Author Interviews, Transplantation / 22.08.2014

Alvaro Rojas-Pena, MD Research Investigator, Laboratory Coordinator Robert H. Bartlett – Extracorporeal Life Support Laboratory Department of Surgery, Section of Transplantation Surgery Ann Arbor, MI 48109MedicalResearch.com Interview with:  Alvaro Rojas-Pena, MD Research Investigator, Laboratory Coordinator Robert H. Bartlett – Extracorporeal Life Support Laboratory Department of Surgery, Section of Transplantation Surgery Ann Arbor, MI 48109 Medical Research: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. Rojas-Pena: During the first 10 years’ experience of the University of Michigan using Extracorporeal Support (ECS) for organ donation in controlled donors after circulatory determination of death (cDCDD) we were able to increase the pool of organs suitable for transplantation by 20%. A total of 48 renal grafts, 13 livers and 1 pancreas were successfully transplanted from 37 cDCDD. Kidneys transplanted after extracorporeal support assisted donation had a delayed graft function (DGF) rate of 31%, compared to the rate of renal grafts procured without extracorporeal support (64%).  DGF was defined as the need of hemodialysis within the first 7 days post transplantation Finally, the 3-year survival rate of the renal transplant recipients is within the national standard for all renal recipients of cDCD at our institution. (more…)
Author Interviews, Diabetes, Diabetes Care / 22.08.2014

Mark A. EspelandMedicalResearch.com Interview with: Mark A. Espeland PhD Professor Department of Biostatistics Sticht Center on Aging Center for Diabetes Research WFU Primate Center Center for Integrative Medicine Translational Science Institute Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC Medical Research: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. Espeland : Over 10 years, overweight and obese adults with type 2 diabetes who were provided a lifestyle intervention targeting sustained weight loss and increased physical activity, lowered their rates of hospitalizations and medication use and reduced the costs of their health care by over $5,000. (more…)
Author Interviews, Case Western, Lyme / 22.08.2014

Daniel Salkeld, PhD Lecturer & Research Associate Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment Professor Colorado State UniversityMedicalResearch.com Interview with: Daniel Salkeld, PhD Lecturer & Research Associate Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment Professor Colorado State University Medical Research: What are the main findings of the study that were just published in Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases? Dr. Salkeld: The primary findings of this new study show that western black-legged ticks, which can transmit Lyme disease, are active throughout the year in Northwest California, making the threat of Lyme disease year-round phenomenon. More specifically, my colleagues from California Department of Public Health Vector-borne Disease Section and University of California, Berkeley and I found that the activity of Western Black-legged ticks (Ixodes pacificus), which are the ticks most commonly known to carry Lyme disease (caused by Borrelia burgdorferi) in Northwest California, is largely predictable and year-round. In general, tick larvae (newly hatched immature ticks) are active April to June, and sometimes activity extends into October, while adult ticks are active from October to May. Nymphal ticks (the tick stage following larvae and preceding adults) are active from January to October but peak from April-June. This is important because nymphs are responsible for most Lyme disease infections. (more…)
Author Interviews, Frailty, Geriatrics, JAMA / 22.08.2014

Dr. Bellal Joseph MD FACS Associate Professor of Surgery Medical Director, Southern Arizona Telemedicine and Telepresence (SATT) Program Program Director, International Research Fellowship Liaison, Multi-Specialty Surgery Clinic at UAMCMedicalResearch.com Interview with Dr. Bellal Joseph MD FACS Associate Professor of Surgery Medical Director, Southern Arizona Telemedicine and Telepresence (SATT) Program Program Director, International Research Fellowship Liaison, Multi-Specialty Surgery Clinic at UAMC Medical Research: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. Joseph: Chronologic age is frequently used as the determinant of outcomes when treating elderly and treatments are tailored accordingly. However, the findings of our study challenge this dogma and suggest that it’s not the chronologic age rather frailty status of the individual that determines outcomes. We found frailty Index (quantitative measure of frailty) as a better predictor of in-hospital complications and discharge disposition in elderly compared to the chronologic age. (more…)
Author Interviews, NEJM, Respiratory / 22.08.2014

