Showing papers by "Marcia Russell published in 1991"

Measures of maternal alcohol use as predictors of development in early childhood.

Abstract: The effect of prenatal alcohol exposure on growth, dysmorphology, and cognitive development at 6 years was examined in children whose mothers had completed a self-administered questionnaire during pregnancy. Drinking patterns prior to pregnancy recognition and indications of problem drinking (IPD) were assessed. Heavier alcohol intake was associated with slower growth in height and head circumference and increased dysmorphology, as evidenced by facial features associated with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and the prevalence of probable/possible fetal alcohol effects (FAE). Indications of problem drinking predicted facial features associated with FAS and cognitive deficits (i.e., lower WPPSI Verbal IQ scores and lower scores on a test of receptive language function, the Token Test). Effects of alcohol consumption on head circumference and of indications of problem drinking on Verbal IQ and Token Test scores remained significant, even after excluding children born to mothers having drinkers (over seven drinks a day) and children with probable/possible FAE. Verbal IQ was an average of 7.1 points (95% confidence interval = 0.01, 14.25) lower among children born to mothers having more than one indication of problem drinking than it was among those born to women having fewer indications; Token Test scores were 4.3 points lower (95% confidence interval = 1.38, 7.24). Although the confidence intervals for these estimates are broad in this small, heterogeneous sample, their magnitude, if confirmed, is significant given that the population standard deviation for Verbal IQ is 15, and that for the Token Test is 5.

Alcohol drinking patterns and blood pressure

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Although blood pressure tends to increase with average alcohol consumption, little is known about the effects of drinking patterns on blood pressure. Therefore, the effects of average drinks per day and drinking pattern (defined as the independent and interactive effects of quantity and frequency) on blood pressure were compared. METHODS: Data were obtained from a random sample survey of 1,635 household residents in Erie County, New York. Alcohol-blood pressure relationships were examined using multiple regression analyses that controlled for the potentially confounding influence of 13 additional risk factors for elevated blood pressure. RESULTS: Consistent with prior research, a positive relationship was found between average drinks per day and diastolic and systolic blood pressure. Analyses examining the effect of drinking pattern indicated that drinking frequency had a positive effect on both diastolic and systolic blood pressure, whereas drinking quantity did not affect either. Furthermore...

Quantity-frequency measures of alcohol consumption: beverage-specific vs global questions.

Abstract: Estimates of alcohol consumption (ounces of absolute alcohol per day, AA) based on beverage-specific and global quantity-frequency (QF) questions were compared in a survey representative of the adult drinking population in New York State. Beverage-specific AA estimates were higher than global (0.72, 95% confidence intervals = 0.68, 0.76) compared to 0.49 (95% confidence intervals = 0.47, 0.51), although estimates were highly correlated (r = 0.75). Discrepancies between beverage specific and global AA estimates increased as the number of beverages and the amount drunk increased. Sociodemographic characteristics were not significantly related to differences between beverage-specific and global AA estimates after adjusting for the amount drunk; however, drinking patterns did influence the differences. It was concluded that beverage-specific QF questions are probably more valid measures of alcohol consumption than global QF questions, but that the global questions provide useful information. Parallel analyses of variant global QF questions employed in the first US Health and Nutrition Examination Survey obtained similar results.

Calcium intake and blood pressure in blacks and whites.

Abstract: This study focuses on 1790 residents of Erie County, New York, over age 19, who participated in a study of blood pressure in 1986. Subjects were selected using a highly stratified sampling procedure to obtain a sample that included approximately equal numbers of blacks and whites in three educational strata (less than 12 years, 12 years, and more than 12 years of education). Calcium intake was estimated using questions regarding usual frequency of intake of foods high in calcium and of calcium-containing supplements and antacids. Calcium intake by normotensives tended to be higher than intake by hypertensives; differences were significant for females but not for males. Calcium intake was significantly inversely associated with systolic blood pressure for black females and diastolic blood pressure in black and white females after control for age, education, body mass index, smoking, and alcohol. For other sex-race groups, there was generally a trend (although not significant) toward decreased blood pressure with increased calcium intake. Diastolic blood pressure was inversely associated with calcium from milk and yogurt (but not cheese) for white females. A similar association (although not significant) was found for black females; no association was found for males. No differences were found between blacks and whites in response to calcium. This cross-sectional study provides some additional evidence of a protective effect of calcium intake on blood pressure in both black and white females.