• New Blood Test for Alzheimer’s Disease

    New Blood Test for Alzheimer’s Disease

    A recent study explained that a new blood test for Alzheimer’s disease is very reliable. Specifically, it determined with 96% accuracy elevated levels of beta amyloid. It also accurately identified tau protein, another Alzheimer’s marker, with 97%. The original research study was published at JAMA … [Read More...]

  • Living with the Aging Process

    Living with the Aging Process

    The following article describes living with the aging process. Older adults undergo the process of aging between the ages of 50 and 80. This is a complex process affecting various systems parallel. There are hormone factors that are particularly prominent in women during menopause. Joints are affected by … [Read More...]

  • Ashwagandha’s Benefits

    Ashwagandha’s Benefits

    Medical news today had an article in October 2023 that reviewed ashwagandha’s benefits. I thought it would be useful to discuss this topic in an abridged version. Often things get distorted on the Internet and a reality check helps to separate facts from fiction. Ashwagandha (botanical name: Withania somnifera) is a … [Read More...]

  • Beef and Dairy May Cause Cancer and MS

    Beef and Dairy May Cause Cancer and MS

    New cancer research suggests that chronic virus particles in beef and dairy may cause cancer and MS (multiple sclerosis). The Medical journal Medscape.com had a review article that summarized this line of research. Papillomaviruses and cervical cancer Harald zur Hausen, M.D., D.Sc., a German virologist, detected … [Read More...]

  • Fasting-Mimicking Diet Is Benefitting Cardiovascular Health

    Fasting-Mimicking Diet Is Benefitting Cardiovascular Health

    A crossover study showed that a fasting-mimicking diet is benefitting cardiovascular health. This new study was done by Dr. Valter Longo et al. from the University of Southern California. It compared the effect of two diets. They were the fasting-mimicking diet versus an unrestricted diet. In other studies Dr. Longo … [Read More...]

  • Backup your New Year’s Resolutions by looking at short-term Consequences

    Backup your New Year’s Resolutions by looking at short-term Consequences

    In the New Year it pays to backup your New Year’s resolutions by looking at short-term consequences. An article in “the conversation” explains how you can keep yourself motivated to stick to healthy habits. The alternative would be to fall back into unhealthy habits, which lead to various disease conditions. … [Read More...]

    Aug
    01
    2004

    Electronic Nose Smells Sickness

    Sniffing out disease has become a reality with a new device called Cyranose 320.
    This electronic “nose” is able to recognize bacteria by sampling a patient’s breath.
    The device has been tested and found to be quite accurate, as it was able to successfully diagnose 92 % of pneumonia cases in 25 patients.

    This hand-held little invention costs about $8,000, and has been fitted by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania with a smart chip, which is capable of learning chemical “smellprints” of different bacteria. A further study showed that the Cyranose was also able to diagnose sinusitis- the most common respiratory complaint in US outpatient clinics.
    This electronic nose will show its value for early detection of pneumonia in the intensive care unit, where patients on ventilators can be safely and quickly tested. About 25 % of these patients on the average develop pneumonia, and the lead researcher of the first study, Dr. William Hanson III, emphasizes that early recognition of pneumonia and avoiding wrong diagnoses is crucial for the swift treatment of pneumonia, which can be life saving.

    Electronic Nose Smells Sickness

    Electronic Nose Smells Sickness

    Reference: National Review of Medicine (Canada), June 30, 2004, page 5

    Last edited December 8, 2012

    Jul
    01
    2004

    Gene Therapy Can Repair Blood Vessels

    When the first attempt of gene therapy were made, a concoction of LDL- receptor genes was infused into the portal vein of patients with a family trait of high cholesterol levels. This was back in 1989, and the results at that point were not encouraging.
    In the meantime advances have been made in genetic research. Dr. Duncan Stewart of the cardiology department of St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto who is considered by many as the guru of cardiac gene therapy, reports that we are now “at a crucial stage of the field”. He cautions, that having the gene on hand is only part of the answer. For good results it is also important to understand how the delivery system to the diseased organ works.

    Gene therapy stands out from other treatment options, because instead of drugs, DNA is provided. DNA itself is not the therapeutic agent. It penetrates the cells where it sets up shop and produces proteins, which are needed for therapy. In the case of heart disease, where heart vessels are blocked or have been damaged, the idea is to send specific DNA sequences to the heart cells and stimulate the production of growth factors. These growth factors would trigger new heart vessels to grow and take over for damaged or blocked vessels. This is not just a dream of a research team: a gene therapy trial – the only one of its kind in Canada – is on its way under the leadership of Dr. Stewart. This ambitious project was launched in 2002. In seven sites across Canada 110 patients with heart disease are receiving the vascular endothelial growth factor gene (VEGF for short). The gene is being directly injected into the areas of the heart where blood vessels have become diseased or blocked. The placement is measured with a mapping system known as NOGA. At the end of the year the study enrolment will be finished. Patients will be followed up for results 6 months later. This therapy promises long lasting effects, but it  still has a long way to go.

