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Bird Flu Can Affect Humans

Avian Influenza has received significant attention in the media: some articles label it as the new threat in influenza viruses, while others dismiss it as " only a flu that will infect birds." Outbreaks have been reported mainly from Asia, but the nasty virus has made it into poultry farms in North America. There is concern that avian influenza could be transmitted from uncooked birds or bird products onto humans. Avian influenza A has indeed been detected in imported frozen duck meat and infected poultry eggs.
Of particular concern is the virus strain H5N2, as it has the propensity to mutate rapidly. At this point the risk of human-to-human, and transmission remains low, but acquiring the infection from sick birds is a reality. The course tends to be more severe in people older than 12 years, while the disease in children tended to be milder and self-limiting. The symptoms in the adult age group presented as follows:
-Fever (100% of the affected patients)
-Upper respiratory tract infections (67%)
-Pneumonia (58%)
-Gastrointestinal symptoms (50%)
Abnormal laboratory test results were:
-Elevated serum aminotransferases (50%)
-Pancytopenia and bone marrow hemophgocytosis (16%)
Guidelines from the Center for Disease Control suggest that travelers to countries experiencing outbreaks of avian flu should avoid areas with live poultry (live animal markets or poultry farms). Hand hygiene in the form of soap and water or alcohol-base hand sanitizers is important. All poultry products should be cooked, as heat is effective in killing viruses. It is also important to inform the health care provider about flu-like symptoms associated with recent travel; so avian influenza can be considered.
The current influenza vaccines have no protective value against the avian flu. Studies suggest that anti-viral prescription medication may work. As the viruses are becoming resistant to current medications, they are expected to have limitations in successful treatment.

The Canadian Journal of CME, April 2005, page 49

Look for more info about the bird flu at the CDC site of the US.

Burgers, Fries and High Health Care Costs

"Everything in moderation" and "A little bit cannot harm" are the deceptively soothing terms that can lull consumers into the belief, that fast foods cannot be so bad after all. A study, called the" Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults" however gives us the facts, that paint a more realistic picture: the "little bit" actually has fairly serious consequences!
In this U.S. study a wide cross section of young adults were followed in four U.S centers: Birmingham, Ala., Chicago, Minneapolis and Oakland Calif. 3031 people in the age of 18 to 30 years were recruited in 1985 and followed until 2001.

Lifestyle habits, such as smoking, watching TV and intake of other foods were recorded, and insulin resistance was measured. In addition there were detailed studies of weight, height, waist size and other body measurements. Some interesting facts emerged: women ate fast foods less frequently than men. Fast food intake was associated with lower education, more TV watching, lower physical activity, high intake of trans fats and alcohol intake. In short: fast foods and other unhealthy lifestyle choices were correlated.
Dr. Mark Pereira, PhD of the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, who is one of the authors of the study, points out that it is extremely difficult to eat in a healthy way in a fast foods restaurant. The menus still include foods high in fat, sugar and calories and low in fiber and nutrients. Dr. Arne Astrup from the RVA University in Copenhagen found the same issues: besides the fact that serving sizes have increased two to five fold over the past fifty years, the energy density is twice as high in fast foods as compared to food in healthy diets. Dr. Astrup also points out in his publication, that humans have only a weak innate ability to recognize foods with high energy density and then down-regulate the amount eaten to meet and not exceed energy requirements.
If a person ate more than 2 fast food meals per week, which would be a modest increase of the control group that ate less than 1 fast food meal per week, the 2 meals per week group was about 5 kg heavier after 15 years, as opposed to 11 kg in the control group. The insulin resistance increased by an alarming 230 %. This finding is of significance, as insulin resistance promotes the occurrence of cardiovascular disease and cancer, especially breast and colorectal cancers. The data are showing that even a modest increase has a unique effect in increasing the risks for these disease patterns, and the message is, that health care costs will only come down, if the root cause of disease is attacked at the societal and lifestyle level.

The Medical Post, March 8, 2005,page 20

It is a well-known fact that certain diseases go together, for instance diabetes and heart disease. Every effort has to be made for this reason to control a disease in order to minimize the risk for other associated illnesses.
New research from rheumatologist Dr. Sherin Gabriel at the Mayo Clinic points to another health condition. Patients affected by rheumatoid arthritis have a higher risk of early death than others, and these deaths are mostly due to cardiovascular disease. The relationship between these two diseases is complex, reports Dr. Gabriel, and the common denominator between heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis seems to be systemic inflammation.