John DeVincenzo, M.D. Professor of Pediatrics Division of Infectious Diseases Professor of Microbiology, Immunology and Biochemistry University of Tennessee School of Medicine. University of Tennessee. Medical Director, Molecular Diagnostics and Virology Laboratories Le Bonheur Children's Hospital Memphis, TennesseeMedicalResearch.com Interview with: John DeVincenzo, M.D. Professor of Pediatrics Division of Infectious Diseases Professor of Microbiology, Immunology and Biochemistry University of Tennessee School of Medicine. Le Bonheur Children's Hospital Memphis, Tennessee Medical Research: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. DeVincenzo: The main findings are
  • a) This is the first time that anyone has shown that the infection caused by the RSV virus can be effectively reduced in a human after the infection has already started.
  •  b) We also show for the first time that once we reduce the amount of virus in the patient, that very quickly, they start to feel better. This clinical improvement was not expected to occur so rapidly.
  • c) The antiviral appeared safe and it was easy to give.
(more…)
Author Interviews, Heart Disease, Stem Cells / 21.08.2014

Antonis Hatzopoulos, PhD, FAHA Associate Professor of Medicine- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine Associate Professor of Cell & Developmental Biology Vanderbilt Center for Stem Cell Biology Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN 37232-6300MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Antonis Hatzopoulos, PhD, FAHA Associate Professor of Medicine- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine Associate Professor of Cell & Developmental Biology Vanderbilt Center for Stem Cell Biology Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN 37232-6300 Medical Research: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. Hatzopoulos: Using cell tracking in the normal adult mouse heart, we found that endothelial cells can function as cardiac stem cells to generate new heart muscle.  Our results show that besides heart muscle, endothelial cells produce quiescent and proliferating cardiac progenitor cells that reside in the media and adventitia layers of the coronary arteries, respectively. (more…)
Author Interviews, Psychological Science / 21.08.2014

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Ashley Merianos, PhD, CHES Health Promotion & Education Program University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio   45221-0068 Medical Research: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. Merianos: Our study found that college students are unhappy and have difficulty with stress management. Specifically, the majority (61.0%) of participants reported having high stress, and were most stressed about school, lack of time, and with their future career. Although high levels of stress were reported, most (72.0%) students reported low frequency in using stress management techniques. Our study shows that students who reported low happiness reported higher stress levels and lower emotional closeness to others. (more…)
Author Interviews, Diabetes, Kidney Disease, Neurology, Stroke / 21.08.2014

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Prof. Chia-Huang Kao From the Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Science Department of Radiation Oncology and Nuclear Medicine and PET Center Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Science China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. Medical Research: What are the main findings of the study? Prof. Kao: Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at high risk for hypoglycemia; several factors are reported to contribute to hypoglycemia in these patients. However, most previous studies were limited by the relatively small number of patients with CKD included in the study by the exclusion of cases with CKD. In the present study, the incidence rate of hypoglycemia in patients with CKD was 4.5%, which is approximately twice the value noted in previous reports and multivariate analysis revealed a 2.53-fold increase in the risk of death for CKD patients with hypoglycemia after adjusting for related confounding factors including hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, and antidiabetic drugs. (more…)
AHA Journals, Author Interviews, Exercise - Fitness, Gender Differences, Heart Disease, Stanford / 21.08.2014

