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Medical Studies/Trials News
 

Sent: Tuesday, March 04, 2008 5:01 PM
Subject: Medical Studies/Trials News Update from News-Medical.Net - 5th March 2008

Hypertension linked to heavy drinking
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35867
According to British researchers the relationship between heavy drinking and high blood pressure is more significant than previously thought.
Ten years down the line a pill to cure obesity
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35866
British scientists say they may have found a new way to treat obesity by stopping the stomach from expanding.
Tossing and turning at night...well so are over 50 million Americans
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35863
A new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States has found that as many as 10 percent of adults are not getting enough rest or sleep every night.
Utopia gets it right when it comes to indigenous health
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35861
A new study by Australian researchers into the health of an indigenous community has produced some interesting results.
Clinical trial shows reduction in mortality for children with severe Langerhans cell histiocytosis
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35836
A new international study finds that introducing an increased intensity of chemotherapy in children with severe Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) can reduce the mortality rate for this disorder by as much as 20 percent when the patient demonstrates a rapid response to such treatment.
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) releases appraisal consultation document on treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension in adults
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35847
The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) has published on its website the preliminary recommendations of its Appraisal Committee on the use of epoprostenol, iloprost, bosentan, sitaxentan and sildenafil for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension in adults.
Stimulant treatment for ADHD has no effect on risk of future substance abuse
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35854
A new study finds that the use of stimulant drugs to treat children with ADHD has no effect on their future risk of substance abuse.
Snoring linked to cardiovascular disease, increased health-care utilization
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35843
Loud snoring with breathing pauses is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and increased health care utilization, according to a study published in the March 1 issue of the journal SLEEP.
Mouse model tightly matches pediatric tumor syndrome, will speed drug hunt
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35846
Frustrated by the slow pace of new drug development for a condition that causes pediatric brain tumors, a neurologist at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis decided to try to fine-tune the animal models used to test new drugs.
Treatment with methylphenidate helps adults with ADHD sleep
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35842
Treatment with methylphenidate (MPH) appears to have beneficial effects on sleep parameters in adults with ADHD, including increased sleep efficiency and a feeling of improved restorative value of sleep, according to a study published in the March 1 issue of the journal SLEEP.
Indoor allergen exposure a great importance in relation to asthma
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35840
Results from a new national survey demonstrate that elevated allergen levels in the home are associated with asthma symptoms in allergic individuals.
A similarity in the meaning of sleep quality between insomniacs, normal sleepers
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35832
Both insomnia patients and normal sleepers define sleep quality by tiredness upon waking and throughout the day, feeling rested and restored upon waking, and the number of awakenings they experienced in the night.
Turmeric for psoriasis performs no better than placebo
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35802
Anecdotal evidence touting the healing power of the Indian spice turmeric for psoriasis received a setback in a prospective study published this month by a leading dermatology journal stating that the low response rate of patients who ingested the active ingredient of the exotic spice was probably a result of the placebo effect.
Study identifies reasons patients referred late to nephrologists
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35814
Some patients with kidney disease aren't referred to kidney specialists in time to delay disease progression and improve their prognosis for a variety of reasons, according to researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and colleagues.
Customized treatments for sepsis lower treatment time and reduce length of ICU stays
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35783
Using a blood test and a decision algorithm, rather than standard hospital protocols, to determine the appropriate length of antibiotic therapy in patients with severe sepsis or septic shock can reduce duration of treatments, shorten ICU stays, and lower hospital costs - all without adverse effects on patients, according to new research.
Low-fat better than low-carb diets for heart health
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35791
Low-fat diets are more effective in preserving and promoting a healthy cardiovascular system than low-carbohydrate, Atkins'-like diets, according to a new study by researchers at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.
Profound financial life changes plague families of children with autism
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35784
The information that a child has been diagnosed with autism often throws parents into an emotional tailspin.
Congestion charge has increased life expectancy of Londoners
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35782
The Central London Congestion Charging Scheme (CCS) has led to a modest increase in the life expectancy of Londoners, according to a joint study by King's College, London and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, which is published in today's Occupation and Environmental Medicine journal.
Statistical modeling improves quality of laboratory data
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35787
Many areas of research and medicine rely critically upon knowing a person's individual immune system proteins, as they determine an individual's ability to fight disease or mistakenly attack their own tissues.
Intensive insulin therapy may be harmful to the critically ill
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35788
Doubt has been cast over the current practice of administering intensive insulin therapy to all critically ill patients, according to a study published this week in the open access journal Critical Care. In certain groups of patients it could even be harmful.
Vitamin supplements for lung cancer
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35779
Vitamin supplements do not protect against lung cancer, according to a study of more than 77,000 vitamin users.
