Short-term Treatment Of Obesity Research Articles

Investigating the electrochemical profile of methamphetamine to enable fast on-site detection in forensic analysis

Methamphetamine (MA) is a synthetic psychoactive drug which is consumed both licitly and illicitly. In some countries it is prescribed for attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder, and short-term treatment of obesity. More often though, it is abused for its psychostimulant properties. Unfortunately, the spread and abuse of this synthetic drug have increased globally, being reported as the most widely consumed synthetic psychoactive drug in the world in 2019. Attempting to overcome the shortcomings of the currently used on-site methods for MA detection in suspected cargos, the present study explores the potential of electrochemical identification of MA by means of square wave voltammetry on disposable graphite screen-printed electrodes. Hence, the analytical characterization of the method was evaluated under optimal conditions exhibiting a linear range between 50 μM and 2.5 mM MA, a LOD of 16.7 μM, a LOQ of 50.0 μM and a sensitivity of 5.3 μA mM−1. Interestingly, two zones in the potential window were identified for the detection of MA, depending on its concentration in solution. Furthermore, the oxidative pathway of MA was elucidated employing liquid chromatography – mass spectrometry to understand the change in the electrochemical profile. Thereafter, the selectivity of the method towards MA in mixtures with other drugs of abuse as well as common adulterants/cutting agents was evaluated. Finally, the described method was employed for the analysis of MA in confiscated samples and compared with forensic methods, displaying its potential as a fast and easy-to-use method for on-site analysis.

Can gastric botulinum toxin A injection be used as minimally invasive procedure in the short-term treatment of obesity?

Background/Aim:Gastric botulinum toxin A (BTX-A) injection is a type of endoscopic obesity treatment option that delays gastric emptying. However, there is little and contradictory information concerning the treatment efficacy of BTX-A injection. This study evaluated the treatment efficacy of BTX-A injection in the treatment of obesity.Materials and Methods:This was an open-label, prospective study of obese individuals with a body mass index >30 kg/m2 admitted to our clinic. The sample consisted of 72 consecutive treatment-naive patients with obesity divided into age–sex-matched three groups: gastric BTX-A injection (study group), calorie-restricted (15–20 Kcal/kg) diet (control) and bariatric surgery (BS) (control) groups. İn the study group, 200 IU BTX-A was injected to the antrum and corpus endoscopically. The study and control groups were compared for their total body weight loss (TBWL) and excess body weight loss (EBWL) at the 6th month.Results:Gastric BTX-A injection therapy was applied to 24 patients. The mean age was 39.1 ± 9.1/years. 54.1% of the patients (n = 13) was female. At the 6th month, the mean TBWL and EBWL of patients were; 10% ±4.1 and 37.2% ±13.9 for gastric BTXA injection group, 5% ±2.3 and 20.2% ±9.3 for diet group, 30.7% ±5.3 and 66.9% ±14.4 for BS group. Patients who underwent gastric BTX-A injection lost weight more effectively than patients who were on diet alone, while BS patients lost weight more effectively than those who had gastric BTX-A injection (P < 0.001). In the gastric BXT-A injection group, the first 3-month delta EBWL and TBWL (change of EBWL and TBWL percentages) were found significantly higher than the 3–6th month and 6–12th month (P = 0.001 and P < 0.001).Conclusion:Gastric BTX-A injection is a minimally invasive and short-term effective method that can be used in the treatment of obesity.

Metabolic parameters after BioEnterics Intragastric Balloon placement in obese patients

