Posts Tagged ‘Insidermedicine’

Insidermedicine in 60 – October 15, 2007

From Barcelona – Household sprays and cleaners account for 1 in 7 cases of asthma. While cleaners have been linked to occupational cases of asthma, a Spanish study of over 3000 people has now linked the development of asthma or reactive airway disease to the use of household sprays and cleaners as little as once per week. From Washington – The FDA will examine claims that some lipsticks contain lead. Research done by the advocacy group Campaign for Safe Cosmetics has shown that many best-selling brands have lead levels that exceed 0.1 parts per million — the FDA’s limit for lead levels in candy. Some brands like L’Oreal’s Colour Riche “True Red” and “Classic Wine” had 6 times the FDA’s limit. From North Carolina – Heart researchers are calling on primary care physicians and oncologists to be aware of the effects that breast cancer treatment and post-treatment lifestyle can have on the risk for heart disease. Many with breast cancer reduce their exercise and gain significant weight during treatment. In addition, many treatments can raise the risk of thrombosis and negatively affect the fraction of blood pumped out of the heart with each beat. And finally, from New York – Could statins help those with COPD? A research study on more than 800 men, followed for 10 years, has shown that those who used statins had a slower decline in lung function. Until further research is done, statins should be recommended for cardiovascular prevention and not lung disease. For …

Insidermedicine in 60 – May 30, 2008

From the UK – According to research in the British Medical Journal, reduced access to NHS dentists is the reason that the number of hospital admissions for dental abscesses has nearly doubled over 8 years. Researchers analyzing NHS data found that there were 750 abscess-related admissions in 1998, compared to over 1400 by 2006. The researchers have classified this issue as a major public health problem. From Chicago – According to data presented by the American Society of Clinical Oncology, combining Herceptin with pertuzumab may be beneficial for patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. Pertuzumab, which inhibitis a key mechanism of tumour growth, was found to benefit half of the patients whose disease had progressed during a Herceptin regimen. And finally, from Washington – Patients with type 2 diabetes may be at increased risk for chronic kidney disease if they also have a condition called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. In a study of 1760 patients with type 2 diabetes, those who had non-alcoholic fatty liver disease had a 69% higher risk for developing chronic kidney disease compared to those without the condition. Kidney disease is a major complication of diabetes which can lead to permanent loss of kidney function requiring dialysis or transplantation For Insidermedicine in 60, I’m Dr. Susan Sharma.

Insidermedicine in 60 – February 13, 2008

From Indiana – Artificial sweeteners may actually increase weight gain and raise the risk of developing adipose tissue. Researchers observed the effects of giving 9 rats yogurt with artificial sweetener and compared it to 8 rats who were given yogurt with table sugar. Rats who ingested the artificial sweetener consumed more calories, gained more weight, and gained more body fat. From California – Avastin has shown promise for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer, when used in combination with chemotherapy. In a randomized clinical trial of over 700 women with metastatic HER-2 negative breast cancer, those who received Avastin in conjunction to docetaxel had a longer progression-free survival rate than those who received chemotherapy alone. The FDA decision on whether to add breast cancer to the list of Avastin indications is expected later this month. And finally, from Germany – Drug-eluting stents, commonly used in advanced heart disease, may also benefit patients with severe peripheral vascular disease. In a randomized clinical trial of 154 patients, those who received a stent which released Paclitaxel were less likely to have narrowed arteries and less likely to have restenosis following the procedure. For Insidermedicine in 60, I’m Dr. Susan Sharma.

Insidermedicine in 60 – March 19, 2009

From Italy – The early detection of a second case of breast cancer can significantly increase survival chances. In a study of over 1000 women, researchers found that those who survived breast cancer once before were 27% to 47% more likely to survive a subsequent breast cancer if it was detected in the asymptomatic stage. From Kingston – Queen’s University researchers may have found a new diagnostic test for fetal alcohol syndrome using old technology. The researchers used eye-tracking tools to test 89 children for the condition, and found that children with the disorder reacted more slowly to visual stimuli than those without the condition. The researchers are now planning to conduct a much larger trial. And finally, from Toronto – Researchers from Princess Margaret Hospital have concluded that biopsies should be performed on suspected metastatic breast cancer. In a study of 35 women, researchers found that biopsies of suspected metastatic breast cancer resulted in a change in clinical management among 20% of patients. Currently, biopsy is not standard practice for metastatic disease. For Insidermedicine in 60, I’m Dr. Kelly Schweitzer.

