BACKGROUND:In this report we assess pre-treatment determinants of weight loss and maintenance outcome in The Sibutramine Trial of Obesity Reduction and Maintenance (STORM), a 2 y randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, European multicenter study examining the effect of sibutramine (Sib) on inducing and maintaining weight loss in obese subjects. MATERIAL: A total of 605 obese patients (BMI: 30 ± 45 kgam 2 ) of both gender were included from eight European centers and treated for 24 months. The patients were treated for the initial 6 months by Sib (10 mgaday) and a low-fat low-energy, individualized diet (600 kcaladay de®cit). The 467 patients who achieved b 5% weight loss after 6 months were randomized 3 : 1 to Sib (10 mgaday) (SibaSib) and placebo (SibaPla) for weight maintenance over a further 18 months. MAIN OUTCOME AND ANALYSES: Pre-treatment individual characteristics were assessed as predictors of 6 months weight loss (kg) and 24 months weight maintenance using simple and multivariate correlation and regression analyses. RESULTS: In univariate analyses, the 6 month weight loss (n 505) was positively associated with pre-treatment body weight (r 0.27), height (r 0.18), fat-free mass (r 0.21) (all P`0.001), fat mass (r 0.13, P`0.03), and resting metabolic rate (r 0.13, P`0.003). However, no relation was found with age, gender, smoking status, age at onset of obesity, or number of previous slimming attempts. The same predictors were found for weight change to endpoint in the SibaSib group (n 350), while no predictors were identi®ed in the SibaPla (n 114). In the multivariate regression analysis only pre-treatment body weight predicted weight loss at 6 months (P`0.001). Weight change (kg) to 24 month was predicted by: 4.34 0.07Ãbody weight (kg) 7 4Ãtreatment (Sib 1, Pla 0) 7 0.06Ãage (y), (r 2 8%, P`0.001). CONCLUSION: Only pre-treatment body weight seems to be an important independent predictor of 6 months weight loss and 24 month weight maintenance in this study on diet and Sib. As only 8% of the variation in 24 months weight change could be explained by the predictors, the clinical value of this information is limited.

ObjectivesTo compare the effi cacy and safety of single versus combination non-prescription oral analgesics in community-derived people aged 40 years and older with chronic knee pain. Methods A randomised, double-blind, four-arm, parallelgroup, active controlled trial investigating short-term (day 10) and long-term (week 13) benefi ts and sideeffects of four regimens, each taken three times a day: ibuprofen (400 mg); paracetamol (1000 mg); one fi xeddose combination tablet (ibuprofen 200 mg/paracetamol 500 mg); two fi xed-dose combination tablets (ibuprofen 400 mg/paracetamol 1000 mg). Results There were 892 participants (mean age 60.6, range 40-84 years); 63% had radiographic knee osteoarthritis and 85% fulfi lled American College of Rheumatology criteria for osteoarthritis. At day 10, two combination tablets were superior to paracetamol (p<0.01) for pain relief (determined by mean change from baseline in WOMAC pain; n=786). At 13 weeks, signifi cantly more participants taking one or two combination tablets rated their treatment as excellent/ good compared with paracetamol (p=0.015, p=0.0002, respectively; n=615). The frequency of adverse events was comparable between groups. However, by 13 weeks, decreases in haemoglobin (≥1 g/dl) were observed in some participants in all groups. Twice as many participants taking two combination tablets had this decrease compared with those on monotherapy (p<0. 001; paracetamol, 20.3%; ibuprofen, 19.

Background and Purpose-Inhibition of von Willebrand factor offers a novel approach to prevention of stroke and myocardial ischemia but has not yet been demonstrated to show efficacy on clinically relevant end points. ARC1779 is an aptamer that inhibits the prothrombotic function of von Willebrand factor by binding to the A1 domain of von Willebrand factor and thereby blocking its interaction with glycoprotein. Phase 1 studies suggest it inhibits platelet aggregation with less increase in bleeding than conventional antiplatelet agents.

Amylmetacresol/DCBA throat lozenges provide rapid analgesic effects that last for 2 h, providing ongoing relief long after the lozenge has dissolved. The superior analgesic effects and improvements in functional impairment scores observed with AMC/DCBA throat lozenges translate into pain relief benefits that are clinically meaningful and are thus a suitable OTC treatment option for patients in the self-management of acute sore throat.