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Biomedical subjects

D Garvey

Publications and source records attributed to D Garvey.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

Implementation of a primary care physician network obesity management program.

Most primary care physicians do not treat obesity, citing lack of time, resources, insurance reimbursement, and knowledge of effective interventions as significant barriers. To address this need, a 10-minute intervention delivered by the primary care physician was coupled with individual dietary counseling sessions delivered by a registered dietitian via telephone with an automated calling system (House-Calls, Mobile, AL). Patients were seen for follow-up by their physician at weeks 4, 12, 24, 36 and 52. A total of 252 patients (202 women and 50 men) were referred by 18 primary care physicians to the program. The comorbid conditions reported for all patients at baseline included low back pain, 29% (n = 72); hypertension, 45% (n = 113); hypercholesterolemia, 41% (n = 104); type 2 diabetes, 10% (n = 26); and sleep apnea, 5% (n = 12). When offered a choice of meal plans based on foods or meal replacements, two-thirds of patients (n = 166) chose to use meal replacements (Ultra Slim-Fast; Slim-Fast Foods Co., West Palm Beach, FL) at least once daily. Baseline weights of subjects averaged 200 +/- 46 lb for women (n = 202) and 237 +/- 45 lb for men (n = 50). Patients completing 6 months in the program lost an average of 19.0 +/- 4.0 lb for women (n = 94) and 15.5 +/- 8.2 lb for men (n = 26). Physicians reported a high degree of satisfaction with the program, suggesting that a brief, effective physician-directed program with nutritionist support by telephone can be implemented in a busy primary care office.

Back Pain↗

Endogenous vasopressin and renin-angiotensin systems support blood pressure after epidural block in humans.

BACKGROUND: Studies in experimental animals show that endogenous Arg-vasopressin (AVP) and the renin-angiotensin system support blood pressure when the sympathetic system is impaired pharmacologically or after epidural anesthesia. However, extrapolation to humans is uncertain. Therefore, we administered an AVP type V1 receptor antagonist and an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor to volunteers and measured the effect on blood pressure after epidural anesthesia. METHODS: Healthy volunteers in whom epidural catheters were placed were randomly assigned to receive 1.25 mg intravenous enalapril or saline placebo followed by 0.5 mg AVP type V1 antagonist beta-mercapto-beta, beta-cyclopentamethylene-propionyl-o-Met-Tyr-Arg-vasopressin (AVPA) or saline placebo. Finally, 2% lidocaine was injected to obtain a T2 level. Controls received intramuscular lidocaine. RESULTS: Blood pressure did not significantly change after T-2 epidural anesthesia in subjects treated with saline placebo, AVPA or enalapril alone (n = 10, for each treatment). In contrast, combined treatment with enalapril and AVPA resulted in a 36 +/- 11% decrease in blood pressure after epidural dosing (n = 6). Controls given intramuscular lidocaine, in place of the epidural did not develop hypotension after AVPA and enalapril treatment (n = 10). CONCLUSIONS: Endogenous AVP and the renin-angiotensin system play important roles in maintaining blood pressure after epidural anesthesia in healthy subjects.

Adult↗

Studies on mechanisms of hepatic insulin resistance in cafeteria-fed rats.

Whether hyperinsulinemia causes insulin resistance or vice versa is controversial. The development of hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance was tracked in the cafeteria-fed rat to determine which occurred first. After 3 days of cafeteria feeding the rats were obese, manifested a small but significant decrease in fasting glucose levels, and showed no change in fasting insulin levels, basal hepatic glucose production (HGP), insulin binding to hepatic membranes, and glucose utilization during a euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp, but the rats did demonstrate an increased glucose disappearance rate associated with an enhanced insulin response to intra-arterial glucose and hepatic insulin resistance during the clamp. After 7 days of cafeteria feeding, the results were similar except that fasting hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia, an enhanced basal HGP, and decreased insulin binding developed. After 6 wk of cafeteria feeding, both hepatic and peripheral insulin resistances were present. After 7 days of cafeteria feeding in rats given streptozotocin or etomoxir, an inhibitor of free fatty acid (FFA) oxidation, hepatic insulin resistance persisted despite elimination of hyperinsulinemia and reduction of FFA oxidation. These data do not support a causal role for either hyperinsulinemia or enhanced lipolysis of hypertrophied fat stores and subsequent FFA oxidation in the liver in the development of hepatic insulin resistance in this animal model of obesity.

Animals↗

Biological availability of lead in a paint aerosol. 2. Absorption, distribution and excretion of intratracheally instilled lead paint particles in the rat.

Four groups of rats received by intratracheal instillation (1) a lead chromate paint particulate suspension, (2) lead tetraoxide suspension, (3) lead acetate solution, or (4) saline. Lead-dosed animals received an equivalent dose of 1 mg lead/kg body weight. Distribution of lead was monitored through assays of urine, feces, and tissues (lung, bone, muscle kidney, liver) obtained at post-mortem 5 weeks after exposure. Delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALA-D) activity was measured to determine the effect of lead on heme biosynthesis. The vast majority of the dosed lead in the paint matrix remained in the lung. In contrast, in the lead acetate-dosed animals, little remained in the lung, but significant elevations were found in bone and kidney. Blood ADA-D was significantly depressed in the lead acetate-treated animals, but was not significantly different from control animals in the animals dosed with lead paint or lead tetraoxide. These findings suggest that lead chromate in an alkyd resin paint matrix is poorly absorbed from the lung compared with lead acetate and lead tetraoxide.

Absorption↗

Placental and fetal contraindications of dexamethasone administration to pregnant rats.

Dexamethasone (DEXA) given to pregnant rats for either the last 3 or 6 days of gestation lowered placental, fetal body and adrenal weights. Histologically, DEXA-treated placentas appeared smaller than controls and showed signs of necrosis and pyknosis. Treated animals that were permitted to carry their litters to term did not deliver naturally, and most of their fetuses were dead when excised 1 day postmaturely.

Adrenal Glands↗

Alterations in adrenal growth and corticosteroid content in foetal and neonatal rats developing at high altitude.

To study the effects of chronic maternal hypoxia on the growth and functional development of foetal and neonatal adrenal glands, Long-Evans rats were acclimatized to high altitude (3800 m) before mating and were maintained at this height throughout gestation. The body growth of the progeny at high altitude was essentially normal during the perinatal period, but adrenal weight and adrenocortical function showed marked differences from those of control rats maintained at sea level. The adrenal glands were larger in foetuses but smaller in neonates, compared with the adrenal glands of control animals maintained at sea level. Differences in the protein content of the adrenal glands between the two groups paralleled differences in adrenal weight. The concentration and content of corticosterone in the adrenal glands of both foetuses and neonates kept at high altitude were markedly lower than values in animals kept at sea level. The lower adrenal corticosterone content was not reflected in the concentration of the hormone in the peripheral plasma, since this was essentially the same at high altitude and at sea level in both mothers and perinatal animals. The reduction in the adrenal corticosterone content was accompanied by and may have resulted from, a reduction in the concentration of cytochrome P-450 in the adrenal tissue of foetuses maintained at high altitude. Possible explanations for the dichotomous results are discussed.

Adrenal Cortex Function Tests↗