Research Notes

Doctors often unaware of their patients' catheters

In a new study published in the Oct. 15 issue of the American Journal of Medicine, researchers found that doctors are often unaware that their patients have urinary catheters.

The study, led by University assistant internal medicine Prof. Sanjay Saint, examined 256 doctors working on general medicine floors at four different hospitals.

The doctors, which ranged from medical students to attending physicians, were given a questionnaire prior to performing morning rounds that gave them a list of patients and asked whether they had a catheter the previous day and the reason for having the catheter.

The researchers then checked the pool of 469 patients to see whether they had a catheter the previous day and if the doctor was correct. About 25 percent, or 117 of the 469 patients, had catheters. Doctors were unaware of the catheter status in 28 percent of the patients, and catheters were found to be unneeded in 31 percent of the patients.

They also found that the more senior the doctor, the less likely they were to be aware that the patient was using a catheter.

The University Health System is now looking into creating a policy where catheters are automatically taken out after 48 hours unless there is a medical reason to keep the device in.

Mass extinction secret uncovered

Researchers at the University and Syracuse University have discovered that the mass extinction that occurred during the Eocene/Oligocene boundary time period was caused by colder winters along the Gulf Coast.

The findings are based on the analysis of the chemical composition of fossilized otoliths, a group of fish that survived the extinction. They were able to determine temperatures dropped 4 degrees Celsius in the winter.

The study, led by University geological sciences Prof. Kyger Lohmann, Syracuse University assistant earth sciences Prof. William Patterson and Syracuse University visiting assistant earth sciences Prof. Linda Ivany, is published in today's issue of the journal Nature.

Study finds that THC in marijuana may be addictive

The study, led by Steven Goldberg of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, found that squirrel monkeys repeatedly dosed themselves with THC, the active ingredient in marijuana.

Four monkeys were given an intravenous device that delivered THC when the monkey pushed a lever. The monkeys pushed the lever up to 30 times each hourlong daily session to get the THC, but only one to four times when they received water instead of THC.

Each push of the lever delivered a dose of THC similar in proportion to a human taking a puff from a marijuana cigarette.

The monkeys pushed the lever about as often as other monkeys did in a similar situation with cocaine, but that does not necessarily mean marijuana is as addictive as cocaine to people.

The NIDA says marijuana causes compulsive and often uncontrollable cravings and used despite health and social consequences and therefore is addictive.

- Compiled by Daily Staff Reporter Lindsey Alpert.