Author: Marie Benz MD FAAD
07 Oct Cognitive Effects of Statins
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr. Seth S. Martin, MD Division of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins Hospital 600 North Wolfe Street Baltimore, Maryland 21287 Johns Hopkins Hospital Baltimore, MD 21287. MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. Martin: Our systematic review identified 16 studies for qualitative synthesis and 11 for quantitative synthesis. In individuals without baseline cognitive dysfunction, statins did not adversely affect memory when used in the short-term (<1 year). Long-term cognition studies including 23,433 patients with a mean exposure duration of 3 to 24.9 years showed a 29% relative reduction in incident dementia related to statin use (hazard ratio, 0.71; 95% CI 0.61-0.82) and a 2% absolute risk reduction (number needed to treat for 6.2 years: 50).07 Oct Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Health Outcomes
Posted at 00:37h
in Author Interviews, Brigham & Women's - Harvard, Hormone Therapy, JAMA, Medical Research Centers, Menopause
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: JoAnn E. Manson, MD, DrPH Chief, Division of Preventive Medicine Brigham and Women's Hospital Professor of Medicine and the Michael and Lee Bell Professor of Women's Health Harvard Medical School Boston , Massachusetts 02215 WHI investigators publish most comprehensive report to date on the two Hormone Therapy Trials and extend follow-up to 13 years:...
04 Oct Suicide: Impact of 2008 Global Economic Crisis
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Shu-Sen Chang, MD, MSc, PhD
Research Assistant Professor
HKJC Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention
The University of Hong Kong
2/F, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Building for Interdisciplinary Research, 5 Sassoon Road Pokfulam, Hong Kong
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study?
Dr. Chang: The study shows a marked increase in suicide in 2009 following the 2008 global economic crisis, particularly in men in the 27 European and 18 American countries included in the study. There were estimated approximately 5000 excess suicides across all 54 study countries in 2009. The largest increase in Europe was seen in 15-24 year old men and in 45-64 year old men in America.
04 Oct Psychotropic Medication Use Patterns in Children
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Tanya Froehlich, MD, MS
Associate Professor
Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
3333 Burnet Avenue, MLC 4002
Cincinnati, OH 45229
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study?
Dr. Froehlich: In a national sample of 2 to 5 year olds, the likelihood of psychotropic prescription peaked in the mid-2000s (at 1.5%), then stabilized in the late 2000s (to 1.0%). Increased psychotropic use in boys, white children, and those lacking private health insurance was documented.
03 Oct Rheumatoid Arthritis: Fish Oil and Symptomatic Benefit
MedicalResearch.com Interview with A/Prof Susanna M Proudman MB BS (Hons) FRACP Discipline of Medicine, University of Adelaide Senior Consultant in Rheumatology Royal Adelaide Hospital North Terrace, Adelaide, 5000 MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Answer: In patients with early DMARD-naïve rheumatoid arthritis (RA), fish oil (delivering an average daily dose of 3.7 g dose of omega-3 fats) was associated with benefits additional to those achieved by combination treat-to-target DMARDs with similar methotrexate use. These included significantly reduced risk of triple DMARD failure, defined as needing the addition of leflunomide, and a higher rate of ACR remission. Because a structured treatment algorithm that was responsive to disease activity and tolerance was used, drug use could be used as an outcome measure for the effects of fish oil. This is one of the novel features of this study as the study design allows for a RCT to be performed on a background of treat-to-target therapy for early RA.03 Oct Risk of Hypertension and Physical Activity
MedicalResearch.com Interview Ma, Wei Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics School of Public Health Shandong University Jinan, Shandong Province, 250012 China MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Answer: The results of this meta-analysis suggested that there was an inverse dose-response association between levels of recreational physical activity and risk of hypertension. Individuals who participated in high levels of recreational physical activity had a 19% lower risk of hypertension than those who didn’t exercise much. In addition, those with moderate levels of recreational physical activity had an 11% lower risk of hypertension. However, there was no significant association between occupational physical activity and risk of hypertension.03 Oct Initiatives to Improve Cardiac Arrest Management
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Mads Wissenberg, MD
Department of Cardiology
Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen
Niels Andersens Vej 65
2900 Hellerup, Denmark Post 635
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study?
