Recurrent thrombosis in patients with antiphospholipid antibodies and arterial thrombosis on antithrombotic therapy.

Management for patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) and arterial thrombosis is controversial. There are no prospective data demonstrating the superiority of high- or moderate-intensity anticoagulation with vitamin K antagonists over antiplatelet agents. Using 2 antiphospholipid antibody databases (single center [New York Presbyterian Hospital] and multicenter [Antiphospholipid Syndrome Alliance for Clinical Trials and International Networking]), we retrospectively collected demographic and clinical data of patients with APS and arterial thrombosis.

Military aviators with mitral valve prolapse: long-term follow-up and aeromedical endpoints.

Introduction: Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is a disqualifying condition for USAF aviators. Trained USAF aviators, and in recent years flying training applicants, may be granted waiver for initial or continued flying duties following extensive, periodic evaluation. This study examines the usefulness of the various tests performed in that evaluation process and provides long-term follow-up from 404 USAF flyers with MVP.

Hostility, anger, and depression predict increases in C3 over a 10-year period.

We examined the relation of hostility, anger, and depression to 10-year changes in the third (C3), and fourth (C4) complement in 313, apparently healthy male participants enrolled in the Air Force Health Study (AFHS), a 20-year study designed to evaluate the health consequences of dioxin exposure. Hostility, depression, and anger were assessed using subscales from the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), which was administered in 1985. Given the high intercorrelations among these psychological scales, we used a principal component analysis to generate a composite score representing the linear combination of the hostility, anger, and depression scales.

Insulin sensitivity following agent orange exposure in Vietnam veterans with high blood levels of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin.

Our objective was to determine whether insulin sensitivity was related to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) in Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange. Air Force veterans of Operation Ranch Hand, the unit responsible for spraying Agent Orange and other herbicides in Vietnam from 1962 to 1971, and comparison veterans who did not spray herbicides were included. We measured insulin sensitivity (S(I)) using a frequently sampled iv glucose tolerance test in a matched study of 29 matched pairs of veterans and a quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI) based on fasting glucose and insulin in 71 matched pairs.

Serum dioxin and psychological functioning in U.S. Air Force veterans of the Vietnam War.

Using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory and the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory, we assessed the psychological functioning of U.S. Air Force veterans exposed to Agent Orange and its contaminant, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlodibenzo-p-dioxin (dioxin), during the Vietnam War.

Positive predictive value of a health history questionnaire.

The U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA) is one of the nation's military universities, with the mission to educate and motivate cadets to be career Air Force officers.