This study determined the residual concentration of terbinafine in cat hair after 14 days of oral treatment. Ten clinically normal cats were administered terbinafine orally at a daily dose of 34-45.7 mg kg(-1) for a total of 14 days. Areas of 15 cm(2) were shaved on the lateral thorax at day 0 and weekly for 8 weeks after the last dose of terbinafine. The hair samples were analysed by high-pressure liquid chromatography to determine the persistence of terbinafine over time. The mean terbinafine concentration in hair was 2.30 ng mg(-1) after 14 days of therapy. The half life was 1.84 weeks after the last dose of terbinafine. With a 99% confidence interval, the concentration of terbinafine remained in the cat hair at or above 0.03 ng mg(-1) (minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC)(90) = 0.03 microg mL(-1)) for 5.3 weeks. Slight deviations in the complete blood cell count and serum chemistry values were not attributed to terbinafine. Four cats experienced vomiting during the terbinafine treatment; two of these cats also experienced intense facial pruritus followed by a macular to papular skin reaction 7-14 days after the discontinuation of terbinafine. In summary, terbinafine persists in hair at concentrations above the MIC for several weeks after stopping medication, even after short-term therapy (14 days). These results suggest that pulse therapy of terbinafine should be further researched and potentially considered as a treatment modality for feline dermatophytosis, an approach that would decrease treatment duration while maintaining effectiveness.

The interactive relationship between psychological distress and physical health is a particularly salient one for women. Routine screening for abuse history and current psychological disturbance is essential in providing comprehensive patient care. The present study examines the utility of a brief screening measure in detecting psychological factors in female patients at a primary care facility. Sixty-nine percent of 108 women screened at a women's health clinic reported a history of trauma and almost half (49%) reported having been sexually harassed. Women presenting to treatment for gynecological problems were more likely to be victims of sexual assault and were more likely to report a history of childhood sexual abuse. In addition, women seeking specialized health care also reported increased rates of stress. Relationships among victimization histories, substance use, and eating disturbances were also found. These data suggest the importance of assessing psychological disturbances and trauma histories as part of a comprehensive medical evaluation.

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Women veterans are a small but growing percentage of the U.S. veteran population. There are some indications that, along with this increase, the characteristics and military experiences of younger women veterans differ considerably from those of older colleagues. Many of these characteristics are not well defined, but they could have implications for women's health care needs and health policy initiatives. Using the first sample drawn from the Department of Veterans Affairs' new National Registry of Women Veterans, we designed and administered a telephone survey to a representative sample of women veterans across several major age groups. Groups approximated primary eras of military and wartime service based on the assumption that different eras might be associated with differing military experiences. We found a number of age-related similarities and differences in women veterans' demographic characteristics, military experiences, physical health symptoms, and functional outcomes. Women veterans in general also differed from female civilian counterparts on exposure to sexual trauma. Trends in the population of women veterans are likely to have implications for the variety of health care systems that treat women veterans.