Treatment of cats with FeLV or FIV

Doménech A, Miró G, Collado VM et al: Use of recombinant interferon omega in feline retrovirosis: From theory to practice, Vet Immunol Immunopathol 143:301, 2011.
 
The feline retrovirus infections – feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) - cause lifelong infections often with chronic disease. To date, treatment has been primarily symptomatic and supportive. These investigators examined the usefulness of interferon as a more specific treatment. Interferon is a protein in the blood that can modify the immune response and that has antiviral capabilities. Interferon-omega is a type of interferon found in cats that has been cloned and synthesized and is commercially available in some countries. Clinical improvement was observed when interferon-omega was used to treat 11 cats with FeLV or FIV. Certain blood parameters, such as amount of red blood cells, also improved. While no antiviral effects were seen, the improved clinical condition of the infected cats support the use of interferon-omega in treating retrovirus-infected cats. [MK]

See also: de Mari K, Maynard L, Sanquer A et al: Therapeutic effects of recombinant feline interferon-omega on feline leukemia virus (FeLV)-infected and FeLV/feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)-coinfected symptomatic cats, J Vet Intern Med 18:477, 2004.

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Doménech A, Miró G, Collado VM et al: Use of recombinant interferon omega in feline retrovirosis: From theory to practice, Vet Immunol Immunopathol 143:301, 2011.
 
The feline retrovirus infections – feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) - cause lifelong infections often with chronic disease. To date, treatment has been primarily symptomatic and supportive. These investigators examined the usefulness of interferon as a more specific treatment. Interferon is a protein in the blood that can modify the immune response and that has antiviral capabilities. Interferon-omega is a type of interferon found in cats that has been cloned and synthesized and is commercially available in some countries. Clinical improvement was observed when interferon-omega was used to treat 11 cats with FeLV or FIV. Certain blood parameters, such as amount of red blood cells, also improved. While no antiviral effects were seen, the improved clinical condition of the infected cats support the use of interferon-omega in treating retrovirus-infected cats. [MK]

See also: de Mari K, Maynard L, Sanquer A et al: Therapeutic effects of recombinant feline interferon-omega on feline leukemia virus (FeLV)-infected and FeLV/feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)-coinfected symptomatic cats, J Vet Intern Med 18:477, 2004.

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If Kentucky expands Medicaid, no other state would have a larger percentage drop in the uninsured, Kaiser Commission says

"Kentucky will benefit most from the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, according to an analysis by the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured," Lorie Hailey writes for The Lane Report, a Lexington-based business publication.

The law calls for expanding Medicaid to people who earn less than 133 percent of the poverty threshold, or 138 percent if a fudge factor is included. If Kentucky accepted the expansion, its number of uninsured adults under the 133 percent line would decrease 57.1 percent, more than any other state, the commission says, based on 2010 data.

From 2014 to 2019, the commission reports that the federal government’s spending on Medicaid in Kentucky will be $11.8 billion, while the state will spend $515 million," Hailey reports. From 2014 to 2016, the federal government would pay the entire cost of the expansion; after that, the state would have to pay 10 percent. The normal Medicaid funding formula is 30 percent state, 70 percent federal.

For the Kaiser news release, click here. For the full report, go here. An executive summary is here.

"Kentucky will benefit most from the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, according to an analysis by the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured," Lorie Hailey writes for The Lane Report, a Lexington-based business publication.

The law calls for expanding Medicaid to people who earn less than 133 percent of the poverty threshold, or 138 percent if a fudge factor is included. If Kentucky accepted the expansion, its number of uninsured adults under the 133 percent line would decrease 57.1 percent, more than any other state, the commission says, based on 2010 data.

From 2014 to 2019, the commission reports that the federal government’s spending on Medicaid in Kentucky will be $11.8 billion, while the state will spend $515 million," Hailey reports. From 2014 to 2016, the federal government would pay the entire cost of the expansion; after that, the state would have to pay 10 percent. The normal Medicaid funding formula is 30 percent state, 70 percent federal.

For the Kaiser news release, click here. For the full report, go here. An executive summary is here.

