2018/10/17MEDICAL UPDATE

WCLC 2018: Variety of approaches can work in oligometastatic disease

By Thomas R Collins / Interviewer Esther Drain Creative approaches that can be used to keep control of oligometastic disease in patients with non-small cell lung cancer were discussed here at the IASLC 19th World Conference on Lung Cancer.

2018/10/17MEDICAL UPDATE

WCLC 2018: Lung cancer stigma is detrimental to patient care

Interviewer Esther Drain Dr Jesme Fox (Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, UK) discusses research she presented showing that lung cancer stigma is detrimental to patients' care.

2018/10/17MEDICAL UPDATE

WCLC 2018: Importance of QOL outcome measures in clinical trials

Interviewer Esther Drain WCLC co-Presidents Professor Andrea Bezjak and Dr Natasha Leighl (both of Toronto, Canada) discuss research from their centre on the iimportance of QOL outcome measures in clinical trials.

2018/10/17MEDICAL UPDATE

WCLC 2018: Accessibility & quality of life: a patient focus at WCLC

By Thomas R Collins / Interview by Esther Drain Talk of progress in cancer treatment can ring hollow if the new, life-lengthening therapies are not widely available, the president-elect of the European Society of Medical Oncology said here at the IASLC 19th World Conference on Lung Cancer.

2018/10/17MEDICAL UPDATE

WCLC 2018: PACIFIC: durvalumab results impressive, but not without questions

By Thomas R Collins / Interview by Esther Drain Patients with unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer taking durvalumab had significantly better overall survival than those on placebo after standard chemotherapy and radiation, according to the latest results of the phase III PACIFIC trial presented here at the IASLC 19th World Conference on Lung Cancer.

2018/10/17MEDICAL UPDATE

WCLC 2018: Early ALTA-1L data encouraging for brigatinib

By Thomas R Collins / Interviews by Esther Drain The ALK- and ROS1-inhibitor brigatinib showed a better progression-free survival (PFS) compared to the ALK-inhibitor crizotinib in the first interim analysis of a head-to-head trial in patients with ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who hadn’t yet received an ALK-inhibitor, researchers said here in the Plenary at the IASLC 19th World Congress on Lung Cancer.

2018/10/17MEDICAL UPDATE

WCLC 2018: Success of combined screening and smoking cessation pilots

Interviews by Esther Drain Professor Gail Darling (WCLC co-President, Toronto, Canada) discusses the success of combined screening and smoking cessation pilot in Ontario.

2018/10/17MEDICAL UPDATE

WCLC 2018: Do we have a UK-wide screening programme that is ready to implement?

Interviewer: Esther Drain Dr Jesme Fox (Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, UK) and Professor David Baldwin (Nottingham, UK) detail current UK pilots and a screening protocol that is currently going through the NHS England gateway process.

2018/10/17MEDICAL UPDATE

WCLC 2018: NELSON – CT screening saves lives

By Thomas R Collins / Interviewer Esther Drain A randomised, controlled screening trial for lung cancer involving almost 16,000 people in the Netherlands and Belgium found that CT screening produced a 26% reduction in lung cancer deaths among at-risk men over 10 years, according to data presented here at the IASLC 19th World Conference on Lung Cancer.

2018/10/17MEDICAL UPDATE

WCLC 2018: Highlights

Interviewer: Esther Drain The IASLC 19th World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) was full of highlights, including 3 plenary abstracts being presented in the New England Journal of Medicine and involvement from patients and patient advocates. Watch the  montage of comments from delegates to get an idea of the excitement generated here in Toronto.

2018/10/02MEDICAL UPDATE

DDW 2018: Quality of life for IBD patients

By Maria Dalby Inflammatory bowel disease can have a detrimental impact of health-related quality of life, and reducing the physical and psychological disease burden is an important therapeutic target. Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are increasingly captured in clinical trials and disease registers and can provide insight into the day-to-day impact of IBD on patients’ lives. PROs and quality of life measures can be captured in real time via online and mobile platforms, to improve disease control and quality of care.

2018/10/02MEDICAL UPDATE

DDW 2018: Predicting who will get IBD

Interview by Hannah Chatfield To have a chance of preventing IBD clinicians need to be able to predict who is at risk, based on sensitive and selective risk factors. In a translational symposium at DDW 2018, speakers discussed the role of genetics, diet and environment in IBD aetiology.

2018/10/02MEDICAL UPDATE

DDW 2018: Choice in patient management

Interview by Hannah Chatfield IBD specialists have more treatment options than ever before; yet the optimal use of many agents, old as well as new, remains to be defined. A plenary session at DDW 2018 entitled “It’s still a free country: choice in IBD management” aimed to highlight the wide choice available to clinicians and patients.

2018/10/02MEDICAL UPDATE

DDW 2018: Treatment of perianal fistulising disease

By Maria Dalby Perianal fistulas remain a debilitating complication for CD patients, with high levels of morbidity and impact on quality of life. Several abstracts and posters at DDW 2018 addressed the clinical management of perianal fistulas in CD.

2018/10/02MEDICAL UPDATE

DDW 2018: IBD Study Updates

Interview by Hannah Chatfield This article summarises some of the key study updates presented at DDW 2018.

2018/08/20MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2018: Synchronous primary lung cancers

Professor John Lafrate (Harvard Medical School, Boston) and Professor Frank Detterbeck (Yale School of Medicine, New Haven) spoke in a session looking at some of the difficulties with diagnosis and management of synchronous primary lung cancers, especially as there is little research or guidelines to guide best practice.

2018/08/20MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2018: KEYNOTE-042 shows OS

by Thomas R Collins First-line treatment with the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab showed an overall survival benefit compared to platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer and a PD-L1 tumour proportion score of at least 1…

2018/08/20MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2018: Choices for front-line NSCLC

By Thomas R Collins With permutations of potential front-line treatments for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) seemingly endless, one thing seems certain…

2018/08/20MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2018: Hot topics in lung cancer

Hot topics in lung cancer - interviews from ASCO 2018.

2018/08/20MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO Highlights

June 2018 saw the launch of our first edition of LungCancer.Med, a new congress news e-journal containing interviews with speakers and delegates as well as articles on the latest hot topics in lung cancer.

2018/08/03MEDICAL UPDATE

Questionable penicillin allergy diagnosis increases risk of MRSA and C. difficile 

A retrospective study of outpatient records for millions of  patients in the UK  reveals that  the overuse of broad-spectrum alternative antibiotics among patients who are probably not allergic to penicillin has increased risks of spreading in the general population MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and Clostridium difficile (C. difficile). The findings were published online on June 27, 2018 in The BMJ/The British Medical Journal.

2018/08/03MEDICAL UPDATE

EHA 2018: Molecular profiling in multiple myeloma 

In addition to clinical segmentation of MM patients as young or elderly and fit or frail, genetic factors convey important prognostic information and should be taken into account in risk assessments and treatment decisions, in the same way as in other haematological malignancies such as AML. Professor Faith Davies from UAMS opened an educational session at EHA 2018 in Stockholm with an overview of the clinical impact of molecular subgroups, molecular risk and clonal heterogeneity in MM.

2018/08/03MEDICAL UPDATE

Ezcema drug shows efficacy in moderate-to-severe uncontrolled asthma

Patients with moderate-to-severe uncontrolled asthma treated with the ezcema drug dupilumab have achieved significantly lower rates of severe asthma exacerbation than those using a placebo. Researchers reported this finding on May 20 at the 2018 American Thoracic Society Conference. Their study was published online on May 21 in  NEJM/The New England Journal of Medicine.

2018/06/24MEDICAL UPDATE

EHA 2018: OPTIMISMM

(Author: Maria Dalby; Interviewer: Esther Drain) Professor Paul Richardson (Boston, USA) presented the results of the OPTIMISMM study which compared the efficacy of pomalidomide, bortezomib and dexamethasone (PVd) with bortezombib and dexamethasone alone (Vd) in MM patients with 1-3 prior lines of therapy and a minimum of two cycles of lenalidomide treatment.

2018/06/24MEDICAL UPDATE

EHA 2018: Immunotherapy in MM: why, when and how?

(Author: Maria Dalby; Interviewer: Esther Drain) The pathophysiology of MM is characterised by a state of profound immunosuppression through multiple mechanisms which provides a strong rationale for immunotherapeutic approaches including antibodies, immunomodulators, vaccines and adoptive cellular therapies. In an educational session at EHA 2018 Dr Niels van de Donk from Amsterdam outlined the importance of immunotherapy in the treatment of MM now and in the future, focussing especially the role of antibody combinations in the upfront setting and the promise of CAR-T cell therapy.

2018/06/24MEDICAL UPDATE

EHA 2018: The Issue of Frailty in MM

(Author: Maria Dalby; Interviewer: Esther Drain) When treating patients with MM frail patients are less able to tolerate aggressive treatment and therefore have poorer OS. In the era of novel agents there is a medical need for maximising tolerability and optimising efficacy in elderly patients by individualising therapy based on fitness rather than chronological age. Professor Sonja Zweegman from Amsterdam hosted a Meet the Expert session at EHA 2018 which highlighted some of the challenges around detecting and assessing frailty and adapting therapy so that frail patients can achieve the best possible outcome.

2018/06/24MEDICAL UPDATE

EHA 2018: Preferred treatment combinations and sequencing in transplant eligible and elderly MM patients

(Author: Maria Dalby; Interviewer: Esther Drain) The growing number of novel treatments for multiple myeloma (MM) means that more patients can achieve the therapeutic goal of a deep and prolonged first remission – in some cases even to the extent that it can be described as a cure. However, optimisation of second-line therapy and beyond continues to challenge clinicians in the novel therapy era. In his presentation at a Scientific Working Group session at EHA 2018, Professor Hartmut Goldschmidt from Heidelberg in Germany reviewed strategies for treating MM patients who are eligible and ineligible for stem cell transplantation, respectively.

2018/05/11MEDICAL UPDATE

Denmark: 1 in 4 people leave work a year after a heart attack

By Gary Finnegan One in four people leave their job within a year of returning to work after having a heart attack, according to a study from Denmark in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

2018/05/11MEDICAL UPDATE

BSH 2018: Debate: CAR-T cell therapy will become the standard of care for relapsed high-grade B-cell lymphoma within 5 years

By Christine Clark (article) and Alex Burton (interviews) Is CAR-T cell therapy a realistic treatment option for patients with large B cell lymphoma who otherwise have no curative options or an expensive new treatment that is complex to administer and offers little outcome advantage?...

2018/05/11MEDICAL UPDATE

BSH 2018: Access to new agents

By Christine Clark (article) and Alex Burton (interviews) Cancer drugs receive special funding in the NHS but it is not automatic and input from expert clinicians is essential to ensure that effective treatments are funded appropriately. The recent example of brentuximab vedotin in transplant-naïve patients illustrates the process and underlines the importance of clinician input...

2018/05/11MEDICAL UPDATE

BSH 2018: Personalised cancer vaccines and cellular therapy: changing the treatment paradigm for haematological malignancies

By Maria Dalby (article) and Esther Drain (interviews) Dendritic cells (DC) are known to play an important role in the initiation of primary immune responses. In cancer, deficient DCs contribute to tumour-associated immune tolerance. Functionally active DCs can be grown ex vivo from peripheral blood mononuclear cells in the presence of cytokines and can be made to carry tumour antigens to stimulate an anti-tumour response…

2018/05/11MEDICAL UPDATE

BSH 2018: Stratified medicine – using genomic analysis to deliver therapy in high-risk myeloma

By Maria Dalby (article) and Esther Drain (interviews) Dr Martin Kaiser (London) discusses recent work from the UK on identifying robust markers and how clinical decisions can be made according to the biology of the disease. Advances in the management of multiple myeloma (MM) in recent years have drastically improved survival compared with 40-50 years ago. However, unlike other haematological cancers such as HL and DLBCL, MM remains incurable with a high likelihood of relapse and death...

2018/05/02MEDICAL UPDATE

Flu or pneumonia increases risk of heart attack or stroke, especially in seniors

By Bruce Sylvester Researchers from a retrospective, observational study report that victims of flu or pneumonia have a significantly increased risk of heart attack or stroke in the days after their infection.  The findings appeared on March 21, 2018 in the European Respiratory Journal.

2018/04/25MEDICAL UPDATE

Length of lactation inversely related to diabetes development

By Bruce Sylvester Lactation duration appears to be inversely related to development of type 2 diabetes, researchers reported in the March 2018 issue of JAMA Internal Medicine.

2018/04/08MEDICAL UPDATE

Italy: Hepatitis epidemic linked to European outbreaks

By Gary Finnegan Hepatitis A viruses (HAVs) circulating in an ongoing outbreak among men who have sex with men (MSM) in the Lombardy region of Italy are predominantly attributable to strains linked to two other recent outbreaks in Europe, according to research presented at The International Liver Congress 2018 in Paris, France.

2018/03/07MEDICAL UPDATE

ECCO 2018: Improving patient care in IBD

By Maria Dalby (articles) and Peter Mas Mollinedo (interviews) As a community IBD professionals are well aware of the need to raise the bar in terms of delivering quality care that maintains tight disease control and anticipates the disease course rather than merely react to it.1,2 To have a chance of success, such tight control must be based on hard data from close monitoring of relevant surrogate biomarkers of disease activity and mucosal healing. The recently-published phase-3 multi-centre study CALM is the first to show that dose adjustment of anti-TNF therapy based on clinical symptoms in combination with biomarkers achieves better clinical and endoscopic outcomes in CD than the conventional approach of relying on symptoms alone.3

2018/03/01MEDICAL UPDATE

ECCO 2018: Returning to a normal life with IBD

By Maria Dalby (article) and Peter Mas Mollinedo (interviews) Even with access to more potent and sophisticated drugs than ever before, IBD professionals still have a long way to go in optimising treatment and alleviating the long-term impact of the disease. Patient empowerment and patient-centred care are essential for reducing the burden of IBD; however, to achieve these clinicians must have a clear understanding of patients’ goals and perspectives...

2018/03/01MEDICAL UPDATE

ECCO 2018: Evolving concepts of IBD pathogenesis

By Maria Dalby (articles) and Peter Mas Mollinedo (interviews) Perianal fistula is a debilitating complication in CD which affects up to 50% of patients in the course of their disease...

2018/02/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Real-world data shows details beyond the clinical trials

By Thomas R Collins (article) and Esther Drain (interviews) Professor Paul G. Richardson MD (R.J. Corman Professor, Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA) and Dr Karthik Ramasamy (Oxford Oncology and Haematology Centre) discuss important learnings from real-world data, especially focussing on how the burden of side effects and ease of delivery can significantly impact on efficacy outside of clinical trials. http://vimeo.com/250762667

2018/02/21MEDICAL UPDATE

More ASH Highlights (Myeloma)

Interview by Esther Drain There were lots of updates from various studies in myeloma at ASH 2017. Above, Professor Sagar Lonial (Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA) discusses data presented showing that combination treatments are more effective than sequenced doublets. http://vimeo.com/250430254

2018/02/16MEDICAL UPDATE

UK research in the spotlight at ASH

Interview by Esther Drain The chair of the UK Myeloma Research Alliance, Professor Gordon Cook (Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust) highlights some of the data presented from the UK, including data from the Myeloma XI study which he describes as ‘practice changing’ and ‘puts the UK research programme firmly in the spotlight’. http://vimeo.com/250631858

2018/02/13MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH Highlights (Myeloma)

Interviews by Esther Drain http://vimeo.com/250425526 As usual, there was a lot of new data in at ASH 2017 in myeloma. Above Professor S Vincent Rajkumar (Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA) gives a great overview of the key messages in early treatment, RRMM, CART therapy and supportive care (the TEAM trial). Highlights from key trials, ALCYONE and tandem transplant in NDMM are discussed by Professor Faith Davies (UAMS Myeloma Institute, Arkansas, USA) and Dr Rakesh Popat (University College) respectively.

2018/02/11MEDICAL UPDATE

ECCO 2018: Novel treatments in IBD

By Maria Dalby (article) and Peter Mas Mollinedo (interviews) The current research and development pipeline of novel biologic therapies and small molecule drugs promises improved efficacy and safety in the treatment of IBD in the near future. However, the complexity and heterogeneity of the disease means it is unlikely that one single therapy will meet all clinical needs; instead rational use of combination therapy and multidisciplinary management will provide a bridge to fully personalised therapy...

2018/02/05MEDICAL UPDATE

New insights into HL biology

By Thomas R Collins Deepening understanding of the biology of Reed-Sternberg cells in Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL) and how it relates to therapy could help predict response to PD-1 inhibition.

2018/02/05MEDICAL UPDATE

Which groups benefited most from an ECHELON-1 approach?

Interview by Esther Drain Professor Stephen Ansell (Mayo Clinic, USA) discusses who might benefit most from A+AVD upfront in HL. http://vimeo.com/247522095

2018/02/05MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2017 Highlights

Interviews by Esther Drain https://vimeo.com/247522755 Professor Anas Younes (MSKCC, New York), Professor John Radford (Manchester) and Dr Graham Collins (Oxford). Once again ASH provided much food for thought and above leading experts discuss their highlights - Echelon 1 in frontline HL and in Mantle Cell Lymphoma the LyMa trial, acalabrutinib and the MCL Elderly trial.

2018/01/15MEDICAL UPDATE

Hesitation still surrounds use of ‘cure’ word in MM

By Thomas R Collins (article) and Esther Drain (interviews) Cure is not simply about having a few patients cured - it's about reliably being able to cure a population with a disease, argues Professor S Vincent Rajkumar (Mayo Clinic, USA).  Along with Professor Robert Orlowski (MD Anderson Cancer Center, USA), he discusses whether myeloma is an incurable disease or whether it's just that we don't yet have the right recipe yet. http://vimeo.com/250425705

2018/01/15MEDICAL UPDATE

Mixed results for new NHL therapies

By Thomas R Collins (article) and Esther Drain (interviews) http://vimeo.com/247522667 Professor Stephen Ansell (Mayo Clinic, USA) speaks about harnessing the power of immunotherapy in Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

2017/10/30MEDICAL UPDATE

ESCP 2017: Innovation in fistula management: sections and high-precision removal of the fistula epithelium 

by Maria Dalby Effective treatment options for perianal fistulas constitute a major unmet need in Crohn’sdisease (CD). New interventions included a knot-free silicon drain to replace conventional setons, and a circular blade that allows high-precision removal of the fistula epithelium prior to reparative surgery.

2017/10/21MEDICAL UPDATE

ESCP Highlights 2017

[embed]http://vimeo.com/236913268[/embed] ESCP 2017 delegates give their highlights, plus a report on the ESCP/ECCO symposium on ulcerative colitis and a focus on quality of life for patients with perianal Crohn's disease.

2017/10/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Adjunctive azithromcyn reduces asthma exacerbations

Author: Bruce Sylvester Patients with persistent symptomatic asthma had fewer asthma exacerbations and improved quality of life when treated with oral azithromycin for 48 weeks, researchers on August 12, 2017 in The Lancet.

2017/10/11MEDICAL UPDATE

ESCP 2017: Multidisciplinary decision-making for colectomy: the difficult patient 

By Maria Dalby (article) and Peter Mas Mollinedo (interviews) The decision to perform a colectomy in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) should not be made lightly. Such a decision should always be made within a multi-disciplinary team setting, and surgery should be considered not only for patients who are refractory to medical therapy or who need surgery, but also for…

2017/10/07MEDICAL UPDATE

Diabetes drug shows potential in treating Parkinson’s Disease

Author: Bruce Sylvester Exenatide, a drug used to treat diabetes, could have disease-modifying potential in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, researchers reported on August 3, 2017 in The Lancet.

2017/10/03MEDICAL UPDATE

ESCP 2017: Innovations in fistula management: stem cell therapy

By Maria Dalby (article) and Peter Mas Mollinedo (interviews) In an overview of the immunological rationale for, and clinical application of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapies, Dr Nick Powell  predicted that clinicians treating patients with perianal CD are going to be early uptakers of these therapies as they transition into clinical practice.

2017/09/30MEDICAL UPDATE

ICML 2017: Response-adapted therapy for Hodgkin’s lymphoma

Professor Peter Johnson (Southampton, UK) tells us what's new with response-adapted therapy and what are the benefits to patients. [embed]http://vimeo.com/226290495[/embed]

2017/09/08MEDICAL UPDATE

‘Brain training’ app boosts memory in dementia patients

Author: Gary Finnegan A 'brain training' game developed by researchers at the University of Cambridge, UK, could help improve the memory of patients in the very earliest stages of dementia, according to a study published in The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology.

2017/08/17MEDICAL UPDATE

Anti-epilepsy drug shows potential in mild Alzheimer’s disease

A drug used to prevent epileptic seizures, levetiracetam, shows positive impact on the brain activity of patients with mild Alzheimer's disease, researches reported on June 23, 2017 in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.

2017/08/16MEDICAL UPDATE

Aspirin reduces rate of preeclampsia among at-risk pregnant women

Researchers report that treatment of at-risk pregnant women with low-dose aspirin (150 mg) resulted in  a significant reduction in pre-term preeclampsia.

2017/08/14MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2017: Adjuvant abiraterone has very significant effect on prostate cancer survival

Men who have received initial treatment for prostate cancer with abiraterone added to hormone therapy achieved a survival rate 37 per cent higher than those not treated with adjuvant abiraterone, researchers reported on June 3, 2017 at the 2017 ASCO (American Society of Clinical Oncology) annual meeting. The findings were published simultaneously in the New England Journal of Medicine. Professor Nicholas James, chief investigator of the STAMPEDE trial and professor of clinical oncology at the University of Birmingham, UK, said, "These are the most powerful results I've seen from a prostate cancer trial -- it's a once in a career feeling.” The investigators noted that abiraterone plus prednisolone is already known to improve survival in men with relapsed prostate cancer. “We assessed the effect of this combination in men starting long-term androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT), using a multigroup, multistage trial design,” they said. The researchers randomized 1,917 subjects in a 1:1 ratio to receive ADT monotherapy or combination therapy with ADT plus abiraterone (1000 mg daily) and prednisolone (5 mg daily). Median age was 67 years, and the median PSA level was 53 ng per milliliter. A total of 52% of the subjects had been diagnosed with metastatic disease, 20% had node-positive or node-indeterminate non-metastatic disease, and 28% had node-negative, non-metastatic disease. And 95% had newly diagnosed disease. Subjects with node-negative, non-metastatic disease received local radiotherapy.  Subjects with positive nodes were also encouraged to receive local radiotherapy . Among subjects with non-metastatic disease with no radiotherapy planned and among subjects  with metastatic disease, treatment continued until the appearance of radiologic, clinical, or prostate-specific antigen (PSA) progression. Otherwise, treatment continued for 2 years or until any type of progression appeared, whichever came first. The primary endpoint was overall survival. The intermediate primary outcome was failure-free survival, with “treatment failure” defined as radiologic, clinical, or PSA progression or death from prostate cancer. Median follow-up was 40 months. The investigators reported 184 deaths in the combination therapy group and 262 deaths in the ADT monotherapy group (P<0.001). There were 248 treatment-failure events in the combination group and 535 in the ADT monotherapy group (P<0.001). Grade 3 to 5 adverse events occurred in 47% of the patients in the combination group (nine grade 5 events) and in 33% of the patients in the ADT monotherapy group (three grade 5 events). “Among men with locally advanced or metastatic prostate cancer, ADT plus abiraterone and prednisolone was associated with significantly higher rates of overall and failure-free survival than ADT alone,” The authors concluded.

2017/08/09MEDICAL UPDATE

Adjunctive antibiotics show efficacy for small skin infections

Adding antibiotic treatment to standard drainage of simple skin abscesses appears to improve healing, researchers reported on June 29, 2017 in the NEJM/New England Journal of Medicine. 

2017/08/09MEDICAL UPDATE

ICML Highlights: Hot debates in Hodgkin Lymphoma

An entertaining case discussion session, chaired by Craig Moskowitz at ICML-14, highlighted some of the hot debates in Hodgkin lymphoma as discussed here by Professor Stephen Ansell (Rochester, USA), Professor Peter Borchmann (Cologne, Germany) and Professor Peter Johnson (Southampton, UK). [embed]https://vimeo.com/226185650[/embed]

2017/07/11MEDICAL UPDATE

ICML 2017: The role of stem cell transplantation for lymphoma in 2017

By Maria Dalby (article) and Esther Drain (interviews) Even in an era of rapid progress in terms of new agents and treatment approaches, stem cell transplantation (SCT) continues to play a key role in the management of lymphoma. A key challenge for clinicians is to make decisions in a setting where there is a paucity of hard evidence from randomised clinical trials.

2017/07/11MEDICAL UPDATE

ICML 2017: How will Hodgkins lymphoma be managed in 2020?

By Maria Dalby (article) and Esther Drain (interviews) Not only is the treatment ‘landscape’ in Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) changing rapidly both in the first-line and relapsed/refractory setting, but different interpretations can also be applied to study results to advocate different approaches.

2017/06/12MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2017: Adjuvant abiraterone has very significant effect on prostate cancer survival

Men who have received initial treatment for prostate cancer with abiraterone added to hormone therapy achieved a survival rate 37 per cent higher than those not treated with adjuvant abiraterone, researchers reported on June 3, 2017 at the 2017 ASCO (American Society of Clinical Oncology) annual meeting.

2017/05/17MEDICAL UPDATE

Vitamin D-plus-calcium supplementation does not appear to significantly cut cancer risk in older women

By Bruce Sylvester Diet supplementation with vitamin D3 and calcium does not appear to significantly lower risk of cancer in healthy postmenopausal women, researchers reported on March 28, 2017 in JAMA/Journal of the American Medical Association. The new study was double-blind, placebo-controlled, population-based and randomized clinical.

2017/04/24MEDICAL UPDATE

BSH 2017: Management of Asymptomatic Follicular Lymphoma

The old mantra is that advanced follicular lymphoma (FL) cannot be cured and treatment does not influence survival but this is no longer the case – follicular lymphoma is curable in some cases …

2017/04/19MEDICAL UPDATE

Liver tissue ‘reprogrammed’ to make pancreas cells

Scientists in Germany have successfully reprogrammed liver cells, turning them into pancreas progenitor cells by altering a single gene. The team behind the breakthrough, at the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), believes the research results should make it feasible to help diabetic patients through cell therapy.

2017/04/18MEDICAL UPDATE

Over 1000 studies available in EU register of approved drugs

The 1,000th study has been uploaded to the European Union (EU) electronic Register of Post-Authorisation Studies (EU PAS Register), a significant landmark in the transparency initiative.

2017/04/14MEDICAL UPDATE

BSH 2017 Debate: Identification and novel management strategies are essential for double hit lymphoma

Double-hit lymphoma has a poor prognosis and the best option for patients could be positive identification and treatment with novel agents, but there are arguments for and against …

2017/04/14MEDICAL UPDATE

BSH 2017: Cancer-related chronic fatique – internet and digital technology solutions

Chronic, cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is associated with a sudden- onset, profound lack of energy that is not relieved by rest. It is different from the fatigue experienced by healthy people and calls for different remedies …

2017/04/14MEDICAL UPDATE

BSH 2017: Plenary debate: Allogeneic transplantation should be considered for selected young patients

Even in the era of novel therapies for newly-diagnosed and relapsed/refractory MM, there is a group of patients for whom the myeloma biology significantly shortens life expectancy. Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) may offer a treatment option that has the potential to cure MM...

2017/04/14MEDICAL UPDATE

BSH 2017: Myeloma XI

Maintenance therapy with lenalidomide can improve PFS in patients with newly-diagnosed MM by almost two years compared with observation alone, in patients of all ages and all risk groups. This key aspect of the Myeloma XI study was … 

2017/04/11MEDICAL UPDATE

Maximising bang for your buck in IBD

Dr Peter Irving (London) talks about one of the hot topics for the future -Maximising the bang for your buck in IBD. He highlights the possible benefits of treating to target and what data might be coming out soon to help guide cost effective management of IBD.

2017/04/11MEDICAL UPDATE

Get involved in ECCO

Commentary and insights from Dr Filip Baert, (Roeselare, Belgium) and Usha Chauhan (McMaster University, Canada)  

2017/04/06MEDICAL UPDATE

BSH 2017: How I treat molecular high-risk myeloma – what can we do, what should we do?

High-risk multiple myeloma (MM) continues to pose a challenge to haematologists both in terms of diagnostics and therapy. Opening the UK Myeloma Forum at the 2017 BSH annual meeting, Professor Thierry Facon from Lille in France reviewed the available treatment options from the point of view of patients' transplant eligibility and level of fitness.

2017/04/04MEDICAL UPDATE

BSH 2017: Are we ready to use minimum residual disease to direct therapy?

Studies show that MM patients who achieve minimal residual disease on treatment have longer PFS and OS than those who do not...

2017/04/04MEDICAL UPDATE

ECCO 2017: Highlights

If you missed ECCO this year, or if you attended, but didn't get to see everything you'd hoped to, listen to the key highlights from Professor Séverine Vermeire (Leuven), Professor Jean-Frederic Colombel (New York), Professor Gerhard Rogler (Zurich),Dr Peter Irving (London) and Kay Greveson (London).

2017/03/30MEDICAL UPDATE

Vulnerable patients: burning questions in IBD

An interesting session at ECCO dealt with the patients for whom there is sparce data to guide their treatment - experts in the field gave their guidance to delegates. Professor Jean-Frederic Colombel (New York, USA) comments on his practice in the elderly IBD patient.

2017/03/17MEDICAL UPDATE

New compounds in the treatment of IBD (ECCO 2017)

Never before in the history of IBD have there been so many promising compounds in the pipeline. In a scientific session dedicated to new compounds, leading investigators discussed recent clinical results and potential place…

2017/03/15MEDICAL UPDATE

Clinical trials vs real life

Dr Filip Baert (Roeselare, Belgium) gives a summary of his session on trial endpoints vs therapeutic objectives. he also discusses the role of ECCO in improving the data generated in IBD. Professor David Rubin (Chicago, USA) and Dr Charlie Lees (Edinburgh, UK) give their view on the value of real world data vs trial data View videos here. 

2017/03/15MEDICAL UPDATE

Predicting disease years before diagnosis

Predicting disease years before diagnosis is a passion for Professor Jean-Frederic Colombel (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY, USA). Here he discusses 2 studies presented at ECCO and how far away we are from disease prevention studies. Video

2017/03/13MEDICAL UPDATE

Is ‘online therapy’ making patients worse?

Scientists in Sweden are studying whether web-based cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is ineffective in some people, potentially making patients worse. The psychologist behind the research say that while many people who suffer from depression and anxiety are helped by seeing a therapist, psychological treatment can have negative side effects, like any intervention.

2017/02/27MEDICAL UPDATE

Post-surgical pain scores improve as analgesic opioid use falls

Researchers who conducted a retrospective analysis of data from over 100,000 surgical cases in one university health system have reported that patients' pain scores improved when physicians administered reduced opioid treatment and increased non-opioid pain treatment.

2017/02/27MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters: Researchers explore therapy and outcomes in PTCL

Dr Andrei Shustov (University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, USA) summarises the advances in T-Cell lymphoma therapy at ASH 2016, including long term data in PTCL and ALCL. https://vimeo.com/202022743 Brentuximab vedotin continues to show durable responses in the relapsed setting and as initial therapy in patients with peripheral T-cell lymphomas according to studies presented here at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Haematology. But PTCL patients who are refractory or suffer early relapse still have a grim prognosis, research shows.

2017/02/06MEDICAL UPDATE

What does 2017 hold for myeloma patients?

http://vimeo.com/198831229 Professor Sagar Lonial (Emory University School of Medicine),  Professor Gareth Morgan (UAMS Myeloma Institute) and Professor Graham Jackson (Newcastle) discuss what 2017 might hold for patients and the management of myeloma and the Chairs of IMW 2017 in Delhi, Dr Noopur Raje and Professor Shaji Kumar, give a flavour of what to expect at the meeting.

2017/01/31MEDICAL UPDATE

Strong cannabis linked to dependency

New data presented at this year's International Early Psychosis Association (IEPA) meeting in Milan, Italy (20-22 October) adds to accumulating evidence that high-potency cannabis in associated with an increased risk of users becoming dependent on cannabis. Estimates suggest around 182 million people worldwide use cannabis each year, a number that could rise as legalisation of recreational use and/or medical use increases. Roughly 9% of people who try cannabis will become dependent on it at some point in their lifetime.

2017/01/16MEDICAL UPDATE

ESMO 2016: True burden of head and neck cancer underestimated (France)

by Gary Finnegan A nationwide study of head and neck cancers in France has revealed that the true burden of the disease is underestimated by at least one-third, and that head and neck cancers carry a very high risk of secondary primary cancers, according to two presentations at the ESMO 2016 Congress in Copenhagen.

2016/12/19MEDICAL UPDATE

Duloxetine shows efficacy for pain associated with breast cancer treatment

By Bruce Sylvester Duloxetine (Cymbalta ®), a widely-used treatment for depression and anxiety, appears to reduce joint pain in postmenopausal women being treated for early stage breast cancer, researchers reported on Dec. 9, 2016 in a special plenary session at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

2016/11/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Managing Hodgkin lymphoma – a world view (from ISHL 2016)

by Christine Clark ISHL 2016 Professor Joseph Connors (Vancouver) speaks about the session at ISHL10 where a world view of the management of Hodgkin lymphoma was discussed. [embed]https://player.vimeo.com/video/191509966?autoplay=1[/embed] There are wide variations in the incidence of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and in death rates – even within Europe. The reasons for the disparities include cost, long waits, lack of access to specialist physicians or the latest therapies. A recent global survey showed that only 33% of cases were diagnosed within four weeks of presentation. Globally, 16 frontline therapies are approved, 29 in the relapsed setting, but they are not always funded. For example, brentuximab vedotin (BV) is approved in 29 countries but only funded or reimbursed in 14. All in all, there is much room for improvement, said Andreas Engert (University Hospital of Cologne, Germany).

2016/10/10MEDICAL UPDATE

No relationship between so-called “obesity gene” and ability to lose weight

By Bruce Sylvester There is no relationship between the so-called ‘obesity gene’ (FTO genotype/rs9939609) and the ability to lose weight, researchers reported on Sept. 21, 2016 in the BMJ/British Medical Journal. Weight loss strategies, “should focus on improving lifestyle behaviours, principally eating patterns and physical activity, since these will be effective in achieving sustained weight loss irrespective of FTO genotype,” the authors concluded. As background, the authors noted that some experts believe that genes play a significant role in the development of obesity, and others believe that environmental changes are responsible for increasing obesity rates. The investigators included in the new meta-analysis 8 randomized controlled trials enrolling 9,563 overweight or obese adults, and in which researchers evaluated reduction in body mass index, body weight, or waist circumference by FTO genotype after dietary, physical activity, or drug based interventions. In the meta-analysis, they found that, “Overall, differential changes in body mass index, body weight, and waist circumference in response to weight loss intervention were not significantly different between FTO genotypes. Sensitivity analyses indicated that differential changes in body mass index, body weight, and waist circumference by FTO genotype did not differ by intervention type, intervention length, ethnicity, sample size, sex, and baseline body mass index and age category.” In a linked editorial, Dr Alison Tedstone, chief nutritionist at Public Health England, said that the causes of the obesity epidemic are complex, but current evidence does not support an emphasis on gene profiles. She said that, “a rebalancing of research towards whole systems approaches including environmental drivers may be of greater benefit to the population in the long term.”

2016/10/03MEDICAL UPDATE

ESH ICMM Highlights

https://vimeo.com/188277070 Professor Mohamad Mohty (Paris), Professor Sagar Lonial  (Atlanta) and Dr Karthik Ramasamy (Oxford) discuss their highlights from The European School of Haematology Congress on Multiple Myeloma this month. This issue covers the growing role of immunotherapy for managing multiple myeloma, which was the subject of one of the special lectures at this meeting, patient/physician partnerships and treatment of the transplant eligible patient.

2016/09/06MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters: Australia: Generational shift in drinking habits

by Gary Finnegan: A clear trend towards lighter drinking among young people is responsible for reversing years of rising alcohol intake, according to new research. Experts hope this could lead to a long-term reduction in alcohol-related harm, including liver cirrhosis and social problems.

2016/09/05MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters: Germany: Concern over hepatitis B among refugees

by Gary Finnegan: People seeking refuge and asylum in Germany are at higher risks of liver problems due to hepatitis B, according to experts.

2016/09/02MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters: Denmark: New gene for familial high cholesterol

by Gary Finnegan: New research from Denmark has identified the gene responsible for one quarter of all familial hypercholesterolemia which causes very high blood cholesterol. Familial hypercholesterolemia is the most common genetic disorder leading to premature death, found in 1 in 200 people.

2016/09/01MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters: Canada: Childhood obesity in decline?

by Gary Finnegan: After years of increases, the rates of children who are overweight or obese are declining in Canada, according to new research in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

2016/08/31MEDICAL UPDATE

EMA Highlights: Green light for new medicines

by Gary Finnegan: Eight new medicines have been approved by the European Medicines Agency at its summer meeting. The influential Committee for Medicinal Products for Human use (CHMP) has now approved a total of 45 medicines in 2016.

2016/08/30MEDICAL UPDATE

EMA Highlights: EMA chief ‘building leaner organisation’

by Gary Finnegan: The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has restructured its staff in a bid to efficiently deal changing demand. The Agency faces the challenge of keeping up with growing demand without consuming additional resources.

2016/08/29MEDICAL UPDATE

EMA Highlights: Spain and Italy pushing to host EU drug watchdog

by Gary Finnegan: Within hours of the UK’s vote to leave the European Union, at least half a dozen countries began to call for the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to be moved from London. With a total budget of €324 million and a steady stream of experts travelling back and forth for meetings, housing the agency is a big prize.

2016/08/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Platelet infusion not effective after intracerebral haemorrhage associated with antiplatelet therapy

by Bruce Sylvester: Platelet transfusion after acute spontaneous primary intracerebral haemorrhage in people taking antiplatelet therapy appears to be less effective than standard care, researchers reported on June 25, 2016 in The Lancet.

2016/08/25MEDICAL UPDATE

Investigative abaloparatide lowers fracture risk for women with osteoporosis

by Bruce Sylvester: Postmenopausal women with osteoporosis who have received daily treatment with the investigative drug abaloparatide achieved a significantly reduced the risk of new vertebral and non-vertebral fractures compared with placebo, researchers reported in the August 16 issue of JAMA/The Journal of the American Medical Association.

2016/08/24MEDICAL UPDATE

Acetaminophen does not worsen asthma in young children

by Bruce Sylvester: Treatment of pain and fever with acetaminophen (Tylenol, etc.) does not exacerbate asthma in young children, researchers reported on August 18 NEJM/New England Journal of Medicine.

2016/08/22MEDICAL UPDATE

Blood donor age, sex matters for transfusion success

Increased mortality when blood came from young and female donors.  Transfusion recipients getting red blood cell (RBC) units from younger and/or female donors had increased mortality, results of a large, prospective cohort study in Canada found.

2016/08/19MEDICAL UPDATE

Cancer survival worse in RA patients

Survival was more than 2 years shorter in breast, prostate cancers.  Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) had a 40% to 50% increased mortality risk if they developed breast or prostate cancer, a large, population-based study found.

2016/08/18MEDICAL UPDATE

Risk of fans catching dengue fever during Olympics ‘very low’

The risk of sports fans catching dengue fever during the Rio Olympics is very low, according to a new study involving mathematicians at the University of Strathclyde.

2016/08/16MEDICAL UPDATE

Is a written asthma action plan for children necessary?

Parents of children with asthma need ongoing education and guidance on this chronic condition and how to prevent and manage symptoms, but does a written asthma action plan improve outcomes more than ongoing asthma education? Dr. John Kelso explores this question in a recent review published in Pediatric Allergy, Immunology, and Pulmonology.

2016/08/15MEDICAL UPDATE

When the 100-year-old man can no longer climb out of the window

100-year-old persons are affected by substantial numbers of illnesses, and the frequency of untreated pain in this cohort is alarming. This is the result reported by Daniela Jopp and colleagues in their evaluation of the findings of the Second Heidelberg Centenarian Study.

2016/08/12MEDICAL UPDATE

Less painkilling medication with breast-cancer surgery after opiate-free anesthesia

New research presented at Euroanaesthesia 2016 (London 27-30 May) shows that patients undergoing breast cancer surgery need less painkilling medication post-surgery if they have anaesthesia that is free of opioid drugs.

2016/08/11MEDICAL UPDATE

Benefits of careful monitoring of chronic pain patients

Within the past 10 years, the prescription of opioids for the treatment of chronic pain has increased and the abuse of opioid medications leading to addiction has been described as epidemic.

2016/08/10MEDICAL UPDATE

Link between back pain and depression

Genetic factors help to explain the commonly found association between low back pain and depression, suggests a large study of twins in the March issue of PAIN®.

2016/08/09MEDICAL UPDATE

Diabetes risk lowered by eating healthy fats instead of carbs or saturated fats

by Bruce Sylvester: Results from a meta-analysis of relevant studies suggest that consumption of unsaturated fats instead of either saturated fats or carbohydrates could help  prevent and manage  type 2 diabetes.

2016/08/08MEDICAL UPDATE

Women who smoke have increased risk of brain bleeds

by Bruce Sylvester: Researchers report that bleeding inside the lining of the brain, subarachnoid hemorrhage, happens at a significantly higher rate among smokers, especially female smokers, than among non-smokers. The findings appeared on July 21, 2016 in the journal Stroke.

2016/08/05MEDICAL UPDATE

Rise in post-surgical opioid prescriping raises concerns, elicits new US guideline

by Bruce Sylvester: Patients who have undergone common surgeries are receiving opioid painkillers at an increasing rate, researchers reported on March 18, 2016 in JAMA/Journal of the American Medical Association.

2016/08/04MEDICAL UPDATE

Rehabilitation therapy for acute respiratory failure does not reduce hospitalization stay

by Bruce Sylvester: There is no decrease in hospital length of stay among patients hospitalized with acute respiratory failure who have received standardized rehabilitation therapy rather than usual care in the intensive care unit. Researchers reported this finding on June 28, 2016 in JAMA/Journal of the American Medical Association.

2016/08/03MEDICAL UPDATE

EHA 2016: Consolidation and maintenance therapy for multiple myeloma: is it the new standard? Professor Paul Richardson (Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA) and Professor Maria-Victoria Mateos (Salamanca, Spain) discuss the meta-analysis of OS in myeloma with maintenance therapy presented at ASCO and EHA this year, along with strategies for continuous therapies

2016/08/02MEDICAL UPDATE

EHA 2016: Pathophysiology and diagnosis of multiple myeloma bone disease. The chair of this year’s EHA educational session on myeloma, Professor Roman Hajek (University of Ostrava, Czech Republic), discusses highlights from the session.

2016/07/29MEDICAL UPDATE

EHA 2016: A new multiple myeloma classification system that correlates to disease stage and prognosis

Hans Erik Johnsen, Aalborg University Hospital, Denmark. by Maria Dalby:  The gene expression profiles of myeloma plasma cells in the normal bone marrow can be used for defining B-cell subset-associated gene signatures (BAGS) that can predict survival outcomes in MM patients.

2016/07/28MEDICAL UPDATE

EHA 2016: Effect of response on associated costs and resource utilisation in MM. Professor Kwee Yong, University College Hospital, London, UK

2016/07/28MEDICAL UPDATE

EHA 2016: Smouldering Myeloma. Professor Maria-Victoria Mateos (Salamanca, Spain) discusses recent changes to the management of smouldering myeloma, her recommended work-up for these patients and the role of early treatment in this cohort.

2016/07/27MEDICAL UPDATE

EHA 2016: Molecular architecture of MM. Dr Brian Walker (University of Arkansas Medical School, Little Rock, USA) discusses his presentation in the education session on the molecular architecture of myeloma.

2016/07/25MEDICAL UPDATE

EHA 2016: What’s on the horizon in MM? Professor Sagar Lonial (Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, USA) gives his take on what the future looks like for myeloma.

2016/07/21MEDICAL UPDATE

EuLITE: high cut-off haemodialysis doesn’t improve outcomes in myeloma cast nephropathy. Dr Mark Cook (University Hospitals Birmingham, UK) discusses the results of the EuLITE trial looking at free light chain removal by extended haemodialysis in cast nephropathy.

2016/07/20MEDICAL UPDATE

EHA 2016: Managing multiple myeloma in elderly/frail patients. Professor Antonio Palumbo (University of Torino, Italy) discusses the impact of age on outcomes (abstract E1295) and Professor Roman Hajek (University of Ostrava, Czech Republic) talks about preferred therapeutic strategies for elderly MM patients.

2016/07/19MEDICAL UPDATE

EHA 2016: Preventing clonal evolution in multiple myeloma – evidence from clinical trials. Professor Roman Hájek from the Czech Republic discussed the clinical implications of clonal evolution in multiple myeloma (MM) and summarised the latest clinical data.

2016/07/15MEDICAL UPDATE

EHA 2016: How monoclonal antibodies will change the treatment of multiple myeloma. Professor Antonio Palumbo (Torino, Italy) discuss the results of the CASTOR trial and Professor Meletios-Athanasios Dimopoulos (Athens, Greece) discussing POLLUX.

2016/07/14MEDICAL UPDATE

EHA 2016: Professor Kwee Yong (London) and Dr Mark Cook (Birmingham) share EHA highlights that will affect practice in the UK, including excitement around daratumumab and where research in the molecular stratification of disease is guiding practice. Professor Sagar Lonial (Atlanta) shares his highlights of EHA and ASCO, including data confirming the benefit of maintenance therapy and of transplant, and Professor Roman Hajek (Ostrava) gives a reality check on what the new data means for patients and haematolgists.

2016/07/13MEDICAL UPDATE

Study supports use of aspirin after transient ischemic attack (TIA)

by Bruce Sylvester: Following a transient ischemic attack (TIA), quick aspirin treatment can significantly reduce the risk of a major stroke in the next few days, researchers reported on May 18, 2016 in The Lancet.

2016/07/12MEDICAL UPDATE

Methylene blue appears to improve short-term memory

by Bruce Sylvester: One dosing with methylene blue appears to increase MRI-based response in brain areas that control short-term memory and attention, researchers reported on June 28 in Radiology. Methylene blue is currently used to treat methemoglobinemia.

2016/07/12MEDICAL UPDATE

Migraine in women associated with increased risk cardiovascular disease

by Bruce Sylvester: Women who suffer migraines appear to have an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes as well as a higher rate of mortality from cardiovascular disease, researchers reported on May 31, 2016 in The BMJ today.

2016/07/11MEDICAL UPDATE

Pioglitazone shows efficacy against a chronic liver disease

by Bruce Sylvester: Pioglitazone shows efficacy against the progression of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, or NASH, a chronic liver disease caused by a buildup of fat. Researchers reported this finding on June 21, 2016 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

2016/07/08MEDICAL UPDATE

Ketamine cuts suicidal thinking in depression

by Bruce Sylvester: Ketamine reduced suicidal thoughts in a small group of patients with treatment-resistant depression, researchers reported on May 10, 2016 in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

2016/07/07MEDICAL UPDATE

Single paediatric anesthesia entails no apparent cognitive risks

by Bruce Sylvester: A single exposure to general anesthesia does not lead to a cognitive risk in healthy children under age three, researchers reported On June 7, 2016 in JAMA/ Journal of the American Medical Association.

2016/07/06MEDICAL UPDATE

Diabetes drug liraglutide shows “across-the-board” cardiovascular benefits

by Bruce Sylvester: Researchers have identified an across-the-board cardiovascular benefit for patients treated with a diabetes drug, liraglutide, with decreases reported in overall risk of heart attack, stroke, or cardiovascular death.

2016/07/05MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2016: Elderly glioblastoma patients achieve longer survival with radiation plus temozolomide

by Bruce Sylvester: Researchers from a randomized phase III trial report that addition of temozolomide (Temodar) chemotherapy during short-course radiation therapy, followed by monthly maintenance doses of temozolomide, significantly improves survival among elderly patients with glioblastoma, reducing risk of death by 33%.

2016/07/04MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2016: Previously untreatable advanced bladder cancer patients respond to immunotherapy

by Bruce Sylvester: Anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy atezolizumab (TECENTRIQ) has shown efficacy in previously untreated patients with advanced bladder cancer who are ineligible for standard treatment with cisplatin.

2016/07/01MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2016: Targeted therapy shows efficacy in advanced small cell lung cancer

by Bruce Sylvester: Investigative rovalpituzumab tesirine (Rova-T) appears to be safe and shows efficacy in treating advanced small cell lung cancer (SCLC), researchers reported in June, 2016 at American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting.

2016/06/30MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2016: Melanoma 3-year survival is robust after pembrolizumab treatment

by Bruce Sylvester: A follow-up evaluation of subjects from the phase 1b trial (KEYNOTE-001) of newly diagnosed and previously treated patients with advanced melanoma revealed a 40% survival rate three years after initiating pembrolizumab therapy.

2016/06/28MEDICAL UPDATE

EMA Highlights: Green light for six new medicines

by Gary Finnegan: Six medicines, including two combination therapies for chronic hepatitis C, have been recommended for approval at the May meeting of the European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP).

2016/06/27MEDICAL UPDATE

EMA Highlights: EMA wants to improve safety of first-in-human trials

by Gary Finnegan: The EU drug watchdog is reviewing the guidelines on first-in-human clinical trials in response to the tragic death of a participant in a trial in Rennes, France, early this year.

2016/06/27MEDICAL UPDATE

EMA Highlights: Drug developers get regulator advice on new meds

by Gary Finnegan: Most successful applicants to the EU drug watchdog, the European Medicines Agency, have something in common: they seek scientific advice from the regulator when developing their product.

2016/06/24MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters: Sweden: Improved lifestyle led to decreased cholesterol and less cardiac death

by Gary Finnegan: Cholesterol levels – the most common risk factor for heart attacks – have decreased in northern Sweden over the last 20 years. Since medication only accounts for a third of the decrease, the reduced risk of cardiovascular disease is largely thanks to changes in lifestyle, according to a study published in the European Heart Journal.

2016/06/24MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters: Finland: Computer model estimates true impact of flu pandemic

by Gary Finnegan: Researchers in Finland have used computer modelling to estimate the true impact of infectious diseases, such as H1N1 (swine flu). Underreporting of cases means traditional surveillance systems miss the vast majority of infections that occur in the population.

2016/06/23MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters: United State: ‘Green light’ signals relief for migraine patients

by Gary Finnegan: Exposing migraine sufferers to a narrow band of green light significantly reduces light sensitivity and can reduce headache severity, according to a new study led by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and published in Brain.

2016/06/22MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters: Denmark: Stroke rate in young adults spikes over two decades

by Gary Finnegan: Hospital admissions for first-time stroke increased in young adults in Denmark during the past two decades, according to new research in Journal of the American Heart Association.

2016/06/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Gait speed is predictive of adverse cardiac intervention outcomes

by Bruce Sylvester: Gait speed is an independent predictor of adverse outcomes after cardiac surgery, researchers reported on May 11, 2016 in JAMA Cardiology.

2016/06/20MEDICAL UPDATE

Psoriasis associated with diabetes, BMI and obesity

by Bruce Sylvester: Psoriasis appears to be associated with type 2 diabetes, body mass index and obesity, researchers from a twin study reported on April 27, 2016 in JAMA Dermatology.

2016/06/20MEDICAL UPDATE

Very poorly controlled asthma prevalent after 10 years of treatment

by Bruce Sylvester: Persistent, very poorly controlled (VPC) disease remains highly prevalent after 10 years of standard treatment among patients with severe or difficult-to-treat asthma, researchers reported on May 14, 2016 at the American Thoracic Society annual meeting.

2016/06/17MEDICAL UPDATE

Bariatric surgery significantly improves measures of pain

by Bruce Sylvester: During three years following bariatric surgery, a majority of patients achieved improvement in pain, physical function, and walk time, researchers reported on April 5 2016 in JAMA/Journal of the American Medical Association.

2016/06/17MEDICAL UPDATE

ILTS 2016: Professor John O’Grady (Kings College Hospital, London) discusses current practices in managing HCV. Also included associated article.

2016/06/16MEDICAL UPDATE

ILTS 2016: Oral Abstract highlights: Dr Leslie Lilly and Markus Selzner (both of UHN Toronto General Hospital, ON, Canada) give a round-up of the abstracts that most caught their attention at ILTS 2016.

2016/06/15MEDICAL UPDATE

ILTS 2016: Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Size and number vs biology: Professor Rene Adam (Paul Brousse Hospital, France) gives the key messages from the debate.

2016/06/15MEDICAL UPDATE

ILTS 2016: Hepatocellular Carcinoma: To resect or transplant first? Professor Rene Adam (Paul Brousse Hospital, France) gives the key messages from the debate.

2016/06/14MEDICAL UPDATE

ILTS 2016 Report: Once-daily tacrolimus sees favourable results worldwide

by Thomas R. Collins: Leading transplant experts say they’ve had a good experience using the once-a-day tacrolimus regimen, reporting better patient adherence compared to the twice-a-day version, along with as-good, or better, graft and patient survival.

2016/06/13MEDICAL UPDATE

ILTS 2016: Risk of living donor transplants can be mitigated: Dr Leslie Lilly (Transplant Hepatologist, UHN Toronto General Hospital, ON, Canada). Also included associated article.

2016/06/13MEDICAL UPDATE

ILTS 2016: Professors John Lake (University of Minnesota, MN, USA) and John O’Grady (Kings College Hospital, London) discuss what’s novel in immuno-suppression. Also associated article included on Immunosuppression.

2016/06/10MEDICAL UPDATE

ILTS 2016: Professor John O’Grady (Kings College Hospital, London) and Professor Sung-Gyu Lee (Ulsan University Medical School, Seoul, Korea) discuss their key messages in LDLT for the UK transplant community. Also included associated article entitled ‘Done correctly, living donation success is possible’

2016/06/09MEDICAL UPDATE

ILTS 2016 Highlights: ILTS President, Professor Jan Lerut (University Hospital St Luc, Brussels, Belgium), Professor Sung-Gyu Lee (Ulsan University Medical School, Seoul, Korea), Professor John Lake (University of Minnesota, MN, USA), Professor John O’Grady (Kings College Hospital, London) and Dr Leslie Lilly (Transplant Hepatologist, UHN Toronto General Hospital, ON, Canada) give their highlights from this year’s ILTS in Seoul.

2016/06/08MEDICAL UPDATE

ISH/BSH 2016: DLBCL: controversies and global challenges

Dr Sridhar Chaganti, University Hospital, Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, UK. by Christine Clark: In general the outcomes of treatment for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) are good – R-CHOP chemotherapy achieves a 75% cure after two years.

2016/06/08MEDICAL UPDATE

ISH/BSH 2016: Changing treatment paradigms in multiple relapse HL

Professor Karl Peggs, University College, London. by Christine Clark: There are numerous regimens for salvage treatment of Hodgkin lymphoma and all are associated with an overall response rate of 50-80% with a large proportion of complete responses, according to Karl Peggs (Professor of transplant science and cancer immunotherapy, University College, London.

2016/06/07MEDICAL UPDATE

ISH/BSH 2016: Professor John Radford (The University of Manchester) and Dr Graham Collins (Oxford University Hospitals) discuss the key issues to come out of the session on challenging current clinical practices in HL. Also included associated article entitled ‘Rethinking risk for better outcomes in ASCT’

2016/06/06MEDICAL UPDATE

ISH/BSH 2016: Dr Craig Moskowitz (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, NY, USA) and Professor David Linch (University College London Hospital) discuss the role of transplant in HL. Also included an associated article entitled ‘Allogeneic stem cell transplantation: still a role in CLL/lymphoma?’

2016/06/03MEDICAL UPDATE

ISH/BSH 2016: Professor Keith Stewart (Mayo Clinic, USA) discusses current dilemmas in MM, not least of which is how to manage patients with the ever growing number of new agents. He discusses the Mayo Clinic algorithm, whilst Professor Paul G. Richardson (Dana-Farber, USA) discusses the Dana-Farber algorithm for managing MM

2016/06/03MEDICAL UPDATE

ISH/BSH 2016 Abstracts and Posters: Results from the NCRI Myeloma XI trial

Charlotte Pawlyn and John R Jones (both of Institute of Cancer Research, London) and Ruth de Tute, St James's University Hospital, Leeds. by Maria Dalby: Quadruplet therapy with a second-generation immunomodulatory drug (IMiD) and proteasome inhibitor (PI) is well tolerated and effective in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM) patients who are eligible for autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT).

2016/06/02MEDICAL UPDATE

ISH/BSH 2016: Professor Philippe Moreau from Nantes in France reviewed the rationale for the new diagnostic criteria and highlighted the gaps in current risk models for stratifying the risk of progression to MM… Also included article entitled ‘High-risk smouldering myeloma’

2016/06/02MEDICAL UPDATE

ISH/BSH 2016: Advances in our understanding of clonal evolution in MM: where are we now?

Professor Keith Stewart, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA. by Maria Dalby: The dramatic improvement in MM survival in the last 40 years is largely linked to the introduction of the IMiDs, and more recently proteasome inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies.

2016/06/01MEDICAL UPDATE

ISH/BSH 2016: Professor Keith Stewart (Mayo Clinic, USA) discusses his presentation from the presidential session on genomic sequencing in this video. Also included article entitled ‘Genome-guided therapy in multiple myeloma’

2016/05/31MEDICAL UPDATE

ISH/BSH 2016: Professor Graham Jackson (Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK) discusses the risk factors and patient characteristics that most inform treatment selection for patients with R/R MM. Also included article ‘Risk stratification in the older patient: what are our priorities?’

2016/05/30MEDICAL UPDATE

ISH / BSH 2016: A well attended joint ISH / BSH meeting in Glasgow brought together cutting edge research from both the UK and international myeloma community, whilst allowing lively debate on how best to implement recent advances within the environment of the NHS. Professor Paul G. Richardson (Boston, USA) and Professor Graham Jackson (Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK) give an international and British perspective on highlights from the meeting.

2016/05/30MEDICAL UPDATE

ISH / BSH 2016: Professor John Radford (The University of Manchester), Dr Graham Collins (Oxford University Hospitals) and Professor David Linch ( University College Hospital, London) give their highlights from this year’s BSH meeting in association with the 36th World Congress of the International Society of Hematology.

2016/05/27MEDICAL UPDATE

‘Valuable collaboration’ between drug regulators and HTA bodies

by Gary Finnegan: Cooperation between medicines regulators and health technology assessment (HTA) bodies is helping to streamline clinical studies of new medicines, according to a new report.

2016/05/27MEDICAL UPDATE

Drug watchdog: ‘Adult data can be used for children’s medicines’

by Gary Finnegan: The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has published a draft version of a new paper on how to extrapolate clinical trial data from adults to children. The framework is designed to facilitate the authorisation of new medicines for children using robust extrapolation techniques.

2016/05/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Regulator seeking action on medicines shortages

by Gary Finnegan: The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is coordinating a collective response to the medicines shortages which have plagued several European countries in recent years.

2016/05/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Green light for new medicines

by Gary Finnegan: The European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has recommended the approval of seven new medicines, including one advanced therapy medicinal product (ATMP), at its meeting on 29 March-1April.

2016/05/25MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters: Italy – 3D screening detects more cancers in dense breast tissue

by Gary Finnegan: Researchers have found that in over 3,000 Italian women with dense breasts where standard mammograms had not detected any cancer, the addition of tomosynthesis (a form of 3D mammography) or ultrasound scans picked up an extra 24 tumours.

2016/05/25MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters: China – Salt and sodium intake remains high in China

by Gary Finnegan: The Chinese population continues to have a high rate of salt intake, fuelling concerns about rising risks of high blood pressure and stroke. The main culprit, according to a new study, appears to be the growing popularity of processed foods.

2016/05/24MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters: Germany – Early detection: Colorectal cancer rates declining

by Gary Finnegan: The introduction of colonoscopy screening in Germany is showing results, according to a new study which points to a sharp fall in death rates from the disease.

2016/05/24MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters: Denmark – Postpartum psychiatric disorders increase suicide risk

by Gary Finnegan: A new study shows that while suicide in new mothers is rare, the link with postpartum psychiatric disorders is strong.

2016/05/20MEDICAL UPDATE

ECCO 2016: Professor Stefan Schreiber (Kiel, Germany) discusses some of the issues in managing Crohn’s disease.

2016/05/20MEDICAL UPDATE

ECCO 2016: Marian O’Connor (Harrow, UK) and Helen Terry (CCUK) discuss the importance of the IBD nurse, how the role has changed, how the UK had led the way and what the future holds for IBD nurses.

2016/05/19MEDICAL UPDATE

ECCO 2016: Professor David Rubin (Chicago, USA), Dr Charlie Lees (Edinburgh, UK) and Dr Peter Irving (London, UK) discuss when to cycle biologics within class and when to switch classes for patients failing on anti-TNF therapy.

2016/05/19MEDICAL UPDATE

ECCO 2016: Dr Ailsa Hart (St Mark’s Hospital IBD Unit, Harrow, UK) discusses the issues raised at this year’s ECCO around cost effectiveness in IBD.

2016/05/18MEDICAL UPDATE

ECCO 2016: Helen Terry (CCUK Director of Policy, Research and Public Affairs, UK) discusses the impact on IBD care of involving patients in patient panels.

2016/05/17MEDICAL UPDATE

ECCO 2016: Specialists gathered to discuss new data and current issues and solutions in IBD. Professor David Rubin (Chicago, USA), ECCO President Professor Séverine Vermeire (Leuven, Belgium), Professor Stefan Schreiber (Kiel, Germany) and Dr Peter Irving (London, UK) took time out to discuss with IBD.Update what they are excited about what’s coming up in the near future for patients with IBD.

2016/05/13MEDICAL UPDATE

ECCO 2016: Mechanisms by which inflammation resolves

Silvio Danese, Humanitas Clinical and Research Hospital, Milan, Italy. Article by Maria Dalby - The current paradigm for managing inflammatory conditions is to suppress the inflammatory response by targeting pro-inflammatory mediators.

2016/05/12MEDICAL UPDATE

ECCO 2016: IOIBD: Disease severity definition in IBD. Professor Laurent Peyrin-Biroulet (Nancy University Hospital, France) discusses a new disease severity score initiated by the IOIBD

2016/05/11MEDICAL UPDATE

ECCO 2016: Dr Charlie Lees (Edinburgh, UK), Dr Ailsa Hart and Marian O’Connor (Harrow, UK), Dr James Lindsay (London, UK) and Dr Peter Irving (London, UK) discuss the new therapeutic landscape in IBD since changes to guidance by NICE and SMC over the last year

2016/05/10MEDICAL UPDATE

ECCO 2016: Professor Jean-Frederic Colombel (New York, USA) and Dr James Lindsay (Barts and the London NHS Trust, UK) discuss new data from the GEMINI programme showing patient populations that do well and long term data with vedolizumab

2016/05/09MEDICAL UPDATE

ECCO 2016: Dr Charlie Lees (Edinburgh, UK) discusses in the video and article below the factors influencing the decision to stop treatment and discussed whether it may be possible to predict relapse using currently available methods

2016/05/06MEDICAL UPDATE

ECCO 2016: Professor David Rubin from Chicago discusses the challenges of UC management and optimising biological therapy

2016/05/05MEDICAL UPDATE

ECCO 2016: Professor Séverine Vermeire (Leuven, Belgium) discusses new patient guidelines for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis which were released at this year’s 11th Congress of ECCO in Amsterdam, and Helen Terry (CCUK) discusses how they might be rolled out to patients in the UK.