BioEnterics Intragastric Balloon (BIB) is a non-invasive, temporary and relatively safe procedure shown to be effective in the short-term treatment of obesity. Nowadays, BIB does not show convincing evidence of significant long-term weight loss, as compared with conventional management, and data regarding changes in metabolic and nutritional parameters are lacking. Forty obese patients [11 males, 29 females, age 36.65+/-10.6 yr, body mass index (BMI) 44.9+/-8.9 kg/m2] were evaluated before and 3 and 6 months after BIB placement by assessment of anthropometric and biochemical parameters as well as nutritional habits. Patients showed a significant reduction in weight (-13.2+/-6.5%), BMI (-13.2%), waist circumference (-6.5 cm), and percentage of fat mass (-19.5%), but not fat-free mass. A significant improvement in insulin sensitivity but not in lipid pattern was seen. After BIB insertion, a significant reduction in caloric intake was paralleled by a redistribution of nutrients; in particular, increased lipid (12.8%) and decreased carbohydrate (-11.7%) percentage, but not absolute intake was observed. These data show that BIB improves anthropometric parameters, with reduction of fat mass and preservation of fat-free mass, as well as insulin resistance, but not other metabolic features. The observed change in dietary habits, with a relative increase in lipid intake, once BIB is removed, might favor body weight regain and impact negatively on body weight composition and the other traits of the metabolic syndrome.

Cannabinoid-1 Receptor Antagonist, Rimonabant, for Management of Obesity and Related Risks

The prevalence of obesity has risen substantially during the past 25 years in the United States and most developed countries, with a related increase in type 2 diabetes mellitus.1,2 Almost one third of the adult US population is considered to be obese (body mass index [BMI] ≥30), and 1 in 20 is extremely obese (BMI ≥40).3 Nearly 17% of children and adolescents are overweight in the United States.3 Obesity is associated with increased risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease (CHD), hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, and cancer, higher overall mortality rate,4–6 and decreased longevity.7,8 Extreme obesity can truncate life expectancy in young adults by 5 to 20 years.8 Accordingly, the expected benefits of weight reduction for obese individuals are profound. Weight loss of 5% to 10% generally lessens many health risks, including cardiovascular risks, although such improvements are most notably demonstrable in studies specifically conducted in high-risk populations, and the benefits are presumed to be greater when healthier weight is maintained for long periods.9,10 In overweight and obese individuals, weight loss achieved with most interventions over 1 to 2 years generally leads to improvements in blood pressure (BP), glycemic measures, and triglycerides (TGs). Improvements in total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) have been reported in studies using dietary interventions combined with exercise. When weight loss is achieved primarily via pharmacological interventions, these benefits have not occurred quite so consistently.11 Reduced caloric intake and increased physical activity are generally accepted as the foundations of any approach directed at weight reduction, but these lifestyle interventions do not appear to provide long-lasting success for obese individuals wishing to lose weight. About half of the weight lost with the help of lifestyle interventions is regained at 1 year; after …

USE OF d-AMPHETAMINE AND RELATED CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM STIMULANTS IN CHILDREN

The abuse of amphetamines has become a problem of international significance. Japan was the first country to recognize this problem, and by 1954 there were an estimated 500,000 to 600,000 abusers in Japan. More than ten years ago Japan banned the use of amphetamines. The United Kingdom restricted distribution of amphetamines to hospital pharmacies in 1968. Sweden categorized amphetamine as a narcotic in 1944 because of abuse; and in 1965 phenmetrazine (Preludin) and in 1968 methylphenidate (Ritalin) were removed from the market. Patients now requiring amphetamines are registered with the government. Sweden has about 10,000 drug addicts (almost all between 15 and 30 years of age) using central stimulants intravenously; this is about the same percentage of their population as the estimated percentage of heroin addicts in New York City.1 In contrast, the number of heroin and opiate addicts in Sweden is estimated to be less than 500. In 1970, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) responded to the problem of amphetamine abuse in the United States by limiting the package insert labeling for amphetamines to three indications: narcolepsy, hyperkinesis in children, and the short-term treatment of obesity. Currently, the latter indication is being reviewed and may no longer be valid. Among the related agents there is some specificity in labeling, e.g., methylphenidate is approved for use in adults with mild depression, narcolepsy at any age, and children with minimal brain dysfunction but not obesity; phenmetrazine for use only in obesity, etc. However, in the broad view there is a similarity in the pharmacologic properties, side effects, and abuse liability of dextro-amphetamine, methamphetamine, methylphenidate, and phenmetrazine.