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Biomedical subjects

S P Lin

Publications and source records attributed to S P Lin.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Childhood antecedents of homelessness in psychiatric patients.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the relationship between childhood experience and homelessness in psychiatric patients. METHOD: Three large and diverse samples of homeless patients (N = 512) were compared with a sample of patients who had never been homeless (N = 271), with respect to childhood experience of foster care, group home placement, and running away. One of the homeless samples and the never homeless sample were drawn from patients admitted to a state mental hospital. In this state hospital population, risk ratios for lifetime prevalence of homelessness could be derived. RESULTS: In the three homeless samples, over 15% had a history of foster care, over 10% had a history of group home placement, and over 20% had a history of running away. These figures compared with 2%, 1%, and 5%, respectively, in the never homeless sample. In the state hospital, the lifetime prevalence of homelessness in patients with any one of these childhood experiences was about threefold that of other patients. A history of homelessness was reported by the great majority of state hospital patients who had had one of these childhood experiences. CONCLUSIONS: These childhood experiences were strongly associated with adult homelessness in these psychiatric patients. It might be possible to prevent homelessness in some cases by interventions aimed at patients with such childhood histories.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

[Propionic acidemia: report of a case that is successfully managed by peritoneal dialysis and sodium benzoate therapy].

Propionic acidemia is a rare hereditary disease which is an autosomal recessive disorder. Defect of propionyl CoA carboxylase results in abnormal accumulation of propionate and its metabolites which interfere the pathway of glycine cleavage and the urea cycle. This organic acidemia is characterized by a wide spectrum of clinical and biochemical findings, including recurrent vomiting, difficult feeding, lethargy, hypotonia, metabolic ketoacidosis, hyperglycinemia and hyperammonemia during the acute episodes. We present a male newborn infant who sustained this disorder and was managed successfully with blood exchange transfusion, peritoneal dialysis, supplemented with sodium benzoate and sodium bicarbonate therapy. Urine gas chromatography disclosed significant elevation of propionate and its metabolites which subsided 2 days after peritoneal dialysis. Special designed formula was then given with restriction of protein intake and supplement with sodium benzoate and sodium carbonate. Prenatal genetic counseling is necessary in further pregnancy. Diagnosis can be obtained when propionyl CoA carboxylase activity is low in cultured amniotic fluid cells or chorion villi sample or when there is abnormally high methylcitrate level in amniotic fluid.

Benzoates↗
PubMed1988

Effects of prenatal exposure to neuroleptic drugs on children's growth.

The effect of prenatal exposure to neuroleptic drugs on height and weight from birth to 7 years was examined in children of psychiatrically normal parents and of parents with a history of psychiatric treatment, using data from the Collaborative Perinatal Project of the National Institute of Neurological Diseases, Communicative Disorders, and Stroke. Analysis of covariance was used to control for potential confounding factors. We found that prenatal exposure to dopamine receptor-blocking neuroleptic drugs was associated with increased height in one or more of our groups at 4 months, 1 year, and 7 years and less consistently with increased weight. Seven-year-old children who had been exposed to these drugs for more than 2 months during gestation were approximately 3 cm taller than unexposed controls (p less than 0.05). Prenatal exposure to dopamine-depleting agents was associated with decreased height at 4 months but not later. Possible mechanisms for these effects, including a permanent decrease in the number of brain dopamine receptors and effects on various hormones, are discussed.

Antipsychotic Agents↗
PubMed1988

Predicting assaultiveness in psychiatric inpatients: a pilot study.

A sample of 87 psychiatric inpatients known to have been assaultive while in the hospital was contrasted with a matched group of nonviolent patients to identify the personal risk factors that distinguished the two groups. Data were collected using a personal history interview, a neurological examination, and an electroencephalogram. The four risk factors identified--neurological abnormality, history of violent crime, history of violent suicide attempts, and deviant family environment in childhood--were used to develop a statistical model predicting which subjects in a sample of newly admitted patients would become assaultive during the first three months after admission. The predicted classification of patients was found to be significantly related to subsequent assaultive behavior.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Distribution of treated mental illness in the neighborhoods of Jerusalem.

The authors compared the rates of treated mental illness among ethnically advantaged Ashkenazic Jews and ethnically disadvantaged Sephardic Jews in four areas of Jerusalem defined by socioeconomic status. They found that the rates of illness were higher in areas of lower socioeconomic status, that the Ashkenazim had higher rates of illness than the Sephardim in the areas of lower status, and that there was a comparatively high rate of illness among the Ashkenazim in the very religious Jewish neighborhoods. They interpret these findings on the basis of the theories of social causation and social selection, including genetic transmission.

Health Status↗
PubMed1985

Clinical correlates of readmission in a schizophrenic cohort.