2016/05/04MEDICAL UPDATE

ECCO 2016: Professor Laurent Peyrin-Biroulet (Nancy, France), Professor Jean-Frederic Colombel (New York, USA), Marian O’Connor (Harrow, UK) and Dr Charlie Lees (Edinburgh, UK) give their highlights of the 11th Congress of ECCO

2016/05/03MEDICAL UPDATE

Herceptin plus lapatinib shows “amazing” potential in breast cancer

by Bruce Sylvester: Researchers report that Herceptin (trastuzamab) plus lapatinib can shrink breast cancer tumors in less than two weeks. The findings were reported in March at the European Breast Cancer Conference in Amsterdam.

2016/05/02MEDICAL UPDATE

Loneliness and isolation increase risk of heart disease and stroke

by Bruce Sylvester: In high income countries, loneliness and social isolation appear to increase the risk of stroke or coronary artery disease by about 30 per cent, researchers reported on April 19, 2016 in the BMJ/British Medical Journal publication Heart.

2016/04/29MEDICAL UPDATE

Smoking cessation drugs do not increase serious psychiatric side effects

by Bruce Sylvester: Smoking cessation treatment with varenicline and bupropion does increase serious neuropsychiatric side effects, researchers reported in The Lancet on April 22, 2016.

2016/04/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Beta-blockers cut COPD exacerbations, especially in heart failure patients

by Bruce Sylvester: Treatment with cardioselective  beta-blockers appears to reduce the risk of exacerbations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD),  and it is especially effective in preventing COPD exacerbations in patients with heart failure, researchers reported on March 12, 2016 at the European Respiratory Society's Lung Science Conference in Estoril, Portugal.

2016/04/27MEDICAL UPDATE

Clemastine fumarate may reverse MS-related vision damage

by Bruce Sylvester: Treatment with clemastine fumarate, an over-the-counter antihistamine used for allergies and the common cold, has partially reversed damage to the visual system in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) researchers from a preliminary study reported online on April 12, 2016, and just prior to its presentation at the American Academy of Neurology's annual meeting.

2016/04/26MEDICAL UPDATE

For grade 2 glioma, radiation plus chemo betters radiation alone

by Bruce Sylvester: Patients with grade 2 glioma who received radiation therapy plus PCV chemotherapy (procarbazine, lomustine and vincristine) have achieved longer progression-free survival and overall survival than patients who received radiation monotherapy, researchers reported on April 7, 2016 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

2016/04/25MEDICAL UPDATE

Hyrdomorphone shows efficacy for heroin addiction treatment

by Bruce Sylvester: Hyrdomorphone, a licensed pain medication, shows efficacy in treating chronic heroin addiction, researchers from the SALOME (the Study to Assess Longer-term Opioid Medication Effectiveness) trial reported on April 6, 2016 in JAMA Psychiatry.

2016/04/15MEDICAL UPDATE

ACC 2016: Two ablation techniques for atrial fibrillation show similar efficacy and safety

by Bruce Sylvester: For correction of atrial fibrillation, radiofrequency ablation and cryoballoon ablation show similar results for efficacy and safety, researchers reported on April 4, 2016 at the American College of Cardiology 2016 annual meeting.

2016/04/14MEDICAL UPDATE

ACC 2016: In some patients, TAVR is non-inferior to surgical aortic-valve replacement

by Bruce Sylvester: In intermediate-risk patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis, transcatheter aortic-valve replacement (TAVR) is similar to surgical aortic-valve replacement with respect to death or disabling stroke.

2016/04/13MEDICAL UPDATE

ACC 2016: Two strategies are equally effective for post-operative atrial fibrillation

by Bruce Sylvester: Rhythm control and rate control are similarly effective in treating post-operative atrial fibrillation, researchers reported on April 4, 2016 at the American College of Cardiology 2016 annual meeting.

2016/04/12MEDICAL UPDATE

ACC 2016: Statin helps prevent cardiovascular events in intermediate-risk group

by Bruce Sylvester: Rosuvastatin treatment more effectively prevents cardiovascular events than candesartan plus hydrochlorothiazide among subjects who do not have cardiovascular disease and who received cholesterol-lowering treatment.

2016/04/08MEDICAL UPDATE

Blocking stress protein relieves chronic pain

A group of drugs being developed to treat mood disorders could also relieve chronic pain, finds new UCL (University College London) research funded by the Medical Research Council.

2016/04/07MEDICAL UPDATE

Primary care physicians dealing with chronic pain

New research from Brigham and Women's Hospital finds benefits in careful monitoring of chronic pain patients and need for pain management within primary care.

2016/04/06MEDICAL UPDATE

Tailored acupuncture lessens pain intensity fibromyalgia

Nine weekly sessions of individually tailored acupuncture lessen perceived pain intensity, and improve functional capacity and quality of life, in people with the chronic pain condition, fibromyalgia, finds research published online in Acupuncture in Medicine.

2016/04/05MEDICAL UPDATE

Women suffer more neck pain than men

Women are 1.38 times more likely than men to report neck pain due to cervical degenerative disc disease, according to a study of adult patients treated at Loyola Medicine's Pain Management Center.

2016/03/31MEDICAL UPDATE

Diet can reverse Type 2 diabetes

by Bruce Sylvester: A very low-calorie diet appears to enable adults to reverse type 2 diabetes, and, notably, remain diabetes-free if weight-loss is maintained.  Researchers reported these findings on March 22, 2016 in Diabetes Care.

2016/03/30MEDICAL UPDATE

Mindfulness meditation reduces pain through non-opioid system

by Bruce Sylvester: Researchers report that mindfulness meditation can significantly reduce pain but that it does not employ the endogenous opioid system to do so. The findings appeared on March 15 in the Journal of Neuroscience.

2016/03/29MEDICAL UPDATE

Killer ARDS under-recognised and under-treated

by Bruce Sylvester: Researchers report that about 10 per cent of patients in intensive care units worldwide have Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), that the mortality rate from ARDS remains high and, notably, that ARDS in this setting is both under-recognized and under-treated.

2016/03/25MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2016: Donor selection – let the court decide. An Interview with Lisa Burnapp (London)

2016/03/24MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2016: Transplantation of kidneys from small paediatric donors. Can we set a limit? Niaz Ahmad, St James’s Hospital, Leeds

by Maria Dalby:  Organ donation from children aged less than 2 years is extremely rare in the UK but could offer significant scope for expanding the donor pool. Presenting data from the first UK series of kidney transplants from newborn and infant donors aged less than 2 months, Niaz Ahmad, consultant transplant surgeon at St James’s Hospital in Leeds, explained that small kidneys from neonatal donors work well in adult recipients and that the technical and surgical difficulties can be overcome.

2016/03/23MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2016: Controversies in UK organ transplantation: have we gone too far in terms of organ quantity at the expense of organ quality? Professor Derek Manas (Newcastle upon Tyne) and Lorna Marson (Edinburgh) discuss in this video the plenary on quantity vs quality.

2016/03/22MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2016: Should patients with non-HCC related cancers be considered for listing for liver transplantation in the UK? An interview with Professor Nigel Heaton, who was Judge, and Dr Varuna Aluvihare (both from Kings College Hospital, London), who was Juror in this session

2016/03/18MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2016: How important is it to implement patient tailored transplantation? An interview with Dr Varuna Aluvihare (Kings College Hospital, London)

2016/03/16MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2016: An interview with Dr Jayme Locke, Transplant Surgery, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL, USA. The new US kidney allocation scheme.

2016/03/15MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2016: Best practice immunosuppression – no more Mr Nice Guy. Interview with Lorna Marson, Lisa Burnapp and Professor Derek Manas from the BTS executive discuss the potential impact on patients if the appeal fails and Professor Nigel Heaton and Dr Varuna Aluvihare (Kings College Hospital) give a surgeon and hepatologist’s view on how NICE renal guidance might affect liver transplantation.

2016/03/14MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2016: Lorna Marson and Professor John O’Grady discuss proposals for changes to the current kidney and liver allocation schemes in the UK.

2016/03/11MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2016 Congress Highlights: Video Interview with Lorna Marson (Edinburgh), Professor Nigel Heaton (London), Lisa Burnapp (London), Jayme Locke (Birmingham, AL, USA), Dr Varuna Aluvihare (London), BTS President Professor Derek Manas (Newcastle) and Professor John O’Grady (London).

2016/03/08MEDICAL UPDATE

Investigative Dupilumab reduces nasal polyps in patients with chronic sinusitis

by Bruce Sylvester: Among adults with chronic sinusitis and nasal polyps who do not respond to intranasal corticosteroids, addition of investigative dupilumab to mometasone furoate nasal spray compared with mometasone alone reduced nasal polyps significantly after 16 weeks. Researchers reported this finding on Feb. 2, 2016 in JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association.

2016/03/07MEDICAL UPDATE

Cystic fibrosis drug ivacaftor benefits pre-school children

by Bruce Sylvester: Ivacaftor appears to be safe and efficacious for children ages 2 to and 5 with a specific type of cystic fibrosis, researchers reported  on  Jan. 20,2016 in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine. The findings suggest a therapeutic opening in early life when eventual organ damage from cystic fibrosis might be reduced.

2016/03/04MEDICAL UPDATE

Corticosteroid treatment for late preterm delivery lowers neonatal respiratory complications

by Bruce Sylvester: Researchers report that corticosteroids treatment of mothers at risk for late preterm delivery significantly reduces the incidence of severe respiratory complications in their babies.

2016/03/03MEDICAL UPDATE

Benzodiazepine use not linked to dementia

by Bruce Sylvester: Benzodiazepine therapy in older adults is not associated with an increase in dementia risk, researchers reported on Feb. 2, 2016 in The BMJ today.

2016/03/02MEDICAL UPDATE

Rivastigmine treatment appears to improve walking in Parkinson’s patients

by Bruce Sylvester: Researchers report that patients treated with the dementia drug rivastigimine are less likely to fall and are much steadier when walking, compared to patients receiving a placebo

2016/03/01MEDICAL UPDATE

Clot-buster lowers death risk in deadliest stroke

by Bruce Sylvester: Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) treatment with the clot-busting drug alteplase appears to be an effective way to decrease mortality in intraventricular hemorrhage, a catastrophic type of bleeding stroke, researchers from the CLEAR III clinical trial reported on Feb. 18, 2016 at the International Stroke Conference in Los Angeles.

2016/02/26MEDICAL UPDATE

High-dose statin treatment improves symptoms of macular degeneration

by Bruce Sylvester: Investigators from a phase l/II clinical trial report that high-dose atorvastatin treatment of patients with the dry form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) resulted in a regression of lipid deposits and improvement in visual acuity, without progression to advanced disease.

2016/02/24MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters: Ireland: Study predicts risk of Caesarean delivery

by Gary Finnegan: Researchers have developed a new scoring system that rates women’s risk of Caesarean section. The study combines a range of indicators to help maternity hospitals better manage patients and resources, and to prepare pregnant women for the possibility of surgery.

2016/02/23MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters: The Netherlands: HIV epidemic persists in the Netherlands

by Gary Finnegan: HIV is easier than ever to prevent, detect and treat. Yet while life expectancy for people with the virus have improved over the past decade, the disease is proving difficult to stamp out and continues to spread in Europe.

2016/02/22MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters: Italy: Leukaemia death rate expected to fall in 2016

by Gary Finnegan: Good news in the battle against cancer: death rates from leukaemia among people of all ages in Europe are falling.

2016/02/19MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters: Norway: Weight increase in babies raises diabetes risk

by Gary Finnegan: Infants that gain weight in their first year of life are more likely to develop type 1 diabetes, according to a study of children born in Norway and Denmark.

2016/02/18MEDICAL UPDATE

EMA Highlights: Green light for new medicines

by Gary Finnegan: Six new medicines, two of which had been fast-tracked, were given positive reviews from the European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP). This clears the way for the final approval by the European Commission.

2016/02/17MEDICAL UPDATE

EMA Highlights: New guideline on Alzheimer’s medicines

by Gary Finnegan: The European Medicines Agency has released a revised guideline on medicines for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. The publication is part of a public consultation which runs until the end of July.

2016/02/16MEDICAL UPDATE

EMA Highlights: Europe to support Zika trials

by Gary Finnegan: The European Medicines Agency has set up a task force on Zika virus in an effort to accelerate the development of new medicines and vaccines against the disease. The group includes experts in infectious disease, vaccines and other specialists with relevant knowledge on the threat of Zika fever.

2016/02/15MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2015: Building good combinations. Professor Sagar Lonial (Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, USA) discusses the benefits of building good combinations early on in therapy and the impact that newly available triplet oral therapy will have on patients with myeloma

2016/02/12MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2015: Good news for patients from ASH! Erik Low (Chief Executive Myeloma UK), Professor Antonio Palumbo (University of Torino, Italy), Professor Paul Richardson (Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA) and Dr Shaji Kumar (Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA) discuss the things they will take home to their myeloma patients folloing ASH 2015

2016/02/11MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2015: Video Interview by Esther Drain. CDF changes affecting myeloma patients. Professor Graham Jackson (NCCC, Newcastle Hospitals Trust, UK) and Erik Low (Chief Executive Myeloma UK) discuss recent changes in the CDF and how they affect myeloma patients.

2016/02/10MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2015: We ask Professor Sagar Lonial (Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, USA) what the role of PET/CT is as a measure of MRD post ASCT and ask Professor Antonio Palumbo (University of Torino, Italy) and Professor Graham Jackson (NCCC, Newcastle Hospitals Trust, UK) whether MRD measurement is ready for clinical use

2016/02/09MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2015: Video Interview by Esther Drain. Myeloma XI initial response data at ASH. Professor Graham Jackson (NCCC, Newcastle Hospitals Trust, UK) discusses the initial response data from Myeloma XI and whether early intensive therapy is the way forward in managing myeloma, with comment also from Professor Sagar Lonial (Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, USA).

2016/02/08MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2015: Ernest Beutler Lecture Prize: Award-winners trace history of proteasome and its starring role in MM treatment: Interview with Alfred Goldberg, PhD, Professor of Cell Biology at Harvard Medical School, and Paul Richardson, MD, Professor of Medicine at the Dana-Farber Cancer Center

2016/02/05MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2015: Myeloma X (intensive) trial update: Professor Gordon Cook (Leeds Teaching Hospitals, UK) gives an update on Myeloma X and discusses the role of transplant in myeloma in the age of novel agents

2016/02/04MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2015: Professor Antonio Palumbo (University of Torino, Italy), Dr Shaji Kumar (Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA), Professor Graham Jackson (NCCC, Newcastle Hospitals Trust, UK) and Professor Gordon Cook (Leeds Teaching Hospitals, UK) give their highlights.

2016/02/03MEDICAL UPDATE

Exercise helps prevent low back pain

by Bruce Sylvester: Results from a meta-analysis of relevant studies suggest that exercise, alone or in combination with education, reduces the risk of low back pain. The findings appeared on Jan. 11, 2016 by JAMA Internal Medicine.

2016/02/02MEDICAL UPDATE

Increased risk of diabetes appears in women with sleep problems

by Bruce Sylvester: Women who have problems sleeping are at an increased risks of developing type 2 diabetes, researchers reported on January 28, 2016 in Diabetologia.

2016/02/01MEDICAL UPDATE

Ozone raises risk of acute respiratory disease syndrome in critically ill patients

by Bruce Sylvester: Ozone exposure appears to be associated with acute respiratory disease syndrome (ARDS) in some critically ill patients, according to research published on Dec. 17, 2015 In the American Journal of Respiratory Critical Care.

2016/01/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Like men, women with heart failure benefit from an implanted defibrillator

by Bruce Sylvester: Women with heart failure are as likely as men to achieve survival benefit from receiving an implantable cardiac defibrillator, researchers reported on Jan. 12,2016 in Circulation: Heart Failure.

2016/01/27MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2015 Video Interview by Esther Drain: Association of gene expression profiling, Interim PET, EBV status and PD-L1 expression in cHL. An interview with Dr Cathy Burton (Clinical Haematologist, Leeds Teaching Hospitals, UK)

2016/01/26MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2015 Video Interview by Esther Drain: Is oral as effective as IV or sub cutaneous administration? Professor Philippe Moreau (University Hospital, Nantes, France), Professor Gordon Cook (Leeds Teaching Hospitals, UK) and Professor Sagar Lonial (Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, USA) discuss whether the trend towards new oral agents for myeloma will mean a choice between efficacy and convenience… or in fact whether both can be achieved

2016/01/25MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2015: TOURMALINE: Professor Philippe Moreau (University Hospital, Nantes, France) discusses the Tourmaline study – ixazomib, lenalidomide, dexamethasone (iRd) in R/R myeloma, with opinions on the data from Professor Graham Jackson (NCCC, Newcastle Hospitals Trust, UK), Professor Gordon Cook (Leeds Teaching Hospitals, UK), Erik Low (Chief Executive Myeloma UK) and Dr Shaji Kumar (Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA)

2016/01/22MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2015 Video Interview by Esther Drain: Erik Low (Chief Executive Myeloma UK), Professor Graham Jackson (NCCC, Newcastle Hospitals Trust, UK) and Professor Gordon Cook (Leeds Teaching Hospitals, UK) discuss how and when we might expect our patients to have access to the therapies now available to US myeloma patients

2016/01/21MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2015: Clinical discussant in this ASH/FDA session, Professor Paul Richardson (Harvard medical School, Boston, USA), discusses the clinical relevance of the new oral proteazome inhibitor ixazomib and two new monoclonal antibodies daratumumab and elotuzumab approved in the last few weeks by the FDA

2016/01/20MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2015: Interview with Professor Sagar Lonial (Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA) gives a flavour of the excitement generated at ASH

2016/01/19MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2015: New therapies explored in peripheral T-cell lymphoma

by Thomas R. Collins: In early results, patients newly diagnosed with peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) treated with the HDAC-inhibitor belinostat, and CHOP therapy, tolerated the combination well at standard doses, researchers found in a phase 1 dose-escalation study.1

2016/01/18MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2015: Early findings on oral therapies for relapsed/refractory DLBCL unveiled

by Thomas R. Collins: Early results show that venetoclax, a BCL-2-inhibitor, produced relatively good response rates in relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) patients.1

2016/01/18MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2015: Risk profile key in transplant decisions in non-Hodgkin lymphoma

by Thomas R. Collins: There could be a role for consolidation autologous stem cell transplantation for patients with diffuse, aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL) who are at high risk of disease progression, an expert said here at ASH.

2016/01/14MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2015: Investigators update results on key carfilzomib studies: ENDEAVOR and ASPIRE

by Thomas R. Collins: A subgroup analysis of data from the ENDEAVOR trial, comparing carfilzomib and dexamethasone (Kd) to bortezomib and dexamethasone (Vd) — shows improved progression-free survival (PFS) on Kd, whether patients had been treated with just one prior line of therapy or with two or more.

2016/01/13MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2015: Ixazomib shows promise in variety of settings, according to early trial results

by Thomas R. Collins: Fresh off its approval in the U.S. in the relapsed/refractory setting of multiple myeloma, ixazomib continues to be examined in other patient pools, with results that are encouraging but still unfolding, according to data presented  at the 57th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Haematology.

2016/01/12MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2015: Trials exploring new settings for monoclonal antibodies in MM

by Thomas R. Collins: Trials are continuing to explore potential new settings for daratumumab and elotuzumab, two monoclonal antibodies that were recently approved for use in multiple myeloma (MM) in the U.S. New data was presented here at the 57th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Haematology.

2016/01/11MEDICAL UPDATE

X-ray appears unreliable for spotting hip osteoarthritis

by Bruce Sylvester: Researchers report that in most cases hip x-rays are unreliable for diagnosing hip osteoarthritis (OA). The findings appeared on Dec. 8, 2015 in the British Medical Journal.

2016/01/08MEDICAL UPDATE

Endovascular intervention shows better outcomes than standard stroke treatment

by Bruce Sylvester: Results from a meta-analysis of randomized trials for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke suggest that, compared to standard clot dissolving treatment, endovascular intervention, such as clot removal by catheter, produced better functional outcomes and higher rates of functional independence at 90 days.

2016/01/07MEDICAL UPDATE

Meta-analysis suggests need for wider use of blood pressure-lowering drugs

by Bruce Sylvester: No matter what their blood pressure is at the beginning of treatment, blood pressure-lowering drugs should be offered to all persons at high risk of having a heart attack or stroke, researchers from a new meta-analysis of relevant trials reported on Dec. 23, 2015 in The Lancet.

2016/01/05MEDICAL UPDATE

Nicotinamide reduces risk of skin cancers

by Bruce Sylvester: Treatment with nicotinamide, a form of vitamin B3, significantly lowers the risk of common, non-melanoma skin cancer in high-risk patients, researchers reported on Oct. 21, 2015 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

2016/01/04MEDICAL UPDATE

Viagra ups insulin sensitivity in prediabetes

by Bruce Sylvester: Treatment with sildenafil, marketed as Viagra and other trade names, appears to improve insulin sensitivity in persons with prediabetes, as well as lowering a biological signal of elevated risk of kidney and heart disease.

2015/12/31MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2015: Capitalising on recent advances in HL – R/R HL in the brentuximab vedotin era. Professor Ajay Gopal, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, WA, USA. Dr Robert Chen, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA and Professor John Sweetenham, Huntsman Cancer Institute, Saltlake City, USA., discuss where they see the optimal setting for use of brentuximab vedotin following updates at ASH 2015. Click on the video image to view.

2015/12/30MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2015: Checkpoint blockade vision of the future. Professor Stephen Ansell, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA discusses the extended follow-up phase 1 nivolumab study in R/R classic HL. Click video image to view.

2015/12/29MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2015: Brentuximab vedotin data shows durable CR five years on – is this cure? Dr Robert Chen, (City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA) discusses the five year survival data presented at ASH; who of the CR patients to watch and wait and who to go onto allo-SCT; and whether these patients are now cured. Click video image to view.

2015/12/28MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2015: Prognostic score helps assess chances of progression-free survival in HL autologous transplant recipients

by Thomas R. Collins: Researchers have developed a prognostic “score” to gauge the chances of progression-free survival in patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma who have had a successful autologous stem cell transplant.

2015/12/25MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2015: Highlights of the 57th American Hematological Society Meeting. Professor Ajay Gopal (Seattle Cancer Care Alliance), Professor Stephen Ansell (Mayo Clinic), Professor John Sweetenham (Huntsman Cancer Institute) and Professor Joseph Connors (Vancouver) share their highlights of a very busy ASH and New Year’s resolutions for their management of lymphoma in 2016. Click video image to view.

2015/12/24MEDICAL UPDATE

Anastrozole is effective for treating early form of breast cancer

by Bruce Sylvester: Anastrozole appears to be as effective as tamoxifen in treating ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a very early form of breast cancer, and could offer a new treatment option for post-menopausal women. Approximately one-fifth of all screen-detected breast cancers are DCIS.

2015/12/23MEDICAL UPDATE

EMA Highlights: EMA gives green light for new drugs

by Gary Finnegan: Ten medicines, including a first-in-class orphan medicine for narcolepsy, were recommended for authorisation in the EU at the latest meeting of the European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP).

2015/12/22MEDICAL UPDATE

EMA Highlights: EMA chief ‘back at the helm’

by Gary Finnegan: Professor Guido Rasi has been reappointed Executive Director of the European Medicines Agency for a five-year term. The decision brings an end to one of the more complex and controversial recruitment processes in EU history.

2015/12/21MEDICAL UPDATE

EMA Highlights: Drug watchdog’s hands are tied in off-label prescribing spat

by Gary Finnegan: The European Medicines Agency (EMA) says its powers are limited when it comes to regulating off-label use of licensed medicines. The watchdog is at the centre of a long-running row that has come to a head in Italy after a series of adverse events in patients given a cancer drug to treat an eye condition.

2015/12/18MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters – China: Most stroke patients have hypertension

by Gary Finnegan: Around three quarters of stoke patients in China have hypertension, according to data presented at the 26th Great Wall International Congress of Cardiology.

2015/12/17MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters: Bridging the life expectancy gap in Germany

by Gary Finnegan: Twenty-five years after reunification, the once considerable differences between life expectancy in eastern and western Germany have nearly disappeared for women. East German men have also benefited strongly from unification, but they still lag behind western men.

2015/12/16MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters – Canada: Higher rates of preterm birth in black population

by Gary Finnegan: Black women in Canada have substantially higher risk of preterm birth than white women, according to a new study which mirrors disparities previously reported in the US population.

2015/12/15MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters – Denmark: Pertussis linked to small increase in epilepsy

by Gary Finnegan: Researchers in Denmark have found a small but significant increase in the risk of developing epilepsy among children who had hospital-diagnosed pertussis infections. While the absolute risk is low, it is the first time the two diseases have been linked in this way.

2015/12/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Drug combos do not improve acute low back pain

by Bruce Sylvester: Emergency room patients who report acute, lower back pain do not appear to benefit from adding either oxycodone/acetaminophen or the muscle relaxant cyclobenzaprine to naproxen monotherapy, researchers reported in the October 20 issue of JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association.

2015/12/11MEDICAL UPDATE

Resection safe and helpful for high-risk, early-stage lung cancer patients

by Bruce Sylvester: Surgical resection is a safe and helpful treatment option for a broad range of patients with early-stage lung cancer, researchers reported online on  Nov. 10, 2015 in the Annals of Thoracic Surgery.

2015/12/10MEDICAL UPDATE

Diabetes-related amputations reduced since 1990s

by Bruce Sylvester: Diabetes-related amputations have declined significantly since the mid-1990s, researchers reported in November, 2015 in Diabetologia, the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes.

2015/12/09MEDICAL UPDATE

AHA 2015: Women need more awareness of cardiovascular disease risks

by Bruce Sylvester: While heart disease and stroke are the greatest killers of women in the U.S., most women there claim to have no personal connection to cardiovascular disease, researchers reported on Nov. 8, 2015 at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2015.

2015/12/08MEDICAL UPDATE

Thrombus aspiration before PCI in NSTEMI does not improve one-year outcomes

by Bruce Sylvester: Thrombus aspiration preceding percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) failed to improve one-year clinical outcomes in patients with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), researchers from the TATORT-NSTEMI trial reported on Nov. 19, 2015 in the European Heart Journal: Acute Cardiovascular Care.

2015/12/07MEDICAL UPDATE

AHA 2015: Combination therapy reduces migraine rate after cardiac procedure

by Bruce Sylvester: Transcatheter atrial septal defect (ASD) closure patients treated with clopidogrel and aspirin instead of aspirin alone have achieved a lower monthly frequency of migraine attacks, researchers reported on Nov. 9, 2015 at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2015. The study was published simultaneously in JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association.

2015/12/04MEDICAL UPDATE

AHA 2015: Exercise in short bursts better for Type 2 diabetes

by Bruce Sylvester: When compared to 30 minutes of low-intensity exercise, short-bursts of high-intensity exercise significantly improve cardiometabolic and fitness measures in persons with newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetes.

2015/12/04MEDICAL UPDATE

AHA 2015: PAD patients show improved walking after revascularization that precedes exercise

by Bruce Sylvester: Among patients with peripheral artery disease and intermittent claudication, treatment with endovascular revascularization followed by supervised exercise led to greater improvement in walking distances and health-related quality-of-life at one year than supervised exercise alone.

2015/12/03MEDICAL UPDATE

UEGW 2015: Vaccination in IBD. An interview with Dr Herbert Tilg, Innsbruck Medical University, Austria. Conducted by Sanjay Tanday

2015/12/02MEDICAL UPDATE

UEGW 2015: Low risk Barrett’s oesophagus: To leave or treat? An interview with Professor Prateek Sharma, University of Kansas Medical Center, USA. Conducted by Sanjay Tanday.

2015/12/01MEDICAL UPDATE

UEGW 2015: Management of IBD after anti-TNF failure. Professor Laurent Peyrin-Biroulet (Nancy, France) discusses his presentation on when to use anti-integrins or anti-TNFs and the iCARE programme sponsored by ECCO.

2015/12/01MEDICAL UPDATE

IBD: What’s new in 2015: Professor Laurent Peyrin-Biroulet (Nancy, France), Professor Prateek Sharma (Kansas, USA), Professor Brian Feagan (London, Canada) and Professor David Wilson (Edinburgh, UK) discuss their highlights of UEGW 2015. Conducted by Sanjay Tanday.

2015/11/30MEDICAL UPDATE

UEGW 2015: Complications of Crohn’s disease

by Maria Dalby: Accurate diagnosis and monitoring are key elements in the prevention of long-term complications of Crohn’s disease including stenosis, strictures and perforation. Rising Star award winner Dr Ingrid Ordas from Barcelona opened a symposium on this topic with a discussion of the role of magnetic resonance (MR) enterography for non-invasive morphological assessment of disease activity and severity in CD.

2015/11/26MEDICAL UPDATE

ESOT 2015: Printing the human body. Mr Gabriel Oniscu, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, and Dr Menna Clatworthy, Pembroke College, Cambridge, discuss this fascinating session

2015/11/25MEDICAL UPDATE

ESOT 2015: Practical management of the patient for re-transplantation, Lorna Marson, University of Edinburgh

2015/11/24MEDICAL UPDATE

ESOT 2015: Minimising de novo DSAs in the renal patient. Dr Peter Nickerson (University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada)

2015/11/24MEDICAL UPDATE

ESOT 2015: DSAs – who is most at risk? Professor Arthur Matas (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA)

2015/11/23MEDICAL UPDATE

ESOT 2015: Social media and transplantation: an ethical point of view. Professor Stefan Schneeberger, (Innsbruck, Austria) discusses the futuristic plenary session he chaired at ESOT on social media, big data and how we can make use of these new technologies to advance patient care in transplantation.

2015/11/20MEDICAL UPDATE

ESOT 2015: Tailored self-management interventions for vulnerable populations

by Maria Dalby: Self-management after undergoing transplantation requires skills and confidence both with respect to taking medications, adhering to medical advice and coping with everyday life.

2015/11/19MEDICAL UPDATE

ESOT 2015: Tailor-made immunosuppression and post-transplant follow-up

by Maria Dalby: Advances in diagnostic techniques, genetic testing and immunosuppressive protocols allow clinicians to tailor interventions to the individual patient’s needs to a greater extent than in past years.

2015/11/19MEDICAL UPDATE

ESOT 2015: Psychological outcomes following donation. Dr Hannah Maple (Guys & St Thomas’) discusses her research on the psychological outcomes of specified vs unspecified living donation and the impact of care giver burden in specified living donation.

2015/11/18MEDICAL UPDATE

IMV 2015: Newly diagnosed multiple myeloma, elderly patients: Professor Gareth Morgan, (Little Rock, USA) and Professor Paul Richardson, (Boston, USA) discuss managing older patients with MM

2015/11/18MEDICAL UPDATE

IMV 2015: Activated pathways leading to high-risk myeloma: Professor Gareth Morgan, UAMS Myeloma Institute, Arkansas, USA discusses how our understanding of the biological pathways in MM has progressed recently.

2015/11/16MEDICAL UPDATE

IMV 2015: Dr Noopar Raje (Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston.) discusses the key points from this practical session on what is difficult about treating bone disease.

2015/11/13MEDICAL UPDATE

IMV 2015 Debate: Professors Faith Davies, Gareth Morgan (both UAMS) and Sagar Lonial (Atlanta) discuss the importance of combination therapy. Professor Faith Davies from UAMS and Professor Shaji Kumar from Mayo Clinic faced one another in a debate over the respective benefits of combination therapy and sequential therapy in MM…

2015/11/13MEDICAL UPDATE

IMV 2015: New diagnostic criteria for multiple myeloma

Multiple myeloma is unique amongst cancers in that the diagnosis is made by the clinician, not the pathologist. The pathologist merely states that the patient has a clonal plasma cell disorder; it is then up to the clinician to evaluate the clinical features to confirm the MM diagnosis and assess the risk of progression.

2015/11/13MEDICAL UPDATE

IMV 2015: Highlights of the International Myeloma Workshop, 23-26 September, Rome.

2015/11/10MEDICAL UPDATE

ESOT 2015: The enemy within: improving adherence. Professor John Forsythe (Edinburgh), Dr Luis Guirado Fundació Puigvert (Barcelona), Lorna Marson (Edinburgh) and Dr Peter Nickerson (Manitoba) discuss the issues around non-adherance in renal transplantation.

2015/11/10MEDICAL UPDATE

ESOT 2015: Will ‘Big Data’ shape transplantation? Act now! Dorry Segev (Johns Hopkins University) opened our eyes to the potential of Big Data in one of the outstanding plenary sessions at ESOT. He discusses in this video what transplant specialists should be acting on now and where this field is going in the future

2015/11/06MEDICAL UPDATE

ESOT 2015: ESOT president, Professor John Forsythe (Edinburgh), gives his highlights of this fascinating and truly forward looking meeting, along with comments from Professor Arthur Matas (University of Minnesota), Mr Nizam Mamode (London) and Lorna Marson (Edinburgh)

2015/11/02MEDICAL UPDATE

Bedtime dosing of blood pressure drugs reduces diabetes risk

by Bruce Sylvester: Blood pressure drug dosing at bedtime instead of  in the morning not only lowers blood pressure during sleep but significantly reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes onset, researchers reported on September 23, 2015 in Diabetologia.

2015/10/29MEDICAL UPDATE

Oxytocin helps young children with autism

by Bruce Sylvester: Treatment with  oxytocin, a synthetic hormone, significantly improved social, emotional and behavioral parameters among children with autism, researchers reported on Oct. 27, 2015 in Molecular Psychiatry.

2015/10/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Botox helps prevent atrial fibrillation following bypass surgery

by Bruce Sylvester: Botox injection into fat surrounding the heart helps prevent atrial fibrillation after bypass surgery, researchers reported  on Oct. 20, 2015 in Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology.

2015/10/27MEDICAL UPDATE

Pre-pregnancy exercise reduces pelvic girdle pain

by Bruce Sylvester: Exercise prior to pregnancy appears to reduce pelvic girdle pain caused by joint and ligament changes during pregnancy, researchers reported online on October 7, 2015 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, a British Medical Journal publication.

2015/10/24MEDICAL UPDATE

Investigative vaccine eradicates precancerous lesions in some women

by Bruce Sylvester: Researchers report that a genetically engineered vaccine, VGX-3100/ Inovio Pharmaceuticals,  appears to eradicate high-grade precancerous cervical lesions in some women. The findings from a phase 2b trial were published online on Sept. 17, 2015 in The Lancet.

2015/10/23MEDICAL UPDATE

Androgen deprivation therapy problematic for prior heart attack victims

by Bruce Sylvester: Men who have had a heart attack and then receive androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for prostate cancer are at an increased risk of subsequent fatal heart attack, researchers reported in a research letter in the September 22/29, 2015 issue of Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

2015/10/22MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters: Medications linked to falls in older men

by Gary Finnegan: Ireland: Medicines routinely prescribed for older patients may be contributing to elevated rates of falls in elderly men, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

2015/10/21MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters: New superbug test could limit outbreaks

by Gary Finnegan: Sweden: Rapid identification of superbugs can help to speed up patient recovery, contain outbreaks, and save healthcare resources, according to Swedish researchers. 

2015/10/20MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters: Neonatal intervention helps development of pre-term babies

by Gary Finnegan: Norway: Eleven percent of all births worldwide are preterm, or occurring before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Premature birth is associated with higher neonatal mortality as well as long-term neurological disabilities.

2015/10/19MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters: Exercise helps women tolerate chemotherapy

by Gary Finnegan: Netherlands: Women with breast cancer who follow a physical exercise programme during their chemotherapy treatment experience fewer side effects, according a study by the Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI).

2015/10/15MEDICAL UPDATE

EMA Highlights: WHO and EU link up to boost public health

by Gary Finnegan: EU agencies are stepping up cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO) to share information on the safety, quality and efficacy of medicines.

2015/10/14MEDICAL UPDATE

EMA Highlights: EU drug watchdog re-elects key decision-maker

by Gary Finnegan: The chair of the European Medicine Agency's most influential committee has been re-elected for a three-year term. The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) voted to give Dr Tomas Salmonson a fresh mandate at its September meeting.

2015/10/13MEDICAL UPDATE

EMA Highlights: Green light for new medicines

by Gary Finnegan: The European Medicines Agency's key committee approved a total of 19 new medicines at its meeting in late September – the highest number of products to get the green light this year. This brings the total number of approvals by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) to 74.

2015/10/09MEDICAL UPDATE

Can asthma protect men from lethal prostate cancer?

Men with asthma are less likely to have aggressive prostate cancer or to die from the disease, according to a large, prospective cohort study published in the International Journal of Cancer.

2015/10/08MEDICAL UPDATE

Benefits for COPD patients using digital health application

Early intervention facilitated by a digital health application for reporting symptoms of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) provides key benefits for patients, according to the results of a Temple-led, two-year clinical study.

2015/10/07MEDICAL UPDATE

Does air pollution kill?

A study published in Nature by Jos Lelieveld and colleagues at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, in Mainz, Germany, found that although air pollution has several causes, residential energy emissions -- such as those from heating and cooling -- are a major contributor to premature mortality.

2015/10/06MEDICAL UPDATE

USA pain by the numbers

In one of the largest population studies on pain to date, researchers with the National Institutes of Health estimate that nearly 40 million Americans experience severe pain and more than 25 million have pain every day.

2015/10/05MEDICAL UPDATE

Body fat, not BMI, tied to foot pain

An increase in fat mass index (FMI), but not body mass index (BMI), was associated with both prevalent and future foot pain, a large community-based study showed.

2015/10/02MEDICAL UPDATE

Effective use of Firmagon (degarelix) for advanced prostate cancer

Firmagon (Degarelix) is a competitive, reversible GnRH receptor blocker, for patients with advanced hormone-dependent prostate cancer.  Where Injection technique is critical;  Nora Sullivan, a specialist nurse at Hibernian Healthcare, explains that very slow injection (over two or even two and a half minutes) is the key to minimising the risk of injection site reactions.

2015/10/01MEDICAL UPDATE

Muscle power predicts pain in knee OA

Dynamic leg muscle power is an independent determinant of pain and quality of life in knee osteoarthritis (OA), and it appears to outperform muscle strength as a measure of muscle performance, according to researchers from Tufts University and Tufts Medical Center, Boston.

2015/09/30MEDICAL UPDATE

Pain control remains inadequate in RA patients

Despite improvements in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) management, pain control remains inadequate in some patients even when inflammation is well controlled, according to a small Dutch study.

2015/09/29MEDICAL UPDATE

Clinical trial babies experience unnecessary pain

A recent review found that most newborns that are included in control groups during clinical trials concerning minor painful procedures are denied analgesia, despite international guidelines stating that babies should be prevented from experiencing any avoidable pain.

2015/09/22MEDICAL UPDATE

Steroid therapy could improve pneumonia outcomes

by Bruce Sylvester: Corticosteroid therapy appears to improve community-acquired pneumonia outcomes, researchers reported on August 11, 2015 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

2015/09/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Acupuncture shows promise for treating hypertension

by Bruce Sylvester: Hypertensive patients have achieved a modest but therapeutic and durable response to acupuncture treatment, researchers from the Susan Samueli Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of California in Irvine reported on August 19, 2015 in Medical Acupuncture.

2015/09/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Intermittent, intense exercise benefits heart abnormalities in people with type 2 diabetes

by Bruce Sylvester: High intensity intermittent exercise improves both heart structure and glucose control in patients with type 2 diabetes, researchers reported on Sept. 9, 2015 in Diabetologia.

2015/09/10MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters (New Zealand): Tobacco taxes work, eventually

by Gary Finnegan: Annual 10% tobacco tax increases in New Zealand over the next 20 years should lead to health gains, net health system cost savings and modest reductions of about 2% to 3% in health inequalities between indigenous (Māori) and non-indigenous people, according to a study published by Tony Blakely and colleagues from the University of Otago, New Zealand, in this week's PLOS Medicine.

2015/09/09MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters (The Netherlands): Hospitals safer than home births in poor areas

by Gary Finnegan: Home births lead to higher infant mortality than hospital births, at least for mothers living in poorer areas, according to a new Dutch study which is likely to spark debate on a topic of considerable controversy.

2015/09/08MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters (China): TB on the rise in older people

by Gary Finnegan: Preliminary findings presented at an international TB vaccine conference suggest older people are contributing to TB rates in China. Researchers say the development and introduction of a 'post-infection' vaccine could have a major impact in reducing TB disease in the world's most populous country.

2015/09/07MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters (United States): Can ‘vaccine sceptics’ be won over?

by Gary Finnegan: The question of whether vaccines cause autism may have been settled long ago but the debate on how to share this message with the public is far from finished.

2015/09/04MEDICAL UPDATE

Longer work week linked to increase in stroke risk

by Bruce Sylvester: Persons who work over 55 hours  per week have a 33% increased risk of stroke and a 13% increased risk of developing coronary heart disease compared with persons who work 35-40 hours per week, researchers reported on August 19, 2015 in The Lancet.

2015/09/03MEDICAL UPDATE

Insulin pump reduces mortality from cardiovascular disease in type 1 diabetes

by Bruce Sylvester: Persons with type 1 diabetes and who use an insulin pump have achieved half the mortality risk from cardiovascular disease compared to take those multiple daily injections.

2015/09/02MEDICAL UPDATE

Medicines watchdog battles to reinstate chief

by Gary Finnegan: The European Medicines Agency is waging a fierce battle against the EU's own employment court over the controversial 2011 appointment of its former Executive Director.

2015/09/01MEDICAL UPDATE

EMA to fast track much-needed therapies

by Gary Finnegan: The European Medicines Agency wants to get new medicines to patients quicker where there is a clear unmet medical need. The move could also see some medicines given provisional approval while additional evidence is gathered.

2015/08/31MEDICAL UPDATE

Green light for new medicines

by Gary Finnegan: The European Medicines Agency's influential Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has given the green light for ten new medicines, as well as offering a positive scientific opinion on the world's first malaria vaccine.

2015/08/28MEDICAL UPDATE

New approach to prostate cancer treatment increases survival for some patients

by Bruce Sylvester: Among patients with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer, chemotherapy with docetaxel at the start of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) has resulted in an increased survival of 13.6 months for patients treated with ADT plus docetaxel compared to ADT monotherapy.

2015/08/27MEDICAL UPDATE

Pioglitazone treatment not linked to bladder cancer

by Bruce Sylvester: Treatment of diabetes with pioglitazone does not appear to be related to an increased risk of bladder cancer, researchers from an analysis including nearly 200,000 subjects reported in the July 21, 2015 issue of JAMA.

2015/08/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Oral contraceptive use lowers endometrial cancer risk

by Bruce Sylvester: Oral contraceptive use appears to provide long-term protection against endometrial cancer, researchers reported on August 4, 2015 in The Lancet Oncology.

2015/08/25MEDICAL UPDATE

Testosterone replacement shows cardiovascular benefits

by Bruce Sylvester: A retrospective analysis of data on more than 83,000 US veterans showed that men whose low testosterone was restored to normal achieved a reduced risk of heart attack, stroke, or death from any cause, when compared to similar men who were not treated.

2015/08/24MEDICAL UPDATE

Steroids appear to benefit patients with pneumonia

by Bruce Sylvester: Corticosteroid therapy appears to benefit patients with pneumonia, researchers reported online on August 10, 2015 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

2015/08/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Aspirin appears to slow early emphysema

by Bruce Sylvester: Aspirin use might slow progression of early emphysema, researchers reported on May 17, 2015 at American Thoracic Society International Conference.

2015/08/20MEDICAL UPDATE

Senior smokers with migraine have increased stroke risk

by Bruce Sylvester: Seniors with migraines who smoke appear to be at an increased risk of stroke, researchers reported on July 22, 2015 in Neurology.

2015/08/19MEDICAL UPDATE

Opioids are less effective in depressed and anxious patients

by Bruce Sylvester: Patients  with  depression or anxiety who were prescribed opioids for chronic lower back pain have achieved significantly less pain relief and were more likely to abuse their medication than similar patients without the psychiatric disorders.

2015/07/29MEDICAL UPDATE

Hepatitis C genotype 1 patients, with or without cirrhosis, show high rates of response to combination therapy

by Bruce Sylvester: Researchers from two newly published studies patients report that patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 infection and with or without cirrhosis have achieved high rates of sustained virologic response after 12 weeks of treatment with combination daclatasvir, asunaprevir, and beclabuvir.

2015/07/28MEDICAL UPDATE

ICML 2015 Poster Session: Healthcare utilisation in the AETHERA trial: phase 3 study of brentuximab vedotin in patients at increased risk of residual Hodgkin lymphoma post-ASCT

Vijayveer Bonthapally et al, Cambridge, MA, USA  / by Maria Dalby.  AETHERA is a randomised, placebo-controlled phase III study to evaluate whether consolidation treatment with brentuximab vedotin can prevent relapse in HL patients who have undergone autologous stem cell transplantation.

2015/07/28MEDICAL UPDATE

ICML 2015 Poster Session: Hodgkin lymphoma: PET-CT or bone marrow biopsy?

Zeinab Ali Abou Yehia et al, Houston, TX, USA / by Maria Dalby.  PET-CT scans appear to be more sensitive than bone marrow biopsies for detecting bone marrow involvement in stage IV HL.

2015/07/28MEDICAL UPDATE

ICML 2015 Report: Thirty years of progress in cutaneous lymphoma research

John Ultmann Memorial Lecture / by Maria Dalby.  Cutaneous lymphomas are rare conditions that require careful linking of clinical features with pathological findings for accurate diagnoses and effective treatments. Professor of dermatology Rein Willemze from Leiden in the Netherlands is fascinated by the challenges presented by cutaneous lymphoma in its many and varied forms in the clinic; as John Ultmann memorial lecturer at the ICML, Professor Willemze described how the classification of cutaneous lymphomas has changed over the last few decades and the ways patients have benefited from this.

2015/07/28MEDICAL UPDATE

ICML 2015 Report: Update on the revision of the WHO lymphoma classification

Steven H Swerdlow, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, USA, / by Maria Dalby.  Knowledge is evolving fast in the field of lymphoma and the 2008 World Health Organization (WHO) classification of malignant lymphomas, 4th edition (which was a revision of the very first classification published in 2001) is in need of updating. Dr Steven Swerdlow from Pittsburgh was one of the editors on the 2008 edition and is on the editorial team for the new revision; in a special lecture in a joint American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)-ICML session, Dr Swerdlow apprised ICML delegates of where the process has got to and gave a flavour of what changes can be expected in the new revision.

2015/07/28MEDICAL UPDATE

ICML 2015 Video Interview: Thought leaders in lymphoma discuss highlights of ICML

2015/07/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Video Interview ICML 2015 with Professor Joseph Connors: Interim PET-based therapy should be considered routine clinical practice in early stage HL

2015/07/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Diabetes-related dementia linked to other complications

by Bruce Sylvester: Persons with high rates of diabetes-related complications appear to  be more likely to develop dementia as they get older than persons with fewer diabetes-related complications, South Korean researchers reported on July 9, 2015 in the  Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

2015/07/27MEDICAL UPDATE

Inactivity reduces people’s muscle strength

New research reveals that it only takes two weeks of not using their legs for young people to lose a third of their muscular strength, leaving them on par with a person who is 40-50 years their senior. The Center for Healthy Aging and the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Copenhagen conducted the research.

2015/07/24MEDICAL UPDATE

New iPad app helps children and young people with JIA communicate their pain experiences

The results of a study presented today at the European League Against Rheumatism Annual Congress (EULAR 2015) demonstrated the value of a new interactive iPad app that helps young people with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) describe their pain.

2015/07/23MEDICAL UPDATE

A person’s diet, acidity of urine may affect susceptibility to UTIs

The acidity of urine -- as well as the presence of small molecules related to diet -- may influence how well bacteria can grow in the urinary tract, a new study shows. The research, at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, may have implications for treating urinary tract infections, which are among the most common bacterial infections worldwide.

2015/07/22MEDICAL UPDATE

Long-acting antipsychotic medication may improve treatment for schizophrenia

Schizophrenia, which affects 2 million to 3 million people in the U.S., causes hallucinations, delusions and disorganization. Left untreated, the disease can cause a significant loss in quality of life, including unemployment and estrangement from loved ones.

2015/07/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Daily bathing of pediatric patients with antiseptic cuts bloodstream infections by 59 percent

Daily bathing of pediatric patients with disposable cloths containing 2 percent chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) reduced central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) by 59 percent and saved approximately $300,000 in one hospital over a six-month period, according to a new study.

2015/07/17MEDICAL UPDATE

More secondary schooling reduces HIV risk

Longer secondary schooling substantially reduces the risk of HIV infection--especially for girls--and could be a very cost-effective way to halt the spread of the virus, according to researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. In a study in Botswana, researchers found that, for each additional year of secondary school, students lowered their risk of HIV infection by 8 percentage points about a decade later, from 25% to about 17% infected.

2015/07/16MEDICAL UPDATE

Umbilical cord ‘milking’ improves blood flow in preterm infants

A technique to increase the flow of blood from the umbilical cord into the infant's circulatory system improves blood pressure and red blood cell levels in preterm infants delivered by Cesarean section, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health.

2015/07/15MEDICAL UPDATE

Spectrum of sun skin damage documented

Scientists at Newcastle University have documented for the first time the DNA damage which can occur to skin across the full range of ultraviolet radiation from the sun providing an invaluable tool for sun-protection and the manufacturers of sunscreen.

2015/07/14MEDICAL UPDATE

High blood pressure linked to reduced Alzheimer’s risk, meds may be reason

A new study suggests that people with a genetic predisposition to high blood pressure have a lower risk for Alzheimer's disease.

2015/07/10MEDICAL UPDATE

ADHD drug appears to treat cognitive difficulties related to onset of menopause

by Bruce Sylvester: Menopausal women having difficulty with time management, attention, organization, memory, and problem solving (also known as “executive functions”) appear to benefit from treatment with lisdexamfetamine, a drug used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

2015/07/09MEDICAL UPDATE

Tofacitinib effective against vitiligo, the “Michael Jackson disease,” in first patient treated

by Bruce Sylvester: Treatment with tofacitinib, a drug for rheumatoid arthritis, has restored skin color in a patient suffering from vitiligo, researchers reported on June 24 in JAMA Dermatology.

2015/07/08MEDICAL UPDATE

Mortality in coronary artery bypass graft surgery lowered by preoperative statin treatment

by Bruce Sylvester: A study of the protective effect of heart medications that patients receive before coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery suggests that statins reduce the risk of death by 67 percent, while no consistent prophylactic effects appeared for other medications.

2015/07/06MEDICAL UPDATE

Rociletinib could become a “game changer” in treating EGFR-mutation driven lung tumors which have become treatment resistant

by Bruce Sylvester: Rociletinib, an investigative therapy for treatment resistant EGFR-mutation driven lung tumors, shows activity against the most common resistance mutation, and it significantly improves clinical  outcomes.

2015/07/03MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters: Sweden: Low birth weight and infections predict ankylosing spondylitis

by Gary Finnegan: A new study has revealed a number of factors that appear to predict a child's risk of developing ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

2015/07/02MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters: The Netherlands: Nuts may protect against major causes of death

by Gary Finnegan: Peanut and nut intake appear to lower mortality rates from major diseases, according to a new study, but peanut butter has no shown any protective effect.

2015/07/01MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters: Ireland: Early palliative care delivers cost savings

by Gary Finnegan: People with terminal cancer often require palliative care in the late stages of their lives. This branch of medicine has long been lauded for the compassion and humanity it provides to patients and their families during a difficult time.

2015/06/30MEDICAL UPDATE

World Heath Matters: Denmark: Weight loss without bone loss?

by Gary Finnegan: Rapid weight loss can lead to a loss of bone mass and an increased risk of bone fractures. A study by University of Copenhagen, Hvidovre and Glostrup Hospital, suggests a new obesity treatment could help patients to lose weight without jeopardising bone health.

2015/06/29MEDICAL UPDATE

EMA Highlights: New options for melanoma patients with poor prognosis

by Gary Finnegan: Keytruda (pembrolizumab) has been recommended by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) as monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with advanced melanoma that cannot be surgically removed or where the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.

2015/06/26MEDICAL UPDATE

EMA Highlights: First-in-class treatment to lower cholesterol

by Gary Finnegan: Patients whose high cholesterol cannot be controlled by currently available therapies are set to have a new treatment option.

2015/06/25MEDICAL UPDATE

EMA Highlights: Green light for rare cancer treatments

by Gary Finnegan: Survival rates in young patients with high-risk neuroblastoma can be improved by Unituxin (dinutuximab), a new treatment approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

2015/06/23MEDICAL UPDATE

Hand-grip strength predictive of heart attack and stroke risk

by Bruce Sylvester: Weakening grip strength is associated with increasing overall mortality and with increasing risk of heart attack or stroke, researchers from a large international study reported on May 13, 2015 in The Lancet.

2015/06/22MEDICAL UPDATE

Statin or fibrate treatment for cholesterol is associated with a 30 percent reduced risk of stroke in healthy older adults

by Bruce Sylvester: Older adults who use cholesterol-lowering statins or fibrates have one third less risk of stroke than their untreated counterparts, researchers reported on May 19, 2015 in The British Medical Journal/BMJ.

2015/06/11MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2015 Report: New, less toxic, treatment emerges for difficult-to-treat breast cancer

by Bruce Sylvester: Investigators from the phase III PALOMA-3 trial report that treatment with the recently FDA-approved drug palbociclib more than doubled the time to cancer recurrence among subjects with hormone-receptor (HR+) positive metastatic breast cancer.

2015/06/10MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2015 Report: Dual immunotherapy improves progression-free survival in advanced melanoma

by Bruce Sylvester: Treatment of advanced melanoma with a combination of  nivolumab (Opdivo™) and ipilimumab (Yervoy™) or with nivolumab alone increases progression-free survival over ipilimumab monotherapy, researchers reported on May 31, 2015 at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting and published online simultaneously in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).

2015/06/09MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2015 Report: In noninvasive breast cancer, anastrozole tops tamoxifen for recurrence prevention in postmenopausal women under 60

by Bruce Sylvester: Anastrozole is significantly more effective than tamoxifen in preventing cancer recurrence after lumpectomy and radiation therapy in postmenopausal women, age 60 or younger with DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ). Also, in women over 60, anastrozole is as effective as tamoxifen.

2015/06/08MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2015 Report: Pembrolizumab shows “remarkable” efficacy in head and neck cancer

by Bruce Sylvester: Pembrolizumab (Keytruda®), an anti-PD-1 antibody immunotherapy has shown efficacy in one fourth of patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer, researchers reported on May 29 at the 2015 meeting of the American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO).

2015/06/04MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO Report 2015: Immunotherapy nivolumab improves survival in squamous-non-small cell lung cancer

by Bruce Sylvester: In a Phase III trial comparing standard docetaxel chemotherapy with immunotherapy nivolumab, researchers reported that subjects with squamous-non-small cell lung cancer treated with nivolumab lived an average of 3.2 months longer than those receiving the standard chemotherapy.

2015/06/03MEDICAL UPDATE

BSH 2015: COSD and SACT Cancer Data: How do you perform/conform nationally? Robin Ireland, Kings College Hospital, London.

by Christine Clark: The National Cancer Information Network (NCIN) was established to drive change and improve cancer outcomes. Analyses show large variations in practices and outcomes some of which could be due to poor quality data entry. As commissioners will use NCIN data to determine whether services are fit for purpose this is an important issue.  Dr Robin Ireland, described how the network is central to the national cancer improvement strategy.

2015/06/02MEDICAL UPDATE

Video Interview from the BSH 2015: Dr Graham Collins: Autologous vs Allogenic transplantation in Hodgkin lymphoma – where do they fit in?

2015/06/01MEDICAL UPDATE

Video Interview and editorial from the BSH 2015: Professor Graham Jackson discusses the journey from despair to hope in multiple myeloma. Click on the image for interview and editorial.

2015/05/29MEDICAL UPDATE

Video Interview from the BSH 2015 Annual Meeting: Professor Graham Jackson gives his opinion on the controversial issue of whether we are nearing a cure for myeloma. Click on the image to hear interview.

2015/05/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Strong statin-diabetes link appears in study

by Bruce Sylvester: A retrospective study of US military health system (Tricare) beneficiary medical records suggests that subjects using statin drugs to control cholesterol are at an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. But investigators caution patients not to stop statin therapy solely on the basis of one study.

2015/05/27MEDICAL UPDATE

Oral steroids have limited efficacy in treating acute sciatica caused by herniated lumbar

by Bruce Sylvester: A short course of oral steroids brought only slight improvement in function and no significant improvement in pain among patients with acute sciatica caused by a herniated lumbar disk (acute radiculopathy), researchers reported on May 19, 2015 in  JAMA/Journal of the American Medical Association.

2015/05/25MEDICAL UPDATE

New age of genome editing could lead to cure for sickle cell anemia

UNSW Australia researchers have shown that changing just a single letter of the DNA of human red blood cells in the laboratory increases their production of oxygen-carrying haemoglobin - a world-first advance that could lead to a cure for sickle cell anaemia and other blood disorders.

2015/05/22MEDICAL UPDATE

COPD is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular death in patients with atrial fibrillation, but not an independent risk factor for stroke

by Bruce Sylvester: Researchers reported on May 20, at American Thoracic Society/ATS 2015 annual meeting in Denver that the presence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COPD, is an independent  risk factor  for death from a cardiovascular disease in patients with atrial fibrillation, but it is not independently associated with increase in the risk of stroke or systemic embolism.

2015/05/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Diabetes drug may reduce heart attack risk in HIV patients

In patients with HIV, a diabetes drug may have benefits beyond lowering blood sugar. A new study from researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggests the drug may prevent cardiovascular problems because it works to reduce inflammation linked to heart disease and stroke in these patients.

2015/05/20MEDICAL UPDATE

Detect drug use from a single fingerprint

Research published today in the journal Analyst has demonstrated a new, noninvasive test that can detect cocaine use through a simple fingerprint. For the first time, this new fingerprint method can determine whether cocaine has been ingested, rather than just touched.

2015/05/19MEDICAL UPDATE

Men far less likely to prevent, screen for osteoporosis

While the consequences of osteoporosis are worse in men than women - including death - older males are far less likely to take preventive measures against the potentially devastating bone-thinning disease or accept recommendations for screening, according to startling new research by North Shore-LIJ Health System geriatricians.

2015/05/18MEDICAL UPDATE

Rheumatoid arthritis ups risk of no-warning heart attack

by Bruce Sylvester: Rheumatoid arthritis is associated with an increased risk of no-warning heart attack, researchers reported on May 4, 2015 at ICNC 12 (International Conference on Nuclear Cardiology and Cardiac CT) in Madrid, Spain.

2015/05/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Faecal microbiota transplant cures C. diff, blocks multi-drug resistant pathogens

A faecal microbiota transplant (FMT) not only cured a case of Clostridium difficile (C. diff) infection in a 66 year old man; it eliminated populations of multi-drug resistant organisms both in the patient's gastrointestinal tract, and several other body sites. This case report is published in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology, a publication of the American Society for Microbiology.

2015/05/13MEDICAL UPDATE

Psychologists aim to help Dr. Google

Psychologists are to improve online health information on lung cancer after research showed that family members are more likely to search online to encourage loved ones to seek help.

2015/05/12MEDICAL UPDATE

Using fresh whole blood lowers patients’ exposure risk in child heart surgery

Researchers suggest that officials re-examine blood storage practice.  Infants and children who undergo heart surgery are better off receiving fresh whole blood transfusions from a single donor, compared to receiving component blood from multiple donors, according to new research at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).

2015/05/11MEDICAL UPDATE

Age matters in health messages

Health interventions to increase exercise in older people could be more successful if they differentiated between people aged 65 to 79 years old and those over 80 years old.

2015/05/08MEDICAL UPDATE

Mobile tracking application may help users meet vitamin D requirements

New study in Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior validates use of the Vitamin D Calculator app for tracking intake.  Vitamin D is essential for the maintenance of bone health and may be implicated in other chronic diseases, as well as immunity, but adults in Canada are consistently deficient in dietary vitamin D, by nearly 400 international units per day (IU/d) on average.

2015/05/07MEDICAL UPDATE

Why almost half of patients opt out of comprehensive cancer testing

Results highlight importance of pre-test counselling for at-risk patient populations.  Some at-risk patients opted out of comprehensive cancer gene screening when presented with the opportunity to be tested for the presence of genes linked to various cancers, according to a recent study led by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and the Basser Center for BRCA in Penn's Abramson Cancer Center.

2015/05/05MEDICAL UPDATE

Melanoma drugs show efficacy in BRAF-mutant lung cancer

by Bruce Sylvester: Lung cancer patients whose tumors carry specific mutations in the BRAF gene appear to benefit from drugs used to treat melanoma, researchers from the retrospective EURAF cohort study reported on April 17, 2015 at the European Lung Cancer Conference (ELCC) in Geneva, Switzerland.

2015/05/01MEDICAL UPDATE

Eyesight in MS protected by epilepsy drug

by Bruce Sylvester: Phenytoin, a drug used to prevent seizures in epilepsy, appears to help protect the eyesight of persons with multiple sclerosis (MS).  Researchers reported this finding in a study presented on April 16, 2015 at the American Academy of Neurology’s 67th Annual Meeting.

2015/04/30MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters: Canada: Universal public drug coverage would save Canada billions

by Gary Finnegan: Canada could save $7.3 billion annually with universal public coverage of medically necessary prescription drugs, according to new research from the University of British Columbia and University of Toronto, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

2015/04/29MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters: Finland: Eating eggs reduces risk of type 2 diabetes

by Gary Finnegan: Egg consumption may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, according to new research from the University of Eastern Finland which draws on a long-term study of dietary habits.

2015/04/28MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters: China: Osteoporosis fractures expected to double by 2035

by Gary Finnegan: China is facing a major increasing in osteoporosis-related fractures, according to a new study which forecasts a doubling of fractures in the next 20 years.

2015/04/27MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters: Denmark: Better outcomes for IVF babies

by Gary Finnegan: Health outcomes for children conceived using assisted reproduction technologies (ART) have improved significantly over the past two decades, according to a Danish-led study. However, the paper adds to existing evidence that transferring a single embryo per cycle is safer than implanting multiple embryos.

2015/04/24MEDICAL UPDATE

EMA green light for new medicines

by Gary Finnegan: Five new medicines have been recommended for approval at the latest meeting of the European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use

2015/04/23MEDICAL UPDATE

EMA cuts fees

by Gary Finnegan: The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has reduced the fees it charges to companies who hold – or apply for – marketing authorisation for medicines.

2015/04/22MEDICAL UPDATE

Regulators set to deepen transatlantic ties

by Gary Finnegan: Medicines watchdogs on both sides of the Atlantic could significantly step up collaboration if a new transatlantic trade deal is sewn up later this year.

2015/04/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Morphine/antidepressant combo tops monotherapy for chronic neuropathic pain relief

by Bruce Sylvester: Researchers report that a combination morphine and nortriptyline successfully relieves chronic neuropathic pain in 87 per cent of patients, and the efficacy of the combination is significantly better than either drug used as monotherapy. This research was published on April 7, 2015 in PAIN

2015/04/20MEDICAL UPDATE

Brentuximab vedotin significantly improves progression free survival in hard-to-treat Hodgkin lymphoma

by Bruce Sylvester: Researchers from a phase 3, randomized trial of brentuximab vedotin report that adults with hard-to-treat Hodgkin lymphoma treated with brentuximab vedotin immediately after stem cell transplant have achieved significantly higher survival without disease progression compared to placebo-treated subjects.

2015/04/17MEDICAL UPDATE

Paracetamol appears to lack efficacy for lower back pain and osteoarthritis

by Bruce Sylvester: Paracetamol is not effective for treating neck and lower back pain, and it provides only slight relief for osteoarthritis, researchers reported on March 31, 2015 the BMJ/British Medical Journal.

2015/04/16MEDICAL UPDATE

Variance in BRCA1, BRCA2 mutations appear to be behind differing risks of breast and ovarian cancers

by Bruce Slyvester: Among a large group of women who carry disease-associated mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes, genetic mutations appear to be associated with significantly different risks of developing breast and ovarian cancers, researchers reported in the April 7 issue of JAMA/Journal of the American Medical Association.

