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Biomedical subjects

M A Kidson

Publications and source records attributed to M A Kidson.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1978

Acupuncture analgesia for chronic low back pain.

Preliminary findings are presented of a double-blind, crossover trial comparing the effects of traditional with placebo acupuncture in relieving chronic low back pain. 77 patients completed the study. Following initial assessment and baseline readings, patients had a 4-week course of active or placebo treatment given twice weekly. After a 4 week rest period patients received the alternate treatment, using the same time schedule. A 4 week follow-up period completed the trial. Using visual analogue scale readings as a measure of pain there was no cumulative difference in pain reduction achieved by traditional as compared with placebo acupuncture treatment. Both groups achieved a 55% overall reduction in pain level at the end of the trial, compared with initial baseline readings.

Acupuncture Therapy↗
PubMed1977

Measuring medical students' empathy: a validation study.

The aim of this study was to validate the empathy scale (Hogan, 1969) for use in the context of medical education in Australia. Empathy Scale scores of students in their first clinical year at Monash University were correlated with patient ratings, self ratings, and peer ratings of empathy. Inter-rater and intra-rater reliability were assessed. Correlations were also obtained between Empathy Scale scores and course marks in psychiatry. Of the empathy ratings only those by peers correlated significantly with Empathy Scale scores (r = 0-45, P less than 0-05, n = 29). Empathy Scale scores were unrelated to academic performance. In a separate part of the study, not connected to the establishing of criterion-related validity, Empathy Scale scores of the medical student group were found to be significantly higher (t=4-44, df = 52, P less than 0-001) than the scores of psychiatric patients with a diagnosis of "personality disorder". This study provides some support for the Empathy Scale as a measure of interpersonal effectiveness, but has not established it as a valid measure of empathy in a clinical setting.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

A double blind trial of lithium carbonate and haloperidol in Huntington's chorea.

Six patients with a family history of Huntington's chorea (HC) participated in a double blind crossover trial involving four treatments--lithium carbonate, haloperidol, lithium carbonate and haloperidol, and placebo. Each treatment was administered for three weeks and, at the end of each treatment period, assessments were made of chorea and a number of psychological variables. None of the treatments significantly affected chorea measurements. With regard to the psychological variables, the levels of irritability, the frequency of angry outbursts and depression did appear to be affected in some patients by the treatment. Three patients improved on a combination of lithium carbonate and haloperidol while the remaining three did not. Haloperidol alone significantly raised depression ratings above levels for other treatments including placebo. It is suggested that lithium carbonate and haloperidol together should be seriously considered in the treatment of HC when patients are excessively irritable and impulsive.

Anger↗