Gender differences in psychosocial responses to lung cancer

Background: Although biologically based sex differences in the smoking patterns, epidemiology, biomedical markers, and survival rates associated with lung cancer are well documented, examinations of psychosocial gender differences are scarce.Objective: This cross-sectional study examined gender differences in psychosocial factors that are important in the medical management of lung cancer.Methods: A convenience sample of patients who were attending a multidisciplinary lung cancer treatment center (Markey Cancer Center, Lexington, Kentucky) were invited to complete a psychosocial needs assessment. Eligibility criteria included primary diagnosis of lung cancer, age ≥18 years, and being cognitively intact. Measures focused on psychosocial resources, treatment decision-making, social consequences of treatments, and treatment outcomes. Data were collected between the fall of 2005 and the summer of 2006.Results: A total of 47 women and 53 men (mean [SD] age, 62.81 [12.01] years; 95% white) completed the needs assessment. Gender was not found to be associated with demographic characteristics, time until diagnosis, treatment, or survival rate. Smoking histories differed significantly in the proportion of women and men who smoked or were former smokers (P = 0.01) as well as the age when they began to smoke (P = 0.02). There were no significant gender differences in social support networks, general coping, information needs, treatment decision satisfaction, functional health, life satisfaction, financial impact, or service needs. However, significant gender differences did indicate that women favored spiritual practices (P = 0.02) and religious coping (P = 0.04), and were more likely to endorse having a life mission (P = 0.03) and being part of a divine plan (P = 0.01).Conclusions: Previous research has found that religiousness and spirituality improved depressive symptoms and may ease end-of-life despair. In the present study of patients with lung cancer, gender differences in religiousness and spirituality suggest that this may be especially true for women, and that interventions should be directed toward their religious practices and coping.     

Gender differences in cardiovascular and metabolic responses to cold and exercise

This study was conducted because of the paucity of information concerning gender differences in the cardiovascular and metabolic responses to cold stress. Lightly clad men (n = 8) and women (n = 8) were tested in 21 and 5 degrees C environments during a 20-min rest, followed by 20 min each of 50, 100, and 150 W of exercise. At 21 degrees C there was no gender differences in VO2 or cardiac output. Cold lowered skin temperature more in women than in men, but women demonstrated no differences in heart rate, stroke volume, or VO2 at 5 and 21 degrees C. The women's noradrenaline levels in the cold were higher than comparable 21 degrees C data at rest and 50 W and increased with work intensity in both tests. In contrast, men had a lower heart rate, higher stroke volume, and higher VO2 throughout the 5 degrees C treatment compared with 21 degrees C. The men's noradrenaline response to 5 degrees C was similar to that of women at rest and 50 W, but the level subsequently declined at 100 and 150 W. Thus, the women do not show a heart rate-stroke volume shift in either resting or exercising states in cold environments. Furthermore, the data fail to support that either skin cooling or changes in noradrenaline cause the bradycardia and enhanced stroke volume seen in men.     

Gender differences in the endocrine and metabolic responses to hypoxic exercise.

This study tested the hypothesis that women would have blunted physiological responses to acute hypoxic exercise compared with men. Fourteen women taking oral contraceptives (28 +/- 0.9 yr of age) and 15 men (30 +/- 1.0 yr of age) with similar peak O(2) consumption (VO(2 peak)) values (56 +/- 1.1 vs. 57 +/- 0.8 ml x kg fat-free mass(-1) x min(-1)) were studied under hypoxic (H; fraction of inspired oxygen = 13%) vs. normoxic (fraction of inspired oxygen = 20.93%) conditions. Cardiopulmonary, metabolic, and neuroendocrine measures were taken before, during, and 30 min after three 5-min consecutive workloads at 30, 45, and 60% VO(2 peak). In women compared with men, glucose levels were greater during recovery from H (P < 0.05) and lactate levels were lower at 45% VO(2 peak), 60% VO(2 peak), and up to 20 min of recovery (P < 0.05), regardless of trial (P < 0.0001). Although the women had greater baseline levels of cortisol and growth hormone (P < 0.0001), gender did not affect these hormones during H or exercise. Catecholamine responses to H were also similar between genders. Thus the endocrine response to hypoxia per se was not blunted in women as we had hypothesized. Other mechanisms must be at play to cause the gender differences in metabolic substrates in response to hypoxia.     

Gender differences in traditional Chinese medicine use among adults in Taiwan

Objectives

The increasing use of complementary, alternative medicine (CAM) and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has attracted attention. We report on the gender difference in TCM use among the general population in Taiwan in a population-based, cross-sectional study.

