Tea May Be Helpful In Fighting Chronic Illnesses.

outlines the research on the potential health benefits of drinking tea. The article reports that research suggests that tea may be helpful in fighting cancer, type 2 diabetes, depression, Parkinson’s disease, and other chronic illnesses. Kathleen Zelman, a registered dietitian and the director of nutrition at WebMD, says, “It probably doesn’t live up to the hype of being a miracle cure, but it is beneficial, especially if you drink it simply, without adding sugar, cream or milk, which adds lots of calories.” http://health.usnews.com/wellness/articles/2016-12-29/can-drinking-tea-help-fight-cancer-parkinsons-and-diabetes

Approximately 30% Of Americans Suffer From Some Form Of Insomnia.

reported that approximately “30 percent of Americans suffer from some form of” insomnia. Now “experts say the worst kind is waking up way too early.” NBC News correspondent Gadi Schwartz explained, “Waking up too early can be caused by a body clock that shifts as we age.” reports that a Consumer Reports survey suggests individuals “struggling with insomnia often turn to non-prescription sleep remedies that may be habit-forming and are only intended for short-term use.” The survey indicated “18 percent of people who said they’d taken such over-the-counter drugs in the past year did so on a daily basis.” Meanwhile, “41 percent said they’d taken them for a year or longer.” https://consumer.healthday.com/sleep-disorder-information-33/insomnia-news-625/many-misuse-otc-sleep-aids-survey-718214.html

Diet-Induced Obesity May Change Brain In Ways That Suppress Impulse To Move Around, Mouse Study Suggests.

reports that research in mice published in Cell Metabolism “offers evidence that diet-induced obesity alters the brain’s functioning in ways that suppress the natural impulse to move around.” STAT (12/29, Samuel) reports that the investigators found that “the activity of a particular dopamine receptor linked to movement goes down as mice gain weight on a high-fat diet.” Thus, the rodents “slow down and they move less.” When the investigators “restored the activity of that dopamine receptor...the mice started moving more, even though they were still obese.” The study also indicated that mice that were lean that did not have the receptor also did not “move around as much.” http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-obesity-inactivity-20161229-story.html

Chronic Migraine Meds Stopped With Botulinum Treatment Two-thirds of patients have 50% reduction in headache days

http://www.medpagetoday.com/mastery-of-medicine/neurology-mastery-in-ms/62276?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-12-29&eun=g721819d0r&pos=0

2016's Top 5 Advances in Infectious Diseases Zika, antibiotic resistance head the list

http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/GeneralInfectiousDisease/62256?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-12-28&eun=g721819d0r&pos=3

Elevated Serum Testosterone Levels May Promote Formation Of Renal Stones, Research Suggests.

reports that research suggests “elevated levels of serum testosterone may promote formation of renal stones.” The findings were published in the International Journal of Applied & Basic Medical Research. https://mail.google.com/_/scs/mail-static/_/js/k=gmail.main.en.Az9C4K3BfFw.O/m=m_i,pdt,t,it/am=yOLi4PL_vj-IkwFAWelEhdn3zzeXygf73Pv_-wcECvoZ-L_Z_wP8HwAAAAB2UYMC/rt=h/d=1/rs=AHGWq9AsCVy7u3Ek0wvkm8iIRAUukRIxEA

Over Four Years Of College, Students Gain On Average About 10 Pounds, Study Indicates.

“Over four years of college, students gain...about 10 pounds, on average,” researchers found after assessing 86 students at the start “and end of their first and second semesters, and again at the end of their senior year.” The findings were published online in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. https://consumer.healthday.com/vitamins-and-nutrition-information-27/food-and-nutrition-news-316/wiser-but-fatter-by-graduation-717736.html

Study Examines How BMI Affects DNA.

