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Biomedical subjects

C H Edwards

Publications and source records attributed to C H Edwards.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Emerging issues in lifestyle, social, and environmental interventions to promote behavioral change related to prevention and control of hypertension in the African-American population.

Prevention of hypertension must play a more prominent role in health care, in the education of young people, and in the public policy arena if we are committed to reduce mortality from cardiovascular disease. Some steps individuals can take to lessen the risk of stroke or coronary heart disease include: If you are obese and hypertensive, you should reduce total calories and lose weight. Substitute olive oil or canola oil for vegetable oils to increase your intake of monounsaturated fatty acids. Try the Mediterranean diet. Start a program of aerobic exercise or increase the amount you are currently doing. Reduce salt intake. Reduce alcohol consumption. Stop smoking. If you have hypertension and tend to overrespond to stress, try relaxation and biofeedback techniques, which according to some studies may produce a modest reduction in blood pressure in some individuals with mild hypertension. Increase the amount of fiber in the diet by increasing the amount of grains, fruit, and vegetables. Have your renin level tested. A "population" approach should be incorporated into medical school curricula to encourage and train caregivers to consider social, cultural, and economic factors affecting patients. Historically black colleges, public and private elementary and secondary schools, and churches can provide leadership in this nation for educating African Americans in the prevention and control of high blood pressure. In conclusion, we already have the information we need from research to close the mortality gap between whites and African Americans in cardiovascular disease.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Black People↗
PubMed1994

Maternal stress and pregnancy outcomes in a prenatal clinic population.

A two-fold decrease in the incidence of infant low birth weight, from 20.6% to 8.3%, occurred in Africa American women enrolled from 1985 to 1988 in this interdisciplinary research project conducted in an urban prenatal clinic. Nutritional, biochemical, medical, psychosocial, lifestyle, and environmental data were collected by trained Africa American interviewers. Several instruments were administered to the mother to specify the stress construct and assess body image, the social support network, and other psychosocial variables. The reduction in the incidence of low birth weight in an urban Africa American low income population admitted to the Howard University Hospital is attributed to the mediation of maternal stress by project personnel, in effect, providing an additional support system through the caring, sensitive environment provided by the project clinical staff, who met the women at each of their clinic-scheduled appointments. Women with a positive self attitude and higher self esteem were more likely to be delivered infants at term; the number of persons in the mother's social support network was directly correlated with her infant's gestational age. Maternal serum concentrations of the antioxidant vitamins, vitamin E and ascorbic acid, and the free radical scavenger, uric acid, were significantly correlated with serum folate and blood urea nitrogen. An hypothesis of low birth weight is presented.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Deoxyribonucleic acid, ribonucleic acid, and protein in the placentas of normal and selected complicated pregnancies.

Placenta from uncomplicated term pregnancies resulting in the birth of male infants weighing between 2900 and 3800 grams were analyzed for deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), ribonucleic acid (RNA), and protein content. The mothers of the infants all had pre-pregnancy weights within +/- 15 percent expected body weight for body frame, according to the Metropolitan Life Tables. There were no significant differences, as regards the content of DNA, RNA and protein, between the placental cotyledons. Nine placenta from mothers giving birth to growth retarded infants were analyzed along with the placenta from six mothers with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. A trend suggesting less DNA in the placenta of the severely growth retarded (symmetric) infants when compared with placenta from the normal pregnancies was not noted in the less severely growth retarded (asymmetric) infants. The placenta from the infants of diabetic pregnancies contained DNA and RNA in amounts similar to that found in normal pregnancy placenta but the protein content was greater.

Birth Weight↗
PubMed1994

Multiple factors as mediators of the reduced incidence of low birth weight in an urban clinic population.

A five year prospective observational study was initiated in 1985 at Howard University to describe the nutritional, clinical, dietary, lifestyle, environmental, and socioeconomic characteristics of women who enrolled in the hospital prenatal clinic. The participants were nulliparous, between the ages of 18 and 35 years, free of diabetes and abnormal hemoglobins (sickle cell disease, thalassemia, and hemoglobin C), and had been admitted prior to the 29th week of gestation. During the three year period from 1985-1988, the incidence of low birth weight (LBW) in 239 deliveries to project participants was 8.3%, whereas that of women simultaneously enrolled in the prenatal clinic with the same eligibility requirements, but not recruited for the research project, was 21.9% (P = 0.001). The incidence of LBW in infants of African American women with these eligibility requirements who were delivered by private physicians but were not enrolled in the project, was 6.3%. The reduction in LBW of infants delivered to participants in this study is attributed to the enhanced social and psychological support by project staff during their pregnancies. The caring, sensitive demeanor of the research project staff may have empowered the participants to (a) give greater compliance (91 vs. 70%) in the ingestion of the routine physician-prescribed vitamin/mineral supplement, which provided nutrients low (less than 70% of the 1989 RDAs) in their customary diets, such as folate, pyridoxine, iron, zinc, and magnesium and (b) show greater accountability in keeping prenatal clinic appointments.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Dietary intakes, anthropometric measurements and pregnancy outcomes.

