Ethanol consumption does not promote weight gain in female mice.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of obese adult women has increased dramatically in the United States. Individuals consuming alcoholic beverages may obtain as much as 6-10% of their calories from ethanol; consequently, ethanol may contribute to a positive energy balance and weight gain in women consuming ethanol. The objective of these studies is to determine if ethanol consumption affects weight gain or body fat levels in female mice. METHODS: In order to determine the effects of ethanol consumption on weight gain, female mice were given either water or 20% w/v ethanol in the drinking water; mice were then placed on 1 of 3 diets for 20 weeks: (1) 30% calorie-restricted diet, (2) low-fat diet or (3) high-fat diet. Mice were scanned using a GE Lunar Piximus Densitometer to determine body fat, lean body mass and bone mineral density. RESULTS: Mice consuming the high-fat diet had the highest body weight. Moreover, ovariectomy exacerbated the effects of the high-fat diet. That is, ovariectomized female mice consuming the high-fat diet gained a higher amount of body weight and adipose tissue than non-ovariectomized mice consuming the high-fat diet. Ethanol-consuming mice did not have a higher susceptibility to gaining body weight or body fat, even though they tended to have higher caloric intake than water-consuming mice. CONCLUSIONS: In female mice that consumed a high-fat diet, chronic ethanol consumption did not increase susceptibility to gaining weight or becoming obese.

Development of a complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) pharmacy and therapeutics (P&T) subcommittee and CAM guide for providers.

OBJECTIVE: The objective was 2-fold: (1) to evaluate the feasibility and value of developing a Pharmacy and Therapeutics (P&T) subcommittee aimed at scientifically evaluating complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) products for an integrated managed care organization (IMCO) and (2) to assess provider acceptance and usefulness of a CAM guide. METHODS: Three factors drove the decision to form a CAM P&T subcommittee to evaluate current commonly used CAM products: (1) physicians, pharmacists, and dieticians expressed a desire for an easy-to-use, scientifically based mechanism for evaluating the ever-increasing number of CAM products; (2) Intermountain Health Care Health Plans (Health Plans), the insurance division of this IMCO, offers access to certain CAM products to its members at a discounted price in an effort to remain competitive with other IMCOs; and (3) this IMCO owns and operates more than a dozen community pharmacies that sell CAM products. Some IMCO clinicians believed an efficacy and safety review of the products offered through the organization was warranted. Subcommittee members included clinical pharmacists (IMCO and university), pharmacy directors, a community pharmacist, practicing physicians (from the drug P&T committee), a medical director, dieticians and nutritionists, and a representative from the Health Plans sales department. The primary outcome was the development of a CAM guide listing recommendations for use of CAM products. Outcome measures included survey results (survey sent with guide to physicians and (pharmacists) regarding acceptance and usefulness of the guide. RESULTS: The CAM P&T subcommittee met monthly to evaluate current commonly used CAM products. A CAM guide was developed in paperback and electronic versions. The electronic version was downloadable to handheld devices. Thousands of CAM guides were disseminated to IMCO-employed physicians, network pharmacies, dieticians, and nutritionists affiliated with this managed care organization. A survey that accompanied distribution of the first CAM guide in 2003 showed that 89% of physicians and pharmacists felt that the guide would be somewhat or very helpful as a counseling aide; the remainder was unsure. A second CAM guide was disseminated one year later, in 2004. The accompanying survey showed that 78% of physicians and 97% of pharmacists felt that the guide would be somewhat or very helpful as a counseling aide; 7% of physicians and 3% of pharmacists felt the guide would be unhelpful. CONCLUSION: A CAM guide developed through the work of a subcommittee of the P&T committee of this IMCO appears to be widely accepted by pharmacists and physicians. A CAM guide should be easy to use and available online with the ability to download to a handheld device.

Combination vaccine use and vaccination quality in a managed care population.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of a pentavalent combination vaccine on childhood immunization coverage rates and timeliness within a managed care organization. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective matched-cohort analysis of encounter data from administrative claims and a state immunization registry. METHODS: Children were stratified into 2 demographically matched cohorts (combination and reference), based on receipt of the DTaP/HepB/IPV combination vaccine. Children were followed until 24 months of age, and coverage rates and on-time rates were assessed. Outcomes were measured for the HEDIS Combination 2 vaccine series (4 doses of diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis, 3 doses of polio, 1 dose of measles/mumps/rubella, 3 doses of Haemophilus influenzae type b, 3 doses of hepatitis B, and 1 dose of varicella) and each vaccine series individually. RESULTS: Children in the combination cohort were significantly more likely to be fully vaccinated for the HEDIS Combination 2 series by 2 years of age and to be vaccinated within the recommended age ranges. In the combination cohort 86.9% (752/865) of patients were fully covered compared with only 74.1% (641/865) of the reference cohort (P <.001). In the combination cohort 45.2% (391/865) of patients received vaccinations on time versus 37.5% (324/865) of the reference cohort, P = .001. CONCLUSIONS: Receipt of DTaP/HepB/IPV was associated with improved coverage and age-appropriate immunization in a managed care population.

Effects of preweaning doxazosin treatment on adult pressure in the spontaneously hypertensive rat.

1. The neonatal/preweaning period appears to represent a critical period of involvement of the sympathetic nervous system in the development of hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). 2. We tested whether alpha1-adrenoceptor-mediated effects during the preweaning period are involved in the development of hypertension in the adult SHR. 3. Male SHR were treated with the alpha1-adrenoceptor antagonist doxazosin (10 mg/kg per day, s.c.) from postnatal day 1 to 21 inclusive. Direct conscious blood pressure and heart rate were measured via the caudal artery at 12 weeks of age. 4. Preweaning treatment with doxazosin had no significant effect on mean arterial blood pressure or heart rate in male SHR at 12 weeks of age. 5. These findings do not support the involvement of alpha1-adrenoceptor-mediated effects during the preweaning period in the development of hypertension in adult SHR.