“in what is being called the biggest study yet on the effect of body mass index (BMI) on DNA,” investigators revealed that “that significant changes were found in the expression of genes responsible for lipid metabolism and substrate transport and in gene loci related to inflammation in the DNA of individuals with high BMIs.” Additionally, the study authors were ultimately “able to identify epigenetic markers that could predict the risk of type 2 diabetes” after examining “blood samples of over 10,000 women and men from Europe.” The findings were published in a letter in Nature. http://www.medicaldaily.com/being-overweight-changes-your-dna-increasing-risk-diabetes-offspring-407204

Early Appendectomy And/Or Tonsillectomy May Be Associated With Increased Likelihood For Pregnancy, Study Indicates.

reported, “Women who had their appendix and/or tonsils removed when they were young are more likely to get pregnant” and to “get pregnant sooner,” researchers found after examining “pregnancy rates using the United Kingdom...primary health care-based Clinical Practice Research Datalink.” The findings were published in Fertility and Sterility. http://endocrinenews.endocrine.org/appendix-tonsil-removal-linked-higher-pregnancy-rates/

Kids May Be More Likely To Become Overweight Or Obese During Summer Vacation Than During School Year.

reported youngsters may be “more likely to become overweight or obese during summer vacation than during the school year,” researchers found after examining “data on kids’ height and weight at the beginning and end of each academic year from the fall of 2010 until the spring of 2013.” The findings were published in Obesity. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-children-summer-obesity-idUSKBN14C1XW

Medicare Patients Who See Female Physicians May Be Less Likely To Die Or Be Readmitted In Following Month Than Those Who See Male Physicians, Study Suggests.

reports the researchers reviewed the records of over 1.5 million Medicare patients who were admitted to hospitals for medical reasons between 2011 and 2015, and found that over that period only 11% of the patients treated by female physicians died within a month of being admitted, compared to 11.5% of the patients treated by male physicians. The researchers estimated that if all physicians performed as well as the female physicians reviewed in the study, then 32,000 lives would be saved each year. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-survival-womendoctors-idUSKBN1481W2

Researchers Identify Genetic Link Between Sleep Problems And Obesity, Other Medical Conditions.

reports research suggests a “genetic link between poor sleep and some medical conditions, including obesity, restless legs syndrome and schizophrenia.” Researchers examined mapped genes “of more than 112,000 people” and “identified areas of the genome connected to different types of sleep problems (including insomnia and excessive daytime sleepiness), and then linked some to medical conditions, such as restless legs syndrome, schizophrenia and obesity.” The findings were published online Dec. 19 in the journal Nature Genetics. https://consumer.healthday.com/sleep-disorder-information-33/misc-sleep-problems-news-626/study-finds-genetic-link-between-sleep-problems-and-obesity-717922.html

Research Claims Warnings To Cut Sugar Intake Based On Weak Evidence.

reports new research published in the Annals of Internal Medicine argued that “warnings to cut sugar...are based on weak evidence and can’t be trusted.” The study received “sharp criticism from public health experts because the authors” were funded by the International Life Science Institute, a group funded by multinational food and agrochemical companies including Coca-Cola and General Mills. Critics “say the medical journal review is the latest in a series of efforts by the food industry to shape global nutrition advice by supporting prominent academics who question the role of junk food and sugary drinks in causing obesity, type 2 diabetes and other health problems.” http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/19/well/eat/a-food-industry-study-tries-to-discredit-advice-about-sugar.html

Many States Unprepared For Emergence Of New Contagious Diseases, Report Shows.

a new report from Trust for America’s Health released Tuesday revealed that “most states are easily caught off guard” by the emergence of a new contagious disease. The report, “Ready or Not? Protecting the Public from Diseases, Disasters and Bioterrorism,” found that “twenty-six states and the District of Columbia scored a six or lower on 10 key indicators of public health preparedness.” CNN reports that the “worst offenders were Alaska and Idaho, each scoring 3 out of 10.” Meanwhile, “Massachusetts scored the highest at 10 out of 10, trailed by North Carolina and Washington state, each scoring 9s.” http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/20/health/us-health-emergency-grades-2016/index.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_health+%28RSS%3A+CNN+-+Health%29

Ebola Vaccine Highly Effective in Phase III Trials Could be deployed if outbreak resumes, investigators say

http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/Ebola/62234?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-12-23&eun=g721819d0r&pos=2

