Fracture liaison services for osteoporosis in the Asia-Pacific region: current unmet needs and systematic literature review.

The analysis aimed to identify the treatment gaps in current fracture liaison services (FLS) and to provide recommendations for best practice establishment of future FLS across the Asia-Pacific region. The findings emphasize the unmet need for the implementation of new programs and provide recommendations for the refinement of existing ones. The study's objectives were to evaluate fracture liaison service (FLS) programs in the Asia-Pacific region and provide recommendations for establishment of future FLS programs. A systematic literature review (SLR) of Medline, PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library (2000-2017 inclusive) was performed using the following keywords: osteoporosis, fractures, liaison, and service. Inclusion criteria included the following: patients ≥ 50 years with osteoporosis-related fractures; randomized controlled trials or observational studies with control groups (prospective or retrospective), pre-post, cross-sectional and economic evaluation studies. Success of direct or indirect interventions was assessed based on patients' understanding of risk, bone mineral density assessment, calcium intake, osteoporosis treatment, re-fracture rates, adherence, and mortality, in addition to cost-effectiveness. Overall, 5663 unique citations were identified and the SLR identified 159 publications, reporting 37 studies in Asia-Pacific. These studies revealed the unmet need for public health education, adequate funding, and staff resourcing, along with greater cooperation between departments and physicians. These actions can help to overcome therapeutic inertia with sufficient follow-up to ensure adherence to recommendations and compliance with treatment. The findings also emphasize the importance of primary care physicians continuing to prescribe treatment and ensure service remains convenient. These findings highlight the limited evidence supporting FLS across the Asia-Pacific region, emphasizing the unmet need for new programs and/or refinement of existing ones to improve outcomes. With the continued increase in burden of fractures in Asia-Pacific, establishment of new FLS and assessment of existing services are warranted to determine the impact of FLS for healthcare professionals, patients, family/caregivers, and society.

Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms syndrome associated myocarditis: a survival experience after extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support.

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: Myocarditis that develops because of the drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) syndrome is a life-threatening disease. We report a case of DRESS-associated myocarditis with cardiac failure that required extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for cardiovascular support. CASE SUMMARY: A 14-year-old boy experienced DRESS-associated myocarditis after anticonvulsive therapy with carbamazepine, clonazepam and phenytoin. The clinical signs included hypotension, cardiac arrhythmia and poor left ventricular (LV) performance. Laboratory investigations showed elevated levels of cardiac enzymes. Systemic corticosteroid pulse therapy for 3 days was administered for treating the DRESS syndrome. The patient required inotropic drugs including dopamine, dobutamine and milrinone because of refractory hypotension and poor LV function. He was placed on ECMO support, and intra-aortic balloon pumping was initiated because of poor response to inotropic drugs and stasis of blood flow in the ventricle on hospital day 17. Plasma exchanges for four separate times over 8 days were also performed during ECMO support on day 22. His condition stabilized 13 days after ECMO support was initiated. The patient was discharged on hospital day 50, and the seizure was controlled by the oral form clonazepam, phenobarbital, topiramate and levetiracetam. Three months later, an echocardiogram showed mild dilated cardiomyopathy. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms-associated fulminant myocarditis is a life-threatening disease. Traditionally, systemic corticosteroid administration, plasmapheresis, intravenous immunoglobulin infusion and ventricular assist device implantation have been used for the treatment of this disease. To our knowledge, this is the first case of DRESS-associated fulminant myocarditis treated successfully with ECMO support. However, echocardiogram should be followed regularly because dilated cardiomyopathy may be the late sequela.

