CHRONIC PAIN
• Tuning out arthritis pain with radio energy:A noninvasive
treatment for knee arthritis has been developed that uses cooled
radio energy to target and interrupt pain signals. Known as “Coolief,”
the procedure can provide several months of relief from chronic arthritis pain
for patients for whom surgery is not an option. Science Daily
• Study Finds Options to Opioid Use After Knee Surgery: Alternative
drug-free interventions to manage pain, including acupuncture and
electrotherapy, may help reduce the need for prescription painkillers after
knee replacement surgery, a new review suggests. The finding stems from an
in-depth look at 39 already-completed studies. These studies included nearly
2,400 total knee replacement patients. JAMA Surgery
• Marijuana May Help Ease Nerve Pain: Marijuana may be slightly effective at
reducing chronic nerve pain known as neuropathy. But there's little evidence on
whether or not pot helps treat other types of pain or post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD), a pair of new studies suggests. The findings on neuropathy
"fit generally well with what we know," said Dr. Sachin Patel of the
Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital in Nashville. Patel wrote a commentary
accompanying the review in the Aug. 15 online edition of Annals of Internal
Medicine.
• To reduce postoperative pain, consider sleep -- and caffeine: A new preclinical study found that a brief period of extended wakefulness before surgery enhances pain and prolongs recovery time after surgery. Caffeine administration helped to reduce the harmful effects of sleep loss on subsequent surgical pain. Sleep
• Contraceptive pill linked to lowered risk of rheumatoid arthritis:
But no such association found for breastfeeding after influential factors
accounted for. Taking the contraceptive pill, particularly for seven or more
consecutive years, is linked to a lowered risk of developing rheumatoid
arthritis. BMJ
• Early rotator cuff surgery yields good long-term outcomes: Early surgery to repair tears of one of the shoulder rotator cuff muscles provides lasting improvement in strength, function, and other outcomes, reports a study. The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery
• Evidence does not support the use of gabapentinoids for chronic low back pain: Existing evidence on the use of gabapentinoids in chronic low back pain (CLBP) is limited, and demonstrates significant risk of adverse effects with no benefits on pain relief, according to a recent meta-analysis. PLOS Medicine
COMPLEMENTARY & ALTERNATIVE
MEDICINE
• Yoga helps back pain among veterans: Trial among first to show effectiveness of
yoga specifically in military veterans. Those who completed a 12-week yoga
program had better scores on a disability questionnaire, improved pain
intensity scores, and a decline in opioid use, a study that included 150
veterans with chronic low back pain found. The findings jibe with those from
two past clinical trials involving non-veterans. American Journal of Preventive
Medicine
• Yoga effective at reducing symptoms of depression: A multi-week regimen may be an effective
complement to traditional therapy for depression, multiple studies suggest.
American Psychological Association
• As Many as 1 in 3 Experience New or Worse Pain with Yoga: Many people
try yoga hoping to heal an injury, but some wind up with more aches and pains,
a new study finds.
The study, which
surveyed hundreds of people doing yoga for more than a year, found that
two-thirds said that some existing aches improved because of yoga -- most
often, lower back and neck pain. On the other hand, 21 percent said yoga
worsened their muscle or joint pain. And almost 11 percent said it caused new
issues -- most commonly, pain in the hand, wrist, elbow or shoulder. Journal
of Bodywork & Movement Therapies
• Guided self-help approach to graded exercise program is safe,
may reduce fatigue for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: A self-help
approach to a graded exercise program, supervised by a specialist
physiotherapist, is safe and may reduce fatigue for some people with chronic
fatigue syndrome (CFS), according to a new trial of 200 people. The
self-help intervention (guided graded exercise self-help, or GES) involves
slowly and safely building up physical activity levels (eg. a few minutes walking)
after establishing a daily routine, with the support of a specialist
physiotherapist over the phone or Skype(tm).The Lancet
• Music therapy helps people with Parkinson's build strength through song:
A music therapy class is helping people with Parkinson's disease build strength
through song. A new study shows singing improves the muscles used for
swallowing and respiratory control -- two functions complicated by Parkinson's.
