CHRONIC PAIN
• Spinal Circuitry Responsible for Chronic Pain Charted: In a
major breakthrough, a team led by researchers at the Salk Institute and Harvard
Medical School have identified an important neural mechanism in the spinal cord
that appears to be capable of sending erroneous pain signals to the brain. By
charting the spinal circuits that process and transmit pain signals in mice,
the study, published online November 20, 2014 in Cell, lays the
groundwork for identifying ways to treat pain disorders that have no clear
physical cause.
• PregabalinNot Effective in Controlling Lumbar spinal stenosis pain: Pregabalin is not
effective in controlling the pain associated with lumbar spinal stenosis, the
most common type of chronic lower back pain in older adults, a study concludes.
Pregabalin, which is marketed by Pfizer under the name Lyrica, is approved to
treat chronic pain associated with shingles, spinal cord injury, fibromyalgia,
and diabetic peripheral neuropathy. However, it is also commonly prescribed as
an "off label" treatment for chronic low back pain syndromes like
lumbar spinal stenosis. Neurology
COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
• Rx for Better Health Care: Kindness
and Compassion: Various
studies suggest that when health care workers approach patients with
compassion, patients often heal faster, have less pain and anxiety, and even
bounce back faster from common colds. Compassion and Healthcare Conference in
San Francisco
• Self
Acupressure Can Help with Constipation: In a randomized clinical trial,
72 percent of participants said that perineal self-acupressure, a simple
technique involving the application of external pressure to the perineum — the
area between the anus and genitals — helped relieve their constipation. Journal of General Internal Medicine
• Mindfulness Intervention Boosts Brain
Activation for Healthy Pleasures: How can
people who are dependent on prescription opioids reduce their cravings? Learn
to enjoy other aspects of their lives. Researchers report that after a sample
of chronic pain patients misusing opioids went through Mindfulness-Oriented
Recovery Enhancement (MORE), they exhibited increased brain activation on an
EEG to natural healthy pleasures. The MORE intervention concentrates on helping
people to recover a sense of meaning and fulfillment in everyday life,
embracing its pleasures and pain without turning to substance use as a coping
mechanism. Journal of Behavioral
Medicine
Yoga May Cut Heart Disease Risk Factors: A review, of 37 clinical trials, found that people
randomly assigned to take yoga classes saw improvements in their weight, blood
pressure and cholesterol. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology
FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION ACTION
• Approved “Abuse-Resistant’ Narcotic Painkiller Hysingla ER (hydrocodone
bitartrate)
• Warned against using laparoscopic power morcellators
to treat uterine fibroids
• Approved the Intercept Blood System for plasma,
the first pathogen reduction system for use by blood establishments in the
preparation of plasma in order to reduce the risk of transfusion-transmitted
infections (TTI)
• Approved a new blood test, Lp-PLA2, that can
help determine a person's future odds for heart attack and other heart troubles
• Flu Virus Mutation Not a Good Mach with Current Vaccine: Much
of the influenza virus circulating in the United States has mutated and this
year's vaccine doesn't provide good protection against it, federal health
officials are warning. "Though reduced, this cross-protection might reduce
the likelihood of severe outcomes such as hospitalization and death," CDC
said in a health advisory to doctors. "In addition, vaccination will offer
protection against circulating influenza strains that have not undergone
significant antigenic drift from the vaccine viruses (such as influenza A
(H1N1) and B viruses)." However the CDC recommends that everyone six
months and older receive a flu vaccine every year.
• Jogging May Help Seniors Walk Better: The researchers looked at people older
than 65 who either ran or walked for exercise. Those who ran at least 30
minutes three times a week were less likely to have age-related physical
decline in walking than walkers. In fact, joggers were 7 percent to 10 percent
more efficient at walking than those who didn't jog, according to the study
published online Nov. 20 in the journal PLoS One.
• Restroom
Hand Dryers Spread More Germs than Paper: Those air-blown hand dryers in
public restrooms may spread far more germs than conventional paper towels, a
new study suggests. Jet-air dryers were the worst, the study found. Bacteria
levels in the air around jet-air dryers were 4.5 times higher than around warm
air dryers and 27 times higher than around paper towel dispensers. Journal of
Hospital Infection
• Could Your Job Help Preserve Your Aging Brain?: The researchers compared IQ
scores obtained around age 11 from more than 1,000 Scottish people with their
memory and reasoning scores around age 70. The scientists found that those who
had mentally stimulating jobs appeared to retain sharper thinking even years
after retirement. Neurology
• Exercise
Might Not Help Some Type 2 Diabetics Control Their Blood Sugar:Certain genes might prevent regular exercise from improving blood sugar control
in up to a fifth of people with type 2 diabetes, a new study suggests. Journal
of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism
•
Common Knee Surgery May Boost Arthritis Risk: Meniscal tears are one of the
most common knee injuries, and surgery is often performed to reduce pain and
improve joint function. MRI scans were used to look at 355 knees with
arthritis, and compared them to a similar number of knees without arthritis.