Depression trajectories and obesity among the elderly in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: The present study aimed to (a) characterize 10-year trajectory patterns of depressive symptoms and (b) investigate the association between depressive trajectory and subsequent obesity, metabolic function and cortisol level. METHOD: In a prospective study of Taiwanese adults aged ≥60 years (n=3922) between 1989 and 1999, depression was assessed using a 10-item short-form of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale and information on body mass index (BMI) was collected by self-report. A subsample (n=445) of the original cohort in 1989 was drawn to assess metabolic variables and cortisol levels in a 2000 follow-up. After trajectory analyses were performed, multinomial logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the association estimates. RESULTS: We identified four distinctive trajectories of depressive symptoms: class 1 (persistent low, 41.8%); class 2 (persistent mild, 46.8%); class 3 (late peak, 4.2%); and class 4 (high-chronic, 7.2%). The results from both complete cases and multiple imputation analyses indicated that the odds of obesity were lower in the class 2, 3 or 4 elderly, as compared with those in class 1, while the odds of underweight were higher. The classes of older adults with more and persistent depressive symptoms showed a trend toward having both a lower BMI (p=0.01) and a higher cortisol level (p=0.04) compared with those with low depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Incremental increases in depressive symptoms over time were associated with reduced risk of obesity and higher cortisol levels.

Effect of soil fortified by polyurethane foam on septic tank effluent treatment.

Fortified soil was made up of a mixture at a mass ratio 4/1000-6/1000 of sponge and natural soil according to the results of column experiment. The fortified soil had bigger porosity and higher hydraulic conductivity than the natural soil. The columns packed with 900 mm of the fortified soil endured a flow rate equivalent to 100 L/m(2)/d of septic tank effluent and the average chemical oxygen demand, nitrogen, and phosphorus removal rates were around 92%, 75% and 96%, respectively. After 100 weeks of operation, the saturated hydraulic conductivity of the fortified soil kept higher than 0.2 m/d. The bigger porosity of sponge improved the effective porosity, and the bigger specific surface area of sponge acted as an ideal support for biomat growth and ensured the sewage treatment performance of the fortified soil. The comparable performance was due to a similar and sufficient degree of soil clogging genesis coupled with bioprocesses that effectively purified the septic tank effluent given the adequate retention times.

[Study on the hospitalization cost and its influencing factors of imported malaria patients in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Yunnan Province].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the hospitalization cost and its influencing factors of imported malaria patients in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Yunnan Province, so as to provide insights into the evaluation of the economic burden due to imported malaria, and the guiding of malaria control and the rational allocation of medical resources. METHODS: The data pertaining to the hospitalization costs of imported malaria patients admitted to Shanglin County People's Hospital in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region during the period from January 1 through December 31, 2019, and Tengchong Municipal People's Hospital in Yunnan Province from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2019, were collected, and the epidemiological data of these imported malaria patients were extracted from the Information Management System for Parasitic Diseases Control and Prevention, China. The composition of the hospitalization expenses was analyzed using a descriptive method. In addition, the factors affecting the hospitalization expenses of imported malaria patients were identified using a univariate analysis and a recursive system model. RESULTS: A total of 206 imported malaria patients were included in this study, including 194 men (94.17%) and 12 women (5.83%). The mean length of hospital stay was 5.00 days per patient and the median hospitalization expenses were 2 813.07 Yuan per time, in which the expenses for laboratory examinations were the highest (45.31%, 1 274.62/2 813.07). Univariate analysis showed that hospital (z = 5.43, P < 0.01), type of malaria (χ2 = 34.86, P < 0.01) and type of payment (χ2 = 7.72, P < 0.05) were factors affecting the hospitalization expenses of imported malaria patients. Recursion system modeling revealed that the total effects on hospitalization expenses of imported malaria patients included length of hospital stay (0.78), selection of hospital (0.34), basic medical insurance for urban and rural residents (0.19), new rural cooperative medical care (0.17), Plasmodium falciparum malaria (0.15), gender (0.11) and P. vivax malaria (0.09). CONCLUSIONS: The hospitalization expenses of imported malaria patients are affected by multiple factors in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Yunnan Province, in which the length of hospital stay is the most predominant influencing factor. A reduction in the length of hospital stay is effective to decrease the hospitalization expenses of imported malaria patients.

