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Biomedical subjects

P Cushman

Publications and source records attributed to P Cushman.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1978

Abstinence following detoxification and methadone maintenance treatment.

During an 11 year overview of methadone treatment, 161 (72 per cent) of 225 patients who completed detoxification were followed up to eight years. Fifty-one (22.6 per cent) of those were classified as stable and narcotic free 2.9 years after detoxification. Of 89 self-selected patients who had undergone a planned, supported, "therapeutic" detoxification, 37 (42 per cent) were classified narcotic-free; whereas many fewer were so judged after other methods of detoxification. Relapse to nonprescribed opioid use, detected in 34 (38.7 per cent) of those traced, was inversely related to time since detoxification. Relapse potential was very low after three years of apparent continuous narcotic-free existence; three years should be a minimal time for successful detoxification. Some subjects had several cycles of methadone treatment and detoxification. Most patients with combined alcohol-methadone dependencies did poorly, whether or not detoxification from opioids was undertaken. Since the frequency of enduring narcotic-free state was only 9.7 per cent of 522 patients in the treatment sample, detoxification should not be a realistic goal for all patients who enter treatment.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

Ten years of methadone maintenance treatment: some clinical observations.

Ten years of methadone maintenance were reviewed in all 547 patients admitted to one clinic in New York City. High retention rates, reduced but still high mortality rates, increased employment, and minor degrees of recognized opiate abuse characterized those remaining in treatment. The treated patients appeared to evolve into a unique social and economic class, partly in the drug subculture and partly outside the drug world. Many were dependent on public assistance for living expenses, methadone treatment, and medical care. An interesting finding was their heavy demands for inpatient hospital care, often for drug-related reasons. A segment of New York City narcotic addicts was sequestered in an open-ended treatment process with considerable benefits to themselves and to society. Only a small fraction appeared to gravitate toward full economic support, to discontinuation of methadone, and to an enduring narcotic-free state.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

Immunological studies in methadone maintained patients.

Rosettes formed by circulating T and B lymphocytes obtained from 30 methadone maintained narcotic addicts were compared with those of 23 normal control subjects. Abnormal percentages of T rosette-forming cells were found in 6 of 30 patients (20%) while the percentages of B rosette-forming cells were increased in 40% and reduced in 27% of methadone patients. It appears that alterations in the percentages of peripheral lymphocytes, particularly those with cell surface complement receptors, should be added to the list of immunological abnormalities evident in some methadone-treated narcotic additics.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Marijuana and T lymphocyte rosettes.

The effect of marijuana smoking on sheep cell rosetting properties of both early (active) and total T lymphocytes was studied in vitro. Significantly fewer active rosettes were formed by T cells from a population of 35 who appeared to be chronic marijuana smokers than the 34 controls. The late, or cold-enhanced rosettes formed by smokers and nonsmokers were similar, suggesting that similar numbers of rosette-forming T cells were present in the peripheral blood of smokers. These data suggest that marijuana smoking may affect the function of a subpopulation of T lymphocytes, identified by their capacity to form early rosettes, possibly by affecting these cell membranes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

Methadone maintenance treatment of narcotic addiction: a unit of medical care based on over 50,000 patient treatment years.

The experience with methadone maintenance treatment by two major New York City methadone maintenance treatment programs using the Dole-Nyswander philosophy is reviewed. After more than 56,000 person-years in treatment over a 10-year period of time, a unit of medical experience exemplified by these two programs is evident. There was a high degree of patient acceptance, a small amount of recognized residual illicit drug abuse, and steeply reduced criminal activities of those patients who remained in treatment. A wide variety of other methadone treatment programs are recognized. Many use methadone differently from those in the present study. The treatment results reported herein may represent a standard by which narcotic (methadone and other) treatment programs can be assessed.

Crime↗
PubMed1975

Plasma testosterone levels in healthy male marijuana smokers.

Plasma testosterone, FSH, and LH levels were obtained from 25 healthy consecutive heterosexual male mauijuana smoking university students. All values were within the range of normal and the means did not differ significantly from those of 13 normal controls. These data suggest that the casual marijuana smoker (at least one time weekly with an average of 5.1 joints per week) may have plasma testosterone levels which are normal for the time of day and the laboratory.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

Reduction in T-lymphocytes forming active rosettes in chronic marijuana smokers.

Rosettes formed by peripheral T- and B-lymphocytes were studied in 23 normal controls and 23 marijuana smokers. The mean percentage of cells forming B type rosettes were normal in both groups. The percentage of T cells forming rosettes was lower in the marijuana smokers, and 39% had values below 2 standard deviations of the mean of the normal control group. These observations suggest some alteration in some T cells in some marijuana smokers.

Adolescent↗