March 7, 1989, NIH Record, Vol. XLI, No. 5
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March 7, l989 Vol. X LI No. 5 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health Recori Treatment Often E ffective Genetics Elective Attracts Urinary Incontinence Widespread Among Older Adults Students to NIH Program By Karen McCrory Pocinki By Carla Garnett More than half of the older people in chis sions outside the home, social inceracc ions Students have traveled from as far away as country who suffer from urinary incontinence with friends and family, and sexual acriviry Michigan and Louisiana co spend 8 weeks (loss of bladder control) have never consulted a may be restricced or avoided enci rely. studying and conducring clinical research in docror about the problem , according to a Although researchers know more today about NIH labs. Robert Wood Johnson Medical panel of experts convened by NIH co scudy the development and consequences of inconti School in Piscataway, N.J., anJ Wayne Scare urinary incontinence in adults. Instead, many nence, the number of individuals who are nor University in Derroir are just two of che medi of t hese individuals use adult diapers and treated successfully remains surprisingly high. cal schools represented in chis year's absorbenr pads, assuming the problem is " A lot of people still believe chat urinary lnrcrinsrirure Medical Genetics (!MG) incurable. incontinence is due simply co aging," says Dr. program. 1n addition, many physicians fa.i i to recog Evan H adley, chief of the NIA Geriarrics As part of their regular formal training, nize the impact of urinary incontinence in Branch and chairman of rhe planning commit fourth-year medical scudenrs apply for compec nursing home patients. As a result, very few tee for che recent NIH Consensus Dcvelop icive clinical rorarion programs at various nursing home rcsidencs wirh incontinence have menr Conference on urinary incontinence in hospitals or medical laboracories. 13y the same any type of diag nostic evaluation, co say adults. " Incontinence is nor an inevitable pare coken, hospitals and laboratories compete nothing of treatment. of aging, and it can be treated." against each ocher co recruit the best, most At least 10 million adult Americans suffer Although age-related changes in the urinary from incontinence, including approximately trace predispose older persons co develop 15 to 30 percent of older people who live in incontinence, normal aging is not responsible rhe communiry and ar least one-half of the l . 5 for its occurrence. O ften, inconrinence results mil Iion residents of nursing homes in chis from many interacting faccors, including neu country. The condirion affects twice as many rologic impairment, immobil ity, illness, women as men. confusion and m<:dicacions. In some cases, Incontinence leads co social isolation and dependency among older Americans. Excur- (See INCONTINENCE, Page 2 ) The Intrigue of Fatigue Seminar Urges More Positive Scientists Tirelessly Pursue Stand on Animal Research Causes of Tiredness By Louise Williams Don't apologize. Don't gee riled . Do speak By Laurie K. Oocpel our. That was the advice given ac a recent A study of a select group of people with NIH Science Writers Guild seminar, "Gerring chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) suggests chat Our the Word About rhe Need for Animal common biological factors may underlie some Research." Joan Durbin. ,, /011rth-yea,· st11dent at Robert psychiatric disorders and CFS, factors char pre Unless scientists and their insricurions cake \Vood Johmo11 Medical School. respom:/J lo q11eJtiom dispose people co both types of illnesses. a more aggressive stand on animal research, about genetic engineering i11 T -cells. Three-fourths of 28 CFS patients studied had a warned Frankie Trull, president of the Foun past history of or were currently experiencing dation for Biomedical Research, the "squeaky promising srudenrs co t heir programs. Medical one or more psychiatric disorders. This race of wheel" will ger ever more concessions. generics is one of 16 clinical subspecialties psychiatric illness greatly exceeds char reported The foundarion is a scienrists · organization offered by NIH. for rhe general population or for people with based in Washington, D .C. Trull spoke ar the certain ocher chronic diseases. seminar, along wirh Storm Whaley, NIH Gathering recently in the Clinical Center's Dr. Markus Kruesi of the National Institute associate director for communications. Bunim Room, the ten students, encouraged of Meneal Health conducted t he study in col Attending was a diverse group of 60 scien by proud preceprors, culminared their laboration wich Dr. Stephen Straus, chief of tists, informarion officers and writers, and 2-monrh electives by delivering stringently rhe medical virology section of the National members of the public, including an area high timed, I 0-minuce reporrs chat summarized Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, school teacher. experiments, shared experiences and celebrated and Janee Dale, an NIAID clinical research Trull believes