Factors associated with non-reimbursable activity on an inpatient pediatric consultation-liaison service.

The aim of this study was to identify factors contributing to clinician time spent in non-reimbursable activity on an inpatient pediatric consultation-liaison (C-L) service. A retrospective study was conducted using inpatient C-L service data on 1,246 consecutive referrals. For this patient population, the strongest predictor of level of non-reimbursable clinical activity was illness chronicity and the number of contacts with C-L service clinicians during their hospital stay.

Palm oil antioxidant effects in patients with hyperlipidaemia and carotid stenosis-2 year experience.

Antioxidants appear to play a role in the prevention of atherosclerosis. Here, we investigated the antioxidant properties of a γ-tocotrienol and α-tocopherol enriched fraction of palm oil, in patients with carotid atherosclerosis. Serum lipids, fatty acid peroxides, platelet aggregation, and carotid artery stenosis were measured over a 24-month period in 50 patients with cerebrovascular disease.

Antioxidant effects of tocotrienols in patients with hyperlipidemia and carotid stenosis.

Antioxidants may have a role in the prevention of atherosclerosis. In the present trial, we investigated the antioxidant properties of Palm Vitee, a gamma-tocotrienol-, and alpha-tocopherol enriched fraction of palm oil, in patients with carotid atherosclerosis. Serum lipids, fatty acid peroxides, platelet aggregation and carotid artery stenosis were measured over an 18-month period in fifty patients with cerebrovascular disease.

Dietary mustard, rape seed oils and selenium exert distinct effects on serum Se, lipids, peroxidation products and platelet aggregability.

Objective: A degenerative cardiomyopathy (DCM) has been observed among mustard oil (MUST) users in China who eat 150 ml/week. Though the condition may be a selenium (Se) deficiency, MUST, rich in erucic acid (22:1), may bear a cardiotoxic or pro-oxidant substrate(s). The purpose of this feeding study was to compare the effects of feeding MUST, high erucic acid rape seed oil (HEAR), low erucic acid rape seed oil (LEAR) and corn oil, with or without Se addenda, on serum cholesterol, triglycerides, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), alpha-tocopherol, platelet aggregation and hepatic glutathione peroxidase (GSHPXase).

gamma-Tocotrienol as a hypocholesterolemic and antioxidant agent in rats fed atherogenic diets.

This study was designed to determine whether incorporation of gamma-tocotrienol or alpha-tocopherol in an atherogenic diet would reduce the concentration of plasma cholesterol, triglycerides and fatty acid peroxides, and attenuate platelet aggregability in rats. For six weeks, male Wistar rats (n = 90) were fed AIN76A semisynthetic test diets containing cholesterol (2% by weight), providing fat as partially hydrogenated soybean oil (20% by weight), menhaden oil (20%) or corn oil (2%). Feeding the ration with menhaden oil resulted in the highest concentrations of plasma cholesterol, low and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and fatty acid hydroperoxides.

Reducing atherogenic risk in hyperlipemic humans with flax seed supplementation: a preliminary report.

The effect on serum lipids of a flax seed supplement consisting of three slices of flax seed-containing bread and 15 g of ground flax seed was studied in 15 hyperlipemic subjects on long-term intake (800 IU/day) of vitamin E. The flax seed, which was high in alpha-linolenic acid and fiber, and which has been reported to lower serum cholesterol in elderly subjects, was provided in a 3-month feeding trial. Serum total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were reduced significantly; high-density lipoprotein cholesterol did not change during flax seed consumption.

Relationship between serum lipid peroxidation products in hypercholesterolemic subjects and vitamin E status.

The relationship of serum lipid peroxidation products in hypercholesterolemic subjects to their vitamin E intake was examined in 15 such subjects with no other associated significant disease process in a 3 month trial with vitamin E supplementation. These patients with elevated serum cholesterol levels also have elevated thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and lipid oxidation products (LOPS). Vitamin E supplementation of 800 IU daily normalized the lipid peroxidation products but did not significantly change serum lipids.

Relationship between dietary fatty acid, selenium, and degenerative cardiomyopathy.

