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Biomedical subjects

D Reiss

Publications and source records attributed to D Reiss.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Genetics and psychiatry: an unheralded window on the environment.

Two recent reviews in the American Journal of Psychiatry and the British Journal of Psychiatry reported on progress in understanding the genetics of psychiatric disorder. Both reviews focused on this progress as a prelude to psychiatric diagnostics and therapeutics based on molecular biology. Neither review recognized that the latest data in behavioral genetics support environmental causes for abnormal development and psychopathology as much as they support genetic causes. Moreover, these genetic data point clearly to a type of environmental cause with central importance: the environment that is specific or unique to each sibling in a family.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Depression, perception of illness and mortality in patients with end-stage renal disease.

A role of depression in affecting outcome in patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) has been suggested but few have assessed psychological parameters and medical factors thought to influence survival simultaneously and prospectively. To assess whether depression or perception of illness influences survival in patients treated for ESRD, we prospectively evaluated fifty-seven patients with ESRD treated with hemodialysis (HD, n = 43) or continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD, n = 14). Patients were interviewed and completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Illness Effects Questionnaire (IEQ). An ESRD severity coefficient was used to measure chronic illness severity. A cognitive item subset of the BDI (CDI) was used as an additional measure of depression. One and two years later, records were examined to determine survival. When initial results of the assessment of survivors and non-survivors were compared, at one year follow-up, there were no differences in mean age, duration of dialysis, severity scores, BDI or IEQ scores. The initial mean CDI scores in the group of non-survivors, however, were significantly greater than the scores in the survivor group. At two year follow-up, CDI scores were significantly different between groups, and were significant in a hazards regression. Disease severity, age and duration of dialysis were also significantly related to mortality at two year follow-up. We conclude cognitive depression is an important, early, indicator of grave prognosis in patients treated for ESRD. Early recognition of and therapeutic efforts directed toward the treatment of depression might modify outcome in ESRD patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Addison's disease.

Addison's disease is an uncommon endocrine condition manifested by a variety of nonspecific symptoms, such as malaise, anorexia and nausea. Symptoms usually do not occur until most of the adrenal gland has been destroyed. Autoimmune disease has surpassed tuberculosis as the primary cause of Addison's disease. Nevertheless, tuberculosis still accounts for a significant proportion of cases. The rapid adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation test is useful for identifying adrenal insufficiency. Maintenance therapy consists of hydrocortisone and fludrocortisone.

Addison Disease↗
PubMed1990

Patient, family, and staff responses to end-stage renal disease.

The course of a chronic illness is composed of discrete developmental phases, which influence the relationship of the patient to the care-giving system, and the tasks required of patients, families, and medical staff. Family characteristics may influence medical outcome. Compliance may be a critical factor in mediating the biological response to social phenomena. The relationship of the patient to his or her family and the health-care system may change dramatically through the developmental phases of the chronic disease. The case of a patient with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) illustrating these concepts is presented.

Bereavement↗
PubMed1989

Putting the illness in its place: discussion groups for families with chronic medical illnesses.

A new psychosocial intervention for families and patients experiencing the chronic phase of a disabling medical illness is described. The intervention, a short-term, highly structured, psychoeducationally oriented, multiple-family discussion group (MFDG), was developed within the context of a clinical research program and has been successfully applied to a heterogeneous range of disabling medical illnesses. This report includes a detailed description of the treatment model, the format and content of group meetings, and initial clinical impressions regarding MFDG efficacy.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1989

Defining a family heritage and a new relationship identity: two central tasks in the making of a marriage.

The roles of origin family environmental characteristics and couple consensus-building process within the development of marital relationships were examined prospectively in 16 premarital couples. Three important findings emerged. First, significant correlations were found between dimensions of origin family environment and the reported level of satisfaction within the couple's current relationship. Second, measures of the couple's ability to reach consensus concerning important interpersonal relationships appeared to be important mediators of the association between origin family environment and current relationship satisfaction. Third, important gender differences emerged that replicate and extend prior findings that portray women in the role of "relationship specialist" within their marriages. As a group, these findings were best explained by a developmental model of early marriage that envisions the young couple as facing two entwined tasks: to define both their family heritage and their new relationship identity. Overall, the importance of examining family-of-origin characteristics and consensus-building process as critical determinants of the fate of intimate relationships received strong support. The gender differences found in the literature reviewed, as well as the results of this study, have largely been overlooked by the theory and practice of family therapy. Efforts on both the research and theory construction fronts are needed to increase our understanding of the mechanisms whereby prior family experience is brought forward into current intimate relationships.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Bone and joint infections due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa: clinical aspects and treatment.

The occurrence of nine cases of Pseudomonas septic arthritis and osteomyelitis within a 12-month period may be considered an uncommon experience even in a large, tertiary referral center. These cases are reported here and the various clinical patterns and therapeutic implications associated with Pseudomonas bone infections are discussed. Epidemiologic serotyping of the isolated strains indicated that they do not represent a single nosocomial outbreak.

Arthritis, Infectious↗
PubMed1988

Cognitive, behavioral, and emotional problems among school-age children of alcoholic parents.