Marco Perez, MD Instructor in Cardiovascular Medicine Director, Inherited Cardiac Arrhythmia Clinic Stanford University Medical Center Cardiac Electrophysiology & Arrhythmia Service Stanford, CA 94305-5233MedicalResearch.com Interview with Marco Perez, MD Instructor in Cardiovascular Medicine Director, Inherited Cardiac Arrhythmia Clinic Stanford University Medical Center Cardiac Electrophysiology & Arrhythmia Service Stanford, CA 94305-5233 Medical Research: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. Perez: It was already known that obesity is an important risk factor for atrial fibrillation.  We studied over 80,000 postmenopausal women enrolled in the Women’s Health Initiative who were followed for the onset of atrial fibrillation, an irregular heart rhythm associated with stroke and death.  We found that those who exercised more than 9 MET-hours/week (equivalent to a brisk walk of 30 minutes six days a week) were 10% less likely to get atrial fibrillation than those who were sedentary.  Importantly, the more obese the women were, the more they benefited from the exercise in terms of atrial fibrillation risk reduction. (more…)
Author Interviews, BMJ, End of Life Care / 21.08.2014

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr. Julian Mausbach RA Geschäftsführer Kompetenzzentrum Medizin - Ethik - Recht Helvetiae Zürich, Switzerland Medical Research: What are the main findings of the study? Answer: 611 cases of suicide tourism were found in the canton of Zurich between 2008 and 2012. More than half of the suicide tourists were women with a median age of 69 years. After an initial decrease in 2009, cases of suicide tourism increased from then on onwards and doubled in 2012. The underlying diseases varied considerably. Main reasons for the assisted suicide were neurological diseases, followed by cancer, rheumatic diseases. Approximately one third of the study population had more than one disease. (more…)
Author Interviews, Mediterranean Diet, Nutrition, OBGYNE / 21.08.2014

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Audrey J. Gaskins, Sc.D. Postdoctoral Research Fellow Department of Nutrition Harvard School of Public Health Medical Research: What are the main findings of the study? Answers: In our  large prospective cohort study, we found that higher adherence to several healthy dietary patterns (e.g. the Alternate Healthy Eating Index 2010, Alternate Mediterranean Diet, and Fertility Diet) prior to pregnancy was not associated with risk of pregnancy loss. (more…)
Author Interviews, Brain Injury / 21.08.2014

Li-Shan Chou, Ph.D Professor and Department Head Department of Human Physiology University of Oregon Eugene, OR 97403-124MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Li-Shan Chou, Ph.D Professor and Department Head Department of Human Physiology University of Oregon Eugene, OR 97403-1240 Medical Research: What are the main findings of the study? Prof. Li-Shan Chou: The findings from this study indicate that pre return-to-activity (RTA), the adolescents with concussion reduced their medial/lateral displacement and velocity during dual-task walking, suggesting an improvement in gait balance control, while significantly increasing these frontal plane motion variables during dual-task walking post RTA, suggesting a worsening of frontal plane COM control following RTA. These data suggest that frontal plane motion during dual-task walking are sensitive to the effects of return to activity following concussion and may reveal a possible regression in gait stability following return to activity. (more…)
Author Interviews, Blood Pressure - Hypertension, Diabetes, Disability Research / 20.08.2014

Karen Margolis, M.D., M.P.H. Senior Investigator (Director of Clinical Research) HealthPartners Institute for Education and Research Minneapolis, MN, 55440-1524MedicalResearch.com Interview with Karen Margolis, M.D., M.P.H. Senior Investigator (Director of Clinical Research) HealthPartners Institute for Education and Research Minneapolis, MN, 55440-1524 Medical Research: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. Margolis: The study compared falls and fractures in patients aged 40-79 with diabetes who were treated for high blood pressure.  One group received treatment that aimed at getting systolic blood pressure under 120, while the other group received treatment to achieve systolic blood pressure under 140. The results show that patients who received intensive blood pressure treatment did not fall more than less intensively treated patients, nor did they incur more fractures over an average follow-up of about five years. (more…)
Author Interviews, Brigham & Women's - Harvard, Compliance, Kidney Disease, Primary Care / 20.08.2014