New global study of targeted therapies for breast cancer
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35796
Two targeted medications designed to treat an aggressive form of breast cancer are being tested in a new study involving 8,000 participants in 50 countries across six continents -- a clinical trial that investigators hope will provide a new model for global cancer research.
Simple screening questionnaire for kidney disease outperforms current clinical practice guidelines
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35811
The general public is not sufficiently aware that chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a serious and progressive medical condition.
Effect of tumor necrosis factor a inhibitors on heart failure risk in rheumatoid arthritis
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35749
A chronic autoimmune disease, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by persistent inflammation of the synovial membrane and progressive joint destruction.
HRT appears to have no effect on risk and severity of rheumatoid arthritis
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35758
Although rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is more predominant in women, the reasons for this are unclear.
Music may help ease symptoms of depression
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35763
Music therapy might help ease the symptoms of depression, though its effectiveness as a stand-alone intervention is not certain, according to a recent review of five small studies.
Low-intensity exercise reduces fatigue symptoms by 65 percent
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35760
Sedentary people who regularly complain of fatigue can increase their energy levels by 20 percent and decrease their fatigue by 65 percent by engaging in regular, low intensity exercise, according to a new University of Georgia study.
India caught in the midst of catastrophic smoking epidemic
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35769
India is caught in the midst of a catastrophic smoking epidemic, which is causing one in five of all male deaths in middle age and will cause about one million deaths a year during the 2010s.
Protein protects lung cancer cells from efforts to fix or kill them
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35771
A protein that helps lung cancer cells thrive appears to do so by blocking healthy cells' ability to fix themselves when radiation or chemicals such as nicotine damage their DNA, according to a University of Florida study to be published Friday (Feb. 29) in the journal Molecular Cell.
Treatment of children and adolescents with schizophrenia
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35746
There is a wealth of scientific literature available on the treatment of adults diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Cancer-related protein Akt may play key role in Alzheimer's disease
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35744
The cancer-related protein Akt may profoundly influence the fate of the tau protein, which forms bundles of tangled nerve cell fibers in the brain associated with Alzheimer's disease, reports a new study led by researchers at the University of South Florida and the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL.
Potential novel class of drugs for treating heart attacks and stroke
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35766
A new compound that blocks an early step in cell death could lead to a novel class of drugs for treating heart attacks and stroke.
Hydroxyurea for sickle cell patients
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35770
An independent panel convened this week by the NIH concluded that the use of hydroxyurea for sickle cell patients should be increased in adolescents and adults.
Glioblastoma multiforme responds to new treatment
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35772
One of the toughest cancers to treat effectively is glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most common form of primary brain cancer.
Are cataract rates on the decline?
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35696
Should glaucoma patients seeking alternative therapies trust what they find online? Are seatbelts still important to protect eyes in auto accidents, now that most cars have airbags? What's the connection between hearing loss and one form of glaucoma? These are among the topics explored in the March 2008 issue of Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Inverted DNA turns quiet developmental gene into a potent driver of t-cell lymphoma
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35708
A gene crucial for embryonic development can quickly become a potent cancer promoter in adult mice after a genetic misalignment, according to researchers from Fox Chase Cancer Center, causing white blood cells to become cancerous spontaneously.
New drug trial to target hereditary cancers
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35715
Cancer Research UK scientists at Newcastle University are starting the first UK trial of a new drug which targets the 'Achilles' heel' in hereditary forms of both breast and ovarian cancer.
Restricting insulin doses increases mortality risk in women with type 1 diabetes
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35724
A new study led by researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center has found that women with type 1 diabetes who reported taking less insulin than prescribed had a three-fold increased risk of death and higher rates of disease complications than those who did not skip needed insulin shots.
Antidepressants only benefit some
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35690
A new study published today in PLoS Medicine suggests that antidepressants only benefit some, very severely depressed patients.
Study looks at breast-cancer drug called Abraxane for bladder cancer
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35680
As many as half of patients with superficial bladder cancer do not respond to the standard first-line chemotherapy placed into the bladder, according to current multi-center outcomes data.
New blood biomarker accurately predicts spread of prostate cancer to regional lymph nodes
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35714
Researchers report finding a new blood biomarker that enables close to 98 percent accuracy in predicting the spread of prostate cancer to regional lymph nodes.
Risks of CVD for COX-2 inhibitors lower than previously reported
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35675
In an article published in the March issue of the Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, researchers from Florida Atlantic University (FAU) assess the totality of evidence, including strengths and limitations of different types of evidence contributing to the debate about cardiovascular disease (CVD) risks of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
New radiation therapy standards needed
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35663
Modern radiation techniques result in substantial variation between the prescribed dose and the actual dose of radiation delivered to the tumor, according to a study published online February 26 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Depressed teens respond well to combination therapy
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35688
More than half of teenagers with the most debilitating forms of depression that do not respond to treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) show improvement after switching to a different medication combined with cognitive behavioral therapy, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center and their colleagues in a multicenter study have found
Ginkgo biloba and dementia
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35702
Taking the supplement ginkgo biloba had no clear-cut benefit on the risk of developing memory problems, according to a study published in the February 27, 2008, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Exercise and caloric restriction may be treatment method for metabolic syndrome
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35703
Published in the March/April issue of AJLM, the article, written by Peter M. Janiszewski, MSc, Travis J. Saunders BSc, and Robert Ross, PhD, at Queen's University, reviews existing evidence that exercise and caloric restriction can be a valid treatment strategy for metabolic syndrome.
