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Biomedical subjects

S Chapman

Publications and source records attributed to S Chapman.

At least 361 records · Page 20Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Smokers' understandings of cigarette yield labels.

An important part of public health policy on the control of smoking is the promotion of a reduction in intake of tar by persons who continue to smoke. One method that may contribute towards such a reduction is to encourage smokers to choose cigarette brands that contain low tar levels. This in turn might be promoted by the comprehensible labelling of cigarette packets with tar yields. We tested our hypothesis that the current information about tar yield on cigarette packets is incomprehensible to smokers on a sample of 498 persons (original sample, 500) who smoked. Only 10 (2%) smokers were able to state the correct tar content of their cigarette. On a scaled range of tar levels in all cigarette brands that are available in Australia, 344 (69.1%) smokers underestimated the level in their cigarette brand. On this scale, 280 (56%) smokers placed randomly chosen tar levels in the wrong category. It was agreed by 360 (72%) smokers that comparative tar yields should be displayed at all points of tobacco sale. It is recommended that a condition of issuing a licence to retail tobacco should be that the tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide yield information for all cigarette brands that are available in a national market should be displayed prominently to the consumer by the retailer.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Evaluation of the Sydney "Quit. For Life" anti-smoking campaign. Part 1. Achievement of intermediate goals.

The "Quit. For Life" campaign was a media-based programme that was aimed at reducing the prevalence of smoking in Sydney. The programme committee set four intermediate goals which it felt had to be met for such a change in prevalence to occur. From households selected at random in Sydney and Melbourne, 5713 people were interviewed to assess whether the campaign attained these goals. The television commercials that were designed for the campaign, their frequency and the timing of their screening produced a higher recall of the commercial's message and the use of campaign back-up services than were specified originally in the goals. During the campaign there was a progressive increase in the number of smokers in Sydney who reported that they were likely to quit; this was significantly different from Melbourne data by the end of the campaign and thus fulfilled another campaign goal. However, shortly after the campaign ended, the proportion of smokers who intended to quit smoking was the same in the two cities. A cohort study of 949 people from the baseline study showed that, during the 12-month period of follow-up, 66% of Sydney smokers tried to stop or to reduce their smoking. In the control city, Melbourne, 60% of smokers reported making such attempts. Of the original smokers, 23% in Sydney and 9% in Melbourne quit during the follow-up period--a statistically significant difference. As well, 10% of the original ex-smokers in Sydney and 11% in Melbourne relapsed, while 4% of nonsmokers in both cities began smoking by the end of the second survey.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Cerebral ventricular enlargement in schizophrenia. A preliminary follow-up study.

Lateral cerebral ventricular enlargement is now known to occur in some schizophrenic patients. To determine whether ventriculomegaly in schizophrenia is a static vs progressive process, we conducted a follow-up computed tomographic brain scan study on 11 young male patients, three years after initial scans were obtained. No significant change was found in the mean ventricles-brain ratio of this small schizophrenic sample after three years. Four of 11 patients showed noticeable increases (greater than 50%) in individual ratio. Methodologic problems are discussed and the need for follow-up studies as a research strategy is emphasized.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Oral acyclovir in the treatment of acute herpes zoster ophthalmicus.

Seventy-one nonimmunocompromised patients with herpes zoster ophthalmicus, presenting within seven days of onset of characteristic skin eruption, were enrolled in a prospective, longitudinal, randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled trial with oral acyclovir. In a previous interim report we noted more prompt resolution of dermatomal signs and symptoms with acyclovir treatment. There was also a reduction of viral shedding in acyclovir-treated patients coupled with a trend to greater rate of microdissemination of the virus in placebo-treated patients (Cobo LM, et al. Ophthalmology 1985; 92:1574-83). While further substantiating these findings, we report that a ten-day course of treatment with oral acyclovir (600 mg, five times a day) is well-tolerated and significantly reduces the incidence and severity of the most common complications of herpes zoster ophthalmicus: dendritiform keratopathy, stromal keratitis, and uveitis. While this acyclovir treatment regimen reduces the zoster-related pain during the acute phase of the disease, especially in patients treated within 72 hours of onset of skin lesions, it has no evident effect on either incidence, severity, or duration of post-herpetic neuralgia in the patients studied.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1986

Oral acyclovir for episodic treatment of recurrent genital herpes. Efficacy and safety.

