Research volunteers needed

Cardiovascular medicine studies. Current smokers, age 30-60, are needed to study the relationship between cigarette smoking and heart disease. Participants receive a free medical examination, evaluation of heart disease risk factors and a test to evaluate risk for diabetes. Those who qualify will have an opportunity to take a medication that may reduce the risk of heart disease. Compensation and a smoking cessation class will be available at the end of the study.

Healthy overweight volunteers, age 35-65, who currently drink a little or no alcohol are needed to study the relationship of moderate alcohol consumption and its possible health benefits. Eligible participants must not have a history of diabetes, liver, kidney or heart disease or heavy drinking. A medical examination, test to evaluate risk for diabetes and heart disease plus a cholesterol panel are included without charge.

Participants are needed for a four-month study of the effect of weight loss on risk factors for cardiovascular disease in those with type-2 diabetes. Eligible volunteers, age 30-65, with type-2 diabetes and not on insulin must be moderately overweight and in good health. Study participants will receive dietary counseling and metabolic testing including evaluation of insulin resistance and risk for heart disease.

The above studies are conducted by Gerald Reaven, MD, and associates in the division of cardiovascular medicine at the medical school. For information on the smoking, alcohol or weight loss studies, phone 723-7024.

Flu vaccine study. The Stanford — Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital vaccine program seeks healthy boys and girls, ages 3-9, for a study of flu vaccine to determine how children’s immune systems respond to the vaccine. Eligible participants must have received the flu vaccine last year. Lab tests, physical exam and vaccination are included at no cost. Compensation is provided for each scheduled visit. Call Nancy Bouvier at 498-7284 for information.

Weight-loss study. Volunteers — non-diabetic Indian women age 30-65 — are sought for the South Asian Indian Women Weight Loss Study. The study aims to determine whether insulin resistance, which is highly prevalent in the South Asian Indian community, improves with weight loss, thus lowering risk for cardiovascular disease. The study includes two days of insulin resistance tests at the General Clinical Research Center at the medical center followed by three months of dietary counseling (one hour per week) and re-testing at the end of the three-month period. Participants will receive results of cholesterol and insulin tests, dietary counseling and counseling to improve cardiovascular risk profile at the end of the study at no charge. For information contact SAIWWLS@yahoo.com or call 498-4427. Visit the study Web site at http://saiwwls.stanford.edu for additional information.