    Gene Therapy Can Repair Blood Vessels

    Gene Therapy Can Repair Blood Vessels

    Dr. Robert Hegele from the Blackburn Cardiovascular Genetic Laboratory at the University of Western Ontario is credited with uncovering eight genes for human disease (four of them are related to cardiovascular illness) and 80 mutations in other genes that are contributing to premature heart disease and diabetes. Dr. Hegel’s interest is to discover the villains that predispose people to illness, but at the same time he cautions that genes are not everything. Being genetically susceptible does not necessarily foretell one’s destiny when it comes to developing heart disease. Dr. Hegele emphasizes that the longer he works in the genetic field, the more he respects environment and lifestyle and finds that most people can even overturn genetic susceptibility and he leaves us with the final remark: “Tell your patients to stay away from tobacco, eat wisely and get that needed exercise.”

    More info on arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries): http://nethealthbook.com/cardiovascular-disease/heart-disease/atherosclerosis-the-missing-link-between-strokes-and-heart-attacks/

    Reference: The Medical Post June 29, 2004 (Vol. 40, No.26): page 35

    Comment (July 9, 2012): Note that this trial failed to show effectiveness as indicated in the paper below. So, eat wisely, exercise and don’t smoke.

    VEGF gene therapy fails to improve perfusion of ischemic myocardium in patients with advanced coronary disease: results of the NORTHERN trial. Stewart DJ, Kutryk MJ, Fitchett D, Freeman M, Camack N, Su Y, Della Siega A, Bilodeau L, Burton JR, Proulx G, Radhakrishnan S; NORTHERN Trial Investigators. Mol Ther. 2009 Jun;17(6):1109-15. Epub 2009 Apr 7.

    Last edited Oct. 26, 2014

    Jul
    01
    2004

    Beer A Red Flag For Gout

    This article focuses on “beer a red flag for gout”. For centuries gout has been known as the affliction of the affluent. The Greek physician Hippocrates first described it as “the disease of the kings”. In the meantime the illness has jumped social boundaries. The reason is that the over consumption of meats and alcohol will occur in all population groups.

    A British publication said: beer a red flag for gout

    In its April 17 issue the British medical paper”The Lancet” mentioned a link between alcohol and gout. Dr. Hyon Choi of the rheumatology unit of the Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, headed a study. It showed that moderate amounts of wine did not pose a risk for gout. It was the beer drinkers who had a problem. Those who drank more than two 350 ml cans or bottles of beer per day had a 2.5 times higher risk of developing gout than nondrinkers. People who had 2 shots of liquor a day ran a risk that was 1.6 times higher than those who did not drink. Moderate wine drinkers had the same risk of developing gout as nondrinkers, as long as they did not overindulge: 1 to 2 glasses of wine per day were the limit! It is not clear at this point, which would be the noxious substance in beer and spirits that is responsible for attacks of gout, and moderation is still in order for all wine lovers!

    Beer A Red Flag For Gout

    Beer A Red Flag For Gout

    Reference: National Review Of Medicine, May 15,2004, pg.10

    Last edited Oct. 26, 2014

    Jul
    01
    2004

    New Asthma Drug Works Slowly But Surely

    Patients with severe asthma will have a new treatment option. A new medication under the name omalizumab has been studied in clinical trials by Dr. Jean Bousquet of Arnaud de Villeneuve Hospital in Montpellier, France.

    In the study it was also determined which patients would benefit most of the new drug. The results are very encouraging: those patients who had the least success with other asthma medications had the best response. However, it is not an instant response. 67 % of the patients showed a good response after 4 weeks of treatment. 87 % of patients showed a response only after having been on the medication for 12 weeks. As a result of this trial it was determined, that patients with asthma should be treated with omalizumab for at least 12 weeks. FDA approval for difficult to manage cases of allergic asthma came in June of 2003 (trade name Xolair, manufacturer: Genentech, Inc). On the other hand, patience is also of essence: if the medication is only administered for a month, a lot of patients with difficult to treat asthma will miss out on the beneficial effects, as opposed to those who persist and reap significant improvement after 12 weeks. One of the downsides of the medicine is the possibility of anaphylactic reactions.

