Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

W Dorus

Publications and source records attributed to W Dorus.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

Seroprevalence of HTLV-I/II and HIV-1 infection among male intravenous drug abusers in Chicago.

We surveyed for serologic evidence of either HIV-1 or HTLV-I/II infection in 387 male veterans who entered into an inpatient drug treatment center. Serum was obtained after receiving written informed consent. Serum specimens were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for antibody to HIV-1 and for antibody to HTLV-I/II; sera that were repeatedly reactive were then tested by Western blot (HIV-1/HTLV-I/II) and radioimmunoprecipitation assay (HTLV-I/II). Sixty-five of 387 (16.79%) patients were tested and confirmed as positive for HTLV-I/II only antibodies and 30 of the 387 (7.75%) were positive for HIV-1 only antibodies. An additional nine patients (2.32%) were seropositive for antibodies to both viruses. A statistically significant difference in the CD4/CD8 lymphocyte ratio was associated with HIV-1 seropositivity. HTLV-I/II seropositivity was strongly associated with black race, age, and duration of i.v. drug use, but not with sexual intercourse as determined by lifetime history of number of sexual partners, incidence of sexually transmitted diseases, type of drug used, or needle-sharing practices.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1990

Measurement of lithium transport in RBC from psychiatric patients receiving lithium carbonate and normal individuals by 7Li NMR spectroscopy.

A reproducible 7Li nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) method, based on a modified inversion recovery (MIR) pulse sequence, was used to discriminate between intra- and extracellular lithium concentrations in red blood cell (RBC) suspensions. The rates of Na(+)-Li+ countertransport determined by the 7Li NMR method were significantly correlated with the measurements made by atomic absorption (AA) for 14 psychiatric patients receiving lithium carbonate (r = 0.937) and 14 normal individuals (r = 0.931). As expected, the rates of Na(+)-Li+ countertransport measured by MIR were significantly lower for the psychiatric patients receiving lithium carbonate than for normal individuals. The 7Li NMR method provides RBC Li+ countertransport information comparable to AA for psychiatric patients and normal individuals. A description of the advantages of the 7Li NMR method in contrast to the AA method, including the study of Li+ interactions with RBC components such as membrane proteins and anionic phospholipids, is included.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Thyrotropin and prolactin response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone in depressed and nondepressed alcoholic men.

Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) stimulation tests were performed on 81 alcoholic men after at least 3 weeks of abstinence. Subjects were given 500 micrograms of TRH intravenously, and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and prolactin (PRL) were measured at baseline, and then 15 and 30 min later. Comparisons were made among alcoholics with (n = 27) and without (n = 54) a lifetime history of depression as determined by the Diagnostic Interview Schedule. Nine nondepressed, nonalcoholic subjects served as controls. Alcoholics with or without a depression history did not differ from each other or from control in TSH or PRL response area under the curve. Blunted TSH responses were present in 10 (12%) of the alcoholics and none of the controls when blunting was defined as a delta max TSH less than 5 microU/ml. When blunting was defined as a delta max TSH less than 7 microU/ml, 18 (22%) of the alcoholics and 1 (1%) of the controls were blunted. Conversely, 2 (2.5%) of the alcoholics had a delta max TSH greater than 32 microU/ml. All subjects were clinically euthyroid. Contrary to expectation, depressed subjects were slightly less likely to show blunted responses than nondepressed subjects. No relationship was found between neuroendocrine measurements and several measurements of alcoholism or depression. Some alcoholic subjects show a blunted TSH response to TRH injection, which may be a function primarily of the alcoholism itself. The precise mechanism remains unknown.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Symptoms and diagnosis of depression in alcoholics.

We examined depressive symptoms, using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), in a group of 50 alcoholic patients, diagnosed according to DSM III criteria during active drinking, withdrawal (4 days after their last drink), and abstinence (24 days after their last drink). DSM III diagnoses of major depression were made in 16 (32%) of the patients. The diagnoses were made using the NIMH Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS) between the 10th and 24th day after the patients' last drink. Depressive symptoms decreased markedly as the patients progressed from active drinking to abstinence. Alcoholic patients having a diagnosis of major depression had higher BDI scores than those not having a diagnosis of major depression. Analysis of BDI items using a two-parameter logistic item response model confirmed that the BDI measured depressive symptoms in these alcoholics. We conclude that the BDI is valid for screening for depression in alcoholic patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

The effect of alcoholism on membrane lithium transport.

Red cell lithium efflux rates in major affective disorder and alcoholic patient groups were studied. Current alcoholism was associated with significant elevation of lithium transport in white but not black subjects. This effect of alcoholism on the characteristics of membrane ion transport was independent of the blood pressure elevating effects of alcoholism and the diagnosis of major affective disorder. A model to explain the mechanism of this race-specific membrane effect of alcoholism is proposed and discussed.

Alcoholism↗
PubMed1985

Tremor in chronic alcoholism.

We examined 100 alcoholics who had had no alcohol for more than 21 days, 100 controls, and 50 patients with essential tremor. Three percent of the controls and 47% of the alcoholics had a postural tremor. Alcoholic tremor was never severe, and functional disability occurred in only 17% of patients. There was no relation to age or duration of drinking, and only 1% of the alcoholics had a family history of tremor compared with 46% in essential tremor. Tremor frequency was significantly greater in the alcoholics than in essential tremor. Propranolol therapy decreased tremor more in the alcoholics than in essential tremor. The tremor of chronic alcoholism differs from essential tremor.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Alternative induction and crossover schedules for methadyl acetate.