Complementary
Therapies in Medicine
• Resistance training may slow down the progression of multiple sclerosis: New research shows that resistance training protects the brain in
persons with multiple sclerosis, which may delay the development of the
disease. In the past, multiple sclerosis patients were advised not to exercise
for fear of exacerbating the illness. However, it is now known that physical
training can relieve many of the symptoms, including the excessive fatigue and
mobility impairments that are often seen. New research now shows that
resistance training may protect the nervous system and thus slow the
progression of the disease. Multiple Sclerosis Journal
ª Marijuana associated with three-fold risk of death from hypertension: Marijuana use is associated with a three-fold risk of death from hypertension, according to new research. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology
• Marijuana Alters Levels of Seizure Drug: Scientists
experimenting with the marijuana compound cannabidiol as an epilepsy treatment
must evaluate any interactions with other anti-seizure drugs patients are
taking, researchers report. The new research from the University of Alabama at
Birmingham suggests cannabidiol affects blood levels of several anti-seizure
drugs, especially clobazam. Epilepsia
• Opting for CAM over Conventional Therapy is Risky for Cancer Survival: Patients who opted for
alternative medicine as the sole treatment for potentially curable cancers had
significantly worse survival compared with similar patients who received
conventional therapy, a retrospective comparison showed. Overall, reliance on
alternative medicine more than doubled the survival hazard, which increased as
much as five- or sixfold, depending on the type of cancer. Patients who opted
for alternative strategies tended to be younger, healthier, and more affluent
as compared with patients who received conventional care for their cancers. The
study did not include patients who received complementary or integrative
therapies in addition to conventional treatment, but focused instead on a small
subgroup of patients who chose alternative treatments as their initial and sole
therapy. Journal of the National Cancer Institute
FDA ACTION
• Will warn of dangers of electronic nicotine delivery
devices, not just tobacco products
•
Approved Mavyret for Hepatitis C in adults.
•
Approved the combination drug Vyxeos (daunorubicin and cytarabine) as the first
treatment for certain high-risk types of acute myeloid leukemia
•
Recalled Some Liquid Pharmaceutical Products due to possible contamination. The
drugs and dietary supplements, made by PharmaTech LLC in Davie, Fla., include
liquid stool softeners, liquid vitamin D drops and liquid multivitamins
marketed for infants and children, the agency said in a news release.
• Approved the
anti-cancer drug Besponsa (inotuzumab ozogamicin) to treat B-cell acute
lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)
PREVENTION
• Midlife cardiovascular risk factors may increase chances of dementia:
A
large, long-term study suggests that middle aged Americans who have vascular
health risk factors, including diabetes, high blood pressure and smoking, have
a greater chance of suffering from dementia later in life. JAMA Neurology
• Protein at all 3 Meals May Help Preserve Seniors’ Strength:
Eating protein at all three daily meals, instead of just at dinner, might help
seniors preserve physical strength as they age, new research suggests. The
Canadian study found that protein-rich meals evenly spread throughout the day
staved off muscle decline, but did not increase mobility, in older people. American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition
• Increased endometrial cancer rates found in women with high levels of cadmium: Through a five-year observational study, researchers found that women with increased levels of cadmium -- a metal commonly found in foods such as kidneys, liver and shellfish as well as tobacco -- also had an increased risk of endometrial cancer. It's an observation the researchers hope could lead to new treatments or interventions to prevent the fourth most common cancer in women. PLOS One
• Lifestyle Changes Could be Key to Managing Type 2 Diabetes: A study
showed that adding intensive lifestyle management to standard diabetes care
(diabetes medication and usual lifestyle change advice) brought blood sugar
into a nondiabetic range. The intensive
intervention worked so well that "half of the intervention group did not
need glucose-lowering medications to maintain or even improve [blood sugar] control.
"Patients
were prescribed exercise five to six times per week for 30 to 60 minutes per
session. That included both endurance and resistance training," They
received a dietary program with focus on foods rich in fiber, low in saturated
fats, lots of fruit and no processed food. JAMA
• Givers are happier than Takers: Generosity really is its own reward, with
the brain seemingly hardwired for happiness in response to giving, new research
suggests.
Scientists in
Switzerland used brain scans to track activity in brain regions associated with
socializing, decision-making and happiness. They found that even small acts of
generosity -- or just promising to be charitable -- triggered brain changes
that make people happier. Nature Communications
• Taking a Stand on Staying Mobile After 80: New research shows that
a standing-exercise program is more effective for older adults than commonly
used seated exercises. Among nearly 300 participants who were an average age of
80, those who took part in a standing-exercise program were able to walk faster
and farther than those in a seated-exercise program, researchers reported. JAMA
Internal Medicine
• Outdoor light at night linked with increased breast cancer risk in women: Women who live in areas with higher levels of outdoor light at night may be at higher risk for breast cancer than those living in areas with lower levels, according to a large long-term study. The link was stronger among women who worked night shifts. Environmental Health Perspectives
NUTRITION/SUPPLEMENTS/VITAMINS
• Moderate Drinking linked to Reduced Risk of Dementia: Moderate drinking
may be associated with a reduced risk of dementia in seniors, a new study
suggests. But the study authors stressed that the findings shouldn't be
interpreted as a signal to drink freely. The study only found an association
between some alcohol consumption and mental sharpness, not a cause-and-effect
link. Researchers followed more than 1,300 adults from 1984 to 2013. They lived
in a white-collar, middle- to upper-middle-class suburb in San Diego County,
California. Most were white with at least some college education. Journal
of Alzheimer's Disease.