scicnriscs are playing into newfound expertise. nurse. The findings were published in the activists' hands. "We have nothing co apolo 'Tve been getting those li ttle booklets in February issue of che J oumal of C/i11ical gize for. N IH is the largest, most important the mail since l was a freshman in medical Psychiatry. biomedical insricurion in the U.S. Yet, it is school," said Karen Geller of Mt. Sinai, refer When the past and present psychiauic his responding co chis issue as animal rights activ ring ro recruitment marerial and descriptive tories of the scudy patients were assessed, it ists wane us co respond-in an apologetic brochures sent out by reaching hospitals vying was determined chat 21 of rhe 28 had been or fashion." for eager pupils. were currently affected by a psychiatric illness. A poll commissioned by rhe foundation and Whar makes students choose one program Several patienrs had had more than one psy- rhe American Medical Association, she said, over another:' The reputation of the facility (See TUCKERED, Page 8 ) (See ANIMALS, Page 4 ) (See GENETICS, Page 6 ) page 2 The Record March 7, 1989 INCONTINENCE CAN BE TREATED SUCCESSFULLY (Continued from Page 1) inconcineoce is temporary and can be cured by ants, bladder outlec stimulants and estrogens), changing medications or by t reating an acme and/or surgery. "The fact char treatments are illness such as a urinary trace infection. often effective makes it regrettable char so However, many cases are chronic, lasting many people don't seek help," says Hadley. indefinitely unless properly diagnosed and As a general rule, the panel suggested chat rreaced. doctors cry che lease invasive or dangerous Based on scienrific darn presented during procedures first. Even when permanent rhc conference, che consensus panel, drawn improvement is not possible, frequent from the medical profession, basic sciences and reminders to request assistance with trips ro che general public, wrote a consensus state the toiler and an increase in the number of ment. In chis statement, the panel stressed those trips may reduce incontinence. Ocher chat every person with urinary incontinence is helpful changes include rcscricring bedtime entitled to evaluation and treatment. The ..,.. fluid intake, providing easier access to toilet panel recommended a thorough medical his facilities, and if necessary using absorbent Thanks to the NIH Ski C/11b, the R&W ,md Spe tory (including a record of the duration, produces or catheters. cial Love, Inc., 52 teens and young ad11/tJ with frequency, amount and type of incontinence, ca11cer enjoyed a weekend of skiing at Elk Mo1111- as well as information about associated ill While many controversies were addressed ac tain, Jan. I 9- 22. The groups a/Jo Jponsored a nesses, previous operations and current the conference, numerous questions await family weekend for patients a11d theit· family 111e,n medications), careful physical examination and answers. Directions for future research include: bers Feb. 17-20 al Canaan Valley. A total of 44 bladder rescing . In addition, the evaluation studies of r.he risk factors for developing skiers participated in this annual event. should include an assessment of each individ incontinence, investigations of possible preven ual's mental health, functional ability and tion strategics and development and evaluation Award Nominations Sought residential status. of new treatments. The NIH Asian/Pacific Islander American Contrary to public opinion, most cases of Free single copies of the complete NIH Advisory Committee (A./PlAAC) is requesting · urinary incontinence can be cured or improved Consensus Statement on Urinary Incontinence nominations for che Recognition Award, co be using behavioral techniques (including pelvic in Adults may be obcaine<l from OMAR, given to an individual or group dcmonscracing muscle exercises, biofeedback and bladder Bldg. 1, Rm. 216, 9000 Rockville Pike, superior achievements in promoting Asian/ training), drug therapy (with bladder relax- Bethesda, MD 20892. 0 Pacific Islander American activities (such as advancing equal employment opporcunicies, career development and culcural awareness). Any NJH employee is eligible for the Research Funding Discussed award. The nominee (individual or group of The NIH Record The chird session of the STEP module less than five) should have demonstrated tan Published biweekly a, Bethesda, MJ., by , l;e EJi<0rial addressing the question "How can the NIH gible results in promoting Asian/Pacific Operations Branch, Division of Public lnfotmation, for che Islander activities. For example, the results dollar be stretched to maximize its research ioformarion of employees of the Narional lnsritures of may be achieved through a single event that impact?" will be held on Mar. 21, at l p.m. Health, Department of Health and H uman Services, and required long-term planning and implementa in Bldg. 3 1, Conf. Rm. 10. A formal presen c irculared ro noncmployees by suhscriprion only rhrough tion demanding unusual leadership, creative tation of l hour will be followed by an open the Governmc:nt Priming Office.