Author Interviews
03 Oct Sharp Rise in Heroin Use Among Young Adults Who Use Nonmedical Prescription Opioids
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_28490" align="alignleft" width="165"]
Dr. Silvia Martins[/caption]
Silvia S. Martins, MD, PHD
Associate Professor of Epidemiology
Department of Epidemiology
Mailman School Of Public Health
Columbia University
New York, NY 10032
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Given the high probability of nonmedical use among adolescents and young adults, the potential development of prescription opioid use disorder secondary to nonmedical use among youth represents an important and growing public health concern. Still, no study had investigated time trends, specifically if prescription opioid use disorder has increased in the past decade among adolescents, emerging adults and young adults who are nonmedical users of prescription opioids.
30 Sep No Link Found Between Vasectomy and Developing or Dying From Prostate Cancer
Posted at 23:01h
in Author Interviews, Journal Clinical Oncology, Prostate Cancer, Surgical Research, Urology
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
[caption id="attachment_28482" align="alignleft" width="134"]
Dr. Eric Jacobs[/caption]
Eric Jacobs, PHD
Strategic Director, Pharmacoepidemiology
American Cancer Society, Inc.
250 Williams St.
Atlanta, GA 30303
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: Vasectomy is a common, inexpensive, and very effective method of long-term birth control. However, in 2014, an analysis from a large epidemiologic cohort study, the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, found that vasectomy was associated with about 10% higher overall risk of prostate cancer and about 20% higher risk of fatal prostate cancer. Together with other researchers at the American Cancer Society, I analyzed the association between vasectomy and fatal prostate cancer among more than 363,000 men in the Cancer Prevention Study II (CPS-II) cohort, age 40 and older, who were followed for up to 30 years. This is the largest prospective analysis of vasectomy and fatal prostate cancer to date. We also examined vasectomy and prostate cancer in a subset of about 66,000 CPS-II study participants who were followed for new diagnoses of prostate cancer.
We found no link between having had a vasectomy and risk of either developing or dying from prostate cancer.
30 Sep Mibefradil Dihydrochoride with Hypofractionated Radiation for Recurrent Glioblastoma
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_28487" align="alignleft" width="175"]
Dr. Nataniel Lester-Coll[/caption]
Nataniel Lester-Coll, MD
Chief Resident in Radiation Oncology at Yale
New Haven, Connecticut
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: Recurrent Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) has limited treatment options and the prognosis is poor. Mibefradil diydrochloride was identified using a high-throughput compound screen for DNA double stranded break repair inhibitors. Mibefradil was found to radiosensitize GBM tumor cells in vitro and in vivo. Based on these findings, we sought to determine the maximum tolerated dose of mibefradil and radiation therapy in a Phase I recurrent GBM study. Eligible patients with recurrent Glioblastoma Multiforme received Mibefradil over a 17 day period, with hypofractionated radiation (600 cGy x 5 fractions). There are 18 patients currently enrolled who have completed treatment. Thus far, there is no clear evidence of radionecrosis. A final dose level of 200 mg/day was reached as the maximum tolerated dose. The drug was very well tolerated at this dose. We saw intriguing evidence of enhanced local control in selected cases. Patients enrolled in a translational substudy who received Mibefradil prior to surgery were found to have adequate levels of Mibefradil in resected brain tumor tissue.
30 Sep Histone Switch Allows Some Cancer Cells To Become Immortal
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_28461" align="alignleft" width="180"]
Dr. Paola Scaffidi[/caption]
Paola Scaffidi, PhD
Group Leader
Cancer Epigenetics Laboratory
The Francis Crick Institute
London
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: Every cancer is different, but even within the same tumor cells are highly diverse, and only some of them are truly immortal and drive tumor growth. This is quite surprising if we think that cancer arises from one cell that keeps replicating itself. So why are some cancer cells more dangerous than others? And why do some cells "get tired" along the way and, at some point, stop dividing?
