In men with coronary artery disease who were at high risk for cardiovascular events, intensive lipid-lowering therapy reduced the frequency of progression of coronary lesions, increased the frequency of regression, and reduced the incidence of cardiovascular events.

We compared low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) values obtained by the Friedewald formula--i.e., total cholesterol minus high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol minus very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol (estimated as triglyceride divided by 5)--with those obtained by lipoprotein fractionation, using 4736 specimens. When triglycerides were less than 2.0 g/L, greater than 90% of estimated LDL cholesterol values were acceptable, within +/- 10% of measured values. At triglyceride concentrations of 2.0-4.0 g/L and 4.0-6.0 g/L, only 72% and 39%, respectively, of the estimates were acceptable. LDL values derived from an alternative formula, estimating VLDL as triglycerides divided by 6, were even less accurate. Nevertheless, the use of estimated LDL for risk classification based on the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel cutpoints of 1.30 and 1.60 g/L was considered acceptable. At triglyceride concentrations less than or equal to 5.0 g/L, 88% of classifications based on estimated LDL (using triglycerides divided by 5) were concordant with those by measured LDL. Eleven percent of classifications were shifted across one cutpoint, evenly distributed between high and low. Fewer than 1% of classifications, all with Type III hyperlipoproteinemia, were misclassified two cutpoints high. Refinements in the estimation model did not substantially improve LDL estimation or concordance of risk classification.

This study establishes a rational and generally well tolerated dosing regimen for administration of tirofiban as adjunctive therapy in high risk angioplasty patients. The impact of tirofiban on adverse clinical outcomes after angioplasty awaits definition by a larger clinical trial.

Concentrations of CCI-779 and sirolimus were adequately described with a population model incorporating factors for dose, attenuated exposure of multiple doses, body surface area, and hematocrit. Correlations with adverse event severity and duration profiles were provided to aid in the detection of treatment-emergent effects. Pharmacogenomic profiling of PBMCs identified altered ribonucleic acid transcript expression levels that correlate with exposure. These transcripts represent potential biomarkers of CCI-779 exposure in peripheral blood.

The effect of familial size as a distance cue was tested with familiar objects at familiar distances. Experiment 1 showed that there were no uncontrolled distance cues available and that in their absence the retinal image did not affect depth or size perception. Under these conditions, size and distance judgments were essentially indeterminate and independent of each other. In experiment 2 a paradigm was employed which allowed a direct determination of whether equivalent changes either in size of a familiar object or in its true distance produced equivalent changes in its perceived distance. The results showed that there were no uncontrolled distance cues, and that subjects perceived the familiar object as having its familiar size. Moreover, changing the retinal image of the objects had almost exactly the same effect on their perceived distance as did changing their true distance. Hence, familial size does effectively govern the perception of distance when there are no competing cues.

This study examined whether self-efficacy was associated with lipid lowering and dietary change among men undergoing dietary counseling to lower cholesterol levels. Twenty-five hyperlipidemic men (total cholesterol ≧220 mg/dL) participated in four weeks of dietary instruction. Plasma lipids were measured prior to treatment, at posttreatment, and at three- and twelvemonth follow-up. Dietary intake and self-efficacy as measured by the revised Eating Self-Efficacy Scale (ESES-R) were assessed at pretreatment, posttreatment, and three-month follow-up. Pre-treatment to posttreatment increases in self-efficacy in situations characterized by negative affect were related to extent of lipid lowering and dietary change. Although subjects showed significant reductions in cholesterol levels following treatment, by one year, lipid levels had returned to pretreatment values. Factors related to long-term maintenance of dietary change and lipid lowering among hyperlipidemics merit further research.

Recruiting a large cohort of HC and CHL subjects from an industrial workforce is feasible in a restricted time frame. CHL subjects demonstrate features of the insulin resistance/hypertension syndrome, differing from HC subjects. CHL is sufficiently common relative to HC (2:3) to permit a comparison of dietary responses between the two conditions. Finally, the randomization of HC and CHL subjects to the diets yielded statistically indistinguishable groups, permitting a test of the efficacy of the alternative diets within each hyperlipidemic (HL) category.

1 Losartan (DuP 753, MK-954) is a novel, potent and highly selective AT1angiotensin II receptor antagonist. The effect of multiple oral doses of losartan on digoxin pharmacokinetics was evaluated in healthy male subjects. 2 In a double-blind and randomized fashion, subjects received 50 mg losartan or placebo once daily for 15 days in each period. At least 7 days elapsed between the two treatment periods. On days 4 and 11 of each period, subjects also received a single 0.5 mg dose of digoxin intravenously and orally respectively. 3 Eleven of 13 subjects completed the study. Side effects were mild and transient (12 out of 13 subjects reported at least one adverse experience). During the study, no laboratory abnormalities were noted. 4 Multiple oral doses of losartan (50 mg