Tulane University

About: Tulane University is a education organization based out in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Blood pressure. The organization has 24478 authors who have published 47205 publications receiving 1944993 citations. The organization is also known as: University of Louisiana.

False Hopes and Best Data: Consent to Research and the Therapeutic Misconception

Abstract: To maintain a therapeutic misconception is to deny the possibility that there may be major disadvantages to participating in clinical research that stem from the nature of the research process itself. It could be argued that the research project has been peer-reviewed for scientific merit and approved for ethical acceptability by an institutional review board (IRB), the problem of the therapeutic misconception is not significant enough to warrant intervention. The neutral explainer would be responsible to the IRB and would be trained to emphasize those aspects of the research situation about which the IRB has the greatest concern. This approach might be especially appropriate when the investigator is also the subject's treating physician and the methodology used is likely to be interpreted as therapeutic in intent. The unique aspects of clinical research include the goal of creating generalizable knowledge; the techniques of randomization; and the use of a study protocol, control groups, and double-blind procedures.

Alcohol Consumption and Risk of Stroke: A Meta-analysis

Abstract: ContextObservational studies suggest that heavy alcohol consumption may increase the risk of stroke while moderate consumption may decrease the risk.ObjectiveTo examine the association between alcohol consumption and relative risk of stroke.Data SourcesStudies published in English-language journals were retrieved by searching MEDLINE (1966–April 2002) using Medical Subject Headings alcohol drinking, ethanol, cerebrovascular accident, cerebrovascular disorders, and intracranial embolism and thrombosis and the key word stroke; Dissertation Abstracts Online using the keywords stroke and alcohol; and bibliographies of retrieved articles.Study SelectionFrom 122 relevant retrieved reports, 35 observational studies (cohort or case control) in which total stroke, ischemic stroke, or hemorrhagic (intracerebral or total) stroke was an end point; the relative risk or relative odds and their variance (or data to calculate them) of stroke associated with alcohol consumption were reported; alcohol consumption was quantified; and abstainers served as the reference group.Data ExtractionInformation on study design, participant characteristics, level of alcohol consumption, stroke outcome, control for potential confounding factors, and risk estimates was abstracted independently by 3 investigators using a standardized protocol.Data SynthesisA random-effects model and meta-regression analysis were used to pool data from individual studies. Compared with abstainers, consumption of more than 60 g of alcohol per day was associated with an increased relative risk of total stroke, 1.64 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.39-1.93); ischemic stroke, 1.69 (95% CI, 1.34-2.15); and hemorrhagic stroke, 2.18 (95% CI, 1.48-3.20), while consumption of less than 12 g/d was associated with a reduced relative risk of total stroke, 0.83 (95%, CI, 0.75-0.91) and ischemic stroke, 0.80 (95% CI, 0.67-0.96), and consumption of 12 to 24 g/d was associated with a reduced relative risk of ischemic stroke, 0.72 (95%, CI, 0.57-0.91). The meta-regression analysis revealed a significant nonlinear relationship between alcohol consumption and total and ischemic stroke and a linear relationship between alcohol consumption and hemorrhagic stroke.ConclusionsThese results indicate that heavy alcohol consumption increases the relative risk of stroke while light or moderate alcohol consumption may be protective against total and ischemic stroke.

Trends in blood pressure among children and adolescents.

Abstract: ContextThe prevalence of overweight among children and adolescents increased between 1988 and 2000 The change in blood pressure among children and adolescents over that time and the role of overweight is unknownObjectiveTo examine trends in systolic and diastolic blood pressure among children and adolescents between 1988 and 2000Design, Setting, and PopulationTwo serially conducted cross-sectional studies using nationally representative samples of children and adolescents, aged 8 to 17 years, from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) conducted in 1988-1994 (n = 3496) and NHANES 1999-2000 (n = 2086)Main Outcome MeasuresSystolic and diastolic blood pressure levelsResultsIn 1999-2000, the mean (SE) systolic blood pressure was 1060 (03) mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure was 617 (05) mm Hg After adjustment for age, mean systolic blood pressure was 16 mm Hg higher among non-Hispanic black girls (P = 11) and 29 mm Hg higher among non-Hispanic black boys (P<001) compared with non-Hispanic whites Among Mexican Americans, girls' systolic blood pressure was 10 mm Hg higher (P = 21) and boys' was 27 mm Hg higher (P<001) compared with non-Hispanic whites (P<001) With further adjustment for body mass index, these differences were attenuated After age, race/ethnicity, and sex standardization, systolic blood pressure was 14 (95% confidence interval [CI], 06-22) mm Hg higher (P<001) and diastolic blood pressure was 33 (95% CI, 21-45) mm Hg higher in 1999-2000 (P<001) compared with 1988-1994 With further adjustment for differences in the body mass index distribution in 1988-1994 and 1999-2000, the increase in systolic blood pressure was reduced by 29% and diastolic blood pressure was reduced by 12%ConclusionsBlood pressure has increased over the past decade among children and adolescents This increase is partially attributable to an increased prevalence of overweight