CHRONIC PAIN
• Psychological Factors Play a Part in
Acupuncture Treatment of Back Pain: People with back pain who have low expectations of
acupuncture before they start a course of treatment will gain less benefit than
those people who believe it will work, according to new research. Conversely,
those people who have a positive view of back pain and who feel in control of
their condition experience less back-related disability over the course of
acupuncture treatment. The Clinical Journal of Pain
• Women’s Pain: Common, Treatment and Often Overlooked or Mismanaged: Despite the variety of effective
treatments, and physicians who specialize in treating pain, women often suffer
unnecessarily from conditions ranging from backaches to pain after cancer
surgery, and also treat their pain with medications that may be ineffective and
possibly harmful, according to a review of research. Science Daily
• New Scoring System Helps Predict Risk of Chronic Pain: A scoring
system based on six predictive measures (type of surgery, age, physical and
mental health status, preoperative pain in the surgical area and non surgical
areas) can help to reduce the risk of post surgery chronic pain. Anesthesiology
COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
• NCCIH Clinical Digest Stress and Relaxation Techniques: Relaxation techniques
may be helpful in managing a variety of health conditions, including anxiety
associated with illnesses or medical procedures, insomnia, labor pain,
chemotherapy-induced nausea, and temporomandibular joint dysfunction. For some
of these conditions, relaxation techniques are used as an adjunct to other
forms of treatment. Relaxation techniques have also been studied for other
conditions, but either they haven’t been shown to be useful, research results
have been inconsistent, or the evidence is limited.
• Mindfulness May Help Ease Sleep Problems for Seniors: Researchers found
that among 49 older adults with sleep problems, those who learned mindfulness
practices started sleeping better within six weeks. In fact, they did better
than their counterparts who were given conventional lessons on good sleep
habits, the study authors said. JAMA Internal Medicine
• US Nationwide Survey Reveals Widespread Use of
Mind and Body Practices: A large nationally representative survey
shows that the number of Americans using mind and body approaches to improve
health and well-being remains high. Of note is a significant increase in the
use of yoga since 2002. In addition, almost as many Americans practice
meditation or receive chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation. Science Daily
• How Mindfulness Training Affects Health: Over
the past decade, there have been many encouraging findings suggesting that
mindfulness training can improve a broad range of mental and physical health
problems. Yet, exactly how mindfulness positively impacts health is not clear.
Researchers have developed a model suggesting that mindfulness influences
health via stress reduction pathways. Science Daily
FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION ACTION
• Approved
Meningitis B Vaccine Bexsero
• Approved
Secukinumab for psoriasis
• Approved
Natpara to control low blood calcium in those with hypoparathyroidism
• Permitted the
marketing of Apps for Continuous Glucose Monitoring
• Strengthen
approval of accessories and other items relating to automated external
defibrillators. Since 2005, the FDS has received 72,000 reports of devices
failing.
• Approved generic
esomeprazole
• Expanded
approval of Vyvanse to treat bing eating disorders in adults.
• Approved
ENROUTE Transcarotid Neuroprotection System (TNS) A new
technology designed to reduce stroke risk in certain patients
• Approved
Lucentis for Diabetic Retinopathy
PREVENTION
• Pneumonia Raises Heart Disease Risk
for Years: Older
patients hospitalized with pneumonia appear to have an increased risk of heart
attack, stroke or death from heart disease for years afterward, a new study
finds. This elevated risk was highest in the first month after pneumonia --
fourfold -- but remained 1.5 times higher over subsequent years, the
researchers say. Journal of the American Medical Association.
• Walking Group a Step Towards Better Health: Researchers reviewed 42 studies, involving nearly
2,000 adults in 14 countries, that examined the physical and mental health
effects of joining an outdoor walking group. Some of the people in the studies
had chronic health problems such as arthritis, diabetes, obesity, fibromyalgia,
Parkinson's disease, dementia, and mental health disorders. Joining a walking
group led to decreases in blood pressure, resting heart rate, body fat, weight
and total cholesterol, the study found. In addition, walkers saw improvements
in overall physical functioning and lung power, the researchers said in a
journal news release. And symptoms of depression also seemed to be reduced by
joining an outdoor walking group, they found. Three-quarters of the walking group participants stuck
with the exercise program. The only negative side effects reported were a few
falls on roots or wet ground, the findings showed. British Journal of Sports
Medicine.
• More
Evidence that Boxing Can Lead to Brain Damage: The
study included professional fighters -- 93 boxers and 131 mixed martial arts
experts. They ranged in age from 18 to 44, and were compared against 22 people
of similar age with no history of head injuries. MRI brain scans and tests of
memory, reaction time and other intellectual abilities showed that the fighters
who had suffered repeated blows to the head had smaller brain volume and slower
processing speeds, compared to non-fighters. British Journal of Sports Medicine
• Weight Gain or Loss Linked to Fracture Risk in Older Women: The
risk of broken bones increases with both weight gain and loss in older women,
according to a new study. These findings challenge the widely held belief that
weight gain protects older women against fractures, the researchers said. The
study included data from more than 120,000 healthy postmenopausal women in the
United States. The women were between the ages of 50 and 79 years old. Their
health status was followed for an average of 11 years. BMJ
• Seniors Need 2 Pneumonia Vaccines: Adults 65
and older need two vaccines to better protect them from bacterial infection in
the blood (called sepsis), meningitis and pneumonia, according to a revised
vaccination schedule from the 2015 Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices
(ACIP).
