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Biomedical subjects

M Labrecque

Publications and source records attributed to M Labrecque.

50 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Duration of effect of loratadine and terfenadine administered once a day for one week on cutaneous and inhaled reactivity to histamine.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: The duration of action of several new non-sedative antihistamine preparations as assessed by skin and bronchial reactivity to histamine has still not been well established. The aim of the study was to evaluate the duration of effect of loratadine (10 mg) and terfenadine (120 mg) administered once a day for one week on cutaneous and inhaled reactivity to histamine by comparison with a placebo. SUBJECTS: Twenty-four adult asthmatic subjects were included in a parallel group study that compared the duration of effect of two antihistamines and a placebo on cutaneous and inhaled reactivity to histamine. STUDY DESIGN: Baseline cutaneous and inhaled reactivity (concentration causing a fall of 20 percent in FEV1 [PC20]) to histamine was obtained on three consecutive days. Loratadine (10 mg), terfenadine (120 mg) and a placebo loratadine were administered daily for 1 week to 3 groups of subjects. The PC20 was measured at the end of the medication period, 3 days later, and weekly until PC20 returned to baseline value (upper limit of 2 SD from the mean baseline value). RESULTS: The mean blocking duration on cutaneous reactivity for loratadine was 6.9 days and for terfenadine, 7.2 days. The mean duration of the blocking effect on PC20 histamine was 8.5 days for loratadine and 7.2 days for terfenadine. These figures were significantly longer than for the placebo. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that terfenadine and loratadine have a comparable blocking effect on reactivity to cutaneous and inhaled histamine. A daily dose taken for one week will result in a mean blocking effect of one week.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed1993

Strategy for screening pregnant women for chlamydial infection in a low-prevalence area.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence and risk factors for chlamydial infection in pregnant women in the Quebec City area and to propose strategies for a screening program. METHODS: From January 1990 to July 1991, pregnant women from six centers were cultured for Chlamydia trachomatis. One hundred thirty-six with positive results and 536 with negative results were included in a case-control study on risk factors for this infection. RESULTS: The prevalence of C trachomatis was 1.9% (136 of 7305). In a logistic regression analysis, young age (P < .0001, test for trend), nulliparity (odds ratio [OR] 3.3; P < .00001), and a new sexual partner in the last year (OR 3.3; P = .0012) were independently associated with infection. With screening restricted to pregnant women under age 25 or those with at least one risk factor, 81.7% of women positive for C trachomatis would have been detected, whereas only 40.6% of all women would have been cultured. CONCLUSION: In a low-prevalence area for chlamydial infection in pregnant women, pre-screening criteria could optimize the use of specific diagnostic tests.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Homeopathic treatment of plantar warts.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of a homeopathic treatment of plantar warts. DESIGN: Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial. SETTING: Hospital-based family medicine unit. PATIENTS: Patients were recruited from the unit, through advertisements in the local media and through personal contacts with colleagues. Of the 853 people screened between December 1987 and January 1989, 174 met the eligibility criteria (age 6 to 59 years and presence of one or more plantar warts untreated during the previous 3 months) and agreed to participate; 162 (93%) completed the 18-week follow-up. INTERVENTIONS: The 6-week homeopathic treatment consisted of thuya 30 "centésimal hahnemannien" (CH) (one tube containing 200 pellets weekly), antimonium crudum 7 CH (5 pellets daily) and nitricum acidum 7 CH (one tube containing 200 pellets daily). The placebo pellets were identical to the treatment pellets in appearance and taste. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The proportion of healed patients; a patient was considered healed if all of the warts had disappeared. MAIN RESULTS: The rates of healing at 6, 12 and 18 weeks were 4.8%, 13.4% and 20.0% respectively in the homeopathic treatment group and 4.6%, 13.1% and 24.4% in the placebo treatment group. CONCLUSION: The homeopathic treatment was no more effective than the placebo treatment of plantar warts.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Validity of the Bioself 110 fertility indicator.

The Bioself 110 (Bioself Canada, Inc., Montréal, Québec, Canada) is an electronic computerized thermometer designed to identify the fertile and infertile phases of the menstrual cycle. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the validity of the device by comparing it with a reference method, the Ovustick (Monoclonal Antibodies, Inc., Mountain View, CA) luteinizing hormone (LH) surge detection kit. The Bioself 110 identified the 6-day fertile period in 86.4% of 220 cycles studied and 5 fertile days in 93.2%. The Bioself 110 correctly identified the postovulatory infertile phase in 93.3% of 178 cycles. On average, the device identified 10.9 fertile days and 10.6 postovulatory "safe" days per cycle. It was concluded the device would be a useful aid to couples trying to conceive or prevent pregnancy.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Feeding and urine cotinine values in babies whose mothers smoke.

