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Biomedical subjects

C Lucey

Publications and source records attributed to C Lucey.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Brief report on the United States Food and Drug Administration Blood Products Advisory Committee recommendations for management of donors and units testing positive for hepatitis B virus DNA.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This article briefly recounts the 21st July 2005, Blood Products Advisory Committee (BPAC) meeting concerning recommendations for management of donors and units testing positive for hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The author attended the meeting. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) web site was used for meeting materials, and handouts were collected at the meeting to provide narrative information. Two European experts assisted with HBV subject matter. RESULTS: The proceedings of the advisory committee, the issue briefing materials, and testing algorithms are presented. CONCLUSION: BPAC voted concurrence with the FDA algorithm for Management of Donors and Units Testing Positive for Hepatitis B Virus DNA.

Advisory Committees↗
PubMed2000

Daily smoking by Louisiana students: sixth through twelfth grades, 1996-1997.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to determine the prevalence of daily smoking in Louisiana in grades 6 through 12 and to compare Louisiana students' daily smoking to that of national student and Louisiana adult rates. METHODS: A statewide, randomized, stratified classroom-based survey of 11,736 subjects was done for the school year 1996-1997. RESULTS: We found that 17.3% of sixth grade students smoked daily, increasing to 36.1% in twelfth grade. Native American (43.7%), white (37.8%), and public school (28.5%) students had the highest rates of daily smoking. Males and females smoked at similar rates. Louisiana students in grades 8, 10, and 12 smoked daily at much higher rates (331%, 193%, and 146%, respectively) than comparable national samples. In 1997, Louisiana students smoked daily at higher rates than did Louisiana adults (28.9% vs 24.6%), primarily due to higher rates of smoking in student females (27.1%) compared to adult females (20.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Student smoking in Louisiana is a significant public health problem.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

The biological basis for the attenuation of mucositis: the example of interleukin-11.

Oral mucositis is common, painful, dose-limiting toxicity of drug and radiation therapy for cancer. In granulocytopenic patients, the ulcerations which accompany mucositis are frequent portals of entry for indigenous oral bacteria often leading to bacteremias or sepsis. The complexity of mucositis as a biological process has only recently been appreciated. The condition appears to represent a sequential interaction of the oral mucosal cells and tissues, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and local environmental factors in the mouth such as microorganisms and saliva. The recognition that the pathophysiology of mucositis is a multifactorial process has presented opportunities for intervention based on biological attenuation. Interleukin-11, a pleotropic cytokine, has a range of activities which is potentially relevant to mucositis. Consequently, it has been used successfully to modify the development, severity and course of mucositis in an animal model which closely mimics the equivalent human condition.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

New approach to administrative medical decision-making: evidence-based medicine using high dose chemotherapy/bone marrow transplant for breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Payment for experimental treatments using medical necessity criteria has been controversial. The process of obtaining a decision on coverage of an experimental treatment can be distressful for the treating physician, the patient, and family members. METHOD: The techniques of evidence-based medicine were used to assist with treatment/coverage decisions concerning high dose chemotherapy with autologous bone marrow transplants (HDC/ABMT) for invasive breast cancer. RESULTS: We reviewed the literature, finding minimal evidence for effectiveness of HDC/ABMT for invasive breast cancer; therefore, it is our opinion that it remains an experimental therapy. Its cost utility is likely to be low (approximately $100,000 per additional quality year gained). Numerous patients have been treated with HDC/ABMT outside of clinical trials, impeding scientific analysis of the treatment's effectiveness. CONCLUSION: Data-based policies and procedures for funding experimental medical treatments need to be developed to eventually replace the medical necessity criteria.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed1996

Assessing mammography rates for Medicaid recipients age 50 to 65 years using claims data from a southeastern state.

A retrospective Medicaid claims data analysis for physician-submitted mammography procedure codes was performed for all continuously eligible female Louisiana Medicaid recipients in 1994. The study measured mammography screening and diagnostic radiology procedures, using CPT coding logic. The study population consisted of 19,688 female Medicaid recipients, age 50 to 65, comprising 55% of the total female Medicaid recipients within Louisiana. In this cohort, 18.3% received a mammogram, with approximately 50% being diagnostic mammography procedures. No significant racial difference in utilization of mammography was found for this population. This claims data analysis suggests that Louisiana's Medicaid population appears to be underserved with respect to mammography screening. The authors conclude that community, physician, and public health resources would be well served to place more emphasis on educational and other outreach programs. Louisiana has to increase its rates for Medicaid recipients by 50% to meet the goal of screening 60% of eligible women every 2 years as set forth in Healthy people 2000, by the United States Public Health Service.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

A controlled trial of a seminar to improve medical student attitudes toward, knowledge about, and use of the medical literature.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether an interactive seminar could affect medical student knowledge of research design, basic critical appraisal skills, and attitudes toward and clinical use of the medical literature. DESIGN: Controlled, nonrandomized clinical trial. PARTICIPANTS: Third-year clinical clerks (n = 146) during their core medicine clerkship. INTERVENTIONS: Two 90-minute interactive seminars. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Pre- and postquestionnaires were used to assess knowledge and attitudes regarding the use of the medical literature among 65 study and 81 control students. Blinded review of write-ups assessed actual use of the medical literature. Overall, 80% of the students subscribed to one or more journals and reported reading three or more journal articles per month. After the intervention, the study students were more likely than the control students to consider: 1) study design important in article selection and 2) use of medical literature critical to patient care decisions. Knowledge scores were significantly improved in the study group (p = 0.0001). The intervention yielded no increase in the actual use of medical literature in patient write-ups over that encouraged by usual clerkship goals. 51% of the study and 48% of the control students cited literature at baseline, and 53% of all the students did so after the intervention. Of these citations, 50% were for journal articles and the remainder were for textbooks. The students infrequently mentioned the quality of the cited literature. CONCLUSIONS: An interactive seminar designed to introduce medical students to critical appraisal improved student knowledge and attitudes but did not increase the actual use of literature in patient write-ups.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

The challenge of deliberate self-harm by young adolescents.

This paper describes a model of crisis intervention to families of adolescents below the age of 16 who deliberately harm themselves and summarizes the premises which guide our practice. The adolescent's "overdose" is understood as an attempt to resolve relationship conflicts and so the initial interview aims to explore the predicament for the adolescent and the family and decide what further help may be required. Verbatim extracts from one session illustrate this process.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Marital adjustment and behaviour problems in children.

Previous research has suggested links between marital unhappiness and behaviour problems in children. A survey was carried out in a community based Child Psychiatric clinic in Ireland to investigate these links. Methods used involved self report questionnaires administered to mothers of forty-eight children attending the clinic. A control group was selected for comparison. Tests of correlation indicate significant associations between marital adjustment and behaviour problems for both clinic and control populations. Some possible mechanisms are suggested.

Adolescent↗