Mallika L. Mendu, M.D. Division of Renal Medicine Brigham and Women’s Hospital Boston, MA 02115.MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Mallika L. Mendu, M.D. Division of Renal Medicine Brigham and Women’s Hospital Boston, MA 02115. Medical Research: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. Mendu: Our study found that implementation of a chronic kidney disease (CKD) checklist, a tool that succinctly and clearly outlines CKD management guidelines, in a primary care clinic improved adherence to a number of significant management guidelines. We conducted a prospective study during a one year period among 13 primary care providers, four of whom were assigned to use a CKD checklist incorporated into the electronic medical record during visits with patients with CKD. Patients whose providers utilized a CKD checklist had higher rates of adherence to annual albuminuria testing, parathyroid hormone testing, phosphate testing, achieving a hemoglobin A1c target<7, documentation of avoidance of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, use of an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin-receptor blocker and vaccination for annual influenza and 5-year pneumococcus. (more…)
Author Interviews, JAMA, Johns Hopkins, Outcomes & Safety / 20.08.2014

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Sosena Kebede, MD, MPH Assistant Professor of Medicine, Department of Medicine Associate Faculty, the Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Faculty, Department of Health Policy and Management and Baltimore, MD 21287Sosena Kebede, MD, MPH Assistant Professor of Medicine, Department of Medicine Associate Faculty, the Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Faculty, Department of Health Policy and Management and Baltimore, MD 21287 Medical Research: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. Kebede: There were 3 main findings in this study: 1.       Patients’ understanding of aspects of their hospital care is suboptimal on the domains of knowledge of diagnoses, indications for the medications they take and the types of procedures/tests they get. Some forms of poor shared understanding could have potentially serious implications for their health and for future care such as identifying a prescribed antidepressant as a blood thinner or mistaking an echocardiogram a left heart catheterization or thinking a liver cyst is a liver cancer. Other forms of poor shared understanding such as not accurately identifying why a procedure is done or what the results of the procedure show (a finding not discussed in the research letter) may seem less consequential  but raise the issue of informed consent, patient empowerment and may alsoraise questions about patient and physician behavior towards appropriate use of in-patient procedures. Some of the questions we could ask here include: would patients demand more or less procedures if they had better understanding of what the procedures entail, and why they are beingordered? Conversely, would physicians recommend more or less of in-patient procedures, when they encounter patients whose understanding of procedure indications are optimal? (more…)
Author Interviews, Cognitive Issues, Geriatrics / 20.08.2014

Neha P. Gothe, PhD Division of Kinesiology Health and Sport Studies Wayne State University Detroit, MI 48202.Medical Research Interview with: Neha P. Gothe, PhD Division of Kinesiology, Health and Sport Studies Wayne State University Detroit, MI 48202. Medical Research: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. Gothe: The yoga group was speedier and more accurate on tests of information recall, mental flexibility and task-switching than it had been before the intervention. Participants in the yoga group showed significant improvements in working memory capacity, which involves continually updating and manipulating information. They were also able to perform the task at hand quickly and accurately, without getting distracted. (more…)
Author Interviews, JAMA, Karolinski Institute, Surgical Research / 20.08.2014

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Mats Möller MD Department of Surgery, Ersta Hospital Department of Clinical Sciences Karolinska Institutet Danderyds Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden Medical Research: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. Möller: The natural course of common bile duct stones seem not as favorable as previous studies have suggested. Leaving stones with no measures taken has in our study a less favorable outcome compared to removing the stones. (more…)
Author Interviews, Heart Disease, JACC / 20.08.2014

