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Biomedical subjects

Mary Anne Armstrong

Publications and source records attributed to Mary Anne Armstrong.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Hysterectomy rates for benign indications.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the annual rates, types, and indications for hysterectomies performed for benign disease in Kaiser Permanente Northern California from 1994 to 2003. METHODS: All women, 20 years or age or older, who were undergoing hysterectomy for benign indications in Kaiser Permanente Northern California from 1994 to 2003 were identified. We analyzed hysterectomy rates by type, indication, and age group. Changes over time were analyzed with the Cochran-Armitage test for linear trend. RESULTS: From 1994 to 2003, there were 32,321 hysterectomies performed for benign indications. Hysterectomy rates showed a significant decline, from 4.01 per 1,000 women in 1994 to 3.41 per 1,000 women in 2003 (P for trend < .001). The relative proportions of all hysterectomies performed as laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH) peaked at 13.0% in 1995 and then steadily declined to 3.9% in 2003 (P for trend < .001), whereas the relative proportion of subtotal abdominal hysterectomy increased from 6.9% in 1994 to 20.8% in 2003 (P for trend < .001). Hysterectomy rates declined 11.2% for uterine leiomyoma (relative risk [RR] 0.89, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.83-0.95), 33.1% for endometriosis (RR 0.67, 95% CI 0.59-0.76), and 18.6% for uterine prolapse (RR 0.81, 95% CI 0.72-0.92). The relative proportion performed for uterine leiomyoma was consistently greater than for all other indications combined. CONCLUSION: The rates of hysterectomy for benign indications are decreasing. The type of hysterectomy changed significantly, with LAVH performed less frequently and subtotal abdominal hysterectomy increasing in popularity. Uterine leiomyoma remains the most common indication for benign hysterectomy. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II-2.

California↗
PubMed2005

Risk of hemorrhagic stroke in Asian American ethnic groups.

The sparseness of prospective data about hemorrhagic stroke (HS) risk among Asian American ethnic groups led to the investigation of 128,934 persons with self-classified ethnicity at health examinations in 1978-1985. Subsequently, 431 persons were hospitalized for HS; 31% for subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and 69% for intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Ethnic predictors of HS were studied by Cox proportional hazard models with 7 covariates. With whites as reference, the adjusted relative risk (95% CI) of all Asians for HS was 1.6 (1.1-2.3, p = 0.01), due substantially to increased risks of SAH in Japanese people and ICH in Filipinos. These data mandate emphasis upon preventive measures in these groups.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Using chart reviews to assess postpartum substance abuse. A pilot study.

The use of chart reviews to assess substance use one-year postpartum was examined in this pilot study by comparing interviews with chart reviews for 23 women assessed positive for risk during pregnancy. There was no indication that providers asked about alcohol use in 83 percent of the charts, drug use in 57 percent of the charts, and tobacco use in 26 percent of the charts. Few positive or negative matches between interviews and chart reviews were found because substance use was generally not noted. These findings underscore the need to interview women to obtain postpartum substance use information and suggest that providers may not adequately address this issue.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Wine, liquor, beer, and mortality.

A substantially increased risk for heavy drinkers and a slightly reduced risk for lighter drinkers results in the J-shaped alcohol-mortality curve. Limited data suggest a more favorable mortality experience for drinkers of wine than for drinkers of liquor or beer. To examine these relations, the authors performed a cohort study of participants in a large Northern California prepaid health care program. Demographic and history data were collected from 128,934 adults undergoing health evaluations in 1978-1985, with subsequent death ascertained by an automated linkage system. Cox proportional hazards models with eight covariates were used to determine relative risk estimates according to total alcohol intake and days per week of drinking wine, wine types, beer, or liquor. The J-shaped alcohol-mortality relation was stable for 20 years. Independently, frequency of wine drinking was associated with lower mortality risk (p<0.001) largely because of lower coronary disease risk. Similar risk reductions were associated with red wine, white wine, other types of wine, and combinations of wine types. Much of the lower risk associated with light drinking was related to wine drinking. The authors conclude that drinkers of any type of wine have a lower mortality risk than do beer or liquor drinkers, but it remains unclear whether this reduced risk is due to nonalcoholic wine ingredients, drinking pattern, or associated traits.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

The early repolarization normal variant electrocardiogram: correlates and consequences.

PURPOSE: We compared the characteristics and outcomes of patients with "early repolarization" electrocardiograms (ECGs) with those who had normal ECGs. METHODS: In 1983 to 1985, we collected photocopies of 2234 selected ECGs from 73088 patients undergoing health examinations. Excluding 153 ECGs with missing data or that were judged to be abnormal, the remaining ECGs were reinterpreted in 2000 by cardiologists as showing early repolarization (n = 670), or being borderline (n = 330) or normal (n = 1081). Characteristics and outcomes of persons with early repolarization ECGs were compared with those who had normal ECGs using analysis of variance, logistic regression, or proportional hazards models. Information on exercise was available in 325 patients. RESULTS: Patients with early repolarization were more likely to be male (81% [n = 583] vs. 33% [n = 360]), <40 years old (60% [n = 441] vs. 37% [n = 403]), black (48% [n = 384] vs. 26% [n = 280]), and more athletically active (mean [+/- SD], 10.4 +/- 1.3 hours per week of activity vs. 6.4 +/- 1.2 hours per week of activity) than those with normal ECGs. Patients with early repolarization were not more likely to be hospitalized (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.0; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.9 to 1.2) or to die (HR = 0.8; 95% CI: 0.6 to 1.2) during follow-up than those with normal ECGs. Outpatient diagnoses were not more common in those with early repolarization; arrhythmias were actually less common (P <0.01). CONCLUSION: Although especially prevalent in young, athletic, black men, early repolarization is not rare in other patients. The long-term prognosis of early repolarization is benign.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Traits of persons who drink decaffeinated coffee.

