5 octobre 2005 16:23
[Healthlink Newsletter] MCW HealthLink -- vol. 8 no. 66 Date 10/5
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Including those younger than 65, the number of people with arthritis alone will reach 60 million by the year 2020. Arthritis is already the leading cause of physical disability in the nation. Medical care and lost productivity costs are expected to reach a staggering $100 billion by then, so it’s no wonder that arthritis prevention and treatment has become a major focus of national and state efforts.
"The fact that baby boomers are aging is obviously a major factor in the big increases we are seeing." said Mary E. Cronin, MD, Medical College of Wisconsin Associate Professor of Medicine (Rheumatology). "I think what has been in the news recently about obesity and lack of exercise are very important concerns."
All may not be lost in the battle against arthritis, as progress is being made in developing new drug therapies and public awareness about forms of prevention and treatment grows. "For the
inflammatory arthritides such as rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis, we have new medications that really make a difference in people’s lives. They help shut off the disease," noted Dr. Cronin. "There is also lot of research in osteoarthritis right now. One of the areas of research is treatment with antibiotics, specifically minocycline. There are some data to support its use in people with the disease. "
Dr. Cronin offered three critical areas for arthritis prevention and treatment: exercise, weight control and physical therapy. "Physical therapy plays a huge role," she said, "and it is not
that people need to go to physical therapy for life. They need to learn the exercises, and then do them for life.
For older and younger people who already have joint conditions, Dr. Cronin said, maintaining muscle strength is key. "Keep muscles around those injured joints strong to support the joint," she said. "That is the bottom line, that and keeping the weight off."
"The current medications are not the magic bullets that everyone hoped they would be. There is a lot of work ahead of us, but I think there is real promise in the future. We, as a society, made an investment years ago by supporting research in the basic sciences. It’s really paying off for us now with the wonderful new treatments, but there is still long way to go for cures."
For the full story, go to:
http://healthlink.mcw.edu/content/article/newsletter/1031002542.html
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(2) Allergies: 35 Million in US Affected
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The body’s immune system is normally pretty good at its job, which is to defend against invaders such as bacteria and viruses. In those who suffer from some form of allergy, though, the immune
system is most often responding to "false alarms" that don’t bother most people. A broad range of otherwise harmless substances called allergens trigger these immunological responses.
"Allergies can represent many different things," said Asriani M. Chiu, MD, Medical College of Wisconsin Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine (Allergy). "In general, what’s going on is the individual is eliciting a hypersensitive response to a particular protein. The protein can be airborne pollen, or dust mite, or it can be something like a food protein such as in peanuts, for example.
Research has shown that some people inherit a general tendency to be allergic, increasing the likelihood that their immune system will react to one or more allergens.
Allergy diagnosis has not changed much in recent years, said Dr. Chiu. A medical history is taken to try to determine if the condition is seasonal in nature and determine which allergens are the likely culprits. Mucous membranes, which often appear swollen and pale or bluish in persons with allergic conditions, are examined.
Skin testing is the most sensitive and least costly way to identify allergies, but these should not be used to test patients with eczema or if they have taken medications that can interfere with the testing.
"I think we’ve made a lot of headway in allergy treatment in the last couple of years," said Dr. Chiu. "We now have very effective and safe medications that can be used once or twice daily
depending on the drug…the medications are safe, effective, and easier to use with less frequent dosing.
"What’s exciting about this field is the current research is focusing on how we can change the allergic response to a protective response, which is great. I think we still have a way to go, but that’s what we’re trying to do now — prevent problems from recurring."
For the full story, go to:
http://healthlink.mcw.edu/content/article/newsletter/1031002543.html
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(3) A Review of Studies on Seven Alternative Medicines
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"Alternative medicine" is a term that has come to encompass a wide range of therapies, as well as products including herbs, vitamins, hormones and other compounds produced by the body, antioxidants, and dietary supplements.
People use these products to maintain or improve health and to help heal illness or disease. Some have been shown to contribute to health, but the claims of others haven’t been supported by
scientifically valid studies. Some even have the potential to cause harm.
Because many of these substances are not covered by government regulations, there are questions about their safety and efficacy. Often there is no guarantee as to the source of the product, nor
that the ingredients listed on the package are precisely what’s contained inside. Some studies have found products that contained far more or less than the stated amount of active ingredients.
In the United States, dietary supplements are regulated as foods, not drugs. Manufacturers do not have to provide the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with evidence that dietary supplements are effective or safe before marketing. Because dietary supplements are not always tested for manufacturing consistency, the composition may vary considerably.
Still, alternative medicine products are becoming increasingly popular. According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 36% of adults in the United States are using some form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). When megavitamin therapy and prayer specifically for health reasons are included in the definition of CAM, that number rises to 62%.
Some of the most popular products on the market today are black cohosh, coenzyme q10, echinacea, ginkgo biloba, glucosamine- chondroitin, melatonin, and St. John’s wort. This full article, available on the HealthLink website at
http://healthlink.mcw.edu/article/1031002544.html
, contains a selection of recent studies and comments on each, from reliable governmental and medical resources.
If you decide to use these products, it’s a good idea to discuss them with your health care provider first. This is especially important if you take any type of over-the-counter or prescription medication, since some of the substances mentioned can affect how other medications work. In general, the use of these substances during pregnancy has not been rigorously studied, so it would be prudent for pregnant women not to take them unless they do so under the supervision of their health care provider.
For the full story, go to:
http://healthlink.mcw.edu/content/article/newsletter/1031002544.html
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(4) What's New on MCW HealthLink
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* The Facts about Seizures and Epilepsy More than 2 million people in the United States - about 1 in 100 - have experienced a seizure or been diagnosed with epilepsy
http://healthlink.mcw.edu/content/article/newsletter/924451794.html
