Lymphocyte subclasses and depression.
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Adolescent↗
Biomedical subjects
E C Penick
Publications and source records attributed to E C Penick.
The stability of coexisting psychiatric syndromes in alcoholic men after one year.
Alcoholic men (N = 241) were administered a criterion-referenced, structured, DSM-III compatible, diagnostic interview while hospitalized and again 1 year later as outpatients. This interview independently evaluates the lifetime prevalence of 15 major psychiatric disorders. In addition to alcoholism, the most frequently occurring coexisting disorders were depression, antisocial personality and drug abuse. After 1 year, the number of positive syndromes declined slightly (chi = 2.0 to 1.8). However, the absolute and relative number of additional psychiatric syndromes remained stable over 1 year for the entire sample. Across individuals, the overall rates of agreement for the 15 syndromes ranged from a high of 100% to a low of 85%. Similarly, the agreement for the current and lifetime diagnoses ranged from 86 to 99%. These data indicate that a substantial portion of male alcoholics experience symptoms that are common to other psychiatric disorders. They also suggest that the endorsement of multiple psychiatric symptoms is not due simply to the acute emotional and physical distress that often accompanies a recent hospitalization for alcoholism treatment. Instead, for many male alcoholics, the symptom patterns appear to reflect additional psychiatric disorders that are stable over time and a potential target of treatment.
Adult↗
A comparative study of familial alcoholism.
In a large multicenter study of 568 male alcoholics, structured interviews were used to compare the clinical characteristics of patients with a positive (65%) or negative (35%) family history of abusive drinking among first degree relatives. Alcoholics with a positive family history were found to have: an earlier onset of alcoholism, greater alcoholic severity, more medical and legal problems, a broader range of treatments, an increased lifetime prevalence of additional psychiatric disorders and a greater diversity of psychiatric disturbance among biological relatives. The degree of psychiatric heterogeneity in the patients roughly corresponded to the degree of psychiatric heterogeneity in their families. Assortative mating was proposed as a possible mechanism to account for clinical differences between the familial and nonfamilial alcoholic.
Alcoholism↗
The dropout in alcoholism research: a brief report.
Compared to 148 alcoholic men who were successfully followed up after 1 year in a controlled treatment evaluation study, the 18 treatment dropouts reported somewhat less alcohol impairment due to drinking and lower scores on measures of psychopathology when first seen.
Alcoholism↗
Primary and secondary depression in alcoholic men: an important distinction?
The primary-secondary depression distinction was investigated in male alcoholic patients from five Veterans Administration Medical Centers. The Psychiatric Diagnostic Interview, a DSM-III-compatible, criterion-referenced, structured interview, was administered to 565 patients admitted to the Alcoholism and Drug Treatment Units. Seventy-eight patients (13.8%) who exhibited only alcoholism and depression were divided into three subgroups based on the temporal onset of depression relative to the onset of alcoholism. Although few statistical differences were found, observed trends suggested more impairment in alcoholic patients with primary depression than in those with concurrent or secondary depression. The findings indicate that the primary-secondary depression distinction may have important clinical relevance and should be made whenever possible.
Adult↗
Lithium compliance in alcoholic males: a six month followup study.
One hundred alcoholic patients were followed at monthly outpatient clinics for 6 months. Half were assigned low to moderate doses of lithium carbonate and half to chlordiazepoxide (10 mg tid) (active placebo). Drinking behavior and medication compliance were monitored at monthly clinics. After 6 months 52% of the lithium and 44% of the chlordiazepoxide patients were medication compliant. Of the 48% remaining in the lithium group, 14% did not return for a single visit while 14% came only once. Twenty percent came to clinic regularly; however they had never taken the medication as assigned. Of the 56% non-compliant chlordiazepoxide patients, 16% did not attend a single clinic; 24% came only once or twice and the remaining 16% attended clinics regularly although they were never medication-compliant. Drinking days and the percentage of patients reporting abstinence for one or more months were determined for medication compliant patients and for patients who attended clinic regularly but who did not take medication. Data were analyzed by Kruskal-Wallis one way analysis of variance tests. While lithium and chlordiazepoxide compliant patients tended to report fewer mean drinking days per month (4.6 and 4.8 respectively) than the non-medication group (6.9) these differences were not significant; however, compared to 44% in the non-medication group, 60% of the lithium patients and 58% of the chlordiazepoxide patients reported having significantly more months of abstinence (p less than .05). These results do not show that lithium is differentially efficacious in reducing alcohol consumption.
Adult↗
Is Briquet's syndrome a heterogeneous disorder?
