Showing papers by "Barry R. Davis published in 1995"

Baseline characteristics in the cholesterol and recurrent events (CARE) trial of secondary prevention in patients with average serum cholesterol levels

Abstract: CARE will determine whether 5 years of cholesterol-lowering therapy reduces recurrent coronary disease events in 4,159 patients who have had an AMI. The mean total cholesterol and LDL-C levels in CARE (209 and 139 mg/dl) are similar to the average levels for the US population. The results of CARE will have relevance to the treatment of the majority of patients with coronary disease who have average rather than elevated cholesterol levels.

Grating Visual Acuity in Eyes With Retinal Residua of Retinopathy of Prematurity

Abstract: Objectives: To compare grating visual acuity of eyes with varying severity of retinal residua of retinopathy of prematurity to grating vasual acuity of eyes that did not have acute-phase retinopaty of prematurity, showed no ocular abnormalities on follow-up, and were from patients who passed neurodevelopmental screening questions. Design: Monocular grating visual acuity was measured by means of the Teller acuity card procedure when children reached 1, 2, 3½, and 4½ years of age. Patients: A total of 1398 children with birth weights less than 1251 g whose acute-phase retinopathy of prematurity was documented as part of the Multicenter Cryotherapy for Retinopathy of Prematurity Study and who participated in follow-up visual acuity testing. Results: Eyes with no or mild residua of retinopathy of prematurity showed a mean visual acuity similar to that of the comparison group. Eyes in a subgroup with abnormally straightened temporal retinal vessels showed a mean visual acuity approximately 1 octave below that of the comparison group. Mean visual acuity scores from eyes with macular heterotopia ranged from 1 octave (at 1 year) to more than 2 octaves (at 4½ years) below the mean visual acuity of the comparison group. Mean visual acuity scores for the few eyes in the retinal fold or partial detachment group that had quantifiable visual acuity were well below the means for the comparison group. Conclusions: Acute-phase retinopathy of prematurity that regresses without retinal residua produces no deficit in grating visual acuity between 1 and 4½ years of age. In contrast, eyes with macular heterotopia show a visual acuity deficit, and the deficit is greater at older than at younger ages. Eyes with retinal fold or partial detachment that have measurable visual acuity show large visual acuity deficits at all ages.

Physical working capacity after acute myocardial infarction in patients with low ejection fraction and effect of captopril.

Abstract: Previous studies after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) have reported conflicting results on the effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition on physical working capacity. In an effort to provide more insight into this subject, we examined the effects of captopril on working capacity of patients who had low ejection fractions but no congestive heart failure after AMI. One hundred sixty-six participants were recruited from 5 centers after randomization to either captopril or placebo for the Survival and Ventricular Enlargement study. Upright cycle ergometer tests were performed with continuous measurements of respiratory gases at 4, 12, and 24 months after AMI. Our study concurs with 2 of 3 previous post-AMI studies and supports the conclusion that working capacity is not affected by angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition at 4 or 12 months after AMI in patients without congestive heart failure. In addition, no significant effect of captopril was noted at 24 months after AMI. Peak oxygen uptake tended to decrease between 12 and 24 months in the placebo group by an average (+/- SD) of -22 +/- 322 ml/min (n = 66), but to increase in the captopril group (+62 +/- 289, n = 57), a difference that was significant (Mann-Whitney chi-square, p = 0.02). This post-hoc observation suggests that a late beneficial effect may have been masked by inadequate study duration. Known benefits of captopril appear not to include an increase in working capacity within the first 24 months after AMI.

Gender differences and similarities in effects of nonpharmacologic approaches to the treatment of mild hypertension

Abstract: TAIM, the Trial of Antihypertensive Interventions and Management, studied the effects of dietary sodium restriction or weight reduction, alone and in combination with low-dose diuretic or beta blocker on blood pressure after 6 months. The responses to these interventions of men compared to women are presented for those persons randomized to placebo drug. Men undergoing a weight-reduction intervention were able to lose more weight (5.9 kg) than women (3.1 kg), P ⩽ 05. Men also had a greater percentage of wright loss and a greater reduction in body mass index (BMI), although not significantly so. Weight loss was correlated to a decrease in triglycerides (r = 0.37), but not in cholesterol. The weight-reduction intervention lowered triglycerides more in men (-81 mg/dl) than in women(-21 mg/dl; P = .008). There were no sex differences in abiility to reduce sodium or increase potassium for those in the sodium restriction group. Both men and women decreased their sodium to the same extent by 36 mmol/day and 25 mmol, respectively, and increased their potassium by 13 mmol and 11 mmol, respectively. Blood pressure response at 6 months was greater in men than in women on weight reduction (a drop in diastolic pressure of -11 mmHg in men and 7 mmHg in women, P =.04). Sodium restriction had a similar effect on blood pressure in both sexes, and among men resulted in a significantly smaller reduction in blood pressure than did weight reduction. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.