No abstract

A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted to study the effects of over-the-counter analgesic/antipyretic medications on virus shedding, immune response, and clinical status in the common cold. Sixty healthy volunteers were challenged intranasally with rhinovirus type 2 and randomized to one of four treatment arms: aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or placebo. Fifty-six volunteers were successfully infected and shed virus on at least 4 days after challenge. Virus shedding, antibody levels, clinical symptoms and signs, and blood leukocyte levels were carefully monitored. Use of aspirin and acetaminophen was associated with suppression of serum neutralizing antibody response (P less than .05 vs. placebo) and increased nasal symptoms and signs (P less than .05 vs. placebo). A concomitant rise in circulating monocytes suggested that the suppression of antibody response may be mediated through drug effects on monocytes and/or mononuclear phagocytes. There were no significant differences in viral shedding among the four groups, but a trend toward longer duration of virus shedding was observed in the aspirin and acetaminophen groups.

Responses from a sample of 400 older persons were used to determine the relative importance of various family members (spouse, children, siblings, other relatives) and friends in the confidant and companion networks of later life. Significant differences exist among older persons (based on gender, marital status, and availability of children) in the salience of these ties as confidants and companions. There are also major differences in the configuration of the confidant vs companion networks. These variations are discussed in the context of the hierarchical-compensation, task specificity, and functional specificity of relationships models of support. The findings demonstrate that a distinction regarding availability of kin must be made among those who never had a particular kin tie (e.g., the childless and single), those who have lost a previous tie (e.g., the widowed), and those whose tie lives far away.

No abstract