The relationships of maternal prenatal dietary intakes and anthropometric measurements to pregnancy outcomes were investigated in a prospective observational study of urban African American women. The 322 subjects, a subset of the 744 women recruited for the study using purposive sampling, were all nulliparous, free of diabetes mellitus and abnormal hemoglobins, and delivered term, singleton infants. Sociodemographic data and monthly quantitative 24-hour food recalls were collected by trained interviewers. Maternal anthropometric measurements were obtained from the subjects' hospital records. Pregnancy outcome data were obtained by physical examinations of the newborn infants by the project pediatrician. With the exception of vitamin C, average maternal dietary intakes were within the ranges of intakes obtained in previous studies. Mean intakes of protein, vitamins A and C, thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin exceeded the 1989 RDA, while those of food energy, vitamin B-6, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, and zinc were below the RDA. Underweight prior to pregnancy and low pregnancy weight gains were found among 12.9% and 44.4% of the subjects respectively. Dietary intakes were not significantly correlated with pregnancy outcomes. Maternal anthropometric measurements significantly correlated with pregnancy outcomes included delivery weight, pregnancy weight gain, weekly weight gain, prepregnancy weight, net weight gain, height, prepregnancy body mass index, and % ideal prepregnancy body weight (P < 0.05). Using the stepwise selection procedure in multiple regression analysis, delivery weight, % ideal prepregnancy body weight, and prepregnancy body mass index were selected as being predictive of infant birth weight. It was concluded that anthropometric measurements were better nutritional predictors of pregnancy outcome than dietary intake.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Biochemical profile of African American women during three trimesters of pregnancy and at delivery.

The data presented are the results from a prospective observational study which was conducted to investigate the effects of nutrition and other related factors on the outcome of pregnancy in nulliparous African American women 16-35 years old. Fasting blood samples were collected from the women during the first, second and third trimesters of pregnancy. At delivery, both maternal and cord samples were collected. Biochemical variables such as, serum folate, vitamin B12, ascorbic acid, vitamin E, ferritin, selected minerals as well as complete blood count (CBC) and red cell folate were analyzed in the blood samples. The concentrations of hematocrit, hemoglobin, white blood cells, red blood cells and vitamin B12 were below the reference non-pregnant ranges throughout gestation. Maternal concentrations of folate and vitamin E increased sequentially with increased gestational age. Serum ferritin, during the third trimester, declined to 58% of the first trimester concentration. Maternal levels of ferritin at delivery were one third of the values found in the infant (cord) sample. Cord levels of folate, ascorbic acid and vitamin B12 were higher than the concentrations in the maternal delivery samples. The data suggest that among this group of pregnant women, major physiological changes, such as plasma volume expansion which alters blood chemistry and maternal to fetal transfer of nutrients, were similar to the findings of other investigators. In this population however, the findings for serum and whole blood folate are contrary to those reported by other researchers, and the sequential increase in the maternal concentration of the vitamin during pregnancy could be attributed to the use of vitamin supplements.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Pica in an urban environment.

The practice of pica, the compulsive ingestion of nonfood substances over a sustained period of time, was studied in 553 African American women who were admitted to prenatal clinics in Washington, D.C. Dietary, biochemical, and psychosocial correlates of the pica practices of a subset of this urban population are presented in this paper. Geophagia, compulsive eating of clay or dirt, was not observed in these women; pagophagia, or the ingestion of large quantities of ice and freezer frost, was self reported in 8.1% of the women, who consumed 1/2 to 2 cups a day from 1 to 7 days per week. Serum ferritin concentrations of pica women were significantly lower during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy; the average values for three trimesters of pregnancy for both ferritin and mean corpuscular hemoglobin were significantly lower in pica women than their nonpica counterparts (P = 0.0001 and P = 0.017, respectively). Although not significantly different, the iron (66 vs. 84% RDA) and calcium (60 vs. 75% RDA) contents of the diets of pica women were less those of nonpica women. Gestational age, body length, and body weight were not different, but head circumferences of infants delivered to pica women who consumed freezer frost and/or ice were smaller than those of nonpica women (P = 0.012). The hypothesis is presented that pica in African American women may be a mediator of stress, acting through the immune system. The size of the social support network of pica women was significantly less than that of nonpica women.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Selected lifestyle practices in urban African American women--relationships to pregnancy outcome, dietary intakes and anthropometric measurements.