Sixty-four children from 37 families with an alcoholic parent were compared with 80 children from 45 families that did not have an alcoholic parent on measures of intelligence, cognitive achievement, psychological and physical disorders, impulsivity-hyperactivity, social competence, learning problems, behavior problems, and self-esteem. On nine of 17 tests, the children of alcoholic parents scored less well than did the children of nonalcoholic parents, although both were within normal ranges. Factor analysis yielded significant differences between the two samples in emotional functioning and cognitive abilities and performance; marginally significant differences were found with respect to behavior problems.

Achievement↗
PubMed1987

Screening procedure for benzodiazepines in biological fluids by high-performance liquid chromatography using a rapid-scanning multichannel detector.

A sensitive and specific determination of benzodiazepines in biological fluids is described, based on reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The compounds are extracted with a C2 AASP cartridge within 5 min. The recovery ranges from 92 to 104% and is independent of the concentration. Using a suitable gradient elution, complete separation of nineteen benzodiazepines is achieved in 50 min with detection limits of less than 3 ng/ml in urine and 5 ng/ml in other biological fluids. Using a rapid-scanning multichannel detector, the identities of the benzodiazepines can be confirmed. Prazepam is employed as internal standard. The precision and accuracy of the described method are suitable for monitoring benzodiazepine levels in clinical studies and an example is given.

Autoanalysis↗
PubMed1987

Couples at risk for transmission of alcoholism: protective influences.

A two-generation, sociocultural model of the transmission of alcoholism in families was operationalized and tested. Sixty-eight married children of alcoholic parents and their spouses were interviewed regarding dinner-time and holiday ritual practices in their families of origin, and heritage and ritual practices in the couples' current generation. Coders rated transcribed interviews along 14 theory-derived predictor variables, nine for the family of origin and five for the current nuclear family. Multiple regression analysis was applied in a two-step hierarchical method, with the dependent variable being transmission of alcoholism to the couple. The 14 predictor variables contributed significantly (p less than .01) to the couple's alcoholism outcome. A general theme of selective disengagement and reengagement for couples in families at risk for alcoholism recurrence is discussed.

Alcoholism↗
PubMed1986

Family process, chronic illness, and death. On the weakness of strong bonds.

Newer techniques for directly measuring social interaction in families permit more informative studies of the family's role in the course of chronic illness. We used laboratory techniques for measuring problem-solving strategies in family groups, supplemented by measures of the family's intelligence and accomplishments as well as its intactness, the latter indicated by measures of duration of marriage and the survival of grandparents. We studied 23 families, each containing an adult patient with end-stage renal disease who was being treated by center-based hemodialysis. In sharp contrast to expectations based on previous data, high scores on the problem-solving variables, as well as the measures of accomplishment and intactness, predicted early death rather than survival. Equally surprising was the finding that noncompliance accounted for most of the association between the family variables and survival.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

[Urinary neopterin: its value in the study of various neoplasms].

A systematic study of urinary Neopterin was carried out, gathering two thousand five hundred measurements, on a hospital population of patients supposedly affected by tumors and the concentrations obtained were compared to the usual values determined at the same time on patients apparently free from any disease. Malignant tumors appear to be associated with high concentration of urinary Neopterin and this increase seems well correlated with the severity of the disease. Benign tumors correspond, on the contrary, to an appreciably normal excretion of Neopterin. A clinic study of Neopterin elimination specifies, however, that each elevated value must be followed with other determinations in order to rule out the possibility of an eventual viral infection at the incubation stage. The authors think that this dosage could represent a mean of discovery of professional cancers in high risk populations as well as an element in the supervision of anti-neoplastic treatments.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

[Assay of urinary iodides by specific electrodes: its value in dysthyroidism].

A simple and reliable electrochemical urinary iodides determination method, using a crystalline membrane specific electrode is proposed. Normal adult values are determined. Determinations performed on 74 patients with an excess iodine induced hyperthyroidism show that urinary iodides determination is a good clinical evolution marker.

Electrodes↗
PubMed1985

[Changes in levels of plasma fibronectin after surgery for digestive cancer].

Fibronectin is a large, adhesive glycoprotein, also called opsonic alpha 2 surface-binding glycoprotein. This glycoprotein which participates in all adhesions may modulate wound healing; plasma fibronectin, because it is opsonically active, may mediate reticulo-endothelial activity. Citrated plasma samples were analysed from twenty surgical patients with digestive cancer. The samples were obtained preoperatively and on 1st, 3rd, 7th, 14th and 28th postoperative days. Fibronectin assay was made by laser immunonephelometry. Other samples were obtained from a population of 340 healthy male and female subjects whose age ranged from 10 to 70 years, so that reference could be made to the standard mean of fibronectin related to the age of each patient. In the surgical patients, there was a significant decrease in fibronectin from the first to the third postoperative day. On the 7th day, there was a secondary increase of fibronectin levels which exceeded the preoperative values at the 14th and 28th days. There was no plasma dilution when the samples were collected, this being shown by protidaemia, osmolarity and haematocrit which were measured at the same time. "Septic" and "non septic" patients were compared. For septic patients, fibronectin levels were lower and the secondary increase occurred later than in the non septic patients. Patients with no secondary increase did not recover and died. Fibronectin levels were compared with other classical parameters of nutritional assessment, i.e. albumin, prealbumin, transferrin and urinary creatinine indexes. These parameters were not well correlated. However, this study may indicate the usefulness of fibronectin as an indicator of nutritional status and of non specific host defence.

Aged↗