PURPOSE: Little is known about the traits of decaffeinated coffee drinkers, who are sometimes used to ascertain whether the health effects of coffee intake are due to caffeine or some other coffee ingredient. METHODS: We studied these traits in 12,467 persons who reported type of coffee consumed at health examinations; 36% drank caffeinated only, 13% drank decaffeinated only, 27% drank both types and 24% drank no coffee. RESULTS: Odds ratios estimated from logistic regression analyses revealed that compared with regular (caffeinated) coffee drinkers or abstainers, decaffeinated coffee drinkers were less likely to be heavy coffee drinkers, smokers, alcohol drinkers, users of caffeinated soft drinks and medication and to be free of illness. Increased decaffeinated coffee drinking was associated with older age, female sex, African American ethnicity, use of special diets and cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, or neuropsychiatric symptoms. Persons on special diets were more likely to drink decaffeinated coffee whether they had heart disease or were free of any illness. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that decaffeinated coffee use is related to illness in some persons but to a healthy lifestyle in others. These potential and possibly conflicting confounding factors need to be considered when studying the health effects of coffee or caffeine.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Perinatal substance abuse intervention in obstetric clinics decreases adverse neonatal outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of Early Start, a managed care organization's obstetric clinic-based perinatal substance abuse treatment program, on neonatal outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: Study subjects were 6774 female Kaiser Permanente members who delivered babies between July 1, 1995 and June 30, 1998 and were screened by completing prenatal substance abuse screening questionnaires and urine toxicology screening tests. Four groups were compared: substance abusers screened, assessed, and treated by Early Start ("SAT," n=782); substance abusers screened and assessed by Early Start who had no follow-up treatment ("SA," n=348); substance abusers who were only screened ("S," n=262); and controls who screened negative ("C," n=5382). RESULTS: Infants of SAT women had assisted ventilation rates (1.5%) similar to control infants (1.4%), but lower than the SA (4.0%, p=0.01) and S groups (3.1%, p=0.12). Similar patterns were found for low birth weight and preterm delivery. CONCLUSION: Improved neonatal outcomes were found among babies whose mothers received substance abuse treatment integrated with prenatal care. The babies of SAT women did as well as control infants on rates of assisted ventilation, low birth weight, and preterm delivery. They had lower rates of these three neonatal outcomes than infants of either SA or S women.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Rehospitalization for neonatal dehydration: a nested case-control study.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the incidence of neonatal dehydration leading to rehospitalization, whether clinical and health services data could predict its occurrence, and the outcome of dehydrated infants. METHODS: We employed a retrospective case-control design nested within a cohort of 51 383 newborns weighing 2000 g or more, with a gestational age of 36 weeks or more born at 11 Kaiser Permanente hospitals during 1995 and 1996. Cases were 110 infants who were rehospitalized within 15 days of discharge with dehydration, and who either had 12% or greater weight loss or a serum sodium level of 150 mEq/L or greater. Controls were 402 randomly selected infants. We reviewed subjects' paper medical records and telephoned their families at 24 to 36 months of age to ascertain neurological outcomes. RESULTS: Rehospitalization for dehydration occurred in 2.1 per 1000 live births (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.8-2.6). Among vaginal births, the most important risk factors were being born of a first-time mother (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 5.5; 95% CI, 3.1-9.6); exclusive breastfeeding (AOR, 11.2; 95% CI, 3.9-32.6); maternal age equal to or older than 35 years (AOR, 3.0; 95% CI, 1.5-6.0); and gestational age younger than 39 weeks (AOR, 2.0, 95% CI, 1.2-3.5). Among cesarean births, having a birth hospitalization length of stay less than 48 hours was associated with dehydration (odds ratio [OR], 14.8; 95% CI, 1.4-154.1). Adherence to the American Academy of Pediatrics follow-up guideline did not decrease risk of readmission. Among surviving infants, 1 of 110 cases and 12 of 400 controls had evidence of possible neurological problems 24 to 36 months after discharge (P =.3). No cases of limb gangrene, amputation, or intracranial infarction occurred. CONCLUSIONS: In this population with good access to medical care, serious sequelae of neonatal dehydration are rare. Interventions to decrease the frequency of neonatal dehydration should focus on first-time mothers and those who breastfeed exclusively.

Birth Weight↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Alcohol drinking and risk of hemorrhagic stroke.

In view of conflicting prior reports, we prospectively studied associations between alcohol consumption and subsequent hospitalization for hemorrhagic stroke (HS) in 431 persons. Alcohol use was determined at examinations in 1978-1984 among 128,934 members of a prepaid health plan. Cox proportional hazards models, with 6 covariates, yielded the following multivariate relative risks (95% CI's) for HS: lifelong abstainers (ref) = 1.0, exdrinkers = 0.9 (0.5-1.5), persons drinking <1/month = 1.1 (0.8-1.4), >1/month; <1 drink/day = 0.7 (0.5-0.9), 1-2/day = 0.8 (0.6-1.1), 3-5/day = 1.0 (0.6-1.5), 6+/day = 1.9 (1.0-3.5). Relationships to alcohol were similar for subarachnoid (31% of HS) or intracerebral hemorrhage (69% of HS) and in men or women. Beverage choice (wine, beer, and liquor) was not independently related. We conclude that only heavy drinking is weakly related to increased HS risk and that light drinking need not be proscribed with respect to HS risk.

Adult↗