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Biomedical subjects

Helen A Doll

Publications and source records attributed to Helen A Doll.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Sex-specific characteristics of cardiac function, geometry, and mass in young adult elite athletes.

PURPOSE: To study young adult elite athletes with age- and sex-matched sedentary controls to assess sex-specific differences for left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular (RV) volumes and mass as well as for LV contraction and relaxation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 23 male athletes (mean age 25 +/- 4 years, training 22 +/- 7 hours/week in rowing, swimming, or triathlon) and 20 female athletes (mean age 24 +/- 4 years, training 19 +/- 5 hours/week in rowing, swimming, or triathlon) and age- and sex-matched sedentary controls (21 male/17 female) underwent cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging (1.5 Tesla). Cardiac phase contrast imaging using a black-blood k-space segmented gradient echo sequence was used for analysis of cardiac contraction and relaxation and steady-state free-precession cine images were acquired for determination of cardiac volumes and mass. RESULTS: Male and female athletes showed similar increases in LV and RV volume and mass indices when compared to controls (ranging between 15% and 42%). No sex-specific differences in training effect on LV and RV volumes, mass indices, and ejection fractions, as well as LV to RV ratios of these volume and mass indices (parameters of balanced LV and RV dilatation and hypertrophy) were observed (all P for interaction >0.05). Similarly, no sex-specific differences in training effect on cardiac contraction and relaxation were found (all P for interaction >0.05). CONCLUSION: Young adult elite athletes do not show sex-specific adaptive structural and functional changes to exercise training in accordance with the benign nature of the hypertrophy associated with athlete's heart.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Eating disorders and emotional and physical well-being: associations between student self-reports of eating disorders and quality of life as measured by the SF-36.

OBJECTIVE: To assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in subjects with eating disorders in terms of eating disorder type and in relation to self-reports of longstanding illness, depression and self-harming behaviours. METHOD: Data on eating disorder history, SF-36 health status, longstanding illness, and self-reported frequencies of depression, self-harming behaviour, and suicidal thoughts or acts were collected during 1996 as part of a UK postal survey of students' health. Completed questionnaires were returned by 1439 of 3750 students (response rate 42%). RESULTS: Eighty-three respondents (5.8%; 8.9% of females) reported a probable eating disorder history: 54 (3.8%) bulimia nervosa, 22 (1.6%) binge eating disorder, and 7 (0.5%) anorexia nervosa. Eating disorder subjects reported more impairment in SF-36 emotional than physical well-being, with significantly lower mental (p < 0.001) but not physical (p = 0.21) component summary scores. This was most evident in bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder subjects. Anorexia nervosa subjects reported fewer SF-36 emotional limitations although they were significantly more likely to report depression, self-harming behaviour, and suicidal ideation. DISCUSSION: An eating disorder history is accompanied by HRQoL impairment primarily in emotional well-being. Anorexia nervosa subjects perceive fewer limitations than subjects with other eating disorders. While this is consistent with previous reports of better SF-36 emotional well-being in those with restrictive eating behaviours, it may also suggest that the SF-36 is insensitive to emotional distress in anorexia nervosa.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

In a randomized trial, outcomes were not affected by intensive follow-up over 1 year.

OBJECTIVE: This study tested the impact on response and psychological measures of different follow-up schedules for participants in a study screening for type 2 diabetes risk. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Participants were randomly allocated either to limited follow-up (n=213), with a single questionnaire at 1 year, or to intensive follow-up (n=218), with questionnaires sent 1, 6, and 12 months after screening. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between the groups at 1 year in either response rate (P=.08) or change from baseline to 1-year follow-up in scores on the short form of the Spielberger State Anxiety Inventory (SSAI-SF; P=.13), although there was a statistically significant but small difference between the groups in the change score of the 12-item Well-Being Questionnaire (WBQ-12; P=.003). The proportion of participants completing a WBQ-12 measure at 1 year was significantly greater in the intensive follow-up group (P=.03). CONCLUSION: This study shows no important adverse effect of repeated questionnaire use on response rates or psychological outcomes and suggests that some measures may be more fully completed with intensive follow-up.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Identifying dieters who will develop an eating disorder: a prospective, population-based study.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of the study were to identify the characteristics of the dieters most at risk of subsequently developing an eating disorder and to evaluate the feasibility of using a brief questionnaire to identify such dieters in advance. METHOD: A general population cohort of 2,992 young women who were dieting was identified. On four occasions over the subsequent 2 years, this cohort was sent a questionnaire concerning eating habits and attitudes. Participants whose responses suggested that they had developed an eating disorder were interviewed to establish their true case status. The baseline questionnaires of those who did and did not subsequently develop an eating disorder were compared to identify features that predicted future case status. RESULTS: One hundred four of the dieters developed an eating disorder of clinical severity during the 2 years of follow-up. Their baseline questionnaire scores differed in many respects from those who had not developed an eating disorder. Items associated with developing an eating disorder were selected by using three different statistical methods. A simple case-predicting instrument based on one of five items scoring above an optimal cut point had a sensitivity of 71% and a specificity of 72% (overall efficiency of 72%). CONCLUSIONS: Dieters who will develop an eating disorder within the next 2 years have distinctive features. It is feasible to identify them in advance with reasonable efficiency with a brief questionnaire. This questionnaire could be incorporated into routine health assessments, thereby identifying those at high risk.

Attitude to Health↗
PubMed2004

Randomised controlled trial of physiotherapy compared with advice for low back pain.

OBJECTIVE: To measure the effectiveness of routine physiotherapy compared with an assessment session and advice from a physiotherapist for patients with low back pain. DESIGN: Pragmatic, multicentre, randomised controlled trial. SETTING: Seven British NHS physiotherapy departments. PARTICIPANTS: 286 patients with low back pain of more than six weeks' duration. INTERVENTION: Routine physiotherapy or advice on remaining active from a physiotherapist. Both groups received an advice book. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome was scores on the Oswestry disability index at 12 months. Secondary outcomes were scores on the Oswestry disability index (two and six months), scores on the Roland and Morris disability questionnaire and SF-36 (2, 6 and 12 months), and patient perceived benefit from treatment (2, 6, and 12 months). RESULTS: 200 of 286 patients (70%) provided follow up information at 12 months. Patients in the therapy group reported enhanced perceptions of benefit, but there was no evidence of a long term effect of physiotherapy in either disease specific or generic outcome measures (mean difference in change in Oswestry disability index scores at 12 months -1.0%, 95% confidence interval -3.7% to 1.6%). The most common treatments were low velocity spinal joint mobilisation techniques (72%, 104 of 144 patients) and lumbar spine mobility and abdominal strengthening exercises (94%, 136 patients). CONCLUSIONS: Routine physiotherapy seemed to be no more effective than one session of assessment and advice from a physiotherapist.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Understanding persistence in bulimia nervosa: a 5-year naturalistic study.

Bulimia nervosa shows a marked tendency to persist, suggesting that powerful maintaining mechanisms operate. Using data from a prospective, 5-year, study of the natural course of 102 people with bulimia nervosa, the authors sought to identify predictors of persistence and to test specific hypotheses derived from the cognitive-behavioral theory of the persistence of bulimia nervosa. The results of both sets of analyses were consistent with the theory, with the degree of overevaluation of shape and weight and a history of childhood obesity predicting a persistent course. There was also support for the central prediction of the cognitive-behavioral theory. These findings suggest that the mechanisms specified by the theory influence its longer term natural course.

Adult↗