Two years after gene therapy treatments, severe angina patients showed prolonged clinical benefit
...rovement (decrease) in angina class of two or more levels and 40% of the patients experienced complete elimination of angina symptoms. Similarly, significant reductions in the number of angina episodes per week and the number of nitroglycerin tablets taken were observed. Given the invasive nature of this ...Emory Study finds HIV is not an independent risk factor for severe heart disease
..., gender, hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol levels and tobacco use, HIV status was no longer associated with severe CAD," says Dr. Sola. "In fact, therewas no significant relationship between angiographically significant CAD andHAART, CD4 count, or HIV viral load." The Emory researchers concluded tha...Cockroach allergens have greatest impact on childhood asthma in many US cities
...ildren. Most homes in northeastern cities had high levels of cockroach allergens, while those in the south and northwest had dust mite allergen levels in ranges known to exacerbate asthma symptoms. The study results are published in the March issue of...Study finds indoor allergen levels vary, cockroach allergens cause more asthma symptoms
...hildren. It is the first study to compare allergen levels and exposure on such a geographically large scale ...ity children who are sensitive and exposed to high levels of that allergen," said Dr. Rebecca Gruchalla, chief of allergy at UT Southwestern and the study's l...Student identifies electrical changes preceding heart failure
...nts depending upon the cellular voltage or calcium levels in the individual tissue samples. The emitted light was then collected by a sensitive optical detection system, converted to current and stored on a computer for analysis. Hahn and Akar were able to demonstrate that electrical disturbances occurred i...Cigarette smoke worsens respiratory infections in infants
...ords and measured the children's oxygen saturation levels during RSV infection. The lower the oxygen saturat...that children who came from homes with the highest levels of allergens had no effect on the severity of RSV infection. The researchers measured levels of dog ...Laughter helps blood vessels function better
... people were prone to laughter and ascertain their levels of hostility and anger. Three hundred volunteers participated in the study. Half of them had suffered a heart attack or had undergone coronary artery bypass surgery; the other half did not have heart disease. People with heart disease responded with...Researchers discover link between insulin and Alzheimer's
...oteins are produced in the brain, and that reduced levels of both are linked to Alzheimer's disease. The fin...red that growth factors are not produced at normal levels in the hippocampus the part of the brain responsible for memory. The absence of these growth factor...Serum sodium level is a major predictor of a poor prognosis for heart failure patients
...ithin 60 days of hospital discharge. Serum sodium levels are easily measured through routine blood tests. "...a minor decrease in a person's serum sodium level levels that are now dismissed by physicians had a major impact on mortality of heart failure patients," sa...St. John's wort amplifies effect of blood thinner Plavix
...tabolized by this enzyme, so those drugs' activity levels will be lower if this herb is taken. For instance, one would expect that cholesterol lowering with atorvastatin would not be as good when this herb is taken." The six research participants were selected from a pool of screened volunteers for their lo...Studies underscore genetic involvement in nicotine addiction & aggressive hostility
...n may allow these mice to tolerate higher nicotine levels before experiencing negative nervous-system side e...some genetic basis that may involve abnormally low levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Once again, gene polymorphisms appear to influence individual va...Depression predicts heart rhythm abnormalities in heart attack patients
...f ventricular tachycardia increased with increased levels of depression. The researchers also found a link between anxiety and ventricular tachycardia. Based on the results of their study, the researchers believe that hospitalized heart attack patients should be evaluated for depression, and those who are f...New trials for counseling caregivers and patients with Alzheimer's begin
...oblems as a result of the continuing and demanding levels of care required by people with Alzheimer's, the most common form of dementia affecting people over 65. Dr. Mittelman and her colleagues found that a unique counseling and support program substantially eases the depression of spouse caregivers of Alz...UCSD-Utah team develops mouse model to test therapies for macular degeneration
... of macular degeneration are characterized by high levels of debris called lipofuscin that accumulates in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and results in its degeneration together with photoreceptor cells. Vision loss follows. Noting that scientists have recently linked mutations in a gene called ELO...Telemedicine revolution is 'disappearing' from the NHS
...esigned - of patient satisfaction. These show high levels of support for new systems, but often represent highly selected patient groups. They often focus on 'hotel' aspects of care rather than important questions concerning patients' confidence about the diagnosis and quality of life. Concerns about securi...Study examines racial differences among children to environmental tobacco smoke exposure
...can children with asthma have significantly higher levels of cotinine -- a substance produced when the body ...possible reasons why African Americans have higher levels of cotinine," says Stephen E. Wilson, MD, a scientist at the Cincinnati Children's Center for Enviro...Ten-minute emergency room intervention for problem drinkers
...atient; provide feedback on the patient's drinking levels and effects; enhance motivation to reduce drinking, and negotiate and advise a plan of action. The practitioners were trained to listen carefully to the patient's concerns, help them identify strategies to change their drinking patterns and were enco...Both inherited traits and tumor mutations affect response to treatment of leukemia
...'t broken down by GSTM1, or by increasing the dose levels of the drugs." The 3/3 polymorphism of TYMS means that both maternal and paternal copies of the gene in the patient have a higher activity of TYMS, which acts like an accelerator in a car, driving leukemic cells ("blasts") to make new DNA rapidly, th...Other highlights in the March 2 JNCI
...te Cancer A new study has found that higher blood levels of two components of vitamin E--alpha-tocopherol and gamma-tocopherol--are associated with a lower risk of prostate cancer. The Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention (ATBC) Study showed an association between daily alpha-tocopherol supple...Folic acid and vitamin B12 decrease risk of hip fracture in stroke patients
...ers. Researchers believe this may be due to higher levels of plasma homocysteine (an amino acid) in stroke p...rosis and the risk of a hip fracture. Homocysteine levels may be decreased by treatment with folic acid and vitamin B12. Yoshihiro Sato, M.D., from the Mitat...