New drug trial to target hereditary cancers
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35717
Cancer Research UK scientists at Newcastle University are starting the first UK trial of a new drug which targets the 'Achilles' heel' in hereditary forms of both breast and ovarian cancer.
Capsule endoscopy detects intestinal damage caused by celiac disease
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35710
Mayo Clinic researchers have found that capsule endoscopy can provide a magnified view of the intestinal damage caused by celiac disease.
Cause of effectiveness discovered for a cirrhosis treatment useful in 40 percent of patients
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35697
Scientists of the Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA) of the University of Navarra have discovered the molecular mechanism responsible for the effectiveness of an existing treatment for primary biliary cirrhosis, which combines two substances in order to produce an effect that does not result from either substance separately.
Stress and fear affects cancer's recurrence
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35731
After the surgical removal of a malignant tumor, the chance that cancer will re-appear in a different location of the body remains high.
Thalidomide shows promise for treatment of recurrent ovarian cancer
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35733
Thalidomide, a drug blamed in the 1950s for causing birth defects, is now showing promise as a safe and effective treatment for women with recurrent ovarian cancer, according to a study led by a University of Minnesota Cancer Center researcher.
Cognitive impairment among older Americans is declining
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35628
Rates of cognitive impairment among older Americans are on the decline, according to a new study supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) comparing the cognitive health of older people in 1993 and 2002.
18-24 year olds have highest approval rating for cosmetic surgery
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35615
In a new study commissioned by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), men and women ages 18-24 had the highest approval rating for cosmetic surgery.
Tenofovir gel safe for daily use over an extended period
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35631
A vaginal microbicide that incorporates an antiretroviral (ARV) drug normally used to treat people with HIV is safe for sexually active HIV-negative women to use every day over an extended period, suggest results of a clinical trial of tenofovir topical gel.
Step-parents influence teenage smoking behaviour
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35624
Smoking by a non-biological parent is as influential as smoking by biological parents in determining whether their teenager smokes, reveal the results of a Cancer Research UK study published in the journal Addiction.
Links between obesity, carbs and esophageal cancer
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35625
Cases of esophageal cancer (adenocarcinoma) in the U.S. have risen in recent decades from 300,000 cases in 1973 to 2.1 million in 2001 at age-adjusted rates.
IRIS International completes study of 85 post-prostatectomy patients using investigational NADiA PSA assay
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35653
IRIS International Inc. has announced that its Iris Molecular Diagnostics (IMD) group has successfully completed a retrospective study of stored leftover serum of 85 post-prostatectomy patients, men who had their prostate removed due to prostate cancer, using its investigational NADiA (Nucleic Acid Detection ImmunoAssay) PSA Assay.
Anemia drug linked to blood clots, death in cancer patients
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35638
Treating anemia with a class of drugs known as erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) is associated with an increased risk of venous thromboembolism (blood clots in the deep veins of the legs or in the lungs) and death among patients with cancer, according to an article in the February 27 issue of JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association.
Adding therapy helps adolescents with depression not responding to SSRIs
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35634
For adolescents with depression not responding to an initial treatment with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI; a class of antidepressant drugs), switching medications and adding cognitive behavioral therapy resulted in an improvement in symptoms, compared to just changing medications, according to a study in the February 27 issue of JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association.
Brain stress system shows promise as a new therapeutic target for alcoholism
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35642
A brain circuit that underlies feelings of stress and anxiety shows promise as a new therapeutic target for alcoholism, according to new studies by researchers at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Faster chemo technique increases survival in children with neuroblastoma
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35648
Chemotherapy given with shorter intervals between treatments than conventional chemotherapy increases survival rates by two thirds in children with high-risk neuroblastoma , according to a study published in the Lancet Oncology * today (Tuesday).
Facial asymmetry persists despite surgery to correct congenital deformity
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35647
Adults and teens that underwent surgery as infants to correct a congenital condition that causes the forehead and face to appear uneven still have a degree of facial asymmetry years later, according to new research led by a Hasbro Children's Hospital surgeon.
Minimally invasive fibroid treatment fares well in multicenter trial
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35655
A new multicenter trial found that uterine artery embolization (UAE) is a good alternative to hysterectomy in women with symptomatic fibroids.