Various schedules exist for inducting heroin addicts newly admitted to treatment into methadyl acetate maintenance and crossover schedules for the transition from methadone maintenance to methadyl acetate maintenance. A sample of 255 street addicts was randomized to three induction schedules: methadyl acetate three times a week (tiw) with placebos on alternate days; methadyl acetate tiw supplemented with decreasing doses of methadone on alternate days; methadyl acetate six days a week with diminishing doses on three days. Treatment was double-blind for four weeks and single-blind for six. All schedules were considered feasible, but supplementation with methadyl acetate or methadone had no advantage. A sample of 310 patients receiving methadone maintenance was randomized to comparable supplementation groups, except that the group receiving supplementary methadyl acetate received it along with the regular dose. This schedule was not successful. Supplementing with methadone had no advantage.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

The dexamethasone suppression test and depressive symptoms in early and late withdrawal from alcohol.

Results of the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) in 30 alcoholic patients tested on day 5 and again on day 25 after their last drink are presented. Nineteen patients (63%) failed to suppress cortisol on day 5; three (11%) failed to suppress cortisol on day 25. Depressive symptoms, measured by the Beck Depression Inventory, were significantly correlated with DST results; the lifetime diagnosis of depressive illness was not. The authors conclude that the DST is not useful in detecting primary affective disorders during the early phase of withdrawal from alcohol.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Methadone detoxification: self versus physician regulation.

We studied 108 heroin-dependent patients who had been "stabilized" on methadone, i.e., had no change in methadone dose for at least 2 weeks. With respect to their methadone detoxification regimen, 65 of the study patients preferred physician regulation and 43 study patients preferred self-regulation. Half of each group was randomly assigned to self- or physician regulation. Twenty-five of the 108 patients reached abstinence following a regimen which lasted 22 weeks; there was no statistically significant difference in proportion of subjects reaching abstinence from any of the four study groups. We observed no differences in treatment retention, symptom severity, frequency of urines positive for morphine or quinine, or psychosocial functioning. Study subjects preferring self-regulation had statistically significant increases in the number of dose raises. We conclude that there is no evidence to support the belief that physician regulation is superior to self-regulation in opioid detoxification regimens.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Evaluating service needs in drug-abusing clients.

Patients applying for treatment to the State of Illinois' Chicago Central Intake Facility were interviewed to assess their service needs and treatment expectations; a subgroup was reinterviewed after 4 months. Patients were classified as long-term opioid-dependent, short-term opioid-dependent, or as polydrug nonopioid dependent abusers. We found high levels of housing, employment, and legal needs among all subgroups at both first and second interviews. There were significant differences between drug-use groups in reasons for seeking treatment; opioid-dependent groups gave drug-related reasons more frequently while polydrug abusers cited legal reasons. Length of time patients remained in treatment was not related to service needs.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Depression, demographic dimensions, and drug abuse.

The authors examined the relationship between depressive symptoms, drug-use pattern, and demographic variables in 432 substance abusers. Assessment was at intake and at 4 and 8 months. Depression was measured by using the Beck Depression Inventory, the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, and the Current and Past Psychopathology Scales. At intake 46% of the subjects reported moderate or high levels of depression on the Beck scale and 29% of subjects scored in the high or moderate range of depression on the Hamilton scale. After eight months, depression scores were significantly lower in all drug abuse groups. These reducations were not related to type or length of treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Adolescent drug using groups in Chicago parks.

In a northern Chicago neighborhood, observational and interview data were collected at parks, school lots, and beaches where adolescents congregate to buy, sell, and use nonopiate drugs. These sites were geographically distinct from areas where heroin is regularly distributed. Users at each area generally resided in the immediate neighborhood, were well known to one another, were predominantly male, displayed similar socioeconomic, religious and ethnic backgrounds, and had attended the same grade schools and high schools. These sites were relatively stable during the summer months, although visitors occasionally changed locations in response to police harassment. Attendance fluctuated with weather and time of day. Drug use was generally confined to the daily use of marihuana and weekend use of alcohol and sedative-hypnotics, but availability seemed to determine the type and frequency of drug use to a greater extent than drug perference. This study suggests the potential of a fieldwork model for prevention and intervention activities prior to the onset of more intense and diversified drug use.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

Methadyl acetate and methadone. An open comparison.

Heroin addicts were recruited for a 14-week open clinical comparison of methadone hydrochloride and methadyl acetate. Patients were randomly assigned to a methadyl acetate clinic in which methadyl acetate was dispensed to patients three times per week or to a methadone clinic in which methadone was dispensed six days per week. No statistically significant differences were observed between groups in retention rates, illicit drug use, employment rates, or arrest rates. The group treated with methadyl acetate had more dropouts in the first seven weeks than the second seven weeks: this pattern was reversed for the methadone-treated group. The differences were significant (P = .01). Spontaneously reported symptoms suggest that induction with methadyl acetate may be a more clinically variable phenomenon than induction with methadone. The reduction of number of clinic visits in the group treated with methadyl acetate was not a source of variance in treatment effectiveness.

Adult↗