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Biomedical subjects

G Weidner

Publications and source records attributed to G Weidner.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

Improvement in pulmonary function following smoking cessation.

This study investigated improvement in pulmonary function following smoking cessation. It employed three indices of lung function that are sensitive to improvement following smoking cessation and that can be easily assessed within a clinical setting: maximum mid-expiratory flow (MMF), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), and forced vital capacity (FVC). Smoking status was verified by saliva thiocyanate analysis. Significant improvement in MMF was evident after 3 months of cessation and was maintained at the 6-month follow-up. This study demonstrates that significant improvement in at least one parameter of lung function occurs within the time span typically used in smoking cessation programs.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Body weight and psychological distress in NHANES I.

This study examined the relationship between body mass index, smoking status, and depressive symptoms reported on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale in the First National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES I). Among women, but not men, greater body mass index was weakly associated with elevated reports of depressive symptoms. This relationship remained significant after controlling for age, years of education, and smoking status. A history of smoking (current and ex-smoking) and body weight in the highest weight quintile (> or = 28.96 kg/m2) was marginally related to increased risk of depression (CES-D score > or = 16) among women only. These results indicate that relative body weight is weakly related to psychological distress among women but not men, and that cigarette smoking does not significantly modify this relationship.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Sex differences in high density lipoprotein cholesterol among low-level alcohol consumers.

The purpose of this study was to examine high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels in a sample of community-living women and men who consumed 1 drink of alcohol/day or less. Self-reports of alcohol consumption and clinical assessments of plasma lipid and lipoprotein levels were obtained twice, at 12 months apart. Among men, consumption of 1 drink/day or less was unrelated to levels in HDL-C. In contrast, among women alcohol consumption throughout this relatively low consumption range was positively associated with HDL-C levels. These findings indicate that the association of alcohol and higher levels of HDL-C may occur at lower intakes of alcohol in women than in men.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Cardiovascular stress reactivity and mood during the menstrual cycle.

This study examined blood pressure and heart rate responses to a mental arithmetic task in a sample of 16 regularly menstruating women during the follicular (postmenstrual) and luteal (premenstrual) phases of their menstrual cycles. Self-reports of physical and psychological symptoms (mood) were obtained prior to testing. A control group of men was matched to the women with regard to age and yoked to the women's cycle phases. Both women and men were told the study involved "phases of the moon" in order to eliminate subjects' awareness of participating in a biological cycle study. Consistent with prior studies that have eliminated women's awareness of taking part in a study on menstrual phases, no phase differences in mood were evident nor did the women's mood ratings differ from those of men's. In addition, there were no phase differences in blood pressure and heart rate reactivity. These findings suggest that hormonal variations characteristic of the luteal and follicular phases do not assert an influence on common assessments of cardiovascular stress reactivity.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Smoking cessation and cardiovascular reactivity to stress.

Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and heart rate (HR) reactivity to mental arithmetic and deep knee bends were monitored in a sample of smokers prior to and 6 months following smoking cessation. There was no reduction in cardiovascular reactivity to either stressor following cessation. However, heightened pretreatment DBP and HR reactivity to mental arithmetic and SBP reactivity to deep knee bends were associated with relapse by the 6-month follow-up. Demographic and smoking history variables and pretreatment nicotine dependence were not associated with treatment outcome. Further exploration of cardiovascular reactivity to stress among smokers may elucidate the process of relapse.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Relapse prevention versus broad spectrum treatment for smoking cessation: a comparison of efficacy.

The efficacy of a smoking cessation relapse prevention (RP) program, emphasizing cognitive-behavioral coping skills, was compared to that of a broad spectrum (BS) program, which emphasized behavioral skills. It was hypothesized that the RP program would be more effective in producing long-term abstinence, compared to the BS package. Abstinence rates validated by saliva thiocyanate and carbon monoxide, as well as self-report of smoking reduction, were measured at posttreatment, 3 and 6 months. No differences in posttreatment quit rates were found between the two groups, although both programs produced significantly higher quit rates than the wait-list control group. Contrary to prediction, the BS group produced marginally significantly greater abstinence at 3 months. No differences in abstinence were found at 6 months. Reduction in cigarette consumption was marginally significantly greater for the BS group at 3 and 6 months. Various mediators of treatment outcome were not found to influence success in quitting. There was a significant weight gain in those who quit.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

[Aphasia with epilepsy: a new syndrome?].

