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Biomedical subjects

R S McCord

Publications and source records attributed to R S McCord.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

Interlaboratory variability in serum lipid measurements.

Identification of elevated blood cholesterol has become a priority in the effort to reduce coronary heart disease. Previous data indicate that considerable laboratory variability in lipid testing exists in the United States. To determine the interlaboratory variability of serum lipid measurements in the Little Rock area, split serum samples from three subjects were sent to ten area laboratories. The average coefficient of variation among the ten local laboratories was 3.20% for total cholesterol, 9.46% for HDL-cholesterol, 7.73% for triglycerides, and 5.95% for calculated LDL-cholesterol. The results indicate that clinicians cannot assume that adequate standardization for lipid determinations exists for all laboratories. Without accuracy and precision data for the specific laboratory, caution should be used in the strict application of guidelines for classification and treatment of patients with abnormal serum-lipid measurements.

Arkansas↗
PubMed1991

Prenatal protocol usage.

A review was conducted of 825 obstetrics cases on active computer file at the Department of Family and Community Medicine in Little Rock, Arkansas. Independent raters evaluated faculty and resident usage of a prenatal protocol which was routinely used as a teaching tool in the department's residency program since 1972. Significant differences were found to exist with regard to usage of the tool by physician status. Faculty were more consistent and thorough in their usage of the teaching tool when compared to residents. Differences were explained in terms of a practice effect, research bias of faculty, levels of practice, and potential weaknesses in the educational program.

Clinical Protocols↗
PubMed1990

Oat bran supplementation for elevated serum cholesterol.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) has recommended intensive dietary treatment as first-line therapy for patients with high cholesterol levels. The NHLBI has also encouraged research into the effectiveness and safety of alternative diets and further study of human behavior as it relates to adherence to diets. Based on these recommendations and previous studies suggesting a hypocholesterolemic effect of oat bran dietary supplementation, 16 family practice outpatients with elevated cholesterol levels were enrolled in a 12 week study designed to assess the practicality and effectiveness of adding four oat bran muffins per day to the diet. Subjects were randomized into immediate intervention and delayed intervention groups. The combined group had a significant decrease in total cholesterol of 7.9 percent (p less than .03) and in LDL-cholesterol of 10.1 percent (p less than .03) but there was no significant difference with respect to lipid changes between the immediate group and the delay group when the delay group was serving as a control for the immediate group. The results taken in conjunction with evidence in the literature indicate that the simple addition of oat bran muffins to the diet of certain family practice outpatients is well tolerated and probably effective in lowering serum total and low density lipoprotein cholesterol.

Edible Grain↗
PubMed1989

Physicians' attitudes on advance directives.

Advance directives provide means for competent individuals to influence treatment decisions in the event of serious illness and subsequent loss of competence, the "living will" being the best known example. Physicians in Arkansas who were identified to be currently engaged in general practice, family medicine, or internal medicine, including its subspecialities (N = 1293), were surveyed to assess attitudes toward and experiences with advance directives. Almost 80% of all respondents expressed a positive attitude and fewer than 2% expressed a negative attitude toward such documents. A majority (55.9%) had actual experience with the instruments in their practices, and 83.5% of these physicians said that their attitude had become more positive as a result of their experience. More frequent employment of advance directives in critical situations was associated with more positive attitudes and experiences. Most of the benefits claimed for advance directives--improved communication and trust, easier and more confident treatment decision, less stress and guilt, and promotion of patient autonomy--were substantiated by the results.

Arkansas↗
PubMed1976

Antiviral effect of pyran against systemic infection of mice with herpes simplex virus type 2.

The immunomodulator pyran markedly protected 5-week-old mice from lethal intravenous infection with herpes simplex virus type 2. The 50% lethal dose was increased almost 100-fold in pyran-treated mice as compared with controls. Although the protection was not as marked in older mice (10 and 16 weeks old), there was a significant increase in mean survival time. When the pathogenesis of herpesvirus disease was monitored in control and drug-treated mice, the effect of pyran was most evident in the spinal cord, where virus was recovered from 20 of 25 control mice and from only 6 of 25 pyran-treated mice. There was also a significant reduction in the titer of virus present, and virus appeared later in the spinal cord of pyran-treated mice than in control mice. The protective effect of pyran was observed only when the drug was administered 24 h before viral challenge, was seen after both intraperitoneal and intravenous injection, and was not due to direct inactivation of the virus.

Age Factors↗