Answer: Our main findings from this nationwide study are that during a 10-year period where several national initiatives were taken to increase bystander CPR and improve advanced care, bystander CPR increased more than a two-fold from 21 % in 2001 to 45% in 2010. In the same period survival on arrival at the hospital increased more than a two-fold from 8% in 2001 to 22% in 2010, and 30-day survival more than a three-fold from 3.5% in 2001 to 11% in 2010.
03 Oct Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck: Epigenetic Markers
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr. Muy-Teck Teh BSc, PhD Centre for Clinical and Diagnostic Oral Sciences, Institute of Dentistry Barts & The London School of Medicine and Dentistry Queen Mary University of London, England, United Kingdom MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Answer: We found unique DNA markings (epigenetic methylation) on certain genes that may “predict” the risk of developing head and neck cancer. We identified certain DNA methylation marks unique to cancer cells and not found in normal healthy cells. DNA methylation marks act as ‘switches’ that regulate the ‘on or off’ statuses of genes. Abnormal DNA methylation is known to precede cancer initiation. Hence, the presence of these abnormal DNA methylation marks in cells may be tell-tale signs of early cancer initiation. The chemically distinctive properties of methylated DNA provide ample opportunities for clinical exploitation as nucleic acid-based biomarkers potentially detectable in non-invasive samples such as blood, buccal scrapes, or even saliva.03 Oct Yoga and Effect on Menopause Symptoms
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Katherine Newton, PhD Senior Investigator at Group Health Research Institute in Seattle MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Answer: We found that when women took a 12-week yoga class and practiced yoga at home, they had significantly less insomnia than did women who did not. This was the only statistically significant finding in this MsFLASH (Menopause Strategies: Finding Lasting Answers for Symptoms and Health) Network randomized controlled trial. We also found that being in the yoga class did not decrease the number of hot flashes or night sweats. Yoga was linked to better sleep quality and less depression—but these effects were not statistically significant. In separate papers, published slightly earlier, our MsFLASH group reported that a non-yoga exercise program seemed linked to slightly improved sleep and less insomnia and depression—but these effects were not statistically significant. And an omega-3 (fish oil) supplement was not linked to any improvement in hot flashes, night sweats, sleep, or mood.03 Oct Alzheimer’s and Albumin-Amyloid Beta Complexes
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Keiichi Yamamoto, MD, PhD Department of Geriatric Medicine and Neurology, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine Osaka, Japan. MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Answer: Aβ is normally bound to and transported by albumin in blood. We therefore hypothesized that decreased blood levels of Albumin-Aβ complexes may be associated with decreased Aβ removal from brain to blood, resulting in Aβ accumulation in the brain. This is the first study demonstrated that decreased serum level of albumin-Aβ complexes was strongly associated with a higher prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This association was independent of age, sex, and ApoE4 allele. In addition, decreased serum level of albumin-Aβ complexes was correlated with decreased levels of Aβ42 in the CSF and increased levels of p-tau in the CSF, findings that have been shown to be associated with specific neuropathologic findings and AD progression.02 Oct Early-Term Birth and Adverse Outcomes
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Shaon Sengupta, MD MBBS MPH
Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study?
Dr. Sengupta: In this study we looked at all full-term neonates, which are defined as those born between 37 weeks 0 days to 41 weeks 6 days.
Early term deliveries (37–38 weeks) are a significant part of all full-term deliveries, but are not the norm.
In our study, 27% of neonates were born early term (37-38 weeks) while almost 62% were born at or after 39 weeks (term neonates). Similar data has been reported by other established sources of vital statistics.
While traditionally, full term neonates are perceived to be a homogenous low-risk group, the findings from our study urge the pediatrics/neonatal provider to recognize early term (37-38 weeks) neonates as a higher risk group. They have significantly higher risk of NICU admission, respiratory morbidity, hypoglycemia, need for IV fluids and antibiotics.
02 Oct Opiod Use after Bariatric Surgery
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Marsha A. Raebel, PharmD, BCPS, FCCP
Investigator in Pharmacotherapy
Institute for Health Research
10065 E. Harvard Ave Suite 300
Denver, CO 80231.
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study?
Answer: We found that in a group of patients who took chronic opioids for non-cancer pain and who underwent bariatric surgery there was greater chronic use of opioids after surgery compared with before surgery, findings that suggest the need for proactive management of chronic pain in these patients after surgery.