In our study we describe one cellular mechanism that provides some answers to these questions. We have found that to be able to divide indefinitely, cancer cells have to strongly reduce the levels of a nuclear protein called histone H1.0. This is needed to allow activation of many genes important for cancer cell proliferation, which otherwise would be somehow "hidden" within the cell nucleus. Importantly, though, while tumors grow, some cells raise back the levels of H1.0, which hides these genes again and makes the cells stop proliferating. So the end result is that within the same tumor we have a mix of cells, some which keep these important genes on, while others switch them off and, as a consequence, lose their ability to divide, and differentiate into a more mature state.
30 Sep Breastfeeding Is a Women’s Health Issue
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_28454" align="alignleft" width="125"]
Dr. Melissa Bartick[/caption]
Melissa C. Bartick, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Department of Medicine, Cambridge Health Alliance, Cambridge
Harvard Medical School, Boston
Massachusetts
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: There has never been a study that combined maternal and pediatric health outcomes and costs into a single model. My colleague Arnold Reinhold and I had published a pediatric study in 2010, which was widely publicized but needed to be updated. My colleagues and I published a maternal study in 2013. But the two studies had different methodologies, and so the total costs could not be simply added together.
Here, we wanted to get a picture of the impact of breastfeeding in the US public health as whole, by creating a single model that combined maternal and pediatric outcomes. That had never been done before.
30 Sep Triclosan-Containing Sutures Reduced Surgical Infections in Children
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr Marjo Renko MD PEDEGO Research Unit University of Oulu Oulu, Finland MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: For over a decade there has been suture materials containing antiseptic agent in the market. Trials in adults have shown some possible benefits from these sutures as in some studies they have reduced occurrence of surgical site infections. Only one small study had so far been published in children and thus we decided to carry out a large trial comparing sutures containing triclosan with ordinary ones. Our trial included over 1500 children who came to Oulu University Hospital for surgery. Surgical site infections were carefully monitored. Surgical site infections occurred in 2.6 % of the children who received absorbing sutures containing triclosan while that occurred in 5,4 % of the children who received ordinary sutures.30 Sep Survey Reveals Communication Gaps Between Oncologists and Patients With Advanced Breast Cancer
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_28448" align="alignleft" width="120"]
Dr. Adam Brufsky[/caption]
Adam Brufsky, MD, PhD, FACP
Medical Director of the Women's Cancer Center
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
- The Make Your Dialogue Count survey was conducted by Harris Poll on behalf of Novartis between June 20 and August 22, 2014. A total of 359 surveys were collected among women 21 years+ living with advanced breast cancer in addition to 234 caregivers of women with advanced breast cancer and 252 licensed oncologists who treat at least five advanced breast cancer patients per month within the United States. Novartis conducted the survey with guidance from oncologists, patient advocacy experts and a psychologist to better understand the dialogue around treatment goals and decisions that takes place among advanced breast cancer patients, caregivers and oncologists.
- Main survey findings show communication gaps exist in discussions between patients and oncologists, particularly around treatment plans and goals.
- 89% of patients and 76% of oncologists said that it’s important or very important to discuss long-term treatment plans beyond the current recommended treatment at their initial advanced breast cancer diagnosis. Yet, 43% of patients reported that this did not take place.
- 70% of patients and 65% of oncologists said that it’s important or very important to refer patients to support services at their initial advanced breast cancer diagnosis. Yet, only 36% of patients reported that this was something their doctor did.
- 23% of oncologists said that at times their emotions have kept them from sharing certain information with their advanced breast cancer patients, and 27% of oncologists said that, in certain situations, they do not discuss with patients the fact that advanced breast cancer is incurable.