In Canada, 8% to 20% of infants are breast-fed by mothers who smoke. To determine whether breast-feeding increases infants' exposure to tobacco smoke products, urinary cotinine excretion was measured in 172 babies, 33 of whom were breast-fed. A milk sample was taken from the mothers who were breast-feeding, and cotinine was measured with gas chromatography. The breast-fed babies had a median cotinine to creatinine ratio of 433 ng/mg, whereas the bottle-fed babies' median was 200 ng/mg (P less than 10(-4)). Similar differences were observed after adjustment for the number of cigarettes smoked by the mother and by other smokers in the home in the previous 24 hours. The correlation coefficient between the number of cigarettes smoked by the mother and the breast milk cotinine concentration was significant (r = .69, P = 2 X 10(-4)). Moreover, urine cotinine values from the breast-fed babies increased with higher concentrations of cotinine in the mother's milk (r = .56, P = .02). These results provide evidence that breast-feeding increases exposure to tobacco smoke components in infants whose mothers smoke. This is yet another argument for strongly encouraging women who smoke to stop smoking during pregnancy and lactation.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

[Estimation of birth weight by measuring the height of the uterus in the parturient women in the Islamic Federal Republic of the Comoro Islands].

This study aims at evaluating the measurement of fundal height in labor as a mean of estimating birth weight in singleton pregnancies. The delivery records of the 1983 Grande Comore Island, Indian Ocean, maternal health care centers were reviewed (n = 730). Weight and fundal height were found in 412 delivery records. The mean weight is 3,108 +/- 533 g. The linear correlation coefficient is 0.59 and the square of the correlation coefficient is 0.35. The best cut-off point of fundal height for the detection of a low birth weight newborn (less than 2,500 g) is 31 cm, which correspond to the 19th percentile. The linear regression model is not strong enough to predict birth weight. As a diagnostic test, fundal height can be usefull on an individual basis. For a mass screening utilisation, this procedure would have to be integrated to a complete program of maternal and child health care.

Birth Weight↗
PubMedDate not supplied

To tell or not to tell: patterns of disclosure among men with prostate cancer.

This paper draws on the results of a longitudinal, qualitative study of men with prostate cancer (treated with prostatectomy) and their spouses. Interviews were conducted separately and simultaneously with men and their spouses, at three points in time (pre-surgery, 8-10 weeks post-surgery and 11-13 months post-surgery). The primary focus in the paper is on men's responses to questions about their decisions to share information (or not) with others about their diagnosis and ongoing medical situation. Most men with prostate cancer avoided disclosure about their illness where possible, and placed great importance on sustaining a normal life. Factors related to limiting disclosure included men's low perceived need for support, fear of stigmatization, the need to minimize the threat of illness to aid coping, practical necessities in the workplace, and the desire to avoid burdening others. This study contributes to an understanding of disclosure issues related to prostate cancer, and raises issues about how best to be helpful to men, given their tendency to minimize the impact of illness, and the need for support.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Presurgery experiences of prostate cancer patients and their spouses.

PURPOSE: In this article, the authors describe the experiences of men with prostate cancer and their spouses between diagnosis and surgery. DESCRIPTION: As part of a longitudinal qualitative study, semistructured interviews were held with 34 prostate cancer patients who were waiting for surgery. Separate interviews were held with their spouses. RESULTS: Six main components of experience were evident from the analysis of transcripts related to the presurgery period: 1) the news of a diagnosis of prostate cancer came initially as a shock for both partners, the impact of which lessened over time; 2) the new reality of illness necessitated readdressing the marital relationship, most often resulting in a sense of renewed connection and commitment; 3) the illness crisis precipitated a search for information to guide decisions about treatment; 4) there was a need for couples to decide who to inform about the cancer diagnosis and how much to say about it; 5) couples attempted to seek a semblance of normality in their lives, especially after treatment decisions had been made; and 6) despite attempts to minimize the potential impact of upcoming surgery, anxiety was typically experienced at least intermittently by one or both partners. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Physicians, nurses, social workers, and other health professionals need to facilitate attempts by the patient to gather and synthesize information. Cancer specialists can play a positive role in reducing distress in couples, and, thus, the attention of the specialists to communication issues is critical. The strain of waiting for surgery must be considered when treatment recommendations are made; watchful waiting protocols require further study from a psychological perspective. Clinicians need to be alert to the balance between being positive and carrying on as normal, and acknowledging and dealing with the distress that arises.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Early postsurgery experience of prostate cancer patients and spouses.

