Archive for the ‘Recent Studies’ Category

The Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin, a monthly review of pharmacotherapeutics in medicine published by the British Medical Journal, is recommending that physicians take a second look before prescribing daily low-dose aspirin to patients. A recent review of European data questions whether there is any benefit at all for those without a history of cardiovascular disease to be taking a daily aspirin, especially since long-term low-dose aspirin therapy almost doubles the likelihood of gastrointestinal bleeding (a potentially serious side effect). The journal authors support continued use of aspirin in those with known cardiovascular disease, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart attacks. But, in light of current evidence, is not recommending daily low-dose aspirin for prevention of cardiovascular disease. [via Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin]

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Integrative medicine is a hot field right now with more and more patients exploring complimentary and alternative treatments. Why shouldn’t some of these remedies work? After all, plenty of medicines are derived from the nature around us. One such example is lovastatin (also known by the brand name Mevacor), a medication used to lower cholesterol which is derived from red yeast rice, a supplement used in Traditional Chinese Medicine since 800 A.D. that’s produced by cultivating a red-colored mold on rice. A study published in the current issue of Annals of Internal Medicine demonstrates the efficacy of red yeast rice in improving the lipid profiles of people with high cholesterol. When compared with another popular cholesterol-lowering medication, simvastatin (Zocor), red yeast rice was able to lower LDL levels just as effectively. But, similar to prescription lipid-lowering drugs, red yeast rice can have similar side effects on the liver and muscles. So why isn’t your physician recommending red yeast rice? The reasons are plenty, but one main cause is the currently under-regulated U.S. supplements industry where it may be difficult to accurately know how much of a medicinally active ingredient you are receiving, and consistently so. Regardless, red yeast rice may be a viable alternative for cholesterol reduction in certain people who may not be able to tolerate synthetically manufactured medications due to their side effects. [via Annals of Internal Medicine]

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New technologies developed after studying shark skin will soon be appearing at a hospital near you. Scientists at Sharklet Technologies, a Florida-based biotech company, have been studying shark skin for the interesting fact that bacteria just doesn’t seen to stick to it. Under the microscope, it appears that shark skin is composed of diamond-shaped bumps that give it this unique property. Hospital tests using plastic tubing (as used in intravenous lines and catheters) printed with this shark skin pattern showed that microorganisms which can cause potentially serious harm, such as E. coli and Staphylococcus Aureus, were unable to establish colonies large enough to infect humans. The technology is currently pending FDA approval for medical use, but in the interim look out for Sharklet to appear on high-touch surfaces like restroom door handles later this year. [via Popular Science]

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Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a coalition of US-based non-profit health and environmental groups just released a report regarding contamination of Halloween face paints by heavy metals. Although the CDC recommends against using cosmetics which contain lead on children, there’s no way of telling whether the paints contain toxic metals since they are not required to be listed on product labels (there is no legal requirement to list them because they’re considered contaminants, not  ingredients). The group looked at 10 children’s face paint brands and found:

• 10 out of 10 children’s face paints contained lead at levels between 0.05 and 0.65 parts per million (ppm).
• 6 out of 10 children’s face paints contained nickel, cobalt and/or chromium at levels between 1.6 to 120 ppm (this is much higher than the industry safety standard of 1 ppm said the report). These metals can be allergens in children.
• Snazaroo Face Paint contained some of the highest levels of lead, nickel and cobalt found in the study. This product carries the words “non-toxic” and “hypoallergenic” on its label.

Continue reading at Medical News Today.

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Did you know that carbonation has a distinct taste? According to new research from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research scientists have elucidated the fine intricacies of fizziness. When consuming a carbonated beverage the sensation of tiny bubbles bursting on your tongue is, in fact, misleading. If one were to drink a soda in a pressure chamber (thus preventing the bubbles from bursting) the sensation would actually be the same. What gives? The “taste” of carbonation involves the interaction of an enzyme, carbonic anhydrase 4, with the sour-sensing cells in your taste buds. This interaction sends signals to the brain where carbonation is perceived as the familiar fizz, followed by a sensation of tartness. [via NIH News]

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Dr. Bahman Guyuron, Chair of Plastic Surgery at University Hospitals Case Medical Center and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine noted a decade ago that many patients who underwent forehead rejuvenation saw a disappearance in migraine symptoms after surgery. It was this astute observation which gave him the idea to use surgery as a means to alleviate the pain of migraines. By detecting superficial trigger sites on the muscles of the head and then removing or diminishing their affects on nerves, Dr. Guyuron has shown strong evidence that surgical manipulation of one or more migraine trigger sites can successfully eliminate or reduce the frequency, duration, and/or intensity of migraine headaches with lasting results. [via Science Daily]

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Last month researchers from the US Army and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases announced the successful trial of a new HIV vaccine. However, because the study was based on very few cases, skeptics argued whether the vaccine had any effect after all. Fast forward to this week’s AIDS Vaccine 2009 meeting in Paris where researchers reviewed more data from the trial and found the claims in which the vaccine reduced HIV infection rates by 31% were sound. Additionally, it appears that the vaccine actually was even more effective during the first year of immunization, reducing infection rates by as high as 60%. “It looked like there’s an early effect that wanes with time,” said Seth Berkley, chief executive of the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative. “It may be that the vaccine generates only weak antibodies against HIV, and these are only effective early on.” Although this vaccine isn’t ready for public use, the knowledge we gained from this research will certainly help in the production of new and improved HIV vaccines. [NEJM via New Scientist]

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Research presented this week at the Neuroscience 2009 meeting in Chicago revealed an interesting side effect of internet use on older brains. Researchers from University of California, Los Angeles found that frequent internet use among the elderly – even those who only recently started using the web – increased brain functioning beyond their baseline. By comparing novice users to seasoned internet veterans the researchers found that even after just one week of using the internet, the novice users’ brains showed activity in areas important for working memory and decision making – activity that wasn’t apparent on brain scans prior to engagement with the web. [via Medical News Today]

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Magnetic and copper bracelets have been popular for quite sometime now. They have become alternative therapies used by many people to treat pain caused by various musculoskeletal diseases, such as arthritis. But do they actually work? Researchers from the UK have shown in the first randomized placebo-controlled trial that these metallic objects are, in fact, ineffective in treating pain. They say that any benefit derived from them can be attributed to psychological placebo effects. “…our findings suggest that such devices have no real advantage over placebo wrist straps that are not magnetic and do not contain copper,” said Stewart Richmond, the lead author of the study. However, he emphasizes that although these products don’t necessarily cause harm, people should be careful about spending a lot of money on products that claim to cure your ailments with magnetic therapy. The study was published in the current issue of Complementary Therapies In Medicine. [via Medical News Today]

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Scientists have discovered a potential retroviral link to chronic fatigue syndrome, known as CFS, a debilitating disease that affects millions of people in the United States. Researchers from the Whittemore Peterson Institute (WPI), located at the University of Nevada, Reno, the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, and the Cleveland Clinic, report this finding online Oct. 8, 2009, issue of Science. “We now have evidence that a retrovirus named XMRV is frequently present in the blood of patients with CFS. This discovery could be a major step in the discovery of vital treatment options for millions of patients,” said Judy Mikovits, Ph.D., director of research for WPI and leader of the team that discovered this association. Researchers cautioned however, that this finding shows there is an association between XMRV and CFS but does not prove that XMRV causes CFS. [Continue reading at National Institutes of Health]

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