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As Beshear and Williams equivocate, Hoover and McConnell say state should not expand Medicaid under health reform

Kentucky Health News

The Republican leader of the state House said today that Kentucky should not take advantage of an expansion of Medicaid under federal health reform because it would cost too much once the state starts paying 10 percent of the cost.

The U.S. Supreme Court last week said the states could refuse to expand the program without risking loss of their current Medicaid money, as the reform law prescribed. For adding people with incomes up to 133 or 138 percent of the federal poverty threshold, the federal government would pay the entire cost in 2014-16. For other recipients, the feds would continue to pay 70 percent of the cost.

House Minority Floor Leader Jeff Hoover of Jamestown said that would be "financially devastating" because nearly 400,000 uninsured Kentuckians have incomes under 138 percent of the poverty line. "Other estimates put the number of people eligible for Medicaid under the new rules at fewer than 350,000," reports Beth Musgrave of the Lexington Herald-Leader. More than 700,000 are already on Medicaid.

Hoover's comments were directed at Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear, who has equivocated on the question. A Beshear spokeswoman told Musgrave, “We will continue to work with our federal partners and the [Cabinet for Health and Family Services] to get a fuller picture of this policy and determine the best course for the state after we have gathered the facts.” In his re-election campaign against state Senate President David Williams, Beshear voiced misgivings about the costs.

Mugsrave notes that Williams, R-Burkesville, "said in a statement late Thursday that he is concerned about the growing costs of the program, but he stopped short of calling on Beshear to opt out of the expansion." (Read more) However, U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who has vowed to repeal the reform law, has called on Beshear to reject the expansion.

House Speaker Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, endorsed the expansion, saying, “I think that Americans have a right to accessible and affordable healthcare, and the more we expand coverage to meet that goal, the lower healthcare costs will be for all of us.” For coverage from Tom Loftus of The Courier-Journal, click here.

Hospitals could lobby for the expansion. "Hospital associations agreed to help fund the law by accepting various cuts to their reimbursement rates with the expectation that they would be more than compensated by money from patients newly insured through Medicaid," The Washington Post reports. "Now they worry that they will be stuck with only the downside of that bargain."

Robert Laszewski, a health-care consultant and former insurance executive, told the Post that governors wary of the expansion's cost "could push Obama for permission to privatize parts of their Medicaid programs or to open eligibility only to those with incomes up to 100 percent of the poverty level instead of 133 percent. They also could request that the federal contribution to Medicaid be sent to them as a block grant without strings attached, Post reporters N.C. Aizenman and Sandhya Somashekhar write. Are those the sorts of things Beshear has in mind to limit costs?

Kentucky Health News is a service of the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, based in the School of Journalism and Telecommunications at the University of Kentucky, with support from the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky.

Kentucky Health News

The Republican leader of the state House said today that Kentucky should not take advantage of an expansion of Medicaid under federal health reform because it would cost too much once the state starts paying 10 percent of the cost.

The U.S. Supreme Court last week said the states could refuse to expand the program without risking loss of their current Medicaid money, as the reform law prescribed. For adding people with incomes up to 133 or 138 percent of the federal poverty threshold, the federal government would pay the entire cost in 2014-16. For other recipients, the feds would continue to pay 70 percent of the cost.

House Minority Floor Leader Jeff Hoover of Jamestown said that would be "financially devastating" because nearly 400,000 uninsured Kentuckians have incomes under 138 percent of the poverty line. "Other estimates put the number of people eligible for Medicaid under the new rules at fewer than 350,000," reports Beth Musgrave of the Lexington Herald-Leader. More than 700,000 are already on Medicaid.

Hoover's comments were directed at Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear, who has equivocated on the question. A Beshear spokeswoman told Musgrave, “We will continue to work with our federal partners and the [Cabinet for Health and Family Services] to get a fuller picture of this policy and determine the best course for the state after we have gathered the facts.” In his re-election campaign against state Senate President David Williams, Beshear voiced misgivings about the costs.

Mugsrave notes that Williams, R-Burkesville, "said in a statement late Thursday that he is concerned about the growing costs of the program, but he stopped short of calling on Beshear to opt out of the expansion." (Read more) However, U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who has vowed to repeal the reform law, has called on Beshear to reject the expansion.

