Biomedical subjects

J C Rice

Publications and source records attributed to J C Rice.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2000

Transcriptional repression of BRCA1 by aberrant cytosine methylation, histone hypoacetylation and chromatin condensation of the BRCA1 promoter.

BRCA1 expression is repressed by aberrant cytosine methylation in sporadic breast cancer. We hypothesized that aberrant cytosine methylation of the BRCA1 promoter was associated with the transcriptionally repressive effects of histone hypoacetylation and chromatin condensation. To address this question, we developed an in vitro model of study using normal cells and sporadic breast cancer cells with known levels of BRCA1 transcript to produce a 1.4 kb 5-methylcytosine map of the BRCA1 5' CpG island. While all cell types were densely methylated upstream of -728 relative to BRCA1 transcription start, all normal and BRCA1 expressing cells were non-methylated downstream of -728 suggesting that this region contains the functional BRCA1 5' regulatory region. In contrast, the non-BRCA1 expressing UACC3199 cells were completely methylated at all 75 CpGs. Chromatin immunoprecipitations showed that the UACC3199 cells were hypoacetylated at both histones H3 and H4 in the BRCA1 promoter compared to non-methylated BRCA1 expressing cells. The chromatin of the methylated UACC3199 BRCA1 promoter was inaccessible to DNA-protein interactions. These data indicate that the epigenetic effects of aberrant cytosine methylation, histone hypoacetylation and chromatin condensation act together in a discrete region of the BRCA1 5' CpG island to repress BRCA1 transcription in sporadic breast cancer.

5-Methylcytosine↗

PubMed2000

Epigenetic silencing of maspin gene expression in human breast cancers.

Maspin is a tumor suppressor whose expression is lost in many advanced breast cancers. Maspin has been shown to inhibit cell motility, invasion and metastasis; however, its precise role in normal mammary epithelium remains to be elucidated. Although expression of maspin mRNA is low or absent in most human breast cancer cells, the maspin gene is rarely re-arranged or deleted. We hypothesized that aberrant cytosine methylation and chromatin condensation of the maspin promoter participates in the silencing of maspin expression during neoplastic progression. To test this hypothesis, we compared cultured normal human mammary epithelial cells (HMECs) to 9 cultured human breast cancer cell lines. HMECs expressed maspin mRNA and displayed a completely non-methylated maspin gene promoter with an open chromatin structure. In contrast, 7 of 9 breast cancer cell lines had no detectable maspin expression and 6 of these 7 maspin-negative breast cancer cell lines also displayed an aberrant pattern of cytosine methylation of the maspin promoter. Interestingly, the maspin promoter was completely methylated in maspin-negative normal peripheral blood lymphocytes. This indicates that the maspin promoter is not a functional CpG island and that cytosine methylation of this region may contribute to normal tissue-restricted gene expression. Chromatin accessibility studies with MCF-7 cells, which lack maspin expression and have a methylated maspin promoter, showed a closed chromatin structure compared with HMECs. Moreover, maspin gene expression could be re-activated in MCF-7 cells by treatment with 5-aza-2;-deoxycytidine, a DNA demethylating agent. Thus, aberrant cytosine methylation and heterochromatinization of the maspin promoter may silence maspin gene expression, thereby contributing to the progression of human mammary cancer.

Breast↗

PubMed2000

Effect of inhibition of cyclooxygenase on pre- and postjunctional actions of peroxides in the iris-ciliary body.

In the present study, we investigated the effect of inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX) with flurbiprofen (FBF) on peroxide-induced enhancement of field-stimulated [3H]norepinephrine ([3H]NE) release from bovine isolated irides. Furthermore, the effect of FBF was examined on peroxide-induced attenuation of contractions evoked by carbachol on this tissue. Irides were prepared for studies of neurotransmitter release and for measurement of contractile tension in vitro. Pretreatment of tissues with FBF (10 microM) caused significant (P < 0.001) rightward shifts of concentration-response curves to H2O2 and also decreased cumene hydroperoxide (cuOOH)-induced enhancement of evoked [3H]NE release. FBF (10 microM) partially prevented the attenuation of carbachol-induced contractions induced by H2O2 (300 microM) and cuOOH (300 microM). We conclude that inhibition of the biosynthesis of prostanoids reduced both the prejunctional stimulatory effects of H2O2 and cuOOH on sympathetic neurotransmission and inhibitory effects of peroxides on carbachol-induced contractions the in the bovine isolated iris.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Racial identity and its assessment in a sample of African-American men in treatment for cocaine dependence.