Methods

We collected data on socio-demographic factors, lifestyle and health behavior from the 2001 Taiwan National Health Interview Survey. The medical records of interviewees aged 20–69 years were obtained from National Health Insurance claims data with informed consent. The prevalence of TCM use and the average frequency of TCM use were compared between women and men.

Results

Among 14,064 eligible participants, the one-year prevalence of TCM use for women and men was 31.8% and 22.4%, respectively. Compared with men, women had a higher average TCM use frequency (1.55 visits vs. 1.04 visits, p<0.001). This significant difference remained evident after excluding gender-specific diseases (1.43 visits vs. 1.03 visits, p<0.001). The average TCM use frequency was significantly higher in women than in men across all age groups. TCM use correlates differed for women and men. Marital status (odds ratio [OR] = 1.55, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.30–1.85), family income and unhealthy lifestyle (OR = 1.50, 95% CI = 1.30–1.74) were factors associated with TCM use in men but not in women.

Conclusions

In Taiwan, women used more TCM services than men and the gender differences in the TCM use profile persisted across age groups.     

Ethnic differences in alcohol use,abuse, and sensitivity: A review with genetic interpretation

Abstract

The biomedical literature for the period 1978–84 was surveyed for nine categories of alcohol response (consumption rate, absorption rate from the digestive tract, metabolism rate, alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) variants, acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) variants, “alcohol sensitivity,” cardiovascular changes, psychological changes, alcohol abuse), looking for data on possible ethnic differences. These data were supplemented by selected earlier studies. Excepting psychological changes (on which there were very few studies), evidence for ethnic (or racial) differences was found in each category of response. The most striking differences were between Orientals and non‐Orientals; about half of all Orientals lack a high‐activity form of ALDH which all non‐Orientals have. As a direct consequence, these “deficient” Orientals have markedly increased alcohol sensitivity (flushing, dysphoria, cardiovascular response). These enzyme differences are very probably due to a single gene, as are ethnic differences in ADH variants. For rates of absorption and metabolism, the ethnic differences probably have a polygenic basis.     

Gender differences in depression

Depression is twice as common in women as in men, although some concern has been raised in terms of misdiagnosing depression in men. The incidence of depression in women varies during the life span. The peak incidence during childbearing years appears to be associated with cyclic hormonal changes. Women also present with reproductive -specific mood disorders: pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), depression in pregnancy, postpartal mood disorder (PDD) and perimenopausal depressive disorder. Gender differences were repeatedly observed in response to antidepressant medication. Premenopausal women appear to respond poorly and to show low tolerability to TCAs, but they tend to show greater responsiveness to the SSRIs. In contrast, men and postmenopausal women can respond equally to the TCAs and SSRIs. These differences are contributed to gender differences in pharmacokinetics of antidepressants and to the influence of menstrual cycle. These findings suggest the need for a gender-specific approach to the evaluation and management of depression.     

Hair analysis and self-report of methamphetamine use by methamphetamine dependent individuals

The questions of whether the dose of drug that is consumed corresponds to drug concentration levels in hair and how results of hair analyses can be interpreted are still debated. The aim of this study was to investigate (1) whether there is a correlation between doses of Methamphetamine (MA) use and MA concentration levels in hair and (2) whether results of hair analyses can be used to estimate dose, frequency, and patterns of MA use. In this study, segmental hair analysis was performed through consecutive 1cm as well as 1-4 cm (=3 cm) segmental hair lengths. MA dependent individuals (n=9) provided information on doses (0.25-4 g/day) of MA use as well as the frequency of MA use. The concentrations of MA and its metabolite amphetamine (AP) in hair were determined using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test was performed to evaluate whether MA and AP concentrations in consecutive 1cm length segmental hair were consistent with the history of MA use. The cumulative doses of MA use calculated from the daily dose and the frequency during 1-4 months were well correlated to the concentrations of MA and AP in 1-4 cm segmental hair length (correlation coefficient, r=0.87 for MA and r=0.77 for AP). The results from this study show the patterns and histories of MA use from MA dependent individuals and could assist in the interpretation of hair results in forensic toxicology as well as in rehabilitation and treatment programs.     

Gender differences in chronic alcoholism: EEG analysis

Comparative analysis of spatial organization of cortical biopotentials of men (n = 120) and women (n = 75) suffering from alcoholism and persons without addiction to alcohol (control groups) was carried out. Gender differences in the EEG spatial parameters under study (linear spatial synchronization in the brain cortex, non-linear spatial disorder, EEG coherence, and spectral power) were shown to be markedly less pronounced between the control groups (68 women and 85 men) than between the alcohol addicts. The obtained data allow us to explain the known fact of more serious and "malignant" character of alcoholism in women than in men in terms of neurophysiology. In alcoholics, the synchronization of low-frequency oscillations (delta and theta) was higher, whereas the synchronization of the higher-frequency spectrum part (beta1 and beta2) was lower in women than in men. This fact can be a neurophysiological basis of more progredient inhibitory-degenerative processes in women.     

