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Biomedical subjects

L Baer

Publications and source records attributed to L Baer.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

Ten-year follow-up of worksite hypertension control programs.

We have analyzed the control of hypertension and the demographics of 898 actively treated (AT) (visits within past 12 months) and inactive patients (IAT) (no visit for at least 12 months) in six worksite hypertension programs established in 1977. Results were analyzed using Student's t test and correlation coefficients. Patients are treated at the worksites by a nurse-physician team using a stepped-care protocol. In the AT group (n = 436), the mean age was 52 +/- 0.5 years, initial blood pressure (BP) was 152 +/- 1/97 +/- 0.5 mm Hg, and current BP was 136 +/- 0.7/86 +/- 0.04 mm Hg (p less than 0.001). Of the 436 patients, 194 were men and 242 were women (217 Caucasian and 156 black). In the IAT group (n = 462) mean age was 51 +/- 0.5 years, initial BP was 154 +/- 1/99 +/- 0.5 mm Hg, and last BP was 138/88 +/- 0.4 mm Hg (p less than 0.001). Of these, 171 were men and 291 were women (238 Caucasian and 171 black). No differences in initial and current BP were noted when comparing the AT with the IAT group. The percent of Caucasian (43%) and blacks (36%) men in the AT group was similar to those in the IAT group (37%). Control of hypertension at worksites where blacks predominate was similar to sites where Caucasians predominate. We conclude that worksite control of hypertension over a 10-year period maintains approximately 50% of the initial population under treatment. Control rates greater than 80% to less than 90 mm Hg diastolic are present despite heterogeneity in demographics.

Black People↗
PubMed1989

Open trial of fluoxetine in obsessive-compulsive disorder.

A 12-week open trial of fluoxetine in 61 obsessive-compulsive disorder patients significantly improved depressive and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Baseline depression scores were not related to improvement on two obsessive-compulsive scales. The results reinforce the hypothesis of serotonergic abnormalities in obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Use of a portable computer program to assist behavioral treatment in a case of obsessive compulsive disorder.

This case study describes the development and use of a portable computer program to assist in behavioral treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder. A 58-year-old female with a 37-year history of compulsive checking rituals, who had mild improvement following 36 months of standard behavioral techniques and pharmacotherapy, showed improved compliance with behavioral treatments of exposure and response prevention following use of the portable computer program. Computer records indicated marked reductions in frequency of checking rituals and a 91-week follow-up indicated that treatment effects were maintained at home where the patient had resumed using the laptop computer. She had stopped using the pocket computer outside the home, and there her checking rituals had returned to baseline levels.

Behavior Therapy↗
PubMed1987

Obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, and the dexamethasone suppression test.

Five of 29 obsessive-compulsive disorder patients were dexamethasone suppression test (DST) nonsuppressors, all of whom met standard Hamilton Depression Rating scale criteria for at least mild depression. None of 24 nondepressed obsessive-compulsive disorder patients had an abnormal DST. The relationship of the DST to specificity of psychiatric diagnoses is discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Disabling obsessive thoughts responsive to antidepressants.

The authors report four patients with disabling obsessive thoughts who responded in dramatic fashion to antidepressant medication. None met criteria for major depression. This response is discussed in light of the current literature on obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Concomitant obsessive-compulsive disorder and schizotypal personality disorder.

Despite advances in the management of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder, some remain refractory to treatment. The authors retrospectively examined characteristics of 43 treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive patients and found that those with concomitant schizotypal personality disorder had an extremely high rate of treatment failure. Of the 29 treated nonschizotypal patients, 26 (90%) improved at least moderately; only one of 14 (7%) schizotypal patients improved. In addition, the number of schizotypal features in each patient was strongly negatively correlated with treatment outcome.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

MMPI correlates of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

The MMPI was administered to 32 patients with pure obsessive-compulsive disorder. Twelve of the patients had been previously misdiagnosed as having schizophrenia, 10 had been treated with neuroleptics, and 1 developed severe tardive dyskinesia. An MMPI profile for obsessive-compulsive disorder is described.

Diagnosis, Differential↗
PubMed1985

Cigarette smoking in hypertensive patients. Blood pressure and endocrine responses.

The blood pressure and endocrine responses to cigarette smoking were studied in 19 hypertensive patients to determine whether smoking activates the renin-aldosterone axis. Blood pressure rose from 140 +/- 7/99 +/- 3 (mean +/- SEM) to 151 +/- 5/108 +/- 2 mm Hg (p less than 0.01) within 10 minutes after smoking, and pulse rate also increased significantly (69 +/- 2 to 96 +/- 4 beats per minute). Plasma renin activity did not change but rose 15 minutes after ambulation. In contrast, plasma aldosterone and plasma cortisol levels increased significantly after smoking and peaked at 20 minutes: 13.9 +/- 0.9 to 20.2 +/- 2.0 ng/dl (p less than 0.01) and 10.2 +/- 1.0 to 22.0 +/- 2.2 micrograms/dl (p less than 0.01), respectively. These responses were closely correlated (r = 0.6467, p less than 0.01), suggesting a pituitary-adrenal mechanism is activated during smoking. Plasma ACTH levels rose from 58 +/- 6 to 87 +/- 10 pg/ml in 10 minutes (p less than 0.001) and to 90 +/- 14 pg/ml at 20 minutes (p less than 0.01). Total plasma catecholamine levels also rose from 468 +/- 60 to 624 +/- 73 pg/ml 10 minutes after smoking (p less than 0.01) and to 724 +/- 69 pg/ml (p less than 0.01) 15 minutes after ambulation. In hypertensive smokers, cigarette smoking is associated with an increase in blood pressure, pulse rate, and plasma ACTH, cortisol, aldosterone, and plasma catecholamine levels. The long-term significance of these acute hormonal changes in regard to blood pressure homeostasis and vascular disease in cigarette smokers remains to be determined. Smoking should be avoided prior to blood pressure and endocrine determinations.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