Substance abuse treatment studies frequently include subjects from different ethnic and racial groups, but many investigations limit the examination of race and ethnicity to the use of nominal labels. This approach reveals little about the social or psychological significance of racial and ethnic group membership to the subjects of study or about the potential effects of these factors on substance-involved behaviors. In this study, a principal components analysis (PCA) with varimax rotation was conducted on the 50-item long form of the Racial Identity Attitude Scale (RIAS) (1) in a sample of 294 African-American men in treatment for cocaine dependence. The RIAS was developed to measure attitudes about race and racial status among blacks, but it has not been utilized widely in substance abuse research. Our findings provide evidence for the structural validity of this instrument in this sample of substance abusers. We discuss how recent advances in racial identity theory and its measurement may provide an important avenue for understanding the psychological consequences of racial group membership and for examining the potential effects of these factors on treatment response in studies of substance misuse.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2000

Role of catalase in pre- and postjunctional responses of mammalian irides to hydrogen peroxide.

In the present study, we examined the effect of inhibition of catalase with 3-aminotriazole (3-AT) on hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced enhancement of sympathetic neurotransmission in bovine irides and on the inhibitory effect of this oxidant on norepinephrine (NE) release from human irides, in vitro. Furthermore, we investigated the effect of 3-AT on H2O2-induced attenuation of contractile responses to carbachol in the bovine isolated irides. Isolated mammalian irides were prepared for studies of [3H]NE release using the superfusion method and for contractile studies using isolated organ baths. At concentrations less than 100 microM, H2O2 had no significant effect on field-stimulated [3H]NE release from bovine or human irides. In bovine irides, 3-AT caused significant (P < 0.001) leftward shifts of concentration-response curves to H2O2 (10-300 microM). 3-AT also increased H2O2-induced attenuation of evoked [3H]NE release from human isolated irides. Low concentrations of H2O2 (< 100 microM) had no effect on carbachol contractions. However, 3-AT unmasked an inhibitory effect of low concentrations of H2O2 (3-100 microM) on carbachol-induced contractions. We conclude that inhibition of catalase causes both pre- and postjunctional responses of isolated mammalian irides to be more susceptible to oxidative stress induced by H2O2.

Amitrole↗

PubMed2000

Methylation of the BRCA1 promoter is associated with decreased BRCA1 mRNA levels in clinical breast cancer specimens.

Functional inactivation of BRCA1 is an important mechanism involved in breast cancer pathogenesis. Mutation is often responsible for BRCA1 inactivation in familial breast cancer, but is not responsible for the decreased levels of BRCA1 seen in a subset of sporadic breast cancer patients. To determine if aberrant cytosine methylation of the BRCA1 promoter is associated with decreased BRCA1 gene expression in human breast cancer, high resolution bisulfite sequence analysis was used to analyze the cytosine methylation status of the BRCA1 promoter in 21 axillary node negative breast cancer patients with known levels of BRCA1 expression. Aberrant cytosine methylation of the BRCA1 promoter was detected in three of 21 patient specimens. These three specimens also expressed the lowest levels of BRCA1. Results from this analysis show that aberrant cytosine methylation of the BRCA1 promoter is directly correlated with decreased levels of BRCA1 expression in human breast cancer, and suggest that epigenetic silencing may be one mechanism of transcriptional inactivation of BRCA1 in sporadic mammary carcinogenesis.