Gregg C. Fonarow, MD, FACC, FAHA Eliot Corday Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine and Science Director, Ahmanson-UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center Co-Chief of Clinical Cardiology, UCLA Division of Cardiology Co-Director, UCLA Preventative Cardiology Program David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1679MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Gregg C. Fonarow, MD, FACC, FAHA Eliot Corday Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine and Science Director, Ahmanson-UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center Co-Chief of Clinical Cardiology, UCLA Division of Cardiology Co-Director, UCLA Preventative Cardiology Program David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1679 Medical Research: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. Fonarow: Drawing on data from the Registry to Improve the Use of Evidence-Based Heart Failure Therapies in the Outpatient Setting (IMPROVE HF), 15,177 heart failure patients were followed over two years to measure the benefits of implantable device therapy on survival in community practice settings. The study demonstrated that ICD device therapy reduced the likelihood of death during the two-year period by 36 percent, with no significant differences by race or ethnicity. The study also demonstrated a 45 percent reduction in mortality during the two-year period with CRT therapy, again without any significant differences device benefit by race or ethnicity. (more…)
Author Interviews, BMJ, Exercise - Fitness, Weight Research / 20.08.2014

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr Ellen Flint, BA MSc PhD, Research Fellow Department of Social & Environmental Health Research London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Tavistock Place, LondonMedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr Ellen Flint, BA MSc PhD, Research Fellow Department of Social & Environmental Health Research London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Tavistock Place, London Medical Research: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. Flint: Men and women who commuted to work by cycling, walking or public transport had significantly lower BMI and percentage body fat than their car-using counterparts. This was the case despite adjustment for a range of factors which may affect both body weight and commuting mode preference (e.g. limiting illness, age, socioeconomic position, sports participation and diet). The differences were of a clinically meaningful magnitude. For example, compared to car users, men who commuted via active or public transportation modes were on average 1 BMI point lighter. For the average man in the sample this would equate to a difference in weight of almost half a stone (3kg). (more…)
Author Interviews, CMAJ, Outcomes & Safety, Pediatrics / 20.08.2014

Dr Prakesh S Shah MSc, MBBS, MD, DCH, MRCP, FRCPC Professor, Departments of Paediatrics and HPME Mount Sinai Hospital and University of Toronto CIHR Applied Research Chair in Reproductive and Child Health Services and Policy Research Director, Canadian Neonatal Network Toronto Ontario Canada M5G 1X5MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr Prakesh S Shah MSc, MBBS, MD, DCH, MRCP, FRCPC Professor, Departments of Paediatrics and HPME Mount Sinai Hospital and University of Toronto CIHR Applied Research Chair in Reproductive and Child Health Services and Policy Research Director, Canadian Neonatal Network Toronto Ontario Canada M5G 1X5 Medical Research: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. Shah: The main findings of our study are that by embracing collaborative quality improvement program in 25 of 28 Neonatal ICUs in the country, we were able to show significant reduction in adverse outcomes of necrotizing enterocolitis, severe retinopathy of prematurity and nosocomial infections among preterm neonates born at less than 29 weeks of gestation. This resulted in significant overall reduction of composite outcome of mortality or severe morbidities and improved overall outcomes over 3 years of study period. (more…)
Author Interviews, JAMA, Pediatrics, Pulmonary Disease / 19.08.2014

Suzanne Schuh, MD, FRCP(C), FAAP, ABPEM Staff Paediatrician, Division of Paediatric Emergency Medicine Senior Associate Scientist, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children Professor of Paediatrics, University of TorontoMedicalResearch.com Interview with: Suzanne Schuh, MD, FRCP(C), FAAP, ABPEM Staff Paediatrician, Division of Paediatric Emergency Medicine Senior Associate Scientist, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children Professor of Paediatrics, University of Toronto Medical Research: What are the main findings of this study? Dr. Schuh: Our study shows that in previously healthy infants presenting to the Emergency Department with mild to moderate bronchiolitis (a viral lower respiratory tract disease producing breathing distress) who had their oxygen saturation measurements artificially elevated by a physiologically small amount experienced significantly reduced rate of hospitalizations within 72 hours compared to infants with unaltered oximetry readings. (more…)
Anesthesiology, Author Interviews, Karolinski Institute / 19.08.2014