Obesity Gene Mediates Kids' Brain Response to Food Ads Reward center was more active in kids with genetic risk

The study focused on the fat-mass and obesity associated (FTO) gene, and it used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to examine the nucleus accumbens, a region of the brain associated with reward and eating behavior, said senior author Diane Gilbert-Diamond, ScD, of Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H., and colleagues. When watching fast food commercials, brain activity in the nucleus accumbens of children with two copies of the high-risk FTO allele was significantly higher than in children with only one copy or no copy (P<0.01), Gilbert-Diamond and colleagues reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pediatrics/Obesity/62181?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-12-21&eun=g721819d0r&pos=3

Study Examines Health Impact Of Soda Taxes In 15 Cities.

reports a new Harvard study suggests soda taxes not only reduce consumption of sugary beverages, but “can improve the health and economic wellbeing of communities.” The Childhood Obesity Intervention Cost-Effectiveness Study at Harvard’s school of public health examined “the long-term cost-effectiveness of soda taxes” and concluded that “these policy measures could reduce rates of obesity and prevent diabetes, leading to a long-term reduction in healthcare costs nationwide.” Business Insider (12/14, Taylor) notes the study examined what “would happen if the 15 largest US cities with the ability to pass a 1-cent-per-ounce tax on sugary drinks did so,” and found that the tax would “raise almost $1 billion in revenue every year.” Jim Krieger of Healthy Food America, the food policy nonprofit that funded the Harvard study, said “cities have a golden opportunity to help their people avoid premature death and illness and cut health costs while raising revenue to make residents’ lives better in other ways.” http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/The-Bite/2016/1214/Soda-taxes-do-more-than-discourage-consumption

Death And Complication Rates Vary Greatly Among US Hospitals, Study Suggests.

reports patients at the “worst” hospitals in the United States are three times more likely to die and 13 times more likely to have complications than patients at the “best” hospitals in the US, according to a study published in PLOS One. Researchers reviewed information from 22 million hospital admissions and found “considerable variation in outcomes” depending on the hospital that patients visited. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/14/business/hospitals-death-rates-quality-vary-widely.html?_r=0

Investigation Claims Many Popular Drugs Offer Small Benefit, Negative Side Effects.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/news/investigations/2016/12/14/medicines-secret-some-drugs-wont-help-most-those-who-take-them/95354170/ found that the “biggest secret in medicine,” according to F. Perry Wilson, a researcher and physician at Yale University School of Medicine, is that “For the vast majority of the drugs out there, the chance that you, as an individual, are going to see a benefit is quite small.” Furthermore, a push by pharmaceutical companies to “turn a series of everyday conditions into medical disorders, means more people are taking – and being harmed by – the suspect drugs.” The investigation looked into “eight conditions that became part of mainstream medicine over the past 20 years, ranging from pre-diabetes to overactive bladder.” According to the analysis, since 2013, “nearly 65,000 reports of serious side effects involving drugs used to treat five of the conditions have been reported to the FDA,” including over 1,600 deaths.

Cause Of Death Varies By Region, Study Suggests.

reports deaths caused by neurological disorders increased in eastern Texas, Oklahoma, and Alabama. The article also mentions that according to the National Cancer Institute, death rates from cancer between 2009 and 2013 “were highest in Union County, Florida; Wade Hampton Census Area, Alaska; Woodson County, Kansas; Powell County, Kentucky; and other nearby counties.” http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/13/health/cause-of-death-by-county/

Gut-Selective Tx Shows Safety Superiority in IBD Vedolizumab doesn't carry infection burden of TNF inhibitors

http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/AIBD/62007?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-12-13&eun=g721819d0r&pos=1

Patients With T2D Who Receive Diabetes Education While Hospitalized May Have Improved HbA1c,

“Patients with type 2 diabetes [T2D] who receive diabetes education while hospitalized have improved HbA1c as measured by continuous glucose monitoring,” researchers reported. The findings of the 54-adult study were published online in the Journal of Diabetes Investigation. http://www.healio.com/endocrinology/diabetes/news/in-the-journals/%7Be944b5a4-7798-4d10-ae8a-6dfca98357d5%7D/hba1c-improves-with-inpatient-diabetes-education

Proportion Of Overweight Babies, Toddlers Declines.