2015/04/15MEDICAL UPDATE

Cell-free DNA blood test more accurately detects down syndrome

by Bruce Sylvester: A blood test administered between weeks 10 and 14 weeks of pregnancy appears to be a more accurate diagnostic tool for Down syndrome and two other less common chromosomal abnormalities than standard non-invasive screening techniques, researchers reported in The New England Journal of Medicine/NEJM on April 1, 2015.

2015/04/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Diabetes and advanced breast cancer linked

by Bruce Sylvester: Diabetes and advanced stage breast cancer appear to be linked and diabetic women need better screening, Canadian researchers reported online on March 24, 2015  in the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment.

2015/04/13MEDICAL UPDATE

Review of global guidelines for sepsis needed

Experts are calling for a global review of guidelines used to diagnose sepsis, after a study found one in eight patients with infections severe enough to need admission to an Intensive Care Unit in Australia and New Zealand, did not meet current criteria.

2015/04/10MEDICAL UPDATE

First blood test for osteoarthritis could soon be available

The first blood test for osteoarthritis could soon be developed, thanks to research by the University of Warwick.  The research findings could potentially lead to patients being tested for osteoarthritis and diagnosed several years before the onset of physical symptoms.

2015/04/09MEDICAL UPDATE

Stinging nettle chemical improves cancer drug

A cancer drug could be made 50 times more effective by a chemical found in stinging nettles and ants, new research finds.

2015/04/08MEDICAL UPDATE

Less futile end-of-life care observed where palliative care knowledge is greater

When a nursing home patient is dying, aggressive interventions such as inserting a feeding tube or sending the patient to the emergency room can futilely exacerbate, rather than relieve, their distress.

2015/04/07MEDICAL UPDATE

From soda bans to bike lanes: Which ‘natural experiments’ really reduce obesity?

Banning sodas from school vending machines, building walking paths and playgrounds, adding supermarkets to food deserts and requiring nutritional labels on restaurant menus: Such changes to the environments where people live and work are among the growing number of solutions that have been proposed and attempted in efforts to stem the rising obesity epidemic with viable, population-based solutions. But which of these changes actually make an impact?

2015/04/06MEDICAL UPDATE

25 percent of acne patients fail to get prescribed medications

Medicine obviously can't do much good if it sits on a pharmacy shelf. Yet more than one-quarter of the acne patients surveyed by researchers didn't get medications prescribed by their dermatologists.

2015/04/03MEDICAL UPDATE

Spontaneous preterm delivery linked to higher risk of cardiovascular disease

by Bruce Sylvester: Compared to women who deliver at full-term, women with a history of spontaneous preterm delivery appear to have a doubled risk of developing heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases, according to findings published on Feb. 10, 2015 in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

2015/04/02MEDICAL UPDATE

Higher incidence of osteoporosis and fractures found among male smokers

by Bruce Sylvester: Results of a retrospective study suggest that, among middle-aged to elderly smokers, men have a higher risk than women of developing osteoporosis and fractures of their vertebrae.

2015/04/01MEDICAL UPDATE

Morphine treatment questioned for children after tonsillectomy

by Bruce Sylvester: Researchers report that treating post-tonsillectomy pain with morphine can cause some children to develop life-threatening respiratory problems. The study also showed that ibuprofen is a safe and effective alternative to morphine in this clinical circumstance.  The finds are published in the Jan. 26 online edition of Pediatrics.

2015/03/31MEDICAL UPDATE

ACC Report 2015: Digoxin treatment for atrial fibrillation tied to higher mortality

by Bruce Sylvester: Atrial fibrillation patients treated with digoxin have a 27 percent greater risk of dying than atrial fibrillation patients not treated with the drug, according to a new meta-analysis of 19 studies which included data on over 500,000 subjects.

2015/03/30MEDICAL UPDATE

ACC Report 2015: Catheter ablation more effective than Amiodarone for atrial fibrillation in heart failure

by Bruce Sylvester: Among patients with heart failure and atrial fibrillation, catheter ablation has led to lower mortality, hospitalization or recurrent atrial fibrillation than treatment with the heart rhythm regulating drug Amiodarone, researchers reported on March 16, 2015 at the American College of Cardiology’s 64th Annual Scientific Session.

2015/03/25MEDICAL UPDATE

ACC Report 2015: At one year, Evolocumab shows significant efficacy in preventing cardio events

by Bruce Sylvester: Patients treated for one year with evolocumab, an investigative drug used to lower LDL cholesterol, have achieved significant reductions in mortality, heart attack and stroke,  hospitalization for a cardiovascular event and intervention to to open blocked arteries, compared with patients who received standard care.

2015/03/24MEDICAL UPDATE

ACC Report 2015: Long-term Ticagrelor protective against post-heart attack events for beyond one year

by Bruce Sylvester: The addition of antiplatelet drug ticagrelor to aspirin for long-term post-heart attack therapy has reduced  the rate of mortality from subsequent cardiovascular causes, heart attack or stroke.

2015/03/23MEDICAL UPDATE

Twin study link between back pain and depression

Genetic factors help to explain the commonly found association between low back pain and depression, suggests a large study of twins in the March issue of PAIN®.

2015/03/20MEDICAL UPDATE

Two-step treatment decreased pain in veterans

Although U.S. military veterans who have returned from Iraq or Afghanistan are more likely to suffer chronic pain than veterans of any other conflict in American history, little headway has been made in helping them manage the often debilitating effects of chronic pain.

2015/03/19MEDICAL UPDATE

Pain a significant challenge in sleep

A new poll by the National Sleep Foundation finds that pain is a key factor in the gap between the amount of sleep patients say they need and the amount they're getting - an average 42 minute sleep debt for those with chronic pain and 14 minutes for those who've suffered from acute pain in the past week.

2015/03/18MEDICAL UPDATE

Brain processes pain emotionally

A momentary lapse of concentration is all it takes for a finger to become trapped or sprain an ankle - and it hurts. Pain is the body's protective mechanism and a complex neurological phenomenon. Moreover, ongoing pain in the sense of chronic pain can be a disease.

2015/03/17MEDICAL UPDATE

Asthma vs. COPD, similar symptoms – Different causes and treatment

Coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath are symptoms asthma sufferers are used to. They are also the symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). For sufferers, as well as physicians, it can be difficult to tell the difference between the two conditions.

2015/03/16MEDICAL UPDATE

Neutralise the trigger

Current asthma treatments can alleviate wheezing, coughing and other symptoms felt by millions of patients every year, but they don't get to the root cause of the condition.

2015/03/13MEDICAL UPDATE

Patients with active asthma at higher risk for heart attack

Patients with active asthma -- such as any use of asthma medications, and unscheduled office or emergency visits for asthma -- are at a twofold risk of having a heart attack.

2015/03/12MEDICAL UPDATE

Asthma inhalers used incorrectly

Only 16 percent of epinephrine users and 7 percent of inhaler users got it right.  Millions of Americans with severe allergies and asthma are prescribed medical devices to help relieve symptoms and sometimes, to treat potentially fatal allergic reactions. Unfortunately, very few people use their prescribed medical devices properly - even if they think they know how.

2015/03/11MEDICAL UPDATE

Does father know best?

Asthma symptoms affect millions of patients and are one of the leading causes of work and school absences. People who suffer from asthma know it's a challenge to make sure symptoms are under control at all times. And it's even a challenge to know where to get the best information on how to do that.

2015/03/09MEDICAL UPDATE

Macrophages target tumour cells following monoclonal antibody therapy

Monoclonal antibodies directed against tumour antigens have proven effective for treating some forms of cancer. Despite the increasing use of monoclonal antibody therapy, it is not clear how these antibodies drive tumour removal.

2015/03/06MEDICAL UPDATE

How C. difficile bacteria wreak havoc in guts

In a new paper in the journal Infection and Immunity, the researchers lay out for the first time exactly how C. difficile wreaks havoc on the guts of animals in a short time, and causes severe diarrhea and life-threatening disease in humans.

2015/03/05MEDICAL UPDATE

Mucus in CF patients’ leads to deadly infections

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder that affects one out of every 3,000 children in populations of Northern European descent. One of the key signs of cystic fibrosis is that mucus lining the lungs, pancreas and other organs is too sticky, which makes it difficult for the organs to work properly and, in the lungs, attracts bacteria and viruses resulting in chronic infections.

2015/03/04MEDICAL UPDATE

Growth hormone improves social impairments related to genetic disorder known to cause autism

by Bruce Sylvester: Treatment with the growth hormone growth factor-1 (IGF-1) significantly improves social impairment associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in patients with a related genetic syndrome, researchers reported on February 19, 2015 in Pub Med, a public database of biomedical topics maintained by the (US) National Institutes of Health. The study was originally published in the December 12, 2014 issue of Molecular Autism.

2015/03/03MEDICAL UPDATE

Gallopamil shows efficacy for severe asthma

by Bruce Sylvester: Results from a French pilot study suggest that gallopamil effectively reduces symptoms in severe asthma. The findings appeared on  January 28, 2015 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

2015/03/02MEDICAL UPDATE

Soda ingredient poses cancer risk

Public health researchers have analyzed soda consumption data in order to characterize people's exposure to a potentially carcinogenic byproduct of some types of caramel color.

2015/02/27MEDICAL UPDATE

New study helps explain links between sleep loss and diabetes

Lack of sleep can elevate levels of free fatty acids in the blood, accompanied by temporary pre-diabetic conditions in healthy young men, according to new research published.

2015/02/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Ranibizumab appears to reverse diabetes-related vision loss in some populations

by Bruce Sylvester: Ranibizumab (Lucentis®) therapy appears to have efficacy in reversing diabetes-related vision loss in some populations, researchers reported online on Feb. 19 in the journal Opthalmology.

2015/02/25MEDICAL UPDATE

Needle-free vaccination

New research introduces a new approach to stimulate the skin immune response by applying needle-free vaccination.

2015/02/24MEDICAL UPDATE

Short-term hormone replacement therapy related to increased risk of ovarian cancer

by Bruce Sylvester - Even just a few years of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) appears to significantly increase the risk of  two forms of ovarian cancer, researchers reported on Feb. 12, 2015 in The Lancet.

2015/02/23MEDICAL UPDATE

Varenicline effective for gradual smoking termination, offering alternative to guideline

Smokers who can’t quit cigarettes in one month can succeed gradually by using  the nicotine addiction medication varenicline for 24 weeks, researchers reported on February 17, 2015 in JAMA/Journal of the American Medical Association.

2015/02/20MEDICAL UPDATE

Slow progress in tackling global obesity rates.

Global progress towards tackling obesity has been "unacceptably slow", with only one in four countries implementing a policy on healthy eating up to 2010, according to a major new six-part Series on obesity, published in The Lancet.

2015/02/19MEDICAL UPDATE

New clues to causes of birth defects

Researchers have found a possible clue to why older mothers face a higher risk for having babies born with conditions such as Down syndrome that are characterized by abnormal chromosome numbers.

2015/02/18MEDICAL UPDATE

Lenvatinib improves survival in radioiodine-refractory thyroid cancer

by Bruce Sylvester: Lenvatinib treatment has resulted in significant improvement in progression-free survival among patients with advanced radioiodine-refractory thyroid cancer, researchers from a Phase III trial reported in the NEJM/New England Journal of Medicine on Feb. 12, 2015.

2015/02/17MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters: Canada: Heart risk linked to pneumonia hospitalisation

by Gary Finnegan: Researchers in Canada have found that the chance having a heart attack or stroke increases significantly if a patient has been hospitalised for pneumonia – even if there is no history of cardiovascular problems.

2015/02/16MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters: Belgium: GM mice cast doubt on diabetes research

by Gary Finnegan: Could years of diabetes research have been in vain? That is the question occupying scientists after the publication of a new study by researchers in KU Leuven which questions the value of using a special breed of mice in preclinical studies.

2015/02/13MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters: Singapore: Could flu virus be wiped out?

by Gary Finnegan: One of the commonly circulating forms of the flu virus, which is particularly common among children, could be eliminated, according to researchers at the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore.

2015/02/12MEDICAL UPDATE

World Health Matters: Denmark: Superbug ‘overcoat’ helps evade test

by Gary Finnegan: A superbug present in hospitals across Europe and the US can become resistant to treatment even without undergoing genetic changes, according to a new study from the University of Copenhagen. This could make the standard test of drug-resistant bacteria useless as it relies on detecting DNA mutations.

2015/02/11MEDICAL UPDATE

Good news on rare diseases

by Gary Finnegan: The number of new medicines for rare diseases approved by EU drug regulators hit a record high in 2014. Of the 82 medicines given the green light last year, 17 were intended for the treatment of a rare illness.

2015/02/10MEDICAL UPDATE

EU promises global cooperation on generics

by Gary Finnegan: The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is to step up international cooperation on regulating generics. The regulator says it is ready to share assessment reports for generic medicines with counterparts outside the EU.

2015/02/09MEDICAL UPDATE

EMA Highlights: EU launches central repository for drug safety reports

by Gary Finnegan: An electronic repository for periodic safety update reports (PSURs) and their assessment reports has been launched by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

2015/02/06MEDICAL UPDATE

Pain, MRI, cochlear implants

Pain, discomfort and magnet displacement were documented in a small medical records review study of patients with cochlear implants (CIs) who underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), according to a report published online by JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.

2015/02/06MEDICAL UPDATE

EMA Highlights: Green light for new medicines

by Gary Finnegan: Seven new medicines have approved at the January meeting of the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) – the European Medicines Agency's influential evaluation committee.

2015/02/05MEDICAL UPDATE

Why treating shoulder pain in throwing athletes is so difficult

Results of treating shoulder pain in throwing athletes are not as predictable as doctors, patients and coaches would like to think, according to a report in the journal Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America.

2015/02/04MEDICAL UPDATE

High satisfaction with pain treatment

An international research group with members from the University of Basel, several EU countries, Israel and the USA, analyzed patient satisfaction with pain treatment after surgery.

2015/02/02MEDICAL UPDATE

Migraine may double risk for facial paralysis

Migraine headache may double the risk of a nervous system condition that causes facial paralysis, called Bell's palsy, according to a new study.

2015/01/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Vitamin D supplementation reduces COPD flare-ups in vitamin D deficient patients

by Bruce Sylvester: Vitamin D supplementation appears to lower the incidence of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) lung disease flare-up by over 40% in patients with a vitamin D deficiency, researchers reported on Dec. 1, 2014 in the journal Lancet Respiratory Medicine

2015/01/27MEDICAL UPDATE

Risk of anastomotic failure after non-elective surgery rises with NSAID use

by Bruce Sylvester: Post-surgical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) therapy appears to entail an increased risk of anastomotic leak at the surgical junction among patients who have undergone non-elective colorectal procedures, researchers reported in JAMA Surgery on Jan. 21, 2015.

2015/01/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Some patients appear to get prophylactic aspirin treatment inappropriately

by Bruce Sylvester: About 12 percent of patients treated with aspirin for cardiovascular disease prevention are receiving aspirin inappropriately, researchers reported on Jan, 12, 2015 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

2015/01/23MEDICAL UPDATE

Dual therapy for metastatic melanoma results in longer overall survival

by Bruce Sylvester: Patients with metastatic melanoma treated with dual sargramostim/ipilimumab rather than ipilimumab alone have achieved longer overall survival and lower toxicity, but no difference in progression-free survival, researchers reported in the November 5, 2014 issue of JAMA/Journal of the American Medical Association.

2015/01/22MEDICAL UPDATE

Midlife diabetes onset tied to significant cognitive decline in ensuing 20 years

by Bruce Sylvester: Onset of diabetes raises the risk of significant memory and cognitive problems during the following 20 years researchers reported in the Dec. 2 issue of the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.

2015/01/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Neither aspirin nor clonidine treatment used perioperatively lowers risk of kidney injury

by Bruce Sylvester: In the non-cardiac surgical setting, neither aspirin nor clonidine taken perioperatively appears to reduce the risk of acute kidney injury, researchers reported on Nov. 15, 2014 in JAMA/Journal of the American Medical Association. 

2015/01/20MEDICAL UPDATE

Bisphosphonates with nitrogen appear to lower risk of endometrial cancer

by Bruce Sylvester: Women using bisphosphonates with nitrogen, which are prescribed for osteoporosis and other bone conditions, appear to have half the risk of developing endometrial cancer compared to women who do not use the treatment.

2015/01/19MEDICAL UPDATE

Above a certain dose, ACE inhibitors appear to lower ALS/Lou Gehrig’s disease risk

by Bruce Sylvester - Exposure to antihypertensive angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) appears to be related to a 57 percent reduced risk of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS/a.k.a. Lou Gehrig’s Disease) in patients  prescribed ACEIs greater than 449.5 cumulative defined daily dose (cDDD) compared with patients who had not used ACEIs. The findings appeared online on November 10, 2014 in JAMA Neurology.

2015/01/16MEDICAL UPDATE

Internet addiction affects 6 percent of people worldwide

Internet addiction is an impulse-control problem marked by an inability to inhibit Internet use, which can adversely affect a person's life, including their health and interpersonal relationships. The prevalence of Internet addiction varies among regions around the world, as shown by data from more than 89,000 individuals in 31 countries.

2015/01/15MEDICAL UPDATE

World population gains more than 6 years of life

Despite global improvements in life expectancy, death rates for some causes -- including drug use and liver cancer -- continue to rise.  Global life expectancy increased by 5.8 years in men and 6.6 years in women between 1990 and 2013, according to a major new analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013 (GBD 2013).

2015/01/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Electronic cigarettes facilitate smoking cessation

Do electronic cigarettes help smokers to quit? Yes, but....  New Cochrane review finds emerging evidence that smokers who use electronic cigarettes can stop or reduce their smoking.

2015/01/13MEDICAL UPDATE

Despite risks, benzodiazepine use highest in older people

National Institutes of Health-supported study examines prescribing patterns.  Prescription use of benzodiazepines, increases steadily with age, despite the known risks for older people, according to a comprehensive analysis of benzodiazepine prescribing in the United States.

2015/01/12MEDICAL UPDATE

Most patients don’t get counselling about sex after heart attack

Most patients don't receive counselling about resuming sexual activity after having a heart attack, according to new research.

2015/01/09MEDICAL UPDATE

Altered movement of white blood cells may predict sepsis in patients with major burns

Tracking neutrophil motility patterns could provide early diagnosis of life-threatening condition.  A team of investigators has identified what may be a biomarker predicting the development of the dangerous systemic infection sepsis in patients with serious burns.

2015/01/08MEDICAL UPDATE

Aorta: An aortic surgery app for cardiologists and cardiac surgeons

Three cardiac surgeons from the Montreal Heart Institute, Dr. Yoan Lamarche, Dr. Ismail El-Hamamsy and Dr. Philippe Demers, are behind Aorta, a free app that provides specialists with patient-specific recommendations for aortic replacement surgery based on the latest scientific guidelines.

2015/01/07MEDICAL UPDATE

E-cigarettes less addictive than cigarettes

E-cigarettes appear to be less addictive than cigarettes for former smokers and this could help improve understanding of how various nicotine delivery devices lead to dependence, according to researchers.

2015/01/06MEDICAL UPDATE

Immunising school kids fights flu in others, too

Mathematical models predicted it, and now a University of Florida study confirms it: Immunizing school-aged children from flu can protect other segments of the population, as well.

2015/01/05MEDICAL UPDATE

Insulin dosage for type 2 diabetes linked with increased death risk

In a report published today in the journal of Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, researchers from Cardiff University were also able to show a correlation between patients treated with a higher dosage of insulin and a raised risk of cancer development, heart attacks and stroke.

2015/01/02MEDICAL UPDATE

Metal test could help diagnose breast cancer early

It may be possible to develop a simple blood test that, by detecting changes in the zinc in our bodies, could help to diagnose breast cancer early.

2015/01/01MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2015: How do you see the newer agents being used in the up-front setting in HL? An interview with Professor Stephen Ansell, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA. Click on the video image to view.

2014/12/31MEDICAL UPDATE

Men in recovery from Ebola should wear condoms for at least 3 months

Los Angeles, CA (November 16, 2014) A new article reports that despite a clear lack of research on male survivors of Ebola, the current recommended practice of waiting at least three months after recovery to have unprotected sex should be upheld.

2014/12/30MEDICAL UPDATE

New insight into risk of ankylosing spondylitis

Scientists at the University of Southampton have discovered variations in an enzyme belonging to the immune system that leaves individuals susceptible to Ankylosing Spondylitis.

2014/12/29MEDICAL UPDATE

Seasonal flu vaccines boost immunity to many types of flu viruses

Seasonal flu vaccines may protect individuals not only against the strains of flu they contain but also against many additional types.  The work, directed by researchers at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., found that some study participants who reported receiving flu vaccines had a strong immune response not only against the seasonal H3N2 flu strain from 2010, when blood samples were collected for analysis, but also against flu subtypes never included in any vaccine formulation.

2014/12/26MEDICAL UPDATE

‘Tis the season for youth to curb binge-drinking

Our life-long relationship to alcohol is established early on, a Concordia University study shows.  With the holidays around the corner, we're all a little more likely to indulge, especially when it comes to alcohol. While a few extra drinks might be brushed off as holiday cheer, they can actually signal a problem in young adults.

2014/12/24MEDICAL UPDATE

Twitter posts may shine a fresh light on mental illness trends

Computers scientists, who have already used Twitter posts to track flu cases, say their techniques also show promise as a tool to gather important information about some common mental illnesses.

2014/12/23MEDICAL UPDATE

Is diabetes linked to cognitive impairment?

World Health Matters - Germany - by Gary Finnegan: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is twice as common in middle-aged people with diabetes mellitus type 2, according to researchers in Essen, Germany.

2014/12/22MEDICAL UPDATE

Can search engines predict dengue outbreaks?

World Health Matters - China - by Gary Finnegan: An increase in the number of people searching Google for information about the flu has been used to identify outbreaks even before they should up in official figures. The number of hits on Wikipedia for 'flu' or 'influenza' can also help to pick up local epidemics.

2014/12/19MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2014 Video Interview by Esther Drain: Highlights from the 2014 ASH Annual Meeting with Stephen Ansell, Robert Chen & Ajay Gopal

2014/12/19MEDICAL UPDATE

Australian study casts doubt on sepsis guidelines

World Health Matters - Australia- by Gary Finnegan: New research suggests treatment in Australia and New Zealand for patients with sepsis is the best in the world but the study has raised questions about practices elsewhere and may prompt a review of global guidelines.

2014/12/19MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2014: T-cell lymphomas: a challenge for clinicians

by Thomas R. Collins: Treating patients with T-cell lymphomas is fraught with challenges, requiring new approaches and sharper diagnosis, said Timothy Illidge, MD, PhD, Professor of Targeted Therapy and Oncology at the University of Manchester, who spoke here as part of a satellite symposium held before the 56th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology.

2014/12/19MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2014: Chimeric antigen receptor T cells shows promise in lymphoma

by Thomas R. Collins: The use of chimeric antigen receptor T-cells — in which a patient’s own T cells are modified to fight cancer cells — is showing good results in lymphoma patients, according to early results in small studies. The exciting new approach to combating hematologic malignancies was discussed in a special scientific symposium here at the 56th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology.

2014/12/18MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2014 Video Interview by Esther Drain: Hodgkin Lymphoma: Prognosis and Therapy. Professor Ajay Gopal (University of Washington) discusses where we are with prognostic biomarkers and interim PET scans to direct therapy in HL

2014/12/18MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2014 Video Interview by Esther Drain: Practice Changing News from ASH with Stephen Ansel, John Sweetenham & Ajay Gopal

2014/12/18MEDICAL UPDATE

Fat boys make less money when they grow up

World Health Matters - Sweden - by Gary Finnegan: Men who are obese as teenagers could grow up to earn up to 18% less than their peers of normal weight, according to a Swedish study.

2014/12/17MEDICAL UPDATE

Green light for new medicines

by Gary Finnegan: The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has recommended 10 new medicines for approval, taking the total approvals for 2014 to 75 with one additional meeting still to come before the end of the year.

2014/12/16MEDICAL UPDATE

Controversy as EU regulator quits

by Gary Finnegan: The European Medicines Agency finds itself, not for the first time, entering a new year surrounded by uncertainty over the future of its leadership.

2014/12/15MEDICAL UPDATE

Athletes’ testosterone surges not tied to winning, study finds

by Carol Clark: A higher surge of testosterone in competition, the so-called “winner effect,” is not actually related to winning, suggests a new study of intercollegiate cross country runners.

2014/12/12MEDICAL UPDATE

Video Interview: Professor O Connor on how nurse prescribing relates to the pain managment setting used today. Click on the video icon to hear interview.

2014/12/11MEDICAL UPDATE

Video Interview: Professor O Connor talks about hope for chronic pain patients. Click on the video icon to hear interview.

2014/12/10MEDICAL UPDATE

Video Interview: Professor O Connor talks about her team’s current research. Click on the video icon to hear interview.

2014/12/09MEDICAL UPDATE

Video Interview: Professor O Connor talks about the everyday management of patients with chronic pain. Click video icon to hear interview.

2014/12/08MEDICAL UPDATE

Video Interview: Professor O Connor on her role in the Irish Pain Society. Click on the video icon to hear interview.

2014/12/05MEDICAL UPDATE

Asymptomatic atherosclerosis linked to cognitive impairment

In a study of nearly 2,000 adults, researchers found that a build up of plaque in the body's major arteries was associated with mild cognitive impairment. Results of the study conducted at the University of Texas (UT) Southwestern Medical Center will be presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

2014/12/04MEDICAL UPDATE

Behavioral changes seen after sleep learning

Volunteers smoked less after a night of olfactory conditioning.  New Weizmann Institute research may bring the idea of sleep learning one step closer to reality. The research, which appeared in The Journal of Neuroscience, suggests that certain kinds of conditioning applied during sleep could induce us to change our behavior.

2014/12/03MEDICAL UPDATE

Team finds drug repurposing signal in e-health records

With research and development costs for many drugs reaching well into the billions, pharmaceutical companies want more than ever to determine whether their drugs already at market have any hidden therapeutic benefits that could warrant putting additional indications on the label and increasing production.

2014/12/02MEDICAL UPDATE

Enhanced dental care lowers risk of respiratory infections in ICU patients

by Bruce Sylvester: Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients receiving enhanced oral care from a dentist have a significantly lower risk of developing a lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI), like ventilator-associated pneumonia, during their hospitalization, researchers reported in the November issue of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology.

2014/12/01MEDICAL UPDATE

Teens prescribed anti-anxiety or sleep medications more likely to abuse those drugs illegally

Substance abuse assessments needed before drugs are prescribed, researchers say.  Teens prescribed anti-anxiety or sleep medications may be up to 12 times more likely to abuse those drugs illegally than teens who have never received a prescription, often by obtaining additional pills from friends or family members, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association.

2014/11/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Bariatric surgery appears to significantly lower the risk of type 2 diabetes

by Bruce Sylvester: Compared with standard care, bariatric surgery appears to lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by about 80% among obese persons, researchers reported on Nov. 2, 2014 in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.

2014/11/27MEDICAL UPDATE

Ibuprofen more suitable than oral morphine for pediatric fracture pain

by Bruce Sylvester: While ibuprofen and oral morphine are effective pain relievers for children with broken limbs, ibuprofen is the optimal treatment due to side-effects of morphine, researchers reported in a study published on Oct 27, 2014 in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

2014/11/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Ezetimibe plus statin reduces cardiovascular event risk in high-risk patients with acute coronary syndrome: Featured at AHA 2014

by Bruce Sylvester: Treating high-risk, acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients with both a stain and ezetimibe enhances prevention of heart attacks and strokes, researchers reported on Nov. 17, 2014 at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2014.

2014/11/25MEDICAL UPDATE

Treating clostridium difficile infection with frozen fecal material appears effective and feasible

by Bruce Sylvester: Treatment of recurrent Clostridium difficile infection with oral, frozen and encapsulated fecal material from unrelated donors has resulted in a 90 percent rate of resolution of diarrhea, researchers reported on Oct.11, 2014 in the Journal of the American Medical Association/ JAMA.

2014/11/24MEDICAL UPDATE

ESMO 2014 Report: FOLFIRI plus cetuximab in patients with liver-limited or non-liverlimited RAS wild-type metastatic disease

by Esther Drain:  A sub-group analysis of the CRYSTAL study.  In the CRYSTAL study, adding cetuximab (cet) to first-line chemotherapy (CT) improved clinical outcome in patients (pts) with RAS (KRAS exons 2, 3 and 4 and NRAS exons 2, 3 and 4) wild-type (wt) metastatic colorectal cancer.

2014/11/21MEDICAL UPDATE

ESMO 2014 Report: Special symposium on ‘Advances in precision medicine of metastatic colorectal cancer’

by Denys Wheatley: There is some irony in the title of this symposium because medicine should always be as precise as it can, and advances are expected that constantly hone this precision.

2014/11/21MEDICAL UPDATE

ESMO 2014: Video Interview with Professors Heinz-Joseph Lenz and Volker Heinemann: Following ESMO, what should be the sequence of treatment for RAS wt mCRC? Click on the image to hear interview.

2014/11/20MEDICAL UPDATE

ESMO 2014 Report: Adolescent and young adult cancer patients

Engagement of patients and understanding of early death in this group by Denys Wheatley. (1) When and why do teenage and young adult oncology patients die early in the cancer pathway?  (2) Adolescent and young adult cancer patients’ (AYAs) participation as driver of a new “AYA proof” cancer care concept.

2014/11/19MEDICAL UPDATE

ESMO 2014 Report: Proton beam therapy: Emperor’s new clothes

by Denis Wheatley:  In her introduction, Yolane Lievens (Belgium) explained that when we have to defer from making comment because of the need to be discrete (the Emperor parading himself in the nude), it is as if the obvious must not be stated.

2014/11/19MEDICAL UPDATE

ESMO 2014 Report: Reclassifying cancer through genomics

Keynote lecture: Professor Sir Mike Stratton (Cambridge/Hinxton, UK) by Denys Wheatley.  On the thesis that the genetic understanding of cancer is fundamental to classifying and hence treating patients according to their known defects, work continues unabated on their genomics.

2014/11/17MEDICAL UPDATE

ESMO 2014: Video Interview with Professor Richard Adams (Cardiff) and Dr Harpreet Wasan (London): What are the barriers to optimising the treatment of mCRC in the UK, and are we overcoming them? Click on the image to hear interview.

2014/11/14MEDICAL UPDATE

ESMO 2014 Report: Video interview with Professor Volker Heinemann (Munich) and other delegate views.

Click 'Read More' for the new data delegate views on whether early tumour shrinkage is now an accepted marker in mCRC.

2014/11/13MEDICAL UPDATE

ESMO 2014 Report: How to integrate genome sequencing data in oncology

by Denys Wheatley: Chaired by Atsushi Ohtsu and Jean-Yves Douillard, the first speaker Dr Kato (Japan) addressed the issue of the quest for different mutations in the hope of developing appropriately molecular targets for drugs.

2014/11/12MEDICAL UPDATE

ESMO 2014: Poster Session: REBECCA

by Denys Wheatley: A large cohort study of Regorafenib (REG) in the real-life setting in patients previously treated for metastatic colorectal cancer

2014/11/11MEDICAL UPDATE

ESMO 2014: Poster Session: MOSAIC study – Actualization of overall survival with a 10-year follow up and evaluation of BRAF (GREGOR investigators)

by Denys Wheatley: The session dealt primarily with the advanced (stage 2 and 3) colon cancer patients who had undergone resection, in a study discussed by Thiery Andre (Paris).

2014/11/10MEDICAL UPDATE

FDA Highlights: Statin therapy shows long-term efficacy in children with inherited cholesterol disorder

by Bruce Sylvester: Ten-year follow-up of children with familial hypercholesterolemia treated with a statin showed an association between statin treatment and normalization of carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), a marker of atherosclerosis, researchers reported in the September 10, 2014 issue of JAMA/The Journal of the American Medical Association.

2014/11/07MEDICAL UPDATE

ESMO 2014: Video Interview with Professor Dirk Arnold (Germany): Should patients be stratified according to their RAS status before 1st line treatment is initiated? Click on the image to hear interview.

2014/11/06MEDICAL UPDATE

ESMO 2014: Video Interview with Professor Heinz-Joseph Lenz (Los Angeles): What can we look forward to in mCRC in the future? Click on the image to hear interview.

2014/11/06MEDICAL UPDATE

ESMO 2014 Report: Precision medicine: Panacea or false dawn?

Reports from the European Society for Medical Oncology 2014 Congress in Madrid by Denys Wheatley:  In his talk on Visualising the true spectrum of cancer- will we get convergence from divergence, Peter Campbell (Cambridge, UK) referred to studies on over 1500 AML patients, sequencing 170 genes in toto.

2014/11/05MEDICAL UPDATE

FDA Highlights: Statins appear to protect against microvascular complications of diabetes

by Bruce Sylvester - Microvascular complications of diabetes that can lead to blindness and amputations might be reduced by statin therapy, researchers reported on Sept.9, 2014 in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.

2014/11/04MEDICAL UPDATE

Bendamustne Lymphoma Case Study

Ger Walpole, CNS (Clinical Nurse Specialist), H.Dip Oncology Nursing, BNS(Hons), Sligo Regional Hospital, Sligo.   Dr Andrew Hodgson, MB, BS, BSc (Hons), FRCPI, FFPath, FRCPath.   Written by Karen Mas-Mollinedo MPSI.

2014/11/04MEDICAL UPDATE

FDA Highlights: Viagra appears to be cardioprotective

by Bruce Sylvester - Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) might be useful in safely treating heart disease, researchers reported on Oct. 19, 2014 in l BMC Medicine.  The study suggests that long-term daily use of Viagra could be cardioprotective at different stages of heart disease, with few side effects.

2014/10/30MEDICAL UPDATE

Remsima®, a biosimilar infliximab, shows efficacy and safety in “real world” analysis

by Bruce Sylvester - New “real world” data suggests that the efficacy of Remsima® (infliximab),  a biosimilar monoclonal antibody (mAb) anti-TNF-alpha agent approved by the European Commission, is similar to Remicade® (infliximab) in the treatment of IBD (Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis). 

2014/10/29MEDICAL UPDATE

Study sheds light on asthma and respiratory viruses

People with asthma often have a hard time dealing with respiratory viruses such as the flu or the common cold, and researchers have struggled to explain why.

2014/10/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Female baby boomers with asthma may need help

Asthma takes a backseat to other conditions with older women.  Women over the age of 65 face numerous barriers to good health: an increased risk for obesity, greater struggles against poverty and higher rates of asthma with worse health outcomes.

2014/10/27MEDICAL UPDATE

Combination therapy for COPD associated with better outcomes

Among older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), particularly those with asthma, newly prescribed long-acting beta-agonists (LABAs) and inhaled corticosteroid combination therapy, compared with newly prescribed LABAs alone, was associated with a lower risk of death or COPD hospitalization, according to a study in the September 17 issue of JAMA.

2014/10/24MEDICAL UPDATE

Asthma? Check your exposure to air pollution

New article shows individuals can improve asthma symptoms by avoiding air pollution.  People who suffer from asthma may think there's not a lot they can do to control their asthma besides properly taking medications and avoiding allergic triggers.

2014/10/23MEDICAL UPDATE

Asthma and obesity, which came first?

Evidence suggests childhood obesity comes before asthma.  For years, doctors have known that there is a link between childhood obesity and asthma, but have found it difficult to determine which condition tends to come first, or whether one causes the other.

2014/10/22MEDICAL UPDATE

New advice from AAN on opioid prescribing

Studies have shown that 50 percent of patients taking opioids for at least three months are still on opioids five years later. A review of the available studies showed that while opioids may provide significant short-term pain relief, there is no substantial evidence for maintaining pain relief or improved function over long periods of time without serious risk of overdose, dependence or addiction.

2014/10/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Can physical therapy before hip or knee replacement surgery improve outcomes?

Prehabilitation reduces need for postoperative care by nearly 30 percent.  Physical therapy after total hip (THR) or total knee replacement (TKR) surgery is standard care for all patients.

2014/10/17MEDICAL UPDATE

Ninety percent of acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients respond to investigational personalized cellular therapy, CTL019

by Bruce Sylvester: Researchers report that 90% of subjects with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) who had relapsed multiple times or failed to respond to standard therapies have achieved remission following treatment with an investigational personalized cellular therapy, CTL019.  The findings were published on Oct 15, 2014 in The New England Journal of Medicine/NEJM.

2014/10/16MEDICAL UPDATE

Evolocumab shows added cholesterol-lowering efficacy in familial hypercholesterolaemia patients on statins

by Bruce Sylvester: Patients with familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) who are being treated with statins have achieved additional lowering of LDL cholesterol with adjuvant evolocumab therapy, researchers reported on Oct. 1, 2014 in The Lancet.  

2014/10/15MEDICAL UPDATE

ESMO 2014 Report: Joint Session ESMO-EANM – Impact of molecular imaging management of lymphoma

by Denys Wheatley: ESMO  Madrid September 2014.  Session Monday 29 September  11.00.  PET imaging – Potential, pitfalls, and future directions.  Two talks on Hodgkin (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) were given in this PET in this session were given by Martin Hutchings (UK) and Josee Zijlstra (The Netherlands).

2014/10/14MEDICAL UPDATE

ESMO 2014 Report: Patients with Hodgkin’s lymphoma have a significantly better outcome if treated within a clinical trial

by Denys Wheatley: ESMO  Madrid September 2014: Session on Sunday 28 September (poster).  Dr Moccia and his group in Bellinzona (Switzerland) report on the marked improvement over 30 years in the treatment of Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

2014/10/13MEDICAL UPDATE

Gout increases diabetes risk, especially among women

by Bruce Sylvester: Gout is associated with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, researchers reported on Oct 2, 2014 in the British Medical Journal/BMJ. And the risk appears to be significantly greater in women with gout, double that of women who don't have the condition.

2014/10/13MEDICAL UPDATE

Video Interview: Professor David P. Finn talks about the multi-disciplinary nature of the Irish Pain Society. Click on the video icon to hear interview.

2014/10/10MEDICAL UPDATE

All in the words!

Ache, agony, distress and pain draw more attention than non-pain related words when it comes to people who suffer from chronic pain.

2014/10/09MEDICAL UPDATE

Video Interview: Professor David P. Finn on advice for patients suffering from chronic pain. Click on the video icon to hear interview.

2014/10/07MEDICAL UPDATE

Video Interview: Professor David P. Finn talks about the recent IPS Annual Scientific Meeting held on 6th September 2014. Click on the video icon to hear interview.

2014/10/06MEDICAL UPDATE

Older patients achieve better outcomes with dual COPD therapy, especially those with asthma

by Bruce Sylvester - Compared with monotherapy with long-acting beta-agonists (LABAs), combination therapy with LABAs and inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) among older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), has resulted in a lower risk of death or COPD hospitalization. The finding was particular strong for patients with asthma.

2014/10/03MEDICAL UPDATE

Webinar ‘Heart Failure Management in 2013’ presented by Dr Roy Gardner, Lead Consultant Cardiologist & Senior Clinical Lecturer. This webinar was initiated and funded by Pfizer. Job code INS1338. Date of prep. July 2014

This webinar covers various topics including:  Heart Failure definition, Epidemiology & Aetiology  / NYHA classification  /  CHF treatment overview  /  Reviewing CHF patients. This webinar was initiated and funded by Pfizer.  Job code INS1338.  Date of prep. July 2014

2014/10/03MEDICAL UPDATE

Grandparents’ support linked to parents’ willingness to have children and child welfare

Grandparents' support linked to parents' willingness to have additional children and child well-being.  Grandparents can significantly influence parents' decisions to have additional children and the well-being of grandchildren, according to a recent study completed at the University of Eastern Finland.

2014/10/02MEDICAL UPDATE

Video Interview: Professor David P. Finn talks about the Centre for Pain Research at NUI Galway. Click on the video icon to hear interview.

2014/10/02MEDICAL UPDATE

1 in 5 child deaths in England preventable

Child deaths have fallen to very low rates in all industrialised countries, but many deaths in children and adolescents are still potentially preventable, and much more could be done to cut future deaths, according to a new three-part Series on child deaths in high-income countries, published in The Lancet.

2014/10/01MEDICAL UPDATE

Metformin treatment associated with low thyroid hormone

by Bruce Sylvester - Researchers report that metformin therapy, a treatment for type 2 diabetes, could induce a lowering thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in patients with underactive thyroids (hypothyroidism). The findings were published on Sept 22, 2014 in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

2014/09/30MEDICAL UPDATE

Complete revascularization appears to be optimal for heart attack patients

by Bruce Sylvester - Following heart attack, patients who undergo revascularization of all significantly blocked arteries achieve better outcomes than patients who undergo revascularization of the “culprit” artery only,  researchers  reported on Sept. 1, 2014 at the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2014.

2014/09/29MEDICAL UPDATE

No differences appear between paracetamol and placebo for lower back pain

by Bruce Sylvester - Researchers from first large randomized trial comparing paracetamol with placebo for lower back pain report that paracetamol did not excel placebo at hastening recovery from acute episodes of lower back pain, improving pain levels, function, sleep or quality of life.

2014/09/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Flexible sigmoidoscopy screening lowers incidence of colorectal cancer and death rate

by Bruce Sylvester - Compared to no screening, flexible sigmoidoscopy screening has resulted in a reduced incidence of colorectal cancer and rate of death from colorectal cancer, researchers in the August 13, 2014 issue of JAMA/Journal of the American Medical Association.

2014/09/25MEDICAL UPDATE

No link between suicidal behaviour and drugs for ADHD

by Bruce Sylvester - Researchers report that drug therapy for ADHD does not increase the risk of suicide attempts or suicide. The findings were published on June 18, 2014  in the British Medical Journal/BMJ.

2014/09/24MEDICAL UPDATE

Higher BMI associated with 10 common cancers

by Thomas R. Collins - After evaluating data on 5 million adults in the UK, researchers concluded that an increasing body mass index (BMI) raises the odds of developing 10 of the most common cancers. The findings were published on Aug.13, 2014 in The Lancet.

2014/09/23MEDICAL UPDATE

Ibrutinib has greater efficacy than ofatumumab as second-line therapy for chronic lymphocytic leukemia

by Bruce Sylvester - Ibrutinib has significantly outperformed ofatumumab as a second-line therapy for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), according to a Phase 3 study published on May 31, 2014  in the OnLine First edition of the New England Journal of Medicine/NEJM.

2014/09/22MEDICAL UPDATE

WTC 2014: Video Interview with Dr Louis Guirado. R-EVOLUTION study and long term renal function post transplantation. Click on the video icon to hear interview.

2014/09/19MEDICAL UPDATE

WTC 2014: Video Interview with Prof. Wolf Bechstein. The Collaborative Transplant Study – improved outcomes in renal transplantation. Click on the video icon to hear interview.

2014/09/18MEDICAL UPDATE

WTC 2014: Video Interview with Prof. Wolf Bechstein. What is the greatest influence on long term outcomes – the patient, the clinician or the immunosuppressive therapy? Click on the video icon to hear interview.

2014/09/18MEDICAL UPDATE

ESC 2014 Report: High-dose statins therapy appears to lower atherosclerosis after STEMI

by Bruce Sylvester: After 13 months of high-dose statin therapy, STEMI (ST Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction) patients achieved significant reductions in coronary atherosclerosis, researchers reported on Sept. 2, 2014 at ESC 2014. However, there was no difference in the volume of necrotic cores.

2014/09/17MEDICAL UPDATE

ESC 2014 Report: Intravenous supplementation improves iron deficiency in heart failure

by Bruce Sylvester: Two intravenous doses of an iron supplement appears to cause heart failure patients with iron deficiency to achieve significant improvements in functional capacity, quality of life and reduced risk of hospitalization for worsening heart failure.

2014/09/16MEDICAL UPDATE

ESC Report 2014: Long-term efficacy and safety of alirocumab for lowering cholesterol

Report from the ESC Annual Congress by Bruce Sylvester: The investigational monoclonal antibody alirocumab, which significantly lowers cholesterol on top of regular statin therapy, also lowers the incidence of cardiovascular events, researchers from a long-term study reported on August 31 at ESC 2014.

2014/09/16MEDICAL UPDATE

WTC 2014: Video Interview with Prof. Wolf Bechstein. What are the challenges we are facing in transplantation today? Click on the video icon to hear interview

2014/09/15MEDICAL UPDATE

ESC Report 2014: LCZ696 could change heart failure treatment paradigm

Report from the European Society of Cardiology Annual Congress in Barcelona by Bruce Sylvester - Results from the PARADIGM-HF trial, presented at ESC 2014 on August 30,2014 and published simultaneously in the New England Journal of Medicine, are “…an astonishing result and a real breakthrough for patients with heart failure,” said John McMurray, MD,  co-primary author, from the University of Glasgow, UK.

2014/09/12MEDICAL UPDATE

WTC Report 2014: Should we set limits on an acceptable BMI for transplantation?

By William Bernal, King’s College Hospital, London, UK.  Body mass index (BMI; weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared) is an important measurement for assessing perioperative risk in patients undergoing surgery; however, although BMI is a significant marker of co-morbidity in the general population, its relationship with surgical outcomes is complex, particularly in the context of chronic liver disease.

2014/09/11MEDICAL UPDATE

WTC Report 2014: How far can we push the limit of donor age in DCD liver transplantation?

By Irene Scalera et al, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, UK.  Using livers from deceased donors over the age of 60 years could provide a means of expanding the donor pool for liver transplantation, provided the donors and recipients are carefully selected and matched.

2014/09/10MEDICAL UPDATE

WTC 2014 Report: The effect of transplant centre volume on mortality of liver transplant recipients

By Aliaksei Pustavoitau et al, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, USA.  Although the overall mortality in the first year after liver transplantation is decreasing each year, centres with a low annual volume of transplants tend to have higher mortality rates.

2014/09/10MEDICAL UPDATE

WTC 2014: Video Interview with Professor Arthur Matas: What are the hot topics at WTC that are going to affect clinical practice?

2014/09/09MEDICAL UPDATE

WTC Report 2014: Update on worldwide causes of morbidity and mortality in living donor liver transplantation

By Allan M Concejero et al, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan.  Increased use of living donors for liver transplantations has meant an increase in donor complications and deaths; that said, donor morbidity and mortality remains within acceptable limits.

2014/09/08MEDICAL UPDATE

WTC Report 2014: Are the early quality of life benefits sustained long-term after liver transplantation? A 10-year longitudinal diagnosis stratified evaluation

By Vincent H Karam et al, Hôpital Paul Brousse, Villejuif, France.  Liver transplantation is associated with consistent improvements in quality of life in the first three years after transplantation, although the rate of improvement may be different depending on the underlying cause of liver disease.

2014/09/05MEDICAL UPDATE

Video Interview WCGC: Professor Lenz summarises how our understanding of the treatment of mCRC has moved on over the last year following CALGB/SWOG 80405, FIRE-3, PRIME etc.

2014/09/04MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO Report 2014: The evolution of our molecular understanding of Colorectal Cancer

What we are doing now, what the future Holds, and how Tumour profiling is just the beginning by Dr Paul Ross, Guy's & St Thomas' Hospitals, London.  At the 50th annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) there was considerable focus on the role of predictive biomarkers and the use of same in both development of targeted therapies and in the selection of patients for established targeted therapies. 

2014/09/01MEDICAL UPDATE

Ibrutinib has greater efficacy than ofatumumab as second-line therapy for chronic lymphocytic leukemia

by Bruce Sylvester - Ibrutinib has significantly outperformed ofatumumab as a second-line therapy for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), according to a Phase 3 study published on May 31, 2014  in the OnLine First edition of the New England Journal of Medicine/NEJM.

2014/08/29MEDICAL UPDATE

FDA Highlights: Fenofibrate reduces cardiovascular events in type-2 diabetes, especially for women

by Bruce Sylvester: Fenofibrate treatment reduces cardiovascular disease risks in persons with type-2 diabetes, especially women, researchers reported on August 18 in Diabetologia. 

2014/08/28MEDICAL UPDATE

FDA Highlights: Letrozole aids births in women with PCOS

by Bruce Sylvester: Estrogen blocking letrozole treatment results in higher birth rates in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) than standard-therapy clomiphane, researchers reported on July 9, 2014 in the New England Journal of Medicine/NEJM.

2014/08/27MEDICAL UPDATE

FDA Highlights: Rapamycin shows pre-clinical potential in pancreatic cancer

by Bruce Sylvester: Rapamycin appears to shrink one type of pancreatic cancer tumor and prevents it from spreading, researchers reported on August 3, 2014 in the journal Gut.

2014/08/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Video Interview: What do you say to a newly diagnosed patient who comes into your clinic with Asthma?

2014/08/26MEDICAL UPDATE

FDA Highlights: Everolimus fails to improve overall survival in advanced liver cancer

by Bruce Sylvester: In spite of preclinical signs of preventing tumor progression and improving survival, everolimus does not improve overall survival in patients with advanced liver cancer when compared to placebo. Researchers reported this finding in the July 2 , 2014 issue of JAMA.

2014/08/25MEDICAL UPDATE

‘Suicide tourism’ to Switzerland has doubled within 4 years

German and UK citizens make up bulk of numbers; neurological diseases most common reason to end life.  Citizens from Germany and the UK make up the bulk of the numbers, with neurological conditions, such paralysis, motor neurone disease, Parkinson's, and multiple sclerosis, accounting for almost half of the cases, the findings show.

2014/08/22MEDICAL UPDATE

Obesity, large waist size risk factors for COPD

Obesity, especially excessive belly fat, is a risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to an article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) Excessive belly fat and low physical activity are linked to progression of the disease in people with COPD, but it is not known whether these modifiable factors are linked to new cases.

2014/08/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Video Interview: What do you say to a newly diagnosed patient with Asthma?

2014/08/21MEDICAL UPDATE

No harm in yoga: But not much help for asthma sufferers

Researchers examine health benefits of yoga for asthma sufferers. Yoga has long been promoted as a method for improving physical and mental well-being. And although yoga is often suggested to asthma sufferers to help alleviate symptoms, a new study found little evidence that yoga will improve symptoms.

2014/08/20MEDICAL UPDATE

ILTS 2014 Video Interviews – Delegate Views: What do you see to be the critical issues being addressed over the next few years in liver transplantation?

2014/08/20MEDICAL UPDATE

Identifying genes poised to respond in asthma patients

In a study published in the scientific journal Nature Immunology, a group at the La Jolla Institute (LJI) led by Pandurangan Vijayanand, Ph.D. identify new genes that likely contribute to asthma, a disease that currently affects over 200 million people world wide.

2014/08/19MEDICAL UPDATE

BMI increases the risk of asthma in mid-childhood

Some of the increase in asthma risk toward the end of the 20th century could be attributed to the increase in body mass index (BMI) in mid-childhood, according to new research published in PLOS Medicine. The study, led by Raquel Granell from the University of Bristol, UK, and colleagues, provides genetic evidence that higher fat mass and lean mass increase the risk of asthma in mid-childhood.

2014/08/19MEDICAL UPDATE

Video Interview: Can you describe the incidence and effect asthma has in Ireland on the health service

2014/08/18MEDICAL UPDATE

Paracetamol no better than placebo for lower back pain

Paracetamol is no better than placebo at speeding recovery from acute episodes of lower back pain or improving pain levels, function, sleep, or quality of life, according to the first large randomised trial to compare the effectiveness of paracetamol with placebo for low-back pain.

2014/08/15MEDICAL UPDATE

Pain medications for people living with HIV

Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation partners with the American Cancer Society in Swaziland.  The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) and the American Cancer Society (ACS) announced a new partnership to improve access to essential pain medications for people living with HIV in Swaziland.

2014/08/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Naloxone counteracts constipation and as an abuse deterrent.

Opioids are widely prescribed to patients experiencing chronic severe pain. While these drugs are very effective for treating and managing pain, they have one particularly bothersome side effect: constipation.

2014/08/13MEDICAL UPDATE

Low back pain? Don’t blame the weather

Australian researchers reveal that sudden, acute episodes of low back pain are not linked to weather conditions such as temperature, humidity, air pressure, wind direction and precipitation. Findings published in Arthritis Care & Research, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), indicate that the risk of low back pain slightly increases with higher wind speed or wind gusts, but was not clinically significant.

2014/08/12MEDICAL UPDATE

Telecare intervention improves chronic pain

A telephone-delivered intervention, which included automated symptom monitoring, produced clinically meaningful improvements in chronic musculoskeletal pain compared to usual care, according to a study in the July 16 issue of JAMA.

2014/08/11MEDICAL UPDATE

Controlling childbirth pain tied to lower depression risk

Controlling pain during childbirth and post delivery may reduce the risk of postpartum depression, writes Katherine Wisner, M.D., perinatal psychiatrist, in an editorial in Anesthesia & Analgesia.

2014/08/08MEDICAL UPDATE

ILTS 2014: The impact of size and volume in HCC: Interview with Professor Stephen Wigmore, Edinburgh. Click image to hear interview.

2014/08/08MEDICAL UPDATE

ILTS 2014: DIAMOND study updates: Posters by Prof W Bechstein and Prof G Tisone

DIAMOND: preserving renal function (RF) with tac prolonged-release in de novo LTx pts with different primary disease (PD).  Wolf Bechstein et al, Goethe University Hospital and Clinics Frankfurt, Germany. DIAMOND: preserving renal function (RF) over 24 wks with prolonged-release tac in de novo LTx pts by baseline (BL) eGFR/MELD.  Giuseppe Tisone et al, Policlinico di Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.

2014/08/07MEDICAL UPDATE

ILTS 2014: Liver-directed cellular therapy – hope or hype?

Feature Symposium.  Stephen Strom, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.   Luc van der Laan, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.  Alberto Sanchez-Fueyo, King’s College Hospital, London, UK.  David Hay, University of Edinburgh, UK.

2014/08/07MEDICAL UPDATE

ILTS 2014: How should performance of liver transplantation services be measured? Interview with Professor Stephen Wigmore, Edinburgh. Click image to hear interview.

2014/08/06MEDICAL UPDATE

ITLS 2014: Liver transplantation – aspiring to excellence: Current challenges and cutting edge developments

Report from the Joint International Congress of ILTS, ELITA and LICAGE 2014.   Recurrence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection after transplantation is a major challenge for centres all over the world and continues to take a heavy toll in terms of long-term survival.

2014/08/06MEDICAL UPDATE

ILTS 2014: State of the art lecture: Transplantation or medical care for acute liver failure

Report from the Joint International Congress of ILTS, ELITA and LICAGE 2014.  Roger Williams, Institute of Hepatology/Foundation for Liver Research, London, UK.   Medical care after acute liver failure has improved greatly in recent years; meanwhile selecting candidates for liver transplantation after acute liver failure remains a considerable challenge due to the poor prognostic value of the current selection criteria.

2014/08/06MEDICAL UPDATE

ILTS 2014: Key issues in HCC: Interview with Professor Derek Manas, Newcastle. Click image to hear interview.

2014/08/05MEDICAL UPDATE

Video Interview: The ELTR register by Professor René Adam, Paul Brousse Hospital, France. Click image to hear interview.

2014/08/05MEDICAL UPDATE

Video Interview and Report: Improving long-term outcomes in liver transplantation – the next paradigm shift?

2014/08/04MEDICAL UPDATE

Joint International Congress of ILTS, ELITA and LICAGE 2014: Making the most of a new liver

by Professor John O'Grady, Kings College Hospital, London - Liver transplantation is highly successful from the technical perspective, returning the majority of patients to a level of health compatible with a ‘normal’ existence. The challenges of immunosuppression and its consequences are diminishing and the prospects for managing recurrent disease are improving.

2014/08/01MEDICAL UPDATE

Pulse monitoring post-stroke could help prevent a second stroke

by Bruce Sylvester - Researchers report that routinely monitoring the pulse of anyone who has had a stroke could detect irregular heartbeat, a major cause of second stroke. The findings were published on July 23, 2014 in the online issue of Neurology.

2014/07/31MEDICAL UPDATE

Epidural linked to lower risk of post-partum depression

Controlling childbirth pain appears to lower the risk of postpartum depression, researchers reported in a July 23 editorial in Anesthesia & Analgesia.

2014/07/30MEDICAL UPDATE

High-salt diet increases threat of ensuing cardiovascular disease in type 2 diabetes

by Bruce Sylvester - Type 2 diabetes patients consuming a high-salt diet double their risk of developing cardiovascular disease, researchers reported on July 22, 2014 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

2014/07/29MEDICAL UPDATE

Press Release: OZURDEX® Receives European positive opinion for the treatment of the sight threatening condition, Diabetic Macular Oedema (DME)

Sustained release treatment option could soon be available for diabetic patients in 28 countries of the European Union.  

2014/07/29MEDICAL UPDATE

Large waist size is a risk factors for COPD

by Bruce Sylvester - Researchers report that obesity, notably belly fat, is a risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The findings were published on July 7, 2014 in CMAJ/Canadian Medical Association Journal.

2014/07/28MEDICAL UPDATE

BAD 2014 Report: Methylisothiazolinone (MI) sensitisation

Report from the British Association of Dermatologists annual meeting held in Glasgow from 30th June - 3rd July by Christine Clark - Methylisothiazolinone (MI) allergy reared its head again in a somewhat unexpected guise. A case report described how a 52-year old woman with no previous history of asthma developed severe facial dermatitis and acute shortness of breath after painting her living room with B&Q Value Matt Emulsion.

2014/07/28MEDICAL UPDATE

BAD Report 2014: Leprosy – could be misdiagnosed

Report from the British Association of Dermatologists annual meeting held in Glasgow from 30th  June -3rd July 2014 by Christine Clark.  Dermatologists from Cardiff warned that cases of leprosy can be misdiagnosed as more common skin conditions. Two cases illustrate the point: the first, aged 25, had been experiencing changes to skin colour and sensation on the left side of his face for six months, and lightening of the skin on his right shoulder for a year.

2014/07/28MEDICAL UPDATE

BAD 2014 Report: Non-surgical cosmetic procedures – “a crisis waiting to happen”

Report from the British Association of Dermatologists annual meeting held in Glasgow from 30th June -3rd July 2014 by Christine Clark.  Patients can suffer lifelong damage at the hands of unregulated cosmetic practitioners who may be unaware of some the risks involved in the procedures that they perform, according to Dr Tamara Griffiths.  

2014/07/25MEDICAL UPDATE

Press Release: Is Europe putting cancer research at risk?

Lugano, Switzerland, 25 July 2014.  The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), the leading pan-European association representing medical oncology professionals, has expressed concern that the proposed EU General Data Protection Regulation [1] could make cancer research impossible and add a significant burden to both doctors and cancer patients.

2014/07/25MEDICAL UPDATE

BAD 2014 Report: Sunlight, skin cancer and vitamin D – getting the balance right

by Esther Drain - Skin cancer is now the commonest cancer in the UK and the incidence is rising, mainly due to people taking more holidays in sunny regions. Every year in the UK 13,000 malignant melanomas and 100,000 non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSCs) will be diagnosed. Basal cell carcinomas outnumber all other cancers put together. Just over 2000 people die every year in the UK from malignant melanomas.

2014/07/25MEDICAL UPDATE

BAD 2014 Report: No more antibiotics for acne?

Report from the British Association of Dermatologists Conference, held in Glasgow,  30th June -3rd July 2014 by Christine Clark.  The use of antibiotics for acne could be phased out within 10 years  as it is poorly supported by the available evidence and could be contributing to the widespread development of resistant organisms, according to consultant dermatologist Keith Freeman.

2014/07/24MEDICAL UPDATE

Press Release: Tough decision for Roche following mixed Phase II Trial results for Alzheimer’s drug

Roche faces difficult decision over entering Alzheimer’s disease (AD) drug crenezumab for Phase III clinical trials. ‘The company should be encouraged by the drug’s demonstrated efficacy in mild AD patients, as any agent with a modest effect in AD can potentially achieve blockbuster returns,’ says analyst. 

2014/07/24MEDICAL UPDATE

3D Mammography detects more invasive breast cancers, lowers rate of unnecessary recalls

by Bruce Sylvester - 3D Mammography detects a significantly higher rate of invasive cancers and reduces the rate of  unnecessary recalls, researchers reported on June 25, 2014 in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

2014/07/23MEDICAL UPDATE

Dalbavancin is as effective as vancomycin in acute bacterial infections

by Bruce Sylvester - Findings published on June 4 in the New England Journal of Medicine show that the antibiotic dalbavancin is as effective as vancomycin for treating serious bacterial skin and skin-structure infections.

2014/07/22MEDICAL UPDATE

Elevated systolic and diastolic blood pressure predictive of cardiovascular diseases

by Bruce Sylvester - Elevated systolic and diastolic blood pressure appear to be predictive of different cardiovascular diseases and at different ages, researchers reported in a special themed issue of The Lancet, published on May 29, 2014 ahead in advance of Hypertension 2014, the Joint Meeting of the European Society of Hypertension (ESH) and International Society of Hypertension (ISH), held in Athens, Greece on June 13-16.

2014/07/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Increasing fiber intake following heart attack improves long-term survival rate

by Bruce Sylvester - Heart attack survivors appear to live longer by increasing dietary intake of fiber, and consumption of increased cereal fiber is especially beneficial, researchers reported on April 29, 2014 in the British Medical Journal/bmj.com.

2014/07/18MEDICAL UPDATE

FDA Highlights: ED drugs could help boys with duchenne muscular dystrophy

by Bruce Sylvester - Treatment with tadalafil or sidenafil appears to improve blood flow in the muscles of boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, according to research published in the May 7, 2014 online issue of Neurology.  

2014/07/17MEDICAL UPDATE

FDA Highlights: Goserelin helps prevent early menopause caused by breast cancer treatment

by Bruce Sylvester - Adding goserelin to standard chemotherapy significantly reduces the risk of early menopause in breast cancer patients, researchers reported in May of 2014 at the ASCO/American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting.  

2014/07/17MEDICAL UPDATE

FDA Highlights: Could anti-depressant citalopram affect development of Alzheimer’s?

by Bruce Sylvester - The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) citalopram appears to impede development of amyloid beta, a plaque-forming peptide in the brain believed to be involved in the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

2014/07/16MEDICAL UPDATE

EMA Highlights: Green light for new medicines

by Gary Finnegan - The EMA's influential Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) approved six new medicines at its June meeting, including a breakthrough hepatitis C drug.

2014/07/15MEDICAL UPDATE

EMA Highlights: Watchdog to review high-dose ibuprofen

by Gary Finnegan - The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is reviewing the cardiovascular risks of systemic ibuprofen medicines. The focus is expected to be on tablets taken by mouth rather than topical ibuprofen products such as creams and gels.

2014/07/14MEDICAL UPDATE

EMA Highlights: Research data sharing to be ‘user friendly’

by Gary Finnegan - The EU medicines regulator has rejigged its plan on how clinical trial data will be shared with health professionals, after intense lobbying by doctors, hospital pharmacists and the European Ombudsman.

2014/07/14MEDICAL UPDATE

EMA Highlights: EMA to publish list of legal online pharmacies

by Gary Finnegan - The European Medicines Agency is drawing up a list of legally-operating online pharmacies as part of an EU-wide crackdown on falsified medicines.

2014/07/11MEDICAL UPDATE

New MRSA superbug emerges in Brazil

An international research team led by Cesar A. Arias, M.D., Ph.D., at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) has identified a new superbug that caused a bloodstream infection in a Brazilian patient. The report appeared in the April 17 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine.

2014/07/10MEDICAL UPDATE

Overweight children with gene mutation at risk of liver problems

World Health Matters: Finland by Gary Finnegan - A new study by Finnish researchers suggests that overweight children with a common mutation in the PNPLA3 gene can suffer liver metabolism irregularities which affect them through their lives.