House Speaker Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, endorsed the expansion, saying, “I think that Americans have a right to accessible and affordable healthcare, and the more we expand coverage to meet that goal, the lower healthcare costs will be for all of us.” For coverage from Tom Loftus of The Courier-Journal, click here.

Hospitals could lobby for the expansion. "Hospital associations agreed to help fund the law by accepting various cuts to their reimbursement rates with the expectation that they would be more than compensated by money from patients newly insured through Medicaid," The Washington Post reports. "Now they worry that they will be stuck with only the downside of that bargain."

Robert Laszewski, a health-care consultant and former insurance executive, told the Post that governors wary of the expansion's cost "could push Obama for permission to privatize parts of their Medicaid programs or to open eligibility only to those with incomes up to 100 percent of the poverty level instead of 133 percent. They also could request that the federal contribution to Medicaid be sent to them as a block grant without strings attached, Post reporters N.C. Aizenman and Sandhya Somashekhar write. Are those the sorts of things Beshear has in mind to limit costs?

Kentucky Health News is a service of the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, based in the School of Journalism and Telecommunications at the University of Kentucky, with support from the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky.

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Winn’s annual symposium on feline health

Winn’s 34th annual symposium on feline health was held on June 28, 2012 in Quincy, MA with an audience of over 100 cat owners and veterinarians. Dr. Leslie Lyons of the University of California, Davis presented an update on recent advances in genetic research and newly discovered mutations causing disease in cats. For example, recently the mutation causing a craniofacial defect in Burmese kittens was confirmed in Dr. Lyons’ laboratory. Winn has helped support Dr. Lyons’ research to improve cat health for many years.

Dr. Leslie Lyons, Dr. John Rush, Steve Dale (L to R)

Dr. John Rush of Tufts University discussed hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), covering disease presentation, diagnosis, and treatment. HCM is the most common cardiac disease in cats and causes the death of many cats every year. Winn’s Ricky Fund was established to further research into this important disease and has funded many projects to date, including discovery of genetic mutations associated with HCM in certain cat breeds. This year, Winn funded three new feline health project at Tufts University.

Award winner Darlene Arden

Another important event at the Symposium was the presentation of Winn’s 2012 Media Appreciation Award to Darlene Arden for her dedication to feline health and welfare. Read more about the award on Winn’s website.

More photos from the Symposium can be found on Winn board member Steve Dale’s blog.

More on cat health:
Winn Feline Foundation Library
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Winn’s 34th annual symposium on feline health was held on June 28, 2012 in Quincy, MA with an audience of over 100 cat owners and veterinarians. Dr. Leslie Lyons of the University of California, Davis presented an update on recent advances in genetic research and newly discovered mutations causing disease in cats. For example, recently the mutation causing a craniofacial defect in Burmese kittens was confirmed in Dr. Lyons’ laboratory. Winn has helped support Dr. Lyons’ research to improve cat health for many years.

Dr. Leslie Lyons, Dr. John Rush, Steve Dale (L to R)

Dr. John Rush of Tufts University discussed hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), covering disease presentation, diagnosis, and treatment. HCM is the most common cardiac disease in cats and causes the death of many cats every year. Winn’s Ricky Fund was established to further research into this important disease and has funded many projects to date, including discovery of genetic mutations associated with HCM in certain cat breeds. This year, Winn funded three new feline health project at Tufts University.

Award winner Darlene Arden

Another important event at the Symposium was the presentation of Winn’s 2012 Media Appreciation Award to Darlene Arden for her dedication to feline health and welfare. Read more about the award on Winn’s website.

More photos from the Symposium can be found on Winn board member Steve Dale’s blog.

More on cat health:
Winn Feline Foundation Library
Find us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Read the Cat Health News Weekly
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Most Ky. nursing homes give more antipsychotic drugs to non-psychotic patients than U.S. median, but get little attention so far

Most Kentucky nursing homes exceeded the national average of the share of residents without psychosis or a related condition who nevertheless received antipsychotic drugs, according to federal data gathered by The Boston Globe and distributed by Kentuckians for Nursing Home Reform.