Research from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, has been published in March, and it was found that inflammation documented by laboratory tests such as an erythrocyte sedimentation rate of over 60mm per hour increased the risk for heart disease by a factor of two. Rheumatoid arthritis vasculitis increased the risk to 2.4, and RA lung disease showed a risk increase of 2.3. Traditional risk factors for heart disease like smoking, alcohol, obesity and diabetes were accounted for, yet the more dramatic risk factor in the population with RA (rheumatoid arthritis) was the aspect of inflammation. The results of this research are based on data from the Rochester Epidemiology Project, in which 603 persons with rheumatoid arthritis were followed over 15 years. In this time span 364 of these patients died, and heart disease was the primary cause of death in 176 of them. The subjects of this group were three times as likely as an age-matched population to have been hospitalized for a heart attack and had five times the risk of having an unrecognized heart attack. This group is also more vulnerable, because patients with rheumatoid arthritis suffer of joint pains, receive painkillers, and often chest pain can be masked by pain medication and go unrecognized.
Co-author Dr. Hilal Maradit points out that rheumatoid arthritis remains a multifactor problem, and one factor alone does not explain the entire story, but in the meantime the link of inflammation in RA to cardiovascular disease is an important step closer to early recognition and successful control.

National Review Of Medicine, April 15,2005,page3

Dialysis At Home Now Possible

Kidney failure and the need for dialysis has been a burden that many patients had to live with in the past. Invariably the quality of life would suffer, as every week brought trips to the hospital and a four-hour hook-up to the dialysis machine there. The times of travel or recreation were usually a thing of the past, as dialysis took precedence over other things.

Dr. Stephen Korbet, professor of nephrology at Rush Presbyterian Hospital in Chicago has been using a new dialysis device to stable chronic patients since 2003.The 33 cm machine called Nx Stage System One has some significant advantages over the conventional machines. The treatment is done on a daily basis for 2 hours. There is better clearance of potassium and phosphates, and there seem to be fewer side effects. The system is portable, can also be taken on trips, and no special water processing or electrical requirements are needed. Those who wish to use the system have to be medically stable and train for two weeks with a partner who can assist with set-up and watch for adverse effect.
The Nx Stage System One offers the patient freedom and independence. At this point it is not yet available in Canada.

The Medical Post, April 26,2005,page 45

Some people like the caffeine fix in the form of coffee, cola drinks or chocolate. The kick of 36 mg of caffeine in one can of cola is enough of a wake up call and can interfere with falling asleep at night. In the meantime however, some soft drinks appeal to the crowd that thinks that more must be better. One of the concoctions, Red Bull, which came originally from Austria, has managed to be approved by Health Canada as a "natural health product".

There are a few strings attached: the label must carry a warning that the drink is not recommended for children and breast-feeding women. The drink should not be mixed with alcohol, and no more than 500 ml (two cans) should be consumed per day. The European Commission on Food Safety had closely scrutinized it, and the product is in fact banned in France, Denmark, and Norway, as the authorities are not sure about the long-term effect of the ingredients, namely taurine, caffeine and glucuronolactone.
The problem remains that any kid can have access to Red Bull at the corner store. No one is watching how much is consumed. These drinks have become hot seller-last year alone 80,000 L of "energy drinks" were sold in Canada alone. Red Bull packs a significant 80 mg of caffeine, "Guru" comes in with 125 mg of caffeine, and it is even sold in school cafeterias in Montreal.

A sports nutritionist observed also, that it has become a popular practice among certain athletes to down three or full cans of Red Bull and in addition combine this whopping dose with a product" Hot Rox", which delivers another jolt of 1000 mg caffeine. Exaggerated adrenaline rush can be the perfect recipe for injury, insomnia and poor recovery.
The breweries seem to want a market slice too, as Labatt's new "Shok" sports more alcohol (6.9%) and 60 mg of caffeine in addition. Molson"s "Kick" delivers 55 mg caffeine and 5% alcohol.
Doctors should be on the watch for caffeine overdoses and also the resulting withdrawal symptoms. Transient behavior changes, irritability, nervousness and anxiety are on the list for the first, lack of energy and inability to concentrate are the effects of withdrawal. Reaching for stimulants also give a false sense of energy is no substitute for energy from real food. And last not least the label saying "all natural" does not guarantee safety.

The Medical Post, April 12,2005, page 21

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