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- 27.08.2008 Consumption of Corn and Nuts Not Associated with Diverticular Disease
The advice to avoid nuts, corn, and popcorn in diverticulitis should be reconsidered, according to a JAMA study.
Using data from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, researchers examined the association between consuming foods normally warned against in diverticulitis and developing the disease or bleeding complications. The sample included nearly 50,000 men — free from diverticulitis at baseline — who were followed for 18 years. + zobacz więcej - 27.08.2008 Toxic-Metal Content of Ayurvedic Medicines Available on the Web
About 20% of traditional Indian Ayurvedic medicines available on the Internet contain levels of lead, mercury, or arsenic that exceed regulatory limits, JAMA reports.
Researchers ordered and analyzed nearly 200 Ayurvedic medicines and found that the prevalence of metals was similar in both U.S.- and Indian-manufactured drugs. Rasa shastra medicines, which traditionally combine herbs with metals, minerals, and gems, had a higher prevalence of metals than non-rasa shastra types, which only contain herbs. (U.S.-manufactured rasa shastra drugs had no detectable mercury and had lower lead levels than Indian products). + zobacz więcej - 26.08.2008 Stopping Anticoagulants 6 Months After Unprovoked VTE
Some patients with thromboembolism may safely stop anticoagulants after 6 months, reports an international study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
To identify those whose annual risk of recurrence was under 3%, researchers followed some 650 patients for a mean of 18 months. The patients had all received anticoagulant therapy for about 6 months after a first unprovoked episode of venous thromboembolism. + zobacz więcej - 25.08.2008 Needle Penetration Depth for Children Questioned
CDC recommendations for vaccination needle length for children carry substantial risk for overpenetration into bone, especially in the shoulder, according a Pediatrics study.
The study was based on measurements of subcutaneous fat and muscle in 250 children aged 2 months to 18 years. Researchers say their findings support 7/8- or 1-inch needles for intramuscular thigh injections in both sexes up to age 6 — similar to CDC recommendations. + zobacz więcej - 25.08.2008 Platelet-Production Stimulator Approved for Chronic ITP
The FDA has approved Nplate (romiplostim) to stimulate bone marrow to produce more platelets in patients with chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP).
In two randomized trials that included 125 patients, those who received romiplostim over 6 months showed significantly higher platelet counts, compared with those who did not receive the drug. The FDA said in its announcement that the drug is approved for use only in patients who do not respond to other treatments, such as corticosteroids and splenectomy. + zobacz więcej - 22.08.2008 FDA Investigates Potential Link Between Vytorin and Cancer
The FDA is examining preliminary data from the SEAS (Simvastatin and Ezetimibe in Aortic Stenosis) study showing that Vytorin (simvastatin plus ezetimibe) may be associated with increased risks for cancer and cancer death.
The agency does not currently recommend that patients discontinue Vytorin or other cholesterol-lowering drugs. Rather, it cites various studies, including two large ongoing trials of Vytorin, that have not shown an association between statin use and cancer risk. + zobacz więcej - 22.08.2008 HRT May Improve Health-Related Quality of Life in Postmenopausal Women
Combination hormone replacement therapy may boost some aspects of health-related quality of life in postmenopausal women, BMJ reports.
Researchers assessed quality of life among some 2100 women roughly 1 year after randomization to estrogen-progestogen therapy or placebo (average age at randomization, 64). Women on HRT reported significant improvements in vasomotor symptoms (e.g., hot flashes, night sweats), joint and muscle aches, sexual functioning, and insomnia, relative to women on placebo. However, HRT users had higher rates of breast tenderness and vaginal discharge. And when the women rated their overall quality of life, there was no difference between the groups. + zobacz więcej - 21.08.2008 Preeclampsia Marks Increased Risk for End-Stage Renal Disease Later in Life
Preeclampsia may portend end-stage renal disease (ESRD), reports the New England Journal of Medicine.
Researchers retrospectively examined outcomes among some 570,000 women who delivered singleton infants at 16 weeks' gestation or later in Norway. ESRD subsequently developed in roughly 480 women (average time to diagnosis, 17 years). + zobacz więcej - 20.08.2008 A Link Between Arsenic and Diabetes?
Patients may be asking about reports of a potential link between arsenic exposure and type 2 diabetes risk — reports based on a preliminary communication in JAMA.
NHANES researchers assessed urine arsenic levels and diabetes status among nearly 800 U.S. adults with low-to-moderate arsenic exposure. After multivariable adjustment, they found that the prevalence of diabetes increased as the level of total urine arsenic increased. In particular, the odds ratio for diabetes was 3.6 among adults in the 80th versus the 20th percentile of urine arsenic. + zobacz więcej - 20.08.2008 Homocysteine-Lowering with B Vitamins After Angiography Shows No Benefit
Homocysteine-lowering therapy after coronary angiography doesn't improve patient outcomes, JAMA reports.
Nearly 3100 adults were randomized to begin one of four daily treatments after undergoing angiography for suspected coronary artery disease or aortic valve stenosis. + zobacz więcej