ADRA1A gene is associated with BMI in chronic schizophrenia patients exposed to antipsychotics.

Noradrenaline and adrenaline are neurotransmitters of the sympathetic nervous system that interact with various adrenergic receptor (ADR) subtypes, and this regulates the basal metabolic rate, thermogenesis and efficiency of energy utilization. We examined a possible role of the gene coding for ADRA1A receptor in weight gain in schizophrenia subjects exposed to antipsychotics. A total of 401 schizophrenia in-patients treated with antipsychotics for >2 years were recruited and a final 394 DNA samples were genotyped. Their body mass indexes (BMIs) were recorded for 12 months and parameterized to be correlated in regression. Among the 58 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) genotyped, 44 valid SNPs, which had minor allele frequency > or =0.03, were analyzed in statistics. Linear regression model with age, gender, diabetes, use of typical antipsychotics and use of atypical antipsychotics as covariates, with or without gender interaction, showed evidence of associations between the ADRA1A gene and BMI. Most of the SNPs associated with BMI are located in the promoter and intron regions, and being female appeared to enhance the gene effect. Our study suggests that the ADRA1A gene is involved in weight gain among schizophrenia patients treated with antipsychotics. Further molecular dissection of the ADRA1A gene warrants better understanding on weight gain mechanisms in schizophrenia.

Gelsolin modulates phospholipase C activity in vivo through phospholipid binding.

Gelsolin and CapG are actin regulatory proteins that remodel the cytoskeleton in response to phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) and Ca2+ during agonist stimulation. A physiologically relevant rise in Ca2+ increases their affinity for PIP2 and can promote significant interactions with PIP2 in activated cells. This may impact divergent PIP2- dependent signaling processes at the level of substrate availability. We found that CapG overexpression enhances PDGF-stimulated phospholipase Cgamma (PLCgamma) activity (Sun, H.-q., K. Kwiatkowska, D.C. Wooten, and H.L. Yin. 1995. J. Cell Biol. 129:147-156). In this paper, we examined the ability of gelsolin and CapG to compete with another PLC for PIP2 in live cells, in semiintact cells, and in vitro. We found that CapG and gelsolin overexpression profoundly inhibited bradykinin-stimulated PLCbeta. Inhibition occurred at or after the G protein activation step because overexpression also reduced the response to direct G protein activation with NaF. Bradykinin responsiveness was restored after cytosolic proteins, including gelsolin, leaked out of the overexpressing cells. Conversely, exogenous gelsolin added to permeabilized cells inhibited response in a dose-dependent manner. The washout and addback experiments clearly establish that excess gelsolin is the primary cause of PLC inhibition in cells. In vitro experiments showed that gelsolin and CapG stimulated as well as inhibited PLCbeta, and only gelsolin domains containing PIP2-binding sites were effective. Inhibition was mitigated by increasing PIP2 concentration in a manner consistent with competition between gelsolin and PLCbeta for PIP2. Gelsolin and CapG also had biphasic effects on tyrosine kinase- phosphorylated PLCgamma, although they inhibited PLCgamma less than PLCbeta. Our findings indicate that as PIP2 level and availability change during signaling, cross talk between PIP2-regulated proteins provides a selective mechanism for positive as well as negative regulation of the signal transduction cascade.

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome among patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder in Taiwan.

OBJECTIVE: Because of ethnic differences in metabolic syndrome (MS) criteria, this study aimed to investigate the MS prevalence among patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder in Taiwan. METHOD: We recruited 650 patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder from 36 psychiatric institutions. The MS prevalence was assessed based on the modified Adult Treatment Panel (ATP) III criteria for Asians. RESULTS: The overall MS prevalence was 34.9%, with 38.9% in female and 31.5% in male patients respectively. The difference of MS prevalence between our sample and the general population was marked in male patients under 40 years of age and in female patients under 50 years old. Body mass index > or =24 and age over 40 years old are two important risk factors of MS. Female and polypharmacy had marginal significance with the presence of MS. CONCLUSION: Patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder in Taiwan had a high prevalence of MS, which appeared early in their lives.