    Reference: National Review of Medicine, May 15, 2004, pg. 27

    New Asthma Drug Works Slowly But Surely

    New Asthma Drug Works Slowly But Surely

    More information about asthma: http://nethealthbook.com/lung-disease/asthma-introduction/

    Here is a NEJM article (case study involving omalizumab)

    Last edited Oct. 26, 2014

    Jul
    01
    2004

    Insomnia Sufferers Will Get Help

    People with chronic insomnia not only have difficulties to get a good rest at night. If they reach for the currently available sleeping medications, their days start with a drug-induced mild “hangover”: they feel drowsy for a few hours, and once they discontinue the medication, withdrawal can be a problem.

    A new medication by the name of indiplon to treat chronic insomnia will be a safer, more effective form of medicine for patients with sleep disorders, reports Dr. James Walsh (PhD). He is an executive director and senior scientist at St. Luke’s Hospital and the Unity Sleep Medicine Center in St. Louis. Dr. Walsh reports that the new medication has a very short half-life, meaning, that it is out of the body, by the time the patient wakes up in the morning. A 35-day trial showed that it is not only safe and effective, but also suitable to treat patients who have trouble falling asleep and those who have trouble sleeping through the night.
    More studies are needed, before the medication will be available in the U.S. (conditional approved in 2007 in the US, see link above) and in Canada. Here is a more extensive review regarding this complex new sleeping pill.

    Reference: The Medical Post, May 25, 2004, pg. 16

    Insomnia Sufferers Will Get Help

    Insomnia Sufferers Will Get Help

    Comment on Nov. 5, 2012: It appears that there are problems with long-term safety studies that were never completed. I would suggest to stick to over-the-counter melatonine proparations in the 1 mg to 3 mg range. Melatonine is safe as it is a body hormone. Prescription hypnotics (as sleeping pills are called) are problematic as they do not fit into the body chemistry receptor-wise. No problems there with melatonine.

    Last edited December 8, 2012

    Jul
    01
    2004

    Flu Shots For Young Children And Pregnant Moms

    It may be summer, but next winter will be there and along with it the threat of flus.
    Flu shots are offered in fall, and especially people with health problems (like asthma or diabetes, just to name a few) and seniors have been the primary target groups for public vaccination programs. U.S. health authorities now have also added young children under 2 to the program.

    This step has been taken, as babies and young children are at a substantially increased risk for influenza-related hospitalizations.
    The U.S. Centers for Disease Control has just release a new recommendation, that all women who are pregnant during the influenza season should get flu shots. Pregnant women who contract influenza frequently have an increased rate of complications, including pneumonia, tachycardia (rapid heart beat), and contractions.
    Even though most pregnant women are young and healthy, their hospital admission rate during the flu season is similar to what you see in the elderly.
    Statistics show that generally only 12% of women with uncomplicated pregnancies get vaccinated. With the threat of a severe strain of influenza A, which showed its aggressive and widespread activity last winter, it can be expected that there will be an increased demand for flu shots this year.

    Flu Shots For Young Children And Pregnant Moms

    Flu Shots For Young Children And Pregnant Moms

    References: The Medical Post, May 18, 2004, pg. 8 and 9

    Last edited December 8, 2012

    Jun
    01
    2004

    Eczema – More Than Skin Deep

    Dermatologists have seen more than a threefold increase of eczema in the last thirty years. The condition is common especially in childhood. Skin irritants can play a role. Dr. Harvey Lui, Professor for Dermatology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, also observed, that eczema is much more common in the Asian population. Patients who came from the warmer climate of Southeast Asia and are exposed to a harsher, colder climate will get into trouble more easily, as dryness of the skin will aggravate the skin condition.

    Dr. Lui also stresses, that patient education about sensible skin care is of great importance. Fighting fire with fire – like taking a hot shower to combat itchy and dry skin- will make things worse in the long run. Inflamed skin needs to be kept cool. Dr. Lui also stresses that skin has to be kept from drying out. These simple measures for which no prescription is needed are often neglected.

    In severe cases the traditional steroid cream has been replaced by preparations, which have an effect on the immune response. Dr. Lui explains that eczema is partially an exaggerated response of the immune system to whatever is noxious or irritating in the environment. The medication tacrolimus (Prograf) is a naturally derived compound that makes the immune cells (T-cells) less active, as they are responsible for the overactive response. It is called an “immunomodulator”.

    Eczema - More Than Skin Deep

    Eczema – More Than Skin Deep

    Due to this knowledge more treatment options are available than in the past. Atopic eczema is very often combined with asthma and allergies and tends to run in families. As the immune system gets strengthened during childhood, eczema tends to be worse in the young person, and time can be the greatest ally in the healing process.

