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Biomedical subjects

A Kent

Publications and source records attributed to A Kent.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

A study of mild fetal pyelectasia - outcome and proposed strategy of management.

Mild fetal pyelectasia, defined as a renal pelvic anteroposterior (AP) diameter of 4-10 mm, has become a frequent finding on fetal ultrasonography. The natural history of such dilatation is unclear, resulting in confusion as to appropriate postnatal investigation and management. The aim of this study was to examine the urinary tract outcome of a series of infants with mild fetal pyelectasia demonstrated on routine morphology ultrasonogram between 16 and 21 weeks' gestation. Of the 37 cases identified, 13 (35%) went on to require medical or surgical intervention for significant urinary tract anomalies. These anomalies included pelvi-ureteric junction obstruction, dysplastic kidney, vesicoureteric reflux and posterior urethral valves. On initial scan all cases had an AP diameter of 4-8 mm and did not predict those infants who would go on to require intervention. An AP diameter of greater than 7 mm on repeat scans performed after 27 weeks' gestation had a positive predictive value of 0.92 and a negative predictive value of 0.76 for significant urinary tract anomaly requiring intervention. The specificity was 0. 94 and sensitivity 0.70. A protocol of one repeat antenatal ultrasound at 28-34 weeks' gestation would be able to identify those infants who would require postnatal investigation, using a measurement of >/=7 mm. The fetus with a normal repeat ultrasound would not require postnatal follow-up.

Female↗
PubMed1999

A greater role of emotional than physical or sexual abuse in predicting disordered eating attitudes: the role of mediating variables.

OBJECTIVE: Previous research on the role of trauma in eating psychopathology has generally focused on reported childhood sexual abuse. There has been relatively little research addressing the full range of abusive experiences, and none considering their long-term impact on eating. This study investigated the relationships between four forms of reported childhood abuse (physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, neglect) and unhealthy eating attitudes in adult life. Within this relationship, depression, anxiety, and dissociation were considered potential mediators, and age of onset of abuse was considered a potential moderator. METHOD: A nonclinical sample of 236 women completed self-report measures of abuse, eating psychopathology, and psychological function. Multiple regression analyses were used to test for associations as well as for mediating and moderating influences. RESULTS: When the intercorrelations of the different forms of reported abuse were controlled for, emotional abuse was the only form of childhood trauma that predicted unhealthy adult eating attitudes. That relationship was perfectly mediated by the women's levels of anxiety and dissociation. Age at onset of emotional abuse did not moderate these relationships. DISCUSSION: Although these results require extension to a clinical sample, the findings underscore the need to consider a history of emotional trauma as a potentially central factor in any abusive history. Treatment may depend on addressing the psychological consequences of such trauma.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

The impact of childhood emotional abuse: an extension of the Child Abuse and Trauma Scale.

OBJECTIVE: There are few well-validated measures of childhood emotional abuse. This study explored the potential of the Child Abuse and Trauma Scale (CATS; Sanders & Becker-Lausen, 1995) to yield such a measure. The CATS was originally devised to measure the extent of adverse sexual, physical and neglectful experiences, but contains items that also reflect the construct of emotional abuse. METHOD: A sample of 236 nonclinical women completed the CATS and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale. A fourth subscale was drawn from the existing CATS items, reflecting reported emotional abuse during childhood. RESULTS: The concurrent validity and internal consistency of this new subscale were tested, and were found to be at an acceptable level. Indeed, there was some indication that the new childhood emotional abuse subscale played a more central role in anxiety and depression than did the original three subscales. CONCLUSIONS: It is recommended that this revised version of the CATS should be used in future research and clinical practice, in order that the multidimensional nature of abuse can be better understood.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Concurrent and predictive validity of an early language screening program.

The efficacy of screening 2-year-old children for language delay using a parent-report questionnaire was investigated in three studies. The Language Development Survey (Rescorla, 1989) was mailed to 650 families at the time of their child's second birthday. Fifty-three percent of the surveys received by parents were completed and returned. Screening outcomes were then compared, in double-blind fashion, with the results of comprehensive clinical evaluations at ages 2 (N = 64) and 3 (N = 36). Parents' report of the size of their children's expressive vocabularies was highly correlated with clinical language measures at age 2. Children who screened positive performed significantly poorer than children who screened negative on standardized language tests and on measures taken from spontaneous conversation. The screening program demonstrated excellent sensitivity and specificity for identifying language delay at age 2 but somewhat lower levels for predicting developmental status one year later.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1998

Informing patients about tardive dyskinesia. Controlled trial of patient education.

BACKGROUND: This paper evaluates the effects on knowledge and clinical stability of an educational intervention about tardive dyskinesia. METHOD: Fifty-six patients receiving antipsychotic maintenance completed a questionnaire assessing their knowledge about tardive dyskinesia. After random allocation to either an educational intervention or a control group, their knowledge was reassessed at six months. RESULTS: Ninety-five per cent of patients completed the study. The study patients gained significantly more knowledge than the controls, who made modest gains. There were no significant differences in clinical outcome between the groups. CONCLUSION: Patients can learn about serious toxic effects of antipsychotic treatment with a low risk of non-compliance. Discussion about tardive dyskinesia is necessary in the process of obtaining informed consent to treatment.

Antipsychotic Agents↗
PubMed1997

Genetic watch.

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Ethics Committees↗
PubMed1997

Eating disorder in women admitted to hospital following deliberate self-poisoning.

Measures of abnormal eating behaviour in 48 women referred for psychiatric assessment following an act of deliberate self-poisoning (subjects) were compared with those in 50 women attending an accident and emergency department following minor accidental injury (controls). Disordered eating behaviour was significantly more prevalent in the subject group, even when the effect of depression was removed. Four subjects fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for bulimia nervosa, but none of the subjects met the diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa. The prevalence of obesity was the same in both subject and control groups. The degree of abnormal eating was very strongly correlated with a measure of inwardly directed irritability in both subjects and controls, and was strongly associated with measures of impulsiveness, outwardly directed irritability and anxiety in subjects.

Adolescent↗