2014/07/09MEDICAL UPDATE

Urine test detects alcohol use in liver patients

World Health Matters: Italy by Gary Finnegan - Alcoholic liver disease is one of the most common reasons for liver transplantation but around half of liver transplant recipients struggle with alcohol relapse. This can cause complications with the graft, reducing their chances of survival.

2014/07/08MEDICAL UPDATE

Reducing ‘cytokine storm’ in flu victims

World Health Matters: Australia by Gary Finnegan - Highly virulent forms of the influenza virus can cause serious illness and may be fatal. Some of the damage is caused by a particularly strong immune response, especially in the lungs. Scientists are working to understand this immune reaction in order to reduce the most severe consequences of flu infection.

2014/07/08MEDICAL UPDATE

New tick-borne disease threatens immunosuppressed patients

World Health Matters: Sweden by Gary Finnegan - A newly discovered tick-borne bacterium known as Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis has been implicated in six cases of disease in Sweden. A study led by the Sahlgrenska Academy suggests that this bacterium is primarily a risk for people who are already sick and who are receiving immunosuppressive drugs.

2014/07/07MEDICAL UPDATE

ADA 2014 Report: More evidence for Canola Oil

Adding canola oil to the diet improved glycemic control and reduced cardiovascular risk in type 2 diabetes in one study, while an overall healthier diet reduced risk of developing diabetes in another.

2014/07/04MEDICAL UPDATE

ILTS 2014 Report: Improving long-term outcomes in liver transplantation – the next paradigm shift?

by René Adam, Guiseppe Tisone and Wolf Bechstein - with ever better immunosuppression regimens, outcomes in liver transplantation have improved beyond what anyone could have imagined when the first human liver transplantation took place in 1963 [1].

2014/07/04MEDICAL UPDATE

ADA 2014 Report: Insulin not associated with increased Cancer risk

Despite some concerns to the contrary, the use of insulin glargine (Lantus) is not associated with an increased risk of any cancer in people with diabetes or prediabetes, according to a substudy of the prospective Outcome Reduction with an Initial Glargine Intervention (ORIGIN) trial.

2014/07/04MEDICAL UPDATE

ADA 2014 Report: Hope for artificial Pancreas

A bihormonal "artificial pancreas" improved glycemic control and led to less hypoglycemia in type 1 diabetes patients, researchers reported here.

2014/07/03MEDICAL UPDATE

Update – Safe handling of insulin OR Avoiding errors with insulin

by Christine Clark - Insulin ranks among the top 10 ‘high-alert’ or high-risk medicines worldwide. (ref  NPSA/2011/PSA003) It is also been an important cause of hospital admissions, mainly as a consequence of severe hypoglycaemia. (ref  NPSA/2011/PSA003)  As the prevalence of diabetes in Europe and the number of insulin products available both continue to increase it is important for all those involved in the prescribing and administration of insulin to be aware of the risks and the necessary safety measures.

2014/07/03MEDICAL UPDATE

ADA 2014 Report: National guidelines for lipids and blood pressure

National guidelines for lipids and blood pressure are likely to be a focus of attention at this year's meeting of the American Diabetes Association.

2014/07/02MEDICAL UPDATE

Insulin not associated with cancer

Despite some concerns to the contrary, the use of insulin glargine (Lantus) is not associated with an increased risk of any cancer in people with diabetes or prediabetes, according to a substudy of the prospective Outcome Reduction with an Initial Glargine Intervention (ORIGIN) trial.

2014/07/02MEDICAL UPDATE

Change in guidelines for Type 2 diabetes screening may lead to under-diagnosis in children

New guidelines for Type 2 diabetes screening in children are less effective and more costly than previous screening methods.

2014/07/01MEDICAL UPDATE

Sleep apnoea tied to diabetes in large study

In the largest study to date of the relationship between sleep apnoea and diabetes, a new study of more than 8,500 Canadian patients has demonstrated a link between obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and the development of diabetes, confirming earlier evidence of such a relationship from smaller studies with shorter follow-up periods.

2014/06/30MEDICAL UPDATE

Press Release: Confident but not controlled: 92% of Irish people with asthma are confident about managing their condition however 48% are deemed ‘uncontrolled’1

Pan-European Survey reveals low levels of asthma control in Ireland. Irish respondents are experiencing asthma symptoms nearly 3 days a week. 48% of Irish people with asthma are classified as ‘uncontrolled’. One in ten people with asthma in Ireland never think about their condition.   

2014/06/30MEDICAL UPDATE

Remember parathyroid hormone as well as vitamin D to assess vitamin’s role in diabetes

Testing vitamin D alone is not enough - Combined assessment of parathyroid hormone along with vitamin D may be needed to assess the impact of vitamin D status on sugar metabolism, according to researchers.

2014/06/30MEDICAL UPDATE

Diabetes care depends on how your doctor is paid

From 2006 to 2008, nearly 75 per cent of patients with diabetes living in Ontario did not receive all of the tests recommended to properly monitor their disease. How their doctor was paid was one of the factors determining the care they received.

2014/06/27MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2014 Report – Younger colon cancer patients diagnosed with more advanced disease, but have better survival rates at all stages

by Bruce Sylvester - Colon cancer patients diagnosed before age 50 have more advanced stages of colon cancer at diagnosis but have better survival at all stages of disease.  Researchers reported these findings in a poster presentation at ASCO 2014.

2014/06/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Pooled analysis of two Phase III Trials shows Halaven® (Eribulin) improves survival in advanced breast cancer

Significant survival benefit observed in women with HER2 negative breast cancer - ASCO Press Release.

2014/06/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Lenvatinib Phase III results show significant improvement in progression-free survival in people with Radioiodine-Refractory differentiated Thyroid Cancer

Pivotal phase III data for lenvatinib to be presented in a Head and Neck Cancer oral session at American Society of Clinical Oncology congress (ASCO) - Press Release.

2014/06/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Indentification of independent risk factors in rectal cancer could affect treatment planning

by Bruce Sylvester - Researchers report that a pooled analysis of two major trials suggests that short- and long-term outcomes of neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by chemoradiotherapy in high-risk locally advanced rectal cancer compare well to outcomes with standard chemoradiotherapy in risk-unselected patients.

2014/06/25MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2014 Report: First line treatment efficacy in colorectal cancer affected by gender and tumor location

by Bruce Sylvester - Gender and tumor location predict efficacy in first-line treatment metastatic colorectal cancer, researchers reported a poster presentation at ASCO 2014.

2014/06/24MEDICAL UPDATE

Cystic fibrosis and diabetes link explained

Many people with cystic fibrosis develop diabetes. The reasons for this have been largely unknown, but now researchers have identified a molecular mechanism that contributes to the raised diabetes risk.

2014/06/24MEDICAL UPDATE

Strong link between depression and early death among elderly diabetics

People with diabetes have about double the risk of premature death as people of the same age without diabetes. Studies also have shown that they have about twice the odds of suffering from depression, which further increases their mortality risk.

2014/06/23MEDICAL UPDATE

Researchers discover new potential antibody treatment for asthma

The antibodies significantly reduced baseline inflammation and protected against inhaled allergens.  Researchers at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton and McMaster University have successfully tested an antibody that can improve the quality of life for individuals with asthma by relieving inflammation in the lungs.

2014/06/20MEDICAL UPDATE

Limited benefit for vitamin D in asthma treatment

Mario Castro, M.D., listens to the lungs of a patient with asthma (pictured). Castro led a clinical trial investigating the effects of vitamin D supplements on asthma control. Adding vitamin D to asthma treatment to improve breathing only appears to benefit patients who achieve sufficient levels of the supplement in the blood. Overall, the ability to control asthma did not differ between a study group that received vitamin D supplements and a group that received placebo, according to new research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

2014/06/20MEDICAL UPDATE

E-cigarette vapour and MRSA

In laboratory studies, e-cigarette vapours appeared to increase the aggressiveness of dangerous bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

2014/06/19MEDICAL UPDATE

Clear as nebulised saline!

Conflicting conclusions in 2 bronchiolitis studies is further discussed in the editorial.

2014/06/18MEDICAL UPDATE

Asthma sufferers may be prone to bone loss

Study finds asthma is associated with decrease in bone mineral density.  Some of the 26 million Americans with asthma may also be prone to bone loss. According to a study published today in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, the scientific journal of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, there seems to be association between asthma and a decrease in bone mineral density.

2014/06/17MEDICAL UPDATE

Patient participation leads to pain treatment satisfaction

An international research group with members from the University of Basel, several EU countries, Israel and the USA, analyzed patient satisfaction with pain treatment after surgery. The study based on an extensive multi-national dataset shows that patients actively involved in their treatment report higher levels of satisfaction.

2014/06/16MEDICAL UPDATE

One molecule to block both pain and itch

A new antibody appears to block 2 unpleasant nerve signals.  Duke University researchers have found an antibody that simultaneously blocks the sensations of pain and itching in studies with mice.

2014/06/13MEDICAL UPDATE

Key genetic link between chronic pain conditions like IBS discovered

Researchers at King's College London have discovered a link between four common chronic pain syndromes (CPS), suggesting that some people may be genetically predisposed to suffer from conditions of this type.

2014/06/12MEDICAL UPDATE

Genetic low tolerance for pain?

Researchers may have identified key genes linked to why some people have a higher tolerance for pain than others, according to a study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 66th Annual Meeting in Philadelphia.

2014/06/12MEDICAL UPDATE

Focused ultrasound reduces cancer pain

Non-invasive focused ultrasound thermal therapy reduces pain from bone metastases.  When cancer progresses and spreads to the bone, patients often suffer debilitating pain. Now, a new phase III clinical trial shows that non-invasive magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound treatment that heats the cancer within the bone, relieves pain and improves function for most patients when other treatment options are limited. The results were published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI).

2014/06/11MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2014 Report: Genetic SNP appears to be predictive of utility of cetuximab in metastatic colorectal cancer

by Bruce Sylvester - The presence of the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs895374, located in UbcH7, an E2 ligase conducting neddylation of HECT E3 ligases involved in EGFR degradation, is independently predictive of the patient-specific utility of cetuximab treatment in metastatic colorectal cancer.

2014/06/11MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2014 Report: In metastatic colorectal cancer treatment, overall survival is similar for continuous delivery and intermittent delivery

by Bruce Sylvester - Intermittent strategies for delivering systemic treatment in metastatic colorectal cancer show no clinically significant superiority in overall survival rates when compared to continuous delivery, whether or not maintenance therapy is included.   Notably, quality-of-life is similar or better with use of an intermittent strategy.

2014/06/10MEDICAL UPDATE

Urology QT Conference, London, May 2014. Video Interview with a number of participants

2014/06/10MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2014 Report: Second-line treatment data in FIRE 3 trial raises questions about clinical choices

by Bruce Sylvester - In the FIRE 3 trial, clinicians favored the use of second-line antibodies in patients with KRAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) with shorter first-line progression free survival after first-line therapy with FOLFIRI in combination with cetuximab or bevacizumab.  “Correspondingly, second-line treatment without antibodies compared to antibody-based regimens was associated with longer OS [overall survival].” the researchers said.

2014/06/09MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2014 Report – KRAS exon 2 gene mutations appear to predict time to recurrence or disease-free survival in stage III colon cancer

by Bruce Sylvester - KRAS exon 2 mutations are independent predictors of time to recurrence or disease-free survival among patients with stage III distal colon cancer who are receiving adjuvant therapy.

2014/06/06MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2014 Report – Early response to chemotherapy in colorectal cancer correlated to higher prolonged survival

by Bruce Sylvester - Metastatic colorectal cancer patients who achieved early response to first-line chemotherapy also achieved significantly higher rates of prolonged survival, compared to patients who did not have an early response.

2014/06/06MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2014 Report – Survival not significantly affected by disease site in metastatic colorectal cancer

by Bruce Sylvester - Survival based on primary site of disease is not significantly different among metastatic colorectal cancer patients, Australian researchers reported in a poster presentation at ASCO 2014.

2014/06/05MEDICAL UPDATE

Treatment outcome according to tumour RAS mutation status in CRYSTAL study patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) randomized to FOLFIRI with/without cetuximab.

Adapted from Abstract 3506, which was submitted to ASCO Congress 2014 Treatment outcome according to tumour RAS mutation status in CRYSTAL study patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) randomized to FOLFIRI with/without cetuximab.

2014/05/29MEDICAL UPDATE

Metformin 500 mg BID does not protect against heart failure after heart attack in non-diabetic patients

by Bruce Sylvester - Metformin therapy at 500 twice daily (BID) is not protective against heart failure in non-diabetic patients following a heart attack, researchers reported on March 31, 2014 at the American College of Cardiology's 63rd Annual Scientific Session.

2014/05/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Hospital readmission reduced among physically active COPD patients

by Bruce Sylvester - Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients involved in moderate to vigorous physical activity are at a lower risk of hospital readmission within 30 days compared to physically inactive COPD patients,  researchers reported on April 9, 2014  in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.

2014/05/27MEDICAL UPDATE

Glucosamine does not stop knee cartilage deterioration or decrease knee pain in osteoarthritis

by Bruce Sylvester - Researchers from the Joints on Glucosamine study (JOG) report that oral glucosamine supplementation does not reduce knee cartilage deterioration in osteoarthritis or improve knee bone marrow lesions, a source of pain in osteoarthritis (OA).

2014/05/26MEDICAL UPDATE

While person with Type-1 diabetes sleeps, instruments can detect low blood sugar-and stop insulin

by Bruce Sylvester - Using ordinary instrumentation plus a computer during nocturnal insulin delivery, scientists have found a method to predict and prevent dangerously low overnight blood sugars in adolescents and adults with type-1 diabetes.

2014/05/23MEDICAL UPDATE

Pancreatic cancer fatalities set to rise

World Health Matters by Gary Finnegan - Italy - Death rates from pancreatic cancer are predicted to increase in men and women in 2014 and beyond, according to a comprehensive study published in the leading cancer journal Annals of Oncology.

2014/05/23MEDICAL UPDATE

Web-based alcohol screening has limited effect among students

World Health Matters by Gary Finnegan - New Zealand - A web-based alcohol screening and intervention programme had only a minor impact on drinking habits among university students in New Zealand, new research shows.

2014/05/22MEDICAL UPDATE

Deaths from viral hepatitis surpasses HIV/AIDS

World Health Matters by Gary Finnegan - Australia - The number of deaths from viral hepatitis in Australia has surpassed the number of preventable AIDS-related deaths, according to a study by the University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health.

2014/05/22MEDICAL UPDATE

Coal plant closure boosts kids’ health

World Health Matters by Gary Finnegan - China - Declining air pollution following the closure of coal-burning power plants in China has been linked to improved childhood development scores and higher levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a key protein for brain development.

2014/05/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Green light for new cancer medicine

EMA Highlights by Gary Finnegan - At its April meeting, the EMA’s influential Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) recommended that a marketing authorisation be granted for Mekinist (trametinib).

2014/05/20MEDICAL UPDATE

Increase in EU drug approvals

EMA Highlights by Gary Finnegan - The number of new medicines approved in the European Union is rising year-on-year, according to the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

2014/05/20MEDICAL UPDATE

New system records rise in reported adverse events

EMA Highlights - by Gary Finnegan - A new system designed to increase the safety of medicines in Europe has seen a significant increase in the number of suspected adverse drug reactions reported to the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

2014/05/19MEDICAL UPDATE

Botox treatment lifts depression in half of study patients

Emerging uses of FDA approved drugs - by Bruce Sylvester - Over half of depressed subjects in a newly reported study who were injected with onabotulinumtoxinA (OBA/Botox) achieved substantial improvement in depressive symptoms. The study was published in the May edition of the Journal of Psychiatric Research. It is the largest randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled study to date on the effect of OBA on depression.

2014/05/16MEDICAL UPDATE

Eplerenone lowers mortality following Acute Myocardial Infarction

by Bruce Sylvester - Emerging uses of FDA approved drugs - Eplerenone,  a drug used to reduce the risk of death in patients with heart failure, shows significant mortality-related efficacy when administered to patients following an acute (ST elevated) myocardial infarction.

2014/05/15MEDICAL UPDATE

Immunosuppressants might aid fight against persistent HIV infection

by Bruce Sylvester - Emerging uses of FDA approved drugs - Immunosuppresant drugs used to prevent organ rejection after transplantation could become used in fighting persistent HIV infection, researchers reported on April 3, 2014 in the American Journal of Transplantation.

2014/05/15MEDICAL UPDATE

Acetazolamide improves vision loss in idiopathic intracranial hypertension

by Bruce Sylvester - Emerging uses of FDA-approved drugs - Treatment with acetazolamide plus a low-sodium weight-reduction diet for patients diagnosed with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH)mand mild vision loss has resulted in modest improvement in vision, compared with dieting only.

2014/05/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Less dietary salt linked to drop in cardiovascular disease death in past ten years

by Bruce Sylvester - A 15% drop in dietary salt use from 2003-2011 in England and a 40% drop in deaths from heart disease and stroke during the same period appear to be related, researchers reported April 14, 2014 in the online journal BMJ Open.

2014/05/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Adenoma detection tracks ongoing risk of colorectal cancer

by Thomas R. Collins - A retrospective study of over 224,000 patients who underwent over 314,000 colonoscopies indicates that pre-cancerous adenoma detection tracks the future risk of colorectal cancer. The study was published on April 2, 2014 in NEJM/The New England Journal of Medicine.

2014/05/13MEDICAL UPDATE

Blood pressure lowering drugs given in acute stage of stroke treatment lack efficacy

by Bruce Sylvester - Researchers report that administering blood pressure lowering drugs to patients in the first 48 hours after a stroke does not lower the risk of death or major disability.

2014/05/13MEDICAL UPDATE

Statin appears to inhibit secondary progressive stage of multiple sclerosis

by Bruce Sylvester - Researchers report that simvastatin could become a treatment option for the secondary progressive, or chronic, stage of multiple sclerosis (MS).

2014/05/12MEDICAL UPDATE

Standardised packaging of Tobacco Bill

The Joint Committee on Health and Children has published its report on hearings in relation to the Standardised Packaging of Tobacco Bill. The main aim of the proposed legislation is to deprive the tobacco industry of its ability to market itself through on pack branding.

2014/05/09MEDICAL UPDATE

Smoking bans linked to fall in preterms and hospital visits

The introduction of laws banning smoking in public places and workplaces in North America and Europe has been quickly followed by large drops in rates of preterm births and children attending hospital for asthma, according to the first systematic review and meta-analysis examining the effect of smoke-free legislation on child health.

2014/05/09MEDICAL UPDATE

Doctors are missing chances to diagnose COPD earlier

In up to 85 percent of cases.  "The substantial numbers of patients misdiagnosed and under diagnosed in this study is a cause for concern. It is important that COPD is diagnosed as early as possible so effective treatment can be used to try to reduce lung damage, improve quality of life, and even life expectancy", explains author Dr Rupert Jones from Plymouth University Peninsula School of Medicine and Dentistry, Plymouth, UK.

2014/05/08MEDICAL UPDATE

Computer clusters new sub type asthma patients

Analysis could eventually lead to improved therapy, researcher says.  So many variables can contribute to shortness of breath that no person can keep them all straight. But a computer program, capable of tracking more than 100 clinical variables for almost 400 people, has shown it can identify various subtypes of asthma, which perhaps could lead to targeted, more effective treatments.

2014/05/08MEDICAL UPDATE

COPD associated with increased risk for mild cognitive impairment

Researchers have found that a diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in older adults was associated with increased risk for mild cognitive impairment (MCI), especially MCI of skills other than memory, and the greatest risk was among patients who had COPD for more than five years.

2014/05/07MEDICAL UPDATE

Cbl-b, a target for drugs used to treat allergic asthma

Enzyme's role is to 'throw away' protein if it overstays its welcome during immune response.  An enzyme that helps maintain immune system function by "throwing away" a specific protein has a vital role in controlling symptoms of allergic asthma, new research in mice suggests.

2014/05/07MEDICAL UPDATE

Ireland and US E-Cig poisoning on the rise

'The jury is still out on e-cigarettes. They are likely to prove less harmful than tobacco, however they can potentially become a gateway drug to smoking tobacco, due to the commonality of the nicotine addiction.  The investment by the tobacco industry in the marketing and development of e-cigarettes is of concern, as they will have little interest in their potential for cessation; but entirely in their potential for profit'.  Dr Ross Morgan, Chairperson, ASH Ireland.

2014/05/06MEDICAL UPDATE

Ouch! Computer system spots fake expressions of pain better than people

The system may also be used to detect deceptive actions.  A new study by researchers can distinguish between real or faked expressions of pain more accurately than can humans.

2014/05/06MEDICAL UPDATE

New tweetment: Twitter users describe real-time migraine pain

Someone's drilling an icicle into your temple, you're throwing up, and light and sound are unbearable.  Yes, it's another migraine attack. But now in 140 characters on Twitter, you can share your agony with other sufferers. It indicates a trend toward the cathartic sharing of physical pain, as well as emotional pain on social media.

2014/05/06MEDICAL UPDATE

Resting-state functional connection during low back pain

The default mode network is a key area in the resting state, involving the posterior cingulate cortex, precuneus, medial prefrontal and lateral temporal cortices, and is characterized by balanced positive and negative connections classified as the "hubs" of structural and functional connectivity in brain studies.

2014/05/05MEDICAL UPDATE

Intense treatment same as advice & exercise at reducing pain from whiplash

Results of a new trial of treatments for chronic whiplash pain, published in The Lancet, suggest that expensive, intense physiotherapy sessions do not show any additional benefit over a single physiotherapy session of education and advice with phone follow-up.

2014/05/02MEDICAL UPDATE

Adults’ tonsillectomy complications and pain are higher than previously thought

Twenty percent of adults who have tonsillectomies will have a complication, which is significantly higher than previously shown, according to a team of researchers. The team also found that these complications substantially increase health care expenditures.

2014/05/02MEDICAL UPDATE

Oxycodone/naloxone combination produces a stronger reduction of pain intensity and pain-related functional impairment vs. other opioids

Strong opioids including oxycodone are amongst the most effective analgesics to  combat  moderate  to  severe  pain  of  various  aetiologies,  but  opioid-induced  bowel  dysfunction  (OIBD) represents  a  relevant  problem. 

2014/05/02MEDICAL UPDATE

Pain treatment can reduce agitation in people with dementia

Thirty five million people worldwide have dementia, and this number is expected to increase to 115 million by 2050. Agitation and aggression are common in people with dementia, in particular those with moderate to severe dementia living in nursing homes, where the cross sectional prevalence of these symptoms exceeds 50%.

2014/05/01MEDICAL UPDATE

ACC 2014 Report: Efficacy of evolocumab in the DESCARTES, MENDEL-2 and RUTHERFORD-2 Trials

by Bruce Sylvester  - On March 29, 2014, investigators presented results from three separate evolocumab trials at the American College of Cardiology annual meeting/ACC2014. Evolocumab is a human monoclonal antibody to PCSK9.

2014/05/01MEDICAL UPDATE

ACC 2014 Report: Low-dose clonidine and aspirin in non-cardiac patients at risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) event: POISE-2 Trials

by Bruce Sylvester - Post non-cardiac surgery treatment with low-dose clonidine increased rates of clinically important hypotension and non-fatal cardiac arrest, researchers from the POISE-2 trial have reported.

2014/05/01MEDICAL UPDATE

Asthma Society launch campaign for clean air

2000 LIVES COULD BE SAVED ANNUALLY WITH ALL-ISLAND SMOKY COAL BAN

2014/04/30MEDICAL UPDATE

ACC 2014 Report: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with a self-expanding prosthesis achieves lower mortality than surgery: CoreValve US Pivotal Trial

by Bruce Sylvester - Severe aortic stenosis patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with a self-expanding bioprosthesis have achieved a significantly higher rate of survival at one year than surgical aortic valve replacement patients.

2014/04/30MEDICAL UPDATE

ACC 2014 Report: Bariatric surgery vs. intensive medical therapy for uncontrolled diabetes: STAMPEDE Trial

by Bruce Sylvester - For managing uncontrolled type 2 diabetes in obese patients, gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy are each more effective than intensive medical therapy alone.

2014/04/30MEDICAL UPDATE

ACC 2014 Report: US, EU statin guidelines differ

Application of U.S. and European cholesterol guidelines to a European population found that proportions of individuals eligible for statins differed substantially, with one U.S. guideline recommending statins for nearly all men and two-thirds of women, proportions exceeding those of the other guidelines, according to a JAMA study released online to coincide with the 2014 American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions.

2014/04/29MEDICAL UPDATE

ACC 2014 Report: Study compares heart valve systems

Among patients undergoing aortic valve replacement using a catheter tube, a comparison of two types of heart valve technologies, balloon-expandable or self-expandable valve systems, found a greater rate of device success with the balloon-expandable valve, according to a  JAMA study released online to coincide with presentation at the 2014 American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions.

2014/04/29MEDICAL UPDATE

ACC 2014 Report: Underweight same high risk of dying as obese people

The connection between being underweight and the higher risk of dying is true for both adults and foetuses.  Being underweight puts people at highest risk of dying, just as obesity does, new research has found.

2014/04/29MEDICAL UPDATE

ACC 2014 Report: TAVR Real-world heart results consistent with scientific research

Study helps put new TAVR technology in perspective for high-risk patients.  The first one-year outcomes data of transcatheter heart valve replacement (TAVR) in nearly all U.S. patients undergoing this procedure shows that real-world outcomes are comparable to or slightly better than those found in clinical trials, according to registry data presented at the American College of Cardiology's 63rd Annual Scientific Session.

2014/04/25MEDICAL UPDATE

ACC 2014 Report: Proportion of adults affected by new BP guideline

Applying the updated 2014 blood pressure (BP) guideline to the U.S. population suggests that nearly 6 million adults are no longer classified as needing hypertension medication, and that an estimated 13.5 million adults would now be considered as having achieved goal blood pressure, primarily older adults, according to a JAMA study released online to coincide with the 2014 American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions.

2014/04/25MEDICAL UPDATE

ACC 2014 Report: Metformin does not improve heart function in patients without diabetes

Although some research has suggested that metformin, a medication often used in the treatment of diabetes, may have favourable effects on ventricular (heart) function, among patients without diabetes who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI; a procedure such as stent placement used to open narrowed coronary arteries) for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI; a certain pattern on an electrocardiogram following a heart attack), treatment with metformin did not result in improved ventricular function, according to a JAMA study released online to coincide with its presentation at the 2014 American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions.

2014/04/25MEDICAL UPDATE

ACC 2014 Report: Intra-aortic balloon pump may have broader potential

The most frequently used mechanical circulatory assist device in the world may have untapped potential, physicians say.  One of many uses for the intra-aortic balloon pump is helping ensure adequate oxygen and blood delivery to a heart struggling to resume beating in the aftermath of coronary bypass surgery, said Dr. Mary Arthur, cardiovascular anesthesiologist at the Medical College of Georgia and Georgia Regents Health System.

2014/04/24MEDICAL UPDATE

ACC 2014 Report: Marriage linked to lower heart risks

Heart problems less likely for spouses than for single, divorced and widowed people.  People who are married have lower rates of several cardiovascular diseases compared with those who are single, divorced or widowed, according to research to be presented at the American College of Cardiology's 63rd Annual Scientific Session.

2014/04/24MEDICAL UPDATE

ACC 2014 Report: Genetic markers predict heart attack?

Results of the study could help the 715,000 Americans who suffer from heart attacks each year.  Researchers at the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute in Salt Lake City have identified a biological process that may help physicians predict when someone with heart disease is likely to have a heart attack in the near future.

2014/04/24MEDICAL UPDATE

ACC 2014 Report: Gastric surgery halves risk of heart attack in obese people

Obese people who have stomach surgery to help them lose weight will halve their risk of heart attack according to new research from a team of doctors at the University of East Anglia, University of Manchester and University of Aberdeen.

2014/04/24MEDICAL UPDATE

ACC 2014 Report: Comparison of drug-releasing stents show similar safety outcomes after 2 years

A comparison of the safety of biodegradable polymer biolimus-eluting stents vs durable polymer everolimus-eluting stents finds similar outcomes for measures including death and heart attack after two years, according to a JAMA study released online to coincide with presentation at the 2014 American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions.

2014/04/23MEDICAL UPDATE

ACC 2014 Report: Benefits of treating heart attack patients with a cheap drug

The 6-month follow-up data from the METOCARD-CNIC trial are published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

2014/04/23MEDICAL UPDATE

ACC 2014 Report: Aleglitaza does not reduce risk of CV events in diabetics

Use of the drug aleglitazar, which has shown the ability to lower glucose levels and have favorable effects on cholesterol, did not reduce the risk of cardiovascular death, heart attack or stroke among patients with type 2 diabetes and recent heart attack or unstable angina, according to a JAMA study released online to coincide with presentation at the 2014 American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions.

2014/04/23MEDICAL UPDATE

ACC 2014 Report: ACE Inhibitors better than ARBs in CV patients with diabetes

Report from the ACC Annual Scientific Meeting, 29 - 31 March 2014 in Washington.   Angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are associated with reduced mortality and cardiovascular events in patients with diabetes, while angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs) have little effect, according to a meta-analysis in JAMA Internal Medicine.

2014/04/22MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS Report 2014: 5-year outcomes of a randomized prospective trial (CamTac Trial)

Poster Presentation:  Study of alemtuzumab induction with tacrolimus maintenance monotherapy compared to IL2R blockade with tacrolimus/MMF maintenance in kidney transplantation by Adam McLean, Imperial College Kidney & Transplant Centre, London.

2014/04/22MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS Report 2014: Medawar Medal winner – Poster Presentation

Quality assessment of human kidneys using ex-vivo normothermic perfusion by Adam Barlow, University Hospitals of Leicester - Ex-vivo normothermic perfusion is a viable method of preserving kidneys for transplantation whilst preserving graft quality.

2014/04/21MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS Report 2014: Impact of cytochrome P450 genetic polymorphisms on tacrolimus pharmacokinetics, oral presentations

by Maria Dalby - Genetic polymorphisms are known to influence the pharmacokinetics of tacrolimus and may thus have a significant impact on the clinical outcome.

2014/04/21MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS Report 2014: Hypercoagulability in potential pancreas transplant recipients – the value of thromboelastography

Maria Dalby reporting on the Oral Presentation by Mari Kilner, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne- Thromboelastography is a method of testing the efficiency of coagulation which measures not only coagulation factor function, but also takes into account platelet function, clot strength, and fibrinolysis which cannot be done with standard prothrombin or thromboplastin time assays.

2014/04/18MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS Report 2014: Variability: does it impact outcomes?

Maria Dalby reporting on the Oral Presentation by Marc Clancy, Western Infirmary, Glasgow - Although the mainstay of clinical immunosuppression since the 1980s, calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) are narrow therapeutic index drugs and small changes in systemic exposure can have significant consequences in terms of pharmacodynamics response.

2014/04/18MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS Report 2014: Pharma no more: does the advent of generics spell the end of Pharma-funded prospective trials in transplantation?

Maria Dalby reporting on the Oral Presentation by Teun van Gelder, Erasmus Medical Centre Rotterdam, the Netherlands - Increasing use of generic drugs, escalating research and development costs and shrinking public healthcare budgets are slowly but steadily chipping away at pharmaceutical companies’ profit margins and thus eroding the foundations of documenting new compounds in large-scale randomised clinical trials.

2014/04/17MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2014 Report: British Association for the Study of the Liver (BASL) Forum: Donor optimisation

Maria Dalby reporting on the Oral Presentation by Peter Friend, Oxford Transplant Centre, University of Oxford et al.  Peter Friend, Oxford Transplant Centre, University of Oxford / Chris Watson, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge / Colin Wilson, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne / James Neuberger, NHSBT   / Dorry Segev, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA.

2014/04/17MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2014 Report: Renal outcomes following transplantation: which immunosuppression regimen to use?

Maria Dalby reporting on the Oral Presentation by Lluís Guirado, Fundació Puigvert, Barcelona, Spain.  Renal function is a strong predictor of patient and graft survival after renal transplantation, and switching from a twice-daily to a once-daily immunosuppressive regimen can help preserve renal function by maintaining stable serum levels and helping adherence.

2014/04/17MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2014 Report: Three years of altruistic kidney donors: kind kidneys or costly MOT?

Maria Dalby reporting on the Oral Presentation by Phanibhushana Munipalle, Southmead Hospital, Bristol.  Altruistic organ donation, that is, where a person volunteers to donate a kidney for transplantation without being related to the recipient or even knowing who it will be, is no longer a taboo – on the contrary, it is becoming more common and forms part of the NHSBT task force for increasing the number of organ donors.

2014/04/16MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2014 Report: Kidney transplant patients’ experiences of switching to generic immunosuppressants

Efficacy and Safety of Prescribing in Transplantation (ESPRIT) Group, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, London by Atholl Johnston.

2014/04/16MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2014 Report: Non-adherence: measuring the size of the problem

Maria Dalby reporting on the presentation by Brian Camilleri, Ipswich Hospital, Ipswich - Non-adherence to immunosuppressive treatment post-transplantation is common and may have calamitous consequences for short- and long-term outcomes.

2014/04/15MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2014 Report: HLA-incompatible transplantation

by Maria Dalby - Transplantation across the immune barrier is becoming increasingly common, but constitutes a risk factor for the development of donor-specific antibodies and thus for long-term adverse outcomes including antibody-mediated injury and graft loss.

2014/04/15MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2014 Report: Protecting the allograft – preventing and treating chronic antibody-mediated rejection

Maria Dalby reporting from the annual British Transplantation Society meeting in Glasgow by Anthony Dorling, King's College London - Chronic rejection is a major cause of graft failure beyond one year post-transplantation. Premature loss of renal transplants has remained largely constant in recent years despite the introduction of new drugs and protocols [1].

2014/04/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Researchers develop a new drug to combat measles

A novel antiviral drug may protect people infected with the measles from getting sick and prevent them from spreading the virus to others, an international team of researchers says.

2014/04/14MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2014 Report: A case I wish I never did

Maria Dalby reporting on the presentation by Dorry Segev, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA - Every transplant surgeon has had his/her share of cases that turned out less than successful and with the benefit of hindsight should not have been attempted.

2014/04/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Blood pressure control halves second ischemic stroke risk

by Bruce Sylvester - Following a first ischemic stroke, patients who keep their blood pressure well controlled appear to halve their risk of a second stroke, researchers reported on March 27, 2014 in the American Heart Association journal Stroke.

2014/04/11MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2014 Report: Normothermic organ preservation: Back to the Future

From the annual meeting of the British Transplantation Society in Glasgow by Marc J. Clancy.  Since its establishment within the mainstream of clinical care, the technology of organ transplantation has proceeded at an incredible pace, frequently faster than the cultural, legal and ethical framework in which it takes place. Normothermic organ preservation (NRP) represents a technology that was temporarily lost in the rapidly advancing technologies of the field.

2014/04/11MEDICAL UPDATE

Traditional Chinese herbal medicaton found comparable to prescription drugs for control of pre-diabetes

by Bruce Sylvester - A traditional Chinese herbal medication appears to slow progression from pre-diabetes to diabetes, and at a rate similar to prescription treatments, researchers reported in the February, 2014 issue of the  Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

2014/04/10MEDICAL UPDATE

NSAIDs don’t increase miscarriage risk

by Bruce Sylvester - Pregnant women who take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs do not increase their risk of miscarriages, researchers report in a study published on Feb. 3, 2014 in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

2014/04/10MEDICAL UPDATE

Preterm birth appears to up childhood risk of asthma and wheezing

by Bruce Sylvester - Children born preterm appear to have a higher risk of developing asthma and wheezing disorders, researchers report in a study published on Jan. 28, 2014 in PLOS Medicine.

2014/04/09MEDICAL UPDATE

Stress impacts ability to get pregnant

Researchers find stress can delay pregnancy and double the risk of infertility.  Having difficulty getting pregnant can be an incredibly stressful experience for any couple. Now, for the first time, researchers have data that suggests preconception stress might play a role in infertility.

2014/04/08MEDICAL UPDATE

Shock-absorbing ‘goo’ discovered in bone

Latest research shows that the chemical citrate – a by-product of natural cell metabolism – is mixed with water to create a viscous fluid that is trapped between the nano-scale crystals that form our bones.

2014/04/07MEDICAL UPDATE

Medical marijuana may ease some MS symptoms

Little evidence other complementary or alternative therapies work.  A new guideline from the American Academy of Neurology suggests that there is little evidence that most complementary or alternative medicine therapies (CAM) treat the symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS).

2014/04/04MEDICAL UPDATE

Shorter sleepers are over-eaters

Children who sleep less found to eat more.  Young children who sleep less eat more, which can lead to obesity and related health problems later in life, reports a new study by UCL researchers.

2014/04/03MEDICAL UPDATE

Statins ease coughing in lung disease

Common cholesterol-lowering drugs could provide relief to patients suffering from a chronic lung disease, a study has shown.  Statins were found to help alleviate the chronic coughing associated with the disease for some patients.

2014/04/02MEDICAL UPDATE

Prescribe sleep to prevent and treat diabetes

Evidence increasingly suggests that insufficient or disturbed sleep is associated with metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes and obesity, and addressing poor quality sleep should be a target for the prevention – and even treatment – of these disorders, say the authors [1] of a Review, published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology journal.

2014/04/01MEDICAL UPDATE

World health matters – UK: Heart attack survival far lower in UK than Sweden

by Gary Finnegan: New research reveals that patients in Sweden have a better chance of surviving a heart attack than their UK counterparts.

2014/03/31MEDICAL UPDATE

World health matters – United States: Getting angry increases heart attack risk

by Gary Finnegan:  ‘Don’t make me angry. You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.’ That famous line from the Incredible Hulk was a warning to anyone in danger of provoking a fit of rage from the green-skinned monster.  But it turns out the real victim of angry outbursts is the person who loses their cool. New research from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical shows a nearly fivefold increase in risk for heart attack in the two hours following outbursts of anger.

2014/03/28MEDICAL UPDATE

World health matters – Australia: South Australia has higher rate of hypothermia deaths than Sweden

by Gary Finnegan: A startling new study from the University of Adelaide shows that the state of South Australia has a higher rate of deaths from extreme cold than Sweden does.

2014/03/27MEDICAL UPDATE

World health matters – China: Tobacco control could save 13 million lives

by Gary Finnegan:  Around 13 million lives could be saved by 2050 if China were to implement comprehensive tobacco-control measures set down by the World Health Organisation (WHO), a new study has claimed. 

2014/03/26MEDICAL UPDATE

EMA Highlights: New medicines granted EU approval

by Gary Finnegan: The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has recommended approval of several new medicines.

2014/03/25MEDICAL UPDATE

EMA Highlights: Drug watchdogs pledge cooperation on drug safety

by Gary Finnegan - Medicines regulators have pledged closer transatlantic cooperation on medicine safety, building on earlier commitments to join forces on clinical trial site inspections.

2014/03/24MEDICAL UPDATE

Physical activity reduces breast cancer risk

Practising sport for more than an hour day reduces the risk of contracting breast cancer, and this applies to women of any age and any weight, and also unaffected by geographical location, according to research presented to the 9th European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC-9).

2014/03/24MEDICAL UPDATE

EMA Highlights: EMA gives green light for infant tumour drug

by Gary Finnegan - The European drug regulator has given a paediatric-use marketing authorisation (PUMA) for Hemangiol to treat proliferation of infantile haemangioma.

2014/03/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Researchers discover process that turns ‘good cholesterol’ bad

Dysfunctional version of normally protective protein that makes HDL found to promote inflammation and coronary artery disease.

2014/03/21MEDICAL UPDATE

High-calorie/high fat diet could slow progression of ALS

by Bruce Sylvester: A study published on Feb. 27, 2014 in The Lancet suggests that amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients who are mildly obese are more likely to live longer when they were fed a calorie-rich diet high in fat.

2014/03/20MEDICAL UPDATE

MRIs indicate which Atrial Fibrillation patients might benefit most from catheter ablation

by Bruce Sylvester: Newly developed contrast MRI can help physicians predict which atrial fibrillation people have the best chance of benefiting from catheter ablation, researchers reported on Feb. 4, 2014 in JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association.

2014/03/19MEDICAL UPDATE

Breast cancer gene mutation linked to survival after double mastectomy

by Thomas R. Collins: Women who are diagnosed with early stage breast cancer who also carry a mutation on the BRCA breast cancer gene are less likely to die following  a double mastectomy than women who have one breast removed, researchers reported online in the BMJ/British Journal of Medicine on February 11, 2014.

2014/03/18MEDICAL UPDATE

Upper-airway stimulation shows efficacy for obstructive sleep apnea

by Bruce Sylvester: Electronic stimulation therapy to the upper airway during sleep is effective in reducing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), researchers reported in the Jan. 9, 2014 issue of the NEJM / New England Journal of Medicine.

2014/03/17MEDICAL UPDATE

FDA Highlights: Statin therapy cuts delirium in critically ill patients

by Bruce Sylvester: Ongoing statin treatment appears to prevent delirium in critically ill patients who had taken a statin prior to hospitalization, researchers reported online on Jan. 17, 2014 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

2014/03/14MEDICAL UPDATE

FDA Highlights: Citalopram shows efficacy for Alzheimer’s agitation

by Bruce Sylvester: The antidepressant citalopram (Celexa/Cipramil, and generic) significantly reduces agitation among patients with Alzheimer's disease, researchers reported in the Feb. 19, 2014 issue of JAMA/Journal of the American Medical Association.

2014/03/13MEDICAL UPDATE

FDA Highlights: Topiramate lowers alcohol consumption in those who want to reduce drinking

by Bruce Sylvester: Topiramate, an FDA-approved anticonvulsant drug which had been shown to reduce drinking in patients committed to complete abstinence, appears to help problem drinkers whose want to reduce alcohol consumption, especially a specific group with a genetic makeup linked to the efficacy of the therapy.

2014/03/12MEDICAL UPDATE

First real-life study finds Xpert test improves TB diagnosis

"Despite already being rolled-out in many countries, our study is the first to look at the feasibility of the Xpert test in a real-life clinical setting in southern Africa", explains study leader Professor Keertan Dheda from the Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town in South Africa in The Lancet.

2014/03/11MEDICAL UPDATE

Assessment of COPD exacerbation

Exacerbation severity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can be reliably assessed with the COPD Assessment Test™ (CAT), according to a new study from the UK.

2014/03/10MEDICAL UPDATE

Asthma holiday: pack allergy medication

Asthma sufferers allergic to cats doubles, making holiday travel challenging.  People with asthma travelling to pet friendly homes for the holidays may want to pack allergy medication along with their inhaler.

2014/03/07MEDICAL UPDATE

Obese children more susceptible to asthma from air pollution

Kids with high BMIs exposed to high levels of air pollutants had nearly triple asthma risk.   Obese children exposed to high levels of air pollutants were nearly three times as likely to have asthma, compared with non-obese children and lower levels of pollution exposure, report researchers at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC).

2014/03/06MEDICAL UPDATE

11 new genetic associations for asthma-with-hay fever

First ever genome-wide association study of combined phenotype may allow for improved identification of variants associated with asthma-with-hay fever.

2014/03/05MEDICAL UPDATE

Common colds during pregnancy may lead to childhood asthma

Mother's illness, allergen exposure may predict child's risk of asthma and allergy.  Women that are pregnant may want to take extra precaution around those that are sniffling and sneezing this winter. According to a new study published today, the more common colds and viral infections a woman has during pregnancy, the higher the risk her baby will have asthma.

2014/03/04MEDICAL UPDATE

Press Release: Contribution of cerebrospinal fluid sCD19 levels to the detection of CNS lymphoma and its impact on disease outcome

Abstract:  Flow cytometry (FCM) is more sensitive than conventional cytology for detection of occult leptomeningeal lymphoma; however, some FCM-negative patients show central nervous system (CNS) recurrence.

2014/03/04MEDICAL UPDATE

​Mind over matter: Beating pain and painkillers – Mindfulness reduces pain and opioid misuse

University of Utah researcher Eric Garland (pictured) developed a new mindfulness-focused treatment for people with chronic pain that can effectively reduce pain and misuse of opioid painkillers.

2014/03/03MEDICAL UPDATE

New drug reduces chronic pain in shingles

A new drug treatment has been found to be effective against chronic pain caused by nerve damage, also known as neuropathic pain, in patients who have had shingles.

2014/02/28MEDICAL UPDATE

New pain target for bacterial infections

Components in the outer wall of bacteria directly activate pain sensors, triggering immediate pain and inflammatory responses. This finding by a multinational team sheds new light on pain associated with bacterial infections and reveals a new target for drugs designed to treat them.

2014/02/27MEDICAL UPDATE

Sedation before nerve block increases risk, not pain relief

New research suggests that sedating patients before a nerve block needed to diagnose or treat chronic pain increases costs, risks and unnecessary surgeries, and sedation does nothing to increase patient satisfaction or long-term pain control.

2014/02/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Restless sleep cause pain in elderly?

Researchers in the U.K. report that non-restorative sleep is the strongest, independent predictor of widespread pain onset among adults over the age of 50.

2014/02/25MEDICAL UPDATE

Breastfeeding reduce pain in preterms?

Effects evaluated in new study published in PAIN.  Poorly managed pain in the neonatal intensive care unit has serious short- and long-term consequences, causing physiological and behavioural instability in preterm infants and long-term changes in their pain sensitivity, stress arousal systems, and developing brains.

2014/02/24MEDICAL UPDATE

New blood cells fight MS brain inflammation

Hyperactivity of our immune system can cause a state of chronic inflammation. If chronic, the inflammation will affect our body and result in disease. In the devastating disease multiple sclerosis, hyperactivity of immune cells called T-cells induce chronic inflammation and degeneration of the brain.

2014/02/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Buprenorphine effective in all elderly age groups

A recent pharmacokinetic study with buprenorphine transdermal patches showed similar systemic exposures of buprenorphine in subjects aged 75 and 50–60 years. The current prospective, open-label study aimed to verify this in a clinical setting by evaluating efficacy and safety of buprenorphine patches in patients with chronic osteoarthritis (OA) pain.

2014/02/20MEDICAL UPDATE

Rejuvenate stem cell population enables muscle recovery

Researchers have pinpointed why normal aging is accompanied by a diminished ability to regain strength and mobility after muscle injury: Over time, stem cells within muscle tissues dedicated to repairing damage become less able to generate new muscle fibers and struggle to self-renew.

2014/02/19MEDICAL UPDATE

Cell therapy shows ability to fight cancer

Genetically modified T cells induced complete remissions in 88 percent of advanced leukemia patients treated.  Investigators have reported more encouraging news about one of the most exciting methods of cancer treatment today. The largest clinical study ever conducted to date of patients with advanced leukemia found that 88 percent achieved complete remissions after being treated with genetically modified versions of their own immune cells. The results were published today in Science Translational Medicine.

2014/02/18MEDICAL UPDATE

Press Release: One-quarter of high risk patients denied anticoagulation after AF ablation

Very good long-term results for Atrial Fibrillation catheter ablation across Europe.  Sophia Antipolis, 18 February 2014: One-quarter of high risk patients do not receive anticoagulants after ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF), according to the latest survey of European practice.

2014/02/18MEDICAL UPDATE

Muscles from fishing line and sewing thread

Researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas have created artificial muscles by twisting and coiling ordinary fishing line.  University of Texas researchers and their international collaborators have made artificial muscles in a variety of sizes from ordinary polymer fishing line.

2014/02/17MEDICAL UPDATE

Flu evolution may change history books

A new study reconstructing the evolutionary tree of flu viruses challenges conventional wisdom and solves some of the mysteries surrounding flu outbreaks of historical significance

2014/02/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Large-scale studies to evaluate testosterone therapy risks

Aging men weighing treatment should be warned about cardiovascular events.  According to a statement issued today by the Endocrine Society, the risks and benefits of testosterone therapy for older men with declining levels of the hormone need to be fully evaluated.

2014/02/13MEDICAL UPDATE

Protein modifies thyroid hormone levels according to body temperature

The thyroid hormone thyroxine, which controls our day-to-day activity and was previously believed to remain at a constant level in the blood, actually fluctuates as a result of a protein which modifies the release of the hormone depending on body temperature, new research reveals. The research was published today, 29 January, in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

2014/02/12MEDICAL UPDATE

Aspirin still over prescribed for stroke prevention in AF

Aspirin is still overprescribed for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation (AF) despite the potential for dangerous side effects, according to research published today.

2014/02/11MEDICAL UPDATE

Caffeine use disorder: A widespread health problem that needs more attention

Caffeine is the most widely used drug, but little is known about helping those who depend on it.  "I'm a zombie without my morning coffee." "My blood type is Diet Coke." "Caffeine isn't a drug, it's a vitamin." Most people make jokes like these about needing a daily boost from their favourite caffeinated beverage—whether first thing in the morning or to prevent the after-lunch slump.

2014/02/10MEDICAL UPDATE

Yogurt probiotics could help women lose weight

Certain probiotics could help women lose weight and keep it off, according to a recent study published in the British Journal of Nutrition by a team of researchers headed by Université Laval Professor Angelo Tremblay.

2014/02/07MEDICAL UPDATE

Press Release: Emerging data from CLL10 presented at ASH suggests Levact® (bendamustine) and rituximab as new treatment option for fit elderly CLL patients

New interim analysis study findings presented for the first time today at the 55th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting in New Orleans suggest bendamustine and rituximab (BR) as a new treatment option for fit elderly patients with advanced Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL)1.

2014/02/07MEDICAL UPDATE

Upper-airway electronic stimulation improves obstructive sleep apnea

by Bruce Sylvester - Mild electronic stimulation therapy during sleep to the upper airway reduces obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) researchers reported in the Jan. 9 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine..

2014/02/06MEDICAL UPDATE

Vitamin D could slow MS progression

For patients in the early stages of multiple sclerosis (MS), low levels of vitamin D were found to strongly predict disease severity and hasten its progression, according to a new study led by Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) investigators in collaboration with Bayer HealthCare.

2014/02/05MEDICAL UPDATE

Soccer fans get FFITer and lose weight

The Football Fans in Training programme (FFIT) has run for three seasons at Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) clubs. The research, led by a team at the University of Glasgow, UK, shows that FFIT has proved extremely popular with men, and its effectiveness and value for money have now been clearly demonstrated in one of the world's first randomised control trial (RCT) of a health programme delivered through professional sports clubs.

2014/02/04MEDICAL UPDATE

Secondhand smoke increases hospital asthma readmission for children

A new study shows that exposure to secondhand smoke at home or in the car dramatically increases the odds of children being readmitted to the hospital within a year of being admitted for asthma.

2014/02/03MEDICAL UPDATE

Melatonin may lower prostate cancer risk

SAN DIEGO — Higher levels of melatonin, a hormone involved in the sleep-wake cycle, may suggest decreased risk for developing advanced prostate cancer, according to results presented here at the AACR-Prostate Cancer Foundation Conference on Advances in Prostate Cancer Research, held Jan. 18-21.

2014/01/31MEDICAL UPDATE

How heart arrhythmia occurs

Researchers have discovered the fundamental biology of calcium waves in relation to heart arrhythmias.  The findings published in  Nature Medicine outlines the discovery of this fundamental physiological process that researchers hope will one day help design molecularly tailored medications that correct the pathophysiology.

2014/01/30MEDICAL UPDATE

Vitamin D supplementation reduces pain in Fibromyalgia

by Bruce Sylvester - Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) patients with low vitamin D can reduce pain by taking supplements, and possibly lower the costs of other drug and non-drug interventions, researchers reported on Jan. 17, 2014 in the journal of PAIN.

2014/01/29MEDICAL UPDATE

Diabetes patients lose vision, and many don’t know why

by Bruce Sylvester - Less than half of Americans with eye damage caused by diabetes are aware of the connection between diabetes and visual impairment, researchers reported online on Dec. 19, 2013 in JAMA Ophthalmology.

2014/01/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Novel approach helps predict outcomes in heart failure

by Bruce Sylvester - Researchers have developed a new method to predicting which patients with heart failure will do well with treatment and which patients will not.

2014/01/27MEDICAL UPDATE

Heart attack damage slashed with micro particle therapy

First therapy to target damage after heart attack could transform field.  After a heart attack, much of the damage to the heart muscle is caused by inflammatory cells that rush to the scene of the oxygen-starved tissue.

2014/01/24MEDICAL UPDATE

Tweaking MRI to track creatine may spot heart problems earlier, Penn Medicine study suggests

Measuring creatine levels with MRI has benefits over contrast-enhanced MRI and MRS.  A new MRI method to map creatine at higher resolutions in the heart may help clinicians and scientists find abnormalities and disorders earlier than traditional diagnostic methods, researchers suggest in a new study published online in Nature Medicine.   The preclinical findings show an advantage over less sensitive tests and point to a safer and more cost-effective approach than those with radioactive or contrasting agents.

2014/01/23MEDICAL UPDATE

Immune system development linked to leukaemia

Our defences against infection can be weaknesses in causing cancer.  Scientists have discovered a genetic signature that implicates a key mechanism in the immune system as a driving force for a type of childhood leukaemia.

2014/01/23MEDICAL UPDATE

Sun lowers your blood pressure

Exposing skin to sunlight may help to reduce blood pressure and thus cut the risk of heart attack and stroke, a study published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology suggests.

2014/01/22MEDICAL UPDATE

It’s all coming back to me now with coffee

For some, it's the tradition of steeping tealeaves to brew the perfect cup of tea. For others, it's the morning shuffle to a coffee maker for a hot jolt of java. Then there are those who like their wake up with the kind of snap and a fizz usually found in a carbonated beverage.

2014/01/22MEDICAL UPDATE

Chocolate could guard against diabetes!

Eating high levels of flavonoids including anthocyanins and other compounds (found in berries, tea, and chocolate) could offer protection from type 2 diabetes - according to research from the University of East Anglia (UEA) and King's College London.

2014/01/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Fit teenagers less likely to have heart attacks in later life

Researchers in Sweden have found an association between a person's fitness as a teenager and their risk of heart attack in later life. In a study of nearly 750,000 men, they found that the more aerobically fit men were in late adolescence, the less likely they were to have a heart attack 30 or 40 years later.

2014/01/20MEDICAL UPDATE

New way to predict prognosis in heart failure patients

Researchers found a novel approach to predict outcomes in heart failure patients by imaging impaired energy metabolism in a diseased heart.  Researchers have identified a new method to determine whether a patient's heart will fail, which in the future may help physicians better treat patients and tailor therapeutic interventions.

2014/01/17MEDICAL UPDATE

Value of CAC in predicting heart attack, stroke

Coronary artery calcium testing trumps cholesterol levels, high blood pressure and other risk factors in predicting heart attacks and deaths.

2014/01/16MEDICAL UPDATE

Information as important as medication in migraine pain

Findings also show that patients report pain relief even when they know they are receiving a placebo.

2014/01/15MEDICAL UPDATE

Ketamine acts as antidepressant by boosting serotonin

PET molecular imaging of the brain reveals that ketamine may act as an antidepressant by boosting serotonin activity in brain areas involved in motivation.

2014/01/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Stem cell therapy in Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma has limited benefit

by Bruce Sylvester - While early stem cell transplantation in patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma does not improve overall survival in intermediate/high-risk patients, early transplantation appears to be benefit a small group of high-risk patients, researchers reported on Oct. on Oct 30, 2013 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

2014/01/13MEDICAL UPDATE

Bariatric surgery linked to premature birth and small birthweight

by Bruce Sylvester - Women who have undergone bariatric surgery are more likely to give birth to premature babies and to babies who are small for gestational age, researchers reported in the British Medical Journal on Nov. 12, 2013.  

2014/01/10MEDICAL UPDATE

FDA Highlights: Prophylactic anastrozole reduces breast cancer development by 53 percent among high risk women

by Bruce Sylvester - Prophylactic use of the breast cancer drug anastrozole for five years reduced by 53% the development of breast cancer in post-menopausal women at high risk for the disease, researchers  reported in the Lancet on Dec.12, 2013.

2014/01/09MEDICAL UPDATE

FDA Highlights: Gabapentin appears to be safe and effective for alcohol dependence therapy

by Bruce Sylvester - Gabapentin, a treatment for epilepsy and neuropathic pain, appears to be safe and effective for treating alcohol dependence, researchers reported in JAMA Internal Medicine on November 4, 2013.

2014/01/08MEDICAL UPDATE

FDA Highlights: Abatacept shows efficacy for Glomerulosclerosis

by Bruce Sylvester - Abatacept, an FDA-approved treatment of rheumatoid arthritis could become the first targeted therapy for focal segmental glomerulosclerosis glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), a condition that usually causes kidney failure, researchers Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston reported online on Nov. 8  in the New England Journal of Medicine.

2014/01/08MEDICAL UPDATE

Change concept of harm reduction in alcohol policy

A new policy paper by a University of York academic calls for limits on the influence of the drinks industry in shaping alcohol policy because it has a 'fundamental conflict of interest'.

2014/01/07MEDICAL UPDATE

Drug could diminish psychotic symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease

by Bruce Sylvester - An investigative drug could offer the first safe and effective treatment for psychotic symptoms that affect about half of people with Parkinson's disease, researchers reported in the Oct. 31, 2013 issue of the Lancet

2014/01/06MEDICAL UPDATE

Heartburn and ulcer treatments connected to Vitamin B12 deficiency

by Bruce Sylvester - Long-term treatment with some prescription heartburn and ulcer medications appears to be related to an increased risk of vitamin B12 deficiency, researchers reported on Dec. 10, 2013 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

2014/01/03MEDICAL UPDATE

Diflunisal shows efficacy in treating Amyloidosis

by Bruce Sylvester - Diflunisal, a generic anti-inflammatory drug, appears to reduce neurological decline and preserve quality-of-life in patients with familial transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR).

2014/01/03MEDICAL UPDATE

Tinnitus discovery opens door to possible new treatment avenues

Disruption of timing from sensory nerves underlies 'ringing in the ears' that plagues millions, including many veterans.

2014/01/02MEDICAL UPDATE

MRSA strain gained dominance with help from skin bacteria

Scientists believe they have an explanation for how the most common strain of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) rapidly rose to prominence.

2013/12/31MEDICAL UPDATE

Do patients in a vegetative state recognise loved ones?

Patients in a vegetative state are awake, breathe on their own, and seem to go in and out of sleep. But they do not respond to what is happening around them and exhibit no signs of conscious awareness. With communication impossible, friends and family are left wondering if the patients even know they are there.

2013/12/30MEDICAL UPDATE

Jekyll into Hyde: Breathing auto emissions turns HDL cholesterol from ‘good’ to ‘bad’

Academic researchers have found that breathing motor vehicle emissions triggers a change in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, altering its cardiovascular protective qualities so that it actually contributes to clogged arteries.

2013/12/27MEDICAL UPDATE

Why kids breathe easier in summer

Tel Aviv University researchers find winter viruses may be behind sleep-disordered breathing spike in children.

2013/12/24MEDICAL UPDATE

Inflammatory on and off switch identified for allergic asthma and COPD

New research in The FASEB Journal suggests that two receptors of leukotriene B4, BLT1 and BLT2, actually play opposite roles in inflammation, suggesting new drug targets and strategies for treatment.

2013/12/23MEDICAL UPDATE

Young children with asthma visit emergency department most often

New research from a University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital (UH Rainbow) study found that children ages 1 to 3 years accounted for one-fifth of all emergency department (ED) visits caused by complications from asthma, representing the highest proportion of visits among asthma patients under age 21.

2013/12/20MEDICAL UPDATE

COPD increases risk of developing cerebral microbleeds

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with an increased risk of developing cerebral microbleeds, according to a new study from researchers in the Netherlands. Cerebral microbleeds are a marker of cerebral small vessel disease, an important cause of age-related disability and cognitive decline.

2013/12/20MEDICAL UPDATE

Holiday health: Asthma with a side of allergies

Asthma sufferers allergic to cats doubles, making holiday travel challenging.

2013/12/19MEDICAL UPDATE

Severe asthma patients less responsive to treatment

People with severe asthma, who are often described as 'steroid-dependent', are actually less likely to respond to the treatment they depend on, when compared to people with mild asthma.

2013/12/19MEDICAL UPDATE

Novel gene variant found in severe childhood asthma

CHOP genomics expert co-leads study, points to role in cell signaling, immune response.

2013/12/18MEDICAL UPDATE

Torture permanently damages normal perception of pain

Israeli soldiers captured during the 1973 Yom Kippur War were subjected to brutal torture in Egypt and Syria. Held alone in tiny, filthy spaces for weeks or months, sometimes handcuffed and blindfolded, they suffered severe beatings, burns, electric shocks, starvation, and worse. And rather than receiving treatment, additional torture was inflicted on existing wounds.

2013/12/18MEDICAL UPDATE

Pleasure and pain brain signals disrupted in fibromyalgia patients

New research indicates that a disruption of brain signals for reward and punishment contributes to increased pain sensitivity, known as hyperalgesia, in fibromyalgia patients.

2013/12/17MEDICAL UPDATE

Brain imaging reveals dynamic changes caused by pain medicines

Study suggests role for brain imaging to create personalized treatment of chronic pain

2013/12/17MEDICAL UPDATE

Dreading pain can be worse than pain itself

Faced with inevitable pain, most people choose to "get it out of the way" as soon as possible, according to research published this week in PLOS Computational Biology. In the study, participants chose between real painful stimuli in the form of electric shocks, and imagined painful dental appointments occurring at different times in the future.

2013/12/16MEDICAL UPDATE

Pandemic of untreated cancer pain due to over-regulation of pain medicines

A ground-breaking international collaborative survey, published today in Annals of Oncology, shows that more than half of the world's population live in countries where regulations that aim to stem drug misuse leave cancer patients without access to opioid medicines for managing cancer pain.

2013/12/16MEDICAL UPDATE

Validate tool for pain assessment in cardiac surgery

How do you measure the pain of a patient who can't communicate? A Rhode Island Hospital researcher studied an observational pain scale in cardiac surgery patients, and found that the Critical-Care Pain Observation Tool (CPOT) provided an accurate measure of a patient's pain level.

2013/12/13MEDICAL UPDATE

Picturing pain could lead to better treatments

Understanding the science behind pain, from a simple "ouch" to the chronic and excruciating, has been an elusive goal for centuries. But now, researchers are reporting a promising step toward studying pain in action.

2013/12/13MEDICAL UPDATE

Exercise can reduce drug-related joint pain in breast cancer patients

A study by Dr. Jennifer Ligibel, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (pictured), shows exercise can reduce drug-related joint pain in breast cancer patients.

2013/12/06MEDICAL UPDATE

Over half of nonsurgical patients in USA are prescribed opioids during hospitalisations

by Bruce Sylvester - A new analysis of over 1 million hospital admissions in US hospitals revealed that over half of all nonsurgical patients were prescribed opioids during their hospitalizations, many at high doses, and over half of opioid-treated patients were receiving such medications when they were discharged.

2013/12/05MEDICAL UPDATE

Diabetes ups risk and mortality of breast and colon cancer

by Bruce Sylvester - Diabetic patients have an increased risk of developing breast and colon cancer and an increased risk of death from these cancers, researchers reported on Sept. 27, 2013 at 2013 European Cancer Congress (ECC2013).

2013/12/04MEDICAL UPDATE

Flu shot halves heart attack and stroke risk among persons with a heart attack history

by Bruce Sylvester - A routine flu vaccine appears to lower the risk of heart attack or stroke by more than 50 per cent among persons who have had a heart attack, researchers reported on Oct. 22, 2013 in JAMA, the  Journal of the American Medical Association.

2013/12/03MEDICAL UPDATE

Yoga beneficial in COPD

Patients with COPD have trouble pushing used air out of their lungs, making it difficult to take in healthy new air. Although there is no cure for COPD, a patient's quality of life can be improved by controlling symptoms, such as shortness of breath.

