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Biomedical subjects

E Dudley

Publications and source records attributed to E Dudley.

27 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Well-being and the menopausal transition.

This paper examines the relationship between well-being, age, menopausal status, hormone levels and hot flashes. Data from the first 4 years of longitudinal observation from the Melbourne Women's Midlife Health project was utilized. This study involved a population-based sample of 405 women interviewed annually. Blood was taken during the follicular phase (if still menstruating) for estradiol, sex hormone binding globulin, follicle stimulating hormone and testosterone. A validated well-being scale was used. Positive affect increased with age while negative affect decreased with age but only in the postmenopausal category. Positive affect was significantly lower in the 2 years postmenopausal group but this effect of menopausal status did not remain when hot flashes were included in the analysis. Negative affect was highest in the 1-2 years postmenopausal group. Although hot flashes adversely affected negative moods, a significant effect of menopausal status remained. No direct association between any of the hormone levels and positive or negative affect scores was evident. In conclusion, this study found that well-being was decreased in the first 2 years after the first menstrual period but began to improve spontaneously after this time.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1995

Use of hormone replacement therapy by Melbourne women.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is used for relief of symptoms related to the menopause and for the prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. Patterns of use of HRT are thought to be changing rapidly, but little is known about who is using the therapy, for what purpose or for what period of time. Telephone interviews were conducted in May 1991 with a randomly selected sample of 2001 Australian-born women aged 45 to 55 years living in Melbourne, as part of the Melbourne Women's Midlife Health Project. Questions related to use of HRT, health status, use of health services, sexual functioning, attitudes to menopause and aging, and sociodemographic characteristics. Twenty-one per cent of the sample were using HRT. Use was more prevalent among women 50 years and over (28 per cent) than those under 50 (15 per cent). Seventeen per cent of nonhysterectomised women, 31 per cent of hysterectomised women and 49 per cent of women who had undergone hysterectomy and bilateral oophorectomy were current users. Almost 60 per cent had been using the therapy for two years or less, and 34 per cent for one year or less. Just over half reported control of hot flushes as a benefit, and 10 per cent mentioned prevention of bone loss as a benefit. Logistic regression analysis identified differences between users and nonusers in experience of hot flushes, health status, use of preventive and treatment services, sexual functioning, wellbeing, attitudes to menopause and aging, and sociodemographic characteristics. These differences may relate to risk of later cardiovascular disease.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1993

Schizophrenia, narcolepsy, and HLA-DR15, DQ6.

A strong association between HLA-DR2, DQ1 and narcolepsy-cataplexy has been known since 1986. In 1990 a subdivision (HLA-DR15, DQ6) was shown to be equally associated. Narcolepsy symptoms include rapid eye movement (REM)-sleep intrusion hallucinations during the day. Some narcoleptics may be so hallucinated that they become delusional and receive a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Fifty-six inpatient schizophrenics and 56 normal controls were compared to see if there was an excess of the narcolepsy-associated antigens (NAA) among schizophrenics. Patients had frequency of the NAA 3.89 times higher than controls. After a subset was studied by night (n = 9) and day (n = 7) polysomnography, two patients were found to be true narcoleptics. Their psychosis improved with treatment for narcolepsy. When NAA(+) and NAA(-) schizophrenics were compared, the NAA(+) subgroup had significantly higher Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) scores and more hospitalizations. There were no effects attributable only to gender or race. We conclude that narcolepsy can simulate schizophrenia in some cases, and that even in nonnarcoleptic patients, the HLA-DR15,DQ6 antigens mark a group of severe schizophrenics that merits further study.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Age disorientation in Kraepelinian schizophrenia: frequency and clinical correlates.