02 Oct Cognitive Function and Decision Making: Age-Related Changes
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Agnieszka Anna Tymula
Lecturer (Assistant Professor)
School of Economics
The University of Sydney
NSW 2006, Australia
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study?
Answer: We found that individual risk preferences as well as consistency and rationality in choice change with age. Just like cognitive abilities, the ability to make consistent and rational decisions considerably declines in older adulthood. Tolerance to risk in the domain of gains follows an inverted U-shaped pattern along the life span, with older adults (65+ y. o.) and adolescents being more risk averse than young or midlife adults. Interestingly, in the domain of losses, older adults are willing to accept significantly more risks than adolescents, young and midlife adults.
02 Oct Statins and Cognitive Function
Neil V. Marrion, PhD
Professor of Neuroscience
Programme Director for BSc and MSci Pharmacology degrees
School of Physiology & Pharmacology
Medical and Veterinary Sciences University Walk
University of Bristol Bristol, BS8 1TD.
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study?
Dr. Marrion: We tested pravastatin and atorvostatin (two commonly prescribed statins) in rat learning and memory models. Rats were treated daily with pravastatin (brand name - Pravachol) or atorvostatin (brand name - Lipitor) for 18 days. The rodents were tested in a simple learning task before, during and after treatment, where they had to learn where to find a food reward. On the last day of treatment and following one week withdrawal, the rats were also tested in a task which measures their ability to recognise a previously encountered object (recognition memory).
The study’s findings showed that pravastatin tended to impair learning over the last few days of treatment although this effect was fully reversed once treatment ceased. However, in the novel object discrimination task, pravastatin impaired object recognition memory. While no effects were observed for atorvostatin in either task.
01 Oct Emergence of New Fat Cells and Response to Diet and Cold
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Philipp E. Scherer, PhD
Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
Director, Touchstone Diabetes Center
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, TX 75390-8549
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study?
Dr. Scherer: This is the first study that tracks the emergence of new fat cells in response to various physiological stimuli, such as high fat diet and cold exposure.
01 Oct Hand Hygiene: Global WHO Strategy
MedicalResearch.com Interview with :
Prof Didier Pittet, MD, MS
Director of the Infection Control Programme and WHO Collaborating Centre on Patient Safety, University of Geneva Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
MedicalResearch.com : What are the main findings of the study?
Prof. Pittet: The main finding is that the WHO hand hygiene promotion strategy is feasible and sustainable across healthcare settings worldwide. For the first time, we have evidence of its feasibility and successful effects to improve hand hygiene in a variety of different geographical and income settings, with an even greater impact in low-/middle-income countries than in high-income countries.
30 Sep SPECT MPI to Predict Heart Attacks: Stress Agents Regadenoson vs Adenosine
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr. Afshin Farzaneh-Far, M.D.
University of Illinois at Chicago
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study?
Answer: Traditionally SPECT MPI has been performed with adenosine which has a
significant body of published prognostic data.
Regadenoson is a selective A2A receptor agonist and is now the stress
agent most widely used in the United States. Unlike adenosine, regadenoson
is given as a bolus rather than as an infusion, simplifying the testing
protocol and is better-tolerated.
However, despite increasing use of regadenoson, there is very limited data
on risk prediction using this agent.
This study showed that the ability of SPECT MPI to predict heart attacks
and death is the same for the new stress agent Regadenoson as it is for
the old agent Adenosine.
30 Sep Early Dementia: Effect of Musical Activities on Cognitive Functioning
MedicalResearch.com:
Teppo Särkämö PhD
Institute of Behavioural Sciences
PL 9 (Siltavuorenpenger 1A), 363
FI-00014, HELSINGIN YLIOPISTO Finland
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study?
Answer: We found that caregiver-implemented musical leisure activities, such
as singing and music listening, are beneficial for elderly persons
with mild-moderate dementia (PWD). Compared to standard care, regular
singing and music listening improved mood, orientation level, episodic
memory and to a lesser extent, also attention and executive function
and general cognition. Singing also enhanced verbal working memory and
caregiver well-being, whereas music listening had a positive effect on
quality of life.