2013/12/03MEDICAL UPDATE

Novel agent shows promise for non-small cell lung cancer

by Bruce Sylvester - Researchers report that an experimental cancer drug which has shown efficacy in  treating melanoma also shows promise  in treating non-small cell lung cancer, a leading cause of cancer death among men and women worldwide.

2013/12/02MEDICAL UPDATE

Poster Session at ECC 2013 – Circulating tumour cell counts in advanced and metastatic colorectal cancer by immunomagnetic labelling: Results reflect the reality?

Solange M Sanches et al, AC Camargo Cancer Center, São Paulo, Brazil.

2013/12/02MEDICAL UPDATE

Poster Session at ECC 2013 – Younger patients at high risk

Discussion of the abstract by Dr Christopher Lieu, MD, Assistant professor at the University of Colorado.  Younger patients with colorectal cancer that has spread (metastasised) to other parts of the body represent a high-risk group that is less likely to respond to anti-cancer treatments.

2013/11/29MEDICAL UPDATE

Poster Session at ECC 2013 – How to endure life during treatment for colorectal cancer

Birgitte Pedersen et al, Vejle Hospital, Denmark.  Patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) face huge challenges in their everyday lives as a result of their condition and treatments.

2013/11/29MEDICAL UPDATE

Poster Session at ECC 2013 – Screening in colorectal cancer works

Discussion of the abstract by Professor Philippe Autier, Vice President, Population Studies, at the International Prevention Research Institute, Lyon, France.

2013/11/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Poster Session at ECC 2013 – Biology of the tumour key to treatment

Discussion of the abstract by Dr Zoran Gatalica, Adjunct Professor of Pathology at Creighton University School of Medicine .

2013/11/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Poster Session at ECCO 2013 – Aspirin unmasks tumour cells

Oral discussion of abstract by Professor Naredi, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.   Researchers believe they have discovered how aspirin improves survival in patients diagnosed with colon cancer. 

2013/11/27MEDICAL UPDATE

ECC 2013 Report: Joint ECCO/BDA Special Session: Accelerating patient access to innovative drugs in Europe

by Peter Mas Mollinedo - Improvements in diagnostics and medical treatments mean the number of patients living with cancer is increasing around the world. The World Health Organization is expecting the rate of cancer to increase by 50% to 15 million new cases in 2020.

2013/11/27MEDICAL UPDATE

ECC 2013 Report – Role of aggressive surgery for peritoneal metastases

by Peter Mas Mollinedo reporting on the presentation by Dominique Elias, Gustave-Roussy Institute, Paris, France.  - Aggressive complete cytoreductive surgery (CCRS) in combination with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is the recommended treatment option for peritoneal metastases (PMs) of pseudomyxoma and mesothelioma origin, and should be considered in patients with PMs of colorectal origin.

2013/11/27MEDICAL UPDATE

ECC 2013 Report: Gastrointestinal malignancies – colorectal cancer

LM Wiltink, Leiden University Medical Center, the Netherlands; Hans-Joachim Schmoll, Martin Luther University Halle – Wittenberg, Germany.  A unique 14-year follow-up study from the universities of Leiden in the Netherlands and Aarhus in Denmark shows that although radiation therapy prior to excision of CRC reduces the risk of local recurrence, patients pay a considerable price in terms of long-term quality of life.

2013/11/26MEDICAL UPDATE

CHAMPION PHOENIX Trial

Report from the (TCT) Scientific Symposium, 27 October - 1 November, San Francisco. Anti-clotting agent helps reduce the risk of intraprocedural events during percutaneous coronary intervention.

2013/11/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Corevalve reduces rate of death and stroke in aortic stenosis

Report from the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) Scientific Symposium, 27 October - 1 November, San Francisco.  In a clinical trial, a self-expanding transcatheter aortic valve met the key performance objective of reducing death and stroke in patients with severe aortic stenosis at “extreme risk” for surgery.

2013/11/25MEDICAL UPDATE

SORT-OUT VI Trial newer generation drug-eluting stents vs biocompatible and biodegradable polymers

Report from the (TCT) Scientific Symposium, 27 October - 1 November, San Francisco.  A new study found that both drug-eluting stents (DES) with biocompatible polymers and DES with biodegradable polymers were associated with low major adverse coronary events, demonstrating the non-inferiority of the biocompatible polymer stents in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

2013/11/25MEDICAL UPDATE

Atherosclerosis in HIV patients linked to infection, not treatment

Report from the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) Scientific Symposium, 27 October - 1 November, San Francisco.   Length of infection increases risk for atherosclerosis.  HIV infection, not antiretroviral therapy (ART), is associated with risk for atherosclerosis in patients with no history of smoking, particularly those infected for eight years or more.

2013/11/22MEDICAL UPDATE

Results of the TRYTON trial

Report from the (TCT) Scientific Symposium, 27 October - 1 November, San Francisco.  Clinical trial finds that a strategy of using of a bare metal stent in the side branch for true bifurcation coronary lesions is safe, but does not meet non-inferiority endpoint compared to provisional stenting.

2013/11/22MEDICAL UPDATE

Therapeutic hypothermia is safe and feasible

Report from the (TCT) Scientific Symposium, 27 October - 1 November, San Francisco.   A clinical trial shows that rapidly cooling patients who have suffered ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI, the most serious form of a heart attack) prior to restoring blood flow is safe and feasible.

2013/11/22MEDICAL UPDATE

Pre-hospital bivalirudin improves outcomes vs heparin

Report from the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) Scientific Symposium, 27 October - 1 November, San Francisco.   Results of the EUROMAX trial presented at TCT 2013; findings simultaneously published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

2013/11/21MEDICAL UPDATE

ACR/ARHP 2013 Report – Triple DMARDs tops methotrexate in early rheumatoid arthritis

by Bruce Sylvester - Combined use of three DMARDs (disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs) for recent-onset rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is more effective than methotrexate monotherapy, researchers reported at the American College of Rheumatology 2013 Annual Scientific Meeting.

2013/11/20MEDICAL UPDATE

ACR/ARHP 2013 Report – Aggressive combination treatment is more effective in juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) undergoing early and aggressive combination drug  therapy  achieve clinical inactive disease more quickly than with less aggressive therapy, researchers reported at  the American College of Rheumatology 2013 Annual Meeting.

2013/11/19MEDICAL UPDATE

ACR/ARHP 2013 Report – Early and aggressive DMARD treatment improves outcomes in psoriatic arthritis

Treatment of psoriatic arthritis with early, aggressive pharmacologic intervention with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) while utilizing a a treat-to-target approach achieves  better outcomes than  standard care,  researchers reported  at the American College of Rheumatology 2013 Annual Meeting.

2013/11/19MEDICAL UPDATE

ACR/ARHP 2013 Report – Anti-TNF therapy lowers risk of acute coronary syndrome in rheumatoid arthritis

by Bruce Sylvester - Anti-TNF treatment reduces risk of acute coronary syndrome, like heart attacks and angina, in rheumatoid arthritis patients, researchers reported at the American College of Rheumatology 2013 Annual Meeting.

2013/11/18MEDICAL UPDATE

Smoking cessation drugs do not increase suicide/self-harm risk

by Bruce Sylvester - taken from the BMJ - British Medical Journal - Patients prescribed the smoking cessation drugs varenicline and buproprian are not at an increased risk of suicide, self-harm and depression compared with users of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) researchers reported on Oct. 11, 2013 in the British Medical Journal (BMJ).

2013/11/18MEDICAL UPDATE

Drug combo effective for currently untreatable Hepatitis C

by Bruce Sylvester - taken from The Lancet - An investigative, single-pill combination drug shows efficacy for treating patients with the most difficult-to-treat types of hepatitis C, researchers reported on Nov. 5, 2013 in The Lancet.

2013/11/15MEDICAL UPDATE

Metoclopramide treatment for nausea during pregnancy is not associated with increased risk of major malformations or stillbirth

by Bruce Sylvester - taken from JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association - A retrospective analysis of data on Danish women exposed to the nausea medication metoclopramide in pregnancy shows that the drug is not associated with a significantly increased risk of major congenital malformations, spontaneous abortion, and stillbirth.

2013/11/15MEDICAL UPDATE

Survival in advanced pancreatic cancer significantly improved with nab-paclitaxel

by Bruce Sylvester - taken from the NEJM (New England Journal of Medicine) - Addition of nab-paclitaxel to gemcitabine for treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer has resulted in significantly higher survival among patients when compared to those who received gemcitabine monotherapy.

2013/11/15MEDICAL UPDATE

ECC 2013: Late Breaking Clinical Trials: ASPECCT

by Esther Drain reporting on the presentation by Dr Timothy Price - A randomized, multicenter, open-label, phase 3 study of panitumumab (pmab) vs cetuximab (cmab) for previously treated wild-type (WT) KRAS metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).  Dr Timothy Price, University of Adelaide, Australia.

2013/11/15MEDICAL UPDATE

ECC 2013: Late Breaking Clinical Trials: EXPERT-C Trial results

Report by Esther Drain - Cetuximab resulted in a significant improvement in survival in TP53 WT, high-risk Rectal Cancer.

2013/11/14MEDICAL UPDATE

FDA Highlights: Adalimumab reduces inflammation in refractory pediatric uveitis

Investigators reported on Oct. 22 in the Journal of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS)  that treatment with adalimumab may be effective for patients with steroid-resistant refractory pediatric uveitis.

2013/11/13MEDICAL UPDATE

Video Interview: Professor Lenz and Professor Heinemann explain how they see biomarker testing in mCRC developing in practice following discussions at the ECC

2013/11/13MEDICAL UPDATE

FDA Highlights: Gum inflammation in heart disease patients reduced by statin use

by Bruce Sylvester - Cholesterol lowering statin therapy appears to also reduce inflammation associated with gum disease, researchers reported on Oct. 2, 2013 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

2013/11/12MEDICAL UPDATE

FDA Highlights: Flu vaccine linked to reduction in ensuing cardiovascular events

by Bruce Sylvester - A newly published meta-analysis suggests that influenza vaccination lowers the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events like heart failure or hospitalization for heart attack, and the greatest protective effect appeared among patients with recent acute coronary syndrome (ACS), such as heart attack or unstable angina.

2013/11/11MEDICAL UPDATE

1 in 4 patients with addictions have undiagnosed ADHD

People with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are more vulnerable to developing an addictive disorder.

2013/11/08MEDICAL UPDATE

Psoriasis patients should be screened for CVD

World Psoriasis Day is 29 October 2013.  World Psoriasis Day is held today with the theme “Global access to treatment” to highlight the fact that more than 125 million people have psoriasis but not all have access to treatment.

2013/11/07MEDICAL UPDATE

Gardening cuts heart risk by 30 percent

These activities as good as exercise because they decrease total sedentary time.  A spot of DIY or gardening can cut the risk of a heart attack/stroke and prolong life by as much as 30 per cent among the 60+ age group, indicates research published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

2013/11/06MEDICAL UPDATE

Press Release: EFIC 2013: Smoking might influence pain tolerance

Smokers and former smokers show a lower pain tolerance than people who have never smoked, according to a Norwegian study based on experimental pain induced by cold water. It was presented at the Congress of the European Pain Federation EFIC in Florence. A study from Scotland has demonstrated a link between pain sensitivity, smoking and depression.

2013/11/05MEDICAL UPDATE

Press Release: EFIC 2013: Pain patients show strong response to placebo

Chronic pain patients show a strong placebo effect. Positive earlier experience with pain medication appears to play an important role in this context.These were the findings of a German study presented at the EFIC Congress in Florence.

2013/11/04MEDICAL UPDATE

Press Release: EFIC 2013: Social rejection reinforces the sensation of pain

Social rejection and marginalisation do not only cause emotional pain but also show impact on sensory dimensions of physical pain. This is demonstrated by a new study from Portugal, which was presented at the Congress of the European Pain Federation EFIC in Florence.

2013/11/01MEDICAL UPDATE

Foetus listening to music may boost hearing

Prenatal music exposure leads to long-lasting changes in the brain after birth.  Playing music while you're pregnant may influence your child's auditory system, according to new research published in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Eino Partanen and colleagues at the University of Helsinki.

2013/11/01MEDICAL UPDATE

Press Release: EFIC 2013: Chronic pain patients make extensive use of the Internet, but quality of websites only ‘moderate’

A large majority of chronic pain patients makes extensive use of the Internet to search for information about their condition, and many go back to their physician to discuss what they have found out, according to a Swiss study presented at the Congress of the European Pain Federation EFIC in Florence.

2013/10/31MEDICAL UPDATE

Press Release: EFIC 2013: UK Study: Pain is less intense when you are hungry

Pain is more intense after a meal than when hungry, according to a University of Liverpool study presented at the Congress of the European Pain Federation EFIC in Florence. The mechanism appears to be a “competition" between the eating drive and pain in cortical processes.

2013/10/31MEDICAL UPDATE

Press Release: EFIC 2013: Partners of pain sufferers shoulder a heavy burden

The spouses of people suffering from chronic pain not only face an elevated risk of developing pain themselves. There is also a relationship between symptoms of helplessness, anxiety and depression in pain sufferers and in their caregivers. These points are highlighted by a number of studies presented at the Congress of the European Pain Federation EFIC in Florence.

2013/10/30MEDICAL UPDATE

FDA Highlights: Meta-analysis suggests statins could prevent dementia and memory loss

by Bruce Sylvester - A new meta-analysis of clinical trials evaluating the use of statin medications to prevent heart attacks suggests that the drugs do not threaten short-term memory and might protect against dementia when used over one year.  The findings appear in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings posted online on October 1, 2013

2013/10/30MEDICAL UPDATE

Video Interview: Dr Emma Briggs on what to say to a patient presenting symptoms of chronic pain

2013/10/29MEDICAL UPDATE

Video Interview: Dr. Andreas Kopf talks about the APPEAL Study

2013/10/29MEDICAL UPDATE

Video Interview: Dr. Emma Briggs on the next steps for the APPEAL Study

2013/10/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Video Interview: Dr. Andreas Kopf on what to say to a patient with chronic pain

2013/10/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Press Release: EFIC 2013: Pain and gender: Men and women differ in the way they percieve and cope with pain

In part, women and men differ from each other considerably not only in the way they perceive and cope with pain and in various comorbidities. Therapies can also have different effects depending on gender. A number of studies reported on at the Congress of the European Pain Federation EFIC in Florence pointed out gender differences regarding pain.

2013/10/25MEDICAL UPDATE

COPD increases risk of developing cerebral microbleeds

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with an increased risk of developing cerebral microbleeds, according to a new study. Cerebral microbleeds are a marker of cerebral small vessel disease, an important cause of age-related disability and cognitive decline.

2013/10/25MEDICAL UPDATE

Video Interview: Dr. Emma Briggs on the APPEAL Irish data

2013/10/25MEDICAL UPDATE

Video Interview: Dr. Emma Briggs summaries the results of the APPEAL Study

2013/10/25MEDICAL UPDATE

Dr. Emma Briggs describes the APPEAL Study

2013/10/24MEDICAL UPDATE

ESOT 2013: Outcomes with tacrolimus-based immunosuppression after kidney transplantation with standard or extended-criteria donor organs: the OSAKA study

Bernhard Banas, Regensburg, Germany - Prolonged-release tacrolimus administered once-daily provides high rates of graft survival and reduction in biopsy-confirmed acute rejection (BCAR), with a manageable tolerability profile, in patients who receive kidney transplantations from extended-criteria (ECD) donors.

2013/10/24MEDICAL UPDATE

ESOT 2013: LATE-BREAKING SESSION: Preserving renal function with prolonged-release tacrolimus-based immunosuppression in de novo liver transplantation: initial results from the DIAMOND study

by Pavel Trunečka, Prague, Czech Republic - Starting on a low dose of prolonged-release, once-daily tacrolimus after liver transplantation achieved better renal function and a significantly lower risk of acute rejection over 24 weeks than starting on a standard dose of once-daily tacrolimus, either immediately post-transplant or after a five-day delay.

2013/10/23MEDICAL UPDATE

ESOT 2013 Report – Retransplantation of abdominal organs

Re-transplantation is the only option available for salvaging a failed abdominal graft. As the outcomes after primary transplantations continue to improve, even with the increasing use of extended-criteria donors, the demand for re-transplantation is set to increase.

2013/10/23MEDICAL UPDATE

ESOT 2013 Report – Growing organs and growing old in transplantation: Artificial organs

Heinrich Schima, Vienna, Austria - In the last decades, ventricular-assist devices (VADs) – artificial hearts – have gone from pioneering experiments to offering a real alternative to heart transplantation for a large proportion of patients on the waiting list.

2013/10/22MEDICAL UPDATE

ESOT 2013 Report – Managing infectious complications in transplant recipients

Invasive microbial infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in organ transplantation patients. The satellite symposia sponsored by Astellas Pharma at ESOT 2013 discussed the challenge of managing candidaemia and Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in transplant recipients.

2013/10/21MEDICAL UPDATE

ESOT 2013 Report – Pushing the limit in clinical science

by Peter Friend, Oxford, UK - The 16th ESOT Congress in Vienna 2013 was one of ESOT’s most comprehensive arrangements to date, with more than 3,500 attendees and exhibitors from all over the world.

2013/10/21MEDICAL UPDATE

ESOT 2013 Report – Academic, industrial and regulatory barriers to progress in transplant immunosuppression

Randall Morris, San Francisco, USA - Failure to make therapeutic progress is a real challenge in the transplantation field. On the face of it, the goals set up by clinicians for themselves and their patients – to develop safer and more effective means to increase the number of transplantations and recipient survival, at less effort and cost – should be achievable in the modern era.

2013/10/18MEDICAL UPDATE

ESOT 2013 Report – Joint Session ESOT & IPTA: Tackling the transition

Richard Trompeter, London, UK; Jo Wray, London, UK; Lorraine Bell, Montreal, Canada - The transition from paediatric to adult transplantation services is a major challenge for adolescent transplant recipients which may have a dramatic impact on adherence, quality of life, and in the longer term, clinical outcomes and treatment costs.

2013/10/18MEDICAL UPDATE

ESOT 2013 Report – Fantastic transplantations or transplantation fantasies? The new frontiers of abdominal organ transplantation

Andreas Tzakis , Weston, USA  - Advances in vascular reconstruction techniques in recent years has transformed the concept of multi-visceral or cluster transplantations from the very forefront of surgery to routine procedures with excellent long-term outcomes.

2013/10/17MEDICAL UPDATE

ESOT 2013 Report – Who needs tolerance in the age of immunosuppression minimization?

Reducing or eliminating the need for chronic immunosuppressive therapy by inducing tolerance in the recipient immune system would have an astounding impact on clinical practice and scientists all over the world are working tirelessly to find the ‘magic bullet’ immunotolerance protocol .

2013/10/17MEDICAL UPDATE

ESOT 2013 Report – Today’s patients, tomorrow’s outcomes: how can we manage risk factors to improve graft survival in renal transplantation?

by Maria Dalby - Kidney transplants could in principle last forever – the common assumption that kidney transplants inevitably deteriorate and fail is not supported by the latest evidence.

2013/10/16MEDICAL UPDATE

ESOT 2013 Report – DSA in 2013: What is it? How do we prevent it? How do we manage it?

by Maria Dalby - Donor-specific anti-human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies, or DSAs, have emerged in recent years as one of the most important factors for predicting the outcome of solid organ transplantations.

2013/10/16MEDICAL UPDATE

Video Interview: Can you describe the incidence and effect Asthma has in Ireland on the health service?

2013/10/15MEDICAL UPDATE

Highlights from the 2013 European Society for Organ Transplantation (ESOT) meeting in Vienna

by Mr Nizam Mamode (pictured) - This year’s European Society for Organ Transplantation meeting, held in Vienna, saw a concerted attempt at providing a high quality congress for those who sought an alternative to the long flight west for the American Transplant Congress.

2013/10/14MEDICAL UPDATE

ERS Report 2013 – Road traffic pollution increases risk of death for bronchiectasis patients

Living close to a busy road is associated with a higher risk of death in people with bronchiectasis.  A new study, presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Annual Congress in Barcelona has added to the growing body of evidence demonstrating the damaging effects of road-side pollution.

2013/10/11MEDICAL UPDATE

Press Release – Future doctors unprepared to manage pain – one of the most common problems they will encounter in clinical practice, expert group warns

First ever Europe-wide study reveals that even when undergraduate medical students take a compulsory course on pain, they still only receive on average 12 hours’ training

2013/10/11MEDICAL UPDATE

Press Release – Halaven® data presented at ECCO 2013

17th ECCO – 38th ESMO – 32nd ESTRO - European Cancer Congress, Amsterdam RAI, 27 Sept – 1 Oct 2013. Eribulin represents a novel class of antineoplastic agents which targets the microtubule during a critical stage of the cell division process. Eribulin is licensed for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer in patients who have progressed after at least two chemotherapeutic regimens for advanced disease, and whose previous treatment has included included an anthracycline and a taxane.

2013/10/11MEDICAL UPDATE

ERS Report 2013 -1 in 10 of all deaths in Europe and cost EU countries at least 400 billion Euros annually; deaths due to lung cancer and COPD projected to increase

A major new publication from the European Respiratory Society (ERS) ahead of its annual congress, shows that lung conditions are responsible for 1 in 10 of all deaths across Europe, with deaths due to lung cancer and COPD predicted to rise over the coming decades.

2013/10/11MEDICAL UPDATE

ERS Report 2013 – First trial to compare e-cigarettes with nicotine patches shows comparable success in helping smokers to quit

The first ever trial to compare e-cigarettes with nicotine patches has found that both methods result in comparable success in quitting, with roughly similar proportions of smokers who used either method remaining abstinent from smoking for six months after a 13 week course of patches or e-cigarettes.

2013/10/10MEDICAL UPDATE

ERS Report 2013 – Severe asthma patients less responsive to treatment

European asthma project sheds light on the characteristics of a poorly understood condition.  People with severe asthma, who are often described as 'steroid-dependent', are actually less likely to respond to the treatment they depend on, when compared to people with mild asthma.

2013/10/10MEDICAL UPDATE

ERS Report 2013 – Singing Doctor increase asthma awareness video

A doctor from the UK has shown how an innovative music video can help increase awareness of how to treat asthma.  Dr Tapas Mukherjee, from Glenfield Hospital in the UK, produced and starred in a music video to draw attention to new guidelines showing a better way of managing asthma.

2013/10/09MEDICAL UPDATE

ERS Report 2013 – Sleep apnoea linked with increased risk of cancer death

Sleep apnoea severity has been associated with increased cancer mortality in a new study.

2013/10/09MEDICAL UPDATE

ERS Report 2013 – Every hour one person dies of Asthma in Western Europe

Asthma is still a serious public health issue affecting approximately 30 million people in Western Europe at a cost of around 17.7 billion Euro. There are efficacious treatments available that have been proven in clinical trials however real world treatment of asthma is still sub-optimal.

2013/10/08MEDICAL UPDATE

Inhaled corticosteroids increase risk of Pneumonia

by Bruce Sylvester - Investigators suggest caution in prescribing inhaled corticosteroids to high-risk patients such as pneumonia survivors, after their research shows a twofold risk for repeat infection.

2013/10/07MEDICAL UPDATE

Predicting who will have chronic pain

Abnormalities in brain axons predispose people to chronic back pain after injury.  Abnormalities in the structure of the brain predispose people to develop chronic pain after a lower back injury, according to new research. The findings could lead to changes in the way physicians treat patients' pain.

2013/10/06MEDICAL UPDATE

Press Release: EFIC 2013: Self-concern affects attitudes on Euthanasia

Physicians and nursing staff show relatively high support for euthanasia when asked abstractly whether they would wish it for themselves if they had a lethal illness.However, only a small percentage can imagine being involved in euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide for their own patients.

2013/10/04MEDICAL UPDATE

Abdominal pain in childhood was associated with anxiety disorder

Functional abdominal pain in childhood was associated with anxiety disorder and depression in teens and young adults, even if the stomach pain went away, a longitudinal study showed.

2013/10/04MEDICAL UPDATE

Does chronic pain affect a spouse’s sleep?

Research suggests that a patient's chronic pain affects a spouse's emotional well-being and marital satisfaction. In a novel study of behavioral health outcomes published in the journal PAIN®, researchers examined the effects of patients' daily knee osteoarthritis pain on their spouses' nightly sleep.

2013/10/03MEDICAL UPDATE

Weekly yoga class yields similar lower back pain relief as 2 classes

Weekly yoga class yields similar lower back pain relief as twice weekly classes for low-income minority patients.

2013/10/02MEDICAL UPDATE

Pain control in children with cerebral palsy

New study encourages pediatricians to treat the cause, not the symptoms.

2013/10/01MEDICAL UPDATE

Uncovering a healthier remedy for chronic pain

Physicians and patients who are wary of addiction to pain medication and opioids may soon have a healthier and more natural alternative.

2013/09/30MEDICAL UPDATE

ESC 2013 Report – Statins may protect against dementia and cataracts

Statins might help prevent dementia and cataracts, according to two studies.

2013/09/30MEDICAL UPDATE

Integrative medicine interventions found to significantly reduce pain, improve quality of life

New study points to sustainable effects of patient-centered care.

2013/09/27MEDICAL UPDATE

Codeine could increase users’ sensitivity to pain

Using large and frequent doses of the pain-killer codeine may actually produce heightened sensitivity to pain, without the same level of relief offered by morphine, according to new research from the University of Adelaide.

2013/09/27MEDICAL UPDATE

Discussant Report from the ESC Congress 2013 – SAVOR TIMI 53 Trial

by Michel Komajda (pictured right) - DPP4 inhibitors are a new class of glucose lowering agents which act on the incretin pathway. 

2013/09/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Mortality increased by 58% in first-line Sulfonylurea therapy for Type 2 Diabetes

by Bruce Sylvester - Research presented on September 26, 2013 the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) annual meeting in Barcelona, Spain, indicates that type 2 diabetes patients receiving first-line sulfonylurea treatment have significantly higher mortality than those receiving metformin.

2013/09/26MEDICAL UPDATE

ESC Report 2013 – Alogliptin treatment shows no increase cardiovascular risk in Acute Coronary Syndrome

by Bruce Sylvester - Alogliptin treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes and with high cardiovascular risk due to recent acute coronary syndromes has led to similar rates of cardiovascular events as placebo treatment,  according to results of the Examination of Cardiovascular Outcomes with Alogliptin versus Standard of Care (EXAMINE) trial presented in Amsterdam on Sept 2, 2013 at the European Society of Cardiology Congress.

2013/09/26MEDICAL UPDATE

ESC 2013 Report – Infections cause lower proportion of lead extractions than expected

Infections cause a lower proportion of lead extractions than expected, according to preliminary results from the ELECTRa Registry presented at ESC by Dr Maria Grazia Bongiorni from Italy.

2013/09/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Presentation from the ESC Congress 2013 – SAVOR-TIMI 53 Trial

by Deepak Bhatt (pictured right), Other authors: Dr. Benjamin M. Scirica, USA; Prof. Eugene Braunwald, USA; Prof. Itamar Raz, Israel; on behalf of the SAVOR-TIMI 53 Steering Committee and Investigators.

2013/09/25MEDICAL UPDATE

ESC 2013 Report – Low BMI is a risk factor for CVD in hypertensive patients with diabetes

Low BMI is a risk factor for CVD in hypertensive patients with diabetes, according to research presented at the ESC Congress today by Dr Takanori Nagahiro from Japan. The findings provide evidence for an obesity paradox in hypertensive patients with glucose intolerance.

2013/09/25MEDICAL UPDATE

ESC Report 2013 – Colchicine effective in acute pericarditis

The anti-inflammatory agent colchicine -- used mostly in the treatment of gout -- appears to be effective for treating acute pericarditis and in preventing recurrences of the condition, researchers reported here.

2013/09/25MEDICAL UPDATE

Opioid use increases without improvements in treatment of pain

by Bruce Sylvester - Researchers report that, after a decade when prescription opioid use has grown dramatically, identification and treatment of pain has not improved, and, notably, the use of non-opioid analgesics has leveled out.

2013/09/24MEDICAL UPDATE

Key Highlights from the ESC Congress 2013

Some of the most important studies presented at ESC Congress 2013, included : HOKUSAI-VTE: The oral anticoagulant edoxaban for the treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE) resulted in equal efficacy and better safety compared to standard warfarin, when either drug was used with initial low molecular weight heparin (LMWH)

2013/09/24MEDICAL UPDATE

ESC 2013 Report – ACCOAST – Pretreatment with prasugrel before angiography did not improve outcomes and worsened bleeding

Among patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (ACS), pretreatment with prasugrel before angiography did not improve outcomes and worsened bleeding, a randomized trial showed.

2013/09/23MEDICAL UPDATE

ESC 2013 Report – Neither up nor down: Two big trials of DPP-4 inhibitors meet non-inferiority ischemic target

Study presenter Deepak Bhatt (pictured)  - The anti-hyperglycemic agent saxagliptin neither increased or decreased therate of ischemic events when added to standard of care in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in the phase IV SAVOR-TIMI 450 study.

2013/09/20MEDICAL UPDATE

ESMO WCGC 2013 Report – When is neoadjuvant chemotherapy (without radiotherapy) an option

A review of the presentation by Professor David Cunningham (pictured), London, UK.  The risk profile of rectal tumours varies with the position and profile of the disease. David Cunningham pointed out that there are advantages and disadvantage to radiotherapy in this setting.

2013/09/19MEDICAL UPDATE

ESMO WCGC 2013 Report – Recommendations for the management of rectal NET

A review of the presentation by Dermot O’Toole (pictured), Trinity College, Dublin.   The incidence of Neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) has increased in recent years. The incidence is higher in Asia than in EU and is higher in black and Asian populations.

2013/09/19MEDICAL UPDATE

ESMO WCGC 2013 Report – OS though not PFS superior for FOLFIRI plus cetuximab vs FOLFIRI plus bevacizumab in mCRC patients: Findings from FIRE-3

Dominik Modest, University Hospital, Grosshadern, Munch, Germany.  Overall survival (OS) in patients with KRAS wild type (WT) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) who received first-line treatment with FOLFIRI plus cetuximab was significantly longer than those who received FOLFIRI plus bevacizumab despite having virtually identical progression-free survival (PFS) rates, a phase III randomized study shows.

2013/09/18MEDICAL UPDATE

ESMO WCGC 2013 Report – First results of the PETACC-6 phase III RCT

Review of the presentation by HJ Schmoll EORTC GI Group.  [Preoperative chemoradiotherapy with capecitabine and oxaliplatin vs capecitabine alone in locally advanced rectal cancer: response to the local treatment after chemoradiation and surgery as secondary endpoint]

2013/09/18MEDICAL UPDATE

ESMO WCGC 2013 Report – Surgery for Liver Metastases: How far should the surgeon go?

A review of the presentation by Rene Adam MD (pictured).  There has been considerable progress in the overall survival of patients with colorectal cancer taking chemotherapy.

2013/09/17MEDICAL UPDATE

Elevated blood sugar tied to dementia, even without diabetes

'Big 4' Journal Highlights - New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) - by Bruce Sylvester - Research published on Aug. 7, 2013 in the New England Journal of Medicine/NEJM indicates that elevated blood sugar levels are associated with increasing dementia risk, even when there is no diagnosis of diabetes.

2013/09/16MEDICAL UPDATE

ESMO WCGC 2013 Report – Moving beyond KRAS: What about the future?

A review of the presentation by Sabine Tejpar.  The KRAS (codon 12,13) is a validated predictive biomarker in mCRC, it is essential to determine diagnosis and required prior to treatment with anti –EGFR agents.

2013/09/16MEDICAL UPDATE

World-wide global drug dependence analysis shows opioid abuse is greatest threat of death and illness

'Big 4' Journal Highlights - The Lancet - by Bruce Sylvester - Opioid dependence leads in causing death and illness among all illicitly used drugs, researchers report. The results of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010 appeared online in The Lancet on August 28, 2013.

2013/09/13MEDICAL UPDATE

Interferon-free Sofosbuvir/Ribavirin combo appears effective in Hepatitis C Genotype 1

'Big 4' Journal Highlights - Journal of the American Medical (JAMA) - by Bruce Sylvester -Among patients with unfavorable treatment characteristics, treating chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 infection with the interferon-free regimen of sofosbuvir and ribavirin has resulted in a high sustained virologic response rate, researchers reported on August 28, 2013 in of the Journal of the American Medical Association/JAMA.

2013/09/13MEDICAL UPDATE

ESMO WCGC 2013 Report – What is the most active first line treatment for patients with mCRC?

A review of the presentation by Volker Heinemann (pictured).  The decision on first line treatment in mCRC matters because the number of patients benefitting from therapy diminishes with subsequent lines. The efficacy of treatment depends on the agents used and is critical to the overall survival (OS) of patients.

2013/09/12MEDICAL UPDATE

The risk of early death is higher for children of obese mothers

'Big 4' Journal Highlights - British Medical Journal (BMJ) - by Bruce Sylvester - Children of obese mothers are more likely to die before age 55 than children of normal weight mothers, researchers reported on August 13, 2013 in the British Medical Journal/BMJ.

2013/09/12MEDICAL UPDATE

ESMO WCGC 2013 Report – Hot topics in Colon Cancer

by Pam Harrison - MSI status has clear prognostic value in stage II CRC Julien Taieb, MD, PhD, University of Paris Descartes, Paris, France Microsatellite instability (MSI), a molecular marker of defective DNA mismatch repair (dMMR), should be determined in all patients 60 years of age and under with colorectal cancer (CRC) as it has clear prognostic value in those with stage II CRC as well as in patients with Lynch syndrome.

2013/09/11MEDICAL UPDATE

ESMO WCGC 2013 – Video Interview with Prof. Lenz

2013/09/11MEDICAL UPDATE

90% of dementia undetected in China

World Health Matters by Gary Finnegan - China - An international team of scientists has found that over 90% of dementia cases in China go undetected, with the highest level of undiagnosed cases in rural areas.

2013/09/10MEDICAL UPDATE

Diet counteracts genetic stroke risk

World Health Matters by Gary Finnegan - Spain - A gene variant strongly associated with the development of type 2 diabetes appears to interact with a Mediterranean diet pattern to prevent stroke, according to a new study.

2013/09/09MEDICAL UPDATE

Handful of doctors attract bulk of patient complaints

World Health Matters - Australia - by Gary Finnegan - Half of all formal complaints made to health ombudsmen in Australia concern just 3% of the country’s doctors, with 1% accounting for a quarter of all complaints, according to research published in BMJ Quality & Safety.

2013/09/06MEDICAL UPDATE

Could a blood test predict suicide risk?

World Health Matters by Gary Finnegan - United States - A series of RNA biomarkers have been found which researchers say could help to identify people at risk of committing suicide.

2013/09/05MEDICAL UPDATE

Green light for new medicines

EMA Highlights by Gary Finnegan - The EMA’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has a new member: Ivana Mikacic has been nominated by Croatia which joined the European Union in July.

2013/09/04MEDICAL UPDATE

Health professionals get stronger say

EMA Highlights by Gary Finnegan - A new Healthcare Professionals’ Working Party (HCPWP) has been created by the European Medicines Agency in an effort to secure greater input from frontline medical staff.

2013/09/03MEDICAL UPDATE

Trial data row puts regulator on the spot

EMA Highlights by Gary Finnegan - The European Medicines Agency (EMA) must perform a delicate balancing act as it finds itself centre stage in the on-going debate about the publication of clinical trial data.

2013/09/02MEDICAL UPDATE

Ketamine shows antidepressant effect in refractory depression

FDA Highlights by Bruce Sylvester - Researchers report that, in a double-blind trial involving clinically depressed patients who had not responded to at least three prior antidepressants, intravenous ketamine therapy improved symptoms of depression within 24 hours.

2013/08/30MEDICAL UPDATE

Haloperidol does not reduce delirium in critically ill patients

FDA Highlights by Bruce Sylvester - Treatment with the antipsycotic drug haloperidol does not reduce symptoms of delirium in critically ill patients, UK researchers report.

2013/08/29MEDICAL UPDATE

Chemotherapy-refractory large B-cell lymphomas reprogrammed to respond to Azacitidine

FDA Highlights by Bruce Sylvester - Researchers report from a phase I clinical trial report that diffuse, large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCLs) resistant to chemotherapy have been successfully reprogrammed to respond to azacitidine therapy.

2013/08/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Misoprostol vaginal insert significantly reduces time to delivery in labor induction

FDA Highlights by Bruce Sylvester - Misoprostol vaginal insert used for labor induction has significantly reduced time to vaginal delivery compared with dinoprostone vaginal insert, researchers reported at the European Congress on Intrapartum Care held in Amsterdam in May 2013.

2013/08/27MEDICAL UPDATE

Infections increase risk of mood disorders

New research shows that every third person who is diagnosed for the first time with a mood disorder has been admitted to hospital with an infection prior to the diagnosis.

2013/08/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Mobile health can improve health in remote regions

Mobile health technology has substantial potential for improving access to health care in the developing world and in remote regions of developed countries, states an article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

2013/08/23MEDICAL UPDATE

Facebook boosts organ donor registration

Johns Hopkins researchers see 21-fold increase in a single day.  A social media push boosted the number of people who registered themselves as organ donors 21-fold in a single day, Johns Hopkins researchers found, suggesting social media might be an effective tool to address the stubborn organ shortage in the United States.

2013/08/22MEDICAL UPDATE

BPA linked to birth defect in boys

A new study links fetal exposure to a common chemical pollutant, bisphenol A (BPA), to defects of a testicular hormone in newborn boys with undescended testicles. The results suggest yet another potential harmful effect of BPA, which is widely used in many plastics, liners of food cans and dental sealants.

2013/08/19MEDICAL UPDATE

Questions answered with the pupils of your eyes

Patients who are otherwise completely unable to communicate can answer yes or no questions within seconds with the help of a simple system—consisting of just a laptop and camera—that measures nothing but the size of their pupils.

2013/08/16MEDICAL UPDATE

Camping helps you sleep

If you have trouble going to sleep at night and waking up for work or school in the morning, a week of camping in the great outdoors might be just what you need.

2013/08/15MEDICAL UPDATE

Prolactin reduces arthritis inflammation

Inflammatory joint diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis are the result of cartilage damage and loss. Chondrocytes are the only cells that are found in cartilage and their death is linked to decreased cartilage health.

2013/08/14MEDICAL UPDATE

We each live in our own little smell world

There are some smells we all find revolting. But toward a handful of odors, different people display different sensitivities—some can smell them, while some can't, or some find them appealing, while others don't.

2013/08/13MEDICAL UPDATE

Do antioxidants improve conception?

There is no high quality evidence that antioxidant supplements help to increase a woman's chances of having a baby, according to the results of a new systematic review.

2013/08/12MEDICAL UPDATE

Be happy: Your genes may thank you for it

But different types of happiness have different effects, UCLA study shows.  A good state of mind — that is, your happiness — affects your genes, scientists say. In the first study of its kind, researchers examined how positive psychology impacts human gene expression.

2013/08/09MEDICAL UPDATE

Mandating psychiatry outpatient treatment has impact

Mandating outpatient treatment for certain people with severe mental illness, while controversial, results in substantial cost savings by cutting hospitalizations and increasing outpatient care, according to a financial analysis led by researchers at Duke Medicine.

2013/08/08MEDICAL UPDATE

More likely to get test results if treatable

Some studies of at-risk populations suggest that up to half of the people tested for HIV never return to the doctor's office to find out their test results. While many of these people may simply forget to return or deem the results unimportant, it is likely that a portion of people don't return because they don't want to know the results.

2013/08/07MEDICAL UPDATE

Hypoglycaemia in patients with Type 2 diabetes

Patients with diabetes who take certain types of medications to lower their blood sugar sometimes experience severe low blood sugar levels, whether or not their diabetes is poorly or well controlled, according to a new study by.

2013/08/06MEDICAL UPDATE

DHA: Potential safe and cheap therapy for chronic pain

by Bruce Sylvester - Newly published research suggests that a derivative of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), found in over-the-counter fish oil supplements, might be used to effectively treat and prevent neuropathic pain caused by injuries to the sensory system.

2013/08/05MEDICAL UPDATE

Climate change is affecting the spread of infectious diseases

Climate change is affecting the spread of infectious diseases worldwide, according to an international team of leading disease ecologists, with serious impacts to human health and biodiversity conservation.

2013/08/02MEDICAL UPDATE

Marijuana associated with stroke risk

Marijuana, the most widely used illicit drug, may double stroke risk in young adults, according to research presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2013.

2013/08/02MEDICAL UPDATE

Mental illness associated with cannabis use

People with mental illnesses are more than seven times more likely to usecannabis weekly compared to people without a mental illness, according to researchers from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) who studied U.S. data.

2013/08/01MEDICAL UPDATE

Test to predict death risk from C. difficile

Accurate, robust and simple method of identification has potential benefits to patients, hospitals and health services around the world.

2013/08/01MEDICAL UPDATE

Cannabis blunts the brain’s motivation system

Researchers found that dopamine levels in a part of the brain called the striatum were lower in people who smoke more cannabis and those who began taking the drug at a younger age.

2013/07/31MEDICAL UPDATE

Cannabis and schizophrenia or psychosis

Last year the UK government reclassified cannabis from a class C to a class B drug, partly out of concerns that cannabis, especially the more potent varieties, may increase the risk of schizophrenia in young people. But the evidence for the relationship between cannabis and schizophrenia or psychosis remains controversial. A new study has determined that it may be necessary to stop thousands of cannabis users in order to prevent a single case of schizophrenia.

2013/07/30MEDICAL UPDATE

Combination of obesity and low Vitamin D could increase risk of Diabetes

by Bruce Sylvester - The combination of obesity and low vitamin D deficiency appears to cause a greater risk of insulin resistance than either factor alone, researchers reported on July 17 online in Diabetes Care.

2013/07/29MEDICAL UPDATE

Obesity duration associated with subclinical predictor of coronary heart disease

By Bruce Sylvester - In a 3-decade study of adults recruited in the United States, researchers report positive correlations between durations of overall obesity and abdominal obesity and rates of coronary artery calcification, a subclinical predictor of coronary heart disease.

2013/07/26MEDICAL UPDATE

COPD increases risk of cerebral microbleeds

By Bruce Sylvester - Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is related to an increased risk of cerebral microbleeds, researchers from the Netherlands reported online on July 19, 2013 in the Journal of  Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

2013/07/25MEDICAL UPDATE

Listed below we have a number of Video Interviews from the ASCO Annual Meeting, 31 May – 4 June 2013, Chicago. Just click on the image to play the video.

2013/07/25MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO Interview 2013: Matthias Holdhoff discusses his presentation on primary CNS lymphoma

2013/07/25MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO Interview 2013: Dr Jaishri Blakeley answers the question: What is Neurofibromatosis?

2013/07/25MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO Interview 2013: Dr Erin Dunbar shares her thoughts about the presentation on Ethics of Cancer Care

2013/07/25MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO Interview 2013: Dr Brian Healey Bird explains all about targeted therapies in Lymphoma

2013/07/25MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO Interview 2013: Dr Brian Healey Bird shares with us important news that came out of the ASCO Plenary Session

2013/07/25MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO Interview 2013: Dr Brian Healey Bird gives us his feedback on the Lung Cancer Education Session at ASCO

2013/07/25MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO Interview 2013: Dr Brian Healey Bird shares with us some important insights into Global Health Equity

2013/07/25MEDICAL UPDATE

Missed diagnoses and drug errors equals litigation

Similar trends found in UK, Australia and US.  Missed diagnoses―particularly of cancer, heart attack, and meningitis―and drug errors make up the bulk of malpractice claims brought against doctors in primary care, finds an analysis of published data in the online journal BMJ Open.

2013/07/24MEDICAL UPDATE

‘Worrying’ rise in alcohol deaths among young women in England and Scotland

This is despite national downward trends in alcohol mortality, says authors.  There has been a "worrying" increase in alcohol related deaths among young women in England and Scotland, since the middle of the last decade, finds research published online in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

2013/07/24MEDICAL UPDATE

Cannabis use and the increased risk of psychosis

The scientific community have long debated the causal relationship betweencannabis use and the risk factor for psychotic illnesses such as schizophrenia. Both sides of this controversial subject are put forward in two articles published today in F1000 Medicine Reports. To give rise to the debate, the authors of each article were given the opportunity to read the opposing side's article drafts and consider their arguments when structuring their own article.

2013/07/24MEDICAL UPDATE

Mortality rates vary widely in English hospitals

A new study reveals significant hospital-to-hospital variability in patient death rates following emergency surgical admissions in England. Published early online in the BJS (British Journal of Surgery), the study also found that survival rates were higher in hospitals with better resources.

2013/07/23MEDICAL UPDATE

Fruitful reminders: Healthy food can improve dieters’ self-control

Research shows that sight, smell and consumption of healthy food can help dieters to reduce their food intake.  Many dieters' experience difficulty adhering to diet plans when faced with the temptation to eat tempting energy dense foods.

2013/07/22MEDICAL UPDATE

Sweating regularly may reduce stroke risk

Breaking a sweat while working out regularly may reduce your risk of stroke, according to new research in the American Heart Association journal Stroke.

2013/07/19MEDICAL UPDATE

ESMO 2013 WCGC – Recommendations for the management of Pancreatic NET

A review of the presentation by Jaume Capdevila, Barcelona Spain.  Unfortunately Neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) are often advanced at the time of diagnosis and the 5 year survival ranges from 30-50%. In pancreatic NETs (pNETs) oncologic radical surgery should be the standard of care.

2013/07/19MEDICAL UPDATE

Calorie information on menus does not improve consumer choices

Despite the lack of any concrete evidence that menu labels encourage consumers to make healthier food choices, they have become a popular tool for policymakers in the fight against obesity.

2013/07/18MEDICAL UPDATE

Pregnant antiepileptic drug use impacts child development

Children whose mothers took antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) while pregnant are at increased risk of early development issues, according to a new study published in Epilepsia, a journal published by Wiley on behalf of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE).

2013/07/17MEDICAL UPDATE

Dementia is falling in UK

The new study, which was led by Professor Carol Brayne, of the Cambridge Institute of Public Health (CIPH), University of Cambridge, UK, is part of the Medical Research Council (MRC) funded Cognitive Function and Ageing Studies (CFAS), a large, collaborative set of studies looking at different aspects of health and cognitive function in older people across two decades in different regions of the UK.

2013/07/17MEDICAL UPDATE

ESMO 2013 WCGC – Poster Presentation – Diabetes risk factor for TE in GI cancers

Poster 67 Elizabeth Goode  elizabeth.goode@nnuh.nhs.uk.  Chemotherapy is an independent risk factor for thromboembolism (TE), although current guidelines do not recommend routine use of anti-thrombin agents in this setting.

2013/07/16MEDICAL UPDATE

Stroke increase for patients who don’t take meds.

New research from a study of over 73,000 patients.  People with high blood pressure, who don't take their anti-hypertensive drug treatments when they should, have a greatly increased risk of suffering a stroke and dying from it compared to those who take their medication correctly.

2013/07/12MEDICAL UPDATE

Treating stroke more quickly lowers risk of in-hospital death, hastens discharge

Taken from JAMA - by Bruce Sylvester - After analyzing data on nearly 60,000 patients with acute ischemic stroke, researchers report that thrombolytic treatment initiated sooner correlates to a reduced incidence of in-hospital mortality and intracranial hemorrhage, and to higher rates of independent walking ability at discharge and discharge to home. The study appeared in the June 19, 2013 issue of JAMA.

2013/07/11MEDICAL UPDATE

Urine test predicts kidney transplant rejection

Taken from the NEJM - by Bruce Sylvester - Three biomarkers in the urine of kidney transplant recipients can be used to diagnose and predict transplant rejection, researchers from a clinical trial sponsored by the (US) National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NASID) reported on July 4, 2013 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

2013/07/10MEDICAL UPDATE

Incidence of eating disorders rises in UK

Taken from the BMJ - by Bruce Sylvester - The most common type of eating disorder diagnosed in the UK is not bulimia or anorexia, but, rather, “eating disorders not otherwise specified,” researchers reported online on May 20, 2013  in BMJ Open.

2013/07/09MEDICAL UPDATE

High-dose painkillers appear to increase cardio risks, which can be predicted

Taken from the Lancet - by Bruce Sylvester - High doses of some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) increase the risk of major vascular events (non-fatal heart attacks, strokes, and death) by about a third, researchers reported in the Lancet Online First on May 29, 2013

2013/07/08MEDICAL UPDATE

Lexapro (Escitalopram) improves stress-induced heart problem

FDA Highlights by Bruce Sylvester - Lexapro (escitalopram), which is used to treat depression and anxiety, appears to improve a stress-related heart condition in persons with stable coronary heart disease.

2013/07/08MEDICAL UPDATE

Finasteride, a hair loss treatment, might also decrease alcohol consumption

FDA Highlights by Bruce Sylvester - Researchers report that finasteride appears to reduce alcohol consumption in some men. The results were published online on June 13, 2013 by Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.

2013/07/06MEDICAL UPDATE

EULAR 2013 Report – 4 New markers in RA

Four new biomarkers have been identified that can help in the early diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), particularly among the one-third of patients who test negative for currently recognized auto antibodies, a researcher reported.

2013/07/05MEDICAL UPDATE

Bazedoxifene appears to stop growth of breast cancer cells, including those in treatment-resistant tumors

FDA Highlights by Bruce Sylvester - Bazedoxifene, approved in Europe to treat osteoporosis, appears to stop the growth of breast cancer cells, even in therapy-resistant tumors, researchers from the Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, North Carolina, report.

2013/07/05MEDICAL UPDATE

Flu shot effective regardless of strain

New research has found that despite popular belief, the flu shot is effective in preventing the flu, even if the virus going around does not match the vaccine.

2013/07/04MEDICAL UPDATE

Geographic factors can cause allergies, asthma

New study finds those living close to the equator are at higher risk.  Those living near the equator may find themselves sneezing and wheezing more than usual. And the reason may not be due to increasing pollen counts.

2013/07/04MEDICAL UPDATE

Guillain-Barre risk unlikely after vaccination

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) does not appear to be a risk following administration of several common vaccines, including seasonal trivalent inactivated influenza vaccines, researchers found.

2013/07/03MEDICAL UPDATE

Mum’s worries linked to kid’s asthma

Adolescents with asthma reported worse symptoms of breathlessness when they had anxious mothers, and the link may have more to do with genes than environment, researchers suggested.

2013/07/03MEDICAL UPDATE

Genome study suggests new strategies for understanding and treating pulmonary fibrosis

A new genome-wide association study of more than 6,000 people has identified seven new genetic regions associated with pulmonary fibrosis.

2013/07/03MEDICAL UPDATE

Plavix and Aspirin reduce stroke

For many years health the debate was should we prescribe aspirin or the more expensive Plavix, now it seems patients should receive both.

2013/07/02MEDICAL UPDATE

Bronchial thermoplasty helpful in severe asthma

First non-drug, FDA approved therapy for severe asthma.  Nearly 24 million people in the US suffer from asthma. For most of them, avoiding allergens and taking medications help keep their asthma under control.

2013/07/02MEDICAL UPDATE

Action needed to help tobacco users quit

More than half of the countries who signed the WHO 2005 Framework Convention on Tobacco Control have not formed plans to help tobacco users quit.

2013/07/01MEDICAL UPDATE

New immune disease cripples white cells

A newly-described immunodeficiency syndrome of neutrophil defects, bone marrow fibrosis, nephromegaly, and life-threatening infections arises from a genetic mutation that impairs movement of proteins within cells, researchers found.

2013/07/01MEDICAL UPDATE

Three pain questions we should all ask

Asking three simple questions of patients with non-inflammatory musculoskeletal pain improved primary care physicians' ability to predict which patients would still be in pain 6 months later, a study found.

2013/07/01MEDICAL UPDATE

Ca & Vit D help hormones help bones

Should women take calcium and vitamin D supplements after menopause for bone health? Recommendations conflict, and opinions are strong.

2013/06/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Heart failure survivors at greater cancer risk

Trend toward more cancers and more deaths among heart failure patients.  Heart failure patients are surviving more often with the heart condition but they are increasingly more likely to be diagnosed with cancer, a trend that could be attributed to increased surveillance, side effects of treatments, or other causes, according to a study published online in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

2013/06/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Spine injections may set stage for fractures

Spinal injections of steroids, intended to relieve back pain, increased bone fragility in the vertebrae of older patients, a retrospective analysis found.

2013/06/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Pain from heart surgery disrupts sleep long-term

Heart surgery patients reported persistent pain for at least 4 weeks after the procedure, and that pain appeared to manifest as shortened total sleep time, researchers reported.

2013/06/27MEDICAL UPDATE

Men with chronic pain

Men with chronic pain and opioid-induced androgen deficiency may find some pain relief with testosterone replacement therapy, a small trial suggested.

2013/06/27MEDICAL UPDATE

Burnout and depression are common in Anesthesia trainees…

Study Raises Concerns about Impact on Patient Care and Safety.   Residents in anesthesiology training programs have high rates of burnout and depression, reports a survey study in the July issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia, official journal of the International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS).

2013/06/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Less hypoglycaemia with sitagliptin compared to sulfonylurea

Researchers announced results from a post-hoc pooled analysis showing patients with type 2 diabetes and mild renal impairment treated with JANUVIA® (sitagliptin) 100 mg once-daily achieved similar blood sugar reductions as those treated with the sulfonylureas glipizide or glimepiride, with significantly fewer events of hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar), and with weight loss instead of weight gain.

2013/06/26MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2013 – Although better defined, role of PSA in prostate cancer screening remains controversial

In recent years, there has been an adjustment in the scientific thinking about the utility of screening men for prostate cancer using prostate-specific antigen (PSA).

2013/06/25MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2013 – Cancer services in the United Kingdom: Improving nicely

by Elizabeth C. Smyth, MB, BCh, MSc, and David Cunningham, MD, FRCP, FMedSci - In 2000, in order to optimise service provision for patients with cancer, 34 “Cancer Service Networks” were established in England to instigate change and improve outcomes in geographically defined areas (three more were developed in Scotland and one each in Wales and Northern Ireland). 

2013/06/24MEDICAL UPDATE

Stroke: Alteplase improves quality of life

Could cut costs of aftercare - The latest results from the third International Stroke Trial (IST-3) suggest that the drug has the potential to cut costs by reducing the demand for long-term care.

2013/06/24MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2013 – Landmark studies offer new hope for reducing cervical cancer deaths worldwide, first therapies for two rare cancers and treatment advances for breast, brain cancers

CHICAGO – Five pivotal studies were released today ahead of the plenary session of the 49th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).

2013/06/24MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2013 – The evolution of fellowship training: Concurrent oncology and palliative care

by Jamie Von Roenn, MD, and Charles von Gunten, MD, PhD - The call to integrate palliative care practices and principles into comprehensive cancer care, not as something that happens after treatment is over but as a standard component of optimal oncology care, is growing louder.

2013/06/21MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO opens 49th Annual Meeting urging more federal funding for research

The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) kicked off its 49th Annual Meeting with leaders urging all stakeholders in cancer care to vigorously oppose cuts to vital US biomedical research funding.

2013/06/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Night shift could age you

Human sleeping and waking patterns are largely governed by an internal circadian clock that corresponds closely with the 24-hour cycle of light and darkness. This circadian clock also controls other body functions, such as metabolism and temperature regulation.

2013/06/20MEDICAL UPDATE

Decrease in UK diabetes deaths

Both the UK and Canada have experienced huge falls in diabetes-related mortality since the mid-1990s, with the result that the gap in mortality risk between those with and without diabetes has narrowed substantially.

2013/06/20MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO completes electronic data sharing standard for breast cancer treatment effort in conjunction with developing CancerLinQ™

CHICAGO – The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) has completed the first phase in developing several sets of interoperability standards for cancer care data and overcoming the widespread inconsistencies that currently limit secure sharing of information between providers, patients and researchers.

2013/06/20MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2013 – Important advances in treatment for multiple aggressive cancers, and new insight on HPV-related cancer risk

CHICAGO – New advances against melanoma, ovarian cancer, and colorectal cancer care were presented today at the 49th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). Researchers also announced reassuring findings on HPV infection among partners of patients with HPV-positive head and neck cancers.

2013/06/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Screening no affect on breast cancer deaths

New research analysing breast cancer mortality data spanning almost 40 years concludes that breast cancer screening does not yet show an effect on mortality statistics. The research, published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, analysed mortality trends before and after the introduction of the National Health Service Breast Screening Programme in 1988.

2013/06/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Poor evidence on drug safety in pregnancy leads to deaths

Problem is worsening; time to include pregnant women in drug trials, says DTB.  The lack of hard data on the safety and effectiveness of a wide range of drugs in pregnancy has hindered the treatment of pregnant women, contributing to a doubling of deaths amongst mums-to-be with an underlying health problem over the past 20 years, argues an editorial in the Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin (DTB).

2013/06/13MEDICAL UPDATE

Menopause is mans fault!

Menopause caused by male preference for younger mates.  A study published in this week's PLOS Computational Biology reports that menopause is an unintended outcome of natural selection caused by the preference of males for younger female mates.

2013/06/12MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2013 Report – Advanced lung cancer with dysfunctional ALK gene responds to targeted therapy

by Bruce Sylvester - Patients with an advanced kind of lung cancer and a dysfunctional ALK gene have achieved better outcomes with the targeted investigative therapy crizotinib rather than with standard chemotherapy, researchers reported on June 1, 2013 at ASCO. The findings were also published online on June 1 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

2013/06/11MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2013 Report – Radiotherapy and surgery both provide regional control in breast cancer: The AMAROS trial

by Bruce Sylvester - European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) researchers  from  the AMAROS (After Mapping of the Axilla: Radiotherapy Or Surgery?) trial reported at ASCO on June 3, 2013 that both axillary lymph node dissection and axillary radiotherapy provide good regional control in breast cancer with a positive sentinel node biopsy result.

2013/06/11MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2013 Report – Drugs combo therapy leads to dramatic tumor shrinkage in advanced melanoma patients

by Bruce Sylvester - More than half of patients with metastatic melanoma treated with the immunotherapy drug ipilimumab and the investigational antibody drug nivolumab have achieved durable tumor shrinkage, according to results from a Phase I trial, presented at ASCO on June 2, 2013. It was also published online on the same day by The New England Journal of Medicine.

2013/06/10MEDICAL UPDATE

Breastfeeding boosts babies’ brain growth

A new study by researchers from Brown University finds more evidence that breastfeeding is good for babies' brains.

2013/06/10MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2013 Report – Lambrolizumab immunotherapy shows efficacy in advanced melanoma

Researchers report that investigative lambrolizumab has shown promising results, in advanced melanoma, with manageable side effects.

2013/06/10MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2013 Report – Sorafenib shows efficacy in advanced differentiated thyroid cancer

by Bruce Sylvester - over 30,000 clinicians and researchers attended the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2013 annual meeting in Chicago on May 31-June 4. Among the most exciting and groundbreaking studies presented at the meeting are those featured here. They include news about targeted therapy and immunotherapy, as well as a new potential use for sorafenib (Nexavar) to treat advanced thyroid cancer.

2013/06/07MEDICAL UPDATE

ATS 2013 Report – Underlying respiratory illnesses in infancy, rather than early analgesic use, appear to drive asthma development

by Peter Mas Mollinedo - Investigators report that the link between asthma and early childhood use of acetaminophen or ibuprofen could be the result of underlying respiratory infections, and not use of these the drugs.

2013/06/06MEDICAL UPDATE

Vegetarianism appears to cut heart disease risk by a third

by Peter Mas Mollinedo - Vegetarians have a 32% lower risk of hospitalization or death from heart disease than persons who eat meat and fish, researchers from the University of Oxford (UK) reported on January 30, 2013 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

2013/06/05MEDICAL UPDATE

Older and younger chronic leukemia patients may need different therapy

Doctors should use different therapies when treating older and younger patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, according to a new study.

2013/06/04MEDICAL UPDATE

Marijuana use appears to improve blood glucose control

by Peter Mas Mollinedo - Investigators report that current marijuana users have achieved significantly lower fasting insulin, and are less likely than non-users to be insulin resistant, even after excluding patients with diagnosed type 2 diabetes. Their findings are published in the May 15 issue of The American Journal of Medicine.

2013/06/04MEDICAL UPDATE

EASL 2013 Report – Hepatitis C treatment in rapid transition

by Bruce Sylvester - Nine thousand clinicians gathered at the 2013 annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver/International Liver Congress in Amsterdam on April 24-28, 2013. Findings from Phase 2 and 3 clinical trials in hepatitis C dominated the news from the meeting.

2013/06/03MEDICAL UPDATE

EPO doping in elite cycling: No evidence of benefit, but high risk of harm

The drug erythropoietin, often called EPO, is banned from sports because it is believed to enhance an athlete's performance and give people who use it an unfair advantage over unenhanced competitors.

2013/06/03MEDICAL UPDATE

Meditation, stretching ease stress symptoms

Mind-body intervention can help to regulate stress hormone levels.  Practicing a form of meditation and stretching can help relieve symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and normalize stress hormone levels, according to a recent study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).

2013/05/31MEDICAL UPDATE

New test assesses pregnancy diabetes risk

Gestation diabetes risk can be identified through biomarker levels during first trimester.  Levels of a biomarker in a pregnant woman's blood can help physicians gauge her risk of developing gestational diabetes during the first trimester, according to a recent study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).

2013/05/31MEDICAL UPDATE

EASL 2013 Report – Probiotics reduces hepatic encephalopathy in cirrhotic patients

Probiotics have significantly reduced development of hepatic encephalopathy researchers announced at EASL/International Liver Congress.

2013/05/30MEDICAL UPDATE

EASL 2013 Report – MK-5172 shows high, durable response in HCV

Hepatitis C patients treated with Merck’s investigative MK-5172, an oral NS3/4A protease inhibitor, combined with 24 or 48 weeks of peginterferon alfa 2b (Pegasys/ Roche) and ribavirin (Ribasphere/ Kadmon) have achieved a high rate of sustained viral response at 24 weeks (SVR24). Researchers reported at EASL/International Liver Conference interim data from a Phase 2 trial..

2013/05/30MEDICAL UPDATE

Testosterone helpful in diabetic men

Insulin resistance in diabetic men with decreased sex hormones was reversed after testosterone replacement, researchers reported.

2013/05/29MEDICAL UPDATE

Long-term opioid use related to erectile dysfunction

by Bruce Sylvester - Long-term use of opioids is linked to an increased higher risk of erectile dysfunction (ED), researchers reported on May 15, 2013 in the journal Spine.

2013/05/29MEDICAL UPDATE

Nocturia and increased mortality risk

Nocturia significantly increased mortality risk in men and women, according to data from a government health survey.  Overall, awakening more than twice a night to urinate increased mortality risk by 50% in men and by more than 30% among women. Nocturia doubled the mortality risk of people younger than 65, and the effect was independent of comorbidities.

2013/05/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Poor sleep link to urinary problems

Disordered sleep preceded development of urinary symptoms by as much as five years in men and women, according to researchers.

2013/05/28MEDICAL UPDATE

No interruption Warfarin reduces bleeding risk

Bruise Control trial found that patients who were operated on without interrupting warfarin were 80 percent less likely to develop a significant hematoma after surgery compared to patients who were bridged with heparin.

2013/05/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Reach out to youth suicide

More than 80 per cent of youth who die by suicide had some form of contact with the health care system in the year before their death, according to a new study from St. Michael's Hospital.

2013/05/27MEDICAL UPDATE

Robotics no help in cystectomy

A randomized trial comparing robotic with open cystectomy ended early after an interim analysis showed the minimally invasive approach did not reduce complications, according to a researchers.

2013/05/27MEDICAL UPDATE

Serelaxin and vildagliptin shows positive results in HF patients

Results of late breaking trials presented at Heart Failure 2013.  Serelaxin may be more effective for relieving dyspnea in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) than reduced (HFrEF) during the first 24 hours, according to results from RELAX-AHF presented at the late breaking trial session1 at the Heart Failure Congress 2013.

