Lack of association between sputum atypia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease mortality.

Hypothesis: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer are thought to share common elements in pathogenesis. The authors hypothesized that sputum atypia would reflect the processes leading to progressive airflow obstruction and might be a novel biomarker of more rapidly progressive COPD.

Methods: The authors analyzed the association between COPD death and sputum cytologic atypia in an ongoing cohort of 2013 smokers with varying degrees of airflow obstruction during the period between January 1, 1993, and July 1, 2001.

Multi-target interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization assay increases sensitivity of sputum cytology as a predictor of lung cancer.

Survival rates for lung cancer are low because patients have disseminated disease at diagnosis; therefore tests for early diagnosis are highly desirable. This pilot study investigated occurrence of chromosomal aneusomy in sputum from a 33 case-control cohort matched on age, gender, and date of sample collection. Subjects had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and > or = 30 pack-years of tobacco use, and aneusomy was tested using a multi-target DNA FISH assay (LAVysion, Abbott/Vysis).

Assessing the role of influential mentors in the research development of primary care fellows.

Purpose: To assess the association between mentorship and both subsequent research productivity and career development among primary care research fellows.

Method: In 1998, using a self-administered questionnaire, the authors surveyed 215 fellows who graduated from 25 National Research Service Award (NRSA) primary care research programs between 1988-1997 to assess quantitative aspects and qualitative domains of their mentorship experience during fellowship training.

Results: A total of 139 fellows (65%) responded to mentorship questions a median of four years after their fellowship.

Podiatric problems are associated with worse health status in persons with severe mental illness.

The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of self-reported podiatric impairments and their effect on health status in persons with severe mental illness. A sample of psychiatric outpatients (N=309) underwent interviews assessing medical conditions and health status with the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (SF-36). Podiatric health was assessed using nine items from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS).

Sputum cytological atypia as a predictor of incident lung cancer in a cohort of heavy smokers with airflow obstruction.

Individuals with cytological atypia in sputum may be at increased risk for lung cancer. We conducted a longitudinal analysis of the association between lung cancer incidence and cytological atypia in sputum samples collected prospectively from an ongoing cohort of adults at high risk for lung cancer. Cohort members had a smoking history of > or = 30 pack-years and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease documented by pulmonary airflow testing.

Indicators of early research productivity among primary care fellows.

Objective: Little is known about the impact of fellowship training in primary care on subsequent research productivity. Our goal was to identify characteristics of research fellows and their training associated with subsequent publications and research funding.

Design: Mail survey in 1998.

The training and career paths of fellows in the National Research Service Award (NRSA) Program for Research in Primary Medical Care.

Purpose: To describe the training and career paths of fellows in the National Research Service Award (NRSA) Program for Research in Primary Medical Care.

Method: All fellows who graduated from 25 NRSA programs nationally between July 1988 and June 1997 (n = 215) were mailed a questionnaire. Personal characteristics, fellowship experiences, and current professional positions were compared between faculty researchers, faculty clinician-educators, and individuals who were not in full-time academic positions.