The Effect of High-Dose Ascorbate Supplementation on Plasma Lipoprotein(a) Levels in Patients With Premature Coronary Heart Disease

Study Objective . To determine the efficacy of high-dose ascorbate supplementation in lowering lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] levels in patients with premature coronary heart disease (CHD). Design . Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Setting . Outpatient clinic. Patients . Forty-four patients with documented premature CHD. defined as confirmed myocardial infarction and/or angiographically determined stenosis of 50% or greater in at least one major coronary artery before age 60 years. Interventions . Patients were block randomized on the basis of age, gender, and screening Lp(a) concentrations to receive ascorbate 4.5 g/day or placebo for 12 weeks. Measurements and Main Results . High-dose ascorbate was well tolerated and produced a marked elevation in mean plasma ascorbate levels (+1.2 mg/dl; p<0.001). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed no significant effect of supplementation on postintervention Lp(a) levels (p=0.39) in a model that included treatment group assignment, and baseline Lp(a) levels. Conclusions . Our findings do not support a clinically important lowering effect of high-dose ascorbate on plasma Lp(a) in patients with premature CHD.     

Weight gain in first-episode psychosis.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the extent of weight gain in the first year of treatment in an early psychosis program. METHOD: Subjects were 114 individuals who had experienced a first episode of psychosis and had completed 1 year in a comprehensive first-episode program. Weight and body mass index were calculated on entry to the program and at 6 and 12 months. Most of the subjects were all being prescribed second-generation antipsychotics. RESULTS: Significant increases in mean weight were observed in these young individuals over the course of the first year of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: If we are to work toward optimum treatment for first-episode subjects then potential weight gain needs to be addressed at the beginning of treatment and monitored during treatment.     

Pharmaceutical care

Drug-treatment failures can be prevented by applying a Pharmaceutical Care system. Therapeutic outcome monitoring is such a system, which can be applied to the (drug)treatment of several diseases like asthma, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Pharmaceutical Care is an outcome oriented, cooperative systematic approach to providing drug therapy directed at the improvement of all dimensions of health related quality of life.     

Body pain and treatment response in late-life depression.

OBJECTIVE: The authors investigated the influence of body pain on 1) time to treatment response and 2) suicidal ideation, in late-life depression. They hypothesized that higher levels of body pain would predict a longer time to and lower likelihood of response, and increased levels of suicidal ideation. METHODS: Subjects (N=187) were older adult outpatients (age > or =69 years), with current episodes of major depression, who were openly treated with paroxetine up to 40 mg daily and weekly interpersonal psychotherapy. Response was defined as 3 consecutive weeks of Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression at < or =10. Body pain was measured with the Bodily Pain Index of the SF-36 quality-of-life assessment. Authors used survival-analysis models on the responder sample to test the effect of body pain on response, after controlling for severity of depression. RESULTS: Overall response rate was 75.4%. Nonresponders reported more severe pain at baseline. After covarying for severity of baseline depression, no effect was found for physical pain on time-to-response or degree of suicidality. Bodily pain remained stable during acute treatment for responders, independent of depression response to combination psychotherapy and antidepressant treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Older adult patients with higher levels of physical pain can still respond to antidepressant treatment; however, reported bodily pain may be associated with a more difficult-to-treat depression.     

Are Continuity Clinic Patients Less Satisfied When the Resident Is Postcall?

Due to recent public debate and newly imposed resident work hour restrictions, we decided to investigate the relationship of resident call status to their ambulatory patients' satisfaction. Resident continuity clinic patients were asked to rate their level of satisfaction on a 10-point Likert-type scale. Using multiple regression approaches, these data were then assessed as a function of resident call status. We found that in 646 patient encounters, patient satisfaction scores were significantly less when the resident was postcall, 8.99 ± 1.8, than when not postcall, 9.31 ± 1.3. We herein discuss etiologies and implications of these findings for both patient care and medical education.     

Why should pediatric rheumatology be recognized as a separate subspecialty: an open letter to medical councils and government agencies

Some pediatric rheumatologists in the West may take for granted that pediatric rheumatology (PR) is a recognized subspecialty. Yet pediatric rheumatology has been accepted as a subspecialty in the United States only since 1990. There are still countries where many pediatric subspecialties are not given official recognition and support, including PR. This lack of recognition delays and impedes the development of PR, appropriate musculoskeletal and rheumatic teaching in medical schools, and optimal diagnosis and treatment for children with these illnesses. In the opinion of editorial staff, each country where pediatric rheumatology is reasonably well developed as a subspecialty has an obligation to help our pediatric rheumatologists elsewhere gain recognition, support, and respect. The Pediatric Rheumatology European Society (PReS) and the Pediatric Rheumatology International Trial Organization (PRINTO) have been leaders in this effort, but in many countries, pediatric rheumatology is still not recognized. This editorial offers rationales and justifications for medical and governmental entities accrediting pediatric rheumatology as a separate subspecialty that may aid in these efforts.     

P2X receptors: targets for novel analgesics?

The ability of adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) to evoke acute pain has been known for many years, but its role in nociceptive signaling is only now becoming clear. ATP acts via P2X and P2Y receptors, and of particular importance here is the P2X(3) receptor. It is expressed selectively at high levels in nociceptive sensory neurons, where it forms functional receptors on its own and in combination with the P2X(2) receptor. Recent reports using gene knockout methods; antisense oligonucleotide and small, interfering RNA technologies; and a novel, selective P2X(3) antagonist, A-317491, show that P2X(3) receptors are involved in chronic inflammatory and neuropathic pain. The mRNA for other P2X subunits is also found in sensory neurons, and there is evidence for functional P2X(1/5) or P2X(2/6) heteromers in some of these. These data support the possibility that P2X receptors, particularly the P2X(3) subtype, could be targeted in the search for new, effective analgesics.