Gender differences in Parkinson's disease

Because estrogen has numerous effects on dopamine neurotransmission, many researchers are interested in its possible use to either slow the progression or reduce the risk of Parkinson's disease (PD). The incidence of PD is greater in men than in women. Gender differences in neurotoxicity have been observed, and basic research in experimental animals indicates that estrogen protects neurons from various forms of injury. However, the results of retrospective surveys of the neuroprotective effects of estrogen replacement in PD have been mixed, with some showing no effect on risk and others showing a reduction in risk. A mildly significant gender difference in disability and quality-of-life reporting has been noted, with women citing greater disability and reduced quality of life. Gender differences have been shown in response to treatment of PD, for example, in how levodopa is metabolized-women have greater levodopa bioavailability. In the Parkinson's Disease on Estrogen Therapy Replacement in the Menopause Years (POETRY) study, participants were found to have improved scores on the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale. Based on the POETRY results, it is hypothesized that estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) may lead to improvement in PD symptoms and provide an opportunity to reduce the dosage of antiparkinsonian medication in women.     

Gender differences in morningness-eveningness preference

Morningness-eveningness preference (morning-, intermediate-, evening-type) or circadian typology is the individual difference that most clearly explains the variations in the rhythmic expression of biological or behavioral patterns. The aim of this study was to analyze gender difference in morningness-eveningness preference using the Horne and Ostberg questionnaire in the largest university student population selected so far (N = 2135), with an age range 18-30 yr. Morningness-eveningness questionnaire (MEQ) score distribution closely correlated to the normal curve (range 17-78, mean = 48.25; SD = 10.11), with 338 (15.84%) morning-types, 1273 (59.62%) intermediate-types, and 524 (24.54%) evening-types. The men and women differed significantly in their mean scores (p < 0.0001) and distribution per circadian typology (p < 0.00001), with the men presenting a more pronounced eveningness preference. Three factors were identified by factor analysis: time of greatest efficiency (I), sleep time/sleep phase (II), awakening time/sleep inertia (III). The MEQ items sensitive to gender differences were essentially those included in factor I and factor II. The results are discussed in relation to recent models of circadian regulation of the sleep-wake cycle.     

Gender differences in long-term odor recognition memory: verbal versus sensory influences and the consistency of label use

Fifty-six subjects were tested for odor recognition memory witha two-alternative forced choice test for retention intervalsup to 21 days. Women performed better than men on a recognitionmemory test for all retention intervals. Analysis of consistencyof label use revealed no advantage for females. Furthermore,use of signal detection methodology for recognition memory showsthat the superiority is likely due to sensory rather than cognitivefactors. Analysis of label use showed that consistently labeledodors are better remembered than inconsistently labeled odors,but inconsistently labeled odors are significantly recognizeableabove chance level, for both men and women. ¹Present address: Department of Psychology, Abteilung fürMethodik, University of Vienna, 1010 Vienna, Austria     

Gender and age differences in inheritance patterns

By analyzing legacies in California from 1890 to 1984 Judge and Hrdy (1992) detected a gender-related difference: Men with children were statistically more likely to leave all of their property to a wife than were mothers to a husband. The authors argue that men were more likely than women to remarry and have additional children. Thus, in order to transfer their wealth to their mutual children, men can leave it to their wives but women can avoid risks by giving it to the children directly. This hypothesis was tested by two experiments in which subjects were asked to put themselves in the position of a person writing a will and allocate the wealth to the surviving spouse and the children. Age and sex of the heir/heiress were experimentally varied. The results support the inclusive fitness interpretation.     

Gender differences in dementia risk factors

Background: With the aging of the population, dementia has become an important health concern in most countries. There is a growing body of literature on the importance of cardiovascular risk factors in the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD), vascular dementia, and mixed dementia (AD with cerebrovascular disease).Objective: This article reviews the role of major risk factors in dementia between both sexes.Methods: The MEDLINE, PubMed, and HealthSTAR databases were searched between 1966 and January 2007 for English-language articles on the risk factors for dementia.Results: The distribution and prevalence of major risk factors between the sexes and age groups are varied. Female sex has been associated with increased risk of the development of AD. In women aged >75 years, rates of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes are higher than in similarly aged men. Apolipoprotein E ε 4 genotype status appears to have a greater deleterious effect on gross hippocampal pathology and memory performance in women compared with men. Midlife hypertension and hypercholesterolemia in both sexes predict a higher risk of developing AD in later life. Diabetes is increasing in frequency to a greater extent in women than in men, and is associated with a substantial risk for cognitive impairment. Dementia in women (probably) and in men (possibly) is influenced by obesity in the middle of life.Conclusions: It remains critical that large prospective clinical trials be designed to assess the effect of optimum management of vascular risk factors on cognitive functioning and dementia as the primary outcome, and include women and men in numbers adequate for assessment of gender effects.     