The data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services showed that 16.7 percent of patients fell into that category, and that 161 of the 280 Kentucky nursing facilities for which data were available exceeded the national average. Twenty had percentages more than double the national average, and three were more than triple: the Glasgow State Nursing Facility, at 62 percent; Arbor Place of Clinton, 61 percent; and the nursing home at Western State Hospital in Hopkinsville, 60 percent.

The data are for 2010. Nursing homes were not included if there were no data on antipsychotic drug use. Some data were taken from 2009 because no 2010 data were available. The Globe put the data into an easily reviewable database, available here, the Kentucky reform group issued a press release about it on June 14, and Kentucky Health News reported it on June 22.

However, only two Kentucky newspapers have reported on the survey and a local facility that exceeded the national average, according to our limited subscriptions and the news-clipping service subscribed to by the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky and shared with Kentucky Health News. Those were the Kentucky New Era in Hopkinsville, which mentioned several facilities in its area (Western State's director said state policy prevented him from commenting), and The Anderson News of Lawrenceburg. Its June 20 edition had a story focusing on Heritage Hall in Lawrenceburg, where 20 percent of non-psychotic patients received antipsychotic drugs.

A spokesman for Heritage Hall's operator, Elmcroft Senior Living and Memory Care of Louisville, told Anderson News Editor Ben Carlson that physicians "may choose to prescribe a medication such as antipsychotics without a diagnosis of psychosis or related condition such as controlling a patient's anxiety over a specific disease process."

Bernie Vonderheide, spokesman for the reform group, told Carlson that it suspects that many nursing homes use the drugs to keep patients under control and to avoid hiring more staff. "That is the single biggest problem in nursing homes, the lack of caregivers." (Read more; the New Era's story is behind a pay wall.)

Besides the Glasgow, Clinton and Hopkinsville facilities, the following had a percentage of non-psychotic patients receiving antipsychotic drugs that was more than double the national average:

Dawson Pointe, Dawson Springs 49%
Dover Manor, Georgetown, 49%
Edgemont Health Care, Cythiana, 46%
Pineville Community Hospital, Pineville, 44%
Edgewood Estates, Frenchburg, 42%
Wesley Manor Nursing Center, Louisville, 42%
Wellington Parc of Owensboro, 42%
Stanton Nursing Center, Stanton, 41%
Shady Lawn Nursing Home, Cadiz, 41%
Charleston Health Care Center, Danville, 37.5%
Breckinridge Memorial Nursing Facility, Hardinsburg, 37%
Cedar Ridge Health Campus, Cynthiana, 37%
Brighton Cornerstone Health Care, Madisonville, 36%
Carmel Home, Owensboro, 36%
Ridgeway Nursing and Rehabilitation Facility, Owingsville, 36%
J.J. Jordan Geriatric Center, Louisa, 35%
Medco Center of Henderson, 35%
Wolfe County Health and Rehabilitation Center, Campton, 34%
(Figures are rounded to the nearest percentage unless .5)

Most Kentucky nursing homes exceeded the national average of the share of residents without psychosis or a related condition who nevertheless received antipsychotic drugs, according to federal data gathered by The Boston Globe and distributed by Kentuckians for Nursing Home Reform.

The data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services showed that 16.7 percent of patients fell into that category, and that 161 of the 280 Kentucky nursing facilities for which data were available exceeded the national average. Twenty had percentages more than double the national average, and three were more than triple: the Glasgow State Nursing Facility, at 62 percent; Arbor Place of Clinton, 61 percent; and the nursing home at Western State Hospital in Hopkinsville, 60 percent.

The data are for 2010. Nursing homes were not included if there were no data on antipsychotic drug use. Some data were taken from 2009 because no 2010 data were available. The Globe put the data into an easily reviewable database, available here, the Kentucky reform group issued a press release about it on June 14, and Kentucky Health News reported it on June 22.

However, only two Kentucky newspapers have reported on the survey and a local facility that exceeded the national average, according to our limited subscriptions and the news-clipping service subscribed to by the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky and shared with Kentucky Health News. Those were the Kentucky New Era in Hopkinsville, which mentioned several facilities in its area (Western State's director said state policy prevented him from commenting), and The Anderson News of Lawrenceburg. Its June 20 edition had a story focusing on Heritage Hall in Lawrenceburg, where 20 percent of non-psychotic patients received antipsychotic drugs.