A study of a cohort of 223 schizophrenic patients from a single catchment area followed up for two years after discharge from inpatient status revealed a significant association between the presence of two of 38 clinical problem categories (social withdrawal and drug abuse) and subsequent readmission. In addition, patients without social withdrawal who were readmitted showed a significantly greater use of aftercare services than those not readmitted, while, among those with social withdrawal, male patients were significantly more likely to be readmitted than female patients. Neither prior hospitalization nor the presence of affective symptoms were significantly associated with readmission. Clinical and research implications of these findings are discussed.

Follow-Up Studies↗
PubMed1983

The relationship between socioeconomic class and prevalence of schizophrenia, alcoholism, and affective disorders treated by inpatient care in a suburban area.

This study relates inpatient-treated prevalence of the three mental illnesses most often requiring inpatient treatment--schizophrenia, alcoholism, and affective disorders--to social class in a suburban area. Rates were developed for the total population, including those living in domiciliary care, for those living in households only, and for first-admission patients living in households. Log-linear models supported the finding that low socioeconomic status was related to a high prevalence of alcoholism and affective disorders. In contrast, socioeconomic status was not related to the prevalence of schizophrenia among those living in households or among first-admission patients living in households.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Mortality among psychiatric inpatients. Age-adjusted comparison of populations before and after psychotropic drug era.

Comparison of age-adjusted death rates for inpatient and general populations from three pre-drug era and one post-drug era samples revealed a progressive decline in mortality that was most marked among elderly men. When length of stay was considered, the post-drug era sample showed a 30% reduction in mortality among patients hospitalized less than one year and a 50% reduction among longer-stay patients. The findings fail to support an increased mortality risk associated with the use of psychotropic drugs but dramatize the increased need for psychiatric services resulting from the increased survival of patients, especially those with long-term hospital stays.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Mortality among elderly psychiatric patients: basis for preventive intervention.

Analysis of cause-specific death rates among 750 elderly psychiatric inpatients revealed a markedly increased risk of death from pneumonia and a lesser but still substantial risk of death from cardiovascular disorders during the first year of hospitalization. Although the risks of cardiovascular death are considerably less among longer-stay patients, the pneumonia risks remain high. This suggests differing preventive strategies. To help prevent cardiovascular deaths, more attention should be paid to avoiding transfer trauma and its attendant stress. To help prevent pneumonia deaths, high priority should be given to an aggressive program of immunization, adequate nutrition, reduction of hospital overcrowding, and recognition of early pneumonia symptoms.

Aged↗
PubMed1981

Death and deinstitutionalization.

Death rates during a period of rapid deinstitutionalization of a state mental hospital population showed consistent reductions that were statistically significant in the elderly patient population 65 years and older. These reductions were most marked for deaths due to pneumonia; there was a moderate decrease in cardiac deaths, and essentially no change in cancer death rates. The findings suggest that through a variety of mechanisms deinstitutionalization may have had a beneficial effect on the mortality of elderly patients who remained hospitalized. Moreover, the resultant increased need for beds for these patients dramatizes the importance for program planners to base their projections for hospital use on a continuing analysis of trends rather than on static data.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Perinatal findings in a male fetus with congenital megacystis and anorectal malformations.

We report the perinatal findings in a male fetus with congenital megacystis and anorectal malformations. A 17-year-old primipara was referred to our department at 13 weeks of gestation for management of a 4.6 x 3.8 cm massive intra-abdominal fetal mass consistent with megacystis. The fetal thorax was severely compressed. We used a 22-gauge needle to perform intrauterine fetal vesicocentesis, removing 30 ml of fetal urine, decreasing the fetal bladder diameter/crown-rump length ratio from 65.7 to 17%. Cytogenetic analysis revealed a 46, XY karyotype. Intermittent bladder aspiration was performed weekly from 13 to 20 weeks of gestation and every 2-3 weeks from 21 to 35 weeks of gestation for the purpose of decompression. Mild dilation of both renal pelves was noted beginning at 20 weeks of gestation, however, neither progression of hydronephrosis nor development of oligohydramnios was noted. At 36 weeks of gestation, a live male neonate was delivered with a normal phallus, duodenal atresia, mild congenital heart defects, a distended bladder, bilateral hydronephrosis, megaureters, imperforate anus with rectovesical fistula, cryptorchidism and bilateral vesicoureteric reflux. The postnatal renal function was normal. He underwent serial operations including colostomy, anoplasty with repair of rectovesical fistula, duodeno-duodenostomy, bilateral re-implantation of ureters, orchiopexy and reduction cystoplasty. At 20 months of age, the child had normal renal function. The intravenous pyelogram showed normal functional kidneys, moderate megaureters and moderate megacystis. He underwent clean intermittent catheterization for residual urine. The recurrent urinary tract infections were under control.

Adolescent↗