Effectiveness of a stepped care intervention for anxiety and depression in people with diabetes, asthma or COPD in primary care: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Depression and anxiety are common in people with a chronic somatic disease. Although guidelines recommend stepped care, the effectiveness of this approach has not been evaluated in people with diabetes, asthma, or COPD in primary care. METHODS: 3559 People were sent screening questionnaires (41% response). Of 286 persons with anxiety and/or depression (Generalized Anxiety Disorder questionnaire, GAD-7, cut-off ≥ 8 and/or Patient Health Questionnaire, PHQ-9, cut-off ≥ 7), 46 were randomized into the intervention (stepped care and monitoring of symptoms; n = 23) or control (usual care) group (n = 23). Main outcomes were symptoms of anxiety and depression after the 12-months intervention and six months post intervention. Analysis of covariance was first adjusted for condition and baseline GAD-7/PHQ-9 scores and additionally for age, sex and education. RESULTS: The intervention group had a significantly lower level of anxiety symptoms at the end of the program (GAD-7 6 ± 6 vs. 9 ± 6; Cohen's d = 0.61). This effect was still present six months post intervention. The effect on depression was statistically significant in the first model (PHQ-9 6 ± 4 vs. 9 ± 6; p = 0.035), but not in the fully adjusted model (p = 0.099), despite a large effect size (d = 0.63). At six months post intervention there was no statistically significant difference in symptoms of depression between the two groups although the difference in symptoms was still clinically significant (Cohen's d = 0.61). LIMITATIONS: Many people were screened, but relatively few participated in the randomized controlled trial. CONCLUSIONS: Stepped care with monitoring resulted in a lower level of symptoms of anxiety and depression in people with a chronic condition.

Estimation of body fat in rats by whole-body counting.

A method for determining body fat in vivo in rats by whole-body counting of 40K is described. The technique utilizes a Nuclear Chicago Corporation TOBOR system with 5-in thallium-activated sodium iodide crystals. To test the method a regression equation was developed using the 40K counts and body weight of young adult rats weighing 333-788 g; the results were compared with those obtained from the gravimetric determination of fat in the carcass. The correlation coefficient between the two methods was 0.945.