BRCA1 Protein↗

PubMed1999

Gonorrhea incidence and HIV testing and counseling among adolescents and young adults seen at a clinic for sexually transmitted diseases.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether HIV testing and posttest counseling may be associated with an increase in gonorrhea incidence among adolescents and young adults seen at a clinic for sexually transmitted diseases (STD). DESIGN: A historical cohort study with the collection of longitudinal data on the patients' HIV testing and counseling experience. SETTING: Delgado STD clinic of New Orleans, Louisiana, a public ambulatory primary care center that serves mainly the economically disadvantaged Black population. PATIENTS: A record-based inception cohort of 4031 patients aged 15-25 years diagnosed at the clinic between June 1989 and May 1991 with a first lifetime gonorrhea infection. INTERVENTION: Routine confidential HIV tests and posttest counseling sessions experienced at the clinic during follow-up. OUTCOME MEASURE: Incidence rate of reported gonorrhea reinfection. RESULTS: Of the patients, 51.5% were tested once for HIV antibodies and 25.9% twice or more. Formal posttest counseling occurred after 8.5% of the 4665 HIV-negative and 44.0% of the 49 HIV-positive tests. In the most pessimistic of several models controlling for history of gonorrhea, HIV testing and counseling history, and other potential confounding factors, a significantly lower rate of gonorrhea reinfection was observed after a first HIV-negative test than before [adjusted relative risk (RR), 0.66; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.59-0.74; P < 0.00011. As compared with the pretest period, significantly higher rates of gonorrhea were observed after respectively a second (RR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.01-1.37; P = 0.03) and a third (RR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.22-1.88; P = 0.0001) HIV-negative test. No significant association was found between HIV-positive testing and any variation in gonorrhea rate (RR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.56-1.62; P = 0.85). Posttest counseling for HIV-negative and HIV-positive results were followed respectively by a significantly higher rate of gonorrhea (RR; 1.27; 95% CI, 1.09-1.48; P = 0.002) and a non-significantly lower rate of gonorrhea (RR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.17-1.60; P = 0.85). CONCLUSION: Our results do not exclude the possibility of a modest increase in gonorrhea incidence after routine HIV testing and counseling in an STD clinic. Nevertheless, this conclusion holds only under the least favorable assumptions and applies solely to a minority of patients.

AIDS Serodiagnosis↗

PubMed1999

A two-rate hypothesis for patterns of retention in psychosocial treatments of cocaine dependence: findings from a study of African-American men and a review of the published data.

In this article, we examine patterns of retention in psychosocial treatment programs for cocaine dependence. We present new data from a comparison trial of Drug Counseling and Supportive-Expressive Psychotherapy and review published data from all studies utilizing psychosocial interventions alone. We compared Drug Counseling and Psychotherapy on rates of pretreatment and during-treatment attrition in a sample of 294 African-American men seeking treatment for cocaine dependence (mean age, 37.6). Survival analyses were utilized to identify significant differences in during-treatment attrition between the two treatments and to identify significant changes in the rate of attrition during the course of each treatment. We then compared the patterns of retention in this study with those from other available published reports of psychosocial treatments for cocaine abuse. The weekly during-treatment attrition rate was not constant in either treatment condition, and the change in rate of attrition occurred at week six for both Drug Counseling and Psychotherapy. Comparison with other studies suggested that the during-treatment pattern of attrition among most psychosocial treatments for cocaine abuse is typified by two rates, with the rate of subject attrition early in treatment being greater than the rate of later attrition and also exhibiting greater variance. Future studies of treatment retention should identify significant shifts in the rate of during-treatment attrition, examine if the pattern of attrition is typified by two rates, and, if so, determine where the shift occurs. Future studies should also assess if changes in the rate of during-treatment attrition signal the timeframes within which strategies that enhance retention can be implemented in the treatment program.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1999

Endothelial cell regrowth and morphology after balloon catheter injury of alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits.

Neointimal thickening after catheter injury has been reported to be influenced by the integrity of the vascular endothelium. We have previously shown that neointimal thickening is significantly reduced in alloxan-induced diabetic New Zealand White rabbits after catheter injury compared with euglycemic rabbits. In the present study, it was hypothesized that endothelial cell regrowth, morphology, and endothelium-dependent vasoreactivity after catheter injury are improved in the diabetic rabbit (glucose >/=400 mg/dl) compared with the euglycemic rabbit. Two weeks after catheter injury, the percent endothelial regrowth was significantly increased in diabetic animals compared with euglycemic animals (32.1 +/- 2 and 15.6 +/- 1, respectively; P < 0.05). The endothelial cell morphology analyzed by scanning electron microscopy was also restored 2 wk after catheter injury in thoracic aortas from the diabetic animals compared with vessels from euglycemic animals. Endothelium-dependent relaxation to ACh in vessels from diabetic and euglycemic rabbits was attenuated 2 wk after injury, and, although improved by 4 and 8 wk, relaxation remained significantly depressed. These results suggest that endothelial cell regrowth and morphology in diabetic animals was improved compared with euglycemic animals; however, endothelium-dependent vasoreactivity remained impaired. Thus the attenuated neointimal thickening seen in the diabetic rabbit may be a function of the rate and degree of regrowth rather than the normalization of ACh-induced relaxation.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

Expression of the polymeric immunoglobulin receptor and excretion of secretory IgA in the postischemic kidney.