30 Sep Inverse Association Between Mediterranean Diet and Cardiovascular Disease
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr Nita Forouhi, MRCP, PhD, FFPHM Programme Leader MRC Epidemiology Unit University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine Institute of Metabolic Science Cambridge Biomedical Campus MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: The benefits of the Mediterranean diet for cardiovascular health are well documented in countries of the Mediterranean region and some other countries, but there is little such evidence in the UK general population. Our work fills this research gap. In our study we followed up 23,902 initially healthy Britons living in Norfolk (Eastern England) for an average of 12 to 17 years, and determined the occurrence of new cases of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and deaths due to CVD during that time period. Our results showed that those adults who adhered to a Mediterranean diet had 6% to 16% lower risk of developing CVD, compared to those who had dietary habits further away from the Mediterranean-type diet pattern. This was the case even when we accounted for several important risk factors and correlates of CVD, including as age, sex, body mass index, lifestyle habits such as smoking, alcohol intake and physical activity, and socio-economic factors. We also modelled what would happen in the study population if all the participants increased their adherence to the Mediterranean-type diet. From this we estimated that nearly 4% of all new cardiovascular disease cases, or 12.5% of cardiovascular deaths in the population could potentially be avoided. This is novel information about the potential health benefit of a Mediterranean-type diet in a UK context. However, we should remember that our study was an observational study, not a clinical trial with a dietary intervention, and thus we cannot imply a cause and effect relationship between increasing adherence to the Mediterranean diet and reduction in cardiovascular disease. We defined the Mediterranean diet using a 15 point score based on guideline recommendations from a Mediterranean dietary pyramid published by the Mediterranean Diet Foundation. The recommendations had not previously been specifically tested for their associations with health, so our findings, for the first time, show the utility of the Mediterranean dietary pyramid.29 Sep Male Basketball Players With LVH Most At Risk of Sudden Cardiac Arrest and Death
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Kimberly G. Harmon, MD
University of Washington
Seattle, WA 98195.
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Sudden cardiac death (SCD) in a young athlete is tragic devastating families and communities. It has been characterized as “rare” by some, however, previous studies have looked at broad age ranges of athletes and used various methods to determine the incidence rate, sometimes only including athletes which have events during school sponsored events. In addition, many studies only look at sudden cardiac death and do not include sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) where the athlete has a cardiac arrest but is resuscitated and survives. SCA is important to include as ideally we would like to prevent both SCA and SCD in athletes. In this paper, over 1/3 of all US high school athletes were studied for six years to determine the incidence and the causes of SCA/D. Media reports were used to identify cases and then autopsies were obtained in those who died.
29 Sep Ingestible Sensor Demonstrates Positive Effects of Cinnamon
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_28438" align="alignleft" width="180"]
Prof. Kourosh Kalantar-Zadeh[/caption]
Distinguished Professor Kourosh Kalantar-Zadeh
RMIT's School of Engineering
Australia
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
1- The development of "swallow-able gas sensor capsules". This was the final test on animals and focused on the measurement of a food supplement (cinnamon) to show the extraordinary capability of this noninvasive tool that will revolutionise the future of Gastroenterology and Food Sciences
2- That cinnamon can improve the health of the stomach, and hence our overall health, by adjusting the acidity and enzymatic secretion in the stomach. So the good effect of cinnamon is not just a grandparent old advice - It is real.
29 Sep Widespread Rotavirus Vaccination Has Greatly Reduced Infections in Children
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Harvey Kaufman MD Quest Diagnostics Madison, New Jersey MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Quest Diagnostics is the leading provider of diagnostic information services, meaning we provide information and insights from our laboratory test services. This includes analyzing results of our laboratory test data in order to provide insights into health, wellness and disease to help providers, patients and health plans make better healthcare decisions. A Quest Diagnostics Health Trends™ study published in the Pediatrics evaluated 276,949 de-identified test results from children ages infant through 9 years over an 11-year period to determine trends in laboratory rotavirus detection and the impact of the rotavirus vaccine on rotavirus detection. Vaccination is recommended for infants. In the study, two patients groups were evaluated for rotavirus vaccine – likely vaccinated (children who were infants after vaccine availability) and unlikely vaccinated (children who were infants prior to vaccine availability).28 Sep Vitamin B3 in Pregnancy and Atopic Dermatitis in Childhood