The average age of the patients was about 60 and most were overweight. All 31
knees that were operated on to repair meniscal tears developed arthritis within
a year, compared with 59 percent of knees with meniscal damage that did not
have surgery. Radiological Society of North America annual meeting
• Common Painkillers May Help Prevent Certain Skin Cancers: Use of ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve) appear to reduce
the risk of squamous cell skin cancer by 15 percent, the researchers concluded
after reviewing nine prior studies. Squamous cell skin cancer is usually caused
by sun exposure. Journal of Investigative Dermatology
SUPPLEMENTS/NUTRITION/VITAMINS
• Report: Analysis of Arsenic in Rice and Other Grains from Consumer Reports: In general, rice labeled as from the U.S. or from Arkansas, Louisiana,
or Texas tended to have the highest levels of total inorganic arsenic compared
with rice from elsewhere.
• Health Benefits of Plant Based Omega 3: Increasing the amount of omega-3s in
your diet, whether from fish or flax, will likely decrease your risk of getting
heart disease, according to nutritionists. A substantial amount of evidence
exists supporting the heart-health benefits of eicosapentaenoic acid and
docosahexaenoic acid (EPA and DHA), marine-derived omega-3 fatty acids.
However, much less evidence exists to demonstrate the positive effects of
alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a plant-based omega-3 fatty acid. Advances in
Nutrition: An International Review Journal
• Doesa Yogurt a Day Keep Diabetes Away?: A high intake of yogurt has been
found to be associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes,
according to research. This highlights the importance of having yogurt as part
of a healthy diet. BMC Medicine
• Heart
Disease and Diabetes Linked to Carbs Not Fat: The results of a study, which followed 16
middle-aged, obese adults for 21 weeks, found that it was the carbohydrates in
the diets that were linked with increased levels of the type of fatty acid
linked to heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Plos One
• Better Diet, Exercise Can Prevent Diabetes: Lifestyle changes and medicines are equally effective in preventing men and women with prediabetes from progressing to type 2 diabetes, a new analysis finds. Diabetologia
• Mediterranean Diet Improves Cardiovascular Function in Men with Erectile Dysfunction: The Mediterranean diet is linked to improved
cardiovascular function in patients with erectile dysfunction, according to a
study presented at EuroEcho-Imaging 2014, the annual meeting of the European
Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI), a branch of the European Society
of Cardiology (ESC). The study also showed that patients with erectile
dysfunction who had poor adherence to the Mediterranean diet had more vascular
and cardiac damage.
• Could a Mediterranean Diet Extend Your Life?: Using data from the Nurses Study,
researchers found that the diet -- rich in whole grains, vegetables, fruits,
legumes, nuts, fish and olive oil -- appears to be associated with longer
telomere length, which are indicators of slower aging. BMJ
• Study
Casts Doubt on Low Dose Aspirin for Women Less than 65:Although low-dose aspirin may curb the risks of heart disease and colon cancer,
the downsides appear to outweigh the benefits for many women, a new large study
suggests. For women younger than 65, researchers found taking low-dose aspirin
for years lowered the risks of heart attack, stroke and colon cancer by a small
amount. But they also found that the benefit was countered by an increase in
the risk of major gastrointestinal bleeding -- serious enough to land a woman
in the hospital. The picture looked better for women age 65 and up. Aspirin
boosted their risk of bleeding, too -- but the benefits against heart disease
and colon cancer were bigger, researchers reported. Heart online
• Top Selling Eye Vitamins Found Not to Match Scientific Evidence: Researchers
analyzed popular eye vitamins to determine whether their formulations and
claims are consistent with scientific findings. They determined that some of
the top-selling products do not contain identical ingredient dosages to eye
vitamin formulas proven effective in clinical trials. They also found claims
made on the products' promotional materials lack evidence.
• Vitamin C May Help People who Suffer from Exercise Induce Bronchooconstriction: A meta-analysis of three studies found
that vitamin C halved post-exercise FEV1 decline in participants who suffered
from exercise-induced bronchoconstriction. Five other studies examined subjects
who were under short-term, heavy physical stress and a meta-analysis revealed
that vitamin C halved the incidence of respiratory symptoms. Another trial
reported that vitamin C halved the duration of the respiratory symptoms in male
adolescent competitive swimmers. Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology
• Oral Salmon Calcitonin Shows No Clinical Benefit in Symptomatic Knee Osteoarthritis: A new tablet form of salmon calcitonin (sCT) failed to produce reproducible clinical benefits in phase 3 trials in patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis (OA), researchers said here at the 2014 Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology/Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals (ACR/ARHP)
TREATMENT RESEARCH
• Ezetimibe Can Help Improve LDL-C Levels, Reduce Cardiovascular Events in High-Risk Patients: Adding ezetimibe to
statin therapy among high-risk patients with acute coronary syndromes not only
improved cholesterol levels, but also led to greater reductions in
cardiovascular events, researchers said here at the 2014 Annual Meeting of the
American Heart Association (AHA).