2013/05/27MEDICAL UPDATE

Antibiotic Rx for acute rhinosinusitis

Antibiotics for acute rhinosinusitis (ARS) are prescribed frequently - especially for younger adult patients and in primary care settings - despite recent consensus guidelines that discourage antibiotic use in mild cases, according to a study in the May 2013 issue of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery.

2013/05/27MEDICAL UPDATE

Biosensor detects antibiotic resistance

JoVE will publish research that demonstrates how a biosensor can detect antibiotic resistance in bacteria. This new technology is a preliminary step in identifying and fighting superbugs, a major public health concern that has led to more deaths than AIDS in the United States in recent years.

2013/05/24MEDICAL UPDATE

Erasmus virus treated by altering lung cells

Erasmus virus resets cells' genes and causes breathing distress and kidney failure.  A new virus that causes severe breathing distress and kidney failure elicits a distinctive airway cell response to allow it to multiply.

2013/05/23MEDICAL UPDATE

Low Vit D levels a risk factor for pneumonia

A study showed that low serum vitamin D levels are a risk factor for pneumonia. The risk of contracting pneumonia was more than 2.5 times greater in subjects with the lowest vitamin D levels than in subjects with high vitamin D levels. The results were published in Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

2013/05/23MEDICAL UPDATE

Guidelines on EIB

The American Thoracic Society has released new official clinical practice guidelines on the diagnosis and management of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB), the acute airway narrowing that occurs as a result of exercise.

2013/05/22MEDICAL UPDATE

Children may be ‘allergic to school’

Chalk dust can contain milk protein, triggering respiratory symptoms.  Many of today's school teachers opt for dustless chalk to keep hands and classrooms clean. But according to a study published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, this choice in chalk may cause allergy and asthma symptoms in students that have a milk allergy.

2013/05/22MEDICAL UPDATE

House dust protein spurs asthma

A bacterial protein in common house dust may worsen allergic responses to indoor allergens, according to research conducted by the National Institutes of Health and Duke University. The finding is the first to document the presence of the protein flagellin in house dust, bolstering the link between allergic asthma and the environment.

2013/05/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Naltrexone may lessen chronic pain

Low doses of the opioid antagonist naltrexone  may relieve pain associated with fibromyalgia compared with placebo by targeting the immune pathway of pain, researchers said.

2013/05/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Ablation possible when steroid injections fail

Patients with low back pain who don't respond robustly to intra-articular steroid injections may still be candidates for treatment with radiofrequency ablation (RFA), researchers said here.

2013/05/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Aggression linked to second-hand smoke

Groundbreaking study controls for smoking during pregnancy and antisocial parents.  Children who are exposed to second-hand smoke in early childhood are more likely to grow up to physically aggressive and antisocial, regardless of whether they were exposed during pregnancy or their parents have a history of being antisocial, according to Linda Pagani and Caroline Fitzpatrick of the University of Montreal and its affiliated CHU Sainte-Justine hospital.

2013/05/20MEDICAL UPDATE

Gabapentin decreases PHN

Gabapentin treatment helped more than half of patients achieve relief from postherpetic neuralgia pain (PHN) in a "real-world clinical practice," researchers said here.

2013/05/20MEDICAL UPDATE

Smartphone improves colonoscopy

The use of a smartphone application significantly improves patients' preparation for a colonoscopy, according to new research.  The preparation process, which begins days in advance of the procedure, includes dietary restrictions and requires specific bowel preparation medication to be taken at strict intervals.

2013/05/20MEDICAL UPDATE

IO Ketamine may lower pain in fibromyalgia

In fibromyalgia patients undergoing knee or hip replacement surgery, low-dose, intraoperative ketamine appeared to reduce the need for post-surgical opioid therapy, researchers said.

2013/05/20MEDICAL UPDATE

Blood pressure, mobiles, salt and yoga

Considered the "silent killer," high blood pressure affects approximately one billion people worldwide.  Among the findings from the Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Society of Hypertension (ASH) meeting is research that suggests mobile phone calls may cause a rise in blood pressure; yoga may lower it; and despite the need to cut back on sodium to lower blood pressure, hypertensive individuals may have an increased desire for saltier foods.

2013/05/17MEDICAL UPDATE

Vegetarianism reduces CVD by 1/3

The risk of hospitalisation or death from heart disease is 32% lower in vegetarians than people who eat meat and fish, according to a new study from the University of Oxford.

2013/05/17MEDICAL UPDATE

BMI little effect on opioid patch’s

The pain-relieving efficacy of the buprenorphine transdermal medication system didn't seem to be altered by a patient's body mass, researchers said.

2013/05/17MEDICAL UPDATE

Heart attack women less healthy than men

Young women tend to be less healthy and have a poorer quality of life than similar-aged men before suffering a heart attack, according to research.

2013/05/17MEDICAL UPDATE

Osteo Rx combo betters alternatives

Most currently available osteoporosis drugs like denosumab are antiresorptive: they curb bone loss by blocking the action of cells that break down bone (osteoclasts) during the normal process of bone remodelling.

2013/05/16MEDICAL UPDATE

Hysterectomy, NO increase risk of CVD

Positive findings differ from previous studies on hysterectomy, heart disease risk.  Having a hysterectomy with or without ovary removal in mid-life does not increase a woman's risk of cardiovascular disease compared to women who reach natural menopause, contrary to many previously reported studies, according to research published online in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

2013/05/16MEDICAL UPDATE

A better way to prevent child abuse

New research at The University of Nottingham is calling for changes to a government scheme which engages community nurses in the prevention of child abuse and neglect in the home as part of a maternal and child health care programme.

2013/05/16MEDICAL UPDATE

No for selenium in the primary prevention

A systematic review published in The Cochrane Library finds that in well-nourished adults current evidence does not support selenium for preventing heart disease.

2013/05/16MEDICAL UPDATE

Molecular ‘calcium sponge’ to tackle HF

Researchers have utilised molecular genetic engineering to optimize heart performance in models of diastolic heart failure by creating an optimized protein that can aid in high-speed relaxation similar to fast twitching muscles.

2013/05/15MEDICAL UPDATE

CPR hands-only not best for rural areas?

Rural communities might need different CPR recommendations than urban settings.  Hands-only CPR (CPR without mouth-to-mouth resuscitation), may not be the best method for rural or remote areas or for anyone who has to wait more than a few minutes for an ambulance, a new study suggests.

2013/05/15MEDICAL UPDATE

Cardiac arrest survival highest in OR

Researchers have found cardiac arrest was associated with improved survival when it occurred in the operating room (O.R.) or post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) compared to other hospital locations.

2013/05/15MEDICAL UPDATE

AATS Report 2013 – Single dose HRE reduces transfusion

Aim is for better outcomes in anemic surgical patients with fewer transfusion-related complications, according to study presented at 93rd AATS Annual Meeting.  Anaemia increases operative mortality and morbidity in non-cardiac and cardiac surgical procedures. Anaemia surgical patients may require more blood transfusions, raising the risk of transfusion-related complications and increasing costs.

2013/05/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Managing fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia, now recognized as a true health syndrome with origins in the central nervous system, has seen many recent evolutions regarding its diagnosis and management which should instil new approaches, states a review article published in CMAJ.

2013/05/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Weight loss surgery safe and effective for an expanded group of patients

The LAP-BAND® weight loss procedure is safe and effective in an expanded group of patients, not just in people who are morbidly obese. This conclusion is reported in a new study published in the scientific journal Obesity.

2013/05/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Med diet lowers cholesterol, anyway

ATVB 2013 Scientific Sessions new tip.  A heart-healthy diet helped men at high risk for heart disease reduce their bad cholesterol, regardless of whether they lost weight, in a study presented at the American Heart Association's Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology 2013 Scientific Sessions.

2013/05/13MEDICAL UPDATE

AATS Report 2013 – CT superior to chest X-ray for lung cancer

Greater sensitivity, with lower radiation dose, allows for faster treatment, reported at 93rd AATS Annual Meeting.  Lung cancer is associated with very high mortality, in part because it is hard to detect at early stages, but also because it can recur frequently after surgical removal.

2013/05/13MEDICAL UPDATE

Malformed hearts due to genetics

Every year, thousands of babies are born with severely malformed hearts, disorders known collectively as congenital heart disease. Many of these defects can be repaired though surgery, but researchers don't understand what causes them or how to prevent them.

2013/05/13MEDICAL UPDATE

Beta-Blockers is benefit high risk patients around time of noncardiac, nonvascular surgery

FDA Highlights by Bruce Sylvester - Patients with an elevated cardiac risk treated with beta-blockers on the day of or day following non-cardiac, non-vascular surgery have achieved significantly lower rates of 30-day mortality and cardiac illness, researchers reported in the April 24, 2013 issue of JAMA.

2013/05/10MEDICAL UPDATE

British Society for Rheumatology (BSR) 2013 Report – TNF switch works in Psoriatic Arthritis

Most patients with psoriatic arthritis responded well to a first-line biologic, but for many of those who didn't initially respond, switching to another agent proved beneficial.

2013/05/10MEDICAL UPDATE

British Society for Rheumatology (BSR) 2013 Report – Steroid relapse can predict vasculitis damage

Patients with systemic vasculitis who require steroids for long periods or who have multiple relapses are likely to have extensive, irreversible organ damage.

2013/05/10MEDICAL UPDATE

Topical application of rheumatoid arthritis drug anakinra offers relief in dry eye disease

FDA Highlights by Bruce Sylvester - Researchers from the Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, and Brigham and Women's hospital in Boston, Massachusetts report that topical anakinra, a recombinant version of human IL-1Ra FDA-approved for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, significantly reduced dry eye disease (DED) symptoms in a new clinical trial.

2013/05/10MEDICAL UPDATE

Could eating peppers prevent Parkinson’s?

Dietary nicotine may hold protective key.  New research reveals that Solanaceae—a flowering plant family with some species producing foods that are edible sources of nicotine—may provide a protective effect against Parkinson's disease.

2013/05/10MEDICAL UPDATE

A reservoir of mosquito disease!

A large scale, five year study of mosquitoes from different ecological regions in Kenya, including savannah grassland, semi-arid Acacia thorn bushes, and mangrove swamps, found a reservoir of viruses carried by mosquitoes (arboviruses) that are responsible for human and animal diseases.

2013/05/09MEDICAL UPDATE

Duloxetine shows efficacy in cutting pain from chemotherapy

FDA Highlights by Bruce Sylvester - Patients suffering chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy treated with the anti-depressant duloxetine for 5 weeks achieved a greater reduction in pain compared with patients using a placebo, researchers reported in the April 3, 2013 issue of JAMA.

2013/05/09MEDICAL UPDATE

Dramatic decline in genital wart rate among young women in Australia results from National HPV Vaccine Program

by Bruce Sylvester - taken from the BMJ - Researchers have reported a significant decline in the proportion of young women diagnosed with genital warts in Australia following the implementation of  the national HPV vaccine program. The finding  was published by the British Medical Journal online  on April 18, 2013.

2013/05/09MEDICAL UPDATE

Air pollution, risk of young diabetes

New research shows that growing up in areas where air pollution is increased raises the risk of insulin resistance (the prescursor to diabetes) in children. Previous studies have identified links between air pollution and other chronic conditions such as atherosclerosis and heart disease.

2013/05/08MEDICAL UPDATE

Maternal vitamin D levels during pregnancy have no effect on offspring’s bone health in later life

by Bruce Sylvester - taken from The Lancet - Results from a new retrospective study of data from a large mother-child population in the UK suggest that maternal vitamin D levels during pregnancy are not associated with offspring bone health in later life.

2013/05/08MEDICAL UPDATE

Even with weight gain, smoking cessation lowers risk of cardiovascular disease

by Bruce Sylvester - taken from JAMA - Among  non-diabetic adults, smoking cessation compared with continued smoking correlates to a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, even with subsequent weight gain. Researchers reported this finding in the March 13 issue of Journal of the American Medical Association.

2013/05/07MEDICAL UPDATE

Mg may be as important as Ca for kids

Study shows magnesium intake, absorption significantly associated with bone density in children.  Parents are advised to make sure their children drink milk and eat other calcium-rich foods to build strong bones.

2013/05/06MEDICAL UPDATE

Pediatric asthma connected to genes and early wheezing

by Bruce Sylvester - taken from the NEJM - Approximately  90 percent of children who have two copies of a genetic variation and who wheezed when they had a cold (HRV/ rhinovirus) in early childhood developed asthma by age 6, researchers reported on March 28 by the New England Journal of Medicine.

2013/05/03MEDICAL UPDATE

Smaller bites reduce food intake even during ‘distracted eating’

World Health Matters (The Netherlands) by Gary Finnegan - Eating while distracted generally makes people eat more without being aware of it, but reducing bite sizes may be able to counter this effect, according to new research published in the open access journal PLOS ONE by Dr Dieuwerke Bolhuis and colleagues from Wageningen University, Netherlands.

2013/05/03MEDICAL UPDATE

Italian immigrants to Switzerland live longer than the Swiss

World Health Matters (Switzerland) by Gary Finnegan - Italian people who move to live in Switzerland outlive the Swiss-born majority, according to a new study.

2013/05/03MEDICAL UPDATE

Sex discrimination begins in the womb

World Health Matters (INDIA) by Gary Finnegan - Women in India are more likely to avail of prenatal care when pregnant with boys, according to ground-breaking research that has implications for girls’ survival, health and economic prospects.

2013/05/02MEDICAL UPDATE

New research explains drug cravings

World Health Matters (Japan) by Gary Finnegan - Addiction may result from abnormal brain circuitry in the frontal cortex, the part of the brain that controls decision-making, according to scientists in Japan.

2013/05/01MEDICAL UPDATE

Preliminary results of gene-based immune therapy in ALL

Researchers reported encouraging but preliminary results of gene-based immune therapy in two children with relapsed and refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

2013/04/30MEDICAL UPDATE

Genital wart HPV vaccine success

Significant benefit also seen in men.  The proportion of young women diagnosed with genital warts in Australia has seen a significant decline thanks to the HPV vaccine, say researchers.

2013/04/29MEDICAL UPDATE

Simple reminders may prevent fractures

Interventions to physicians and patients improve osteoporosis treatment at low cost.  Reminding primary care doctors to test at-risk patients for osteoporosis can prevent fractures and reduce health care costs, according to a recent study.

2013/04/29MEDICAL UPDATE

Green light for new medicines

EMA Highlights by Gary Finnegan - The EMA’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has recommended the granting of marketing authorisations for several new products.

2013/04/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Stress, it’s all in your hair

Long-term cortisol exposure in seniors linked to heart disease, stroke.  Hair strands contain valuable information about senior citizens' stress levels that can be used to determine an individual's cardiovascular disease risk, according to a recent study.

2013/04/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Reducing pain of movement in intensive care

New research shows that monitoring pain and providing analgesics to patients in intensive care units (ICUs) during non-surgical procedures, such as turning and washing, can not only reduce the amount of pain but also reduce the number of serious adverse events including cardiac arrest.

2013/04/25MEDICAL UPDATE

Clinical trials drifting away from Europe

EMA Highlights by Gary Finnegan - The number of clinical trials taking place in Europe and North America continues to fall as research activity in Africa, Asia and South America grows.

2013/04/25MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2013 Report – Treating antibody-mediated rejection

by Maria Dalby reporting on the presentation by Steve Woodle, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.   The future of treatment of antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) may lie in proteasome inhibition. Agents such as bortezomib have been shown to be effective for reversing AMR by targeting and depleting the main source of antibody production, namely the mature plasma cell.

2013/04/25MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2013 Report – Optimised tacrolimus and MMF for HLA antibodies after renal transplantation – the OUTSMART study

by Maria Dalby reporting on the presentation by Anthony Dorling, King’s College London.  The presence of Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) antibodies in renal transplant recipients is increasingly recognised as an important biomarker of premature graft failure.

2013/04/24MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2013 Report – Post-transplant antibody monitoring – for and against

by Maria Dalby reporting on the presentation by William McKane, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust & Declan de Freitas, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.   Pre-transplant and de novo development of donor-specific HLA antibodies are known to predict poor long-term outcomes in renal transplantation, and the value of HLA surveillance for confirming dysfunction is undisputed.

2013/04/24MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2013 Report – The TAESR trial – outcomes after one year

by Maria Dalby reporting on the presentation by Adam McLean, Hammersmith Hospital, London.  Tacrolimus administered once daily in an extended-release formulation is as safe and effective as conventional twice-daily tacrolimus after alemtuzumab induction and early steroid withdrawal. No difference was seen between the two treatment arms in patient or graft survival or rejection rates, and stable tacrolimus plasma levels were established equally quickly in both groups.

2013/04/23MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2013 Report – Transplantation clinical trials forum – Results of BTS member survey

by Maria Dalby reporting on the presentation by Dion Morton, Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre, University of Birmingham & Sir Peter John Morris, Centre for Evidence in Transplantation, Royal College of Surgeons of England.

2013/04/23MEDICAL UPDATE

A few cigarettes a day increases risk of RA

Number of cigarettes smoked a day and the number of years a person has smoked both increase the risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), finds research in BioMed Central's open access journal Arthritis Research & Therapy.

2013/04/23MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2013 Report – Engineering transplantable kidneys from stem cells: progress so far

by Maria Dalby reporting on the presentation by Jamie Davies, University of Edinburgh.  Using stem cells to engineer functioning human kidneys that can be used for transplantation remains a distant prospect; however, progress is being made every day which brings it a bit closer. Professor Jamie Davies from Edinburgh presented an overview of the two main avenues of research and the most recent achievements in terms of tissue viability and function.

2013/04/22MEDICAL UPDATE

Painkillers before marathons – not good

Risk increases with dose; unrecognised problem, doctors warn.  Many competitors try to prevent pain interfering with their performance by taking painkillers that are readily available in pharmacies and supermarkets, say the authors.

2013/04/22MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2013 Report – When one is not enough: dual kidney transplantation

by Maria Dalby reporting on the presentation by Lucrezia Furian, University of Padova, Italy.  Donors are getting older and the quality of organs offered to centres for transplantation is dwindling. In kidney transplantation, one alternative is to perform a dual kidney transplantation to compensate for the compromised quality.

2013/04/22MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2013 Report – How will commissioning be different after April 2013 for kidney transplantation?

by Maria Dalby reporting on the presentation by Keith Rigg, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust.   With effect from April 2013, kidney transplantation will be commissioned by the NHS Commissioning Board as a specialist service.

2013/04/22MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2013 Report – Transplant tourism – a single centre experience

by Maria Dalby reporting on the presentation by Philip J Whatling, Royal Free Hospital, London.  Patients who go abroad to have transplantations and return to the NHS for aftercare and follow-up may pose a significant threat to UK transplant centres in terms of multi-resistant infections.

2013/04/19MEDICAL UPDATE

Winter effects breast cancer treatment

Effects reduced by up to 30 percent by low-vitamin D season.  For women diagnosed with oestrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer, tamoxifen is an essential drug used in the treatment and prevention of recurring breast cancer.

2013/04/19MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2013 Report – Risk of cancer transmission from organ donors

by Maria Dalby reporting on the presentation by Rajeev Desai, National Health Service Blood and Transplant, Bristol.  The risk of cancer transmission via transplanted organs is very low in the UK. Contrary to what some tabloid editors would have their readers believe at times, the risk of receiving an organ where cancer is present at the time of donation is less than 1 in 2,000 cases.

2013/04/18MEDICAL UPDATE

Dr Eamon Dolan Consultant Geriatrician, Connolly Hospital, Dublin, discusses Hypertension

In association with A.Menarini Pharmaceuticals Ireland Ltd. and Daiichi Sankyo Ireland Ltd.

2013/04/18MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2013 Report – Hoffenberg lecture: consent is a luxury we cannot afford

by Maria Dalby reporting on the presentation by John Harris, Institute for Science, Ethics and Innovation, University of Manchester.   A thousand patients die every year whilst waiting for a transplant. Thousands more are forced to live their lives virtually imprisoned by the need for regular dialysis.

2013/04/18MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2013 Report – Understanding the causes of kidney transplant failure: the dominant role of antibody-mediated rejection and non-adherence

by Maria Dalby reporting on the presentation by Declan de Freitas, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.   The majority of failed renal grafts can be attributed clinically or histologically to antibody-mediated rejection. In a large proportion of these cases, non-adherence is a major factor in the development of antibodies.

2013/04/17MEDICAL UPDATE

Hypertension – Treat to target with multiple agents

In association with A.Menarini Pharmaceuticals Ireland Ltd. and Daiichi Sankyo Ireland Ltd. By Christine Clark FRPharmS - Hypertension is a long-term condition for which an individual will require treatment over a period of years. The majority of patients will not respond adequately to monotherapy and a combination of drugs is usually required, but this can lead to complex and burdensome regimens.

2013/04/17MEDICAL UPDATE

Chronic pain common complication of stroke

Chronic or persistent pain is a common — and likely under-recognised — complication of ischemic strokes (caused by a blocked blood vessel) according to new research in the American Heart Association journal Stroke.

2013/04/17MEDICAL UPDATE

Walking as good as running in heart conditions

American Heart Association Rapid Access Journal Report.  Walking briskly can lower your risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes as much as running can, according to surprising findings reported in the American Heart Association journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology.

2013/04/16MEDICAL UPDATE

Taxing cigarettes has had no effect

Up to 2009 there is no statistically significant evidence of any reduction in smoking amongst men – and very little evidence of a reduction in smoking amongst women – resulting from the introduction of EU minimum tax legislation in Spain in 2006.

2013/04/16MEDICAL UPDATE

Less salt and more potassium saves lives

Results have helped develop first WHO guidelines on potassium intake.  Cutting down on salt and, at the same time, increasing levels of potassium in our diet will have major health and cost benefits across the world, according to studies published on bmj.com.

2013/04/15MEDICAL UPDATE

ACC 2013 Report – Telemedicine helps BP

A telemedicine program in under-served urban areas and usual care helped patients improve control of hypertension equally well, researchers reported here.

2013/04/15MEDICAL UPDATE

ACC 2013 Report – GIK may only mitigate MI

An infusion of glucose, insulin, and potassium (GIK) to patients on the way to the hospital for acute coronary syndromes won't stop a myocardial infarction (MI) but may improve outcomes, a clinical trial determined.

2013/04/14MEDICAL UPDATE

ACC 2013 Report – Soy reduces BP

Individuals who ingest the highest amounts of soy protein in a day appear to see a significant lowering of their systolic blood pressure, researchers reported here.

2013/04/14MEDICAL UPDATE

ACC 2013 Report – The end for Niacin?

Results from a landmark study of specially formulated niacin in 25,673 high-risk patients appears to have extinguished any clinical role for niacin to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in these patients, researchers said here.

2013/04/13MEDICAL UPDATE

ACC 2013 Report – Newer agents better than clopidogrel

Patients in the cangrelor group had a significantly lower rate of the composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction (MI), ischemia-driven revascularization, and stent thrombosis at 48 hours compared with clopidogrel (4.7% versus 5.9%), according Bhatt and colleagues, who reported the findings online in the New England Journal of Medicine.

2013/04/13MEDICAL UPDATE

ACC 2013 Report – Aliskiren fails in HF

The use of the direct renin inhibitor aliskiren failed to improve outcomes for patients with stable heart failure at 6 months or at 12 months, researchers reported here at the annual scientific sessions of the American College of Cardiology.

2013/04/12MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2013 Report – Improved adherence to tacrolimus once-daily formulation in renal recipients: a randomised controlled trial using electronic monitoring

by Maria Dalby reporting on the presentation by Fabienne Dobbels, Leuven Hospital, Belgium.  The Adherence Measurement in Stable Renal Transplant Patients Following Conversion From Prograf to Advagraf (ADMIRAD) study is the first fully powered adherence intervention study in kidney transplantation patients that has used a rigorous methodology with electronic monitoring of treatment adherence(1).

2013/04/12MEDICAL UPDATE

Getting the best out DCD livers for transplantation: Will machine perfusion (MP) be the answer?

Foreward by Professor D M Manas (pictured) BSc, MBBCh, MMed, FCS(SA), FRCS(Edin).  The burden of chronic liver disease (CLD) continues to grow worldwide and the UK is no exception. Liver transplantation is now part of routine practice and is accepted as treatment for end stage liver failure.

2013/04/12MEDICAL UPDATE

ACC 2013 Report – Ticagrelor has its largest effect in ACS patients with elevated troponin

Recent guidelines suggest that NSTEMI patients with elevated troponin levels are recommended for early invasive treatment, but a substantial proportion are still managed without an early invasive procedure.

2013/04/11MEDICAL UPDATE

ACC 2013 Report – AF feels worse for women

Atrial fibrillation feels worse for women, although men are more likely to die from the arrhythmia, a sub-analysis of the ORBIT AF registry showed.

2013/04/11MEDICAL UPDATE

ACC 2013 Report – Extended dual antiplatelet therapy don’t improve outcomes

Extra-extended dual antiplatelet therapy after placement of a drug-eluting stent won't improve outcomes, Korean researchers affirmed in the DES-LATE trial.

2013/04/10MEDICAL UPDATE

Protein-rich breakfasts prevent snacking

Breakfast might be the most important meal of the day, but up to 60 percent of American young people consistently skip it. Now, Heather Leidy, an assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, says eating a breakfast rich in protein significantly improves appetite control and reduces unhealthy snacking

2013/04/10MEDICAL UPDATE

Vit D lowers diabetes risk

Supplement helped control blood-sugar levels in obese youths.  Childhood and adolescent obesity rates have increased dramatically in the past three decades. Being obese puts individuals at greater risk for developing Type 2 diabetes, a disease in which individuals have too much sugar in their blood.

2013/04/09MEDICAL UPDATE

LDL calculation underestimates danger

Researchers suggest a different method of assessing risk after examining data on 1.3 million Americans.  In what promises to be an eye-opener for many doctors and patients who routinely depend on cholesterol testing, a study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine found that the standard formula used for decades to calculate low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels is often inaccurate.

2013/04/08MEDICAL UPDATE

Diabetics suffer switching to adult care

Adolescent type 1 diabetes patients face greater risk for heart attacks, strokes, blindness and kidney failure later in life if their transition from paediatric to adult care is not carefully managed, researchers have found.

2013/04/08MEDICAL UPDATE

Risk of low testosterone jumps significantly with use of long-acting opioids for chronic pain

By Bruce Sylvester - Men treated with long-acting (extended release) opioids for chronic pain experience low testosterone levels five times more often than men using short-acting (immediate release ) opioids, researchers reported on January 31, 2013 in The Clinical Journal of Pain.

2013/04/05MEDICAL UPDATE

Kidney disease significantly increases risk of premature death in Type 2 Diabetes

By Bruce Sylvester - Even with good clinical management of type 2 diabetes, the risk of premature death increases significantly with the onset of kidney disease, researchers reported on Jan. 24, 2014 in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN).

2013/04/04MEDICAL UPDATE

Erectile dysfunction appears to be a marker for cardiovascular disease, premature death

by Bruce Sylvester - In a study published in PLOS Medicine on January 29, 2013, researchers reported that an increasing risk of future cardiovascular disease and of premature death is associated with increasing severity of male erectile dysfunction (ED). And this finding included men with no history of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

2013/04/03MEDICAL UPDATE

Prevention requires professionals to go into communities

Scotland takes action to tackle relationship between deprivation and CVD.  Deprivation represents the "elephant in the room" with regard to cardiovascular disease (CVD), and health care professionals have an important role to play in tackling the problem, delegates heard at a special plenary session opening the EuroHeart Care Congress in Glasgow, Scotland.

2013/04/03MEDICAL UPDATE

Propofol abuse by health care professionals

Abuse of common anesthetic has ‘rapid downhill course’, reports Journal of Addiction Medicine.  Abuse of the anaesthesia drug propofol is a "rapidly progressive form of substance dependence" that is being more commonly seen among health care professionals, reports a study in the April Journal of Addiction Medicine.

2013/04/02MEDICAL UPDATE

Food memories can reduce calorie intake

Research led by a psychologist at the University of Liverpool has found that using memories of recent meals reduces the amount of food eaten later on.  It also found that being distracted when eating leads to increased consumption.

2013/03/29MEDICAL UPDATE

Hypertension and increased risk for AD?

Major journal reports study findings.  A study in the JAMA Neurology suggests that controlling or preventing risk factors such as hypertension earlier in life may limit or delay the brain changes associated with Alzheimer's disease and other age-related neurological deterioration.

2013/03/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Quit smoking to diminish back pain

Smoking is a known risk factor for back pain and disc disease. In a new study presented at the 2013 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), researchers reviewed smoking cessation rates and related pain in 6,779 patients undergoing treatment for spinal disorders with severe axial (spine) or radicular (leg) pain.

2013/03/27MEDICAL UPDATE

Is surgery the only option for meniscal?

New research finds that for a number of patients physical therapy provides similar improvements in physical function and pain

2013/03/27MEDICAL UPDATE

Only 1/3 of parents follow Drs orders

One in 10 say they follow pediatricians' advice 'only occasionally;' most likely to ignore guidance on discipline, sleep, watching TV.  Paediatricians regularly dispense advice to parents of young children during well-child visits, but a new poll shows that many aren't following doctors' orders.

2013/03/26MEDICAL UPDATE

COPD patients at risk of infections

It is well known that COPD patients run a higher risk of contracting respiratory infections. However, a new thesis from Lund University in Sweden shows that they are also at higher risk of other bacterial infections, such as tuberculosis (TB) and pneumococcal and staphylococcal infections that can cause serious illness.

2013/03/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Bronchiectasis mortality risk in COPD

Bronchiectasis is independently associated with an increased mortality risk in patients with moderate-to-severe COPD, according to a new study from researchers in Spain.

2013/03/25MEDICAL UPDATE

New coronavirus count reaches 14

The number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus hCoV-EMC has risen to 14, according to the CDC.

2013/03/25MEDICAL UPDATE

NO lower in younger kids

Levels of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), a key measure of airway inflammation related to asthma, are substantially lower in non-asthmatic younger children than older ones, a researcher said here.

2013/03/22MEDICAL UPDATE

Pregnancy probiotics cuts allergies

When mothers in Norway ate probiotic-enhanced dairy products while pregnant, their children were less prone to eczema and nasal allergies during infancy and toddlerhood, a researcher said here.

2013/03/22MEDICAL UPDATE

Organic pollutants factor in Asthma risk

Changes in immune cell gene regulation brought on by exposure to organic chemical pollutants appear to be a factor in childhood asthma risk.

2013/03/21MEDICAL UPDATE

97% of UK Drs have given placebos

A survey of UK doctors found that 97% have prescribed placebo treatments to patients at least once in their career.  Researchers discovered that 97% of doctors have used 'impure' placebo treatments, while 12% have used 'pure' placebos.

2013/03/21MEDICAL UPDATE

WBC play key role in controlling RBC levels

Researchers have found that macrophages that play a key role in the immune response – also help to both produce and eliminate the body's red blood cells (RBCs). The findings could lead to novel therapies for diseases or conditions in which the red blood cell production is thrown out of balance.

2013/03/21MEDICAL UPDATE

The COPD Assessment Test

Exacerbation severity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can be reliably assessed with the COPD Assessment Test™ (CAT), according to a new study from the UK.

2013/03/20MEDICAL UPDATE

Opioid labelling debated at FDA Hearing

Advocates and pain management groups aired concerns recently over a citizen petition to change opioid labeling during the first of a 2-day FDA hearing.

2013/03/20MEDICAL UPDATE

Double jointed teens risk RA

Young teens with joint hypermobility are at risk for developing a specific pattern of musculoskeletal pain in later adolescence, particularly if they are obese, a prospective British study suggested.

2013/03/19MEDICAL UPDATE

Acupuncture’s mechanisms of action

Understanding the molecular underpinnings of an ancient Chinese therapy's success could increase its acceptance by mainstream medicine.  While acupuncture is used widely to treat chronic stress, the mechanism of action leading to reported health benefits are not understood.

2013/03/19MEDICAL UPDATE

FDA ok’s drug to treat pain during sex

The FDA has approved a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) for treating pain associated with sexual intercourse in postmenopausal women.

2013/03/18MEDICAL UPDATE

Novel treatment approach for bladder pain using a herpes simplex virus vector reported

Severe chronic pain associated with conditions such as bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis often require the use of opioid medication. An alternative treatment strategy increases the levels of a naturally occurring painkiller in and around the nerves that deliver pain signals to the bladder.

2013/03/15MEDICAL UPDATE

Treat Gamblers at early age

Study says early intervention is key to successful treatment of gambling.  To successfully treat pathological gambling, you need to intervene at an early stage, according to Susana Jiménez-Murcia from the University Hospital of Bellvitge in Spain and colleagues. Their study shows that a patient's age influences how severe the psychopathology and clinical aspects of pathological gambling are.

2013/03/15MEDICAL UPDATE

Short-term folic acid use does not appear to increase cancer risk

Taken from The Lancet - by Bruce Sylvester - Short-term folic acid supplement use does not affect overall cancer risk and does little to increase the risk of developing cancer of the colon, prostate, lung, and breast, researchers from a meta-analysis involving almost 50 000 subjects.

2013/03/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Researchers link smaller pack sizes and major reduction paracetamol-related deaths

Taken from the British Medical Journal (BMJ) - by Bruce Sylvester - Deaths and liver transplants related to paracetamol overdoses have decreased significantly due to UK legislation which reduced  pack sizes, researchers reported on Feb.7, 2013  in the BMJ.

2013/03/13MEDICAL UPDATE

Early HIV treatment delays immune system damage and cuts transmission risk

Taken from the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) - by Bruce Sylvester - Forty-eight weeks of antiretroviral treatment in the early stages of HIV infection delays damage to the immune system and delays the need for long-term treatment, researchers reported on Jan. 16, 2013 in the NEJM.

2013/03/13MEDICAL UPDATE

ACE inhibitor enhances pain-free walking and physical functioning in patients with peripheral artery disease

Taken from the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) - by Bruce Sylvester - Patients experiencing intermittent claudication, pain in the calf while walking, who were treated for 24 weeks with the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor ramipril  achieved improvements in pain-free and maximum walking times and improvements in the physical health aspect of quality of life, researchers reported in the February 6 issue of JAMA.

2013/03/12MEDICAL UPDATE

Emergency respiratory hospitalisations among the elderly is increased by outdoor heat

by Bruce Sylvester - Increases in outdoor heat significantly raise, for the elderly, the risk of emergency hospitalisation for respiratory disorders, researchers reported online on March 8, 2013 ahead of print publication in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

2013/03/11MEDICAL UPDATE

Use it or lose it in AD

Research illuminates a molecular mechanism for why a stimulating environment may protect against Alzheimer's Disease.

2013/03/08MEDICAL UPDATE

Long-term opioid therapy is possible

In a recent Clinical Crossroads article Dr. Dan Alford from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and Boston Medical Center (BMC) suggests that prescription opioid abuse can be minimized by monitoring patients closely for harm by using urine drug testing (UDT), pill counts, and reviewing prescription drug monitoring program data when available.

2013/03/08MEDICAL UPDATE

Insomnia link to increased risk of HF

People who suffer from insomnia appear to have an increased risk of developing heart failure, according to the largest study to investigate the link.  The study followed 54,279 people between the ages of 20-89 for an average of more than 11 years, and found that those who suffered from three symptoms of insomnia had a more than three-fold increased risk of developing heart failure compared to those with no insomnia symptoms.

2013/03/07MEDICAL UPDATE

Forward by the President of the Irish Pain Society Dr Ray Victory

Chronic pain, pain that persists longer than three months, is a very prevalent problem and it has very predictable effects on patient's lives. Recent studies have demonstrated that    13% of the population of the Irish population suffer from persistent pain and many of these patients follow a pattern of disability and depression.

2013/03/07MEDICAL UPDATE

Invasive melanoma procedure, harmful?

A special report published by the BMJ  finds that thousands of melanoma patients around the world are undergoing an expensive and invasive procedure called sentinel node biopsy, despite a lack of clear evidence and concerns that it may do more harm than good.

2013/03/07MEDICAL UPDATE

Disabled more prone to be attacked in work

Employees with disabilities are twice as likely to be attacked at work and they experience higher rates of insults, ridicule and intimidation, a new UK study has found.  Researchers from Cardiff and Plymouth universities found that people with physical or psychological disabilities or long-term illness reported higher rates of 21 types of ill-treatment than other workers did, often from their managers and colleagues.

2013/03/06MEDICAL UPDATE

New ‘Google Map’ of human metabolism

Building on earlier pioneering work by researchers at the University of California, San Diego, an international consortium of university researchers has produced the most comprehensive virtual reconstruction of human metabolism to date. Scientists could use the model, known as Recon 2, to identify causes of and new treatments for diseases like cancer, diabetes and even psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders.

2013/03/06MEDICAL UPDATE

New genetic risk factors for AMD

An international group of investigators has identified seven new genetic regions associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a common cause of blindness in older individuals. The findings could point to new biological pathways and therapeutic targets for AMD.

2013/03/05MEDICAL UPDATE

Study confirms safety of colonoscopy

Colon cancer develops slowly. Precancerous lesions usually need many years to turn into a dangerous carcinoma. They are well detectable in an endoscopic examination of the colon called colonoscopy and can be removed during the same examination.

2013/03/05MEDICAL UPDATE

ADHD takes toll well into adulthood

The first large, population-based study to follow children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) into adulthood shows that ADHD often doesn't "go away," and that children with ADHD are more likely to have other psychiatric disorders as adults. Although numbers were small, they also appear more likely to commit suicide and are often incarcerated as adults.

2013/03/04MEDICAL UPDATE

First ‘functional HIV cure’ in an infant

A team of researchers from Johns Hopkins Children's Center, the University of Mississippi Medical Center and the University of Massachusetts Medical School describe the first case of a so-called "functional cure" in an HIV-infected infant. The finding, the investigators say, may help pave the way to eliminating HIV infection in children.

2013/03/04MEDICAL UPDATE

Melanoma by smartphone apps?

Smartphone applications that claim to evaluate a user's photographs of skin lesions for the likelihood of cancer instead returned highly variable and often inaccurate feedback, according to a study led by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

2013/03/04MEDICAL UPDATE

RSV strategies to protect babies

Research by the University of Warwick indicates that vaccinating families could protect young babies against a common winter virus which can be fatal for infants under six months.  Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) typically leads to mild, cold-like symptoms in adults and older children but can be more serious and even fatal in infants under the age of six months as it can lead to bronchiolitis and pneumonia.

2013/03/01MEDICAL UPDATE

Female Drs pay lags behind colleagues

According to the latest survey of UK hourly pay by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) female doctors' pay lags behind their male colleagues by 28.6%.  This "eye opener" pay gap, which trends suggest has stood at around 25% on average since 2000, remains largely inexplicable, says John Appleby, Chief Economist at the King's Fund.

2013/03/01MEDICAL UPDATE

GPs prefer delivering test results

According to a study in the February issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology, primary care physicians prefer to deliver the results of radiology examinations themselves and feel medico-legally obligated by recommendations within radiology reports.

2013/02/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Early missed meals can lead to depression

Research finds pathways from early-life circumstances to issues later in life.  It's common knowledge that a child who misses a meal can't concentrate in school. But what happens years down the road? Does that missed meal have any bearing on health in adulthood?

2013/02/28MEDICAL UPDATE

UK in heart attack blood test trial

Patients at Manchester Royal Infirmary are playing a vital role in an international trial to find out if a blood test can accurately confirm a heart attack within an hour of someone being admitted to hospital with chest pain

2013/02/27MEDICAL UPDATE

Low birth weight not associated with asthma risk

New study helps understand who is at risk and why.  Asthma is a serious condition that affects more than 25.7 million Americans, and is responsible for nearly 4,000 deaths annually. While the cause of asthma remains unknown, a study released in the January issue of Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, the scientific journal of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI), has concluded that low birth weight is not associated with asthma risk in young children.

2013/02/27MEDICAL UPDATE

Geographic factors can cause allergies, asthma

New study finds those living close to the equator are at higher risk.  Those living near the equator may find themselves sneezing and wheezing more than usual. And the reason may not be due to increasing pollen counts.

2013/02/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Exposure to air pollution is associated with increased deaths after heart attacks

Air pollution contributes to an increased number of deaths among patients who have been admitted to hospital with heart attacks, according to a study published online today in the European Heart Journal [1].

2013/02/26MEDICAL UPDATE

COPD patients at risk of dangerous bacterial infections

It is well known that COPD patients run a higher risk of contracting respiratory infections. However, a new thesis from Lund University in Sweden shows that they are also at higher risk of other bacterial infections, such as tuberculosis (TB) and pneumococcal and staphylococcal infections that can cause serious illness.

2013/02/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Bronchiectasis increases mortality risk in moderate-to-severe COPD

Bronchiectasis is independently associated with an increased mortality risk in patients with moderate-to-severe COPD, according to a new study from researchers in Spain.

2013/02/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Asthma Society calls for nationwide ban on smoky coal to benefit public health

Sufferers of respiratory conditions such as asthma at risk from dangerous pollutants.  359 lives saved every year in Dublin since smoky coal was banned in 1990 – more than 8,250 people in total.

2013/02/25MEDICAL UPDATE

Brain imaging insight into cannabis as a pain killer

The pain relief offered by cannabis varies greatly between individuals, a brain imaging study carried out at the University of Oxford suggests.

2013/02/25MEDICAL UPDATE

Arterial spin labelling could eventually help diagnose and treat chronic pain

Treating and studying chronic pain is complex and presents many challenges. Scientists have long searched for a method to objectively measure pain and a new study from Brigham and Women's Hospital advances that effort.

2013/02/25MEDICAL UPDATE

Predictors of postpartum pelvic joint pain identified among working women

First report of unexplained pain as predictor, according to new study - A new study of working women has identified factors during pregnancy and postpartum that can predict pain in the joints that comprise the pelvic girdle.

2013/02/25MEDICAL UPDATE

Chronic pain in parents appears associated with chronic pain

Chronic pain in parents appears to be associated with chronic nonspecific pain and chronic multisite pain in adolescents and young adults, according to a study.

2013/02/25MEDICAL UPDATE

Children with higher intelligence less likely to report chronic widespread pain in adulthood

A UK-based study team has determined that there is a correlation between childhood intelligence and chronic widespread pain (CWP) in adulthood, according to a new study.

2013/02/21MEDICAL UPDATE

GP diagnosis of pneumonia?

Pneumonia cannot be accurately diagnosed solely on a doctor's analysis of symptoms and patient history, according to new findings.  A new study, published online in the European Respiratory Journal, found that a majority of pneumonia cases could not be accurately diagnosed by a doctor's judgement alone, compared to a chest radiograph.

2013/02/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Psych drugs increase in care homes

A study by Queen's University Belfast has found that the dispensing of psychotropic drugs to older people in Northern Ireland increases on entry to care homes.  According to the study, antipsychotic drug dispensing in older people more than doubled from 8.2 per cent before entry to care homes to 18.6 per cent after entering care.

2013/02/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Bullying link to psychiatric health

A new study shows that children who are exposed to bullying during childhood are at increased risk of psychiatric disorders in adulthood, regardless of whether they are victims or perpetrators.

2013/02/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Omega 3s inhibit breast cancer growth

A lifelong diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids can inhibit growth of breast cancer tumours by 30 per cent, according to new research.  The study, published recently in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, is believed to be the first to provide unequivocal evidence that omega-3s reduce cancer risk.

2013/02/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Are antidepressants overused?

Antidepressant prescriptions in the UK have increased by 9.6% in 2011, to 46 million prescriptions. Does this reflect over medicalisation or appropriate treatment? Glasgow GP, Dr Des Spence, thinks that "we use antidepressants too easily, for too long, and that they are effective for few people (if at all)"

2013/02/21MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO GU Report 2013 – Anticoagulation benefits prostate cancer patients

by Ed Susman - Orlando, Florida – Researchers said they were surprised to find that prostate cancer patients treated with anticoagulants appear to achieve a longer median overall survival than other men with the disease who have not been diagnosed with life-threatening blood clots.

2013/02/21MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO GU Report 2013 – Small renal cancers may not need surgery

by Eoghan McNeill - Orlando, Florida – When clinicians observe incidental kidney masses, about 78% of the time they are surgically removed – but a new study suggests that watching and waiting to see if those masses are dangerous may be a safer strategy for older and sicker patients.

2013/02/20MEDICAL UPDATE

Hypertension – Treat to target with multiple agents

by Christine Clark FRPharmS - In association with A.Menarini Pharmaceuticals Ireland Ltd. and Daiichi Sankyo Pharmaceuticals Ireland Ltd. 

2013/02/20MEDICAL UPDATE

Current evidence does not support selenium for preventing heart disease in well-nourished adults

A systematic review published today in The Cochrane Library finds that in well-nourished adults current evidence does not support selenium for preventing heart disease.

2013/02/20MEDICAL UPDATE

Vegetarianism can reduce risk of heart disease by up to a third

The risk of hospitalisation or death from heart disease is 32% lower in vegetarians than people who eat meat and fish, according to a new study from the University of Oxford.

2013/02/20MEDICAL UPDATE

Radio waves lower persistent high blood pressure

Directing short bursts of radio waves at nerves surrounding the kidneys lowered blood pressure for at least six months and up to one year among patients with hypertension that persists regardless of taking multiple medications to control it,

2013/02/20MEDICAL UPDATE

Mis-folded proteins in heart cells are a key factor in the process of heart failure

Despite a substantial increase in the number of people suffering the debilitating and often deadly effects of heart failure, treatments for the condition have not advanced significantly for at least 10 years.

2013/02/20MEDICAL UPDATE

Home blood pressure monitoring may not benefit patients with stroke and hypertension

Home blood pressure monitoring may help patients with hypertension and stroke but did not improve blood pressure control for patients who had normal blood pressure at the start or those with disabilities,

2013/02/20MEDICAL UPDATE

High blood pressure in young adults likely to go undiagnosed

Adults 18-24 years old with high blood pressure were 28 percent less likely to be diagnosed during doctor visits than those 60 and older, according to findings presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions.

2013/02/20MEDICAL UPDATE

Doctors fail to communicate impact of heart devices with patients

New research at Saint Louis University shows physicians do not talk to patients about the psychosocial impact and long-term risks of implanting cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) to treat irregular heart rhythms, leaving them misinformed about how the device may affect quality of life.

2013/02/20MEDICAL UPDATE

Gene variations linked to lung cancer susceptibility in Asian women

An international group of scientists has identified three genetic regions that predispose Asian women who have never smoked to lung cancer.

2013/02/20MEDICAL UPDATE

COPD is not an independent risk factor for lung cancer

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer are two of the most important smoking-related diseases worldwide, with a huge combined mortality burden.

2013/02/20MEDICAL UPDATE

Cancer mortality down 20 percent from 1991 peak

As of 2009, the overall death rate for cancer in the United States had declined 20 percent from its peak in 1991, translating to the avoidance of approximately 1.2 million deaths from cancer, 152,900 of these in 2009 alone. These figures come from the American Cancer Society's annual Cancer Statistics report.

2013/02/19MEDICAL UPDATE

New evidence shows ability to metabolise tamoxifen affects breast cancer outcomes

For nearly a decade, breast cancer researchers studying the hormone therapy tamoxifen have been divided as to whether genetic differences in liver enzymes affect the drug's effectiveness and the likelihood breast cancer will recur.

2013/02/19MEDICAL UPDATE

The factor that could influence future breast cancer treatment

Researchers have shown in the laboratory how a 'transcription factor' causes breast cancer cells to develop an aggressive subtype that lacks sensitivity to oestrogen and does not respond to known anti-oestrogen therapies.

2013/02/19MEDICAL UPDATE

Better survival rates seen with lumpectomy compared with mastectomy for early breast cancer

A new analysis has found that lumpectomy plus radiation for early breast cancer may provide patients with a better chance of survival than mastectomy.

2013/02/19MEDICAL UPDATE

Beta-blockers – versatile and effective

In association with A.Menarini Pharmaceuticals Ireland Ltd - Beta-blockers are one of the most valuable classes of drugs in the therapeutic armamentarium. They have an established place in the management of hypertension in combination with other agents.

2013/02/18MEDICAL UPDATE

Costly prostate cancer treatment offers little relief from side effects

Prostate cancer patients receiving the costly treatment known as proton radiotherapy experienced minimal relief from side effects such as incontinence and erectile dysfunction, compared to patients undergoing a standard radiation treatment called intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT),

2013/02/18MEDICAL UPDATE

Prostate cancer study tracks long-term urinary, sexual and bowel function side effects

A new study comparing outcomes among prostate cancer patients treated with surgery versus radiotherapy found differences in urinary, bowel and sexual function after short-term follow-up, but those differences were no longer significant 15 years after initial treatment.

2013/02/12MEDICAL UPDATE

Amoxicillin appears to be ineffective for cough

Taken from The Lancet - by Bruce Sylvester - Patients with cough treated with amoxicillin do not recover significantly more quickly or have significantly fewer symptoms than other patients, researchers reported on Dec. 18 in The Lancet.

2013/02/12MEDICAL UPDATE

Vitamin D helps infection-prone patients avoid respiratory tract infection

Taken from the British Medical Journal (BMJ) - by Bruce Sylvester - High doses of vitamin D taken for a year appears to help infection-prone patients achieve a lower risk of respiratory tract infection,

2013/02/11MEDICAL UPDATE

Japanese team creates cancer-specific killer T cells from induced pluripotent stem cells

World Health Matters - Japan - by Eoghan McNeill - Researchers from the RIKEN Research Centre for Allergy and Immunology in Japan report today that they have succeeded for the first time in creating cancer-specific, immune system cells called killer T lymphocytes, from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells).

2013/02/11MEDICAL UPDATE

Could obesity make Alzheimer’s worse?

World Health Matters - France - by Gary Finnegan - The detrimental effects of obesity are well-documented with public health specialists warning of a tidal wave of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases if obesity continues to rise.

2013/02/11MEDICAL UPDATE

‘Second-hand smoke’ increases dementia risk

World Health Matters - China - by Gary Finnegan -  A study of nearly 6,000 people in five provinces in China has shown that people exposed to passive smoking have a significantly increased risk of several dementia syndromes.

2013/02/11MEDICAL UPDATE

‘Fat tax’ could improve behaviour

World Health Matters - New Zealand - by Gary Finnegan -  Taxes on sugary drinks and foods high in saturated fats, along with subsidies for fruit and vegetables, could incentivise dietary changes and improve health, according to a new study.

2013/02/08MEDICAL UPDATE

Drug companies facing higher fees

EMA Highlights by Gary Finnegan - Pharmaceutical companies will have to pay more to have their new medicines evaluated, if the European Medicines Agency is to balance its budget.

2013/02/08MEDICAL UPDATE

Green light for new medicines

EMA Highlights by Gary Finnegan - Several new medicines have been approved by the EMA’s influential Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP), including the first non-surgical treatment for vitreomacular traction (VMT).

2013/02/08MEDICAL UPDATE

New guideline on cancer medicines

EMA Highlights by Eoghan McNeill - The EMA has published revised guidelines on the evaluation of anti-cancer medicines to take account of advances in research and new therapeutic options which have emerged in recent years.

2013/02/07MEDICAL UPDATE

Psoriasis drug shows potential for crohn’s disease

Taken from the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) - by Bruce Sylvester - Ustekinumab, a drug used to treat psoriasis, appears to decrease the debilitating effects of Crohn's disease,

2013/02/07MEDICAL UPDATE

Daily multivitamin use by men does not lower cardiovascular disease risk

Taken from the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) - by Bruce Sylvester - Daily multivitamin use by men does not reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, researchers reported in a study published

2013/02/07MEDICAL UPDATE

Rituximab appears to benefit clinical problems tied to antiphospholipid antibodies

FDA Highlights by Bruce Sylvester - According to a study published online on Nov. 20, 2012 in Arthritis and Rheumatism, rituximab appears to benefit patients with antiphospholipid antibodies (aPLs) who suffer from aPL-related clinical problems that are unresponsive to anticoagulation therapy, such as cardiac disease and kidney disease.

2013/02/07MEDICAL UPDATE

Metformin treatment associated with improved survival in Ovarian Cancer

FDA Highlights by Bruce Sylvester - Women with ovarian cancer and diabetes who took metformin for their diabetes have achieved a better survival rate than patients who did not take it,

2013/02/07MEDICAL UPDATE

Combination antiretroviral therapy lowers risk of malaria recurrence in Pediatric HIV

FDA Highlights by Bruce Sylvester - Combination antiretroviral therapy significantly reduces the risk of recurrent malaria among HIV-positive children,

2013/02/07MEDICAL UPDATE

Hormone therapy within five years of menopause lowers Alzheimer’s risk

FDA Highlights by Bruce Sylvester - Women who start hormone therapy within 5 years of menopause onset could reduce their risk of developing Alzheimer's disease,

2013/02/05MEDICAL UPDATE

Asthma ups risk of pulmonary embolism

Asthma increases the risk of pulmonary embolism, researchers reported online on Dec. 20, 2012 in the European Respiratory Journal.

2013/02/05MEDICAL UPDATE

Kidney disease poses highest early – death risk among diabetics

While living well with type 2 diabetes is possible, when kidney disease emerges the risk of premature death increases significantly,

2013/02/05MEDICAL UPDATE

More sleep appears to lower pain sensitivity

A study a appearing in the December, 2012 issue of the journal SLEEP suggests that more nightly sleep in mildly sleepy, healthy adults can increase daytime alertness and, notably, reduce pain sensitivity.

2013/02/05MEDICAL UPDATE

Meditation technique appears to cut mortality, heart attack and stroke among heart disease patients

Patients with heart disease who practiced transcendental meditation regularly over a 5-year period were 48 percent less likely to have a heart attack, stroke or die from all causes compared to other similarly diagnosed non-meditating patients,

2013/01/30MEDICAL UPDATE

Treatment for moderate pain

This article has been initiated, funded and reviewed by Mercury Pharma.  The management of moderate pain can be a challenge as it calls for more than simple analgesics but less than strong opioids.

2013/01/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Stem-cell approach shows promise for Duchenne muscular dystrophy

http://www.eurekalert.org/multimedia/pub/51742.php?from=230078 Researchers have shown that transplanting stem cells derived from normal mouse blood vessels into the hearts of mice that model the pathology associated with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) prevents the decrease in heart function associated with DMD.

2013/01/24MEDICAL UPDATE

Controlling spine metastases with tumour ‘separation surgery’ and high-dose stereotactic radiosurgery

Safe and effective - Researchers have found that tumour "separation surgery" followed by high-dose hypofractionated stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) or high-dose single-fraction SRS is safe and effective in controlling spinal metastases regardless of the radiosensitivity of the particular tumour type that has invaded the spine.

2013/01/24MEDICAL UPDATE

Immune cells engineered in lab to resist HIV infection, Stanford study shows

Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have found a novel way to engineer key cells of the immune system so they remain resistant to infection with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

2013/01/24MEDICAL UPDATE

Hypertension during pregnancy increases risk of end-stage renal disease

Women with hypertensive disorders in pregnancy are at higher risk of chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease compared with women without the disorders, according to a study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

2013/01/24MEDICAL UPDATE

Children with egg allergies can safely receive flu vaccine, U-M study says

Egg allergic children did not have adverse reactions to single dose of influenza vaccine in multi-center study

2013/01/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Cranberry juice now unlikely to prevent cystitis

Cranberry juice is unlikely to prevent bladder and kidney infections, according to an updated systematic review published in The Cochrane Library.

2013/01/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Change in PSA levels over time can help predict aggressive prostate cancer

Measurements taken over time of prostate specific antigen, the most commonly used screening test for prostate cancer in men, improve the accuracy of aggressive prostate cancer detection when compared to a single measurement of PSA,

2013/01/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Targeted prostate biopsy has potential to improve diagnosis of prostate cancer

Magnetic resonance ultrasound fusion biopsy may aid in selection of patients for active surveillance versus aggressivetherapy, new study in The Journal of Urology® reports

2013/01/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Longer treatment for male UTI not associated with reduced early or late recurrence risk

A study of more than 33,000 outpatient male veterans suggests that a longer duration of antimicrobial treatment of more than seven days for a urinary tract infection (UTI) appeared not to be associated with a reduced risk of early or late recurrence compared to a shorter duration (seven days or less) of treatment,

2013/01/10MEDICAL UPDATE

Study identifies infants at highest risk of death from pertussis – Early and repeated white blood cell counts are a critical tool

A study released today from the upcoming issue of the Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (JPIDS) found that taking early and repeated white blood cell counts (WBC) is critical in determining whether infants have pertussis and which of those children are at highest risk of death from the disease.

2013/01/10MEDICAL UPDATE

Discovery could eventually help diagnose and treat chronic pain

The image (below), from a Brigham and Women's Hospital study, shows the Default Mode Network in patients with chronic low back pain (cLBP) and in healthy subjects (CONTROLS) before and after...click here for more information. 

2013/01/10MEDICAL UPDATE

Spin and bias in published studies of breast cancer trials

Spin and bias exist in a high proportion of published studies of the outcomes and adverse side-effects of phase III clinical trials of breast cancer treatments, according to new research published in the cancer journal Annals of Oncology [1].

2012/12/21MEDICAL UPDATE

World’s largest respiratory genetics study launches on World COPD Day

Researchers from the Universities of Nottingham and Leicester are leading the largest ever study of the genetics relating to lung disease.

2012/12/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Study shows COPD is not independent risk factor for lung cancer

Yet, researchers say lung cancer tests needed when making COPD diagnosis.

2012/12/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Study finds asthma is not linked to lower educational attainment

Social adversity and ethnicity linked to significantly poorer test scores in Key Stages 1-3.

2012/12/21MEDICAL UPDATE

New procedure helps patients with severe asthma breathe easier

Northwestern Memorial offers first non-drug, FDA approved therapy for severe asthma.

2012/12/21MEDICAL UPDATE

High-risk carotid artery plaque formation is increased in older COPD patients

Older patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are at increased risk for carotid artery plaque formation and for the presence of vulnerable plaques with a lipid core, according to a new study from researchers in the Netherlands.

2012/12/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Children born after infertility treatment are more likely to suffer from asthma

Asthma is more common among children born after infertility treatment than among children who have been planned and conceived naturally, according to findings from the UK Millennium Cohort Study published online in Europe's leading reproductive medicine journalHuman Reproduction [1].

2012/12/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Bacterial protein in house dust spurs asthma

A bacterial protein in common house dust may worsen allergic responses to indoor allergens, according to research conducted by the National Institutes of Health and Duke University.

2012/12/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Abuse during childhood linked to adult-onset asthma

According to a new study from the Slone Epidemiology Center (SEC) at Boston University, African-American women who reported suffering abuse before age 11 had a greater likelihood of adult-onset asthma compared to women whose childhood and adolescence were free of abuse.

2012/12/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Irish Thoracic Society meeting – Research shows that one in seven Irish people have an undiagnosed lung condition

New research shows that one in seven or 15% of Irish people have an undiagnosed lung condition and that this figure doubles to almost 30% in people over 60 who have a history of smoking.

2012/12/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Highlights of the Irish Thoracic Society Annual Scientific Meeting 23-24 November 2012

[caption id="attachment_1619" align="alignleft" width="285"] Back row: Mr Sean Hourihan, BOC Healthcare, Prof John Moxham, King’s College London, Dr Aidan O’Brien, Mid Western Regional Hospital Limerick, Local organiser. Front row: Prof Nick Hill, Tufts University Boston, Dr Edward McKone, President, the Irish Thoracic Society and Dr Colin Edwards, Boehringer Ingelheim Ireland[/caption] by Dr Aidan O’Brien, Consultant Respiratory Physician, Mid Western Regional Hospital, Limerick, Local Organiser of the ITS Meeting 2012 - State of the art developments in respiratory medicine were the focus of the Irish Thoracic Society Meeting which took place in Limerick recently. 

2012/12/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Testing pain killers on humans could save money and speed the arrival of new drugs

Deliberately inflicting carefully controlled painful stimuli on human volunteers and seeing how well specific drugs reduce the feeling of pain can be an effective way of testing new drugs.

2012/12/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Social contact can ease pain related to nerve damage, animal study suggests

Companionship has the potential to reduce pain linked to nerve damage, according to a new study.

2012/12/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Putting a block on neuropathic pain before it starts

Liposomes packed with local anesthetic could block the nerve signals that reprogram pain centers and cause chronic, debilitating pain.

2012/12/21MEDICAL UPDATE

NSAIDs may protect liver

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, especially aspirin, may help prevent serious liver problems, a large observational study suggested.

2012/12/21MEDICAL UPDATE

New mobile app helps migraine sufferers track and analyze pain

A new iPhone app developed at the University of Michigan lets migraine or facial pain patients easily track and record their pain, which in turn helps the treating clinician develop a pain management plan.

2012/12/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Foot, knee and hip pain a problem in obese children

Lower extremity pain linked to poor physical and mental health in overweight kids.

2012/12/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Evidence-based guidelines enable optimal treatment of common low-back pain

[caption id="attachment_1598" align="alignleft" width="176"] Dr. Scott Forseen, Medical College of Georgia[/caption] While scientific evidence suggests that less is typically more when it comes to diagnosing and treating low-back pain in the US, the number of expensive imaging exams and surgeries done

2012/12/21MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2012 Report – Reduced intensity regimen prior to marrow transplant better for older leukaemia patients

A new study led by researchers at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) shows that preparing older acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) patients for bone marrow transplants with a reduced intensity conditioning regimen appears to be associated with higher rates of disease-free survival relative to

2012/12/21MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2012 Report – Novel therapeutic agents provide hope for patients with hard-to-treat blood disorders

Encouraging safety and efficacy data on novel and emerging therapies presented at the 54th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Haematology (ASH) signal an important step forward in the development of treatment strategies for patients with hard-to-treat leukaemia, myeloma, and myelofibrosis.

2012/12/21MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2012 Report – New stem cell research, transplant strategies show promise to improve outcomes, reduce complications

Studies of stem cell biology and transplant approaches presented at the 54th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Haematology (ASH) illustrate how the use of advanced modelling techniques is optimizing stem cells to treat patients with blood disorders,

2012/12/21MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2012 Report – New research helps predict susceptibility to Burkitt lymphoma

New research, presented at the 54th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Haematology (ASH), has identified important associations between Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) malaria and endemic Burkitt Lymphoma (eBL) that may help researchers identify young children who are more susceptible to eBL.

2012/12/21MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2012 Report – New drug cuts risk of transplant side effect in half

by Sung Choi, M.D., University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center (pictured) First study in humans shows promise for preventing graft-versus-host disease following bone marrow transplant.

2012/12/21MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2012 Report – Investigational agent targets gene signaling pathways to improve response for patients with CLL

The promising investigational targeted therapy ibrutinib and its mechanism of silencing gene communication pathways critical to the development of cancer may be an effective way to combat chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL),

2012/12/21MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2012 Report – Experimental graft-vs.-host disease treatment equivalent to standard care in Phase 3 trial

An experimental drug combination for preventing graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) was not significantly better than the standard regimen on key endpoints, according to a report of a phase 3 trial at the American Society of Haematology annual meeting.

2012/12/21MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2012 Report – Blood levels of immune protein predict risk in Hodgkin disease

Blood levels of an immunity-related protein, galectin-1, in patients with newly diagnosed Hodgkin lymphoma reflected the extent of their cancer and correlated with other predictors of outcome,

2012/12/21MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2012 Report – New multiple myeloma drug shows promise in treating people with advanced disease

Therapy may be new option for hard-to-treat blood cancer.

2012/12/21MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2012 Report – Potential gene therapy approach to sickle cell disease highlighted at ASH

Proof-of-concept animal study selected as one of the best presentations at 54th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition.