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr Sarah El-Heis MBBS, MRCP (London) Clinical Research Fellow MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit University of Southampton Southampton General Hospital Southampton MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Atopic eczema is a common, multifactorial and potentially distressing skin condition. Evidence that it partly originates in utero is increasing with some studies suggesting links with aspects of maternal diet during pregnancy. Nicotinamide is a naturally occurring nutrient that is maintained through the dietary intakes of vitamin B3 and tryptophan. As a topical treatment it has been used in the management of some skin conditions including atopic eczema, and has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects, to stabilise mast cells and to alter lipids in the outer layers of the skin. The objective of our study was to examine the link between maternal serum concentrations of nicotinamide and related tryptophan metabolites to the risk of atopic eczema in the offspring. We found that maternal late pregnancy concentrations of nicotinamide and related metabolite concentrations were not associated with offspring atopic eczema at age 6 months. Higher maternal serum concentrations of nicotinamide and anthranilic acid were, however, associated with a 30% lower risk of eczema at age 12 months.28 Sep Statins Reduce Inflammation As Well As LDL
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_28426" align="alignleft" width="200"]
Dr. Johan Frostegård[/caption]
Dr. Johan Frostegård MD PhD
Professor of medicine
Karolinska Institutet's Institute of Environmental Medicine and
Consultant at Karolinska University Hospital's Emergency Clinic
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: Statins are one of the worlds most sold medications, which has generated large profits, but also, in my opinion, helped many people. Still, side effects are much discussed after more than 2 decades of use, as exemplified by a current debate between Lancet and BMJ (the former has the opinion that side effects are not major issues, but the latter do not agree). Also the exact role of LDL (low density lipoprotein, also known as the ”bad cholesterol”) as a risk factor is discussed, and can vary, according to many researchers. LDL levels are important among middle aged persons, especially men, as a risk markers for cardiovascular disease, especially myocardial infarction. LDL is most likely less important as a risk factor in individuals above 60 years of age, and also among women – as compared to middle aged men.
28 Sep Nighttime Hot Flashes With Sleep Disruption Linked To Depressive Symptoms During Menopause
Posted at 22:45h
in Author Interviews, Brigham & Women's - Harvard, Depression, JCEM, Menopause, Sleep Disorders
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
[caption id="attachment_28419" align="alignleft" width="150"]
Dr. Hadine Joffe[/caption]
Hadine Joffe, MD, MSc
Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
Vice Chair for Psychiatry Research
Director of Division of Women's Mental Health / Dept of Psychiatry / Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Director of Psycho-Oncology Research / Dept of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care /Dana Farber Cancer Institute
www.brighamwharp.org
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: We conducted this study to advance our understanding about causes of mood disturbance in the menopause transition that are specifically related to menopause. We used an experimental model to dissect out the contributions of hot flashes and sleep disturbance from contribution of changing levels of estrogen because hot flashes, sleep problems, and estrogen fluctuations co-occur and are difficult to distinguish from one another. Understanding whether hot flashes and/or sleep disturbance are causally related to mood disturbance will help us identify who is at risk for mood changes during the menopause transition. This is incredibly important now that we are finding effective non-hormonal treatments for hot flashes and sleep disruption.
28 Sep Rosa & Co. Develop PhysioMap To Advance Drug Development Programs
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr. Christina Friedrich Chief Engineer, PhysioPD Rosa & Co. LLC MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Elan was developing compounds for the treatment of Parkinson’s Disease. The compounds were designed to modify negative effects of alpha-synuclein on neurotransmitter vesicle trafficking, but these effects are poorly understood. Elan and Rosa collaborated in the development of a Synuclein PhysioMap®, a graphical model architecture to support hypothesis generation and testing. The objectives of the project were to provide insight into alpha-synuclein function in vesicle trafficking, memorialize and communicate the current state of knowledge within Elan, and to recommend experiments to test hypotheses, resolve uncertainties and identify and prioritize potential targets.28 Sep Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Use by Breastfeeding HIV-Uninfected Women
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_28422" align="alignleft" width="145"]
Dr. Kenneth K. Mugwanya[/caption]
Kenneth K. Mugwanya MBChB, MS
Department of Epidemiology andDepartment of Global Health
University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
Division of Disease Control, School of Public Health
Makerere University
Kampala, Uganda
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: Women living in regions with high HIV prevalence are at high risk of HIV acquisition in pregnancy and postpartum because they infrequently use condoms, do not know their partner's HIV status, and have biologic changes or changes in their partner's sexual partnerships that increase susceptibility. Moreover, acute HIV infection during pregnancy or breastfeeding period is associated with high rates of mother-to child HIV transmission because of high circulating level of HIV virus in blood. Oral antiretroviral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a powerful HIV prevention strategy recommended by both the World Health organization and US Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention. PrEP is an attractive prevention strategy for women as it can be used discreetly and independent of sexual partners. However, there is limited research about the safety of PrEP in HIV-uninfected pregnant or breastfeeding mothers and their infants.