With the finding of an increasing number of cases of degenerative cardiomyopathy (DCM) amongst patients in Chongqing, Sichuan, People's Republic of China, an attempt has been made to delineate possible etiological factors. In this province endemic for Keshan disease and with considerable consumption of oils high in erucic acid, the latter does not appear to be an operative noxious agent in DCM. Additionally, it does not appear to be caused by excessive oxygen radicals, low levels of antioxidants or low selenium levels.

Effects of canola oil on serum lipids in humans.

Previous work in this laboratory had shown in a pilot study that canola oil could lower blood pressure and serum cholesterol levels. Attempting to extend this work to a larger cohort over a longer period, a 4-month study using a 30 ml/day addendum of canola oil as the replacement of the edible oils in the usual diet was undertaken in 36 hypercholesterolemic and/or hypertriglyceridemic subjects. Serum low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) decreased from 173 +/- 9.

Effect of dietary menhaden, Canola and partially hydrogenated soy oil supplemented with vitamin E upon plasma lipids and platelet aggregation.

Male Fisher rats were fed chow diets for two weeks after which they were divided into seven groups of ten rats each and fed 20% Canola, 20% menhaden, 20% partially hydrogenated soy oil (PHSO) or chow only, with or without 500 mg/Kg dietary vitamin E in chow containing 2% cholesterol for six weeks. Triglycerides were lower in the menhaden group and were essentially the same in the E supplemented groups as in their unsupplemented cohorts. Plasma cholesterol was higher in the Canola, and lower in the menhaden, groups, compared to the PHSO group.

Effect of dietary canola and reference oils upon serum lipids and platelet aggregation.

To compare Canola a terrestrial (n-3) oil with fish oil (n-3) and common vegetable oil (n-6) in decreasing serum lipids and platelet aggregation, various oils were included in Chow-based diets and fed to rats in an eight-weeks feeding trial. The Chow diet contained 2% cholesterol along with either Canola, menhaden, safflower, or partially hydrogenated soy oil, or no oil addendum. The menhaden oil group was the only one to show a significant reduction in serum cholesterol and triglycerides and at the same time yielded the most uniform decrease in platelet aggregability.

Dietary calcium. A method of lowering blood pressure.

Previous work in this laboratory has shown that supplemental dietary calcium using milk as the source can lower blood pressure and serum cholesterol levels. Attempting to circumvent lactose intolerance, a 6-month crossover study of blood pressure and serum lipids in 50 free-living volunteers was done comparing 1,150 mg/day of supplemental calcium via yogurt, cottage cheese, and milk to 32 oz/day of orange juice. Systolic blood pressure responded dramatically initially to calcium supplementation and continued lower than on orange juice at 6 months, 120 +/- 1.

Increased platelet aggregation and decreased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in women on oral contraceptives.

In vivo platelet function, serum total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), and serum triglycerides (TG) were determined in 26 women starting oral contraceptives (OCA). Studies were run prior to, and after one and two months of therapy. Platelet aggregation time decreased by 50 percent or more in eight of the 26 women from a pre-experimental mean value of 387 +/- 136 seconds.

Effect of stress due to anticipated minor surgery upon in vivo platelet aggregation in humans.

When measured just prior to hospital admission, platelet aggregation was faster and systolic and diastolic blood pressure were higher compared to measurements just prior to surgery and upon discharge fromthe hospital.

Beneficial effect of increased dietary linoleate upon in vivo platelet function in man.

The effect of increasing dietary linoleate upon in vivo platelet aggregation and disaggregation in 20 males and 46 female adult humans was studied. In creasing exogenous linoleate for 2 weeks from 2.89 +/- 0.

Titrating dietary linoleate to in vivo platelet function in man.

Platelet aggregation time significantly increased within 48 hours in response to an increase in dietary linoleate of 4% of calories while disaggregation time decreased significantly in 96 hours. A change as small as 0.5% of calories was associated with significant alterations within 4 days.

Possible toxic water factor in coronary heart-disease.

Many reports indicate a significant negative correlation between death-rates for coronary heart-disease (C.H.D.