Variation in evoked potential measures over the menstrual cycle: A pilot study

Nancy Kluck, Scan J. O'Connor, Victor M. Hesselbrock, Allan Tasman and Donald Maier, Lance Bauer: Variation in Evoked Potential Measures Over the Menstrual Cycle: A Pilot Study. Prog. Neuro. Psychopharmacol. Biol. Psychiat. 1992. 16(6): 901–911.

1. 1. The P3 component of a visual event related potential (ERP) was studied for five consecutive weeks in six women with normal menstrual cycles. Serum concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E2) and progesterone were studied during the same period.

2. 2. Increases in P3 amplitude, although nonsignificant, were noted in the week preceding onset of menses.

3. 3. No significant changes in reaction times to target/nontarget stimuli were noted over the same time period.

Drinking History Is Related to Persistent Blood Pressure Dysregulation in Postwithdrawal Alcoholics

We have previously demonstrated that alcoholics with transitory (< 72 hr) elevations in blood pressure (BP) during withdrawal continue to show residual cardiovascular dysregulation up to 4 weeks of abstinence. The present study replicates and extends these findings. Alcoholic inpatients were divided into three subgroups ( ns = 14) based on BP during the first 72 hr of withdrawal: transitory hypertensives (tHTs; BP > 160/95 mm Hg), transitory borderline hypertensives (tBHs; 140/90 BP < 160/95), and normotensives (NTs; all BPs < 140/90). All patients had normal resting pressures after 72 hr of withdrawal. At 3–4 weeks postadmission, the alcoholics and 14 nonalcoholic controls (CONTs) were tested at rest and during a 5-min handgrip task. The tHTs showed an exaggerated systolic and diastolic BP response to handgrip compared with NTs and CONTs, with tBHs intermediate ( ps < 0.05). Drinking history showed the tHTs had the highest reported level of alcohol consumption and severity of withdrawal symptoms ( ps < 0.05). Regression analyses indicated that consumption of hard liquor was the variable most predictive of admission BPs; further, parental history of hypertension potentiated this relationship for systolic BP. Age and consumption of nicotine and caffeine were not significant predictors of admission BP. The results suggest a persistent cardiovascular dysregulation in alcoholics showing transient hypertensive withdrawal BPs. These alcoholics may be at increased risk for future alcohol-related cardiovascular disorder.     

Health policy internships and fellowships in Washington, DC

Nurses need to take advantage of multiple internships and fellowships to learn about and experience the daily work of making health policy in Washington, DC. This article lists several of the current programs available for nurses and other health professionals. These internships and fellowships are career-changing experiences. Additionally, new relationships will be built with other health professionals that nurses will be able to use for years to come. Finally, if one of the structured experiences doesn't fit the nurse's timeframe, there is always the possibility to create a special internship to meet the nurse's needs.     

Factors associated with work-related injury among hospital employees: a case-control study.

The Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System (CAVHS) spends $1 million annually on occupational illnesses and injuries. To address the problem of injuries among hospital employees, a retrospective case-control study was conducted to examine select risk factors for work-related injuries (WRI) among CAVHS employees. Study methods included a review of employee health charts and computer and manual databases from 1997 to 2002 (N = 2,050). The researchers found that WRI increased with age; WRI occurred more often in women than in men; WRI was greater among maintenance and custodial staff compared to direct caregivers, and less among clerical staff; WRI occurred less often in part-time than full-time staff; and WRI increased with increasing body mass index. Developing standards, guidelines, and policies for preplacement screening, preventive measures, training, and education may help to minimize WRI and associated costs.     

Acetazolamide in hemodialysis patients: a rational use after ocular surgery.

Acetazolamide is a weak diuretic used to decrease production of aqueous humor in the eye. Hemodialysis patients undergoing ocular surgery may benefit from acetazolamide; however, no pharmacokinetic data are available for this group of patients. We report a patient who received acetazolamide 250 mg every 6 hours after ophthalmic surgery and developed reversible neurological side effects associated with very high plasma concentrations. Using pharmacokinetic analysis, we suggest an alternate administration of acetazolamide for end-stage renal patients.     

Pathophysiology of congenital diaphragmatic hernia. III: Exogenous surfactant therapy for the high-risk neonate with CDH.

Exogenous surfactant therapy (EST) in surfactant-deficient premature infants has been shown to improve lung compliance, decrease morbidity, and improve survival. Reports have demonstrated that newborns with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) have lung compliance, pressure-volume curves, and hyaline membrane formation resembling those changes seen in surfactant deficient premature newborns. We hypothesize that EST may also benefit infants with CDH. All high risk cases of prenatally diagnosed CDH at Children's Hospital of Buffalo from November 1988 to February 1991 were prospectively evaluated for EST. In those families who chose to participate, the surfactant preparation, Infasurf (100 mg/kg), was instilled into the newborn's lungs prior to the first breath. The remainder of the perinatal, neonatal, and surgical care was performed in a routine manner. Three high-risk prenatally diagnosed newborns with left CDH were treated with EST. All showed signs of decreased pulmonary compliance, but could still be adequately oxygenated and ventilated. Surgical correction was performed after stabilization and all required patch closures. Two of the three infants suffered no life-threatening episodes of pulmonary hypertension and all survived. These infants had many known indicators for poor outcome in CDH with an expected survival of less than 20%. We believe that EST in these neonates with CDH contributed to their survival with minimum morbidity. These results suggest that surfactant replacement for the high-risk neonate with CDH warrants further consideration and a randomized clinical trial is being planned.