Biomedical subjects

Brittany B Rayburn

Publications and source records attributed to Brittany B Rayburn.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Beer consumption among hazardous drinkers during pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence of beer consumption among hazardous drinkers in our pregnant patient population. METHODS: This prospective clinic-based cohort study involved women who were surveyed during their first prenatal visit. Hazardous drinking was identified on alcohol surveys as frequent or binge drinking habits with related consequences. Participants completed initial and postpartum interviews about the quantity, frequency, and type (beer, wine, liquor, and/or combinations) of alcoholic beverages consumed before and after pregnancy recognition. RESULTS: Of the total 4,494 patients who completed the survey, 203 (4.52%) met criteria for hazardous drinking, met study eligibility criteria, and completed the interviews. Beer was consumed most often (n = 151, 74.4%) and in greater quantities than wine (P < .05) or liquor (P < .01). Beer continued to be consumed by 52.3% women after pregnancy recognition. Although abstinence for prolonged periods was common during pregnancy, beer was consumed more than wine and liquor per drinking episode (2.7 versus 0.9 drinking units per drinking day; P = .002) indicating a binging pattern. Very few switched to drinking either a light beer (n = 6) or a nonalcoholic beer (n = 1). CONCLUSION: Beer is the most consumed among women with hazardous drinking habits before and after pregnancy awareness. Focusing on binge beer drinking is worthwhile during routine prenatal questioning. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II-2.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Impact of alcohol exposure after pregnancy recognition on ultrasonographic fetal growth measures.

BACKGROUND: More than 3 decades after Jones and Smith (1973) reported on the devastation caused by alcohol exposure on fetal development, the rates of heavy drinking during pregnancy remain relatively unchanged. Early identification of fetal alcohol exposure and maternal abstinence led to better infant outcomes. This study examined the utility of biometry for detecting alcohol-related fetal growth impairment. METHODS: We obtained fetal ultrasound measures from routine ultrasound examinations for 167 pregnant hazardous drinkers who were enrolled in a brief alcohol intervention study. The fetal measures for women who quit after learning of their pregnancies were compared with measures for women who continued some drinking throughout the course of their pregnancies. Because intensity of alcohol consumption is associated with poorer fetal outcomes, separate analyses were conducted for the heavy (average of >or=5 drinks per drinking day) alcohol consumers. Fetal measures from the heavy-exposed fetuses were also compared with measures from a nondrinking group that was representative of normal, uncomplicated pregnancies from our clinics. Analyses of covariance were used to determine whether there were differences between groups after controlling for influences of gestational age and drug abuse. RESULTS: Nearly half of the pregnant drinkers abstained after learning of their pregnancies. When women reportedly quit drinking early in their pregnancies, fetal growth measures were not significantly different from a non-alcohol-exposed group, regardless of prior drinking patterns. Any alcohol consumption postpregnancy recognition among the heavy drinkers resulted in reduced cerebellar growth as well as decreased cranial to body growth in comparison with women who either quit drinking or who were nondrinkers. Amphetamine abuse was predictive of larger cranial to body growth ratios. CONCLUSIONS: Alterations in fetal biometric measurements were observed among the heavy drinkers only when they continued drinking after becoming aware of their pregnancies. Although the reliance on self-reported drinking is a limitation in this study, these findings support the benefits of early abstinence and the potential for ultrasound examinations in the detection of fetal alcohol effects.

Alcohol Drinking↗

PubMed2004

Selecting an external light source for fetal biophysical testing.

OBJECTIVE: To select the most intense light source that penetrates tissues and is safe for fetal biophysical testing STUDY DESIGN: A 3-step series of experiments was undertaken using a digital light meter (Extech Light Probe Meter, Extech Instruments, Waltham, Massachusetts). First, the density of light through a light filter was compared between the sun and 4 commercially available light sources. Second, penetration of light through the abdominal subcutaneous tissue (3-4 cm thick) of 6 pigs was compared between these light sources. Last, the skin reaction to the preferred light source and the distance in penetrating the uterine cavity were assessed in 50 pregnant women. RESULTS: Light emitted from a halogen bulb was significantly more intense than from a photographic flash, krypton bulb or penlight. Maximal intensity was gained with the light source placed against the skin. The halogen bulb penetrated a pig's abdominal wall more than the photographic flash or krypton bulb. The thickness of a pig's abdominal wall is similar to the distance in pregnant humans near term from the skin to the uterine cavity. No thermal injury or discomfort to the skin was observed for exposures <10 seconds. CONCLUSION: The halogen bulb was safe, penetrated tissues most effectively and was the best light source for fetal biophysical testing.

Abdomen↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Sensitivity of over-the-counter pregnancy tests: comparison of utility and marketing messages.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the sensitivity of seven over-the-counter pregnancy tests (OTC-PTs) using urine containing a mixture of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)-related molecules as found on the first day of missed menstrual period. DESIGN: Blinded in vitro sensitivity analysis. SETTING: Medical school laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: None. INTERVENTIONS: Urine was tested with OTC-PT devices at titers of 100, 50, 25, 12.5, 6.3, and 0 mIU/mL hCG immunoreactivity, and laboratory workers rated their confidence in the test result based on whether the test result was a clear, sharp, and unquestionable band in the test window. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Analytical sensitivity, defined as the urine concentration at which all OTC-PTs tested gave a positive result regardless of operator confidence score; clinical sensitivity of OTC-PTs, defined as the proportion of pregnancies likely to be detected on the first day of a missed period and calculated from the analytical sensitivity and a recently published regression curve for total urine hCG immunoreactivity in 25 urine samples from this period of gestation; percentage of tested devices showing a band in the test window at a specific hCG concentration measured devices positive; percentage faulty devices, defined as the proportion of tested devices failing to yield a band in the control window; and confidence score, determined from operator ratings for each device at each concentration of hCG. RESULTS: First Response Early Result had an analytical sensitivity of 6.3 mIU/mL, which was estimated to detect greater than 95% of pregnancies on the day of missed period. The sensitivity of Clearblue Easy Earliest Results was 25 mIU/mL, which indicated detection of 80% of pregnancies. The sensitivity of the five other products was 100 mIU/mL or greater, indicating detection of 16% or less of pregnancies. Three of these last products included faulty devices. CONCLUSION: Universal claims for OTC-PTs of more than 99% laboratory accuracy and use as early as the first day of missed period, while cleared for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, are ambiguous and inappropriate for many products, according to these data. The majority of products tested were found to detect only a small percentage of pregnancies on the first day of a missed menstrual period. Until more data become available on the actual clinical sensitivity of these products, pharmacists should advise consumers to be cautious in interpreting test results.

Adult↗