Association of tri-nucleotide (CAG and GGC) repeat polymorphism of androgen receptor gene in Taiwanese women with refractory or remission rheumatoid arthritis.

We investigated the relationship between CAG and GGC repeat polymorphism of the androgen receptor (AR) gene and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in female patients with different disease subtypes. This case-control study enrolled 215 women in three groups: RA patients refractory to standardized therapy (n = 51); RA patients at complete remission phase (n = 60); and healthy controls (n = 104). CAG and GGC repeat lengths were determined by automated fluorescence-based DNA fragment-sizing method. Demographic data, allele lengths, allele distribution, and zygosity status of CAG/GGC repeats were assessed for the three groups. Refractory RA patients tend to have a significantly younger onset age of RA and more elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rates than do remission RA patients. Mean and median values of CAG and GGC repeat lengths are similar in both RA and control patients. However, RA patients harboring any long CAG alleles with more than 23 repeats had an increased risk of a refractory course, whereas differences in risk were not observed between these patients and RA subtypes harboring any long GGC alleles with more than 16 repeats. In addition, the homozygous frequency of CAG but not GGC alleles was lower in refractory RA than in remission RA patients or in controls (p = 0.042). Neither CAG nor GGC repeat lengths had a significant relationship with rheumatoid factor reactivity. Our observations indicate that short CAG repeats of the AR gene with higher transactivation activity may have protective effects against refractory course of RA development and that homozygous frequency of CAG alleles may be involved in the disease remission subtype. In contrast, lack of association of GGC polymorphism and RA was also observed. Together, these data imply that CAG but not GGC alleles in the AR polymorphism may play an important role in modulating the disease pattern of RA among Taiwanese women.

Prolongation of serum half-life of interleukin 2 and augmentation of lymphokine-activated killer cell activity by pepstatin in mice.

We reported previously using a murine model that the kidney is the organ involved in catabolism of exogenous human recombinant interleukin 2 (IL-2) and that cathepsin D, a major renal acid protease, is responsible for the degradation of IL-2. In the present report also using BALB/c mice we have investigated the effect of in vivo pepstatin, an acid protease inhibitor, treatment on serum half-life of IL-2, and generation of lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cell activity. The in vivo pepstatin treatment by i.p. injection resulted in a significant reduction in the accumulation of 125I-IL-2 by the kidney in a reverse dose-response manner. Pepstatin treatment prolonged the serum half-life of 125I-IL-2, and the increase in serum half-life of 125I-IL-2 was pepstatin dose dependent. A significant reduction in renal cathepsin D activity, as monitored by the degradation of 125I-IL-2, was detected. In vivo pepstatin (0.6 mg/kg) treatment along with IL-2 (300,000 IU/mouse) daily for 3 or 6 days resulted in an augmentation of natural killer activity exhibited by freshly prepared and uncultured splenocytes against YAC-1 cells. An additional culturing of the splenocytes with IL-2 (3,000 IU/ml) in vitro for 1 day significantly enhanced the effect of in vivo pepstatin treatment; i.e., LAK cell activity generated from the splenocytes of animals treated with IL-2 plus pepstatin was greatly augmented in comparison with that treated with IL-2 alone. Phenotypic assessment by cell surface markers (Thy-1.2, Lyt-2, L3T4, and asialo-GM1) on the fresh splenocytes prepared from animals treated in vivo with pepstatin plus IL-2 revealed a decrease in the percentage of cells expressing Thy-1.2 and Lyt-2 and an increase in those carrying asialo-GM1. These results demonstrated that, as a result of in vivo pepstatin treatment, renal cathepsin D activity was greatly inhibited, which in turn reduced the degradation of circulating IL-2, then prolonged serum half-life of IL-2, and subsequently augmented natural killer and LAK cell activity. The in vivo pepstatin and IL-2 treatment decreased the T-cells and increased the natural killer-like LAK precursor cells, possibly also with an increase in its activity, which were further induced by in vitro IL-2 culture to generate an augmented LAK cell activity. This study also suggests the clinical potential of pepstatin in IL-2-related immunotherapy.

