SIMPLIFIED POPULATION SCREENING FOR HYPOTHYROIDISM

DESCRIPTION: (adapted from the applicant's abstract) Although the cost effectiveness of screening with filter paper dried blood spots (DBS) has been recognized all over the world in new born screening programs, the methodology has not been applied to screening other age groups. Even for tests such as TSH which can be used to detect hypothyroidism in adults as well as newborns, the newborn screening programs do not include adult samples in their protocols because of large age related differences in hormone levels. Other tests useful for screening adults are not used in newborn screening programs. The investigators propose to develop an adult screening program using DBS to allow early identification of treatable diseases such as primary hypothyroidism that are often misdiagnosed or not recognized because of nonspecific symptoms. A TSH assay will be adapted to detect hypothyroidism in adults, and the assay will be validated with parallel collection of serum and DBS from 200 patients. Normal values for DBS samples will be determined for different age groups. An assay for thyroid peroxidase antibody will be adapted for use with DBS, and its application as a screening assay for hypothyroidism in women during the first four months postpartum investigated. Additional DBS assays will be developed in Phase II. $ = TOTAL AWARD AMTS & NOT LIMITED TO PORTION OF PROJECT RELATED TO SUBJECT OF SEARCH SUBPROJECT $ = TOTAL AWARD AMOUNT DIVIDED BY NUMBER OF SUBPROJECTS SOURCE: CRISP FORMAT F FY 97 LAST UPDATE 04-07-98 1QUERY 1536 ID SEARCH 06/01/98 PAGE 280 --PROJECT NUMBER......1 R43 DK53679-01 INVESTIGATOR NAME/ADDRESS FY 97 GUBERSKI, DENNIS L IRG/INTRAMURAL UNIT..ZRG3 BIOMEDICAL RES MODELS INC AWARD AMOUNT......... $99,904 12 NANCY DRIVE RUTLAND, MA 01543-1717 PERFORMING ORGANIZATION: BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH MODELS, INC. TITLE NEW RAT MODEL OF OBESITY AND TYPE II DIABETES ABSTRACT: Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM) is estimated to affect 14.5 million people in the US. Complications of diabetes impair the longevity and quality of life, and include heart disease, stroke, retinopathy, neuropathy and nephropathy. In 1992 the estimated total cost of diabetes in the U.S. exceeded $90 Billion. This proposal presents plans for the development of a new animal model of human obesity and NIDDM. The BBZDR/Wor rat will provide the research community with a superb model with which to study the pathogenesis, prevention, complications and therapy of human diabetes. Starting with the BBZDP/Wor rat model of obesity and autoimmunity, we will employ classical genetic techniques to eliminate autoimmune features, and produce animals with a predictable frequency of obesity, impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes. We will evaluate testosterone injections/implantable pellets as a strategy for male fertility enhancement, a key requirement for efficient and commercial breeding efforts. It is our expectation that this new model of NIDDM will increase our knowledge of the most common type of human diabetes and expedite the development of safe and effective pharmaceutical agents for the treatment of this important human disease.