28 Sep Teashirt Gene Links Kidney Disease and Autism Spectrum Disorders
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_28407" align="alignleft" width="200"]
Prof. Adrian Woolf[/caption]
Prof Adrian S. Woolf
Chair, Professor of Paediatric Science
University of Manchester, UK
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Several years ago, Laurent Fasano discovered that the Drosophila teashirt gene was needed to pattern the body of embryonic flies.
He then found that this transcription factor had three similar genes in mammals.
Working with Adrian Woolf in the UK, they found that Teashirt-3 (Tshz3) was needed in mice to make muscle form in the ureter When the gene was mutated, mice were born with ureters that were 'blown-up' and they failed to milk urine from the kidney with the bladder.
28 Sep Excess Zinc May Predispose to C.diff By Altering Gut Microbiome
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_28403" align="alignleft" width="147"]
Dr. Eric P Skaar,[/caption]
Eric P Skaar, Ph.D., MPH
Director, Division of Molecular Pathogenesis
Ernest W. Goodpasture Professor of Pathology
Vice Chair for Basic Research, Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: Nutrient metals are known to be a critical driver of the outcome of host-pathogen interactions, and C. difficile is the most common cause of hospital-acquired infections. C. difficile infection typically occurs following antibiotic-mediated disruption of the healthy microbiome. We were interested in learning how nutrient metals can shape the microbiome and impact the outcome of Clostridium difficile infection.
We found that excess zinc alters the structure of the microbiome and increases the severity of C. difficile infection in mice.
28 Sep Manuka Honey May Reduce Harmful Biofilm Formation in Catheters
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_28335" align="alignleft" width="200"]
Dr. Bashir Lwaleed[/caption]
Dr. Bashir A. Lwaleed PhD, FRCPath, PGCAP, FHEA, CBiol FSB, FIBMS
Faculty of Health Sciences
University of Southampton
South Academic and Pathology Block (MP 11)
Southampton General Hospital
Southampton UK
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: The study merges two longstanding interests. We have long worked out of several departments at Southampton and Portsmouth on the therapeutic potential for natural products (including the medium – chain fatty acids GLA (evening primrose oil) and EPA (fish oil) as well as honeys from a number of floral sources. Secondly, there is an established research theme in the Faculty of Healthcare Science at Southampton addressing continence related issues; moreover catheter management as an economic and infection control issue is a major concern in the NHS Trust Urology department. Biofilms on catheters are sources of infection, honey has proven antibacterial (and other therapeutic) properties in topical applications such as skin ulceration. It is a logical step to assess whether a similar use may be made for honey instilled into the bladder and/or flushing the lumen of a catheter.
28 Sep Authors’ Prestige May Influence Some Medical Research Reviewers
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_28399" align="alignleft" width="183"]
Dr. Kanu Okike[/caption]
Kanu Okike MD MPH
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kaiser Moanalua Medical Center
Honolulu, Hawaii
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: Many journals in the social sciences practice double-blind review, in which reviewers and authors are both blinded to each others' identities. In medicine, on the other hand, most journals practice single-blind review, in which authors' identities are known to reviewers. Concerns have been raised that this could lead to biased reviews, however, especially in the case of well-known authors.
In our study, we composed a fabricated test manuscript and randomized reviewers for an orthopaedic journal to receive single-blind (prestigious authors listed) or double-blind (no authors listed) versions. In our study, the reviewers who were under the impression that the manuscript was written by prestigious authors (single-blind review) awarded higher marks and also recommended acceptance more often, in spite of the fact that the manuscripts were otherwise identical.
27 Sep Walking Can Help Older Adults Recover From Major Disability More Quickly
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_28393" align="alignleft" width="133"]
Dr. Thomas M. Gill[/caption]
Thomas M. Gill, M.D.