The relationships of selected lifestyle factors (cigarette smoking, consumption of alcoholic beverages, recreational drug use, and exercise during pregnancy), all self-reported, to pregnancy outcomes, dietary intake during pregnancy, and maternal anthropometric measurements, were investigated in a group of urban African American pregnant women. The 234 subjects were aged 16-35 years and were free of diabetes and abnormal hemoglobins. The lifestyle data were collected by trained interviewers during the subjects' prenatal clinic visits, and the dietary data by monthly, quantitative 24-hour food recalls conducted during these same visits. Maternal anthropometric measurements were obtained from the subjects' hospital records, and pregnancy outcome data during physical examinations of the newborn infants. Both cigarette smoking and drug use were associated with significantly lower mean birth weight, length, and head circumference, while exercise was associated with a significantly higher mean birth weight, and head circumference (P < 0.05). Drug use during pregnancy was associated with a significantly higher intake of vitamin C, and a significantly lower intake of iron; while women reporting drug use before pregnancy had significantly higher mean intakes of food energy, protein, total and saturated fat, and zinc. Prepregnancy weight, percent ideal prepregnancy body weight, prepregnancy body mass index, and delivery weight were significantly lower among those reporting drug use before pregnancy. Multiple regression analyses indicated that smoking explained a relatively small proportion of the variance in infant birth weight compared with delivery weight and percent of ideal prepregnancy body weight.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Relationships of serum illicit drug concentrations during pregnancy to maternal nutritional status.

Findings reported are for a subset of African American subjects, residing in the urban area of Washington, D. C., who participated in a Program Project designed to study nutrition, other factors, and the outcome of pregnancy. Fasting blood samples, drawn during each trimester of pregnancy and at delivery, were screened for concentrations of cocaine, phencyclidine (PCP) and marijuana. Since substance abusers are expected to consume inadequate diets, these samples were also analyzed for serum folate, vitamin B12, ferritin and ascorbic acid. Data for these biochemical variables were compared for subjects whose serum values for drugs were either above or below the drug screening threshold concentrations established by ADAMHA/NIDA. Pearson's correlations were used to determine relationships between pregnancy outcome variables and maternal serum drug concentrations. Blood samples drawn at delivery showed higher maternal: cord ratios (mean +/- SEM) for marijuana (3.3 +/- 2.2) and PCP (2.9 +/- 1.0) than for cocaine (1.0 +/- 0.2). The subjects whose serum values were above the ADAMHA/NIDA ranges for marijuana, PCP and cocaine had concentrations of folate and ferritin that were significantly less than those of subjects with lower serum drug levels (P < or = 0.05). High maternal serum concentrations of illicit drugs were accompanied by a significant increase in leukocyte count (P < or = 0.05). The level of maternal cocaine during the third trimester was inversely correlated with birthweight (r = -0.29; n = 52; P = 0.038) and head circumference (r = -0.28; n = 52; P = 0.047).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Maternal low level lead and pregnancy outcomes.

We examined the relationship between the concentrations of blood lead and pregnancy outcomes in a subset of 349 African American women who enrolled in the program project, "Nutrition, Other Factors, and the Outcome of Pregnancy." Vitamin-mineral supplement users had significantly higher serum levels of ascorbic acid and vitamin E. Also, in supplement users, there were significantly lower mean concentrations of maternal blood lead. Inverse correlations were found between maternal levels of lead and the antioxidant vitamins, vitamin E and ascorbic acid. In addition, significant Pearson's correlations were observed between maternal blood lead levels and the following variables: positive correlations with calcium, phosphorus, mean corpuscular volume; inverse correlations with gestational age, Ponderal Index, infant orientation, and hematologic values. In the total subset, the three trimester sample means for maternal blood lead concentrations were not significantly different for mothers of infants who weighed less than 2500 g (low birth weight) and those who were delivered infants who weighed 2500 g or more. Clinically, nutrition may play a role in the reduction of potentially adverse effects from lead during pregnancy, i.e. protection of the fetus against lead toxicity and/or free radical damage through the antioxidant actions of vitamin E and ascorbic acid. Even when maternal blood lead levels are within the so-called "safe" range, maternal/use of a vitamin supplement supplying vitamin E and ascorbic acid during pregnancy may offer protection.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Recipe gravitas.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Anecdotes as Topic↗
PubMed1983

Effects of maternal geophagia on infant and juvenile rats.