• When
it Comes to Jogging, Easy Does It: Out of a pool of about 5,000
healthy Danish adults, researchers followed nearly 1,100 healthy joggers and
413 sedentary people for more than 12 years. The strenuous joggers, the
investigators found, were as likely to die during that time period as the
sedentary non-joggers. Light joggers and moderate joggers fared better, in that
order. The dose of running that was most favorable for reducing mortality was
jogging 1 to 2.4 hours per week, with no more than three running days per week.
Journal of the American College of Cardiology
• Small Study Links Lack of Sleep to Diabetes Type 2: Researchers say lack of sleep
can lead to increased levels of substances called free fatty acids in the
blood. These substances interfere with the ability of the hormone insulin to
regulate blood sugar levels. The researchers said these findings suggest that
high rates of obesity and diabetes could be reduced by something as simple as
having people get more sleep. Diabetologia
• Study
Questions Benefits of Treadmill Desk: Researchers found that the desks
are expensive, challenging to incorporate into an office setting, and may do
little to boost meaningful activity levels. Journal of Occupational and
Environmental Medicine
• More
Evidence That Even Moderate Exercise Helps Women’s Hearts: Even a
few bouts of moderate exercise each week can cut a middle-aged woman's odds for
heart disease, blood clots and stroke, a new study finds. The British study
also found that exercising more frequently didn't lead to greater reductions in
heart risk. Circulation
SUPPLEMENTS/NUTRITION/VITAMINS
• Coffee May Protect Against Some Skin Cancers: People in a study who drank four or more cups of coffee daily were 20
percent less likely to develop malignant melanoma than non coffee drinkers, according to the study
published (Jan. 20) in JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
• Coffee Linked to Possible Lower Endometrial Cancer Risk: Using data on more than 456,000 women from two large ongoing studies, researchers evaluated the dietary habits of more than 2,800 women diagnosed with cancer of the endometrium, the lining of the uterus. Compared to women who drank less than a cup a day, those who drank about four cups daily had an 18 percent lower risk of getting this cancer, they found. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention
• Could a Drink
a Day Lower Risk for Heart Failure: Having a drink
each day might help lower a middle-aged person's odds for heart failure, a new
study reveals. The investigation suggests that men in their 40s, 50s and 60s
who drink as much as seven comparably sized glasses of wine, beer and/or
spirits per week will see their risk for heart failure drop by 20 percent. For
women the associated drop in risk amounted to roughly 16 percent, according to
the study published online Jan. 20 in the European Heart Journal.
• Daily Drinking May Raise Risk of Liver Cirrhosis: In men, drinking every day raised
the risk for cirrhosis more than less frequent drinking. And recent drinking,
not lifetime alcohol consumption, was the strongest predictor of
alcohol-related cirrhosis. Hepatology
• Too
Much Alcohol at Midlife Raises Stroke Risk: People who average more than two
drinks a day have a 34 percent higher risk of stroke compared to those whose
daily average amounts to less than half a drink, according to findings published
Jan. 29 in the journal Stroke. Researchers also found that people who drink
heavily in their 50s and 60s tend to suffer strokes earlier in life than light
drinkers or non-imbibers.
• Many Americans Don’t Handle Poultry Safely: Many Americans do not follow
recommended safety practices when handling and cooking poultry, a new study
finds. Fewer than two-thirds of consumers have a food thermometer, and less
than 10 percent of those who have the devices use them to check if poultry is
cooked to a safe temperature. Journal of Food Protection
• Eating
More Fiber Helped People Lose Weight: People who only added more fiber
to their otherwise normal diet were able to lose weight, lower their blood
pressure and reduce blood sugar levels -- all key to staving off diabetes and
improving overall health. Annals of Internal Medicine
• New
Dietary Guidelines Put Strict Limits on Added Sugar: The
U.S. government is recommending that Americans limit their intake of foods and
drinks with added sugar to less than 10 percent of their daily calories, while
easing some of its previous restrictions on cholesterol and sodium, according
to a report from an
advisory committee on the nation’s dietary guidelines released Thursday.
The guidelines call for an “environmentally friendly” diet that limits
processed and red meats, is “lower in calories and animal-based foods” and
focuses on “plant-based foods” such as vegetables, fruits and whole grains.
• Drinking Green Tea Before Taking Supplements May Offer Protection from Toxicity: As
high doses of green tea extract supplements for weight loss become more
popular, potential liver toxicity becomes a concern. In the last decade, dozens
of people have been diagnosed with the condition. However, drinking green tea
in the weeks before taking supplements likely reduces risk, according to
researchers. Food and Chemical Toxicology
TREATMENT RESEARCH
• Stem Cells May Reverse MS Disability: A
therapy that uses patients' own primitive blood cells may be able to reverse
some of the effects of multiple sclerosis, a preliminary study suggests. The
findings, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, had
experts cautiously optimistic. But they also stressed that the study was small
-- with around 150 patients -- and the benefits were limited to people who were
in the earlier courses of multiple sclerosis (MS).