Three children are described who between 5 and 7 years of age developed behaviour disorders and comprehension deficit for acoustic language. All had associated spike-and-wave discharges in the EEG. Clinical seizures occurred after the onset of aphasia and were easily controlled by anticonvulsant treatment. The aphasia disappeared but without clear-cut correlation to the EEG or control of clinical seizures. The clinical picture resembled the "syndrome of acquired aphasia with convulsive disorder" described by Landau and Kleffner. Previous reports on aphasia in childhood show that this syndrome was already well-known then. The relationship to other acquired language disorders with psychiatric illnesses is discussed.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1978

Reported physical symptoms elicited by unpredictable events and the type A coronary-prone behavior pattern.

Unpredictable and uncontrollable events are associated with a variety of illnesses. It was hypothesized that unpredictable aversive events are causally linked to physical symptom reporting and that the Type A coronary-prone behavior pattern affects symptom reporting, such that Type A individuals fail to report symptoms when they expect to continue working on a task as compared to when they believe they have completed it. In the present research, Type A and Type B women reported symptoms either at the end or in the middle of listening to unpredictable, predictable or ambient noise in the laboratory. Results showed that unpredictable noise produced more symptom reporting than predictable noise, which in turn produced more symptom reporting than the ambient noise; Type A individuals reported fewer symptoms in the middle of the task than at the end, whereas Type B's did not show this differential effect. Thus, both hypotheses were confirmed. Several possible explanations of the results are offered, and implications of the findings are discussed.

Acoustic Stimulation↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Type A behavior and physiologic coronary risk factors in children of the family heart study: results from a 1-year follow-up.

Although Type A behavior is recognized as an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease, little is known about its antecedents. The present study investigated relationships of Type A behavior as assessed by the Hunter-Wolf rating scale to physiologic coronary risk factors in children ranging from 8 to 15 years of age. In addition, gender differences and the stability of Type A behavior and physiologic risk factors were examined. Consistent with data based on adult samples, Type A behavior was generally unrelated to physiologic coronary risk factors and appears to be as stable as the other risk factors. There were no gender differences in either Type A behavior or other coronary risk factors.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The role of type A behavior and hostility in an elevation of plasma lipids in adult women and men.

Hostility, Type A behavior, and plasma lipids were assessed in a community sample of 352 women and men. After the contribution of age and body mass index to the variation in plasma lipid and lipoproteins were controlled for, persons scoring high on Type A behavior as well as hostility had elevated levels of plasma and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. These findings were replicated in a 1-year follow-up, suggesting that psychosocial factors may have an effect on plasma lipids in typical adults living in the United States.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Hostility and cardiovascular reactivity to stress in women and men.

The relationship of Cook Medley hostility scores (Ho) to blood pressure and heart rate reactivity was examined in 56 women and 56 men. Stress was elicited by an unsolvable anagram task that was described as easily solvable. Both men and women scoring high on Ho had greater blood pressure responses to the task. Those scoring high on Ho also reported more anger in response to the tasks, but anger was not associated with blood pressure reactivity. It was concluded that situations evoking suspiciousness and mistrust rather than anger may be necessary to elicit increased blood pressure reactivity among high Ho subjects.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Family stress and coronary risk in children.

This study examined children of 64 families for associations between a) family conflict and cohesion and b) plasma lipids, lipoproteins, and aggressiveness. Ratings of conflict and cohesion were obtained from parents. Children rated themselves on aggressiveness, one component of Type A behavior. The presence of conflict in the family was positively related to an unfavorable lipid profile (total plasma cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol) among boys, but not girls. Family conflict predicted increased levels of aggression in girls, and in boys whose family cohesion was low. These findings suggest that stress in the family may play an important role in the development of coronary risk.

Aggression↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Familial resemblance for hostility: the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Family Heart Study.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine whether several aspects of hostility as measured by the Cook-Medley Hostility Scale (ie, aggressive responding, hostile affect, cynicism, and overall hostility score) were determined in part by family factors (ie, genes and/or familial environments). METHODS: Analyses were based on 680 European-American families (2525 individuals) from the NHLBI Family Heart Study (FHS), a population-based study of genetic and nongenetic determinants of CHD, atherosclerosis, and cardiovascular risk factors. The influence of family relationships, age, and education on the variation in each of the four hostility scores were estimated. RESULTS: Significant familial resemblance in all hostility scores was found, accounting for 42% of the variance in total hostility, 30% in cynicism, 38% in aggressive responding, and 18% in hostile affect. Very little of this resemblance could be explained by similarities in education. Familial resemblance for cynicism was solely due to significant parent-offspring and sibling correlations (ie, no spouse resemblance), suggesting the possibility of genetic influences. Gender and generation differences were also evident in the familial correlations. CONCLUSIONS: Hostility aggregates in families. Both family environmental and genetic sources of resemblance are suggested for hostility.

Adult↗