The humoral mucosal immune response of the kidney involves the transport of secretory IgA (S-IgA) through renal epithelial cells by the polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR). The pIgR is cleaved and released as free secretory component (FSC) or attached to IgA (S-IgA). We examined the effects of an ischemic model of acute renal failure (ARF) on the expression of pIgR and the secretion of FSC and S-IgA in the urine. Kidney pIgR mRNA levels decreased in ischemic animals by 55% at 4 h and by 85% at 72 h compared with controls. pIgR protein expression in the medullary thick ascending limb (TAL) decreased within 24 h and was nearly undetectable by 72 h. Urinary S-IgA and FSC concentrations decreased by 60% between days 3 and 6. pIgR mRNA and pIgR protein in the kidney returned to approximately 90% of control levels and urinary FSC and S-IgA concentrations returned to approximately 55% of control levels by day 7. We demonstrate that ischemic ARF decreases renal mucosal S-IgA transport in vivo and may contribute to the increased incidence of urinary tract infections.

Acute Kidney Injury↗

PubMed1999

Antipolymer antibody reactivity in a subset of patients with fibromyalgia correlates with severity.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of antipolymer antibodies (APA) in patients with fibromyalgia (FM) and autoimmune disease control groups and to determine if the presence of these antibodies correlates with severity in patients with FM. METHODS: Sera from patients with FM (n = 47), osteoarthritis (OA) (n = 16), and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (n = 13) were analyzed. Patients with implants of any kind and patients with concurrent autoimmune conditions were excluded from study. Banked sera from autoimmune disease controls including poly/dermatomyosis (n = 15), RA (n = 30), systemic lupus erythmatosus (SLE) (n = 30), and systemic sclerosis (SSc) (n = 30) were also analyzed. To determine if seroreactivity correlates with severity, banked sera from patients with FM assessed as severe (n = 28) or mild (n = 37) and from controls (n = 21) were assayed. RESULTS: Following analysis, the prevalence of seroreactivity was found to be higher in patients with FM (22/47, 47%) compared to patients with OA (3/16, 19%; p<0.1) or RA (1/13, 8%; p<0.05) and the autoimmune disease control sera from poly/dermatomyosis (2/15, 13%; p<0.05), and patients with RA (3/30, 10%; p<0.01), SLE (1/30, 3%; p<0.01), and SSc (1/30, 3%; p<0.01). The prevalence of APA seroreactivity was also significantly higher in patients with severe FM (17/28, 61%) compared to patients with mild FM (11/37, 30%; p<0.05) and controls (4/21, 19%; p<0.01). In addition, both mean threshold and mean tolerance dolorimetry scores were significantly lower in the seropositive patients with mild FM (1.33+/-0.21, 1.95+/-0.25, respectively) compared to the seronegative patients (1.83+/-0.08, 2.53+/-0.11; p<0.05 for both comparisons, respectively). CONCLUSION: These results reveal that an immunological response, production of anti-polymer antibodies, is associated with a subset of patients with FM. The results also suggest that the APA assay may be an objective marker in the diagnosis and assessment of FM and may provide additional avenues of investigation into the pathophysiological processes involved in FM.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1998

Aberrant methylation of the BRCA1 CpG island promoter is associated with decreased BRCA1 mRNA in sporadic breast cancer cells.

BRCA1 mRNA is reduced in sporadic breast cancer cells despite the lack of mutations. Because a CpG island is found at the 5' end of the BRCA1 gene, we hypothesized that the decreased BRCA1 mRNA in sporadic breast cancer was associated with aberrant cytosine methylation of the CpG island. We examined BRCA1 mRNA expression in normal human mammary epithelial cells (HMECs), peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) and six sporadic breast cancer cell lines using RT-PCR. The normal breast cells expressed high levels of BRCA1 mRNA. The sporadic breast cancer cell lines and PBLs expressed lower levels of BRCA1 mRNA ranging from a 3-16-fold decrease compared to the normal breast cells. We identified a 600 bp region of the BRCA1 CpG island that possessed strong promoter activity (approximately 40-fold above control), and determined the cytosine methylation patterns of the 30 CpG sites within this region by sodium bisulfite genomic sequencing. The HMECs, PBLs and five of the sporadic breast cancer cell lines were largely unmethylated. However, one sporadic breast cancer cell line, UACC3199, was > or = 60% methylated at all 30 CpG sites (18 sites were 100% methylated) and was associated with an eightfold decrease in BRCA1 mRNA compared to normal breast cells. These findings suggest that aberrant cytosine methylation of the BRCA1 CpG island promoter may be one mechanism of BRCA1 repression in sporadic breast cancer.