Gender differences in anaerobic power tests

The purpose of this study was to determine if the differences in anaerobic power between males and females could be accounted for by differences in body composition, strength, and neuromuscular function. A total of 82 untrained men and 99 women took part in the study. Body composition, somatotype, isometric strength, neuromuscular function were measured, and four anaerobic power tests performed. The men were significantly different from the women on all strength, power, and neuromuscular measurements except reaction time and on all anthropometric and somatotype dimensions except ectomorphy. Strength and anthropometric dimensions were similarly related to anaerobic power values within each sex. Relative fat (%fat) exerted different degrees of influence on sprint and jump performances in each sex. Removing the influence of anthropometric, strength, and neuromuscular differences by analysis of covariance reduced, but did not remove, the significant differences between the sexes. Therefore, factors other than lean body mass, leg strength, and neuromuscular function may be operating in short-term, explosive power performances to account for the differences between the sexes. The task-specific nature of anaerobic power tests and the relatively large influence of anthropometric factors on power production were confirmed.     

The pharmacokinetic properties of methamphetamine in rats with previous repeated exposure to methamphetamine: the differences between Long-Evans and Wistar rats.

Repeated treatment with methamphetamine (METH) causes long-term behavioral changes, so-called behavioral sensitization (BS), in humans as well as experimental animals. However, there are no reports as to whether repeated METH treatment can establish BS in stress-sensitive Long-Evans (LE) rats. Thus, we investigated the effect of repeated METH treatment (5 mg/kg x 5 days) on the establishment of BS in LE rats. Wistar (WIS) rats were used as a reference. In LE rats, repeated METH treatment failed to cause BS although it did enhance METH-induced hyperlocomotion in WIS rats. The levels of METH in brain dialysate and the ratio of the area under the concentration-time curve area in plasma to that in brain dialysate was increased in repeated METH-treated WIS rats as reported previously, but not in repeated METH-treated LE rats. METH increases plasma corticosterone (CORT) in both strains. However, the intensity of increment of CORT by repeated METH was lower in LE rats than that in WIS rats. Repeated METH treatment decreased the expression of METH-transposable and CORT-sensitive transporter, organic cation transporter 3 (OCT3), in the brain of WIS rats. However, the intensity of the decrement of OCT3 with repeated METH treatment was similar between both strains. Taken together, these results suggest that the lack of establishment of BS in LE rats might have been caused by the unchanged brain penetration of METH after repeated METH administration, and that the differential CORT response to METH is an important strain difference.     

Gender differences in psychotic bipolar mania

Objective: This study examined gender differences in the prevalence and types of psychotic symptoms in bipolar mania.Methods: Participants were drawn from consecutive admissions to the psychiatric clinic in Chemnitz, Germany, in 2005. The diagnosis of bipolar disorder, manic episode was made within 24 hours of admission, and the severity of mania was assessed using the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) and the German version of the Altman Self-Rating Mania Scale. Data collected for each patient included age at the onset of bipolar illness, number of previous episodes, social functioning between episodes, and duration of hospitalization for the index episode. Based on the Task Force for Methods and Documentation in Psychiatry system, psychotic symptoms were classified as hallucinations (visual, auditory, olfactory, tactile, acousma, somatic); delusions (paranoid, reference, guilt, grandeur, religious, erotomania, hypochondriac, poverty, jealousy); and ego disorder (thought control, thought broadcasting).Results: One hundred thirty-seven women and 109 men met the criteria for an acute manic episode, of whom 93 women and 62 men had psychotic symptoms. Compared with psychotic men, psychotic women had more delusions and hallucinations, both overall and per patient, and more delusions of reference and paranoid delusions. Psychotic women had more mixed states compared with psychotic men. Psychotic women differed from both psychotic men and nonpsychotic women on a number of clinical and social variables: they had higher YMRS scores and more previous episodes of depression despite an earlier onset of illness.Conclusion: Women with bipolar mania exhibited a specific pattern of psychotic symptoms that appeared to be associated with greater severity of the acute episode, more mixed states, and a more severe course of illness.