A structured interview that identified 78 female psychiatric outpatients as having Briquet's syndrome also indicated that 77 of the 78 fulfilled inclusive diagnostic criteria for one or more other psychiatric syndromes. If, as this finding suggests, Briquet's syndrome represents a heterogeneous disorder, its various components should be evaluated and patient responses to treatments should be assessed. Until such studies are done, the general and psychiatric physician should be aware that the diagnosis of Briquet's syndrome does not rule out the possibility of other psychiatric illnesses that may be more amenable to treatment.
Diagnosis, Differential↗
Individual differences in state-dependent retrieval effects of alcohol intoxication.
Individual differences in susceptibility to the state-dependent retrieval (SDR) effects from alcohol in twelve subjects was tested on repeated occasions. There was a threefold variability in frequency of SDR among the subjects. A significant positive correlation between frequency of SDR and history of blackouts and heavy drinking was found.
Adult↗
Comparison of three outpatient treatment interventions: a twelve-month follow-up of men alcoholics.
Men inpatient alcoholics (N = 174) from a Veterans Administration medical center who were preselected by employment status were randomly assigned to one of three outpatient treatment interventions: (1) medication only, (2) active support or (3) untreated medical monitoring. Subjects were followed monthly for 1 year, with an 85% 12-month follow-up rate. Although the sample as a whole showed reduced alcohol misuse and improved social functioning after 12 months, the specific form of treatment was unrelated to outcome. These findings suggest that the intensity of the outpatient treatment experience is not related to outcome and that time-consuming interventions are not differentially cost-effective.
Adult↗
The discriminate validity of the Psychiatric Diagnostic Interview.
The discriminate validity of the Psychiatric Diagnostic Interview (PDI), a criterion-referenced, structured diagnostic instrument, is discussed. Data presented indicate that the PDI has an acceptable level of discriminate ability, making it a useful screening tool for detecting a variety of well-defined psychiatric disorders.
Ambulatory Care↗
Sex-role affiliation among male alcoholics.
Male alcoholic veterans were sex-typed more frequently as feminine than masculine on the PRF ANDRO when compared to college males or older, nonalcoholic veterans (N = 123). Endorsement of passive-feminine characteristics among alcoholics (1) is interpreted to be a consequence, not a cause of the disorder; (2) is considered reversible with the achievement of sustained sobriety; and (3) is a feature that possibly needs to be addressed directly in order to facilitate successful therapeutic interventions.
Adult↗
Platelet uptake of serotonin in ethanol intoxication: a preliminary study.
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Adult↗
The importance of drug use histories in a series of alcoholics.
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Age Factors↗
Prevalence of additional psychiatric syndromes among male alcoholics.
The prevalence of psychiatric syndromes among 565 male alcoholic VA inpatients was examined using the structured Psychiatric Diagnostic Interview (PDI). Almost two-thirds fulfilled criteria for one or more additional psychiatric syndromes. Subjects positive only for alcoholism reported a significantly later onset of problem drinking and fewer first-degree relatives who abused alcohol than those positive for one or more additional syndromes. The most frequent additional syndromes were affective disorders and antisocial personality. The possible significance of subtyping alcoholics by the presence or absence of coexisting psychiatric syndromes is discussed.
Alcoholism↗
Psychological adjustment and sex-role affiliation in an alcoholic population.
Examined the relationship among sex-role categories and indices of social/personal adjustment and psychiatric symptoms in a male alcoholic (N = 123) population. No significant relationships were found between PRF sex-role categories and measures of distress, mood disturbance and psychiatric symptomatology; nor was sex-role type found to be associated with behaviors common to alcoholism. These findings differ from those of others, which report that less sex-typed males have more adjustment problems. The inability to demonstrate a relationship between maladjustment and the PRF ANDRO typology raises the question whether sex-role affiliation is largely independent of factors suggestive of poor mental health.
Adaptation, Psychological↗
Clinical management of father-daughter incest. A critical reexamination.
The professional literature relevant to child incest cases is reviewed. Four questions related to clinical management are examined. Although physical separation of the offending parent and child is typically recommended, there is insufficient evidence to support the belief that an incestuous relationship per se is inevitably harmful to the mental health of the child. It is suggested that exclusive focus on the sexual relationship can sometimes prevent the clinician from providing maximum assistance to the child and family. A representative case history is discussed.
Adolescent↗
Determinants of locus of control orientation in male alcoholics.
Investigated various demographic correlates of locus of control orientation in 123 male alcoholics. The social functioning of alcoholics was associated significantly with locus of control. It was suggested that conflicting results among similar studies probably are due to the differing social or demographic characteristics of the samples that were used.
Adult↗
Medical problems of the alcoholic in nonmedical treatment.
The ambivalence about chronic alcohol abuse among health and related professionals can result in their failure to appreciate medical complications frequently associated with this disorder. Data from 81 male alcoholics are presented in this article to illustrate their increased risk of physical illness and premature death. The authors point to the need for more effective screening and monitoring procedures in alcoholism programs as well as improved training of professionals.
Adult↗