Insidermedicine in 60 – October 22, 2007

From California – Exposure to sunlight and its effect on vitamin D synthesis may reduce the risk of advanced breast cancer. Research on close to 4000 women, nearly half of whom had breast cancer, showed that those with significant exposure to sunlight had nearly half the risk of having advanced breast cancer, but this was only found in those who were light skinned. From Texas – Research in mice has demonstrated a brain pathway that may be the basis for why those with severe stress are unable to cope. The research showed that mice who were severely stressed had high levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the area of the brain linked to reward and emotion. BDNF is linked to learning, but in this situation it is believed that its release shows that the mice were mentally re-living past traumatic events. From Minneapolis – Malfunctioning wires used to send electrical current to a heart that is no longer beating properly are behind a recent company-initiated warning. Cracks in the wires can lead to shocks being deployed incorrectly. While the wires do not necessarily need to be replaced, patients with these recalled wires need to have regular testing performed. And finally from Maryland – the FDA is warning that drugs used to treat ED, like Viagra, may cause sudden hearing loss. With 29 cases of hearing loss occurring within 2 days of taking the medicines, the FDA is warning that those with hearing loss or new onset ringing stop taking the medicines immediately. The …

Insidermedicine In60 – March 26, 2009

From Washington – According to research published in the Archives of Neurology, people with diabetes may be at increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Testing approximately 3000 diabetics with a variety of cognitive evaluations, researchers found that as Type-2 diabetic’s blood-sugar increased so too did their brain functioning slow. This connection indicates that doctor’s may be able to slow the progression of dementia with further control of vascular conditions. From Boston – According to a study published online in Breast Cancer Research, black women may be at increased risk of having triple-negative breast cancer. In a study of 415 women with invasive breast cancer, researchers found that black women were 3X more likely to develop these aggressive types of tumors. Though black women are generally less likely to develop breast cancer than white women, their cancers are typically diagnosed when further along. And finally, from New York – According to a study published online in Clinical Cancer Research, women who have a certain mutation in the MDM2 gene may be predisposed to developing melanoma at a younger age. Studying over 200 patients with melanoma, scientists found that this particular variation of the MDM2 gene led to a 4X increased risk of the skin cancer. This study suggests the importance of evaluating the MDM2 gene when screening for melanoma risk. For Insidermedicine in 60, I’m Dr. Kelly Schweitzer.

Insidermedicine in 60 – December 19, 2008

From Ohio – According to research in the journal Cancer, breast cancer recovery can be slowed by poor relationships. In a study of 100 women, researchers found that those involved in a distressed relationship with their spouse or partner experienced slower health recovery, more signs of illness and treatment side effects, and higher levels of stress. The researchers conclude that improving relationships can be beneficial for both emotional well-being and physical health. From Ottawa – According to Health Canada, children under 6 should not be given cough and cold medication. This decision expands on preliminary recommendations made a year ago and is based on a review of scientific data on these products. The decision is based on the fact that there is little evidence supporting the effectiveness of these products in children, and reports of misuse, overdose and side-effects have raised concerns. And finally, from the UK – According to research in the journal Pediatrics, the likelihood of being obese is set by the age of 5. Researchers studied 233 children and found that, by the time they reached school age, the girls had already gained 90% of their excess weight, and the boys had gained 70%. The childrens’ weight at 5 years of age was found to closely predict weight at 9 years. The researchers suggest that the cause is related to environment and learned behaviors. For Insidermedicine in 60, I’m Dr. Susan Sharma.

Insidermedicine In 60 – September 28, 2009

From New York – According to a report published in the journal Cancer, more and more women are turning to prophylactic mastectomy–a preventive procedure for high risk breast cancer patients that removes the unaffected breast. Researchers studied data from New York’s cancer registry, analyzing over 69000 cases. They found that from 1995 to 2005 the amount of prophylactic mastectomies more than doubled. From Denmark – Women who take antidepressants during pregnancy put their babies at a small increased risk of heart defects, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal. Danish researchers studied nearly 500, 000 babies born between 1996 and 2003. They found that babies born to women who took an SSRI during the first trimester were at a .4% increased risk of having a septal heart defect. And finally, from the Netherlands – The presence of an autoimmune condition called lupus anticoagulant (LA) in young women dramatically increases their risk of stroke and heart attack, according to a report published in the journal Lancet Neurology. Researchers studied over 1000 women under the age of 50, analyzing their blood samples and cardiovascular risk factors. They found that women with LA had a five times increased risk of heart attack and 40 times increased risk of stroke. Results also showed that oral contraceptives and smoking added significantly to this risk