GREAT news a study published in the journal Pediatrics showed that the “rate of youngsters at risk for obesity fell during the study, from almost 15 percent in 2010 to 12 percent overall in 2014,” according to a review of data by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention researchers. Lead author David Freedman “said reasons are uncertain for the decline, but it came amid changes designed to improve nutrition and health in food packages, including more whole grains, fruits and vegetables.” The AP notes that all age groups studied saw a decline in obesity risk. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_MED_CHUBBY_BABIES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Treatments For Obesity Are Not One-Size-Fits-All, Experts Say.

reports in a 2,800-word article that treatments for obesity are not one-size-fits-all and that “obesity and its precursor – being overweight – are not one disease but instead, like cancer, they are many.” Dr. Lee Kaplan, director of the obesity, metabolism and nutrition institute at Massachusetts General Hospital, “counts 59” types of obesity and ongoing research may well reveal more. Dr. Caroline Apovian, director of the nutrition and weight management center at Boston Medical Center, “said most people can lose weight but keeping it off is the key,” and “finding something that works ‘is still trial and error’ for most people.” Dr. Louis Aronne, an obesity medicine specialist at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medicine Center, is featured along with the various strategies he has used to help his patients with obesity lose weight. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/12/health/weight-loss-obesity.html

Patients Who Take Multivitamins Should Get One Tailored To Age, Gender.

“Well” blog reported that there is a “rationale for having sex-specific vitamins,” according to Jeffrey B. Blumberg, a professor of nutrition science and policy at Tufts University, because the multivitamins have “recommended dietary allowances” that differ considering gender and age. However, “many experts question whether you need to take a multivitamin at all,” even though there is “wide agreement that some people should take a daily multivitamin, including pregnant women and nursing mothers, people on a heavily restricted diet, and those with a known nutrient deficiency.” http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/12/09/do-men-and-women-need-separate-multivitamins/?_r=0

Postmenopausal Women Undergoing Estradiol-Based HT May Have Significantly Decreased Risk For Mortality Due To Vascular Dementia, Study Indicates.

reported, “Postmenopausal women undergoing estradiol-based hormone therapy [HT] have a significantly decreased risk for mortality due to vascular dementia and a modestly decreased risk for mortality due to Alzheimer’s disease,” researchers found after identifying “489,105 Finnish women in a national drug reimbursement register who were using hormone therapy between 1994 and 2009.” The findings were published online in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. http://www.endocrinologyadvisor.com/androgen-and-reproductive-disorders/hormone-therapy-and-risk-for-death-from-vascular-dementia/article/578370/

Early ACE Inhibitor Tx Slows Muscular Dystrophy Heart Damage

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Cardiology/CHF/61944?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-12-09&eun=g721819d0r&pos=0

Optimism May Decrease Risk Of Various Diseases, Study Suggests.

revealed a “significant association between increasing levels of optimism and decreasing risks of death from cancer, heart disease, stroke, respiratory disease and infections.” The Times reports, “the associations were particularly strong for cardiovascular disease,” adding that those “in the quarter with the highest optimism scores had a nearly 40 percent lower risk for heart disease and stroke than those in the lowest quarter.” On its website, CBS News (12/7, Welch) reports researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health “analyzed data...from 2004 to 2012 on 70,000 women who participated in the Nurses’ Health Study, a long-running research project tracking women’s health via surveys every two years.” Researchers concluded that the correlation between optimism and a longer life was the result of optimistic people tending to have healthier behaviors, better diets and better sleeping patterns, among other factors. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/07/well/mind/stay-optimistic-live-longer.html While the study is observational and cannot prove a cause-and-effect relationship between optimism and a longer life, the researchers have some theories for what might be behind the connection. “It’s a combination,” Hagan said. “If you’re more optimistic, you tend to have healthier behaviors. Optimistic people are likely to have better diets, they’re exercising more, and they’re getting better sleep.” However, even after the researchers accounted for these factors, the results still suggest that optimism itself is linked to a longer life. “So it could be that optimism directly impacts our biological functioning,” Hagan said. “Optimism is linked with lower inflammation and healthier biomarker levels and lipid levels, so there could be an independent effect on optimism.”

