Burden of fibromyalgia and comparisons with osteoarthritis in the workforce.

Objectives: To calculate the fibromyalgia (FM) burden of illness (BOI) from the employer perspective and to compare annual prevalence, work output, absence, and health benefit costs of employees with FM versus osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods: Retrospective regression model analysis comparing objective work output, total health benefit (health care, prescription drug, sick leave, disability, workers' compensation) costs, and absence days for FM, versus OA and NoFM cohorts, while controlling for differences in patient characteristics.

Results: FM prevalence was 0.

Orlistat--a novel weight loss therapy.

Objective: To review the pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, clinical safety and efficacy, drug interactions, and therapeutic issues related to the use of orlistat for treatment of obesity.

Data Sources: English-language articles were identified from MEDLINE (1966-July 2000), Roche Laboratories, organizational guidelines, National Institutes of Health and Food and Drug Administration Web sites, and Doctor's Guide online. Key words included obesity, orlistat, and lipase inhibitors.

Effectiveness and costs of omeprazole vs ranitidine for treatment of symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux disease in primary care clinics in West Virginia.

Objective: To compare clinical, health-related quality of life (HRQL), and medical cost outcomes in patients with symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) receiving omeprazole sodium or ranitidine hydrochloride treatment.

Methods: A multicenter, randomized, open-label, medical effectiveness trial conducted in 5 university-based family medicine clinics. Two hundred sixty-eight patients with GERD were recruited and randomly assigned to omeprazole sodium, 20 mg once daily, or ranitidine hydrochloride, 150 mg twice daily, for up to 6 months.

Therapeutic uses of vitamin E in prevention of atherosclerosis.

Unlabelled: The purpose of this review is to present the evidence-based pharmacotherapeutic properties of vitamin E and provide clinical recommendations for use in the arena of atherosclerosis.

Methods: A literature search was conducted from 1966 through March 1999. All usable papers were retrieved, with large, randomized, double-blinded, clinical trials and epidemiological trials receiving emphasis.