Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Mary Armstrong.
This study examined changes in the length of stay, cost savings, recidivism and community access when individuals with serious mental illness who were mandated into extended treatment were moved from a regional center institution to community treatment. Results showed significantly shorter length of stay, cost savings and no increase in recidivism when individuals were treated in the community program.
The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the development of safety, permanency, and child well-being indicators by using administrative data sets as well as by using these indicators as tools for evaluating Florida's Community-Based Care (CBC) initiative. Longitudinal data from 37 counties including 4 counties that implemented community-based care were examined in this study. The results of the study indicated that the overall performance of CBC counties is at least as good as the performance of their comparison run by the state counties. The findings that emerged from this study may provide important lessons for developing a performance measurement system in the child welfare field.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency and correlates of autoantibody formation in patients with rheumatic diseases treated with infliximab in a routine clinical setting. METHODS: All patients receiving at least 5 infusions of infliximab, and with anticipated continuation, were prospectively evaluated for the development of the following antibodies: antinuclear antibody (ANA), anti-DNA, anti-Sm, anti-RNP, anti-SSA and anti-SSB. Correlates with pharmacologic treatments, response to infliximab, and adverse events were assessed. RESULTS: Seventy-six percent of 42 patients receiving prolonged treatment with infliximab developed new autoantibodies, and these persisted in 57%. The most common new autoantibody was ANA in 45%, followed by anti-DNA in 33%, anti-Sm in 31%, and anti-RNP in 29%. New autoantibody formation was associated with both a greater number of infusions (p = 0.015) and a higher total dose of infliximab infused (p = 0.047). No other treatment, disease characteristic, or loss of efficacy to infliximab discriminated between those developing antibodies compared to those without new antibody formation. No patient developed clinical signs of a new connective tissue disease. CONCLUSION: Autoantibody formation is seen commonly in patients receiving prolonged treatment with infliximab. Concomitant immunosuppressive treatments did not preclude the formation of antibodies. The clinical significance of antibody formation remains to be determined.