A spokesman for Heritage Hall's operator, Elmcroft Senior Living and Memory Care of Louisville, told Anderson News Editor Ben Carlson that physicians "may choose to prescribe a medication such as antipsychotics without a diagnosis of psychosis or related condition such as controlling a patient's anxiety over a specific disease process."

Bernie Vonderheide, spokesman for the reform group, told Carlson that it suspects that many nursing homes use the drugs to keep patients under control and to avoid hiring more staff. "That is the single biggest problem in nursing homes, the lack of caregivers." (Read more; the New Era's story is behind a pay wall.)

Besides the Glasgow, Clinton and Hopkinsville facilities, the following had a percentage of non-psychotic patients receiving antipsychotic drugs that was more than double the national average:

Dawson Pointe, Dawson Springs 49%
Dover Manor, Georgetown, 49%
Edgemont Health Care, Cythiana, 46%
Pineville Community Hospital, Pineville, 44%
Edgewood Estates, Frenchburg, 42%
Wesley Manor Nursing Center, Louisville, 42%
Wellington Parc of Owensboro, 42%
Stanton Nursing Center, Stanton, 41%
Shady Lawn Nursing Home, Cadiz, 41%
Charleston Health Care Center, Danville, 37.5%
Breckinridge Memorial Nursing Facility, Hardinsburg, 37%
Cedar Ridge Health Campus, Cynthiana, 37%
Brighton Cornerstone Health Care, Madisonville, 36%
Carmel Home, Owensboro, 36%
Ridgeway Nursing and Rehabilitation Facility, Owingsville, 36%
J.J. Jordan Geriatric Center, Louisa, 35%
Medco Center of Henderson, 35%
Wolfe County Health and Rehabilitation Center, Campton, 34%
(Figures are rounded to the nearest percentage unless .5)

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Kentuckians support goals of reform law, foundation head says

While politicians say President Obama's health-care reform is not popular in Kentucky, polls show that nine out of 10 adult Kentuckians favor its goals, the president of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky noted after the law passed its final court test.

"Thursday's Supreme Court decision affirms the constitutionality of the Affordable Care law and moves the United States and Kentucky children and adults one step closer to assured access to affordable insurance and care," Susan Zepeda said. "Our Kentucky Health Issues Poll found that regardless of their views on the Affordable Care law, the vast majority . . . of Kentuckians believe that all Americans should have access to affordable, quality health care." She said Kentuckians "expressed strong support for key provisions of the law already in effect: tax breaks for small employers, no co-pay on key preventive services, access to insurance for children with pre-existing health problems."


Looking forward, "Kentucky leaders need to be sure our residents are aware of the provisions of this law," Zepeda said. "As individuals and as a state, we need to take advantage of opportunities and resources the law makes available, even as we continue to work to improve access to quality care throughout Kentucky. The Foundation stands committed to addressing the unmet health care needs of Kentuckians, informing health policy and investing in communities, to increase access to care, decrease health disparities, and advance health equity in the Commonwealth." (Read more)

While politicians say President Obama's health-care reform is not popular in Kentucky, polls show that nine out of 10 adult Kentuckians favor its goals, the president of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky noted after the law passed its final court test.

"Thursday's Supreme Court decision affirms the constitutionality of the Affordable Care law and moves the United States and Kentucky children and adults one step closer to assured access to affordable insurance and care," Susan Zepeda said. "Our Kentucky Health Issues Poll found that regardless of their views on the Affordable Care law, the vast majority . . . of Kentuckians believe that all Americans should have access to affordable, quality health care." She said Kentuckians "expressed strong support for key provisions of the law already in effect: tax breaks for small employers, no co-pay on key preventive services, access to insurance for children with pre-existing health problems."


Looking forward, "Kentucky leaders need to be sure our residents are aware of the provisions of this law," Zepeda said. "As individuals and as a state, we need to take advantage of opportunities and resources the law makes available, even as we continue to work to improve access to quality care throughout Kentucky. The Foundation stands committed to addressing the unmet health care needs of Kentuckians, informing health policy and investing in communities, to increase access to care, decrease health disparities, and advance health equity in the Commonwealth." (Read more)

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