Adult-onset obesity seen in mice when gene ubiquitin disrupted
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35636
Texas and California scientists who disrupted one type of the gene ubiquitin (Ubb) in mice observed neuronal death in the hypothalamus, impaired control of energy balance and adult-onset obesity in the rodents.
Drug for anemic cancer patients raises risk of death
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35646
Millions of cancer patients take drugs to boost their red blood cells and health when they become anemic after chemotherapy.
Adult stem cells may be beneficial for certain cardiovascular disorders and autoimmune diseases
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35635
A review of previously published research suggests that stem cells harvested from an adult's blood or marrow may provide treatment benefit to select patients for some autoimmune diseases and cardiovascular disorders, according to an article in the February 27 issue of JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association.
Acne sufferers less likely to participate in sport or exercise
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35588
Acne patients who are highly anxious about their skin condition say they are less likely to participate in sport or exercise, according to new research at the University of Bath (UK).
Many stroke, heart attack patients may not benefit from aspirin
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35602
Up to 20 percent of patients taking aspirin to lower the risk of suffering a second cerebrovascular event do not have an antiplatelet response from aspirin, the effect thought to produce the protective effect, researchers at the University at Buffalo have shown.
Mechanism of blood clot elasticity revealed in high definition
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35603
Blood clots can save lives, staunching blood loss after injury, but they can also kill. Let loose in the bloodstream, a clot can cause a heart attack, stroke or pulmonary embolism.
Number of Americans living with heart failure has increased
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35606
The number of elderly individuals newly diagnosed with heart failure has declined during the past ten years, but the number of those living with the condition has increased, according to a report in the February 25 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.
Early and intensive lowering of high blood pressure improves stroke outcomes
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35594
Early and intensive lowering of high blood pressure has shown promising effects in stroke patients, according to results of a new stroke study by The George Institute for International Health.
High calcium intake may not prevent osteoporosis and related bone fractures
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35597
For years, getting a lot of calcium has been portrayed as one of the best things you could do to prevent osteoporosis and related bone fractures.
Heart failure declining among the very elderly
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35585
Conventional wisdom holds that as the U.S. population ages, the incidence of heart failure will continue to rise.
Cytori Therapeutics receives positive news on breast reconstruction study
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35552
Cytori Therapeutics was informed that positive longer-term follow-up data were presented from an independent, investigator-sponsored breast reconstruction study in Japan.
Patients who prefer to be highly involved don't always see better health outcomes
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35575
Patients who prefer to be highly involved in their treatment don't necessarily have better luck managing chronic health conditions, a new study suggests.
ImClone Systems enrols first patient in clinical trial of IMC-1121B to treat liver cancer
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35566
ImClone Systems Incorporated has announced that it has enrolled the first patient in a disease-directed Phase II clinical trial of IMC-1121B to treat patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer).
Strong link between physical abuse during pregnancy and premature births
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35567
Premature birth can have serious effects on the development and growth of children. In many parts of the world, preterm deliveries are increasing in frequency.
Unusual case of upper obstructive syndrome
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35547
Aorto-duodenal fistulae (ADF) are the most frequent aorto-enteric fistulae (80%) and the most frequent presenting sign of ADF is upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGI).
Higher prevalence of stroke in the United States compared to Europe
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35571
American adults have a higher prevalence of stroke than their European counterparts, due in part to a higher rate of stroke risk factors among Americans and barriers to care in the United States, according to a study presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2008.
Quality of care for inflammatory bowel disease patients can be improved
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35555
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic recurrent gastrointestinal disease.
Small protein discovered that specifically recognizes tumors responding to chemotherapy
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35568
A technique that specifically "tags" tumors responding to chemotherapy may offer a new strategy for determining a cancer treatment's effectiveness within days of starting treatment, according to a new study by Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center investigators.
Surgery for spinal stenosis yields greater benefits over nonsurgical treatments
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35574
A research study by orthopedic spine, back and neck surgeon at Rush University Medical Center Dr. Howard An and colleagues found that patients who underwent surgery for spinal stenosis showed significantly more improvement in all primary outcomes than did patients who were treated nonsurgically.
Effects of Kava on the liver
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35578
In recent years, serious concerns about the dangers of kava and the effects on the liver have resulted in regulatory agencies, such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration, banning or restricting the sale of kava and kava products.
A rare diagnosis in the operation room: Kidney atrophy due to duplicated colon in an adult
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35546
Gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are rare entities in an adult patient.
Are tumors causing stricture of bile duct always malignant?
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35548
The benign biliary tract tumor is rarely found in clinical practice.
Stroke risk factors may signal faster cognitive decline in elderly
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=35572
Older Americans with the highest risk of stroke, but those who have never suffered a stroke, also have the highest rate of cognitive decline, researchers reported at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2008.

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