Intense Or Prolonged Exercise May Leave Immune System Temporarily Weakened, Review Suggests.

reports on a review published in the Journal of Applied Physiology finding that “some types of workouts may hinder the immune response...while others bolster it,” and “a few simple precautions, including consuming carbohydrates during exhausting workouts, might help to keep our immune systems robust.” Review author Jonathan M. Peake, a lecturer in sports science at Queensland University of Technology in Australia, explained that during exercise the immune system is stimulated, but that after exercise the resultant decline often leaves people with “fewer natural killer cells in their blood” than before. Co-author Oliver Neubauer, a senior research fellow at Queensland, said, “Ingesting carbohydrates during vigorous exercise may help” by stabilizing blood sugar levels and so reducing “the body’s stress response.” This would only be necessary for “high-intensity or prolonged exercise that lasts for 90 minutes or more.” http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/07/well/move/carbs-during-workouts-may-fend-off-colds.html

US Life Expectancy Declines For First Time Since 1993.

“For the first time in more than two decades, life expectancy for Americans declined last year.” According to a report released Thursday by the National Center for Health Statistics, “Rising fatalities from heart disease and stroke, diabetes, drug overdoses, accidents and other conditions caused the lower life expectancy.” In all, “death rates rose for eight of the top 10 leading causes of death.” The Post says that “overall, life expectancy fell by one-tenth of a year, from 78.9 in 2014 to 78.8 in 2015, according to the latest data.” The last time the US “life expectancy at birth declined was in 1993, when it dropped from 75.6 to “The United States ranks below dozens of other high-income countries in life expectancy, according to the World Bank.” The world leader is Japan, “at nearly 84 years.” The report is “based mainly on 2015 death certificates” and notes that “life expectancy is not declining for all Americans.” Unfortunately, the new CDC report “did not offer a geographic breakdown of 2015 deaths, or analysis of death based on education or income.” However, other research “has shown death rates are rising sharply for poorer people – particularly white people – in rural areas but not wealthier and more highly educated and people on the coasts.” http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_MED_LIFE_EXPECTANCY?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Baby Teethers May Leach Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals, Study Says.

reports on a study conducted by researchers at the American Chemical Society and published in Environmental Science & Technology finding that baby teethers may contain “endocrine-disrupting chemicals.” The researchers found that every one of the 59 baby teethers they tested “contained bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol S (BPS) or bisphenol F (BPF), and most contained various parabens, as well as the antimicrobials triclosan and triclocarban.” The study authors estimated that a baby’s exposure to the chemicals would be at lower levels than “those of what European regulators consider safe.” http://www.foxnews.com/health/2016/12/07/baby-teethers-may-contain-low-levels-bpa-study-finds.html

Public Unclear on What Makes Cigarettes Dangerous Many think added chemicals are the problem, not tobacco itself

"Additives don't change tobacco and make it dangerous. Tobacco is inherently dangerous when you burn it and smoke it," he said. "Additive-free has been promoted heavily by these manufacturers, and it's no accident that smokers perceive these brands to be less harmful," Brewer told MedPage Today. "It's sort of like the 'low-tar' lie. Smokers of low-tar cigarettes believed these products were safer, but they weren't." "If you burned and inhaled pretty much anything that would be dangerous. Cigarettes are an inherently flawed product that is designed to kill people." http://www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/Smoking/61911?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-12-08&eun=g721819d0r&pos=0

Handful Of Nuts Daily Can Reduce Risk Of Death From Heart Disease, Other Risks, Review Finds.