5-Methylcytosine↗

PubMed1998

Nested case-control study of tumors of the hemopoietic and lymphatic systems among workers in the meat industry.

Workers in the meat industry are exposed to viruses that cause leukemia and lymphoma in cattle and chickens, and also to carcinogenic chemical agents. This case-control study, nested in a cohort of members of a meatcutters' union in Baltimore, Maryland, investigated whether occupational exposures are associated with death from tumors of the hemopoietic and lymphatic systems. Cases of these tumors represent all deaths which occurred in the cohort between 1949 and 1980. Excess risks of tumors of the hemopoietic and lymphatic systems were observed throughout the meat industry, except in meatpacking plants. Slaughtering activities involving heavy exposure to oncogenic viruses were strongly associated with these tumors, especially with lymphomas. Thus, elevated risks were observed for butchers who killed animals (odds ratio (OR) = 5.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.0-27.0); workers in chicken-slaughtering plants (OR = 3.3, 95% CI 0.8-13.1); and workers in cattle/sheep/pig abattoirs (OR = 2.8, 95% CI 0.8-9.5). Among supermarket workers, wrapping meat (mainly a female activity) was associated with increased risk of tumors of the hemopoietic and lymphatic systems (OR = 3.8, 95% CI 1.0-14.3), with the odds of both lymphomas and tumors of the myeloid stem cell being elevated. On the other hand, meatcutting in supermarkets (almost exclusively a male activity) was associated with multiple myeloma; the odds ratio for men was 18.0 (95% CI 1.6-207.5), with no myeloma cases being recorded in women. These associations persisted after limited control for exposures outside the industry that have also been observed to be associated with excess risk, such as exposure to pesticides, working/living on pig farms, and exposure to X-rays. The findings provide evidence that workers in the meat industry may be at elevated risk of tumors of the hemopoietic and lymphatic systems. Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to identify more conclusively which exposures play an etiologic role in the occurrence of the different histologic types of these tumors.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

An analysis of program and family costs of case managed care for technology-dependent infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Caring for technology-dependent infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia requires a wide range and intense level of services. Case management programs can offer comprehensive services to patients with complex needs. The Neonatal Pulmonary Program at Tulane University Medical Center is a case management program for infants with chronic pulmonary problems. The purpose of this study was to describe the costs of providing care for technology-dependent infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia and to include the direct and indirect costs to families as well as the Program costs. The study population included 89 infants enrolled in the program from September 1987 through February 1992. Outpatient, inpatient, and professional staff costs were derived from hospital and clinic billing information; all other costs were determined through family interviews. Total costs for outpatient services were $59,627 (89), professional team members time $185,539 (89); inpatient services $1,144,930 (89), professional costs for inpatient services $88,946; direct health costs $32,543 (37) for home health care, equipment, medications, special diets; direct non-health costs $30,670 (37) for transportation, meals, child care, lodging during clinic visits and rehospitalizations and household expenses to accommodate equipment needs; and indirect costs $26,173 (37) for missed work days and employment changes.

Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia↗

PubMed1998

Regulation of the polymeric immunoglobulin receptor by water intake and vasopressin in the rat kidney.

The polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR) transports polymeric immunoglobulins (IgA) from the basolateral to the apical surface of epithelial cells. At the apical surface, its amino-terminal domain, termed secretory component (SC), is proteolytically cleaved and released either unbound (free SC) or bound to IgA. We examined the effects of changes in water balance and vasopressin on the production and secretion of the pIgR in the rat kidney in vivo. Water deprivation induced a 2.7-fold increase in the pIgR mRNA and a 2.2-fold increase in intracellular pIgR protein compared with water-loaded animals. Physiological doses of desmopressin reproduced the effects of water deprivation on mRNA and intracellular protein levels, suggesting that pIgR expression may be regulated by a vasopressin-coupled mechanism. Secretion of free SC and secretory IgA in the urine, however, correlated directly with water intake and urine flow. These results suggest that hydration status and vasopressin may affect the mucosal immunity of the kidney by regulating at different steps the epithelial cell production and secretion of the polymeric immunoglobulin transporter/ secretory component.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Use of antipolymer antibody assay in recipients of silicone breast implants.