Clay eating, a form of geophagia, is often observed in the human population, particularly during pregnancy. The intent of this study was to determine the effects of maternal geophagia on developmental and behavioral characteristics of the offspring. Twelve Sprague-Dawley female rats and their 88 progeny were divided into three groups: control, 20 percent clay, and 35 percent clay. The experimental diets were fed to adult rats during the period of gestation and for 14 days following parturition. Righting reflex, homing response, and activity level tests were administered and hemoglobin concentrations and red blood cell counts were determined. Data suggest that the higher level of maternal clay ingestion during the perinatal period decreased growth and development of motor skills in the infant pups. Homing skills, however, were enhanced.

Aluminum Silicates↗
PubMed1982

Estimation of postoperative fluid requirements in infants and children.

A quadrant scheme is presented for estimating postoperative fluid volumes for replacement of internal fluid shifts (third space losses) in pediatric surgical patients undergoing major intraabdominal surgery. The benefits derived from using a prescribed postoperative fluid management program that includes this quadrant scheme are determined by analyzing a series of 50 consecutive patients managed by five senior general and thoracic surgical house officers. Although the program tended to overestimate the fluid needs of the patients relative to a predetermined optimal urine output level, all but two patients with septic complications were hemodynamically stable and none had complications due to the fluid administration program.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Effects of ischemia on left ventricular regional function in the conscious dog.

Three-dimensional regional geometry of the left ventricle was assessed in seven conscious trained dogs chronically implanted with pulse-transit ultrasonic-dimension transducers. Minor and major axis segment lengths and wall thickness were measured in the distribution of the left anterior descending coronary artery; transmural pressure (TMP) was measured with high-fidelity micromanometers. Data were recorded during the control state and following 30 s and 30 min of ischemia. Dimensions were normalized as a fractional extension from the length at zero TMP (Lo). Dynamic cube mass was calculated and remained constant throughout the cardiac cycle in both control and ischemic states, although the calculated mass decreased by an average of 5% during ischemia. The slope constants of the exponential diastolic pressure-dimension relationship increased following acute coronary occlusion indicating increases in regional myocardial stiffness with increasing periods of ischemia. Coronary occlusion also was associated with an increase in the Lo measurements in the major and minor axis dimensions and a decrease in the wall thickness Lo. These findings are consistent with an ischemia-induced plastic deformation of the regional myocardium defined as creep. Thus, acute ischemia results in a decline of regional systolic function, induces myocardial creep, and causes an immediate and sustained increase in regional myocardial stiffness.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Trace minerals, amino acids, and plasma proteins in adult men fed wheat diets.

In summary, the ingestion by adult men of an all-plant diet supplying 46 gm. protein per day, primarily as bread made from white wheat four, over a period of 74 days, resulted in positive balances for copper, iron, molybdenum, selenium, and zinc. Iron balances were significantly decreased by the isonitrogenous substitution of pinto beans or peanut butter for 20 percent of the nitrogen supplied by white bread. When pinto beans or white rice substituted for 20 percent of the nitrogen of white bread, the retention of molybdenum was lower and the retention of selenium was greater. Although the men were nitrogen balance and total plasma protein concentrations were normal, the ingestion of diets providing 46 gm. protein, from all-plant sources resulted in significantly lower plasma albumin, with corresponding elevations in alpha, beta and gamma globulins. However, the substitution of pinto beans for a portion of the white bread improved plasma albumin and alpha-globulin levels. Routine clinical data obtained on patients who previously consumed strictly vegetarian diets should include determinations of plasma albumin. The ability of the subjects to maintain nitrogen balance on protein intakes of 46 gm. per day from all-plant sources appeared to be correlated with decreases in the urinary excretion and plasma concentration of alpha-aminobutyric acid, a metabolite of methionine and threonine, suggesting conservation of methionine or re-utilization of this metabolite. The possible mechanism of this adaptation to minimal protein intake, or dietary protein from all-plant sources, is discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

The diastolic mechanical properties of the intact left ventricle.

Recent studies have improved our understanding of the diastolic mechnical properties of intact myocardium. In order to obtain meaningful data, pressures external to the heart should be measured, forces and dimensions should be properly normalized, and measurements should be obtained over a wide range of ventricular volumes. Diastolic filling appears to be a passive phenomenon and is not affected significantly by systolic relaxation or mural inertia. Thus, the relationship between diastolic myocardial force and length is determined primarily by the elastic properties of the muscle and by viscous properties during dynamic filling. In the absence of ischemia, the diastolic mechanics of intact myocardium are not altered significantly by acute physiological interventions. Chronic changes in diastolic properties do occur, however, and are fundamentally important to the regulation of cardiac function. Myocardial creep induced by chronically elevated diastolic presssure produces ventricular dilatation, thereby altering chamber geometry, systolic loading, and overall global function. Thus, a detailed analysis of diastolic mechanical properties is essential to the assessment of the performance characteristics of the intact heart.

Animals↗