2012/12/21MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2012 Report – New results support bendamustine-rituximab (B-R) combination as first-line treatment in patients with (iNHL) and (MCL)

Data demonstrate superior patient outcomes with B-R in first-line treatment of iNHL and MCL, compared with current standard of care.

2012/12/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Studies from 2012 Quality Care Symposium highlight findings in improving quality of cancer care

Five additional studies presented at the 2012 Quality Care Symposium provided insight on how oncology practices can improve the quality of care they provide.

2012/12/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Snack attack: Eating unhealthy snack foods may affect cancer risk in patients with Lynch syndrome

A new analysis has found that loading up on snack foods may increase cancer risk in individuals with an inborn susceptibility to colorectal and other cancers.

2012/12/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Older and younger chronic leukemia patients may need different therapy

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Doctors should use different therapies when treating older and younger patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, according to a new study led by researchers

2012/12/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Genomic sequencing data guides treatment of metastatic triple-negative breast cancer patients

Unprecedented genomic sequencing of 14 metastatic TNBC patients yields potential drug targets

2012/12/21MEDICAL UPDATE

CWRU School of Medicine researchers discover new molecule linked to late-stage breast cancer

Researchers at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine have identified a molecule linked to more aggressive forms of breast cancer – a discovery that could point the way to potential cures.

2012/12/21MEDICAL UPDATE

PRT versus IMRT toxicity in prostate cancer

There is no difference between proton radiotherapy (PRT) and intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) when comparing the toxicity among  patients with prostate cancer at 12 months post-treatment according to a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

2012/12/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Changes in progenitor cell population in breast may be overlooked factor in breast cancer

Research presented at the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) annual meeting, 15-19 December 2012, San Francisco.

2012/12/14MEDICAL UPDATE

New drugs approved

by Gary Finnegan - EMA Highlights - The EMA has given its backing to a number of medicines including:

2012/12/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Alzheimer’s imaging gets the go-ahead

by Gary Finnegan - EMA Highlights - The first radiopharmaceutical for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of β-amyloid neuritic plaque density has been approved by the EMA’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP).

2012/12/14MEDICAL UPDATE

First vaccine for meningitis B

by Gary Finnegan - EMA Highlights - The EMA has given the green light to a new vaccine for bacterial meningitis. Bexsero, by Novartis, provides broad coverage against the meningococcal group B infections and is intended for the immunisation of children aged two months and older.

2012/12/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Watchdog promises more transparency in drug reviews

by Gary Finnegan - EMA Highlights - The European Medicines Agency has pledged to boost transparency when deciding whether to allow companies to market their medicines for additional conditions.

2012/12/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Denosumab lowers cell count in giant-cell tumor of the bone

by Bruce Sylvester - FDA Highlights - Treatment with denosumab decreases the number of tumor giant cells in patients with giant-cell tumor of the bone, and increases new bone formation, researchers reported on September 21, 2012 in Clinical Cancer Research.

2012/12/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Amoxicillin/Clavulanate improves exacerbations in mild-to-moderate COPD

by Bruce Sylvester - FDA Highlights - According to a study published online on September 7, 2012 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, treatment with amoxicillin/clavulanate improves moderate exacerbations in patients with mild-to-moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). 

2012/12/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Gabapentin appears to offer relief of refractory chronic cough

by Bruce Sylvester - FDA Highlights - A study published online on August 27, 2012 in The Lancet suggests that gabapentin, a pain and seizure drug, significantly reduces both frequency and severity of coughing and other symptoms associated with chronic cough.

2012/12/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Study shows lasting benefit of radiotherapy after surgery in prostate cancer

by Bruce Sylvester - taken from The Lancet - Radiotherapy given immediately after prostate removal surgery has a long-term benefit of preventing  progression of the disease, researchers reported in a study published online  on Oct 18, 2012 in The Lancet.

2012/12/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Smoking lowers life expectancy in Japan by 10 years

Smoking cuts life expectancy by ten years in Japan, researchers report in a paper published by the BMJ on bmj.com on Oct. 25, 2012. by Bruce Sylvester - taken from the British Medical Journal (BMJ) - The investigators in Oxford (UK) and Japan evaluated the impact of smoking on mortality in a large group of Japanese people living in Hiroshima or Nagasaki in 1950.

2012/12/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Early resection of low-grade gliomas brings better survival rate than watchful waiting

by Bruce Sylvester - taken from the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) - Researchers comparing methods for treating low-grade gliomas have found early surgical resection produced  better overall survival than biopsy and watchful waiting. The findings were published on Oct. 25, 2012 in JAMA.

2012/12/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Aspirin therapy extends life in colorectal cancer patients with specific gene mutation

by Bruce Sylvester - taken from the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) - Aspirin therapy appears to extend life in colorectal cancer patients with tumors having a mutation in a key gene, but has no effect on patients without the mutation, researchers reported October 25 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

2012/12/13MEDICAL UPDATE

Defusing the healthcare demographic time bomb

by Gary Finnegan - World Health Matters (Canada) - Austerity measures introduced by European governments and the deepening threat of insolvency faced by the US Medicare system have focused minds on ‘doing more with less’.

2012/12/13MEDICAL UPDATE

Alzheimer’s disease in men linked to low levels of hormone

by Gary Finnegan - World Health Matters (France) - A new study has suggested that low levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) are associated with Alzheimer’s disease in men.

2012/12/13MEDICAL UPDATE

Is glaucoma increasing road traffic accident rates?

by Gary Finnegan - World Health Matters (Japan) - Researchers in Japan have called for mandatory visual field testing for drivers in light of evidence showing glaucoma may increase the risk of road traffic accidents.

2012/12/13MEDICAL UPDATE

Study reveals motivation behind ‘sunbed’ use

by Gary Finnegan - World Health Matters (Germany) - Millions of people in Europe, the US and elsewhere use tanning beds every year ignoring the risk of skin cancer – but why? This was the question German researchers set out to answer as part of a telephone survey reported in the Archives of Dermatology journal.

2012/12/13MEDICAL UPDATE

Respiratory symptoms vary during menstrual cycle

by Bruce Sylvester - Researchers report that respiratory symptoms vary significantly in different stages of the menstrual cycle, and that there are more symptoms during the mid-luteal to mid-follicular stages.

2012/12/13MEDICAL UPDATE

Bypass surgery increases longevity for patients with diabetes and multi-vessel coronary artery disease

by Bruce Sylvester - Patients with diabetes and multi-vessel coronary artery disease who undergo bypass surgery live longer, and they are less likely to have complications than those who undergo angioplasty, researchers report.

2012/12/13MEDICAL UPDATE

Aging signs appear to predict eventual heart problems

by Bruce Sylvester - Findings from a study presented in November at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2012 suggest that subjects with three to four aging signs, receding hairline at the temples, baldness at the head's crown, earlobe crease, or yellow fatty deposits around the eyelid (xanthelasmata), have a 57 percent increased risk for heart attack and a 39 percent increased risk for heart disease.

2012/12/13MEDICAL UPDATE

Getting ahead of neuropathic pain

by Bruce Sylvester - Researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology report the discovery a potential method to delay the onset of neuropathic pain.

2012/12/10MEDICAL UPDATE

A new method for more accurate assessment of osteoporosis

  Laser-based measurements are proving to be a promising method for the assessment of osteoporosis. The team led by Professor Jussi Timonen has developed an ultrasound technique that use laser beams for a rapid and accurate assessment of osteoporosis. The research is part of the Photonics and Modern Imaging Techniques Research Programme of the Academy of Finland and involves input by researchers from the Universities of Jyväskylä, Helsinki and Oulu.

2012/11/22MEDICAL UPDATE

Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery at University of Florida, USA

Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), lesion surgery, and other new and innovative technologies are currently being used at UF to treat the symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease, essential tremor, dystonia, and other complex movement disorders and affective syndromes. The center is developing these techniques for anyone with a medical illness involving a group of brain structures known as the basal ganglia.

2012/11/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Getting ahead of neuropathic pain

by Bruce Sylvester - Researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology report the discovery a potential method to delay the onset of neuropathic pain.

2012/11/21MEDICAL UPDATE

VIDEO (in Spanish): Dr Rodriguez discussing about “open jaw dystonia” and their key messages from the presentation at the Movement Disorder Society’s 16th International Congress of Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disordersn (20 June 2012)

Ramon L. Rodriguez, M.D., Associate Professor, University of Florida Center for Movement Disorders & Neurorestoration.

2012/11/21MEDICAL UPDATE

VIDEO: Dr Ramon L. Rodriguez discussing about “open jaw dystonia” and their key messages from the presentation at the Movement Disorder Society’s 16th International Congress of Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disordersn (20 June 2012)

Ramon L. Rodriguez, M.D., Associate Professor, University of Florida Center for Movement Disorders & Neurorestoration.

2012/11/21MEDICAL UPDATE

VIDEO: Dr Michael Okun discussing the brain stimulation treatments being done at the University of Florida Center for Movement Disorders & Neurorestoration as well as highlights of his presentation at the Movement Disorder Society’s 16th International Congress of Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disordersn (20 June 2012)

Dr Michael Okun, M.D., Professor, University of Florida Center for Movement Disorders & Neurorestoration.

2012/11/21MEDICAL UPDATE

VIDEO: Dr Foote sharing some of the exciting things happening at the Center for Movement Disorders and Neurorestoration in the USA

Kelly D. Foote, M.D., Associate Professor, University of Florida Center for Movement Disorders & Neurorestoration.  Dr. Foote was attending the Movement Disorder Society’s 16th International Congress of Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disordersn (20 June 2012).

2012/11/21MEDICAL UPDATE

VIDEO: Dr Erin Dunbar discusses the unique approach taken at the Preston A. Wells, Jr. Center for Brain Tumor Therapy as well as her research presented at the Movement Disorder Society’s 16th International Congress of Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders (20 June 2012)

Erin M. Dunbar, M.D., Assistant Professor and Co-Director, Preston A. Wells, Jr. Center for Brain Tumor Therapy, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Florida.

2012/11/20MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2012 Report – Bendamustine with Rituximab: More than doubles PFS in certain lymphoma patients

by Marybeth Burke - Initial combination chemotherapy with bendamustine and rituximab more than doubled progression-free survival to nearly 6 years compared with standard R-CHOP therapy among patients with slow growing lymphoma and mantle cell lymphoma,

2012/11/20MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2012 Report – New treatment option for women with platinum resistant ovarian cancer

by Marybeth Burke - Adding bevacizumab to chemotherapy halves the risk of the disease getting worse in platinum resistant patients with ovarian cancer,

2012/11/20MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2012 Report – Crizotinib shows promise in patients with advanced NSCLC with ROS1 rearrangements

by Marybeth Burke - Crizotinib demonstrated significant anti-tumour activity in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harbouring ROS1 rearrangements,

2012/11/20MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2012 Report – Radiation in childhood cancer increases risk of breast cancer

by Marybeth Burke - Women treated for childhood cancer with chest radiation therapy have a high risk of developing breast cancer at a young age, comparable to that of the BRCA1/2 mutation carriers,

2012/11/20MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2012 Report – Regorafenib improves outcomes in patients with GIST

by Marybeth Burke - Regorafenib significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) and disease control rate (DCR) in patients with advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST) that progress due to resistance to other available treatment options such as imatinib (IM) and sunitinib (SU),

2012/11/20MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2012 Report – T-DM1 improves progression free survival in breast cancer

by Marybeth Burke - The investigational agent trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) demonstrated improved efficacy over capecitibine plus lapatinib and improved progression-free survival (PFS) in women with HER2-positive locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer previously treated with a taxane and trastuzumab,

2012/11/20MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2012 Report – Trametinib delays tumour growth and extends survival in certain melanoma patients

by Marybeth Burke - Median progression-free survival (PFS) was significantly greater in the trametinib group, 4.8 months, vs the chemotherapy group, 1.4 months, according to a study presented

2012/11/20MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2012 Report – American Ginseng alleviates cancer related fatigue

by Marybeth Burke - Wisconsin grown ginseng significantly reduced cancer related fatigue in patients receiving cancer treatment after 8 weeks of ginseng treatment,

2012/11/20MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2012 Report – Clear downside to intermittent hormonal therapy in metastatic prostate cancer in certain men

by Marybeth Burke - Continuous hormonal therapy is more effective than intermittent hormonal therapy for men with hormone-sensitive metastatic prostate cancer with minimal disease spread,

2012/11/20MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2012 Report – U.S. Cancer drug shortages plague treatment in certain areas

by Marybeth Burke - Some of the most essential mainstays in cancer treatment drugs for adults and children are in short supply, Michael Link, M.D., president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) announced

2012/11/20MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2012 Report – Investigational drug shows promise in advanced melanoma, kidney cancer, and NSCLC

by Marybeth Burke - The investigational drug BMS-936558 caused tumour shrinkage in up to a quarter of patients with advanced melanoma, kidney and NSCLC cancers,

2012/11/20MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2012 Report – Afatinib delays tumour progression in advanced NSCLC

by Marybeth Burke - Afatinib, an irreversible ErbB-family blocker, delays progression of advanced lung cancer in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations compared with standard chemotherapy,

2012/11/06MEDICAL UPDATE

EAU 2012 Report – Ideas to get men talking to GPs about BPH

25 Feb 2012 – EAU Paris - Men often finds it difficult to talk with primary health specialists and this is certainly true in the case of BPH.

2012/11/06MEDICAL UPDATE

EAU 2012 Report – Proactive Discussion about BPH

It is estimated that as many as 24 million European men aged 50 and over experience bothersome urinary symptoms.1,2 Yet, despite experiencing symptoms, men typically wait nearly two years before speaking to their doctor.3

2012/11/06MEDICAL UPDATE

EAU 2012 – An interview with Mr Syed Jaffry – Consultant Urologist

26 Feb 2012 – EAU Paris, France - What have been some of the EAU highlights to date? And what are some Key messages to share with Irish Healthcare Professionals in the area of Urology?

2012/11/06MEDICAL UPDATE

EAU 2012 Presentation

Proactive BPH Discussion with Dr Bert Jan de Boer from the EAU, Paris 2012

2012/11/06MEDICAL UPDATE

EAU 2012 Presentation

Proactive BPH Discussion with Professor Mark Emberton from the EAU, Paris 2012

2012/11/06MEDICAL UPDATE

EAU 2012 Report – A study confirms the correlation between premature alopecia and prostate conditions

Spanish scientists have confirmed that there is a clear relationship between androgenetic alopecia (common premature baldness) and benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH),

2012/11/06MEDICAL UPDATE

EAU 2012 Report – As a man’s belt size increases, so does his risk of sexual and urinary dysfunction

As a man's waistline grows, so can his experience with sexual dysfunction and frequent urination, say researchers at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

2012/11/06MEDICAL UPDATE

EAU 2012 Report – Specialist urologists should handle vasectomy reversal cases says 10-year study

Vasectomy reversals should be carried out by urology specialists with access to appropriate micro-surgical training and assisted reproductive technologies and not general urology surgeons,

2012/11/06MEDICAL UPDATE

Interviews from the EAU 2012

Interviews of Prof Mark Emberton and Dr Jan de Boer after their presentations at the EAU 2012 in Paris.  They have unique insights about BPH and how to open the lines of communication with patients.

2012/10/31MEDICAL UPDATE

Implantable devices are not a luxury

Conclusions of the ICD for Life Summit held in Belgrade, Serbia "Implantable devices can save lives and decrease mortality, they are not a luxury"

2012/10/31MEDICAL UPDATE

‘Fitness and fatness’: Not all obese people have the same prognosis

Second study sheds light on the 'obesity paradox' People can be obese but metabolically healthy and fit, with no greater risk of developing or dying from cardiovascular disease or cancer than normal weight people, according to the largest study ever to have investigated this, which is published online  in the European Heart Journal [1].

2012/10/31MEDICAL UPDATE

ICS 2012 Report – Trans-catheter aortic valve implantation: Adverse outcomes of 120 cases in two centres

by Edel O'Connell - Report on poster presented at ICS Annual Meeting

2012/10/31MEDICAL UPDATE

ICS 2012 Report – Reduced right ventricular myocardial strain in the elite athlete is not a consequence of myocardial damage

by Edel O'Connell - Report on poster presented at the ICS Annual Meeting

2012/10/31MEDICAL UPDATE

ICS 2012 Report – Potentially inappropriate medicines in heart failure

by Edel O'Connell - Report on poster presented at the ICS Annual Meeting

2012/10/31MEDICAL UPDATE

ICS 2012 Report – A novel biomarker and potential treatment for diastolic dysfunction and heart failure

by Edel O'Connell reporting on the presentation by Dr. Stephen Horgan, winner of the 2012 Irish Cardiac Society Young Investigator’s Award.

2012/10/31MEDICAL UPDATE

ICS 2012 Report – The world’s first fully implantable artificial heart has been designed three decades after the world’s first human heart transplant

by Edel O’Connell reporting on the presentation by Professor Alain Carpentier.

2012/10/31MEDICAL UPDATE

ICS 2012 Report – The hidden truth – Stage B heart failure in diabetics and the overweight

by Edel O’Connell reporting on a presentation by Dr. Gillian Murtagh.

2012/10/31MEDICAL UPDATE

ICS 2012 Report – ‘‘ABPM is now mandatory for Good Clinical Practice’’

by Edel O’Connell reporting on the presentation by Professor Eoin O’Brien.

2012/10/31MEDICAL UPDATE

ICS 2012 Report – A method of studying the course of myocardial ischemia and reperfusion in rats in vivo

by Edel O’Connell reporting on a presentation by Dr. Darrach O h-Ici.

2012/10/31MEDICAL UPDATE

ICS 2012 Report – Cost benefit analysis of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) compared to conventional medical treatment including valvuloplasties in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS)

by Edel O’Connell reporting on a presentation by Dr. Soon Wei Neoh.

2012/10/31MEDICAL UPDATE

ICS 2012 Report – Community management of cardiovascular risk in Stage A/B heart failure: Six month follow up of the COMPARE-HF cohort

by Edel O’Connell reporting on the presentation by Dr. Stephen Horgan.

2012/10/31MEDICAL UPDATE

ICS 2012 Report ‘‘Next Monday, you are Minister for Health. Now what?’’

by Edel O'Connell reporting on the Stokes Lecture by Professor Ian Graham.

2012/10/31MEDICAL UPDATE

ICS 2012 – Interview with the President of the Irish Cardiac Society Dr Donal Murray, Sligo General Hospital

by Edel O'Connell -  CARDIAC medicine has come a long way in 50 years but the dual pressures of cutbacks in the health service and an increased sedentary lifestyle

2012/10/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Inhaled pain relief is a safe and effective option in early labour

by Bruce Sylvester - Following a systematic review of 26 relevant studies involving 2,959 women, Cochrane Review researchers concluded that inhaled pain relief appears to offer safe and effective pain relief during the first stage of labour.

2012/10/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Incentives for smaller medicines makers

by Gary Finnegan - Emerging uses of EMA Approved Drugs - Over 1,000 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have now registered with European Medicines Agency SME office. The Agency launched its SME initiative in December 2005 to encourage smaller players to bring potential new medicines to market in recognition of their role in driving innovation in the pharmaceutical sector.

2012/10/26MEDICAL UPDATE

‘Pineapple’ treatment for burn wounds

by Gary Finnegan - Emerging uses of EMA Approved Drugs - The CHMP has recommended the first medical treatment for the removal of eschar from severe burn wounds.

2012/10/26MEDICAL UPDATE

First new drug for IBS

by Gary Finnegan - Emerging uses of EMA Approved Drugs - The EMA has given the green light for the first medicine specifically for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in the EU.

2012/10/26MEDICAL UPDATE

New leader for key medicines panel

by Gary Finnegan - Emerging uses of EMA Approved Drugs - There’s a new man at the helm of the European Medicine Agency’s most influential committee: Dr Tomas Salmonson has been elected as the new chair of the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) for three-year term.

2012/10/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Adalimumab appears promising in pediatric crohn’s disease

by Bruce Sylvester - Emerging uses of FDA Approved Drugs - Adalimumab appears to be effective in maintaining remission among some pediatric patients with Crohn's disease.

2012/10/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Maraviroc lowers incidence of graft-versus-host disease in bone marrow transplantion

by Bruce Sylvester - Emerging use of FDA Approved Drugs - Maraviroc, an antiretroviral drugin the treatment of HIV, significantly reduces the incidence of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) among patients undergoing allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for blood cancer,

2012/10/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Eltrombopag shows efficacy in severe, refractory aplastic anemia

by Bruce Sylvester - Emerging uses of FDA Approved Drugs - In some patients severe aplastic anemia who have failed standard therapies, eltrombopag appears to raise blood cell levels, researchers reported  online on July 5, 2012 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

2012/10/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Botulinum toxin helps improve tremor associated with MS

by Bruce Sylvester - Emerging uses of FDA Approved Drugs - Botulinum toxin treatment appears to improve tremor in the arms and hands of persons with multiple sclerosis (MS), researchers report in the July 3, 2012, print issue of Neurology.

2012/10/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Respiratory disease rates high among older seniors

by Bruce Sylvester - Older seniors, aged 85 and over, show a high burden of respiratory disease, researchers reported on September 3, 2012 at the European Respiratory Society's annual congress in Vienna.

2012/10/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Obese persons with excess visceral fat have increased risk of diabetes

by Bruce Sylvester - Obese persons with excess visceral fat appear to be at an increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes,

2012/10/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Treatment for cervical disease is not linked to increased risk of preterm births

by Bruce Sylvester - taken from The British Medical Journal (BMJ) - Contradicting previous research, researchers from a study of over 44,000 women in England report that treatment for cervical disease does not appear to increase the risk of subsequent premature births.

2012/10/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Heart calcium scan most effective predictor of heart disease risk

by Bruce Sylvester - take from The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) - Among patients classified at intermediate risk, heart calcium scanning, known as coronary artery calcium (CAC),  is the best assessment tool for predicting the development of cardiovascular disease.

2012/10/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Combination Anastrozole and Fulvestrant more effective than Anastrozole monotherapy for metastatic breast cancer

by Bruce Sylvester - taken from The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) - Women treated with anastrozole and fulvestrant combination therapy have achieved over 6 months median increased survival time in hormone receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer compared

2012/10/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Evidence mounts that Aspirin can help prevent cancer

by Bruce Sylvester - taken from The Lancet - A study by Professor Peter M Rothwell, University of Oxford, UK and colleagues supports the hypothesis and adds to the evidence that daily aspirin helps prevent  cancer.

2012/10/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Supercomputer offers hope for improved ‘cold’ treatments

by Gary Finnegan - World Health Matters (Australia) - Click here for more information Melbourne researchers are using Australia’s fasted supercomputer to simulate the motion of the complete human rhinovirus in 3D.

2012/10/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Food supplements do little for malnourished children’s weight

by Gary Finnegan - World Health Matters (Belgium) - Providing energy-dense food supplements to malnourished children in developing countries has limited effect on the weight of malnourished children, according to a new study led by a Belgian university.

2012/10/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Flu vaccination rates vary by ethnicity

by Gary Finnegan - World Health Matters (Canada) - Influenza vaccination rates vary widely in Canada depending on ethnicity, according to a new study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal which shows that black Canadians and white Canadians are the least likely to be vaccinated.

2012/10/26MEDICAL UPDATE

Breast screening study sparks controversy

by Gary Finnegan - World Health Matters (Sweden) - Breast cancer screening has limited or no impact on breast cancer mortality among women aged 40-69, according to a study published in the Journal of The National Cancer Institute.

2012/10/05MEDICAL UPDATE

ITS 2012 Report – Antibody-Incompatible kidney transplantation and allograft loss

by Maria Dalby - Biopsies taken one year after renal transplantation could be used for identifying patients at high risk of graft failure.

2012/10/05MEDICAL UPDATE

ITS 2012 Report – Immunosuppression: What’s to come? Immunosuppression in the pipeline

by Maria Dalby - Efforts continue to develop new anti-rejection agents that are as effective as the calcineurin inhibitors (CNI) but without the debilitating side effects.

2012/10/05MEDICAL UPDATE

ITS 2012 Report – Bronchiolitis obliterans after lung transplantation

by Maria Dalby - Almost all lung transplant recipients will develop bronchiolotis obliterans (BO) if they live long enough – as transplantation care is improving, BO is becoming an increasingly common complication for transplant clinicians to manage.

2012/10/05MEDICAL UPDATE

ITS 2012 Prizes and Awards

Details of prizes/awards at the 24th International Congress of the Transplantation Society

2012/10/05MEDICAL UPDATE

ITS 2012 Report – Live donor kidney transplantation: Intestinal transplant activity and outcome

by Maria Dalby - Donating a kidney in later life can have a positive effect on quality of life, according to the largest study to date on this subject.

2012/10/05MEDICAL UPDATE

ITS 2012 Report – The new era in transplantation: Face transplantation outcomes and challenges

by Maria Dalby - The first face transplantation to be performed in the USA took place at the Cleveland Clinic in December 2008.

2012/10/05MEDICAL UPDATE

ITS 2012 Report – Nutrition and gut immunity – Are we eating the enemy?

by Maria Dalby - It is possible to modulate the body’s immune system by altering the gut microbiota, simply by changing the diet.

2012/10/05MEDICAL UPDATE

ITS 2012 Report – Cortical reintegration in hand and face allotransplantation

by Maria Dalby - That the human brain is capable of reorganising itself following the loss of a limb is well known – the part of the motor cortex that used to control the lost limb is instead employed in controlling other motor functions such as the face or other limbs.1

2012/10/05MEDICAL UPDATE

ITS 2012 Report – Novel aspects in SPK transplantation: Kidney allograft survival

by Maria Dalby - Patients undergoing simultaneous pancreas and kidney (SPK) transplantation where the drainage is led to the bladder are more likely to suffer acute rejection episodes and/or recurrent urinary tract infections (UTI) compared with patients undergoing SPK with enteric drainage.

2012/10/05MEDICAL UPDATE

ITS 2012 Report – Marked increase in national organ donation rates in Israel

by Maria Dalby - New legislation which recognises and defines the concept of brain death has allowed Israel to nearly double the number of transplantations of organs from deceased donors in the course of a single year.

2012/10/05MEDICAL UPDATE

ITS 2012 Report – Novel aspects in SPK transplantation: Contrast-enhanced ultrasound of pancreas transplants

by Maria Dalby - Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS) can be used as an alternative to computerised tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for post-operative imaging of pancreas transplants.

2012/10/05MEDICAL UPDATE

ITS 2012 Report – Difficult donor issues in the time of donor shortages

by Maria Dalby - Introduction - In many ways waiting lists to receive an organ transplantation look very much the same today as they did a decade ago – such as gender, blood type, and even the underlying cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) to some extent.

2012/10/05MEDICAL UPDATE

ITS 2012 Report – Translational approaches to tolerance induction

by Maria Dalby - Patients receiving kidney transplants from human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched donors can be induced to develop tolerance to the graft and thereby avoid lifelong immunosuppressive treatment.

2012/10/05MEDICAL UPDATE

ITS 2012 Report – Defining the pool of potential intestinal transplant donors

by Maria Dalby - Bowel transplantation poses a dilemma to transplant teams throughout the UK. Consent rates for intestinal donation are lower than for any other solid organ type, and available grafts are often refused because of issues of size and suitability.

2012/10/05MEDICAL UPDATE

Pharmacological preconditioning for transplantation – Lost in translation?

[caption id="attachment_1632" align="alignleft" width="116"] Professor Stephen J Wigmore, Transplant Unit, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh UK.[/caption] by Professor Stephen J Wigmore - Ischaemia reperfusion injury is an inevitable consequence of the process of clinical transplantation. Organ injury and delayed function are common events after graft implantation and represent a significant burden of ill health.

2012/10/02MEDICAL UPDATE

Cancer risk increased in relatives of patients with serrated polyposis

Serrated polyposis is one of the most common polyp syndromes in clinical practice and is often unrecognized during colonoscopy.

2012/10/02MEDICAL UPDATE

Study reports increasing incidence of Clostridium difficile infection

C. difficile is a bacterium that is common in the environment. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 337,000 cases of CDI are reported each year, causing 14,000 deaths.

2012/10/02MEDICAL UPDATE

Research confirms latitude variation in incidence of chronic digestive diseases

New research points to a potential role for UV light exposure and vitamin D levels in chronic digestive conditions such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis (UC).

2012/09/28MEDICAL UPDATE

ESMO 2012 Report – Urgent need for integrated oncology and palliative care

The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) has awarded ESMO Designated Center of Integrated Oncology and Palliative Care accreditation to 16 new oncology centres.

2012/09/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Treating ovarian cancer: New pathways through genetics

A new discovery that sheds light on the genetic make up of ovarian cancer cells could explain why some women survive longer than others with this deadly disease.

2012/09/28MEDICAL UPDATE

ERS 2012 Report – Sleep apnoea linked with increased risk of cancer death

Sleep apnoea severity has been associated with increased cancer mortality in a new study.

2012/09/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Self-referral can increase patients’ travel distance for treatment for prostate cancer

Men with prostate cancer in Texas may be driving more than three times farther than needed to obtain radiation oncology treatments for their cancer when treated at a urology-owned radiation oncology practice versus other facilities,

2012/09/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Obesity promotes prostate cancer by altering gene regulation

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men and early treatment is usually very successful. However, like other cancers, obesity increases the risk of aggressive prostate disease.

2012/09/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Nanochains mark micrometastases for early diagnosis, treatment

Malignant cells that leave a primary tumor, travel the bloodstream and grow out of control in new locations cause the vast majority of cancer deaths.

2012/09/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Metformin may help to prevent primary liver cancer

Metformin, a drug widely used to treat Type II diabetes, may help to prevent primary liver cancer

2012/09/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Like prostate cancer, bladder cancer patients may benefit from anti-androgen therapy

Bladder cancer patients whose tumors express high levels of the protein CD24 have worse prognoses than patients with lower CD24.

2012/09/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Leading cancer specialists from Europe and beyond recognized at ESMO 2012

The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) announced today the names of two eminent cancer specialists and one European institution that will be recognized for their contribution to the advancement of medical oncology at the ESMO 2012 Congress.

2012/09/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Web-based tool helps parents improve on kids’ asthma treatment

Website may help curb healthcare costs, kids affected by chronic condition

2012/09/28MEDICAL UPDATE

ERS 2012 Report – Sleep apnoea linked with increased risk of cancer death

Sleep apnoea severity has been associated with increased cancer mortality in a new study.

2012/09/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Infants exposed to specific molds have higher asthma risk

In the United States, one in 10 children suffers from asthma but the potential environmental factors contributing to the disease are not well known.

2012/09/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Hope on the horizon for asthma sufferers

A new study that identifies ways to reduce the factors that lead to an asthma attack gives hope to asthma sufferers.

2012/09/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Experts warn that e-cigarettes can damage the lungs

New research has shown that despite electronic cigarettes being marketed as a potentially safer alternative to normal cigarettes, they are still causing harm to the lungs.

2012/09/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Commercial drivers could be understating sleep apnoea symptoms for fear of losing their licence

People who drive commercial vehicles, such as buses, taxis, trucks and aeroplanes, could be incorrectly reporting their symptoms of sleep apnoea due to their fears of endangering their employment, according to a new study.

2012/09/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Children exposed to 2 phthalates have elevated risk of asthma-related airway inflammation

Children exposed to diethyl phthalate (DEP) and butylbenzyl phthalate (BBzP) - phthalate chemicals commonly found in personal care and plastic products - have elevated risk of asthma-related airway inflammation,

2012/09/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Asthma is the most common chronic disease among Olympic athletes

Based on data from the last five Olympic games, a study by the University of Western Australia has identified those athletes with asthma and airway hyper-responsiveness.

2012/09/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Picking the right device is so important

The Brussels Declaration, published in the European Respiratory Journal in 2008 recognises the high prevalence of patients with poorly controlled asthma and calls for changes in asthma management across Europe.

2012/09/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Viewing terrorist attacks on TV increases pain intensity

"Exposure to media coverage of terrorist missile attacks increases pain levels in people already suffering from chronic pain," according to a new study by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) researchers.

2012/09/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Study uncovers simple way of predicting severe pain following breast cancer surgery

Women having surgery for breast cancer are up to three times more likely to have severe pain in the first week after surgery if they suffer from other painful conditions, such as arthritis, low back pain and migraine, according to a Cancer Research UK study published in the British Journal of Cancer.

2012/09/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Study finds interdisciplinary approach to monitoring and managing pain improves patient care and satisfaction

Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine have identified reliable predictors of pain by surveying patients throughout their hospital stays about the severity of their pain and their levels of satisfaction with how their pain was managed by hospital staff.

2012/09/28MEDICAL UPDATE

NSAIDs halt damage in Spinal Arthritis

The routine use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) among patients with ankylosing spondylitis can slow the progression of bone changes in the spine, two groups of European researchers reported.

2012/09/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Inhaled pain relief in early labor is safe and effective

Inhaled pain relief appears to be effective in reducing pain intensity and in giving pain relief in the first stage of labour, say Cochrane researchers.

2012/09/28MEDICAL UPDATE

First study to show early brain changes predict which patients develop chronic pain

When people have similar injuries, why do some end up with chronic pain while others recover and are pain free? The first longitudinal brain imaging study to track participants with a new back injury has found the chronic pain is all in their heads –- quite literally.

2012/09/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Two recent studies have shown that the addition of Naloxone to Oxycodone can help patients with constipation side effects without compromising on analgesic efficacy

The combination also appears to be cost effective. A randomized, double-blind, active-controlled, double-dummy, parallel-group study to determine the safety and efficacy of oxycodone/naloxone prolonged-release tablets in patients with moderate/severe, chronic cancer pain.

2012/09/28MEDICAL UPDATE

Biologists find the cause of pain in the treatment of fair skin cancer

Pain caused by 2 different mechanisms Apply the ointment, light on, light off – that's how easy it is to cure various forms of non-melanoma skin cancer. However, the majority of patients suffer severe pain during the so-termed photodynamic therapy.

2012/09/17MEDICAL UPDATE

ESC 2012 Report – Normal weight and belly fat spells higher risk of CVD than obesity only

by Bruce Sylvester - Normal weight persons with weight concentrated in their belly run a higher death risk of CVD-related death than obese-only individuals, researchers reported at ESC.

2012/09/17MEDICAL UPDATE

ESC 2012 Report – Low rates of stent thrombosis similar for zotarolimus – and sirolimus-eluting stents: The PROTECT study

by Bruce Sylvester - Researchers from the PROTECT(Patient Related OuTcomes with Endeavor versus Cypher Stenting Rates) study reported at ESC that rates of stent thrombosis at three years for zotarolimus-eluting and sirolimus-eluting stents were low and similar.

2012/09/17MEDICAL UPDATE

ESC 2012 Report – Incidence rises in heart failure after Japan’s earthquake and tsunami

by Zara Qadir - On March 11, 2011, Japan was shocked by the most powerful known earthquake ever to have hit Japan. The earthquake and tsunami caused 15,861 deaths. TStrong psychosocial stress is considered to be a precipitating factor in acute coronary events. A recent Japanese study, published in the European Heart Journal, investigated the after-effects and impact of the earthquake on cardiovascular events.

2012/09/17MEDICAL UPDATE

ESC 2012 Report – Smoking after stroke increases death risk by three-fold

by Zara Qadir - Patients who resume smoking after a stroke increase their risk of death by three-fold, according to research presented at ESC Congress 2012 by Professor Furio Colivicchi (pictured) from San Filippo Neri Hospital. The researchers also found that the earlier patients resume smoking, the greater their risk of death with one year.

2012/09/17MEDICAL UPDATE

ESC 2012 Report – Normal weight individuals with belly fat at highest CVD risk

by Zara Qadir - BMI still offers a simple numeric measure of a person's "thickness" or "thinness".  However, normal weight individuals who carry weight concentrated in their belly have a higher death risk than obese individuals, according to research presented at ESC Congress 2012.

2012/09/17MEDICAL UPDATE

ESC 2012 Report – Cholesterol and risk: past, present and future – The benefits of adding newer cholesterol-lowering agents to the statins

by Zara Qadir - ESC Geoffrey Rose Lecture on Population Sciences.   The recipient of the ‘ESC Geoffrey Rose Lecture on Population Sciences’ went to Rory Collins (pictured), who is British Heart Foundation Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology, at the University of Oxford.

2012/09/17MEDICAL UPDATE

ESC 2012 Report – New AMI-STEMI Guidelines stress pre-hospital intervention

by Bruce Sylvester  -  Revamped ESC guidelines for the management of acute myocardial infarction in patients presenting with ST-segment elevation (STEMI) include issues of diagnosis and treatment before, during, and after hospitalization.

2012/09/17MEDICAL UPDATE

ESC 2012 Report – New AMI-STEMI Guidelines stress pre-hospital intervention

by Bruce Sylvester  -  Revamped ESC guidelines for the management of acute myocardial infarction in patients presenting with ST-segment elevation (STEMI) include issues of diagnosis and treatment before, during, and after hospitalization.

2012/09/17MEDICAL UPDATE

ESC 2012 Report – Intraaortic balloon pump fails to improve mortality rate in cardiogenic shock patients: Results from the IABP-SHOCK II study

by Zara Qadir  -  In Europe, around 60-70,000 patients are diagnosed with cardiogenic shock each year. Developed in the early 1960s, intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) counterpulsation, is recommended to treat cardiogenic shock[1][2][3].

2012/09/17MEDICAL UPDATE

ESC 2012 Report – Metabolically healthy, fit obese persons appear to have normal CVD and cancer risks

by Bruce Sylvester - Obese persons who are metabolically healthy and fit have no more risk of developing or dying from cardiovascular disease or cancer than persons of normal weight,

2012/09/17MEDICAL UPDATE

ESC 2012 Report – TRILOGY Trial suggests prasugrel and clopidogrel similarly effective in medical management of ACS without revascularization

by Bruce Sylvester  -  Investigators from the Targeted Platelet Inhibition to Clarify the Optimal Strategy to Medically Manage AcuteCoronary Syndromes (TRILOGY ACS) study reported at ESC 2012 no significant difference between prasugrel and clopidogrel

2012/09/03MEDICAL UPDATE

Ganitumab disappoints in pancreatic cancer: Amgen halts Phase III Study

In a press release on August 8, 2012, Amgen announced that the company was halting a late-stage trial of its monoclonal antibody IGF-1 receptor antagonist ganitumab (AMG-479).

2012/09/03MEDICAL UPDATE

T-DM1 demonstrates overall survival benefit in metastatic breast cancer: Next target, FDA approval

In news that is bound to excite breast cancer patients and investors, Genentech/Roche/Immunogen issued press releases on August 26, 2012, confirming that their drug-of-the-moment T-DM1 (trastuzumab emtansine) offers a “significant” overall survival increase to patients with metastatic breast cancer compared to the combination of GSK’s Tykerb (lapatinib) and Roche/Genentech’s Xeloda (capecitabine).

2012/09/03MEDICAL UPDATE

The world’s first (official) biosimilar antibody goes to… Rheumatoid Arthritis

The end of July 2012 proved exciting for the world of biosimilar manufacturers. However, for the regulatory officials worldwide it meant more uncertainty and unknowns about proper, global biosimilar guidelines.

2012/08/21MEDICAL UPDATE

ATC 2012 Report – Everolimus gives results similar to MMF, study says

by Thomas R. Collins - Using everolimus for immunosuppression in heart transplant recipients, along with a reduced amount of cyclosporine, produces results comparable to mycophenolate mofetil,

2012/08/21MEDICAL UPDATE

ATC 2012 Report – Success of those with heart-assist devices might call for adjusted allocation policies

by Thomas R. Collins - Candidates for a heart transplant who use a ventricular assist device on a long-term basis have survival rates on the wait list that are comparable to, and sometimes better than, candidates on the wait list who don’t use a ventricular assist device,

2012/08/21MEDICAL UPDATE

ATC 2012 Report – New highly specific antibody shows good safety results

by Thomas R. Collins -  TOL101, a new murine monoclonal antibody that targets the alpha-beta T-cell receptor, showed a good safety profile despite a problem with hives that seem to go away on their own,

2012/08/21MEDICAL UPDATE

ATC 2012 Report – High insulin use pre-SPK brings risk to pancreas and kidney

by Thomas R. Collins - Using a high dose of insulin is associated with a high risk of pancreas loss after a simultaneous pancreas kidney transplant, researchers said here at the 2012 American Transplant Congress.

2012/08/21MEDICAL UPDATE

ATC 2012 Report – Pancreatectomy and auto islet transplantation works well in children

by Thomas R. Collins -  Total pancreatectomy and auto islet transplantation among children can bring about good results, with many able to stay insulin-free and almost all of them with pain eased enough that they don’t have to take narcotics to treat it,

2012/08/21MEDICAL UPDATE

ATC 2012 Report – Hypertension among kidney transplant recipients still a big challenge

by Thomas R. Collins - The blood pressure of the kidney transplant recipient at the University of Glasgow kept climbing. But it wasn’t without effort from physicians.

2012/08/21MEDICAL UPDATE

ATC 2012 Report – Functional status could be useful tool in organ allocation

by Thomas R. Collins - The functional status of transplant recipients is a factor that is often overlooked as kidneys are allocated,

2012/08/21MEDICAL UPDATE

ATC 2012 Report – Researchers shed light on the ways of the BK virus

by Thomas R. Collins - The BK virus, and damage to the kidney that is caused by it, poses a continuing challenge to kidney transplant specialists.

2012/08/21MEDICAL UPDATE

ATC 2012 Report – Fc receptor crucial in the activity of antibodies

by Thomas R. Collins - Antibodies play diverse roles in the human body — they can be anti-inflammatory, they can modulate the immune system, and they can be protective against disease.

2012/08/21MEDICAL UPDATE

ATC Report 2012 – New assay is a breakthrough in cross-matching

by Thomas R. Collins - A method for cross-matching organ donors and recipients — using beads and human complement — is producing more reliable results, making for transplantation of hearts and kidneys that stand a lower risk of rejection,

2012/08/21MEDICAL UPDATE

ATC 2012 Report – Large donor-outcome studies are valuable but a major logistical challenge

by Thomas R. Collins - Tracking living kidney donor outcomes in a comprehensive way is fraught with difficulties and complications,

2012/08/21MEDICAL UPDATE

ATC 2012 Report – Cancer expert sheds light on immune system

by Thomas R. Collins - BOSTON — The transplantation community turned to a somewhat unlikely source for insight here as immunologist James Allison, PhD, Chairman of the Immunology Program at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, talked about how to prompt immune responses to fight tumours — rather than damping down the immune system, which is the goal of transplant specialists.

2012/08/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Advances in laparoscopic transplantation

[caption id="attachment_1635" align="alignleft" width="180"] Mr Nizam Mamode, Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and Great Ormond Street Hospital, London.[/caption] by Mr Nizam Mamode - Transplantation, especially renal transplantation, now seems a fairly straightforward technique. A kidney is removed, usually laparoscopically, then implanted in pretty much the same way it has been for the last 6o years.

2012/08/03MEDICAL UPDATE

EAHP 2012 Report – Winners of the Best Poster Award

by Zara Qadir - Every year, the EAHP holds a best poster competition to encourage hospital pharmacists from all over Europe and beyond, to share best practices and key studies in their field. This year, at the 40th EAHP conference, the 470 posters covered a wide range of topics from technology such as robotic production, to risk management and patient safety. Congratulations to this year’s winners!

2012/08/03MEDICAL UPDATE

EAHP 2012 Poster Presentations – Two EAHP posters from Ireland show the benefit of ward-based clinical pharmacy services

by Zara Qadir - On the occasion of its 40th Anniversary, the European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP) recorded the highest number of attendees at its annual Congress so far.   In total 3,700 conference delegates attended over the three-day event in Milan, listening to keynote speeches, taking part in seminars, and sharing experiences at poster sessions.   At the conference, both the UK and Ireland were well-represented with posters, and one study from Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda was nominated for a Poster Prize.

2012/08/03MEDICAL UPDATE

Canadian study suggests off-label prescribing of medications is common

CHICAGO – A study evaluating off-label prescribing of medications in a primary care network in Canada suggests the practice is common, although it varies by medication, patient and physician characteristics, according to a report published Online First by Archives of Internal Medicine, a JAMA Network publication. The report is part of the journal's Health Care Reform series.

2012/08/03MEDICAL UPDATE

EAHP 2012 Report – An Irish Viewpoint

by Zara Qadir - Some quotes from Irish Pharmacists at EAHP 2012.

2012/08/03MEDICAL UPDATE

EAHP 2012 Report – Report of seminar, “Survival of hospital pharmacy preparations – standards for quality and safety – where to go? An interactive debate”

by Christine Clark - Quality and safety of hospital pharmacy preparation.  One session at the EAHP congress explored the implications of the recent Council of Europe resolution (CM/ResAP(2011)1) that set out recommendations for quality and safety assurance standards for medicinal products prepared in pharmacies for the special needs of patients.

2012/08/03MEDICAL UPDATE

EAHP 2012 Report – Two surveys examining the role of NHS Consultant Pharmacists in the UK

by Zara Qadir - The role of consultant pharmacist was introduced seven years ago by the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK, with the intention of improving patient care and with the aim of retaining experienced pharmacists in clinical practice1.

2012/08/03MEDICAL UPDATE

EAHP 2012 Report – Report of plenary lecture – The evolution of cancer treatment

by Christine Clark - Changes in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer form the basis for future developments.  There have been many revolutions in medical science over the past 50 years and hospital pharmacy cannot avoid being influenced by them, according to Umberto Veronesi (pictured), Scientific Director of the European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy, speaking at the EAHP congress in Milan in March 2012.

2012/08/03MEDICAL UPDATE

EAHP 2012 Report – Pain management: a dual perspective

by Zara Qadir - Even with international guidelines for pain treatment, therapy has to be individualised for patients and pharmacists can play an important role in the management of various types of acute and chronic painful conditions.

2012/08/03MEDICAL UPDATE

EAHP 2012 Report – Report of B Braun satellite symposium

by Christine Clark - Standardised injections could improve patient safety.  The B Braun satellite symposium, ‘Is Patient Safety Affordable?’ took place at the European Association of Hospital Pharmacists congress in Milan, Italy on 21st March 2012.

2012/08/03MEDICAL UPDATE

EAHP 2012 Report – The EAHP Survey 2010 Preview

by Zara Qadir - Five years of evolution in Hospital Pharmacy.  The 40th EAHP meeting provided an opportunity for Tajda Miharija-Gala and Juraj Sykora, Directors of Professional Development, to preview the findings of the fourth pan-European EAHP survey of hospital pharmacy practice.

2012/08/03MEDICAL UPDATE

Report of the Bayer satellite symposium EAHP 2013

by Christine Clark - The Bayer satellite symposium, ‘The new oral anticoagulants: mechanisms, evidence and day-to-day decisions’, was held at the European Association of Hospital Pharmacists Congress in Milan on 21st March 2012

2012/08/03MEDICAL UPDATE

EAHP 2012 Report – Drug safety in geriatric patients

by Zara Qadir reporting on the presentation by Professor Petra Thürmann (pictured) from the Philipp Klee-Institute of Clinical Pharmacology at the HELIOS Klinikum Wuppertal in Germany.

2012/08/03MEDICAL UPDATE

EAHP 2012 Report – Compassionate use and off-label medicines

by Zara Qadir reporting on the presentation by Yechiel Hekster (pictured), Professor of Clinical Pharmacy, and a member of The Netherlands Medicines Evaluation Board.

2012/08/03MEDICAL UPDATE

EAHP 2012 Report – Interview with Dr Chantal Bélorgey

Zara Qadir interviews Dr Chantal Bélorgey (pictured), Head of Clinical Trial Development at the French national competent authority, Affsaps (Agence française de sécurité sanitaire des produits).

2012/07/31MEDICAL UPDATE

Aspirin raises bleeding risk marginally among patients with diabetes

by Bruce Sylvester - taken from The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Researchers in a large, retrospective study report that daily use of low-dose aspirin is associated with an increased risk of major gastrointestinal or cerebral bleeding.

2012/07/31MEDICAL UPDATE

New skin cancer drug cited as therapeutic breakthrough

by Bruce Sylvester taken from the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) Vismodegib (Erivedge), a new skin cancer drug for advanced basal cell carcinoma, was called "the greatest advance in therapy yet seen" for advanced basal cell carcinoma in an editorial on June 12  in the New England Journal of Medicine.

2012/07/31MEDICAL UPDATE

Opioids double risk of death from any cause

by Bruce Sylvester - taken from the British Medical Journal (BMJ) Long-term opium use almost doubles the risk of death from many causes, particularly circulatory diseases, respiratory conditions, and cancer, researchers reported in the British Medical Journal online (bmj.com) on April 18.

2012/07/31MEDICAL UPDATE

Zinc reduces treatment failure in children with major infections

by Bruce Sylvester - taken from The Lancet - Young children with suspected serious bacterial infection treated with zinc and standard antibiotics have achieved a significantly reduced rat treatment failure,

2012/07/31MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2012 Report – Abiraterone added to pre-surgical regimen helps eliminate prostate tumor in some men with high-risk prostate cancer

by Bruce Sylvester - In a randomized Phase II study presented at ASCO, investigators reported that 6 months of treatment with the targeted drug abiraterone (Zytiga) when added to standard, pre-surgical hormonal therapy for removal of the prostate has eliminated

2012/07/31MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2012 Report – Olanzapine appears to control breakthrough chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting

by Bruce Sylvester - Investigators from a Phase III trial reported at ASCO that chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) which is unresponsive to conventional treatments reponds to olanzapine (Zyprexa) therapy.

2012/07/31MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2012 Report – Combination targeted therapy shows efficacy and fewer toxicities in advanced melanoma treatment

by Bruce Sylvester - Results from an expanded Phase IB trial presented at ASCO suggest that combination therapy with two investigational and targeted drugs, BRAF inhibitor dabrafenib and MEK inhibitor trametinib, impedes cancer progression 

2012/07/31MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2012 Report – Combination Lenalidomide (Revlimid)/ Rituximab (Rituxan) improves response rate in patients with relapsed follicular lymphoma

by Bruce Sylvester - Investigators reported at ASCO that relapsed follicular lymphoma patinets treated with combination lenalidomide (Revlimid) and rituximab (Rituxan) achieved a higher percentage of overall response than patients treated with lenalidomide monotherapy.

2012/07/31MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2012 Report – Early, highly promising results for Crizotinib (Xalkori) in three aggressive pediatric cancers

by Bruce Sylvester - In a phase I study presented at ASCO, researchers reported that crizotinib (Xalkori) stalled tumor growth and, in some cases, eradicated all signs of cancer in certain children with

2012/07/31MEDICAL UPDATE

Vitamin D could help protect lungs in smokers

by Bruce Sylvester - Results from a new study suggest that Vitamin D deficiency is related to lung function in smokers, suggesting that vitamin D supplementation could be protective against of smoking on lung function.

2012/07/31MEDICAL UPDATE

Combination of obesity and low Vitamin D could increase risk of diabetes

by Bruce Sylvester - The combination of obesity and low vitamin D deficiency appears to cause a greater risk of insulin resistance than either factor alone, researchers reported on July 17 online in Diabetes Care.

2012/07/31MEDICAL UPDATE

Child diabetes rates eclipse US

by Gary Finnegan - World Health Matters (China) - Child diabetes levels in China are higher than those in the US, according to a startling new study based on official Chinese health data.

2012/07/31MEDICAL UPDATE

Interdisciplinary care helps breast cancer prognosis

by Gary Finnegan - World Health Matters (Germany) - An interdisciplinary care model for breast cancer management has grown in popularity in recent years and evidence suggests the shift has been of major benefit to patients.

2012/07/31MEDICAL UPDATE

Huntington’s disease: undoing the damage

by Gary Finnegan - World Health Matters (South Korea) - Stem cells could be used to restore neuron function to parts of the brain damaged by Huntington’s disease (HD), new research has suggested.

2012/07/31MEDICAL UPDATE

Fertility funding can boost birth rates

by Gary Finnegan - World Health Matters (Holland) - Higher levels of public reimbursement for fertility treatment can positively influence national birth rates, according to a study by a Dutch research group.  

2012/07/31MEDICAL UPDATE

Duloxetine relieves chemotherapy-related neuropathy

The antidepressant duloxetine (Cymbalta ®) can effectively treat chemotherapy-induced neuropathy in some patients , researchers reported on July 3, 2012 at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting.

2012/07/31MEDICAL UPDATE

Dendritic cells protect against acute pancreatitis

Researchers identify new therapeutic target for pancreas' dangerous, sudden swelling and inflammation.

2012/07/31MEDICAL UPDATE

MRSA cases in US academic hospitals double in 5 years

Infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) doubled at academic medical centers in the U.S. between 2003 and 2008, according to a report published in the August issue of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, the journal of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America.

2012/07/31MEDICAL UPDATE

Laparoscopy reduces the risk of small-bowel obstruction

Open surgery appears to be associated with an increased risk of small-bowel obstructions compared to laparoscopic procedures. This is shown by a new study at the Sahlgrenska Academy, at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

2012/07/31MEDICAL UPDATE

New guidelines on Parkinson’s and antibacterials

by Gary Finnegan - Emerging uses of EMA Approved Drugs - The European Medicines Agency has updated its guidelines for pharmaceutical companies developing medicines for Parkinson’s disease.

2012/07/31MEDICAL UPDATE

Green light for use of child vaccine outside EU

by Gary Finnegan - Emerging uses of EMA Approved Drugs - The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has given its backing to the use of a Hexaxim outside the EU.

2012/07/31MEDICAL UPDATE

Pazopanib prolongs progression-free survival in patients with advanced soft-tissue Sarcoma

by Bruce Sylvester - Emerging uses of FDA Approved Drugs - Treatment with pazopanib nearly tripled progression-free survival (PFS), compared with placebo, among patients with metastatic soft-tissue sarcoma whose disease has progressed following standard chemotherapy.

2012/07/31MEDICAL UPDATE

Hormone-depleting drug appears to have efficacy in localized high-risk prostate tumors

by Bruce Sylvester - Emerging uses of FDA Approved Drugs - A hormone-depleting drug approved in 2011 for the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer appears to help eliminate or nearly eliminate tumors in patients with aggressive cancers that have not metastasized,

2012/07/31MEDICAL UPDATE

Prednisolone reduces sequelae in Bell’s Palsy

by Bruce Sylvester - Emerging uses of FDA Approved Drugs - Patients treated  for Bell palsy with prednisolone within 72 hours achieved  significantly reduced severity of  mild to moderate palsy severity at 12 months,

2012/07/31MEDICAL UPDATE

Benefit of statins confirmed for persons without history of vascular disease

A meta-analysis confirms that statin therapy lowers the risk of major vascular events by about a fifth among subjects with no history of vascular disease, male and female, young and old.

2012/07/31MEDICAL UPDATE

How a low-protein diet predisposes offspring to adulthood hypertension

Studies have shown that the offspring of mothers on a low-protein diet are more likely to develop hypertension as adults.

2012/06/28MEDICAL UPDATE

ILTS 2012 Report – Stereotactic body radiation therapy may help HCC patients on liver transplant list

by Thomas R. Collins - Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), or radiosurgery, is effective in treating hepatocellular cancer (HCC) tumours that are unresectable and it can act as a bridge for patients on the liver transplant list,

2012/06/28MEDICAL UPDATE

ILTS 2012 Report – Regulatory T-cell injection holds promise for inducing tolerance

by Thomas R. Collins - Injection of regulatory T cells could prove to be a powerful method of inducing tolerance among liver transplantation patients,

2012/06/28MEDICAL UPDATE

ILTS 2012 Report – New Hepatitis C treatments may improve outlook

by Thomas R. Collins - The state of treatment for Hepatitis C patients waiting for a liver transplant leaves a lot to be desired

2012/06/28MEDICAL UPDATE

ILTS 2012 Report – Risk-assessment scoring system may be helpful in predicting success in cardiac-death donor cases

by  Thomas R. Collins - A recently unveiled scoring system for evaluating the likelihood of post-liver transplant survival is useful in predicting success in transplants from donors with cardiac deaths,

2012/06/28MEDICAL UPDATE

ILTS 2012 Report – Select elderly liver donor grafts perform the same as usual grafts, study finds

by Thomas R. Collins -  Liver transplants involving selected organs from elderly patients performed just as well as livers from usual donors,

2012/06/28MEDICAL UPDATE

ILTS 2012 Report – Casting wide net for donated livers is worthwhile

by Thomas R. Collins - Pursuing liver grafts in an aggressive manner throughout the United States is much more costly than getting them from a local or regional area, but those expenses are more than offset by the savings generated by transplanting patients earlier rather than later,

2012/06/28MEDICAL UPDATE

ILTS 2012 Report – Pre-procurement liver biopsy over-worthwhile in certain cases

by Thomas R. Collins - Doing a biopsy on a liver before the organ is procured for transplantation is helpful only when done for certain potential organ donors,

2012/06/28MEDICAL UPDATE

ILTS 2012 Report – Experts discuss balancing the risks with the benefits in liver transplantation

by Thomas R. Collins - With a scarcity of livers available for transplantation, there is a tremendous pressure on the medical community to make the best use of the organs that are transplanted.

2012/06/28MEDICAL UPDATE

ILTS 2012 Report – Living donor transplant may work well as first-line choice for infants with biliary atresia

by Thomas R. Collins -  A living donor liver transplant can be a safe and effective first-line treatment for very young children with biliary atresia,

2012/06/28MEDICAL UPDATE

ILTS 2012 Report – Meeting management goals among donors improves rates of organ use

by Thomas R. Collins - Establishing and adhering to management goals for organ donors boosts the percentage of livers that are utilized,

2012/06/28MEDICAL UPDATE

How the donors have changed in the last ten years

[caption id="attachment_1637" align="alignleft" width="180"] Dr Irene Scalera, Fellow at the Liver Unit at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, UK.[/caption] Dr Irene Scalera, Fellow at the Liver Unit at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, describes the ever-changing donor landscape and attempts to improve liver donor shortage.

2012/06/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Major cardio event risk among statin users associated with non-HDL-C level

Findings from a newly published meta-analysis suggests that levels of non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) among statin users is associated with risk of developing a major cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack or stroke, as are levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and apolipoprotein B.

2012/06/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Abuse of opioid drugs linked to mood and anxiety disorders

Mood and anxiety disorders such as bipolar, panic disorder and major depressive disorder appear to be highly associated with non-medical prescription opioid use.

2012/06/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Little benefit in imaging tests for women with breast pain

by Bruce Sylvester - Women with breast pain who undergo extra-routine mammograms, MRIs or ultrasounds as part of breast pain evaluation derive no diagnostic or therapeutic benefit, researchers report.

2012/06/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Duloxetine appears to relieve chemotherapy-related neuropathic pain

Paper presented on 5th June at ASCO - by Bruce Sylvester - The antidepressant duloxetine (Cymbalta ®), relieves  neuropathic pain caused by chemotherapy in 59 percent of patients, researchers report.

2012/06/14MEDICAL UPDATE

EASL 2012 Report – Anemia management in Hepatitis C patients

by Bruce Sylvester - Researchers from a Phase III study report no difference in rates of viral clearance between two anemia management strategies for patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HVC) genotype 1 infection who were treated with boceprevir (Victrelis, Merck) combined with peginterferon alfa-2b (Pegintron, Merck) and ribavirin.

2012/06/14MEDICAL UPDATE

EASL 2012 Report – EMERGE: Efficacy and safety in HCV of investigative pegylated interferon lambda-1a compared to standard interferon therapy

by Bruce Sylvester - Researchers report that patients with genotype 2 or 3 hepatitis C virus (HCV) treated with investigative pegylated interferon lambda-1a (peg-IFN-lambda 1a, Bristol-Myers Squibb) in combination with ribavirin  have achieved a 75% sustained virologic response at 24 weeks post-treatment.

2012/06/14MEDICAL UPDATE

EASL 2012 Report – Europe bears high costs of chronic liver diseases and high mortality in cirrhosis

by Bruce Sylvester - Two studies presented at EASL suggest the real human and economic costs of liver disease across Europe.

2012/06/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Study reports increasing incidence of Clostridium difficile infection (C. diff)

C. difficile is a bacterium that is common in the environment. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 337,000 cases of CDI are reported each year, causing 14,000 deaths.

2012/06/14MEDICAL UPDATE

EASL 2012 Report – CO-PILOT: Emerging, investigative interferon-free HCV treatment

by Bruce Sylvester - Researchers report that combination  ABT-450 with ritonavir (ABT-450/r, Abbott) plus ABT-333 plus ribavirin (RBV) is both well tolerated and led to high sustained virological response (SVR) in treatment-naive hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1patients.

2012/06/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Tocilizumab is more effective than adalimumab at reducing signs and symptoms of RA

Safety results were similar between groups. Data presented at EULAR 2012, the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism, demonstrates that tocilizumab monotherapy is more effective than adalimumab monotherapy in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA)

2012/06/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Changes in smoking significantly impacts lung cancer mortality in the U.S. : 1975-2000

by Bruce Sylvester - Researchers report that, in the last quarter of the 20th century, changes in smoking behaviors have led to a significant drop in lung cancer mortality in the U.S.,

2012/06/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Opioids relieve severe shortness of breath in COPD

by Bruce Sylvester - Opioid treatment offers relief and improved quality of life to patients with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and shortness of breath,

2012/06/14MEDICAL UPDATE

2000 fewer deaths from tobacco related disease since 1998

by Bruce Sylvester - A research paper published in ‘Tobacco Control’ by the British Medical Journal (BMJ) shows that tobacco control policies implemented in Ireland between 1998 and 2010 have contributed to a reduction in smoking prevalence,

2012/06/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Greater hearing loss with age among women with diabetes

by Bruce Sylvester - Diabetes adds to hearing loss with age among women, if it is not well controlled with medication,

2012/06/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Youth with Type 2 Diabetes get better results with two-drug treatment

by Bruce Sylvester - Combination metformin and rosiglitazone is more effective than metformin monotherapy in youth with recent-onset type 2 diabetes,

2012/06/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Green light for new medicines

Emerging uses of EMA Approved Drugs - by Gary Finnegan - Several new medicines have been approved by the European Medicines Agency after recent meetings of its Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP).

2012/06/14MEDICAL UPDATE

How should advanced therapies be classified?

Emerging uses of EMA Approved Drugs - by Gary Finnegan - The EMA has launched a public consultation on the classification of advanced therapies.

2012/06/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Tough times for medicines regulator

Emerging uses of EMA Approved Drugs - by Gary Finnegan - The European Medicines Agency is emerging from a turbulent spell which has seen the departure of one of its most senior experts, controversy over its former director’s new job, and repeated clashes with the European Parliament.

2012/06/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Ipilimumab looks promising in shrinking/slowing melanoma brain metastases

Emerging uses of FDA Approved Drugs - by Bruce Sylvester - Researchers from a phase 2 study published  on March 27 in The Lancet Oncology  report that ipilimumab, which improves overall survival in patients with advanced melanoma, could shrink some brain tumors and slow metastasis in some patients.

2012/06/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Largest study to date confirms efficacy of botulinum toxin treatment for overactive bladder

Emerging uses of FDA Approved Drugs - by Bruce Sylvester - Results from the largest study yet of the treatment of urinary incontinence with botulinum toxin suggests that the treatment is effective. The finding was reported in March in the journal European Urology.

2012/06/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Statins appear to lower depression risk among heart disease patients

Emerging uses of FDA Approved Drugs - by Bruce Sylvester - Heart disease patients who use statins are significantly less likely to develop depression than their counterparts who do not use statins, researchers reported online on Feb. 24 in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

2012/06/14MEDICAL UPDATE

One scan can rule out pregnancy-related DVT

Taken from the British Medical Journal (BMJ) - by Bruce Sylvester - One ultrasound scan can safely rule out a diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in women either during pregnancy or during the first few weeks of the post-partum period, researchers reported in the BMJ online on April 25.