reports that a review of 20 prospective studies published in BMC Medicine finds that “a handful of nuts a day may be enough to reduce the risk for death from heart disease and other ills.” Researchers found that people who ate the most nuts “reduced the risk for coronary heart disease by 29 percent, for cardiovascular disease by 21 percent and for cancer by 15 percent,” compared to those who ate the fewest. In addition, “there was also a 52 percent reduced risk for respiratory disease, 39 percent for diabetes and 75 percent reduced risk for infectious disease in those who ate the most nuts.” http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/06/well/eat/a-handful-of-nuts-is-good-for-your-health.html In a review combining data from 20 prospective studies, researchers found that compared with people who ate the least nuts, those who ate the most reduced the risk for coronary heart disease by 29 percent, for cardiovascular disease by 21 percent and for cancer by 15 percent. There was also a 52 percent reduced risk for respiratory disease, 39 percent for diabetes and 75 percent reduced risk for infectious disease in those who ate the most nuts. Most of the risk reduction was achieved by eating an average of about one ounce of nuts a day, the amount in about two dozen almonds or 15 pecan halves. There was little decrease in risk with greater consumption. The study is in BMC Medicine. “It has been shown in randomized trials that higher nut intake can reduce triglycerides and cholesterol in the blood,” said the lead author, Dagfinn Aune, a research fellow at Imperial College London. “And nuts are high in fiber, antioxidants and polyunsaturated fats.”

Poverty Cuts Seven To 10 Years Off US Life Expectancy, Study Finds.

reports that, according to a study published in the American Journal of Public Health, “poverty cuts an average of almost 10 years off American men’s lives and seven off women’s.” Reuters explains that “researchers reclassified all the U.S. counties into 50 new ‘states’ based on household income instead of geography” and then “examined longevity, smoking, obesity, childhood poverty and other health information from the richest and poorest places.” The study authors write, “The results should be deeply disturbing to all persons in the country. ... Life expectancy in the poorest ‘state’ falls below that of more than half the countries in the world, meaning that, in essence, there are several developing countries hidden within the borders of the United States.” http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-lifeexpectancy-wealth-idUSKBN13U200

Some Experts Worry About Long-Term Impacts Of High-Protein Diets.

reports that “while some nutritionists have encouraged the protein craze, a number of experts are urging caution.” The Times says that “they point out that protein powders and supplements...are a relatively new invention” and that “there are no rigorous long-term studies to tell us how much protein is too much.” The Times adds that “short-term studies suggest that high protein, low carbohydrate diets may promote weight loss and help to preserve lean muscle, and that eating protein helps satisfy hunger.” But, according to the Times, “a recent small trial found that older women who lost weight on a high protein diet did not experience one of the important benefits that usually follow weight loss, an improvement in insulin sensitivity, which reduces the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.” Meanwhile, “large population studies also suggest an association between habitual high protein intake and a heightened risk of diabetes.” http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/06/well/eat/can-you-get-too-much-protein.html

Tip for Improving HPV Vax Rates in Youth Just tell parents that kids are due for immunization

Training providers to inform parents that adolescents are due for an HPV vaccine, as opposed to engaging in an open-ended conversation, is an effective way to increase vaccine initiation, according to a study published in Pediatrics. Clinics that received announcement training reported a 5 percentage point increase in HPV vaccine initiation coverage for 11- and 12-year-olds at 6 months compared with control clinics (95% CI 1.1% to 9.7%), reported the researchers, led by Noel T. Brewer, PhD, of the University of North Carolina School of Public Health in Chapel Hill and chair of the National HPV Vaccination Roundtable. Conversely, providers who were trained on participatory conversations did not see an increase in coverage. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pediatrics/Vaccines/61853?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-12-06&eun=g721819d0r&pos=0

Gene Therapy Shows Promise in Hemophilia B No infusions, major bleeds in preliminary trial

http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/ASHHematology/61863?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-12-06&eun=g721819d0r&pos=3

Many Older People Skip Vaccinations.