    More info on skin rashes: http://nethealthbook.com/dermatology-skin-disease/skin-rash/

    Reference: 1. The Medical Post, March 2, 2004 (p.2 and 65) 2. “Guidelines of care for atopic dermatitis”
    Hanifin J – J Am Acad Dermatol – 2004 Mar; 50(3), p.391

    Last edited Oct. 26, 2014

    Jun
    01
    2004

    New Antibody Treatment For Colon Cancer

    The drug Cetuximab landed Martha Stewart in the middle of an insider-trading scandal back in December of 2001. Inside information stated that the FDA had turned down the application for this drug in December. However, now there is good news for patients.

    The FDA has recently approved the drug, also known as Erbitux. The medication offers treatment for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who are not tolerating chemotherapy with irinotecan. The most innovative feature of Erbitux is the fact, that it is the first-of-its-kind antibody that inhibits a specific protein, which in turn stops cell division of cancer cells. Clinical trials that were done in Europe consisted of testing stage III colorectal cancer patients with irinotecan (chemotherapeutic agent) alone or in combination with Cetuximab (equivalent of Erbitux). The survival advantage was almost 9 months better in the combination group. Cetuximab alone also had a certain effect, but was not as good as the combination therapy. In the next few years more of these new antibody therapies will be tested in clinical trials to check out the safety and the effectiveness in various cancer types.

    New Antibody Treatment For Colon Cancer

    New Antibody Treatment For Colon Cancer

    More info on colon cancer treatment: http://nethealthbook.com/cancer-overview/colon-cancer/colon-cancer-treatment/

    Based on a paper by Harris M – Lancet Oncol – 01-MAY-2004; 5(5): 292-302: “Monoclonal antibodies as therapeutic agents for cancer”.

    Last edited October 26, 2014

    Jun
    01
    2004

    Cellulite – Quacks And Facts

    California dermatologist Dr. Mitchell Goldman presented an overview at the American Academy of Dermotology, and stated that there are many types of treatment options available to combat cellulite including creams, massage, diet, and exercise. He cautioned however, that nobody at this time has done a study which evaluates the 20 creams that are currently on the market. It is true that a large variety of ingredients in the creams directly help stimulating the fat metabolism, increasing circulation and lymphatic flow.

    He suggests to his patients to try a product for a month, and if there is no improvement, a switch to a different one should be made. The effectiveness of the creams can be enhanced by wearing bioceramic neoprene shorts. They look like normal work-out shorts, and wearing them a couple of hours per day can keep the cellulite from coming back.

    Endermology is another treatment which can be useful with cellulite reduction: a mechanical action gently folds and unfolds the affected skin areas under the continous action of rollers. These rollers help improve the microcirculation, stimulate fluid exchange and improve overall cell function.
    A variety of scams for treatment lurks on the Internet. Patients seeking treatment should be cautious about the most commonly advertised rip-off treatment called “mesotherapy”.
    It involves injecting toxic substances into the body, including carbon dioxide gas. There has never been a scientific study which proves that it works, yet there is a great deal of publicity enticing patients to try it.

    Cellulite - Quacks And Facts

    Cellulite – Quacks And Facts

    It is also important that patients are informed that cellulite is a condition that can be successfully treated, but it cannot be cured. Once you stop using the cream or the controlling treatment, the cellulite will return.

    Based on The Medical Post, March 2, 2004, p. 21

    Last edited December 8, 2012

    Jun
    01
    2004

    Take A Deep Breath For Insulin

    Patients with diabetes sometimes find it difficult to face the daily insulin injections.
    Studies by Dr. Robert A. Gerber from Pfizer Global Research and Development in Groton, Mass. are showing that improvements in the lab tests for the diabetes marker hemoglobin A1C were similar for patients who received insulin inhalations to those patients who received the conventional injections.

    The ease of use, comfort, as well as the overall satisfaction of inhalation as opposed to injection rated high. Long-term improvement in the control of blood sugar is maintained up to the 1 year follow-up.
    In the future the patients may very well have the choice between inhalation and injection of insulin. Even though the 1 year follow-up results are in, longer follow-up studies are needed, before insulin shots become a thing of the past.

    More info on diabetes: http://nethealthbook.com/hormones/diabetes/type-2-diabetes/

    Based on Diabetes Care 2004; 27:1318-1323

    Take A Deep Breath For Insulin

    Take A Deep Breath For Insulin

    Comment on Nov. 5, 2012: Pfizer marketed the inhalable insulin under the brand name “Exubera”. It was available in the US from Sept. 2006 onward after FDA approval. The inhalable insulin was proven to be as effective as the injectable insulin, but the cost of Exubera was prohibitive and Pfizer had to discontinue the production after October of 2007 as it was unlikely to be cost-effective, just 1 year and 1month after its initial release.

    Last edited October 26, 2014