2012/06/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Evidence growing that aspirin helps prevent cancer

Taken from The Lancet - by Bruce Sylvester - Two papers published in March, 2012 in The Lancet suggest that daily aspirin use can be protective against cancer.

2012/06/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Use of high blood pressure medication by heart failure patients does not appear to increase mortality

Taken from the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) - by Bruce Sylvester - A registry study including data on nearly 6,500 patients shows that use of losartan by heart failure patients is not associated with increased all-cause death or cardiovascular death when compared with use of the ARB candesartan.

2012/06/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Outcomes better with non-surgical valve replacement than standard medical therapy

Taken from the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) - by Bruce Sylvester - Aortic stenosis patients who are too ill to undergo open-heart surgery have achieved  better survival rates and an improved quality of life after undergoing catheter-based heart valve replacement

2012/06/14MEDICAL UPDATE

US health care: doing less with more

World Health Matters (U.S.A.) - by Gary Finnegan - The United States is paying far more for health services than 12 comparable industrialised nations but the quality of care is highly variable, according to new research by The Commonwealth Fund.

2012/06/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Widespread CPR training saves lives

World Health Matters (Denmark) - by Gary Finnegan - A new study has shown that a marked increase in CPR performed by bystanders in Denmark can lead to marked improvements in survival rates after cardiac arrest.

2012/06/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Flu vaccination rates vary by ethnicity

World Health Matters (Canada) - by Gary Finnegan - Influenza vaccination rates vary widely in Canada depending on ethnicity, according to a new study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal which shows that black Canadians and white Canadians are the least likely to be vaccinated.

2012/06/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Genes increases risk of osteoporosis fractures

World Health Matters (Sweden) - by Gary Finnegan - Scientists in Sweden believe that have identified a set of genetic variations which cause osteoporosis.

2012/06/12MEDICAL UPDATE

Report from Cork branch Irish Association for Nurses in Oncology meeting 21st April 2012

In order to promote the ongoing education in cancer care which is one of the objectives of the association the Cork branch holds an annual education update. In recent years the Cork branch has targeted areas such as Breast cancer, Colorectal cancer and Head and Neck cancer but in April 2012 the group held an education update in The Oriel Hotel Ballincollig, Cork,  titled ‘ A malignant and Non-Malignant Haematology Update’.  

2012/06/12MEDICAL UPDATE

Radiation oncologists are discussing infertility risks with young cancer patients

Quality-of-life issues gaining prominence as long-term cancer survival rates increase.  More than 80 percent of radiation oncologists discuss the impact of cancer treatments on fertility with their patients of childbearing age, which can lead to improved quality of life for young cancer patients who are living much longer after their original diagnosis thanks to modern treatment options, according to a study in Practical Radiation Oncology (PRO), the official clinical practice journal of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).

2012/06/12MEDICAL UPDATE

Rituximab promotes long-term response for patients with immune destruction of platelets

A new analysis concludes that rituximab, a drug commonly used to treat blood cancers, leads to treatment responses lasting at least five years in approximately one quarter of patients with low platelet counts and a risk of bleeding due to chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP).

2012/06/12MEDICAL UPDATE

Researchers successfully perform first injection of cultured red blood cells in human donor

For the first time, researchers have successfully injected cultured red blood cells (cRBCs) created from human hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) into a human donor, according to study results published today in Blood, the Journal of the American Society of Hematology (ASH). As the global need for blood continues to increase while the number of blood donors is decreasing, these study results provide hope that one day patients in need of a blood transfusion might become their own donors.

2012/06/12MEDICAL UPDATE

Children with cancer have complete responses in a Children’s Oncology Group phase 1 trial

Pictured: Dr. Yael P. Mosse is a pediatric oncologist at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.  Children's Hospital of Philadelphia researcher leads trial of ALK inhibitor in neuroblastoma, lymphoma.  A pill designed to target abnormal genes that drive specific cancers has produced encouraging early results in children with an uncommon but aggressive type of lymphoma, as well as in children with a rare form of neuroblastoma.

2012/06/12MEDICAL UPDATE

The Mater Institute of Research & Therapy(MIRT) MD-PHD mentorship programme

A key goal of MIRT is to train and mentor the clinician scientists of the future. An Interview with Dr. Peter O'Gorman, Consultant Haematologist, at the Mater University Hospital explains the origins of the scheme and its success to date.

2012/06/12MEDICAL UPDATE

Afatinib slows relapse in NSCLC

An investigational oral drug delayed disease relapse for nearly a year in some patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

2012/06/12MEDICAL UPDATE

Sept. 11 attacks linked with higher levels of respiratory illness

Residents of Lower Manhattan who suffered home damage following the September 11 terrorist attacks are more likely to report respiratory symptoms and diseases than area residents whose homes were not damaged,

2012/06/12MEDICAL UPDATE

Respiratory diseases will worsen with global climate change

Worldwide increases in the incidences of asthma, allergies, infectious and cardiovascular diseases will result from a variety of impacts of global climate change,

2012/06/12MEDICAL UPDATE

Opioids effective in relieving severe shortness of breath in COPD patients

Patients with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and shortness of breath found that opioids provided relief and improved their quality of life,

2012/06/12MEDICAL UPDATE

International panel updates definition of acute respiratory distress syndrome

Gordon D. Rubenfeld, M.D., of the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center, Toronto, Canada, and colleagues with the ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome) Definition Task Force, developed a new definition of ARDS (the Berlin Definition) that focused on feasibility, reliability, validity and objective evaluation of its performance.

2012/06/12MEDICAL UPDATE

FDA approve drug for infant respiratory distress syndrome

New drug helps preterm infants breathe.  "I am excited that our scientific findings will help save lives," said Charles Cochrane, MD, professor emeritus. "Many years of work in our basic research laboratory made this landmark development possible."

2012/06/12MEDICAL UPDATE

Energy poverty creating a respiratory disease ‘epidemic’ for almost half the world’s population

Limited access to clean sources of energy, known as energy poverty, makes nearly half the world's population reliant on burning wood, animal waste, coal or charcoal to cook.

2012/06/12MEDICAL UPDATE

Dyspnea during sexual activity is common in COPD patients

Troublesome dyspnoea that limits sexual activity is common among older patients with COPD, according to a new study from Denmark.

2012/06/12MEDICAL UPDATE

Comorbidities are common in patients with COPD

The majority of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) referred for pulmonary rehabilitation have multiple extra-pulmonary comorbidities, according to a new study from the Netherlands.

2012/06/12MEDICAL UPDATE

Children exposed to tobacco smoke face long-term respiratory problems

For more than three decades, researchers have warned of the potential health risks associated with exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), especially among children whose parents smoke.

2012/06/12MEDICAL UPDATE

P. aeruginosa bacteria associated with increased hospitalisations in COPD patients

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who become infected with the bacterium Pseudomonas aerguinosa are more likely to have worse clinical outcomes and experience more hospitalizations during the course of their disease than COPD patients who are not infected, according to researchers from Buffalo, N.Y.

2012/06/12MEDICAL UPDATE

Asthma Society of Ireland launch new sports & exercise toolkit at European Conference

‘Reach Your Peak with Asthma’ pack is a vital resource for adults and children with asthma who want to take part in sport.

2012/06/11MEDICAL UPDATE

Researchers discover potential cause of chronic painful skin

Skin cell target for pain discovered using novel translational research platform.

2012/06/11MEDICAL UPDATE

Good intentions ease pain, add to pleasure

A nurse's tender loving care really does ease the pain of a medical procedure, and grandma's cookies really do taste better, if we perceive them to be made with love - suggests newly published research by a University of Maryland psychologist.

2012/06/11MEDICAL UPDATE

Getting a handle on chronic pain

New 'barcode' tool lets doctors evaluate chronic pain quickly and objectively.

2012/06/11MEDICAL UPDATE

Gene study suggests new way to treat chronic pain

Gene that encodes crucial pain receptor may be key to individualizing therapy for major health problem.

2012/06/11MEDICAL UPDATE

Chronic pain is relieved by cell transplantation in lab study

UCSF scientists aim to use embryonic stem cells for treatment.

2012/06/11MEDICAL UPDATE

Can breastfeeding reduce pain in preterm infants?

Poorly managed pain in the neonatal intensive care unit has serious short- and long-term consequences, causing physiological and behavioral instability in preterm infants and long-term changes in their pain sensitivity,

2012/06/11MEDICAL UPDATE

A new drug to manage resistant chronic pain

Tel Aviv University develops BL-7050 to ease the neuropathic pain of millions of sufferers.

2012/06/11MEDICAL UPDATE

The economic cost of chronic non cancer pain in Ireland

Researchers from Galway have published a study that assesses the economic cost of chronic pain in Ireland.

2012/05/14MEDICAL UPDATE

SABCS 2011 Report – The role of adjuvant bisphosphonates in breast cancer: The mist has started to clear

by Dr Sunil Upadhyay - The role of bisphosphonates in the management of breast cancer with bone metastases is well established. However, their benefit in the adjuvant setting remains questionable.

2012/05/14MEDICAL UPDATE

SABCS 2011 Report – Everolimus in management of tumour resistance in breast cancer

by Dr Sunil Upadhyay - The majority of breast cancer patients diagnosed with oestrogen receptor positive tumours respond well to endocrine therapy like tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors, when used appropriately. However, some tumours are resistant to hormonal therapy de novo; others develop resistance leading to relapse and disease progression after initial response.

2012/05/14MEDICAL UPDATE

SABCS 2011 Report – Clarifying the risk of breast cancer in women with atypical breast lesions

by Dr Sunil Upadhyay - We know that atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH), atypical lobular hyperplasia (ALH), lobular carcinoma in-situ (LCIS) and borderline DCIS/severe ADH are breast lesions which can a high risk of developing into invasive breast cancer. However, the magnitude of risk and the efficacy of chemo-preventive measures remain unpredictable, when used in the clinical setting.

2012/05/14MEDICAL UPDATE

SABCS 2011 Report – New standards in the management of HER2+ breast cancer tumours

by Dr Sunil Upadhyay - The San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2011 was as exciting as ever with much new data and up-dates presented. Despite the ‘hot off the press’ news and animated debates on the rising cost of cancer care, timely in a global recession, the announcement of two trial results attracted the largest audiences and longest discussion times, CLEOPATRA and BOLERO 2.

2012/05/14MEDICAL UPDATE

SABCS 2011 Report – Environmental and lifestyle influences on the development of breast cancer

by Dr Sunil Upadhyay - Breast cancer is one of the most common malignancies in women all over the world and its complex and multi-factorial aetiology remains unclear. There is a five-fold international variation in its incidence with developed countries carrying the highest incidence rates.

2012/05/14MEDICAL UPDATE

SABCS 2011 Report – Tumour markers for patient selection in treatment with VEGF inhibitors

by Dr Sunil Upadhyay - It is well known that HER2-positive marker positively regulates VEGF expression and VEGR levels correlate with HER2 over-expression. There is emerging evidence to suggest that trastuzumab with bevacizumab with or without chemotherapy in local recurrent or metastatic breast cancers has a synergistic effect and encouraging clinical activity.

2012/05/14MEDICAL UPDATE

SABCS 2011 Report – It’s time to bend the cost of cancer care downwards

by Dr Sunil Upadhyay - There is clear evidence that the USA spends twice as much as any other country per GDP on cancer treatment but, except for fractionally better survival rates for breast cancer and NHL, they have essentially similar survival rates for the majority of other cancers.1 Unfortunately, it’s getting worse.

2012/05/14MEDICAL UPDATE

SABCS 2011 Report – Progress in the management of HER2-positive breast cancer

by Dr Sunil Upadhyay - Patients with HER2-positive tumours are known to carry a poor prognosis. The standard recommendation is that the majority of newly diagnosed patients with HER2-positive tumours should receive adjuvant chemotherapy and trastuzumab preferably for one year.

2012/05/14MEDICAL UPDATE

SABCS 2011 Report – Age dependent variation in the management of breast cancer

by Dr Sunil Upadhyay - Age is the number one risk factor for the development of breast cancer. Not only the incidence but also the mortality from breast cancer increases with age. It is well known that in the western world the proportion of elderly to younger people is rising. In her presentation, Dr Arti Hurria from City of Hope, Duarte, California reminded the audience that in the year 1900 there were 3 million people over the age of 65, which increased by ten fold to 30 million by year 2000.

2012/05/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Breast cancer and survivorship

by Dr Alison Louise Jones (pictured) - The headline figures are that the majority of women survive a diagnosis of breast cancer: 78% of those women currently diagnosed will be alive at 5 years and many of them will become long-term survivors.

2012/05/03MEDICAL UPDATE

‘Brain fog’ of menopause confirmed

The difficulties that many women describe as memory problems when menopause approaches are real, according to a study published today in the journal Menopause, the journal of the North American Menopause Society.

2012/05/03MEDICAL UPDATE

A new method for more accurate assessment of osteoporosis

Laser-based measurements are proving to be a promising method for the assessment of osteoporosis. The team led by Professor Jussi Timonen has developed an ultrasound technique that use laser beams for a rapid and accurate assessment of osteoporosis.

2012/05/03MEDICAL UPDATE

A review of the EMAS clinical guide: Selective oestrogen receptor modulators for postmenopausal osteoporosis

In  Europe,  osteoporotic  fractures account  for  more  Disability  Adjusted  Life  Years  (DALYs)  lost than common cancers with the exception of lung cancer.

2012/05/02MEDICAL UPDATE

Patient perspectives influencing drug development

Support is growing for increased collaboration between pharmaceutical companies and patients in research processes worldwide, according to a new report by healthcare intelligence company GBI Research.

2012/05/02MEDICAL UPDATE

Patients drop MS drug, face relapse risk

A study of discontinuing natalizumab for multiple sclerosis patients testing positive for JC virus antibody found a higher relapse rate within 6 months than for patients continuing the drug whether positive or negative for JCV antibody.

2012/05/02MEDICAL UPDATE

AACE endorses new lower LDL targets and ApoB testing

New guidelines on dyslipidemia and the prevention of atherogenesis give official sanction to something endocrinologists have been doing for years: lowering LDL targets.

2012/04/23MEDICAL UPDATE

Urgent research needed to determine most effective follow-up care for lung cancer patients

Latest study says regular follow-up positive.  Scientist say there is an urgent need for research into all aspects of follow-up care in lung cancer. The study presented in the May 2012 issue of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer's (IASLC) Journal of Thoracic Oncology focused on different follow-up strategies for patients with lung cancer.

2012/04/23MEDICAL UPDATE

Stanford-spawned nanoparticles home in on brain tumours, boost accuracy of surgical removal

Like special-forces troops laser-tagging targets for a bomber pilot, tiny particles that can be imaged three different ways at once have enabled Stanford University School of Medicine scientists to remove brain tumours from mice with unprecedented accuracy.

2012/04/23MEDICAL UPDATE

Latest research confirms genetic susceptibility to lung cancer

Japanese have higher vulnerability to certain lung cancers.  Previous research has shown that Asian patients with lung cancer are more likely to harbor epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations.

2012/04/23MEDICAL UPDATE

Exercise improves quality of life during breast cancer treatment

A University of Miami study shows that women with non-metastatic breast cancer who are physically active and receive stress management intervention during treatment may reduce depression and lessen fatigue.

2012/04/23MEDICAL UPDATE

Discovery could help to develop drugs for organ transplant and cancer patients

Loyola researchers are reporting surprising findings about a molecule that helps ramp up the immune system in some cases and suppress it in others.  The finding eventually could lead to new drugs to regulate the immune system by, for example, revving it up to attack tumour cells or tamping it down to prevent the rejection of transplanted organs.

2012/04/23MEDICAL UPDATE

Despite obstacles, fine needle aspiration might be best diagnostic tool

Screening for lung cancer with low dose CT scans has been shown to save lives. However, research shows that when CT scans reveal nodules in the lungs, it is not cancerous 96 percent of the time.

2012/04/23MEDICAL UPDATE

Decision guide reduced uncertainty over breast cancer prevention, study finds

Tailored, web-based intervention helped women understand options.  When women at high risk of breast cancer viewed a customized web-based decision guide about prevention options, they were more likely to make a choice about prevention and to feel comfortable with their choice, a new study finds.

2012/04/16MEDICAL UPDATE

ESMO 2011 Report – How safe is chemotherapy during pregnancy?

by Dr Sunil Upadhyay - The overall incidence of cancer is known to increase with age. However, there is hardly any age group that can be spared from the risk of developing cancer and the resulting necessary treatment.

2012/04/16MEDICAL UPDATE

ESMO 2011 Report – New opportunity for pain control in metastatic carcinoma of the prostate

by Dr Sunil Upadhyay - Prostate cancer is one of the leading causes of death due to cancer in men all over the world. Most of the prostate cancer-related deaths are due to disseminated disease and bone is the commonest site for metastases.

2012/04/16MEDICAL UPDATE

ESMO 2011 Report – Bolero-2 Trial: Paradigm shift in the management of breast cancer

by Dr Sunil Upadhyay - Breast cancer is one of the commonest malignancies among women all over the world. Though the incidence of diagnosed breast cancer continues to rise, mortality rate has continued to improve due to early diagnosis, improved understanding of its biology and better multimodality treatment.

2012/04/16MEDICAL UPDATE

ESMO 2011 Report – EMBRACE Study: Broadening the management of heavily pre-treated metastatic breast cancer

by Dr Sunil Upadhyay - Management of heavily pre-treated metastatic breast cancer patients remains a challenge. Most emphasis is on the role of molecular agents and personalised medicine hence making them attractive topics of research.

2012/04/16MEDICAL UPDATE

ESMO 2011 Report – Radium-223 chloride in bone metastasis

by Dr Sunil Upadhyay - Despite encouraging progress in the early diagnosis and better management outcome of common cancers, a high proportion of patients still present with advanced stage disease or develop relapse.

2012/04/16MEDICAL UPDATE

ESMO 2011 Report – Promising results in the management of advanced basal cell carcinoma

by Dr Sunil Upadhyay - Basal cell carcinoma is the most common malignancy in the world. Its incidence is common in people with fair skin due to excessive exposure to sun. Most of these cancers are cured by surgery or superficial radiotherapy.

2012/04/16MEDICAL UPDATE

ESMO 2011 Report – Shaping the future: from principle to practice

by Dr Sunil Upadhyay - One of the most important advances in cancer research over the last decade or so has been the appearance of targeted therapies. It has been possible following identification of genomic and epigenomic alterations and validation of candidate oncogenic drivers, metabolic changes and cancer cell signalling.

2012/04/16MEDICAL UPDATE

ESMO 2011 Report – Insights in the management of colorectal cancer

by Dr Sunil Upadhyay - Aflibercept, a designer antiangiogenic compound has been found to show encouraging activity in the second-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. The agent has strong affinity for vascular growth factor and placental growth factor.

2012/04/16MEDICAL UPDATE

ESMO 2011 Report – Improving quality of life for breast cancer sufferers

by Dr Sunil Upadhyay - It would be difficult to imagine how one would treat breast cancer today if it was not for the work and leadership of Professor Umberto Veronesi from Milan. During his acceptance lecture for his life time achievements award at the EMCC in Stockholm he emphasized that from the beginning of his nearly 60 years of academic activity his main interest has been “Quality of Life” for his patients.

2012/03/28MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2012 Report – What’s new in heart transplantation?

by Maria Dalby reporting on the presentation by Nick Banner, Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust, London.  Heart transplantation activity in the UK is currently in decline.1

2012/03/28MEDICAL UPDATE

What’s new in lung transplantation

by Professor John Dark (pictured) - In contrast with that other thoracic organ the heart, activity and optimism in the pulmonary field are both increasing. Contemporay outcomes for selected groups of patients such as those with Cystic Fibrosis1 show median survivals in excess of ten years, double the oft quoted Registry figures of the past.

2012/03/28MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2012 – The Medawar Medal

Now in its twenty-first year, the Medawar Medal continues to reward excellence and innovation among young scientists and doctors in honour of Sir Peter Medawar, Nobel Laureate and founder BTS Chairman.

2012/03/28MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2012 Report – How to train a renal transplant surgeon? A survey of consultants and trainees

by Maria Dalby reporting on the presentation by Miriam Manook et al, Guy’s Hospital, London.  Adequate training of transplant surgeons is essential for good clinical outcomes. Although surgical training in renal transplantation has to date not been standardised, there is a recognised need for this and training programmes are currently being evaluated for implementation.

2012/03/28MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2012 Report – Pathways of MHC Allorecognition

by Maria Dalby reporting on the presentation by Robert Lechler, King’s College Hospital, London.  Understanding how a transplant recipient’s immune system recognises the alloantigens that trigger rejection is vital to develop new ways of achieving clinical transplantation tolerance.

2012/03/28MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2012 Report – How risky is too risky? The ethical landscape of Challenging Transplants

by Maria Dalby - The Ethics Symposium at this year’s BTS Annual Congress was held in a highly interactive format and dealt with the ethical aspects of particularly challenging donation scenarios.

2012/03/28MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2012 Report – ABO-incompatible transplantation: cardiac and liver

by Maria Dalby reporting on the presentation by Lori West, University of Alberta, Toronto, Canada and Andrew Burroughs, Royal Free Hospital, London.  ABO-incompatible transplantation is already a clinical reality in renal transplantation, and is increasingly used in other organ transplantation activity as well.

2012/03/28MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2012 Report – How long have I got? Up to date estimates of patient survival

by Maria Dalby reporting on the presentation by Dave Collett, Donation Advisory Group, NHS Blood and Transplant.  Patient survival is by far the most important outcome in any transplantation and it is important that the clinician is able to give a realistic estimate of the expected survival.

2012/03/28MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2012 Report – The 2010 National Pancreas Allocation Scheme: A one-year review

by Maria Dalby - The introduction of the NHSBT National Pancreas Allocation Scheme in December 2010 has helped to reduce the waiting time for whole pancreas or islet transplantation without prolonging cold ischaemia times.

2012/03/28MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2012 Report – Optimising the use of the donor pool: the Spanish experience

by Maria Dalby reporting on the presentation by José Ramón Nuñez, Hospital Clinico San Carlos, Madrid, Spain.  A nation-wide protocol for retrieving organs after cardiac death outside the hospital has dramatically increased the availability of organs from younger, healthy donors in Spain.

2012/03/28MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2012 Report – Intestinal transplant activity and outcome

by Maria Dalby reporting on the presentation by Kerri Barber, Bowel Advisory Group, NHS Blood and Transplant.  Intestinal transplantation activity is low compared with other solid organ transplantation within the NHS – in recent years, only around 20 intestinal transplantations have been carried out annually.

2012/03/28MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2012 Report – Clinical controversy: Islets versus whole pancreas

by Maria Dalby reporting on the presentation by Peter Friend, University of Oxford.  Pancreas transplantation for the treatment of diabetes can be said to be unique amongst transplantations in that there is a genuine medical alternative available to the procedure, namely insulin.

2012/03/28MEDICAL UPDATE

BTS 2012 Report – Assessing the true cost of transplantation

by Maria Dalby - Introduction - Recent advances in transplant medicine and surgery mean more lives can be saved or prolonged with an organ transplantation, but also that the costs to the NHS are going through the roof.

2012/03/16MEDICAL UPDATE

Adjunctive inhaled mannitol improves lung function in cystic fibrosis

FDA Highlights - by Bruce Sylvester - Patients who received standard therapy for cystic fibrosis plus adjunctive inhaled dry powder mannitol have achieved sustained improvement in lung function for up to 52 weeks, researchers report.

2012/03/16MEDICAL UPDATE

Survival increases among patients with amyloidosis treated with high-dose melphalan and autologous stem cell transplantation

FDA Highlights - by Bruce Sylvester - Patients with selected immunoglobulin light chain amyloidosis who are treated with high-dose melphalan and autologous stem cell transplantation (HDM/SCT) have a high organ response rate and increased overall survival, even among those who did not achieve a haematologic complete response. Researchers reported this finding in the October 2011 issue of Blood.

2012/03/16MEDICAL UPDATE

Anal cancer is preventable with hpv vaccine, study suggests

FDA Highlights - by Bruce Sylvester - The human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine can help prevent anal cancer in men, researchers reported in the October 27, 2011, issue of New England Journal of Medicine.

2012/03/16MEDICAL UPDATE

Genital herpes can reactivate even during high dose antiviral therapy

Taken from The Lancet - by Bruce Sylvester - A new evaluation of data from three trials of antiviral therapy to treat genital herpes (herpes simplex virus type 2/HSV-2) indicates that the virus can reactivate in breakthrough episodes, even when doses of antiviral therapy are high.

2012/03/16MEDICAL UPDATE

UK experts: paediatric penicillin dosing guidelines need updating

Taken from the British Medical Journal (BMJ) - by Bruce Sylvester - A Study published on Dec. 20, 2011 in the British Medical Journal suggests that some children may not be receiving effective doses of penicillin, which could lead to failed treatment and to antibiotic resistance. Oral penicillins (such as amoxicillin) account for nearly 4.5 million of the total six million annual paediatric prescriptions for antibiotics in the UK.

2012/03/16MEDICAL UPDATE

Hypertension treatment correlates to long-term improvement in life expectancy

Taken from the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) - by Bruce Sylvester - Systolic hypertension patients treated in a clinical trial with the diuretic chlorthalidone for 4.5 years have achieved a significantly lower rate of death and a gain in life expectancy free from cardiovascular death about 20 years later, when compared to patients who received placebo, researchers reported in the December 21, 2011 issue of JAMA.

2012/03/16MEDICAL UPDATE

Stable cv patients using niacin show no reduction in heart attack and stroke risks

Taken from the The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) by Bruce Sylvester - Among patients with a history of high cholesterol well-controlled by long-term statin therapy, adding high-dose, extended release niacin does not lower the risk of cardiovascular events, including heart attack and stroke.

2012/03/16MEDICAL UPDATE

Enhancing cognition can ‘change personality’

World Health Matters - United States - by Gary Finnegan - A programme designed to boost cognition in older adults also increased their openness to new experiences, researchers report, demonstrating for the first time that a non-drug intervention in older adults can change a personality trait once thought to be fixed for life.

2012/03/16MEDICAL UPDATE

‘Walking skills’ programme boosts hip replacement recovery

World Health Matters - Norway - by Gary Finnegan - Researchers in Norway have shown that physical therapy can have a significant impact on recovery times for patients who have had hip replacement surgery.

2012/03/16MEDICAL UPDATE

Korea reports lower alcoholism rates

World Health Matters - South Korea - by Gary Finnegan - A new study by researchers in South Korea has found lower rates of alcohol use disorders (AUDs), nicotine use, and mood and anxiety disorders among the Korean public compared to a sample of the US population.

2012/03/16MEDICAL UPDATE

More people get cancer, yet fewer die

World Health Matters - Australia - by Gary Finnegan - Over the past quarter century in Australia, cancer incidence rates have increased while deaths from cancer have steadily decreased. However, Indigenous Australians have lower cancer rates – and higher death rates – than the national average.

2012/03/16MEDICAL UPDATE

Public consultation on cancer medicines

EMA Highlights by Gary Finnegan - The EMA has launched a public consultation on its revised guidelines covering how potential cancer drugs are assessed.  The document provides guidance on all stages of clinical drug development for the treatment of tumours, including drug resistance modifiers or normal tissue protective compounds.

2012/03/16MEDICAL UPDATE

Tighter regulation promised after breast implant scandal

EMA Highlights by Gary Finnegan - The new head of the European Medicines Agency, Guido Rasi, has promised to strengthen European rules governing medical devices in the wake of the scandal over sub-standard silicone breast implants.

2012/03/16MEDICAL UPDATE

Million Women Study is wrong about HRT, say epidemiologists

A study long used to establish causal links between hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and breast cancer is severely flawed, a group of epidemiologists have charged.

2012/03/16MEDICAL UPDATE

Multiple sclerosis research doubles number of genes associated with the disease

Scientists have identified 29 new genetic variants linked to multiple sclerosis, providing key insights into the biology of this very debilitating neurological disease. Many of the genes - implicated in the study are relevant to the immune system, shedding light onto the immunological pathways that underlie the development of MS.

2012/03/16MEDICAL UPDATE

Research proving link between virus and MS could point the way to treatment and prevention

A new study from researchers at Queen Mary, University of London shows how a particular virus tricks the immune system into triggering inflammation and nerve cell damage in the brain, which is known to cause MS.

2012/03/16MEDICAL UPDATE

Muscling in on MS

Multiple sclerosis (MS), a neurodegenerative disease, causes periodic attacks of neurologic symptoms such as limb weakness and mobility defects. And while MS patients’ walking abilities and muscle strength are examined on a regular basis, doctors have yet to determine when the lower limb muscles begin to deteriorate.

2012/03/16MEDICAL UPDATE

New treatment for chronic depression targets personality style

Researchers from the University of Southampton, in collaboration with psychologists from six other universities, have started a study to assess the impact of a new psychological therapy for chronic, or treatment-resistant, depression (Refractory Depression).

2012/03/16MEDICAL UPDATE

Simultaneous treatment for diabetes and depression improves both

Brief adherence programmes improve diabetes test results and depression symptoms. Patients simultaneously treated for both Type 2 diabetes and depression showed improved medication compliance and significantly improved blood sugar and depression levels compared to patients receiving usual care,

2012/03/16MEDICAL UPDATE

Drug focus on diabetes

It is estimated that there are 2.9 million people in the UK diagnosed with diabetes1 and the incidence is increasing, as it is across the world, all the time. After many years with limited options for treatment, there is now a steady flow of new drugs being licensed for blood sugar reduction in Type 2 diabetes. But which to use for whom?

2012/03/16MEDICAL UPDATE

Blood pressure hike in middle age predicts heart attack or stroke

by Bruce Sylvester - Men and women who develop high blood pressure during middle age or who enter middle age with high blood pressure have about a 30% increased lifetime risk of heart attack or stroke compared to those who kept their blood pressure low.

2012/03/16MEDICAL UPDATE

Clot-busting therapy effective for patients with stroke history or diabetes

by Bruce Sylvester - Stroke patients with a history of stroke or diabetes who received clot-busting drugs post-stroke have achieved better outcomes than those who did not receive the drugs, researchers reported  in the November 16 online issue of Neurology.

2012/03/16MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2011 Report – Thoracic oncology update

by Dr. Riyaz Shah, Consultant Medical Oncologist, Kent Oncology Centre - The ASCO 2011 Annual Meeting took place in early June at the vast McCormick Place Convention Centre in Chicago. With 337 original peer reviewed abstracts relating to lung cancer, a full summary is beyond the scope of this update but I will attempt to highlight some key studies.

2012/03/09MEDICAL UPDATE

Where pain lives: Managing chronic pain tougher in poor neighborhoods

A study led by University of Michigan pain medicine specialist Dr. Carmen R. Green shows young adults who live in poor neighborhoods have tougher time managing chronic pain.

2012/03/09MEDICAL UPDATE

Rest versus exercise: Equally effective on lower back pain

Lower back pain due to Modic changes can be hard to treat and the currently recommended therapy of exercise and staying active often does not help alleviate the pain.

2012/03/09MEDICAL UPDATE

Neuron memory key to taming chronic pain

Study suggests erasing neuronal memories may help control persistent pain.

2012/03/09MEDICAL UPDATE

Muscle relaxants and neuromodulators for managing RA pain: Many options, but no clear successes

Pain management is a high priority for patients with rheumatoid arthritis, so three researchers in Australia analysed existing study data to see whether two different classes of drugs can help.

2012/03/09MEDICAL UPDATE

Anti-depressants reduce pain in opioid-dependent patients

by Bruce Sylvester - Researchers report that opioid-dependent patients treated with escitalopram achieved meaningful reductions in pain severity and pain interference during the first three months of therapy.

2012/03/09MEDICAL UPDATE

Getting a handle on chronic pain

New 'barcode' tool lets doctors evaluate chronic pain quickly and objectively.

2012/03/09MEDICAL UPDATE

Crowded emergency departments deliver less effective pain relief

First study of its kind to focus on children.  Crowding in hospital emergency departments has led to a decrease in the timely and effective use of pain medication in children suffering acute long bone fractures, according to a new study by the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

2012/03/09MEDICAL UPDATE

Cancer patients’ pain can be helped by psychosocial interventions, say researchers

Up to one-third of cancer patients experience moderate to severe pain.

2012/03/09MEDICAL UPDATE

Sporting stars get on their marks for new asthma run campaign

The Asthma Society today launched the Great Open Airways Run campaign to help make up the staggering 30% cut in funding for the organisation’s vital work. 

2012/03/09MEDICAL UPDATE

Oxygenating system associated with lower risk of death for H1N1 patients with respiratory failure

Patients with severe 2009 H1N1 influenza who developed respiratory failure and were treated with a system that adds oxygen to the patient's blood had a lower rate of in-hospital death than similar patients who did not receive this treatment,

2012/03/09MEDICAL UPDATE

Love your Lungs this Valentines Day 2012

The Irish Lung Health Alliance, which comprises the Alpha One Foundation, the Irish Thoracic Society, the Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland, the Irish Lung Fibrosis Association, Ben Bulben COPD Support Group, the Irish Sleep Apnoea Trust, the Asthma Society of Ireland, the Irish Cancer Society and the Irish Sarcoidosis Network, has united officially ahead of Valentine’s Day, to launch the ‘Love Your Lungs’ campaign.

2012/03/09MEDICAL UPDATE

CT Scans Might Help Detect COPD

by Bruce Sylvester - Computed tomography (CT) scanning for lung cancer of men who are current or former heavy smokers also identified a significant proportion with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD),  

2012/03/09MEDICAL UPDATE

Heart drug offers possible treatment for patients facing respiratory failure

Treatment with the calcium-sensitizing drug levosimendan may be effective in improving muscle function in patients with respiratory muscle weakness,

2012/01/18MEDICAL UPDATE

IASLC 2011 Report – Recent developments in the management of small cell lung cancers

by Dr Sunil Upadhyay - The incidence of small cell lung cancer accounts for nearly 15% of all diagnosed lung cancers. The majority present with locally advanced disease and/or distant metastasis.

2012/01/18MEDICAL UPDATE

IASLC 2011 Report – Management of pancoast tumours

by Dr Sunil Upadhyay - In 1838 E. S. Hare published work about tumours involving certain nerves.1 However, Henry Pancoast, a radiologist from Philadelphia described the classical clinical presentation of pain of the eighth cervical or the first and second thoracic trunk associated with classical Horner syndrome, atrophy of the hand muscle and rib destruction.

2012/01/18MEDICAL UPDATE

IASLC 2011 Report – Re-evaluation of the management of malignant pleural mesothelioma

by Dr Sunil Upadhyay - Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma (MPM) is of insidious onset and almost uniformly a fatal disease. Around 90% of the patients can be linked to asbestos exposure. The management outcome of MPM remains dismal.

2012/01/18MEDICAL UPDATE

IASLC 2011 Report – Erlotinib with or without MetMAb in the management of lung cancer

by Dr Sunil Upadhyay - Increased Met signalling in tumours can occur from increased levels of Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF), activating mutations within Met, and/or receptor over expression with or without gene amplification. Binding of the Met ligand to its extracellular receptor results in Met activation leading to cell survival, migration and tumour growth.

2012/01/18MEDICAL UPDATE

IASLC 2011 Report – Emerging immunotherapies in the management of lung cancer

by Dr Sunil Upadhyay - Advanced non-small cell carcinoma of the lung represents one of the major unmet needs for an effective and prolonged survival outcome. The majority of these patients frequently present to the multi-disciplinary team at an advanced stage with little chance of radical management options and extremely poor prognosis.

2012/01/18MEDICAL UPDATE

IASLC 2011 Report – First-line therapy options in EGFR mutation positive advanced NSCLC

by Dr Sunil Upadhyay - Since the publication of the iPASS trial data, gefitinib has become the treatment of choice in EGFR mutation positive tumours. However, almost all the patients included in this study were of Asian origin.

2012/01/18MEDICAL UPDATE

IASLC 2011 Report – The rivalry between cisplatin and carboplatin goes on: BTOG2 Trial

by Dr Sunil Upadhyay - At the recently held 14th World Conference on Lung Cancer in Amsterdam, on behalf of the investigators, the randomised phase III clinical trial results of BTOG 2 were presented by David Ferry.

2012/01/18MEDICAL UPDATE

IASLC 2011 Report – Maintenance therapy in the management of non-small cell lung cancer

by Dr Sunil Upadhyay - A platinum doublet remains the current gold standard in the management of EGFR mutation negative, advanced non-small cell lung cancers. Pemetrexed is the favourite agent for non-squamous histology whilst gemcitabine, vinorelbine or paclitaxel are commonly added to a platinum compound for treatment of patients with squamous cell histology.

2012/01/18MEDICAL UPDATE

IASLC 2011 Report – Defining the unmet needs in non-small cell lung cancer

by Dr Sunil Upadhyay - The way we have defined cancer has not changed over centuries. Most of the lung cancers are associated with smoking. There is plenty of evidence to suggest that lung cancers in never smokers are a distinct pathology in terms of carcinogenesis, clinical characteristics, anatomical distribution, biology and prognosis.

2012/01/18MEDICAL UPDATE

IASLC World Congress on Lung Cancer 2011: Advances in the Treatment of Lung Cancer

Foreward by Dr Sanjay Popat (pictured).  The 14th Annual Scientific Meeting of the IASLC has now closed. Held in Amsterdam at the beginning of July 2011, the annual convention into advances in thoracic oncology continues to grow.

2012/01/12MEDICAL UPDATE

ESOT 2011 Report – Gender and antibody matters

Gender differences between donor and recipient might have an impact on outcome after heart transplantation (HTx). The literature review revealed controversial results. Ingo Kaczmarek and colleagues from Munich, Germany reviewed the data of the ISHLT registry focusing on the influence of gender differences on short- and long-term outcome after HTx.

2012/01/12MEDICAL UPDATE

ESOT 2011 Report – Donation and religious beliefs

Researchers from Luton, Bedfordshire presented data on the views of organ donation from different congregations across the UK.

2012/01/12MEDICAL UPDATE

ESOT 2011 Report – Do medical professionals have the right to say no?

Altruistic donation has contributed to the increase in living donor transplantation worldwide. However, the donor's wishes are sometimes antagonistic to the medical team's views.

2012/01/12MEDICAL UPDATE

ESOT 2011 Report – Preventing infections through Virology screening

Cristina Baleriola, from NSW, Australia presented data on the important factor of screening donors for infection. The expansion of the donor pool leads to utilisation of donors with risk factors for viral infections. The main element of donor screening relies on serological and nucleic acid testing (NAT).

2012/01/12MEDICAL UPDATE

ESOT 2011 Report – Liver transplantation: a question of MELD

The model for end stage liver disease (MELD score) is used in many countries to allocate liver grafts to the sickest patients on the waiting list. Several authors have reported unacceptable mortality in recipients with a MELD score ≥30. Therefore, a challenging task is to predict the outcome in high MELD recipients.

2012/01/12MEDICAL UPDATE

ESOT 2011 Report – Twenty first century immunosuppression in renal transplantation: Is evolution the solution?

Nephrotoxicity as the Primary Driver of Failure – Fact or Fiction? - Dr Philip Halloran, Alberta Applied Genomics Center, Alberta, Canada.  The calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs), ciclosporin and tacrolimus, are nephrotoxic drugs. CNIs have been known to be capable of causing end stage renal disease since the first ciclosporin experience in the late 1970s.

2012/01/12MEDICAL UPDATE

ESOT 2011 Report – Are young donors suitable for Islet donation?

Donor variables have a significant impact on the outcome of islet isolation. Importantly, young donor age has in the past been negatively associated with islet isolation yield. The aim of this study was to identify the outcomes of islet isolation from donors who were less than 20 years of age and to compare the results with donor population as a whole.

2012/01/12MEDICAL UPDATE

ESOT 2011 Report – Donation after cardiac death: Can hearts be successfully reanimated?

The success of organ donation after cardiac death (DCD) has yet to extend into cardiac transplantation although it is felt that rescuing hearts from donors after cardiac death would allow significant expansion of the donor pool.

2012/01/12MEDICAL UPDATE

What’s new in paediatric transplantation?

by Mr Nizam Mamode, Consultant Transplant Surgeon (pictured) - Children are not just small adults; an aphorism which paediatricians are fond of quoting, but one which perhaps has not yet reached the transplant community.

2018/10/17MEDICAL UPDATE

WCLC 2018: Variety of approaches can work in oligometastatic disease

By Thomas R Collins / Interviewer Esther Drain Creative approaches that can be used to keep control of oligometastic disease in patients with non-small cell lung cancer were discussed here at the IASLC 19th World Conference on Lung Cancer.

2018/10/17MEDICAL UPDATE

WCLC 2018: Lung cancer stigma is detrimental to patient care

Interviewer Esther Drain Dr Jesme Fox (Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, UK) discusses research she presented showing that lung cancer stigma is detrimental to patients' care.

2018/10/17MEDICAL UPDATE

WCLC 2018: Importance of QOL outcome measures in clinical trials

Interviewer Esther Drain WCLC co-Presidents Professor Andrea Bezjak and Dr Natasha Leighl (both of Toronto, Canada) discuss research from their centre on the iimportance of QOL outcome measures in clinical trials.

2018/10/17MEDICAL UPDATE

WCLC 2018: Accessibility & quality of life: a patient focus at WCLC

By Thomas R Collins / Interview by Esther Drain Talk of progress in cancer treatment can ring hollow if the new, life-lengthening therapies are not widely available, the president-elect of the European Society of Medical Oncology said here at the IASLC 19th World Conference on Lung Cancer.

2018/10/17MEDICAL UPDATE

WCLC 2018: PACIFIC: durvalumab results impressive, but not without questions

By Thomas R Collins / Interview by Esther Drain Patients with unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer taking durvalumab had significantly better overall survival than those on placebo after standard chemotherapy and radiation, according to the latest results of the phase III PACIFIC trial presented here at the IASLC 19th World Conference on Lung Cancer.

2018/10/17MEDICAL UPDATE

WCLC 2018: Early ALTA-1L data encouraging for brigatinib

By Thomas R Collins / Interviews by Esther Drain The ALK- and ROS1-inhibitor brigatinib showed a better progression-free survival (PFS) compared to the ALK-inhibitor crizotinib in the first interim analysis of a head-to-head trial in patients with ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who hadn’t yet received an ALK-inhibitor, researchers said here in the Plenary at the IASLC 19th World Congress on Lung Cancer.

2018/10/17MEDICAL UPDATE

WCLC 2018: Success of combined screening and smoking cessation pilots

Interviews by Esther Drain Professor Gail Darling (WCLC co-President, Toronto, Canada) discusses the success of combined screening and smoking cessation pilot in Ontario.

2018/10/17MEDICAL UPDATE

WCLC 2018: Do we have a UK-wide screening programme that is ready to implement?

Interviewer: Esther Drain Dr Jesme Fox (Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, UK) and Professor David Baldwin (Nottingham, UK) detail current UK pilots and a screening protocol that is currently going through the NHS England gateway process.

2018/10/17MEDICAL UPDATE

WCLC 2018: NELSON – CT screening saves lives

By Thomas R Collins / Interviewer Esther Drain A randomised, controlled screening trial for lung cancer involving almost 16,000 people in the Netherlands and Belgium found that CT screening produced a 26% reduction in lung cancer deaths among at-risk men over 10 years, according to data presented here at the IASLC 19th World Conference on Lung Cancer.

2018/10/17MEDICAL UPDATE

WCLC 2018: Highlights

Interviewer: Esther Drain The IASLC 19th World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) was full of highlights, including 3 plenary abstracts being presented in the New England Journal of Medicine and involvement from patients and patient advocates. Watch the  montage of comments from delegates to get an idea of the excitement generated here in Toronto.

2018/10/02MEDICAL UPDATE

DDW 2018: Quality of life for IBD patients

By Maria Dalby Inflammatory bowel disease can have a detrimental impact of health-related quality of life, and reducing the physical and psychological disease burden is an important therapeutic target. Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are increasingly captured in clinical trials and disease registers and can provide insight into the day-to-day impact of IBD on patients’ lives. PROs and quality of life measures can be captured in real time via online and mobile platforms, to improve disease control and quality of care.

2018/10/02MEDICAL UPDATE

DDW 2018: Predicting who will get IBD

Interview by Hannah Chatfield To have a chance of preventing IBD clinicians need to be able to predict who is at risk, based on sensitive and selective risk factors. In a translational symposium at DDW 2018, speakers discussed the role of genetics, diet and environment in IBD aetiology.

2018/10/02MEDICAL UPDATE

DDW 2018: Choice in patient management

Interview by Hannah Chatfield IBD specialists have more treatment options than ever before; yet the optimal use of many agents, old as well as new, remains to be defined. A plenary session at DDW 2018 entitled “It’s still a free country: choice in IBD management” aimed to highlight the wide choice available to clinicians and patients.

2018/10/02MEDICAL UPDATE

DDW 2018: Treatment of perianal fistulising disease

By Maria Dalby Perianal fistulas remain a debilitating complication for CD patients, with high levels of morbidity and impact on quality of life. Several abstracts and posters at DDW 2018 addressed the clinical management of perianal fistulas in CD.

2018/10/02MEDICAL UPDATE

DDW 2018: IBD Study Updates

Interview by Hannah Chatfield This article summarises some of the key study updates presented at DDW 2018.

2018/08/20MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2018: Synchronous primary lung cancers

Professor John Lafrate (Harvard Medical School, Boston) and Professor Frank Detterbeck (Yale School of Medicine, New Haven) spoke in a session looking at some of the difficulties with diagnosis and management of synchronous primary lung cancers, especially as there is little research or guidelines to guide best practice.

2018/08/20MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2018: KEYNOTE-042 shows OS

by Thomas R Collins First-line treatment with the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab showed an overall survival benefit compared to platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer and a PD-L1 tumour proportion score of at least 1…

2018/08/20MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2018: Choices for front-line NSCLC

By Thomas R Collins With permutations of potential front-line treatments for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) seemingly endless, one thing seems certain…

2018/08/20MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2018: Hot topics in lung cancer

Hot topics in lung cancer - interviews from ASCO 2018.

2018/08/20MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO Highlights

June 2018 saw the launch of our first edition of LungCancer.Med, a new congress news e-journal containing interviews with speakers and delegates as well as articles on the latest hot topics in lung cancer.

2018/08/03MEDICAL UPDATE

Questionable penicillin allergy diagnosis increases risk of MRSA and C. difficile 

A retrospective study of outpatient records for millions of  patients in the UK  reveals that  the overuse of broad-spectrum alternative antibiotics among patients who are probably not allergic to penicillin has increased risks of spreading in the general population MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and Clostridium difficile (C. difficile). The findings were published online on June 27, 2018 in The BMJ/The British Medical Journal.

2018/08/03MEDICAL UPDATE

EHA 2018: Molecular profiling in multiple myeloma 

In addition to clinical segmentation of MM patients as young or elderly and fit or frail, genetic factors convey important prognostic information and should be taken into account in risk assessments and treatment decisions, in the same way as in other haematological malignancies such as AML. Professor Faith Davies from UAMS opened an educational session at EHA 2018 in Stockholm with an overview of the clinical impact of molecular subgroups, molecular risk and clonal heterogeneity in MM.

2018/08/03MEDICAL UPDATE

Ezcema drug shows efficacy in moderate-to-severe uncontrolled asthma

Patients with moderate-to-severe uncontrolled asthma treated with the ezcema drug dupilumab have achieved significantly lower rates of severe asthma exacerbation than those using a placebo. Researchers reported this finding on May 20 at the 2018 American Thoracic Society Conference. Their study was published online on May 21 in  NEJM/The New England Journal of Medicine.

2018/06/24MEDICAL UPDATE

EHA 2018: OPTIMISMM

(Author: Maria Dalby; Interviewer: Esther Drain) Professor Paul Richardson (Boston, USA) presented the results of the OPTIMISMM study which compared the efficacy of pomalidomide, bortezomib and dexamethasone (PVd) with bortezombib and dexamethasone alone (Vd) in MM patients with 1-3 prior lines of therapy and a minimum of two cycles of lenalidomide treatment.

2018/06/24MEDICAL UPDATE

EHA 2018: Immunotherapy in MM: why, when and how?

(Author: Maria Dalby; Interviewer: Esther Drain) The pathophysiology of MM is characterised by a state of profound immunosuppression through multiple mechanisms which provides a strong rationale for immunotherapeutic approaches including antibodies, immunomodulators, vaccines and adoptive cellular therapies. In an educational session at EHA 2018 Dr Niels van de Donk from Amsterdam outlined the importance of immunotherapy in the treatment of MM now and in the future, focussing especially the role of antibody combinations in the upfront setting and the promise of CAR-T cell therapy.

2018/06/24MEDICAL UPDATE

EHA 2018: The Issue of Frailty in MM

(Author: Maria Dalby; Interviewer: Esther Drain) When treating patients with MM frail patients are less able to tolerate aggressive treatment and therefore have poorer OS. In the era of novel agents there is a medical need for maximising tolerability and optimising efficacy in elderly patients by individualising therapy based on fitness rather than chronological age. Professor Sonja Zweegman from Amsterdam hosted a Meet the Expert session at EHA 2018 which highlighted some of the challenges around detecting and assessing frailty and adapting therapy so that frail patients can achieve the best possible outcome.

2018/06/24MEDICAL UPDATE

EHA 2018: Preferred treatment combinations and sequencing in transplant eligible and elderly MM patients

(Author: Maria Dalby; Interviewer: Esther Drain) The growing number of novel treatments for multiple myeloma (MM) means that more patients can achieve the therapeutic goal of a deep and prolonged first remission – in some cases even to the extent that it can be described as a cure. However, optimisation of second-line therapy and beyond continues to challenge clinicians in the novel therapy era. In his presentation at a Scientific Working Group session at EHA 2018, Professor Hartmut Goldschmidt from Heidelberg in Germany reviewed strategies for treating MM patients who are eligible and ineligible for stem cell transplantation, respectively.

2018/05/11MEDICAL UPDATE

Denmark: 1 in 4 people leave work a year after a heart attack

By Gary Finnegan One in four people leave their job within a year of returning to work after having a heart attack, according to a study from Denmark in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

2018/05/11MEDICAL UPDATE

BSH 2018: Debate: CAR-T cell therapy will become the standard of care for relapsed high-grade B-cell lymphoma within 5 years

By Christine Clark (article) and Alex Burton (interviews) Is CAR-T cell therapy a realistic treatment option for patients with large B cell lymphoma who otherwise have no curative options or an expensive new treatment that is complex to administer and offers little outcome advantage?...

2018/05/11MEDICAL UPDATE

BSH 2018: Access to new agents

By Christine Clark (article) and Alex Burton (interviews) Cancer drugs receive special funding in the NHS but it is not automatic and input from expert clinicians is essential to ensure that effective treatments are funded appropriately. The recent example of brentuximab vedotin in transplant-naïve patients illustrates the process and underlines the importance of clinician input...

2018/05/11MEDICAL UPDATE

BSH 2018: Personalised cancer vaccines and cellular therapy: changing the treatment paradigm for haematological malignancies

By Maria Dalby (article) and Esther Drain (interviews) Dendritic cells (DC) are known to play an important role in the initiation of primary immune responses. In cancer, deficient DCs contribute to tumour-associated immune tolerance. Functionally active DCs can be grown ex vivo from peripheral blood mononuclear cells in the presence of cytokines and can be made to carry tumour antigens to stimulate an anti-tumour response…

2018/05/11MEDICAL UPDATE

BSH 2018: Stratified medicine – using genomic analysis to deliver therapy in high-risk myeloma

By Maria Dalby (article) and Esther Drain (interviews) Dr Martin Kaiser (London) discusses recent work from the UK on identifying robust markers and how clinical decisions can be made according to the biology of the disease. Advances in the management of multiple myeloma (MM) in recent years have drastically improved survival compared with 40-50 years ago. However, unlike other haematological cancers such as HL and DLBCL, MM remains incurable with a high likelihood of relapse and death...

2018/05/02MEDICAL UPDATE

Flu or pneumonia increases risk of heart attack or stroke, especially in seniors

By Bruce Sylvester Researchers from a retrospective, observational study report that victims of flu or pneumonia have a significantly increased risk of heart attack or stroke in the days after their infection.  The findings appeared on March 21, 2018 in the European Respiratory Journal.

2018/04/25MEDICAL UPDATE

Length of lactation inversely related to diabetes development

By Bruce Sylvester Lactation duration appears to be inversely related to development of type 2 diabetes, researchers reported in the March 2018 issue of JAMA Internal Medicine.

2018/04/08MEDICAL UPDATE

Italy: Hepatitis epidemic linked to European outbreaks

By Gary Finnegan Hepatitis A viruses (HAVs) circulating in an ongoing outbreak among men who have sex with men (MSM) in the Lombardy region of Italy are predominantly attributable to strains linked to two other recent outbreaks in Europe, according to research presented at The International Liver Congress 2018 in Paris, France.

2018/03/07MEDICAL UPDATE

ECCO 2018: Improving patient care in IBD

By Maria Dalby (articles) and Peter Mas Mollinedo (interviews) As a community IBD professionals are well aware of the need to raise the bar in terms of delivering quality care that maintains tight disease control and anticipates the disease course rather than merely react to it.1,2 To have a chance of success, such tight control must be based on hard data from close monitoring of relevant surrogate biomarkers of disease activity and mucosal healing. The recently-published phase-3 multi-centre study CALM is the first to show that dose adjustment of anti-TNF therapy based on clinical symptoms in combination with biomarkers achieves better clinical and endoscopic outcomes in CD than the conventional approach of relying on symptoms alone.3

2018/03/01MEDICAL UPDATE

ECCO 2018: Returning to a normal life with IBD

By Maria Dalby (article) and Peter Mas Mollinedo (interviews) Even with access to more potent and sophisticated drugs than ever before, IBD professionals still have a long way to go in optimising treatment and alleviating the long-term impact of the disease. Patient empowerment and patient-centred care are essential for reducing the burden of IBD; however, to achieve these clinicians must have a clear understanding of patients’ goals and perspectives...

2018/03/01MEDICAL UPDATE

ECCO 2018: Evolving concepts of IBD pathogenesis

By Maria Dalby (articles) and Peter Mas Mollinedo (interviews) Perianal fistula is a debilitating complication in CD which affects up to 50% of patients in the course of their disease...

2018/02/21MEDICAL UPDATE

Real-world data shows details beyond the clinical trials

By Thomas R Collins (article) and Esther Drain (interviews) Professor Paul G. Richardson MD (R.J. Corman Professor, Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA) and Dr Karthik Ramasamy (Oxford Oncology and Haematology Centre) discuss important learnings from real-world data, especially focussing on how the burden of side effects and ease of delivery can significantly impact on efficacy outside of clinical trials. http://vimeo.com/250762667

2018/02/21MEDICAL UPDATE

More ASH Highlights (Myeloma)

Interview by Esther Drain There were lots of updates from various studies in myeloma at ASH 2017. Above, Professor Sagar Lonial (Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA) discusses data presented showing that combination treatments are more effective than sequenced doublets. http://vimeo.com/250430254

2018/02/16MEDICAL UPDATE

UK research in the spotlight at ASH

Interview by Esther Drain The chair of the UK Myeloma Research Alliance, Professor Gordon Cook (Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust) highlights some of the data presented from the UK, including data from the Myeloma XI study which he describes as ‘practice changing’ and ‘puts the UK research programme firmly in the spotlight’. http://vimeo.com/250631858

2018/02/13MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH Highlights (Myeloma)

Interviews by Esther Drain http://vimeo.com/250425526 As usual, there was a lot of new data in at ASH 2017 in myeloma. Above Professor S Vincent Rajkumar (Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA) gives a great overview of the key messages in early treatment, RRMM, CART therapy and supportive care (the TEAM trial). Highlights from key trials, ALCYONE and tandem transplant in NDMM are discussed by Professor Faith Davies (UAMS Myeloma Institute, Arkansas, USA) and Dr Rakesh Popat (University College) respectively.

2018/02/11MEDICAL UPDATE

ECCO 2018: Novel treatments in IBD

By Maria Dalby (article) and Peter Mas Mollinedo (interviews) The current research and development pipeline of novel biologic therapies and small molecule drugs promises improved efficacy and safety in the treatment of IBD in the near future. However, the complexity and heterogeneity of the disease means it is unlikely that one single therapy will meet all clinical needs; instead rational use of combination therapy and multidisciplinary management will provide a bridge to fully personalised therapy...

2018/02/05MEDICAL UPDATE

New insights into HL biology

By Thomas R Collins Deepening understanding of the biology of Reed-Sternberg cells in Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL) and how it relates to therapy could help predict response to PD-1 inhibition.

2018/02/05MEDICAL UPDATE

Which groups benefited most from an ECHELON-1 approach?

Interview by Esther Drain Professor Stephen Ansell (Mayo Clinic, USA) discusses who might benefit most from A+AVD upfront in HL. http://vimeo.com/247522095

2018/02/05MEDICAL UPDATE

ASH 2017 Highlights

Interviews by Esther Drain https://vimeo.com/247522755 Professor Anas Younes (MSKCC, New York), Professor John Radford (Manchester) and Dr Graham Collins (Oxford). Once again ASH provided much food for thought and above leading experts discuss their highlights - Echelon 1 in frontline HL and in Mantle Cell Lymphoma the LyMa trial, acalabrutinib and the MCL Elderly trial.

2018/01/15MEDICAL UPDATE

Hesitation still surrounds use of ‘cure’ word in MM

By Thomas R Collins (article) and Esther Drain (interviews) Cure is not simply about having a few patients cured - it's about reliably being able to cure a population with a disease, argues Professor S Vincent Rajkumar (Mayo Clinic, USA).  Along with Professor Robert Orlowski (MD Anderson Cancer Center, USA), he discusses whether myeloma is an incurable disease or whether it's just that we don't yet have the right recipe yet. http://vimeo.com/250425705

2018/01/15MEDICAL UPDATE

Mixed results for new NHL therapies

By Thomas R Collins (article) and Esther Drain (interviews) http://vimeo.com/247522667 Professor Stephen Ansell (Mayo Clinic, USA) speaks about harnessing the power of immunotherapy in Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

2017/10/30MEDICAL UPDATE

ESCP 2017: Innovation in fistula management: sections and high-precision removal of the fistula epithelium 

by Maria Dalby Effective treatment options for perianal fistulas constitute a major unmet need in Crohn’sdisease (CD). New interventions included a knot-free silicon drain to replace conventional setons, and a circular blade that allows high-precision removal of the fistula epithelium prior to reparative surgery.

2017/10/21MEDICAL UPDATE

ESCP Highlights 2017

[embed]http://vimeo.com/236913268[/embed] ESCP 2017 delegates give their highlights, plus a report on the ESCP/ECCO symposium on ulcerative colitis and a focus on quality of life for patients with perianal Crohn's disease.

2017/10/14MEDICAL UPDATE

Adjunctive azithromcyn reduces asthma exacerbations

Author: Bruce Sylvester Patients with persistent symptomatic asthma had fewer asthma exacerbations and improved quality of life when treated with oral azithromycin for 48 weeks, researchers on August 12, 2017 in The Lancet.

2017/10/11MEDICAL UPDATE

ESCP 2017: Multidisciplinary decision-making for colectomy: the difficult patient 

By Maria Dalby (article) and Peter Mas Mollinedo (interviews) The decision to perform a colectomy in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) should not be made lightly. Such a decision should always be made within a multi-disciplinary team setting, and surgery should be considered not only for patients who are refractory to medical therapy or who need surgery, but also for…

2017/10/07MEDICAL UPDATE

Diabetes drug shows potential in treating Parkinson’s Disease

Author: Bruce Sylvester Exenatide, a drug used to treat diabetes, could have disease-modifying potential in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, researchers reported on August 3, 2017 in The Lancet.

2017/10/03MEDICAL UPDATE

ESCP 2017: Innovations in fistula management: stem cell therapy

By Maria Dalby (article) and Peter Mas Mollinedo (interviews) In an overview of the immunological rationale for, and clinical application of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapies, Dr Nick Powell  predicted that clinicians treating patients with perianal CD are going to be early uptakers of these therapies as they transition into clinical practice.

2017/09/30MEDICAL UPDATE

ICML 2017: Response-adapted therapy for Hodgkin’s lymphoma

Professor Peter Johnson (Southampton, UK) tells us what's new with response-adapted therapy and what are the benefits to patients. [embed]http://vimeo.com/226290495[/embed]

2017/09/08MEDICAL UPDATE

‘Brain training’ app boosts memory in dementia patients

Author: Gary Finnegan A 'brain training' game developed by researchers at the University of Cambridge, UK, could help improve the memory of patients in the very earliest stages of dementia, according to a study published in The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology.

2017/08/17MEDICAL UPDATE

Anti-epilepsy drug shows potential in mild Alzheimer’s disease

A drug used to prevent epileptic seizures, levetiracetam, shows positive impact on the brain activity of patients with mild Alzheimer's disease, researches reported on June 23, 2017 in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.

2017/08/16MEDICAL UPDATE

Aspirin reduces rate of preeclampsia among at-risk pregnant women

Researchers report that treatment of at-risk pregnant women with low-dose aspirin (150 mg) resulted in  a significant reduction in pre-term preeclampsia.

2017/08/14MEDICAL UPDATE

ASCO 2017: Adjuvant abiraterone has very significant effect on prostate cancer survival

Men who have received initial treatment for prostate cancer with abiraterone added to hormone therapy achieved a survival rate 37 per cent higher than those not treated with adjuvant abiraterone, researchers reported on June 3, 2017 at the 2017 ASCO (American Society of Clinical Oncology) annual meeting. The findings were published simultaneously in the New England Journal of Medicine. Professor Nicholas James, chief investigator of the STAMPEDE trial and professor of clinical oncology at the University of Birmingham, UK, said, "These are the most powerful results I've seen from a prostate cancer trial -- it's a once in a career feeling.” The investigators noted that abiraterone plus prednisolone is already known to improve survival in men with relapsed prostate cancer. “We assessed the effect of this combination in men starting long-term androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT), using a multigroup, multistage trial design,” they said. The researchers randomized 1,917 subjects in a 1:1 ratio to receive ADT monotherapy or combination therapy with ADT plus abiraterone (1000 mg daily) and prednisolone (5 mg daily). Median age was 67 years, and the median PSA level was 53 ng per milliliter. A total of 52% of the subjects had been diagnosed with metastatic disease, 20% had node-positive or node-indeterminate non-metastatic disease, and 28% had node-negative, non-metastatic disease. And 95% had newly diagnosed disease. Subjects with node-negative, non-metastatic disease received local radiotherapy.  Subjects with positive nodes were also encouraged to receive local radiotherapy . Among subjects with non-metastatic disease with no radiotherapy planned and among subjects  with metastatic disease, treatment continued until the appearance of radiologic, clinical, or prostate-specific antigen (PSA) progression. Otherwise, treatment continued for 2 years or until any type of progression appeared, whichever came first. The primary endpoint was overall survival. The intermediate primary outcome was failure-free survival, with “treatment failure” defined as radiologic, clinical, or PSA progression or death from prostate cancer. Median follow-up was 40 months. The investigators reported 184 deaths in the combination therapy group and 262 deaths in the ADT monotherapy group (P<0.001). There were 248 treatment-failure events in the combination group and 535 in the ADT monotherapy group (P<0.001). Grade 3 to 5 adverse events occurred in 47% of the patients in the combination group (nine grade 5 events) and in 33% of the patients in the ADT monotherapy group (three grade 5 events). “Among men with locally advanced or metastatic prostate cancer, ADT plus abiraterone and prednisolone was associated with significantly higher rates of overall and failure-free survival than ADT alone,” The authors concluded.

2017/08/09MEDICAL UPDATE

Adjunctive antibiotics show efficacy for small skin infections

Adding antibiotic treatment to standard drainage of simple skin abscesses appears to improve healing, researchers reported on June 29, 2017 in the NEJM/New England Journal of Medicine. 

2017/08/09MEDICAL UPDATE