Chair Of Task Force Discusses Guideline On Pediatric Obesity.

Dennis M. Styne, MD, chair of the task force that created the latest Clinical Practice Guideline on pediatric obesity.” Dr. Styne discusses “the latest recommendations in treating these patients and how not all treatments are dependent on the physician.” The guideline is available online in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. http://endocrinenews.endocrine.org/qa-dennis-m-styne-md/

Metabolic Diseases May Lead To Changes In Oral Bacteria That May Increase Risk Of Oral Health Problems, Study Suggests.

reports that research suggests “metabolic diseases like type 2 diabetes lead to changes in oral bacteria that in turn can increase risk of oral health problems.” The findings were published in PLOS ONE. http://www.medpagetoday.com/endocrinology/diabetes/63496

H7N9 Flu Outbreak Largest Yet But risk of sustained transmission among people remains low: WHO

The current wave of H7N9 avian flu in China is the largest yet and accounts for more than a third of the human cases recorded since the strain was identified in 2013, according to an official of the World Health Organization. But most other characteristics of the current outbreak, now standing at 460 cases, are similar to earlier waves, including the median age of patients, their history of exposure to poultry, and the risk of dying from the disease, said Wenqing Zhang, MD, head of the agency's global influenza program. Risk of sustained transmission between people remains low, she told reporters in a telephone briefing, but "constant change is the nature of all influenza viruses (making) influenza a persistent and significant threat to public health." http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/URItheFlu/63494?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2017-03-02&eun=g721819d0r&pos=0

Eleven Types Of Cancers May Have Strong Associations With Excess Body Fat, Research Suggests.

reports that a “systematic literature review” found that “eleven types of cancers showed strong associations with excess body fat.” In the “study to ‘evaluate the strength and validity of the evidence for the association between adiposity and risk of developing or dying from cancer,’ the strongest evidence was seen for cancers of the gastric cardia, colon, rectum, biliary tract system, pancreas, breast, endometrium, ovary, kidney, esophageal adenocarcinoma, and multiple myeloma.” The findings were published in The BMJ. Also covering the story are Medscape (2/28, Mulcahy), The Guardian (UK) (2/28, Davis), the Telegraph (UK) (2/28, Bodkin), and CBC (CAN) (2/28). http://www.medpagetoday.com/endocrinology/obesity/63478

Topical Testosterone Replacement Gel Therapy Found To Be Safe, Effective In Men With Hypogonadism.

reports that researchers found that “men with hypogonadism using a topical testosterone replacement gel therapy administered with a hands-free cap applicator reported high satisfaction with the treatment and had improved testosterone levels.” The findings were published in Endocrine Practice. http://www.healio.com/endocrinology/hormone-therapy/news/in-the-journals/%7B4d8945d2-4f15-45bf-9917-d95945237a6a%7D/topical-testosterone-replacement-gel-therapy-safe-effective-in-hypogonadism

Treatment of HIV-Infected Neonates Suppresses Virus Some babies appear free of infection

http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/CROI/63158?xid=nl_mpt_Weekly_Education_2017-03-01&eun=g5883165d1r

Wide Use of New HCV Drugs Prevents New Cases 'Treatment as prevention' possible

Unrestricted use of new direct-acting agents against hepatitis C (HCV) can markedly reduce the rate of new infections, a researcher said here. That's based on analysis of what happened in the Netherlands among gay men with both HIV and HCV when unlimited access to the new, highly effective agents was rolled out in 2015, according to Bart Rijnders, MD, PhD, of Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Uptake of the drugs was substantial and the rate of new HCV infections was cut in half, Rijnders told reporters at the annual Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI). The study looked at a well-characterized cohort of men in HIV care, Rijnders said, but there's not reason to think the same effect would not apply to wider population. "It's an example of what is possible if you search for hepatitis C and treat it as soon as possible and you have the money and the drugs," Rijnders told MedPage Today. http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/CROI/63242?xid=nl_mpt_Weekly_Education_2017-03-01&eun=g5883165d1r