• Tamiflu
Cuts One Day off Average Flu Bout: A review of the data suggests
that the antiviral drug Tamiflu shortens the length of flu symptoms by about a
day, and reduces the risk of flu-related complications such as pneumonia. The
Lancet
• Safety,Life-Saving Efficacy of Statins Have Been Exaggerated Says Scientist; Statins,
the cholesterol-lowering drugs prescribed to prevent heart attacks, are not as
effective nor as safe as we have been led to believe, researchers say. Statins
produce a dramatic reduction in cholesterol levels, but have failed to
substantially improve cardiovascular outcomes, they add, stating that
'statistical deception' has been used to inflate claims about their
effectiveness. Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology
• Statins May Not Lower Parkinson’s Risk: The use of statins may not be
associated with lowering risk for Parkinson's disease, according to a new
study. The findings cast doubts on reports suggesting that the
cholesterol-lowering medications may protect against this neurodegenerative
brain disorder. Movement Disorders
• HRT Increases Ovarian Cancer Risk: Women who use hormone therapy after
menopause -- even for just a few years -- may have an increased risk of ovarian
cancer, according to new research. The new study found that when women used
hormone replacement therapy for less than five years after menopause, the risk
of ovarian cancer increased by about 40 percent. The Lancet
• Higher
Dementia Risk Linked to More Use of Common Drugs: A large
study links a significantly increased risk for developing dementia, including
Alzheimer's disease, to taking commonly used medications with anticholinergic
effects at higher doses or for a longer time. Many older people take these
medications, which include nonprescription diphenhydramine (Benadryl). The most
commonly used medications in the study were tricyclic antidepressants like
doxepin (Sinequan), first-generation antihistamines like chlorpheniramine
(Chlor-Trimeton), and antimuscarinics for bladder control like oxybutynin
(Ditropan). The study estimated that people taking at least 10 mg/day of
doxepin, 4 mg/day of chlorpheniramine, or 5 mg/day of oxybutynin for more than
three years would be at greater risk for developing dementia. JAMA Internal
Medicine
• Nearly1 in 10 Adults Skips Meds Due to Costs: High drug costs in the United
States may be hurting the very people the medications are meant to help, the
new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests.
About 15 percent of U.S. adults have asked their doctor for a lower-cost
alternative, the researchers found. The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
Services suggests the following ways patients can save money on drugs:
•
Take generic or other lower-cost
medications,
•
Choose an insurance plan that has
additional drug coverage,
•
Consider drug assistance plans offered
by pharmacies and states,
•
Apply to Medicare and Social Security
for help reducing costs,
• Apply to community-based charities for help
with medication costs. NCHS News Brief
OTHER
• E Cigarettes Can Churn Out High Levels
of Formaldehyde: Vapor
produced by electronic cigarettes can contain a surprisingly high concentration
of formaldehyde — a known carcinogen — researchers reported Wednesday. The findings,
described in a letter in the New England Journal of Medicine, intensify concern about the safety of electronic
cigarettes, which have become increasingly popular.
• Diabetes-Related Foot Condition Often
Missed: A
debilitating condition called Charcot foot is often missed among the nearly 30
million Americans with diabetes, doctors say. The condition is highly
treatable, but if left alone it can lead to permanent deformity, disability,
surgery and even amputation, according to the American College of Foot and
Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS).
• Eczema
Linked to Other Health Problems; Adults with eczema -- a chronic,
itchy skin disease that often starts in childhood -- may also have an increased
risk of heart disease and stroke, according to a new study. This increased risk
may be the result of bad lifestyle habits or the disease itself. The
researchers found that people with eczema smoke and drink more, are more likely
to be obese and are less likely to exercise than adults who don't have the
disease. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
• Those
who care for Brain Injured at Risk for Chronic Disease: Some
loved ones who care for veterans with brain injuries may be at increased risk
for chronic health problems, a new study indicates. Traumatic brain injuries
can result in devastating physical and cognitive [mental] impairments.
"Grief, anger and blame are common among caregivers who are left to cope
with these profound disabilities and the loss of the person they once knew.
These feelings may put these individuals at risk for inflammatory-related
disease.” Biological Research for Nursing.
• New name for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Chronic fatigue syndrome is about to get
a new clinical definition, with the hope that it will help physicians better
diagnose people afflicted with the mysterious and complex disorder. The
Institute of Medicine has released a long-awaited report that defines
diagnostic criteria for chronic fatigue syndrome and examine whether a new name
for the disease is warranted.
Researchers found that Lyme disease has a much greater
impact on patients and the health system, costing up to $1.3 billion a year to
treat. Plos One
• More Americans Surviving Cancer: Survival rates are improving for many
people with cancers of the breast, prostate, lung, liver and colon or rectum,
especially for those diagnosed at younger ages, a new study reports. Cancer is
still a leading cause of death in the United States, but advances in radiation,
chemotherapy and targeted treatments have improved survival, the researchers
said. JAMA Oncology