Humana Foundation Professor of Geriatric Medicine
Professor of Medicine, Epidemiology & Investigative Medicine
Director, Yale Program on Aging/Pepper Center
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: Maintaining independent mobility is an important goal of clinical medicine and public health, especially among older persons, who are at the greatest risk for disability.
By adopting a walking routine and other moderate physical activities, older adults can recover from a major disability more quickly, and maintain their independence over time.
27 Sep IL-33 May Be First Stand Alone Biomarker of Prostate Cancer Recurrence
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Iryna Saranchova MD PhD candidate Michael Smith Laboratories Vancouver, BC MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? • The immune system is efficient at identifying and halting the tumour emergence at early stages. However, when metastatic (sufficient to cause death) tumour appears, the immune system is no longer able to recognize the cancer cells and control their growth and spread. • Recent studies of solid cancers have shown considerable heterogeneity between different tumour types and several lines of evidence suggest that tumours are not only heterogeneous, but they constantly evolve during the disease progression and this often hampers the existing treatment methods. • It means that it is important to consider each patient’s mutational changes accumulated over time in antecedent primary, metastatic lesions and/or local recurrences. This approach will help to understand the mechanism of tumour development, create a background for specific treatment modality and prevent therapeutic failure with consequent systemic relapse of the disease • Therefore, in our project we were aiming to find possible immune markers of tumour transition from the primary stage to its metastatic form. For this purpose, we selected a special study model: two pairs of separate mouse tumour cell lines, where metastatic cells arose from the initial primary tumour.27 Sep Dental Occlusion Can Influence Standing Balance
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Sonia Julià-Sánchez, PhD Universitat de Barcelona MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Over the last few years, a growing interest has focused on the potential correlation between the stomatognathic system and the body balance. While this relationship is still a subject for debate, it is well known that sensory information contributes differently on the postural control regulation depending on the conditions of the surface area. Therefore, we hypothesized that dental occlusion may contribute differently on the body balance control depending on the stability condition (stable versus unstable) and that influence might be more evident in fatigue conditions due to reorganization of the sensory information sources. In the current study we aimed to determine whether: (i) dental occlusion influences body balance in stable and unstable surfaces, and (ii) the influence of dental occlusion on the balance control comes strongly into effect under fatigue conditions. Our results showed that dental occlusion influenced balance control, at unstable level, both at rest and fatigue condition. However, when measuring at stable level, the influence of dental occlusion only reached significance in fatigue condition.27 Sep Ischemic Stroke Treatment Must Be Given Early To Be Effective
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_28297" align="alignleft" width="133"]
Dr. Michael Hill[/caption]
Dr. Michael Hill, MSc, MD, FRCPC
Professor for the Departments of Clinical Neurosciences, Community Health Sciences, Medicine and Radiology University of Calgary
Director of the Stroke Unit
Calgary Stroke Program
Alberta Health Services
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: The HERMES collaboration is a pooled individual patient meta-analysis of recent endovascular ischemic stroke trials. The current analysis assesses the role of time to treatment and outcome.
We show that there is a clear relationship between time from onset-to-treatment and outcome, with treatment gradually becoming less effective as time elapses from stroke onset. Treatment was still effect, on average, out to just beyond 7 hours from stroke onset.
27 Sep Isolated Cleft Palate, But Not Cleft Lip, Linked to Increased Health Risks
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Erik Berg, MD Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care University of Bergen Bergen, Norway MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Parents regularly express concern about long term health outcomes for children born with oral cleft. In this study we used population-based long-term follow-up data from multiple national registries to focus on the future health outcomes of cleft cases without additional chronic medical conditions or congenital anomalies. The study cohort consisted of all individuals born in Norway between 1967 and 1992. All patients treated for clefts in Norway during the study period were invited to participate. 2 337 cases with isolated clefts and 1 413 819 unaffected individuals were followed until 2010. The main outcome variables were conditions diagnosed in childhood or early adulthood, need for social security benefits, and risk of death.27 Sep Study Supports Routine Colon Cancer Screening Through Age 75, With Individualized Decisions Afterwards
Posted at 19:48h
in Annals Internal Medicine, Author Interviews, Brigham & Women's - Harvard, Colon Cancer, Geriatrics
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
[caption id="attachment_28323" align="alignleft" width="124"]
Dr. Xabier Garcia-De-Albeniz[/caption]
Xabier Garcia-De-Albeniz MD PhD
Research Associate
Department of Epidemiology
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Mongan Institute for Health Policy
Massachusetts General Hospital
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Randomized controlled trials are considered the gold standard to inform health care delivery. Unfortunately, no randomized controlled trials of screening colonoscopy have been completed. Ongoing trials exclude persons aged 75 or older, and will not have mature results before 2025. However, healthy persons older than 75 may live long enough to benefit from colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. The Medicare program reimburses screening colonoscopy without an upper age limit since the year 2001. We used the extensive experience of Medicare beneficiaries to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of screening colonoscopy.