BACKGROUND: Local complications (encapsulation, rashes, rupture, and leakage) can occur after placement of silicone gel-containing breast implants (SBI). Whether SBI exposure results in systemic manifestations in some recipients is controversial. We have carried out a blinded study to assess whether there is any difference between SBI recipients and non-exposed controls in the proportions positive for serum antibodies directed against polymeric substances. METHODS: We recruited female SBI recipients (including those without symptoms) who presented to a single rheumatology clinic. A physician global assessment was used to classify SBI recipients who did not meet criteria for specific autoimmune diseases according to the severity of local and systemic signs and symptoms. Controls were recruited from among clinic staff and their acquaintances. Results of the antipolymer antibody (APA) assay were compared with those of an assay for antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and with the severity of the signs and symptoms. FINDINGS: Positive APA results were found in one (3%) of 34 SBI recipients with limited symptoms, two (8%) of 26 with mild symptoms, seven (44%) of 16 with moderate symptoms, and 13 (68%) of 19 with advanced symptoms. Four (17%) of 23 healthy non-SBI-exposed controls and two (10%) of 20 non-exposed women with classic autoimmune diseases were positive for APA. Thus, women with moderate or advanced symptoms were significantly more likely than those with limited or mild symptoms, or non-exposed controls to have APA (p < 0.001). The proportion with positive ANA results was higher for women with classic autoimmune diseases 14 (70%) of 20 than for any SBI-exposed subgroup (0-33%). INTERPRETATION: The APA assay can objectively contribute to distinguishing between SBI recipients with limited or mild signs and symptoms. SBI recipients with more severe manifestations, and patients with specific autoimmune diseases. Further studies will be needed to define the signs and symptoms associated with exposure to SBI.

Adult↗

PubMed1997

The reliability of reporting of contraceptive behavior in DHS calendar data: evidence from Morocco.

This report addresses the consistency of reporting in the contraceptive calendar in the 1992 and 1995 Morocco Demographic and Health Surveys. Because a panel design was used in these surveys, the same women were interviewed in both years, providing a unique opportunity to examine the reliability of responses. Measures of reliability for various aspects of contraceptive-use dynamics are computed, and the impact of reporting errors on contraceptive failure, discontinuation, and switching rates is estimated. Results suggest that reporting of contraceptive behavior in Moroccan DHS calendar data appears to be relatively reliable at the aggregate level. Individual respondents, particularly those whose contraceptive patterns have been complex, have a lower level of reliability. The observed inconsistencies do not appear to affect aggregate-level estimates of contraceptive prevalence; however, measures of contraceptive-use dynamics are less stable.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Sensation-seeking, criminality, and spinal cord injury: a case-control study.

A retrospective case-control study was performed in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1985-1986 to test the hypotheses that 1) criminality is a risk factor for severe injury, and 2) the association between criminality and injury can be explained in terms of a common underlying factor--increased sensation-seeking tendencies. A total of 140 males with spinal cord injury were individually matched with 140 driver's license holders on age, race, sex, educational attainment, and zip code of residence and were interviewed by telephone. Criminality prior to spinal cord injury was measured by self-report and police records, and sensation seeking was measured by the Disinhibition and Boredom Susceptibility subscales of Zuckerman's Sensation-Seeking Scale (Form V). Those with spinal cord injuries were significantly more likely than controls to report a history of juvenile delinquency, adult criminality, and incarceration prior to the time of spinal cord injury. Statistically significant but modest difference were also found between cases and controls with respect to Disinhibition, Boredom Susceptibility, and the combined Sensation-Seeking Scale score. Matched-pairs logistic regression analysis indicated that the association between sensation seeking and spinal cord injury remained significant after controlling for criminality, with an estimated relative risk of 2.05 (95% confidence interval 1.67-2.53). However, the association between criminality and spinal cord injury also remained significant after controlling for sensation seeking (estimated relative risk = 2.04, 95% confidence interval 1.09-3.82). On the basis of these results, criminality and sensation seeking may be statistically significant but independent predictors of spinal cord injury.

Adult↗