Faculty Bibliography

The destruction of the last stocks of smallpox virus, which are held by the US and Russia, has been delayed because some scientists have begun to argue that the virus could yield useful medical knowledge about smallpox and possibly other diseases

Nomenclature for systolic readings varies among medical groups. The Framingham study used the World Health Organization's definition of borderline isolated systolic hypertension for readings from 140 to 159. (Isolated means the hypertension definition is based on the systolic pressure independent of the diastolic reading.) The authors said further research was needed to determine whether treatment with measures like diet, exercise and drugs would prevent heart ailments and extend the lives of people with borderline systolic hypertension. The reason is that studies have not been done to determine the benefits of such treatment among people with borderline systolic hypertension. Caution on Drug Therapy After 20 years of follow-up, 80 percent of those who early on had borderline systolic hypertension progressed to full-fledged high blood pressure, compared with 45 percent of the participants with normal blood pressures. Those with borderline systolic hypertension had a significantly greater risk of developing heart attacks, heart failure and strokes than those with normal blood pressure

Nomenclature for systolic readings varies among medical groups. The Framingham study used the World Health Organization's definition of borderline isolated systolic hypertension for readings from 140 to 159. Isolated means the hypertension definition is based on the systolic pressure independent of the diastolic reading. The federally sponsored National High Blood Pressure Education Program defines a systolic pressure from 140 to 160 and a diastolic of less than 90 as Stage 1 systolic hypertension

Then each was asked, in private, such confidential questions as how often he'd had intercourse; how often he'd had a full erection in a day; whether he'd had difficulty attaining an erection before intercourse and after intercourse had begun; how often he'd awakened from sleep with a full erection, and how satisfied he was with his sexual partners

The largest study of impotence since the Kinsey report has found that about half of American men over 40 have experienced the problem to varying degrees. Results of the study, which asked 1,709 men a variety of questions about their sexual potency during the previous six months, are discussed

The study also indicated that impotence may herald serious disease of the heart and blood vessels. Low amounts of high-density lipoprotein, or HDL, the good form of cholesterol, were also significantly correlated with impotence. [S. Mitchell Harman] said this correlation deserves further study in search of a therapy. At age 40, 5 percent of men in the study reported complete impotence. By 70, the prevalence of complete impotence tripled, to 15 percent. Overall, 52 percent of men ages 40-70 had experienced varying degrees of impotence. Doctors have paid more attention to impotence in their patients in recent years as researchers have developed new tests to detect specific causes of impotence and treatments for some of them. Doctors have also improved their understanding of the physiological mechanisms of erection and how they can be affected to cause impotence

Dr. S. Mitchell Harman of the National Institute on Aging said the findings were 'ambiguous' because of the study's design. Since the participants were interviewed only once, a problem of the study is the inability to determine how often impotence improved or worsened over time and how often it was permanent, Harman said. The study also indicated that impotence may herald serious disease of the heart and blood vessels. Low amounts of high-density lipoprotein, or HDL, the good form of cholesterol, were also significantly correlated with impotence. Harman said this correlation deserved further study in search of a therapy. At the age of 40, 5 percent of men in the study reported complete impotence. By 70, the prevalence of complete impotence had tripled to 15 percent. Fifty-two percent of men aged from 40 to 70 had experienced varying degrees of impotence

In one series of studies directed against the cytomegalovirus eye infection, known as CMV retinitis, the oral form of the drug ganciclovir was found to be about as effective as when injected into a vein. The finding holds promise of improving the quality of life for many AIDS patients with CMV retinitis. These patients must now keep a tube in place in a vein, which carries a risk of infection. Fluconazole showed significant benefit in delaying two types of fungal infections, invasive and superficial. Superficial infections are those that involve the skin and mouth. Candida albicans is a common superficial fungal infection among people with AIDS. One invasive infection is cryptococcal meningitis, which is caused by a fungus that is often found in soil contaminated by pigeon droppings. No Sign of Extending Life

Researchers have reported that the oral form of the drug ganciclovir was found to be about as effective against cytomegalovirus retinitis as when injected into a vein. Another group found that the drug fluconazole was more effective than clotrimazole in delaying fungal infection in AIDS patients with under 200 CD-4 cells per cubic millimeter of blood

WASHINGTON - People infected with drug-resistant strains of the virus that causes AIDS are up to three times as likely to die in a given period than those with other strains, scientists said at a meeting yesterday. In recent years, scientists have detected the emergence of strains of the AIDS virus, HIV, that are resistant to AZT, the main drug used against the virus. The researchers found that 15 per cent of the strains were highly drug-resistant and an additional 24 per cent of the strains were moderately drug-resistant