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Biomedical subjects

J Chick

Publications and source records attributed to J Chick.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Benno Pollak Lecture 1992. Alcohol dependence--an illness with a treatment?

Unlike some countries, Britain may have experienced a rise rather than a fall in alcohol-related illness during a decade when consumption has not risen. Objections to the "illness concept" may impede our vision and the range of services we develop. It is possible to agree with objectors to the illness concept that a unidimensional view is unhelpful; that explanations are often only attributions; that the construct "illness" is not needed for help to be offered, its use could undermine self-mastery, and its misuse can breach civil rights. Learning can explain much over-drinking. However, the concept need not imply bimodality of drinkers; the syndrome of alcohol dependence has uses and does not imply a cause; physical and mental explanations are not incompatible; genetic and biochemical research has promise. Developments in treatment are still limited, but the mysteries of the free-will dilemma should not prevent us seeing physiological, psychological and social contributants as partners rather than rivals.

Alcoholism↗
PubMed1992

Disulfiram treatment of alcoholism.

To assess the efficacy of supervised disulfiram as an adjunct to out-patient treatment of alcoholics, a randomised, partially blind, six-month follow-up study was conducted in which 126 patients received 200 mg disulfiram or 100 mg vitamin C under the supervision of a nominated informant. In the opinion of the (blinded) independent assessor, patients on disulfiram increased average total abstinent days by 100 and patients on vitamin C by 69, thus enhancing by one-third this measure of treatment outcome. Mean weekly alcohol consumption was reduced by 162 units with disulfiram, compared with 105 units with vitamin C, and the disulfiram patients reduced their total six-month alcohol consumption by 2572 units compared with an average reduction of 1448 units in the vitamin C group. Serum gamma-GT showed a mean fall of 21 IU/I in patients on disulfiram but rose by a mean of 13 IU/I with vitamin C. Unwanted effects in the disulfiram group led to a dose reduction in seven patients and to treatment withdrawal in four (and in one vitamin C patient). Two-thirds of the disulfiram group asked to continue the treatment at the end of the study. There were no medically serious adverse reactions.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Early intervention for hazardous drinking in the general hospital.

Male medical in-patients were screened by interview. Those revealing alcohol-related problems or excessive consumption reaching a criterion were allocated at random either to no intervention or to brief counselling and a booklet (n = 156). Follow-up (n = 134) by a blind interviewer after one year with blood tests revealed significantly greater improvement in problem scores and gamma GT (n = 124) in the intervention group than controls and a significantly greater number of cases who reached a criterion of definite improvement confirmed by blood test or relative's information. Patients were in hospital for conditions which may or may not have been alcohol-related. The screening was brief. The intervention was motivational and behavioural. The medical context was believed to be important.

Alcohol Drinking↗
PubMed1991

Orthopaedic trauma in men: the relative risk among drinkers and the prevalence of problem drinking in male orthopaedic admissions.

Admissions to an acute male orthopaedic ward (n = 369) were asked about their accident, their alcohol consumption, and alcohol-related problems in the past 2 years. Comparing their consumption with that of males from a community survey revealed an increased risk of orthopaedic admission in drinkers consuming 21 units of alcohol/week or over, relative to drinkers consuming less than 21 units/week, in the age group 31-50 years. In all, 34% of the sample met a criterion for problem drinking based on self-reported alcohol consumption and/or medical and social problems associated with alcohol. In 13%, alcohol was viewed by the patient as having contributed to the accident, and in 19% according to the interviewer's perception of whom 76% were classifiable as problem drinkers. Twenty-six men said the accident had made them think about changing their drinking habits. Detection of problem drinking in orthopaedic male admissions is possible and could be usefully linked to a counselling service.

Accidents↗
PubMed1989

Delirium tremens.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Alcohol Withdrawal Delirium↗
PubMed1988

Combined low-dose acetylsalicylic acid and dihydroergotamine in migraine prophylaxis. A double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study.

The efficacy of the combination of dihydroergotamine (10 mg) with acetylsalicylic acid (80 mg) (DHE + ASA) in the prophylaxis of migraine was studied in a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial (8 weeks twice). Of 45 patients who entered the study, 38 completed it. The number of attacks was significantly (p = 0.003) reduced during active treatment (11.5 +/- 6.2) compared with placebo (16.6 +/- 9.9). The mean duration, the mean severity, and the mean score for symptomatic acute medication of attacks did not differ significantly. The overall assessment made by the patients themselves was in favor of DHE + ASA (p = 0.001). These results indicate a moderately beneficial effect of the dihydroergotamine/low-dose acetylsalicylic acid combination in migraine prophylaxis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Serum ferritin as a marker of alcohol consumption in working men.

For 576 working men the relationship between reported recent alcohol consumption, serum ferritin, mean cell volume, and gamma glutamyl transferase was studied. Serum ferritin was significantly increased in heavy drinkers, but as a screening test it failed to yield a useful advantage over a combination of mean cell volume and gamma glutamyl transferase.

Alcohol Drinking↗
PubMed1986

Medical admissions in men: the risk among drinkers.

Information on alcohol consumption was elicited by the same method from men in a general population survey and from male medical inpatients in a hospital serving that population. A measure of risk controlling for age, the logarithm of the odds ratio, showed that for liver disorders, upper gastrointestinal disorders, myocardial infarction, other cardiovascular disorders, and respiratory disorders, rising consumption of alcohol was related to increased risk of hospital admission relative to abstention. The risk of admission for the remaining heterogeneous category of disorders was lower than that for abstention, perhaps reflecting the effect of chronic illness on drinking habits, and also suggesting that the link between alcohol consumption and medical diagnoses is not simply due to greater frankness about drinking in hospital inpatients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Comparison of two benzodiazepines in the treatment of alcohol withdrawal: effects on symptoms and cognitive recovery.

Forty newly admitted alcohol-dependent patients were randomly allocated to equivalent 6-day regimes of either lorazepam or diazepam, to compare involvement in physical, emotional and cognitive state during the first 8 days in hospital. Diazepam provided a more comfortable withdrawal period and was associated with slightly better cognitive functioning on the eighth day.

Adult↗