Combined and individual mitochondrial HSP60 and HSP10 expression in cardiac myocytes protects mitochondrial function and prevents apoptotic cell deaths induced by simulated ischemia-reoxygenation.

BACKGROUND: The mitochondrial heat-shock proteins HSP60 and HSP10 form a mitochondrial chaperonin complex, and previous studies have shown that their increased expression exerts a protective effect against ischemic injury when cardiac myocytes are submitted to simulated ischemia. The more detailed mechanisms by which such a protective effect occurs are currently unclear. We wanted to determine whether HSP60 and HSP10 could exert a protection against simulated ischemia and reoxygenation (SI/RO)-induced apoptotic cell death and whether such protection results from decreased mitochondrial cytochrome c release and caspase-3 activation and from the preservation of ATP levels by preservation of the electron transport chain complexes. In addition, we explored whether increased expression of HSP60 or HSP10 by itself exerts a protective effect. METHODS AND RESULTS: We overexpressed HSP60 and HSP10 together or separately in rat neonatal cardiac myocytes using an adenoviral vector and then subjected the myocytes to SI/RO. Cell death and apoptosis in myocytes were quantified by parameters such as enzyme release, DNA fragmentation, and caspase-3 activation. Overexpression of the combination of HSP60 and HSP10 and of HSP60 or HSP10 individually protected myocytes against apoptosis. This protection is accompanied by decreases in mitochondrial cytochrome c release and in caspase-3 activity and increases in ATP recovery and activities of complex III and IV in mitochondria after SI/RO. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that mitochondrial chaperonins HSP60 and HSP10 in combination or individually play an important role in maintaining mitochondrial integrity and capacity for ATP generation, which are the crucial factors in determining survival of cardiac myocytes undergoing ischemia/reperfusion injury.

Adaptational problems of Vietnamese refugees. I. Health and mental health status.

The forced migratory influx of Vietnamese to the United States has raised questions regarding the resettlement process, the effect of culture shock, the refugees' coping behavior and adaptabilities, and their health and mental health status. We report the two-year results of ongoing research on the Vietnamese refugees based on the use of the Cornell Medical Index (CMI). The responses on the CMI on the first (1975) and second (1976) administrations indicate a high and continuing level of physical and mental dysfunction. The second administration also revealed significant shifts in dysfunctions as well as exposing factors that related to these dysfunctions, ie, age/sex interactions, marital status, family groupings, and public assistance. The follow-up CMI also showed an increase in anger and hostility with concomitant reductions in feelings of inadequacy.

Adaptation problems of Vietnamese refugees. II. Life changes and perception of life events.

The Vietnamese refugees have encountered a multitude of acute psychological, social, cultural, economic, and political upheavals. This study documents the Vietnamese perceptions of the life events that have swirled about them as well as the occurrences of these life events. Questionnaires were administered in 1975 and 1976 as part of an ongoing study. The expected high amount of life change in the year of the evacuation and resettlement (1975) continued into the following year (1976). Financial, life-style, work, spouse, and schooling problems continued to plague them and were increased in the second year. There was a positive correlation between life change and health status. The Vietnamese rank ordered the impact of life events in a fashion similar to the Americans, but there were differences in mean magnitude estimations. Substantial reductions in magnitude estimations at second administration of the Social Readjustment Rating Questionnaire indicated a change in the situational perception set with time.

Functional activity of three distinct myeloperoxidase (MPO) promoters in human myeloid cells.