“New Old Age” blog reported on “an ongoing and vexing public health problem: People once vigilant about vaccinating their children aren’t nearly as careful about protecting themselves as they age, even though diseases like influenza, pneumonia and shingles...are particularly dangerous for older people.” Dr. Carolyn Bridges, associate director for adult immunization at the CDC, said, “Trying to prevent these common and often debilitating conditions is incredibly important for older adults.” http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/02/health/shingles-vaccine.html?action=click®ion=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront Why these missed opportunities? “Vaccines are less likely to be routinely incorporated in adult medical practice,” Dr. Bridges said. “Every time a child comes in, a pediatrician makes sure they’re up-to-date.” Older adults often have medical issues that take precedence during brief office visits. They also see specialists who are more focused on cardiology or oncology than on flu and shingles. The vaccine’s underuse can be blamed, in part, on supply shortages in its early years until about 2012. Cost remains a barrier to getting Zostavax and some other adult vaccines. In a study published this past summer, researchers reported that nearly 40 percent of the time, patients over 50 who requested a prescription for Zostavax at a pharmacy chain chose not to receive the vaccine; out-of-pocket costs were most frequently the reason. The Affordable Care Act requires private insurers to cover Zostavax without co-pays for people older than 60, and many cover it for policyholders over 50. But Medicare beneficiaries find that, unlike the flu and pneumococcal vaccines, which are covered under Part B and often administered in physicians’ offices, Zostavax and Tdap are covered under Part D. Physicians can’t easily bill for Part D reimbursement, so they often send patients to pharmacies, which can. But because Part D involves a welter of different plans and formularies, some requiring patients to pay for the vaccine and then seek reimbursement, the cost and co-pays can discourage use. Zostavax, at about $200 a dose, is the most expensive adult vaccine.

Genetic Testing May Not Encourage Healthier Behavior, Study Suggests.

reported genetic testing may not encourage healthier behavior, according to a new study published in PLoS Medicine. Researchers “provided written information about the risk factors, prevention, treatment and consequences of Type 2 diabetes to 569 healthy middle-aged men and women” and also included a “genetic risk score” for some participants, and found no significant difference in the behavior of those who received the extra genetic information compared to those who did not. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/02/well/live/does-gene-testing-spur-healthier-habits-maybe-not.html?_r=0

Researchers Identify Five Genetic Variants Tied To Higher Levels Of Branched-Chain Amino Acids And Also With An Increased Risk For T2D.

reported investigators “from the Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge have identified five genetic variants associated with higher levels of branched-chain amino acids and also with an increased risk for type 2 diabetes [T2D].” In 16,000 participants studied, “five genetic variants were associated with higher levels of circulating branched-chain amino acids.” Next, researchers examined “those genetic differences and found that in 300,000 individuals (including 40,000 with diabetes) there was elevated risk for type 2 diabetes.” The findings were described in a University of Cambridge press release. I think BCAA make you burn fat over glucose. http://www.healio.com/endocrinology/diabetes/news/online/%7Bfe6cde4d-fcdc-4f81-854d-61bad81fa54b%7D/genes-associated-with-higher-risk-for-type-2-diabetes

Imaging Studies Zero in on Zika Impact Radiologic findings offer insight into signs and symptoms

"Neural axis MRI were performed in adult patients with acute neurological syndrome after exanthematic fever suggestive of Zika infection. Newborns with microcephaly whose mothers had exanthematic fever underwent brain MRI, some also with [ultrasound] and CT, and histopathological study of the placenta. Fetal MRI was performed in pregnant women who have had exanthematic fever," they said. They found that most of the adult patients presented with symptoms of Guillain-Barré syndrome and variants, while a few presented with encephalomyelitis. The most common finding was lumbar root enhancement followed by lumbar dorsal ganglia enhancement and facial nerve enhancement. Other findings included brain-stem lesions, spinal cord lesions, and trigeminal nerve enhancement. MRI studies in newborns and fetal MRI showed anatomical changes in the brain parenchyma and orbital injuries. http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/RSNA/61770?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-12-02&eun=g721819d0r&pos=2

Efforts To Standardize Autism Diagnosis Autism diagnosis must account for individual ability to function