• A Little Drinking Might Lengthen Your Life: Light to moderate drinking can lower your
overall risk of premature death and, specifically, your odds of dying from
heart disease, a new study reports. Moderate drinkers -- men who have one or
two drinks a day, and women who have one drink a day -- have a 29 percent
decreased risk of heart-related death and a 22 percent reduced risk of death from
any cause, compared with teetotalers, the study findings showed. Journal
of the American College of Cardiology
• High Cal Foods May Raise Cancer Risk: Women who eat a lot of high-calorie foods may face a slightly higher
risk of obesity-related cancers -- even if they remain thin, a new study
suggests. The study, of more than 92,000 U.S. women, found those who favored
high-calorie, low-nutrient foods had a 10 percent higher risk of cancers linked
to obesity. These include processed foods like chips, fast foods and sweets.
The list of malignancies included breast, colon, ovarian, kidney and
endometrial cancers. Obesity is considered one of many risk factors for those
diseases. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
• Walnuts activate brain region involved in appetite control: Double-blind test bolsters observational data that walnuts promote feelings of fullness. Results provide a quantitative measure for testing other compounds' ability to control appetite, including potential medications for the treatment of obesity. Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
TREATMENT
• Diabetes drug shows potential as disease-modifying therapy for Parkinson's disease: A drug commonly used to treat diabetes may have disease-modifying potential to treat Parkinson's disease, a new study suggests, paving the way for further research to define its efficacy and safety. The study, published in The Lancet found that people with Parkinson's who injected themselves each week with exenatide for one year performed better in movement (motor) tests than those who injected a placebo.
• Anti ulcer drugs do not increase risk of Alzheimer’s disease: The association between proton pump inhibitors and Alzheimer's disease was studied at the University of Eastern Finland, as two previous studies from Germany reported an increased risk of dementia. However, these findings were not confirmed by the extensive Finnish study, at least not for the risk of Alzheimer's disease, which is the most common form of dementia. The results were published in American Journal of Gastroenterology.
• Researchers advise caution about recent US advice on aggressively lowering blood pressure: New research suggests the benefit of
aggressively lowering blood pressure in older people, as per major US SPRINT
trial, should be balanced against the increased the risk of associated falls
and blackouts as otherwise it may harm rather than help.JAMA Internal Medicine
• Antidepressant use increases risk of head injuries among persons with Alzheimer's disease: Antidepressant use is associated with an
increased risk of head injuries and traumatic brain injuries among persons with
Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study. Antidepressant use has
previously been linked with an increased risk of falls and hip fractures, but
the risk of head injuries has not been studied before. Alzheimer's
Research & Therapy
• Powerful New Cholesterol Med Won't Harm Memory, Easing Concerns: Despite some early concerns, a new study suggests the powerful cholesterol drugs known as PCSK9 inhibitors may not cause memory problems or other mental symptoms. The drugs, which include evolocumab (Repatha) and alirocumab (Praluent), were approved in the United States in 2015. That came after trials showed they can dramatically slash LDL cholesterol (the "bad" kind), including in people with a genetic condition that often causes premature heart disease. NEJM
OTHER
Consumers can get
better deals by price shopping at independent pharmacies and using online
coupons, study shows. However, few Americans actively comparison shop for health
care, according to a separate study. Health Affairs and American Journal of
Managed Care
• Video Game Playing and Gray Matter: A new study suggests -- but doesn't prove --
that certain players of action video games may lose gray matter in a part of
the brain that's linked to mental illness.
On the other hand, the Canadian study suggests, other players may
actually benefit from the games. The results indicate that the reported
benefits of playing shooting-style video games -- such as improved attention
and short-term memory -- "might come at a cost" in terms of lost
brain matter in some players. Molecular Psychiatry
• Americans Taking More Prescription Drugs than Ever: A new survey
finds 55 percent of Americans regularly take a prescription medicine -- and
they're taking more than ever. Those who use a prescription drug take four, on
average, and many also take over-the-counter drugs, vitamins and other dietary
supplements, the survey done by Consumer Reports shows. But many of those pills
may be unnecessary and might do more harm than good, according to a special
report in the September issue of Consumer Reports magazine.
• Virtual House Calls for Speedy, Effective Parkinson’s Care:
Parkinson's disease patients get as much benefit from seeing a neurologist via
home video conference as from seeing a local doctor in person, a new study
reports. The research included nearly 200 patients who received either care
from their usual doctor or their usual care plus up to four video (virtual)
visits with a neurologist they had not seen before. The virtual visits were as
effective as in-person visits. In both groups, quality of life, quality of care
and burden on caregivers was the same, the study found. Neurology
• Cancer Takes Financial Toll, Even With Insurance: Many cancer
patients in the United States are shocked by their out-of-pocket costs for care
-- with some spending one-third of their income on treatment, a new study
finds. the study found, patients typically spent nearly $600 a month on their
treatment. Overall, 16 percent said they were facing "high or overwhelming
financial distress." Those patients were spending nearly one-third of
their monthly income on cancer care. JAMA Oncology
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