PURPOSE: The authors describe the experience of men with prostate cancer and their spouses in the early recovery period after surgery. DESCRIPTION OF STUDY: As part of a longitudinal qualitative study, semistructured interviews were held with 34 patients who had prostate cancer and their spouses 8 to 10 weeks after surgery. RESULTS: Five components of experience emerged from the interviews: 1) hearing news about the extent of their cancer after surgery influenced how patients viewed their cancer experience and, in many cases, their recovery; 2) men placed great emphasis on recovering their physical capacity quickly; 3) couples connected with each other through working out care routines and managing periods of irritability; 4) couples described a range of responses to surgery side effects and complications; and 5) the meaning of cancer varied for couples, with most seeing the experience as a temporary disruption. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Physicians, nurses, social workers, and other health professionals working with patients before and after prostatectomies may assist couples to prepare better for the early recovery period by being both sensitive to the men's need to recover physical capacity quickly while helping them to understand that recovery takes time. Accurate information about expected periods of irritability, side effects, and possible complications would diminish the likelihood of distress during this period.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Can access to spirometry in asthma education centres influence the referral rate by primary physicians for education?

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Asthma remains uncontrolled in a large number of asthmatic patients. Recent surveys have shown that a minority of asthmatic patients are referred to asthma educators. The objective of the present study was to assess the influence of increased access to spirometry in asthma education centres (AECs) on the rate of patient referrals to these centres by general practitioners. METHODS: A one-year, prospective, randomized, multicentric, parallel group study was conducted over two consecutive periods of six months each, with added spirometry being offered in the second six-month period to the experimental group. Ten AECs were enrolled in the project. An advertisement describing the AECs' services was sent by mail to a total of 303 general practitioners at the start of each period, inviting them to refer their patients. Measures of the frequency of medical referrals to the AECs were assessed for each period. RESULTS: The group of AECs randomly selected for spirometry in the second six-month period received 48 medical referrals during the first period and 32 during the second one, following proposed spirometry. AECs that had not offered spirometry received five referrals during the first period and seven during the second period. One AEC withdrew a few weeks after the study began and others encountered administrative problems, reducing their ability to provide interventions. CONCLUSIONS: Referral to AECs is not yet integrated into the primary care of asthma and offering more rapid access to spirometry in the AECs does not seem to be a significant incentive for such referrals.

Asthma↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Interobserver agreement in the diagnosis and management of foot warts].

The interobserver agreement in diagnosing the presence or the disappearance of plantar wart was assessed among ten Family Physicians from the Family Medicine Unit (FMU) of the Centre hospitalier de l'Université Laval (CHUL). Physicians were trained to recognize predetermined clinical criteria for the presence (microthrombi, interruption of skin folds and hyperkeratosis) and disappearance (return of skin folds) of plantar warts. Sixty (60) untreated plantar lesions in 43 patients were examined independently by two to five available physicians. Twenty-two (22) patients who came for one to six follow-up visits generated 77 post treatment assessments of plantar warts. The observed agreement was 82% for diagnosis (49/60) and for cure (63/77). The agreement corrected for chance as measured by the Kappa coefficient was 0.60 for diagnosis and 0.61 for cure. A good degree of agreement on diagnosis and disappearance of plantar wart was achieved among the FMU physicians.

Diagnosis, Differential↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Association between maternal smoking and breast feeding].

Many factors influence the decision to initiate and continue to breastfeed. Our study evaluates the relation between maternal cigarette smoking and prevalence of breastfeeding. A telephone questionnaire was administered by nurses to mothers of 879 newborns from the Quebec City area approximately two weeks after delivery. Among the 666 babies whose mothers did not smoke, 62.6% were breastfed. This proportion declined to 37.5%, 17.7% and 14.6% among babies whose mothers smoked 1 to 10, 11 to 20 and more than 20 cigarettes per day, respectively. The dose-effect association between the prevalence of breastfeeding and the number of cigarettes smoked daily by the mother persisted after adjustment in a binomial regression model for maternal age, education and home district area. Pregnant women who smoke should be strongly encouraged to quit smoking and to breastfeed their babies.

Breast Feeding↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Pregnant women's knowledge of prematurity in Quebec].

The objective of this study was to determine pregnant women's knowledge level concerning premature birth. During July of 1990, 465 pregnant women completed a questionnaire evaluating their knowledge of the following dimensions of premature birth: risk factors, symptoms, epidemiology, prevention and self-assessment of risk. The subjects were all francophones, at 16 weeks of less of pregnancy, with characteristics comparable to all pregnant women in Quebec. The study participants considered premature birth to be a serious health problem, and over-estimated the premature birth rate. Fifty-seven percent thought that the rate was 17% or greater. Eighty percent associated premature birth with some morbidity and mortality risks. On the other hand, the risk factors concerning premature birth were poorly known; approximately 50% of the women did not recognize twin pregnancy and a past history of premature delivery as risk factors. Moreover, a third of the women did not recognize the signs and symptoms of premature rupture of membranes and of premature labor. In conclusion, a high proportion of pregnant women in Quebec do not have even minimally adequate knowledge levels concerning the prevention or risks of premature birth.

Adult↗