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Biomedical subjects

L Dixon

Publications and source records attributed to L Dixon.

97 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Increased tardive dyskinesia in alcohol-abusing schizophrenic patients.

Many schizophrenics have a diagnosis of substance abuse or dependence. We evaluated whether drug or alcohol abuse is an independent risk factor for tardive dyskinesia (TD) in schizophrenia. In a consecutive admission, clinical study of 75 hospitalized schizophrenics, drug or alcohol abusers had significantly higher TD scores than nonabusers. The association of alcohol abuse or dependence with TD seemed independent from other risk factors for TD.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Inability to validate a predictive score for infective endocarditis in intravenous drug users.

We sought to identify presenting features that should increase the accuracy of diagnosis of endocarditis in symptomatic intravenous drug use (IVDU) patients. We used two data sets of IVDU patients to develop and validate a score for endocarditis. A retrospective analysis of admitted IVDU patients was conducted with subsequent validation of endocarditis score on consecutive admitted IVDU patients at the same urban teaching hospital emergency department. Statistical comparison was made of presenting clinical features in patients with and without positive blood cultures or vegetation on their echocardiogram. Multivariable analysis of significant features was carried out. A clinical score was developed using a likelihood ratio to determine weighting. Validation of the score was tested by application to a second set of admitted symptomatic IVDU patients. The performance of the score was assessed by comparison of receiver operating characteristic curves for the two data sets. Factors associated with endocarditis on multivariable analysis were past history of endocarditis (negative correlation), total white blood cell (WBC) count, percentage neutrophils and bands on differential WBC count, infiltrate on chest x-ray, and arterial oxygenation (negative correlation). Prospective validation showed poor predictive performance of the endocarditis score. Presenting clinical, radiographic, and laboratory features do not appear helpful in estimating the clinical likelihood of endocarditis in symptomatic IVDU patients.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Drug-use behavior and correlates in people with schizophrenia.

This study examined how illicit drugs were accessed, reasons for drug use, prevalence of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, psychiatric symptomatology, level of functioning, and the relationship of these factors to substance use in 25 schizophrenia outpatients. To identify unique substance-use behaviors or correlates, this information was compared to 25 substance-abusing outpatients with major affective disorders, and 30 people with schizophrenia alone. Patients largely financed their drug habits with money given by immediate family members, and reported using drugs primarily for social reasons. While all three groups reported high levels of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, a relationship between emotional abuse and substance use was observed only for people with schizophrenia. There were no differences between the two schizophrenia groups in psychiatric symptoms or level of functioning. The treatment implications of these findings are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Awareness of substance abuse problems among dually-diagnosed psychiatric inpatients.

This study examines the ability to acknowledge the need for treatment of mental illness and substance abuse problems among dually-diagnosed inpatients before and after an inpatient substance abuse treatment program. A cohort of 264 consecutively admitted patients diagnosed with a mental illness and substance use disorder were entered into a dual diagnosis treatment program. Perceptions of patients diagnosed with a substance-induced mental disorder were compared to those of patients with a primary mental illness regarding their problems and need for treatment before and after the dual diagnosis program. Most patients acknowledged a substance abuse or mental illness problem and need for treatment. Patients with substance-induced mental disorders were more likely to acknowledge a substance use problem and need for treatment (p < .001). After treatment, changes in perception of mental illness were greater for substance-induced mental disorder patients compared to patients with a primary mental illness (p < .001). Persons with more severe substance abuse were more likely to acknowledge a problem and need for treatment. The majority of dually-diagnosed patients admitted with a substance use disorder agreed that substance use was a problem, suggesting that inpatient hospitalization presents a prime opportunity to address addiction in dually-diagnosed patients. The type of mental illness and severity of substance use influenced perceptions of illnesses and treatment readiness and must be considered by the clinician.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Pre-admission clinic in an ENT unit.

Evidence to support the belief that pre-admission clinics serve a vital function in improving services and reducing costs is beginning to mount. The author describes how one such clinic has been successfully established in an ENT unit. Following the success of the initiative, other surgical specialties in the hospital are now looking at the potential benefits of pre-admission clinics.

Adolescent↗