This multicenter double-blind study of 157 patients was designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a new dosage regimen of oral acyclovir (800 mg twice a day for 5 days) for the treatment of recurrent genital herpes. The new regimen was compared with the standard dosage of 200 mg given five times a day to patients treated for three consecutive episodes (one episode with physician-initiated therapy and two with patient-initiated therapy) and followed up for three untreated episodes. The new regimen was well tolerated and effective. In male patients it may be more effective than the standard regimen of 200 mg given five times a day to treat vesicles that are already present.

Acyclovir↗
PubMed1986

Opiate antagonism fails to reverse post-ECT cognitive deficits.

The opiate antagonist naloxone has been reported to improve memory in animals and to produce partial improvement in Alzheimer's dementia. The usefulness of naloxone for reversing ECT-induced cognitive impairment was tested by comparing the effects of naloxone and placebo on several tests of cognitive performance in 10 patients who underwent bilateral ECT. No significant differences were found between naloxone and placebo. The results suggest that at the doses used, naloxone is not effective in reversing ECT-induced memory deficits.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Third ventricular enlargement on CT scans in schizophrenia: association with cerebellar atrophy.

The width, length, and ventricle-to-brain area ratio (VBR) of the third ventricle were measured in 55 consecutive young male schizophrenic patients and 27 matched control subjects. No differences in third ventricular dimensions were found between the two groups. However, schizophrenic patients with cerebellar atrophy had a significantly greater mean third ventricular length. Correlations of third ventricular VBR with lateral ventricular VBR, but not with sulcal widening, were found. The possible existence of a subset of schizophrenic patients defined by cerebellar atrophy and third ventricular enlargement is discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Depression, cortisol metabolism and lymphocytopenia.

Depression is often associated with hypercortisolemia. Because high levels of cortisol influence the distribution of different types of leukocytes in the blood stream, we examined the percentages and absolute numbers of circulating neutrophils and lymphocytes in 29 depressed patients who were nonsuppressors on the Dexamethasone Suppression Test (DST), 28 depressed patients who were suppressors on the DST, and 52 schizophrenic controls. We found no significant differences in either RBC or WBC counts in the 3 groups. There were, however, significant differences in the percentages of both neutrophils and lymphocytes as well as the absolute number of lymphocytes among the groups. These differences were mostly due to significantly lower lymphocyte percentages and absolute counts in the depression-nonsuppressor group. We also found a significant negative association between post-dexamethasone plasma cortisol concentrations and blood lymphocyte counts. These data suggest a close interaction between cortisol metabolism and lymphocyte regulation in major depression.

Depressive Disorder↗
PubMed1985

Oral acyclovir in the therapy of acute herpes zoster ophthalmicus. An interim report.

A prospective, randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted to study the effects of oral acyclovir on 55 patients with acute herpes zoster ophthalmicus. Treatment with oral acyclovir resulted in more prompt resolution of signs and symptoms, particularly in patients treated within 72 hours after onset of skin rash (P less than 0.05), and shortened the duration of viral shedding (P = 0.02). Vesicular skin lesions involving other dermatomes (microdissemination) occurred in five (19%) placebo-treated patients but in no acyclovir-treated patients (P = 0.03). Interim analysis of this longitudinal study suggests that the incidence and severity of secondary ocular inflammatory disease was reduced by acyclovir. Prolonged observation of these patients is ongoing to determine if oral acyclovir reduces post-herpes zoster neuralgia or the late ocular complications of ophthalmic zoster.

Acyclovir↗
PubMed1985

Echocardiographic assessment of schizophrenics and manics: a reexamination of early necropsy findings.

Postmortem evaluation of schizophrenic patients earlier this century demonstrated relatively consistent findings of hypoplasia of the heart and great vessels. No recent attempts have been made, to our knowledge, to replicate these results. In vivo assessment of the left heart and aorta by M-mode echocardiographic examination seemed likely to provide an opportunity to investigate the relationship of major psychiatric illness to heart size and aortic diameter. Twenty-two chronic schizophrenics (mean age 31.5 years), 17 manics (mean age 30.9 years), and 14 normal volunteers (mean age 29.1 years) consented to echocardiographic examination. Patients were diagnosed by DSM-III criteria. Individuals with any history of cardiovascular disease or alcohol abuse were excluded. No statistically significant differences emerged among the groups in measures of left atrial, aortic root, or end-diastolic left ventricular diameters. Our results did not support previously reported autopsy findings. Implications of the relationship of chronic institutionalization and chronic neuroleptic treatment to heart and great vessel dimensions are discussed.

Adult↗