Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Multiple Epidural Steroid Injections And Body Mass Index Linked With Occurrence Of Epidural Lipomatosis: A Case Series., Rafael Jaimes, Angelo G. Rocco

Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND:

Epidural lipomatosis (EL) is an increase of adipose tissue, normally occurring in the epidural space, sufficient to distort the thecal sac and compress neural elements. There is a lack of knowledge of risk factors, impact on patient's symptoms, and its possible association with epidural steroid injections.

METHODS:

History, physical examination, patient chart, and MRI were analyzed from 856 outpatients referred for epidural steroid injections. Seventy patients with signs of EL on MRI comprised the study group. Thirty-four randomly selected patients comprised the control group. The severity of EL was determined by the MRI assessment. The impact of EL was …

Evaluation Of The Stability And Validity Of Participant Samples Recruited Over The Internet., Daniel Z Lieberman

Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Faculty Publications

Research conducted via the Internet has the potential to reach important clinical populations of participants who would not participate in traditional studies. Concerns exist, however, about the validity of samples recruited in this manner, especially when participants are anonymous and never have contact with study staff. This study evaluated two anonymous samples that were recruited over the Internet to test an online program designed to help problem drinkers. The two studies were conducted 3 years apart, and different recruitment strategies were utilized. Despite these differences, the two samples were highly similar in demographic and clinical features. Correlations that have been …

Clinical Characteristics Of Individuals Using An Online Alcohol Evaluation Program., Daniel Z Lieberman

Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Faculty Publications

Access to treatment for substance abuse disorders is limited, and practical strategies are needed to expand opportunities for individuals to receive effective interventions. Automated or semi-automated treatments have shown promise in other disorders. Identifying the characteristics of patients who will be able to benefit from this unconventional approach will increase the likelihood of success. The current study examined 1,297 individuals using an online alcohol evaluation program. Subjects had high scores on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and a substantial amount of ambivalence about the possible harm that their drinking caused, but they also had very low levels of …

Determinants Of Satisfaction With An Automated Alcohol Evaluation Program., Daniel Z Lieberman

Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Faculty Publications

High rates of untreated mental illness cause serious health problems in the United States and worldwide. The use of computer-administered therapy has the potential to increase access to mental health care for certain patient populations. An online version of an alcohol check-up was developed that guided subjects through a series of standardized questionnaires, and provided them with feedback designed to enhance their appreciation of the negative aspects of their alcohol use. Ratings of the helpfulness of the questionnaires were evaluated in order to determine the characteristics of individuals who would potentially benefit from an automated substance abuse intervention, and to …