Many schizophrenic patients exhibit significant neuropsychological impairment, and age disorientation is considered to be one of the more extreme manifestations. To evaluate clinical correlates of age disorientation with reference to the course of schizophrenic illness, we compared 39 deteriorated chronic Kraepelinian schizophrenic patients and 39 nondeteriorated schizophrenic patients early in the course of illness. Age disorientation was observed in 36% of patients in the Kraepelinian group, but in no patient in the non-Kraepelinian group. In the Kraepelinian group, age disorientation was unrelated to positive/negative symptoms or illness duration. Our data suggest that age disorientation may be a function of aging in schizophrenia, but is not merely a function of chronicity.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Gamma delta T-cell lines isolated from intestinal epithelium respond to a B-cell lymphoma.

gamma delta T-cell hybrid clones were obtained from intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes (i-IEL) by fusion with the BW5147 thymoma line. Four clones which expressed different V gamma/V delta genes were selected for further study. All of the gamma delta clones secreted interleukin-2 (IL-2) in the presence of the BALB/c-derived B-lymphoma line, A20. No alpha beta T-cell hybrid clones derived from spleen or i-IEL responded to A20. We obtained several pieces of evidence which strongly suggest that these responses are mediated by the gamma delta T-cell receptor (TcR). Class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC), FcR and surface Ig expressed on A20 are not involved in the response. Native i-IEL derived from BALB/c selectively survive in culture in the presence of A20 cells. The ligand may be a superantigen-like molecule because all our gamma delta T-cell clones responded to A20 in spite of their different combinations of V gamma/V delta gene segments.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Short scale to measure female sexuality: adapted from McCoy Female Sexuality Questionnaire.

This article examines sex-questionnaire data using the Personal Experiences Questionnaire (PEQ; Dennerstein, Hopper, & Burger, 1997). We used data from a population-based sample of 354 Australian mid-aged women and an optimization procedure in order to reduce the length of the PEQ while retaining items measuring the components of female sexual functioning and key determinants. Eight items were selected. We recommend retaining the item related to orgasm (rejected for parsimony only). Eight of the nine items were from the McCoy Female Sexuality Questionnaire, confirming the validity of this source scale. The original wording in the McCoy scale is recommended as considerable data has now become available on reliability and validity.

Female↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Urinary modified nucleosides as tumor markers.

Extracts of urinary nucleosides have been sequentially purified and examined by mass spectrometric analysis. Seventeen modified nucleosides have been unequivocally identified and a further five provisionally identified. While several nucleosides were found only in a small number of extracts, the occurrence and levels of others were found to correlate with the tumour type and stage.

Biomarkers, Tumor↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Life satisfaction, symptoms, and the menopausal transition.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to examine the relation between life satisfaction and the menopausal transition, identify factors predictive or associated with life satisfaction, and determine the relation between life satisfaction and other health outcomes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This is a prospective population-based study of 438 middle-aged Australian-born women followed for 6 years after baseline measures. Retention rate at 6 years was 90% (n = 395). Two self-reported measures of life satisfaction (Life Satisfaction Index-Z scale [LSI-Z] and Satisfaction with Life Scale [SWLS]) were used in year 6. Positive and negative affect scales and questions about satisfaction with work and daily living were also used. Sociodemographic variables were measured at baseline, and attitudes toward menopause and aging were documented at years 2 and 5, respectively. Other explanatory variables, including symptoms, health, stress, life events, sexual functioning, and lifestyle were measured in year 6. RESULTS: Women overwhelmingly endorsed positive responses to life satisfaction questions. The LSI-Z and the SWLS were highly correlated with each other (r = 0.70), with the mood scales, and with responses to questions about satisfaction with work and daily living. The LSI-Z and SWLS were not related to menopausal status, hormone levels (follicle-stimulating hormone, estradiol), age, body mass index, hot flushes, hormone replacement therapy, sexual interest, employment status, type of profession, children at home, alcohol, chronic conditions, surgery, premenstrual complaints, life events (major or secondary), and social support. Stepwise multiple regression found that life satisfaction was predicted by earlier attitudes and was positively associated with feelings for partner and exercise and negatively associated with daily hassles, interpersonal stress, dysphoric symptoms, and current smoking. CONCLUSIONS: Life satisfaction was closely related to mood, predicted by earlier attitudes, and affected by relationship to partner, stress, and lifestyle. Life satisfaction was unrelated to menopause status, hormone levels, or hormone replacement therapy.

Female↗