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Jan G. Jakobsson Institution for Clinical Science Karolinska Institutet, Danderyds Hospital Stockholm, Sweden Medical Research: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. Jakobsson:  We found that anaesthesiologists and nurse anaesthetists were concerned about the risk for neurocognitive side effects, but there routines and practice for preoperative identification of patients at risk, intraoperative management to minimise risk and assessment and management of patients showing signs and/or symptoms of neurocognitive side effects after anaesthesia was rarely at place. (more…)
Author Interviews, Diabetes, JAMA, Macular Degeneration, Race/Ethnic Diversity / 19.08.2014

Rohit Varma, MD, MPH Grace and Emery Beardsley Professor and Chair USC Department of Ophthalmology Director, USC Eye Institute Associate Dean for Strategic Planning and Network Development Keck School of Medicine of USCMedicalResearch.com Interview with: Rohit Varma, MD, MPH Grace and Emery Beardsley Professor and Chair USC Department of Ophthalmology Director, USC Eye Institute Associate Dean for Strategic Planning and Network Development Keck School of Medicine of USC Medical Research: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. Varma: Our research demonstrates African-Americans bear a heavier burden of diabetic macular edema (DME), one of the leading causes of blindness in diabetic patients in the United States, compared to Non-Hispanic whites. The study points to a need for improved screening and greater attention to vision loss by clinicians and patients particularly those who are at high risk of developing diabetic macular edema. (more…)
Author Interviews, Diabetes, Diabetologia, Heart Disease, Lipids / 19.08.2014

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Prof. Michael d’Emden Endocrine Research Unit Royal Brisbane Hospital, Brisbane, Australia Medical Research: What are the main findings of the study? Prof. d’Emden: Our study is the largest trial of women having type 2 diabetes assessing the role of a fibric acid derivative, in this case fenofibrate, ever conducted.  There were 3657 female subjects randomized to placebo or fenofibrate.  The study demonstrated greater reductions in women of total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL-cholesterol and greater increases in HDL-cholesterol.  In women, fenofibrate decreased total cardiovascular end-points by 30% compared with only 13% in men, although there was no-treatment-by-sex interaction.  The majority of end points assessed revealed a consistent trend to increased benefit being seen in women. (more…)
Author Interviews, Cancer Research / 19.08.2014

Dr. Mangesh Thorat MBBS, MS(Surgery), DNB(Surgery), MNAMS Centre for Cancer Prevention Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine Barts & The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, London EC1M 6BQ Queen Mary University of Londonm Honorary Clinical Lecturer Division of Surgery and Interventional Science Whittington Hospital, LondonMedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr. Mangesh Thorat MBBS, MS(Surgery), DNB(Surgery), MNAMS Centre for Cancer Prevention Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine Barts & The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, London Queen Mary University of Londonm Honorary Clinical Lecturer Division of Surgery and Interventional Science Whittington Hospital, London Medical Research: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. Thorat : Accumulating evidence supports an effect of aspirin in reducing cancer incidence and mortality. Our analyses show that for average-risk individuals aged 50-65y taking aspirin for 10 years, there would be a relative reduction of between 7% (women) and 9% (men) in the number of cancer, myocardial infarction or stroke events over a 15 year period and an overall 4% relative reduction in all deaths over a 20 year period. The benefits of aspirin use would be most visible in the reduction in deaths due to cancer. If the findings of our study are applied to the UK general population aged 50-64 taking aspirin for next 10 years, on an average more than 6000 lives will be saved every year. (more…)
Author Interviews, Cancer Research, Erasmus, JAMA / 19.08.2014

