Behaviors and attitudes associated with eating disorders: perceptions of college athletes about food and weight

This study surveyed male and female athletes from 22 midwesterncolleges and universities regarding behaviors and attitudesassociated with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. The responserate was 66% (N= 695) and the findings indicated that the bodyimage of some athletes may be distorted; one-seventh perceivedthemselves as fat even though they were not. Many athletes seemedpreoccupied with food and weight; almost one-third reportedroutinely thinking about food and weight and more than one-thirdreported dramatic annual weight fluctuations (9 lb or greater)related to bingeing and fasting. Athletes also did not feelin control when they ate and their habits related to food consumptionappeared to be extreme; one-tenth reported a lack of controlwhen they ate, more than one-third binged, one-twentieth ateuntil they were physically ill, and a similar proportion preferrednot to eat in the presence of others. In addition, it was foundthat as many men as women athletes reported these perceptionsbut significant sex differences were noted for specific items.It was suggested that behaviors and attitudes be viewed on acontinuum with normals at one end, eating disordered individuals at the other end,and college athletes in between. Health education that focuseson behaviors and attitudes as symptoms of eating disorders wasrecommended for athletes and those working closely with athletes.Future research was suggested to determine reasons for the undesirablebehaviors and attitudes and to study the onset, development,long-term effects and whether these behaviors and attitudeslead to an eating disorder.     

Growth and development in rats and deficiency of magnesium and pyridoxine

Eight-eight female weanling Sprague-Dawley rats were fed diets containing either 650 or 150 mg magnesium/kg diet and 7.0 or 3.5 mg pyridoxine-HCl/kg diet, in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement, during growth, gestation, and lactation. The objective of the study was to determine whether concurrent dietary deficiencies of magnesium and pyridoxine were synergistic, additive, or antagonistic with regards to effects on reproductive performance, growth, and development of offspring, and tissue content of magnesium and calcium. Body weight of dams and pups was not different between groups until day 9 of lactation, at which point those animals in either low magnesium group weighed less than the other. Litter size and birth weight were not different. Development, as measured by timing of unfolding of the external ear, opening of both eyes, and clinical emergence of incisors, was delayed in pups from litters in the low magnesium groups. A synergistic effect on delay of onset of ear unfolding by deficiency of both magnesium and pyridoxine was observed. Calcium content of heart and kidney from dams was increased in the low magnesium groups. Renal calcium was not further increased by the level of pyridoxine deficiency in this study. The calcium to magnesium ratio in heart from pups was higher in those from litters in the low magnesium and pyridoxine group than in the others. Results indicate that simultaneous deficiencies of magnesium and pyridoxine may impair function synergistically. Because these two nutrients are often reported to be presented in inadequate amounts in diets of women in their reproductive years, the potential exists for impaired reproductive success.     

Extracranial-intracranial bypass surgery for the management of vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage

A case is presented which demonstrates the potential utility of the extracranial-intracranial bypass procedure for the treatment of vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage. Extracranial-intracranial bypass surgery offers another alternative to the treatment of patients with vasospasm who have failed aggressive medical management.     

Disc haemorrhages and glaucoma in a general ophthalmic practice

The composition of the clientele from an ophthalmological practitioner's office is described with special reference to the occurrence of glaucoma and disc haemorrhages (h in singular; hh in plural). This study could not be planned as an epidemiological survey and gives no clue to sensitivity or specificity of hh in glaucoma. During a period of about 10 years ending with 1986 there were 731 patients with h and/or glaucoma. When detected, 185 patients had h but no glaucoma, 33 had both h and glaucoma and 513 had glaucoma but no h. During the follow-up period hh were detected in 83 cases of glaucoma, and glaucoma developed in 27 cases with hh. The detection rate of hh among glaucoma was low but steady, indicating that hh may occur at any stage of the glaucoma process. This study shows no predilection for hh in cases with general hypertension or diabetes, nor is the frequency of hh among pseudoexfoliation cases significantly lower than among cases without this stigma.     

Ocular side effects of isotretinoin therapy

Isotretinoin (Accutane Capsules) is a synthetic vitamin A compound used for treatment of recalcitrant cystic acne. It has numerous ocular toxic side effects which include anterior segment inflammation, dry eye syndrome, contact lens intolerance, altered refraction, photosensitivity, and reduced night vision. Eye care practitioners should be aware of these potential side effects and be prepared to communicate with the prescribing physician if side effects present.     

The neutrophil oxidative burst in diarrhoea – associated haemolytic uraemic syndrome

. Neutrophil-mediated tissue damage has been implicated in the pathogenesis of diarrhoea-associated haemolytic uraemic syndrome (D+ HUS). This study evaluates priming and activation of the neutrophil oxidative burst in D+ HUS using chemiluminescent techniques. Peripheral blood neutrophils from 11 children with acute D+ HUS were examined. No difference was found in the oxidative burst of neutrophils from patients and controls. Serum elastase levels were measured in 8 patients and found to be significantly elevated. Although elastase results suggest neutrophil activation, chemiluminescence studies do not confirm this in the peripheral blood neutrophil. This does not support a significant role for circulating agents in priming and activating the peripheral blood neutrophil. Received August 17, 1995; received in revised form and accepted November 27, 1995