30 Sep Tricyclic Antidepressants as Inhibitors of Small Cell Lung Cancer
MedicalResearch.com: Interview with:
Dr. Atul Butte, MD, PhD
and
Julien Sage PhD
Departments of Pediatrics and Genetics
Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Davis Cancer Center
University of California Davis School of Medicine
Sacramento, California
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study?
Answer: A major finding of the study is the identification of first-generation anti-depressants as possible drugs effective against a lethal subtype of lung cancer, small cell lung cancer.
A second important aspect of this work is the use of a bioinformatics-based drug repositioning pipeline developed by the Butte lab, which allowed us, when combined with advanced mouse models of lung cancer developed by the Sage lab, to identify a novel targeted therapy against SCLC and initiate a clinical trial in less than 2 years.
26 Sep Prostate Cancer: Unstable Chromosomes May Predict Treatment Failures
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Robert G Bristow MD, PhD, FRCPC
Clinician-Scientist, Ontario Cancer Institute/Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Professor, Depts. of Radiation Oncology and Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto
Director, Core I - STTARR Innovation Facility
Canadian Cancer Society Research Scientist
http://www.uhnres.utoronto.ca/researchers/profile.php?lookup=645
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study?
Dr. Bristow: We studied the more than 7 years of outcome of close to 250 patients with localized (intermediate risk) prostate cancer that received precision radiotherapy or surgery for cure. We found that up to one third of these patients fail initial radiotherapy or prostate surgery.
By using a patient’s initial diagnostic core biopsy, we studied the DNA fingerprints of the tumors. We noticed a pattern in which the patients that had failed treatment had abnormal levels of breaks at sites within the chromosomes that are sensitive to DNA damage called, “common fragile sites” (CFS).
These CFS break abnormalities have been linked to cancer in general and usually are associated with instability of the cell’s DNA-a phenomenon that is particularly associated with cancer.
So patients who have unstable chromosomes are more likely to fail precision radiotherapy or surgery.
26 Sep Obesity-Related Cancers and Blood Glucose Levels
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Niyati Parekh, PhD, RD
Assistant Professor of Nutrition and Public Health,
Director of Doctoral Program in Clinical Nutrition,
Department of Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health, Steinhardt School and
Department of Population Health, NYU Langone School of Medicine, New York University
411 Lafayette Street NY. NY-10003.
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study?
Dr. Parekh: The objective of the study was to investigate disturbances in blood glucose levels in relation to risk of obesity-related cancers. We observed an increased risk of obesity-related cancers, specifically colon cancer among persons with abnormal glucose values. These findings were stronger among persons who had this abnormality for longer duration (>10years).
26 Sep Pancreatic Cancer: Short Course Radiation May Benefit Elderly Patients
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr. Raphael Yechieli Department of Radiation Oncology at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit: MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. Yechieli: The main findings of the study are that elderly patients with pancreatic cancer who also have significant co-morbidities can still be safely and effectively treated with a short course of radiation treatment. Furthermore, the local control and survival data from our study are similar to previously published data, where patients were treated with more intense and longer courses of treatment.26 Sep Decline in C. Difficile may be due to Decreased Antibiotic Exposure
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: David W. Eyre, B.M., B.Ch. Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine University of Oxford National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Oxford Biomedical Research Centre John Radcliffe Hospital MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of this study? Dr. Eyre: All cases of Clostridium difficile in Oxfordshire were studied over 3 years. Isolates were characterized by whole genome sequencing and the data was linked to hospital databases allowing epidemiological relationships between patients at the level of the hospital ward, hospital specialty, and post code to be identified. For comparison, similar information was also available for all other patients with and without diarrhea. Preliminary work on the genetic diversity of Clostridium difficile within individuals and between individuals within discrete outbreaks allowed reliable interpretation of transmission events using genomic data. This allowed a complete reconstruction of the pattern of transmission between affected cases in Oxfordshire to be made. The findings were: 1. Unexpectedly few cases (13%) appear to be acquired from direct ward based contact with other symptomatic cases (these have previously been thought to be the main source of infections, and the focus of prevention efforts). Another 6% were associated with other hospital contact and 3% had plausible community contacts. 2. In 13% of cases potential donors were identified gnomically but no contact, within hospitals or the community, were identified. This suggests that the existence of other modes of transmission of Clostridium difficile. 3. The sources of Clostridium difficile infections were highly genetically diverse, with 45% of cases having a genetically distinct origin - suggesting a diverse reservoir of disease, not previously appreciated 4. During the 3 years of the study the rate of Clostridium difficile in Oxfordshire fell. Any improvement in infection control techniques would be expected to reduce the incidence of cases caused by within hospital transmission. Surprisingly, similar rates of fall occurred in both in secondary cases (considered to be acquired from hospital associated symptomatic cases) and for primary cases (cases not associated with transmission from symptomatic cases).26 Sep Advanced Prostate Cancer: Abiraterone (Zytiga) Improved Quality of Life
MedicalResearch.com Interview with
Dr. Ethan Basch MD
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study?