Frank van Hees, MSc Researcher, Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC Rotterdam, The NetherlandsMedicalResearch.com Interview with: Frank van Hees MSc Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, the Netherlands   Medical Research: What are the main findings of the study? Answer: Many U.S. elderly are screened for colorectal cancer more frequently than recommended: One in every five elderly with a negative screening colonoscopy result undergoes another screening colonoscopy within 5 years’ time instead of after the recommended 10 years. Moreover, one in every four elderly with a negative screening colonoscopy result at age 75 or older receives yet another screening colonoscopy at an even more advanced age. Our study shows that, in average risk individuals, these practices are not only a waste of scarce health care resources: often they are also associated with a balance among benefits, burden, and harms that is unfavorable for those being screened. (more…)
Author Interviews, Blood Pressure - Hypertension / 18.08.2014

Dr. Rodrigo Modolo Department of Pharmacology Faculty of Medical Sciences University of Campinas–UNICAMP Campinas, SP, Brazil;MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr. Rodrigo Modolo Department of Pharmacology Faculty of Medical Sciences University of Campinas–UNICAMP Campinas, SP, Brazil; Medical Research: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. Modolo: The main findings of this study are the encounter of a high prevalence of silent myocardial ischemia (assessed by myocardial perfusion scintigraphy) in resistant hypertension and the identification of predictors of this alteration in this population. (more…)
AHA Journals, Author Interviews, Heart Disease / 18.08.2014

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Sylvie S.L. Leung Yinko, RD MSc Epidemiology '14 Division of Clinical Epidemiology Research Institute of McGill University Health Centre (RI MUHC) Montreal (QC) H3A 1A1 Medical Research: What are the main findings of the study? Answer: Our study indicates that young female patients with premature acute coronary syndrome (ACS) have lower health-related quality of life (HRQL) than their male counterparts. Whereas “sex” refers to whether an individual is biologically male or female, “gender” is a more complex term that refers to social norms, roles, and expectations that are traditionally ascribed to males and females in a society. We found that gender, rather than sex, may larger explain the differences in health-related quality of life between men and women. Particularly, higher femininity score, lower social support and greater housework responsibilities appear to be important gender-related factors linked with poorer HRQL post-ACS. (more…)
Annals Internal Medicine, Author Interviews, Colon Cancer, Erasmus / 18.08.2014

Frank van Hees, MSc Researcher, Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC Rotterdam, The NetherlandsMedicalResearch.com Interview with: Frank van Hees, MSc Researcher, Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC Rotterdam, The Netherlands Medical Research:   What are the main findings of the study? Answer: Many U.S. elderly are screened for colorectal cancer more frequently than recommended: One in every five elderly with a negative screening colonoscopy result undergoes another screening colonoscopy within 5 years’ time instead of after the recommended 10 years. Moreover, one in every four elderly with a negative screening colonoscopy result at age 75 or older receives yet another screening colonoscopy at an even more advanced age. Our study shows that, in average risk individuals, these practices are not only a waste of scarce health care resources: often they are also associated with a balance among benefits, burden, and harms that is unfavorable for those being screened. (more…)
Author Interviews, Cancer Research / 16.08.2014

Devanand Sarkar, M.B.B.S., Ph.D Harrison Scholar at VCU Massey Cancer Center, Blick Scholar and Associate Professor Department of Human and Molecular Genetics Member of the VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine Virginia Commonweath School of MedicineMedicalResearch.com Interview with: Devanand Sarkar, M.B.B.S., Ph.D Harrison Scholar at VCU Massey Cancer Center, Blick Scholar and Associate Professor Department of Human and Molecular Genetics Member of the VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine Virginia Commonweath School of Medicine Medical Research: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. Sarkar: Retinoic acid (Vitamin A) is an anti-cancer drug for a number of cancers including liver cancer. However, all patients do not respond to retinoic acid. Astrocyte elevated gene-1 (AEG-1) is overexpressed in a large percentage of cancer patients and promotes development and progression of cancer. In this study we document that AEG-1 inhibits retinoic acid function. Combinatorial strategy involving AEG-1 inhibition and retinoic acid synergistically blocks growth of human liver cancer cells in animal models. (more…)