnormalities respectively. ⋯ Comparing the numbers of CT and CT myelograms requested in the year prior to the installation of the MRI to the numbers requested during the year where the MRI was functioning did not show any change in the frequency of ordering CT studies. We conclude that our hospital-based series has shown an interesting pattern for spinal disorders. The first year experience of the utilization of MRI in various spinal diseases has been satisfactory with prevailing diagnostic superiority for that modality.