The enzyme myeloperoxidase (MPO) is synthesized only in myeloid and monocytic cells, making it an important marker of the myeloid lineage. Transcription of the MPO gene is turned on early during the myeloblast stage of myeloid differentiation and is turned off when myeloid precursors are induced to differentiate along any one of a number of pathways. MPO transcripts show heterogeneity in size and sequence due, in part, to differential RNA splicing. We recently reported transfection studies which showed the presence of three distinct MPO promoters in the 5'-flanking region of the human MPO gene, suggesting that MPO transcription may also be regulated through the use of multiple promoters. We now report results of primer extension and RT-PCR experiments designed to determine if transcription of the human MPO gene is initiated at multiple promoter sites in vivo. MPO RNA obtained from myeloid cell lines was analyzed by primer extension using primers located at various sites between bp -1100 and bp +120 of the MPO gene. In addition, RT-PCR experiments were carried out using primer pairs located at intervals between bp -1000 and bp +2500 of the MPO gene. MPO transcripts were found to be initiated at three sites located about bp -920, bp -310, and bp +1 of the MPO gene, corresponding closely to our previously described P3, P2 and P1 promoters, respectively. Transcription initiated at the P1 site gave rise to large transcripts and showed the expected downregulation following induction of differentiation. On the other hand, transcripts initiated at the P3 and P2 sites did not show downregulation following induction of macrophage differentiation by TPA, and most did not appear to extend into the MPO coding region. Northern blot analysis of transcripts initiated at the P3 and P2 sites suggested that transcription at these sites was non-tissue-specific and indicated that many of these transcripts undergo premature termination. These results demonstrate that the MPO gene is transcribed in vivo primarily using the P1 promoter and that the low level of transcription occurring at the P2 and P3 sites is nonspecific and does not contribute significantly to physiologic regulation of MPO gene expression.

Cloning and expression of human HBP1, a high mobility group protein that enhances myeloperoxidase (MPO) promoter activity.

Factors which regulate transcription in immature myeloid cells are of great current interest for the light they may shed upon myeloid differentiation. In the course of screening for transcription factors which interact with the human myeloperoxidase (MPO) promoter we, for the first time, identified and cloned the cDNA and genomic DNA for human HBP1 (HMG-Box containing protein 1), a member of the high mobility group of non-histone chromosomal proteins. HBP1 cDNA was initially cloned from rat brain in 1994, but its presence in human cells or in myeloid tissue had not been described previously. The sequence of human HBP1 cDNA shows 84% overall homology with the rat HBP1 cDNA sequence. We have subsequently cloned the gene, which is present as a single copy, 25 kbp in length. Northern blotting reveals a single 2.6 kb mRNA transcript which is expressed at higher levels in human myeloid and B lymphoid cell lines than in T cell lines tested and is present in several non-myeloid human cell lines. Comparison of the mRNA and genomic sequences reveals the gene to contain 10 exons and 9 introns. The sequence of human HBP1 mRNA contains a single open reading frame, which codes for a protein 514 amino acids in length. The amino acid sequence specified by the coding region shows 95% homology with the rat HBP1 protein. The human protein sequence exhibits a putative DNA-binding domain similar to that seen in rat HBP1 and shows homology with the activation and repressor domains previously demonstrated in the rat protein. We have expressed human HBP1 protein both in vitro and in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. The expressed fusion protein binds to a sequence in a functionally important region within the basal human MPO promoter. In transient co-transfection experiments HBP1 enhances MPO promoter activity. Human HBP1 appears to be a novel transcription factor which is likely to play an important role in regulating transcription in developing myeloid cells.

Transcultural issues.

Pharmacogenetics as a field of research is increasing the basis of knowledge on the use of psychotropics in different ethnic patient populations. This chapter summarizes current knowledge on the metabolism of anxiolytic agents with emphasis on pharmacogenetics and ethnic variations in drug responses.

Impact of stent over-expansion at distal edge: insights from a 12-month follow-up study.