Dr. Basch: The primary clinical finding of this study is that treatment with abiraterone acetate delays the time until pain develops or worsens in men with advanced prostate cancer. Furthermore, abiraterone delays the time until quality of life and functioning deteriorate, compared to placebo. There is also a broader research finding of this study, which is that it is feasible to rigorously study the time until symptom progression in cancer clinical trials, which paves the way for future studies to use a similar approach.
25 Sep Bone Mineral Density: Does Repeat Testing Improve Fracture Risk Prediction?
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Sarah D. Berry MD MPH
Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew Senior Life
Boston, Massachusetts
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study?
Dr. Berry: Repeating a bone mineral density (BMD) screening test in 4 years provided little additional value beyond baseline BMD when assessing fracture risk. Also, the second BMD measure resulted in little change in risk classification that is commonly used in clinical management of osteoporosis.
25 Sep Bariatric Surgery: Centers of Excellence Programs and Minority Access
Posted at 11:57h
in Author Interviews, Cost of Health Care, JAMA, Medicare, Race/Ethnic Diversity, University of Michigan, Weight Research
MedicalResearch.com Interview Invitation
Dr. Lauren Hersch Nicholas Ph.D
Research Affiliate, Population Studies Center.
Faculty Research Fellow, Survey Research Center
University of Michigan
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study?
Dr. Nicholas: We found that a Medicare policy designed to improve the safety of bariatric surgery was associated with 17% decline in the share of Medicare patients from minority groups receiving bariatric surgery.
25 Sep Cocaine: Brain Reward Circuitry Altered, even in Former Users
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Krishna Patel, M.S. Clinical Data Analyst Hartford Hospital|Institute of Living Olin Neuropsychiatry Research Center Hartford, CT-06106 MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Answer: We looked at brain response to a monetary incentive delay (MID) task in current and former cocaine users compared to healthy controls using functional MRI. The task measures aspects of sensitivity to rewards and punishments. Current cocaine users showed abnormal under-activation in reward circuitry compared to healthy controls. In some of those regions former cocaine users (who had an average of 4years of abstinence from cocaine) also showed abnormalities. These former users also showed over-activation in the ventral tegmental area of the midbrain, (an important region containing dopamine cell bodies) compared to both healthy controls and current cocaine users. Current and former cocaine users also scored higher on specific impulsivity measures, compared to healthy controls.25 Sep Childhood Cancer Survivors: Long Term Kidney Function Decline
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Renée L. Mulder, PhD
Department of Pediatric Oncology
Emma Children's Hospital / Academic Medical Center
1100 DD Amsterdam The Netherlands
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study?
Dr. Mulder: The glomerular function of childhood cancer survivors treated with nephrotoxic therapy declines very soon after treatment and does not recover. The glomerular function declines over time. This decline is comparable to survivors treated without nephrotoxic therapy.
25 Sep Hip Fracture Risk and Link to Obesity Gene
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Professor Tuan V. Nguyen
Osteoporosis and Bone Biology Program
Garvan Institute of Medical Research
384 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst NSW 2010
Australia
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study?
Dr. Nguyen: We analyzed polymorphisms of the FTO (fat mass and obesity) gene in 934 elderly women of Caucasian background, and found that carriers of minor genotype (AA) of the SNP rs1121980 had a two-fold increase in the risk of hip fracture compared with carriers of major genotype (GG). Approximately 20% of women are carriers of the AA genotype. We estimate that about 17% of hip fracture cases could be attributed to the variation within the gene.