There are any number of ways to conceptualize behavioral problems. There has been an emerging consensus over the past four years that mental conditions should be understood from at least three perspectives: the features or symptoms present, the effects on daily functioning within various environments, and a person's subjective experience and quality of life. The standard diagnostic manuals provide useful categorical descriptions of various conditions. But neither the "International Statistical Classification of Diseases" nor the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" sufficiently account for either an individual's ability to function in his daily life, or the quality of his life. Yet functioning and daily experience are frequently the starting points for clinical assessments. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Neurology/Autism/61772?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-12-02&eun=g721819d0r&pos=0

Many Overweight Americans Don’t Realize They’re Overweight, Gallup Data Show.

reports new Gallup data reveals “7 in 10 Americans are obese or overweight, but only 36 percent think they have a weight problem.” The Times recalls that in 1990, “about 56 percent of Americans qualified as obese or overweight,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and “48 percent considered themselves ‘very’ or ‘somewhat’ overweight, according to Gallup.” The article suggests that the “gap between how fat we think we are and how fat we are” has widened as obesity has normalized. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/12/01/nearly-half-of-americas-overweight-people-dont-realize-theyre-overweight/?utm_term=.89fe43f8adf1

Newborns With Low Levels Of Vitamin D May Have Higher Odds Of Developing MS Later In Life, Study Suggests.

“Newborns with low levels of vitamin D may have higher odds of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) later in life,” researchers found after examining “dried blood spot samples stored in the Danish Newborn Screening Biobank,” then identifying “every Dane born since May 1981, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis by 2012.” Medscape (12/1, Hughes) reports the findings were published online in Neurology. An accompanying editorial observed, “Although we do not know the precise target level of 25(OH)D that would be adequate to prevent MS in most individuals, or the precise period when adequate exposure to 25(OH)D is needed, we can still aim to ensure that pregnant women and their offspring achieve the minimum levels of 25(OH)D that are considered important for health (i.e., >50 nmol/L) lifelong, and are nontoxic.” https://consumer.healthday.com/cognitive-health-information-26/multiple-sclerosis-news-486/could-low-levels-of-vitamin-d-at-birth-indicate-higher-ms-risk-717332.html

Standing, Leisurely Walking May Benefit Patients With T2D, Study Suggests

“For people with type 2 diabetes [T2D], better blood sugar control may be as easy as getting up off the couch and standing every so often, or taking a leisurely walk,” researchers found. MedPage Today (11/30, Harris) reports the study authors concluded, “Our results suggest that for people with type 2 diabetes, light-intensity activities (light walking and standing) can be an alternative to exercise to improve glucose regulation.” The findings were published online in Diabetologia. https://consumer.healthday.com/diabetes-information-10/misc-diabetes-news-181/standing-easy-walks-may-help-type-2-diabetics-control-blood-sugar-717252.html

Man With Advanced Prostate Cancer Said To Be Cured After Physicians “Shocked” His Tumor With Large Amounts Of Testosterone.

reports that “a man with advanced prostate cancer is believed to be cured after doctors ‘shocked’ his tumour to death with huge amounts of testosterone.” This “result has been described as ‘unexpected’ and ‘exciting’ because most prostate cancer therapies work by depriving tumours of testosterone, because cancer uses it as a fuel.” Meanwhile, “other seriously ill men taking part in the same trial showed responses that astounded scientists, with tumours shrinking and the progress of their disease halted.” The findings were presented at symposium on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2016/11/30/man-cured-prostate-cancer-doctors-shock-tumour-death-testosterone/

Giving People Detailed Info About Their Personal Genetic Risk Of Developing Diabetes May Not Inspire Them To Change Behavior, Researchers Find.

Giving people detailed information about their personal genetic risk of developing diabetes may not inspire them to change their behavior any more than just giving them basic facts about the disease,” researchers found after analyzing “data on 569 men and women born in England between 1950 and 1965 who didn’t have a diagnosis of diabetes or other chronic diseases.” The findings were published online in PLoS Medicine. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-diabetes-risk-behavior-idUSKBN13P23Q

HIV Treatment Good and Getting Better On World AIDS Day there is much to celebrate

http://www.medpagetoday.com/HIVAIDS/HIVAIDS/61755?xid=NL_MBstandard_2016-12-01&eun=g721819d0r