OBJECTIVE: Although the use of drug-eluting stents has significantly reduced the incidence of restenosis and target lesion revascularization, in-stent and in-segment restenosis remain clinically challenging problems, the underlying mechanisms of which remain unknown. This study aimed to explore the outcomes of different stenting strategies in target vessels with different proximal and distal reference diameters (∆D ≥ 0.25 mm). PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this prospective clinical study, 167 patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention with ∆D ≥ 0.25 mm according to QCA results were randomized into 2 groups. Group A (n = 85) was treated by a single stent with high-pressure balloon inflation. Group B (n = 82) was treated by a single stent, with high- and low-pressure balloon inflation at the proximal and distal segment, respectively. The target vessel size and late lumen loss were determined by angiographic analysis. RESULTS: Compared with normal expansion, overexpansion increased the early minimum lumen diameter (A: 2.40 ± 0.18 mm vs. 2.89 ± 0.21 mm; B: 2.45 ± 0.14 mm vs. 2.49 ± 0.24 mm, p < 0.001), but also increased the percentage of late lumen loss (A: 18.22 ± 0.56%; B: 5.63 ± 0.41%, p < 0.001). Although the total restenosis ratio was similar in 2 groups, the incidence of late lumen loss of group A was higher than that of group B. CONCLUSIONS: Stent overexpansion increased the early minimum lumen diameter, but also increased the occurrence of late lumen loss at the distal edge of the stent.

Analysis of the CYP2D6 gene polymorphism and enzyme activity in African-Americans in southern California.

Despite its importance in drug metabolism and disease susceptibility, CYP2D6 activity and genetic polymorphism have rarely been investigated in African-American populations. In order to bridge this gap, we examined the genotype and phenotype of the enzyme in 154 African-American (AA) and 143 Caucasian (C) normal volunteers. AAs are significantly more likely to possess *17 and *5, but less likely to have *4. Overall, the two groups were similar in their CYP2D6 activity as measured with dextromethorphan as the probe (metabolic ratio 2.21 +/- 0.78 for AAs; 2.11 +/- 0.86 for Cs; t = 1.02, NS). Two of four AAs and six of seven Cs were classified as poor metabolizers and have two nonfunctioning alleles. CYP2D6 activity is determined by *17, *4, *5 and age in AAs (r2 = 0.33, f = 18.8, P < 0.001) and by *4 and *XN in Cs (r2 = 0.14, f = 10.8, P < 0.001). These results support previous findings demonstrating the importance of *17 in determining CYP2D6 activity in AAs.

Comparison of lithium ratio between African-American and Caucasian bipolar patients.

Lithium RBC/plasma ratio (LR) was studied in 34 bipolar subjects on therapeutic doses of lithium carbonate. The sample was divided into 22 Caucasians and 12 African-Americans to observe possible ethnic differences in LR as previously reported. The latter group demonstrated a higher LR as well as increased reports of side effects (p < .05), even after controlling previous confounding factors. Our findings suggest that African-Americans may be more susceptible to the side effects associated with lithium treatment, and consequently, lower dosages may be necessary for this group.

Differential response of rapid eye movement sleep to cholinergic blockade by scopolamine in currently depressed, remitted, and normal control subjects.

The degree of cholinergic dysregulation of sleep in adult depression was evaluated using scopolamine. On separate sessions, placebo and scopolamine (4.5 micrograms/kg, IM) were administered to 14 patients with unipolar major depression, 16 recovered/remitted patients, and 18 normal controls. Scopolamine increased rapid eye movement (REM) latency (RL), reduced REM activity (RA), REM density (RD), and REM duration, and increased the percentage of stage 4 sleep in all groups. There was a differential effect of scopolamine on RL, RA, and REM duration for the first REM period, and on percentage of stage 4 sleep. Whereas a primary cholinergic hyperactivity could account for the RA and RD responses, the response profile for RL was more compatible with reduced aminergic tone as the proximal cause of the cholinergic hyperactivity. Whether the sleep abnormalities observed in remitted patients reflect an underlying vulnerability for development or recurrence of depression, and/or a scar, remains to be determined.