An entering class of medical students is compared with an entering class of law students on attitudes toward self-responsibility for health and reported health behaviors. Students' health behavior patterns are contrasted with those of practicing physicians and lawyers. Data were collected by self-administered questionnaires. Results indicated that medical students were stronger on self-responsibility and also reported more often engaging in health promoting behavior than law students. The same pattern of differences was reported for practicing physicians and lawyers.

Adult↗

PubMed1981

Arterial graft maturation: the duration of thrombotic activity in Dacron aortobifemoral grafts measured by platelet and fibrinogen kinetics.

Dacron is thrombogenic, hence small arterial grafts of this material frequently thrombose in the period prior to graft maturation. Anti-thrombotic therapy may therefore be indicated to preserve patency during this risk period. To evaluate the thrombogencity of immature Dacron grafts, platelet and fibrinogen kinetics using 51Cr and 125I respectively were measured before operation and at 3, 6 and 9 months in 10 patients following aortobifemoral bypass and in 6 age-matched volunteers. Platelet survival was reduced from 8.8 +/- 0.2 d before surgery to 7.4 +/- 0.24 d at 3 months. This was accompanied by an increase in platelet turnover from 39 +/- 2.4 X 10(9)l-1d-1 to 46.9 +/- 2.9 X 10(9)l-1d-1. Fibrinogen t1/2 fell from 3.72 +/- 0.13 d preoperatively to 3.36 +/- 0.11 d at 3 months, while fibrinogen fractional catabolic rate rose from 0.27 +/- 0.014 to 0.34 +/- 0.014. These changes were all significant (P less than 0.01). Fibrinogen consumption had returned to normal by 6 months following surgery but platelet kinetics only equated to preoperative levels at 9 months. We suggest that Dacron grafts are thrombogenically active for about 9 months. When anti-thrombotic therapy is indicated it should be continued throughout this period.

Aged↗

PubMed1978

Human leucocyte antigens and mixed lymphocyte reaction in severe pre-eclampsia.

Human leucocyte antigens (HLA) and mixed lymphocyte reactions (MLR) were studied in 38 women with severe pre-eclampsia and their husbands. Thirty-nine women with normal pregnancies and their husbands served as controls. Thirty-three of the control women were matched for age and parity with members of the study group. Infants were studied when possible. HLA compatibility was increased in the pre-eclamptic group compared with matched controls and with theoretical estimates for possible matings. The one-way MLR at delivery showed diminished response of maternal to paternal and cord cells in pre-eclamptic women. This reduced maternal reactivity in women with pre-eclampsia may have a role in the illness, and paternal/maternal histocompatibility may be a feature of the severe form.

Female↗