Annals of Internal Medicine tip sheet for May 17, 2005
...inds that women with slightly elevated blood sugar levels (impaired fasting glucose levels of 5.6 to 6.9 mmol/L) do not have increased risk for CHD (Article, p. 813). 4. Study of Five Str...Study shows Erbitux may fight colorectal cancer after other therapies fail
...h. Most colorectal cancers express EGFR, and high levels of EGFR are usually associated with more metastases and poor prognosis, Lenz explains. Cetuximab also prevents DNA from being repaired, blocks metastasis and suppresses the formation of blood vessels to nourish the tumor, he adds. The most frequently...New stomach cancer therapy potentially more convenient and better tolerated
... same time, it contains another element that keeps levels of 5-FU fairly steady in the body, reducing the ups and downs of chemotherapy. It contains a third element, too, that fights 5-FU's toxic effects in gastrointestinal tissues-a cause of chemotherapy nausea and vomiting. Finally, it is available in a c......ngs showed thatindividuals who had continuous high levels of cortisol, performed poorly onmemory tests and... early interventions, we canmodify the cortisol levels and enhance brain function of the at-riskindividuals. " Lupien and her research team also looke...Nutrition gene key in regulating immune system
...ng at the few genes known to respond to amino acid levels and found GCN2. GCN2 is present and active in many cells, but its major sites of action are unknown and its role in T cells was unexplored, Dr. Munn says. "GCN2 is a nutrition sensor in yeast," says Dr. Munn. GCN2 helps yeast know when it has suffic...Exercise reduces risk of recurrence and death in early stage colon cancer patients
...th benefit was found among patients whose activity levels ranked in the top two-fifths of the group, compared to the lowest one-fifth. They exercised at a rate of at least 18 MET-hours (metabolic-equivalent tasks) per week, which could be attained through jogging two to three hours a week, playing tennis a ...Other highlights in the May 18 JNCI
...etect more breast cancers earlier, but the benefit levels off, according to a new study. Breast cancer scree...nd that premenopausal women who had elevated blood levels of the androgens testosterone or androstenedione or low levels of progesterone had an increased risk...Study shows grapefruit extract can heal stomach ulcers
...pplied graded doses of GSE (2-20 mg/kg) to measure levels of gastric secretion, one the major causes of gast...ph nodes, in this example), higher blood endotoxin levels and more severe liver injury than male rats on the same diet or rats of either sex on the LDC diet (...Genes may influence nutritional composition of breast milk
... "It is well known that genes control the nutrient levels in cow's milk" said Richard B. Weinberg, M.D. "But...on genetic variant produced milk containing higher levels of DHA." In the study, 111 women ate a meal with an added dose of DHA and then pumped their breast m...New method of administering anti-cancer drug may be more effective, safer
... new method achieves more predictable, stable drug levels in patients than the current method and could even...ntinuous-infusion method achieved more predictable levels of the drug than does the usual delivery method," said Dr. Thomas C. Shea, professor of medicine at ...Pilot studies to look at how mind drives or prevents disease
...ce as a predictor of heart failure. Do high blood levels of inflammatory signaling chemicals like interleukins contribute to both depression and heart disease? Does depression predict heart failure? Fifty patients from the Strong Memorial Hospital Cardiology Clinic and the Highland Hospital Family Medicine...New kidney function test better than standard at predicting death and cardiovascular outcomes
...he 20 percent of the participants with the highest levels of cystatin-C had twice the risk of death from all... and stroke compared with those who had the lowest levels of cystatin-C. In contrast, testing the same participants with creatinine detected a smaller high-ri...Go to the tape: Video replay improves radiology residents' performance
...taping have been reported at a variety of academic levels in other medical disciplines. It has been reported to increase student self-awareness, allow evaluation of curriculum mastery, improve skill development, increase student involvement and enhance student learning outcomes. To our knowledge, this feedb...Group-based education improves diabetes self-management, studies find
...ved diabetes control as reflected by blood glucose levels and patients' knowledge of diabetes. Evidence also...tes is a progressive disease characterized by high levels of blood glucose resulting from defects in insulin production, insulin action, or both, and can lead...Discovery of a 'drug anticipation' brain signal
...l, unlike the second type, was associated with the levels of cocaine in the rats' systems. This signal could function to activate brain networks associated with the pleasurable effects of cocaine, wrote the researchers. "These results show that dopamine release transients involved in different aspects of co...Low back pain relief, causes, measurement & prosthetic fit, production, comfort
...urance. Individuals reporting more pain had higher levels of disability, greater iliopsoas muscle length, and less low back endurance. Participants with amputation because of trauma had greater abdominal strength than those with amputations because of disease. Practitioner technique, knowledge affect resi...Narcotic drugs effective for severe, chronic pain in older patients
... In addition, long-term use of opioids at moderate levels does not pose an increased risk for cardiac or kidney damage or gastric ulcers, as some Cox-2 inhibitors do -- a risk of greater concern for older patients than younger ones, Palmer said. Sedation and constipation are the main opioid side effects, b...Study finds benefits, less organ rejection using immunosuppressive combination for heart transplants
...tly better kidney function and lower triglycerides levels compared to the other two groups. Rates of post transplant diabetes were not significantly different. Fewer viral infections, but more fungal infections, were found in the TAC/SRL group. The authors concluded that in heart transplant patients, T...Obesity is risk factor for aggressive prostate cancer
... estrogen-like compounds, which lowers circulating levels of prostate specific antigen, or PSA, a marker for prostate cancer. If PSA levels are lower due to hormone changes from obesity, the prostate cancer is less likely to be detected at ......suggesting that they were more active. Cholesterol levels and blood pressure readings were similar in high and low milk consumers (less than half a pint), and men who drank the least milk tended to drink the most alcohol. Men who drank the most milk had a lower risk of ischaemic heart disease or stroke tha...