• Findings Do
Not Support Routine CT Angiography in Patients With Diabetes: A study published in
JAMA and presented at the 2014 Scientific Sessions of the American Heart
Association (AHA) showed that coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA)
should not be used as routine screening for coronary artery disease (CAD) among
patients with diabetes.
• Talk Therapy Linked to Lower Suicide Risk: Talk therapy significantly
reduces suicide attempts and deaths among people who have previously attempted
suicide, a new study finds. The new research included more than 5,600 people in
Denmark who underwent six to 10 talk therapy sessions after they attempted
suicide. The study also included more than 17,000 people who attempted suicide
but received no treatment afterward. Lancet Psychiatry
• Mere Expectation of Treatment can improve brain activity in Parkinson’s Patients: Learning-related
brain activity in Parkinson's patients improves as much in response to a
placebo treatment as to real medication, according to a new study. "The findings
highlight the power of expectations to drive changes in the brain," said a
co-author of the study. "The research highlights important links between
psychology and medicine." Nature Neuroscience, 2014;
•
Obstructive sleep apnea treatments may reduce depression:Treatment for obstructive sleep apnea with continuous positive airway pressure
or mandibular advancement devices can lead to modest improvements in depressive
symptoms, according to a study. PLoS Medicine
• HIV/AIDs Meds Could be Repurposed to Treat AMD: A landmark
study in the journal Science by an international group of scientists,
reports that HIV/AIDS drugs-Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors
(NRTIs)- that have been used for the last 30 years could be repurposed to treat
age-related macular degeneration (AMD), as well as other inflammatory
disorders, because of a previously undiscovered intrinsic and inflammatory
activity those drugs possess.
• New Study Strengthens Evidence of the Connection Between Statin Use and Cataracts: Two Canadian
studies have shown an increase risk of developing cataracts requiring surgical
intervention in people taking statins by 27% in one study and 7% in another. Canadian
Journal of Cardiology
•
Antacids May Improve Head and Neck Cancer: The researchers examined the
effects that two types of antacids -- proton pump inhibitors and histamine 2
blockers -- had on head and neck cancer patients. More than two-thirds of the
nearly 600 patients in the study took one or both types of the antacids after
their cancer diagnosis. Compared to patients who didn't take antacids, those
who took proton pump inhibitors had a 45 percent lower risk of death, according
to the researchers. They also found that those who took histamine 2 blockers
had a 33 percent lower risk of death. Cancer Prevention Research
OTHER
• Half of Dr. Oz’s Medical Advise is Baseless or Wrong, Study says: Researchers
charged medical research either didn’t substantiate — or flat out contradicted
— more than half of the popular medical TV host Dr. Oz’s recommendations. They
selected 40 episodes from last year, identifying 479 separate medical
recommendations. After paging through the relevant medical research, they found
evidence only supported 46 percent of his recommendations, contradicted 15
percent and wasn’t available for 39 percent. BMJ
• New AARP Report: Brand Name Drug Prices Increasing Dramatically: Retail
prices for brand name prescription drugs widely used by older Americans shot up
by an average of nearly 13 percent in 2013, more than eight times faster than
the 1.5 percent general inflation rate, according to a new AARP Public Policy
Institute (PPI) report . The report reveals the highest average annual price
increase since AARP began tracking prescription drug prices in 2004.
• 1 in 5 US Adults Dealt with a Mental Illness in 2013: Nearly
one in five American adults -- 43.8 million people -- had a diagnosable mental
illness in 2013. The report also found that 10 million adults had a serious
mental illness, 15.7 million had major depressive episodes, 9.3 million had
serious thoughts of suicide, 2.7 million made suicide plans and 1.3 million
attempted suicide. U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration
• Nearly
1 in 12 Americans Struggles with Depression: Almost 8 percent of Americans
aged 12 and older were moderately to severely depressed during 2009 to 2012,
U.S. health officials reported. But, only slightly more than one-third of those
suffering from severe depression sought help from a mental health professional
in the previous year. NCHS Data Brief
• 40% of Seniors Report Having a Disability: Nearly 40 percent of Americans
over the age of 65 -- about 16 million people -- live with at least one
disability, a new federal government report shows. U.S. National Institute on
Aging
• More
Patients with ALS Have Genetic Origin: Genetics may play a larger role
in causing Lou Gehrig's disease than previously believed, potentially
accounting for more than one-third of all cases, according to one of the most
comprehensive genetic studies to date of patients who suffer from the condition
also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. Annals of Neurology
• Feel Younger Than Your Age? It May Help You Live Longer: Seniors
who said they felt three or more years younger than their actual age
experienced a lower death rate over the course of eight years than people who
either felt their full age or a little older, researchers report online Dec. 15
in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.
• Constant
E-mail Checks Can Leave You Stressed: A new study featured 124 adults
-- including students, financial analysts, medical professionals and others --
who were divided into two groups. During the first week, one group checked
their emails only three times a day, while the other group checked their emails
as often as they liked. The groups then switched for the second week of the
study. "Our findings showed that people felt less stressed when they
checked their email less often," Computers in Human Behavior
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