27 Sep C-section carries a 4-fold increased risk of blood clots, compared with vaginal deliveries
Posted at 11:23h
in Author Interviews, Blood Clots, CHEST, OBGYNE, Surgical Research, Thromboembolism
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Marc Blondon, MD
Division of Angiology and Hemostasis, Department of Specialties of Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland
Seattle Epidemiologic Research and Information Center, Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Research and Development, Seattle, WA
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: Venous thromboembolism, a condition including deep vein thrombosis (blood clots) and pulmonary embolism, is more common in older than younger patients. However, pregnancy and particularly the postpartum period are times at greater risk of blood clots in women. It is important to understand the risk and the risk factors for thrombosis in the postpartum period to guide the use of preventive measures such as heparin, an anticoagulant treatment, or leg compression devices.
Our study summarizes the evidence on the link between C-sections and blood clots from the past 35 years.
Our meta-analysis demonstrates that:
- C-section carries a 4-fold increased risk of blood clots in the postpartum period, compared with vaginal deliveries ;
- that this risk is most prominent but not restricted to emergency C-section ;
- and that women who undergo elective C-section are also at higher risk than women who have a vaginal delivery.
- Importantly, we estimated an absolute risk of blood clots after a C-section of 2-4 per 1000 pregnancies: on average, 3 out of 1000 women after C-section will develop a blood clot.
27 Sep Patient Retention With DMTs vs Gilenya in Adults With Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Marcia Kayath, MD Vice President and Head US Clinical Development and Medical Affairs US General Medicines Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Injectable disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) are typically used first-line in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), but discontinuation of injectable DMTs is common, especially within the first 12 months of treatment1,2. PREFERMS is the largest, prospective, randomized, active-controlled, open-label study to evaluate patient retention in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). In the 12-month, Phase IV study, a total of 875 patients were randomized (1:1) to Gilenya® (fingolimod) 0.5 mg or to a pre-selected injectable DMT (IFNβ-1a, IFNβ-1b or glatiramer acetate), and followed up quarterly for 12 months3. After a minimum of 3 months of treatment, a single on-study treatment switch was allowed, however, switches due to efficacy or safety were allowed (based on patient-doctor consultation) at any month following randomization3. The primary endpoint was to compare the patient retention on randomized treatment over 12 months3. This study was powered for the primary endpoint (retention rate)3. The study was not powered to detect the treatment difference in the secondary efficacy endpoints or treatment effects related to switching study medication3.27 Sep Can Low Dose Oral Nicotine Have Beneficial Health Effects?
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_28356" align="alignleft" width="132"]
Dr. Ursula H. Winzer-Serhan[/caption]
Ursala. H. Winzer-Serhan Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics
Texas A&M Health Science Center
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: Nicotine is a plant alkaloid that is naturally occurring in the tobacco plant. Smoking delivers nicotine to the brain where it acts as a stimulant. Tobacco and electronic cigarette smoking delivers many other chemicals to the body, which are harmful and can cause cancer.
However, the drug nicotine by itself is relatively benign and poses few health risks for most people. Nicotine acts in the brain on nicotinic receptors, which are ion channels that are widely expressed in the brain. They play an important role in cognitive functions. Research with rodents and in humans has shown that nicotine can enhance learning and memory, and furthermore, can protect neurons during injuries and in the aging brain. With the increasingly older population, it becomes more and more important to delay cognitive decline in the elderly. Right now, there is no drug available that could delay aging of the brain.