The Effects of Job Instability and Financial Strain on C-Reactive Protein in a Sample of Mexican Immigrants.

OBJECTIVE: Mexican immigrants have lower cardiovascular disease risk than US citizens, but risk increases with level of acculturation. Our study investigated whether job stress and financial strain would be related to inflammation (C-reactive protein), lipids, and blood pressure, and if they would play a role in the acculturation process in Mexican immigrants. METHODS: A sample of 310 Mexican immigrants living in the United States were studied on measures of job stress, financial strain, acculturation, and cardiovascular disease risk factors (C-reactive protein, lipids, and blood pressure). RESULTS: Job instability, financial strain, and acculturation, were related to inflammation, but psychological demands and decision latitude were not related. Lipids and blood pressure were not related to the variables of interest. Body mass index (BMI) was related to both increased acculturation and inflammation, and when controlling for BMI, acculturation was no longer a significant predictor of inflammation. Job instability and financial strain remained significant predictors of inflammation after controlling for BMI, sex, and age. Job instability and financial strain were not related to acculturation, suggesting that these factors are significant stressors for both newly arrived and more established immigrants. CONCLUSIONS: Job instability and financial strain predict increased inflammation in Mexican immigrants but they do not play a role in the relationship between acculturation and C-reactive protein. The effects of acculturation on inflammation in this study were mediated by BMI.

A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study to assess the safety, antiviral activity and pharmacokinetics of GSK2336805 when given as monotherapy and in combination with peginterferon alfa-2a and ribavirin in hepatitis C virus genotype 1-infected treatment-naive subjects.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: GSK2336805 is a HCV NS5A inhibitor for chronic hepatitis C (CHC). In a prior Phase I study, GSK2336805 was well tolerated and had an antiviral and pharmacokinetic profile suitable for once-daily administration. This 28-day, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study evaluated once daily GSK2336805 60 mg alone or in combination with peginterferon alfa-2a (180 µg per week) and ribavirin (1000-1200 mg daily) (PEG/RIBA) in treatment-naive genotype 1 CHC subjects. METHODS: Five centres enrolled 16 subjects in the USA and Puerto Rico who received GSK2336805 + PEG/RIBA or placebo + PEG/RIBA. RESULTS: Following a single monotherapy dose of GSK2336805 on day 1, median reduction from baseline in HCV RNA was -2.96 log10 (N = 11) vs. -0.13 log10 (N = 4) for placebo. With the addition of PEG/RIBA on day 2, subjects receiving GSK2336805 exhibited greater decreases in viral load over the 28-day treatment period as compared with placebo. At day 28, median reduction from baseline was -4.86 log10 (N = 9) in the GSK2336805 + PEG/RIBA group as compared with -1.98 log10 (N = 4) in the placebo + PEG/RIBA group. At day 28, rapid virological response (RVR) occurred in 8/11 (73%) of the GSK2336805 + PEG/RIBA subjects as compared with 1/4 (25%) of the placebo + PEG/RIBA subjects. Adverse events were consistent with those reported in clinical trials of peginterferon and ribavirin, and no unique adverse events appeared to be associated with GSK2336805. CONCLUSIONS: GSK2336805 is a potent NS5A inhibitor that showed a substantial antiviral effect as a monotherapy and in combination with peginterferon and ribavirin. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01439373.