St Bartholomew's Hospital

About: St Bartholomew's Hospital is a healthcare organization based out in London, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Cancer. The organization has 11054 authors who have published 13229 publications receiving 501102 citations. The organization is also known as: St. Bartholomew's Hospital & The Royal Hospital of St Bartholomew.

Variation in the PPARα gene is associated with altered function in vitro and plasma lipid concentrations in Type II diabetic subjects

Abstract: Aims/hypothesis. Peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha (PPARα) regulates genes involved in lipid metabolism, haemostasis and inflammation, in response to fatty acids and fibrates, making it a candidate gene for risk of dyslipidaemia, atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease. Plasma non-esterified fatty acids are increased in subjects with Type II (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus, suggesting that PPARα could link Type II diabetes and dyslipidaemia, and affect response to fibrates. This has been investigated in association studies in healthy and diabetic subjects and in vitro studies. Methods. The human PPARα gene was isolated and screened for variation by single strand conformation polymorphism analysis. Genotypes were determined for 129 Type II diabetic subjects and 2508 healthy men. The association with plasma lipid concentrations was examined. The function of the V162 variant was examined in co-transfection assays. Results. We identified two polymorphisms, one in intron 3 and a missense mutation, leucine 162 to valine, in the DNA binding domain. In Type II diabetic patients, V162 allele carriers had higher total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and apoAI whereas intron 3 rare allele carriers had higher apoAI concentrations. By contrast, no effect was observed in healthy rare allele carriers. In vitro, the V162 variant showed greater transactivation of a reporter gene construct. Conclusion/interpretation. Naturally occurring variation alters PPARα function, influencing plasma lipid concentrations in Type II diabetic patients but not healthy people. This demonstrates that PPARα is a link between diabetes and dyslipidaemia, and so could influence the risk of coronary artery disease, the greatest cause of morbidity and mortality in Type II diabetes. [Diabetologia (2000) 43: 673–680]

Incidence and mechanism of neutropenia and thrombocytopenia in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection

Abstract: The incidence of lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia and neutropenia was studied in 105 homosexual men with HIV infection. Lymphopenia was common in patients with AIDS (75%), but its incidence in PGL (24%) was not significantly different from that in asymptomatic anti-HIV positive (15%) homosexual men. Neutropenia and thrombocytopenia were found in patients with AIDS or PGL, but not in asymptomatic anti-HIV positive homosexuals. The study suggests that the neutropenia and thrombocytopenia in these patients were due to autoimmune destruction of neutrophils and platelets.

Phase II Study of Vinorelbine in Patients With Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

Abstract: PURPOSE: To evaluate the response rate and impact on quality of life of vinorelbine given as cycles of 30 mg/m2 weekly for 6 weeks to patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-nine patients with histologically proven malignant pleural mesothelioma were enrolled (26 male patients and three female patients; median age, 58 years [range, 29 to 77 years]). Seventeen patients had epithelioid tumors, two had sarcomatoid tumors, and 10 had biphasic tumors. The International Mesothelioma Interest Group staging system was used: one patient had stage Ib disease, 10 had stage II disease, eight had stage III disease, and 10 had stage IV disease. Patients were treated with weekly injections of vinorelbine 30 mg/m2. A cycle consisted of six weekly injections. The new guidelines to evaluate the response to treatment in solid tumors were used. Responses were measured by spiral computed tomography scan. RESULTS: All twenty-nine patients had measurable disease and were assessed for response....

Determination of the Optimum temperature for regional renal hypothermia during temporary renal ischaemia.

Abstract: To determine the optimum temperature at which the in situ kidney should be maintained while it is ischaemic, 47 mongrel dogs were studied. 35 of these underwent 90 minutes of left renal ischaemia with the kidney temperature maintained at 37 degree, 30 degree, 22 degree, 15 degree and 0 degree C respectively. The effect on renal function was determined by measurements of G.F.R. before and at regular 15-minute intervals after the inschaemic period. Computer statistical analysis exposed the optimum temperature to be 15 degree C. Renal artery blood flow, renal histology, 15-Cr labelled platelets and renal arteriography were used to determine the mechanism of ischaemic injury. Quantitation of renal cell injury confirmed that no additional protection to ischaemia could be gained by colling below 15 degree C. 15 degree C is recommended as the optimum temperature for use in clinical renal hypothermia.