Archive for September 2008

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPTF) is an independent panel of experts that constantly review the latest research evidence and develop recommendations for clinical preventive services. The latest recommendation from the USPTF is regarding diabetes screening. The task force now suggests screening for type 2 diabetes in all adults with blood pressure of 135/80 mm Hg or higher, even if they do not have symptoms of diabetes. If you have high blood pressure, please speak your physician regarding your risks for diabetes and diabetes screening. Full story.

Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection is one of the most common types of sexually transmitted diseases – approximately 50% of sexually active women aged 20 to 24 have it. This is why the 2006 approval of the Gardasil HPV vaccination was met with excitement in the US, especially since some HPV types can cause cancers of the cervix, vagina and vulva. The FDA originally approved Gardasil for the prevention of cervical cancer, but it has now expanded its use for the prevention of vaginal and vulvar cancers as well in girls and women ages 9 to 26. The vaccination is ideally given to women who have not yet become sexually active. However, even those who are sexually active can benefit from the vaccine because it protects against the four most common HPV strains that account for 70% of cervical cancers.  Full story.

New research published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology finds that the current computer models used to determine breast cancer risk appears to underestimate the true risk in Asian women. Oncologists use computer models to identify women who might have certain genetic mutations which increase their risk of breast and ovarian cancer. Those women deemed by the models to be likely carriers of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations are then referred for genetic testing of these genes. The researchers found that the models were highly accurate in predicting the presence of mutations in white women, but falls short when it comes to Asians. It’s yet unclear why this is the case. They suspect that inheritance patterns common in white women may be different in the Asian population. The researchers emphasize the need for further investigation into the genetic variability of different ethnic groups. Full story.

A study just published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reiterates what we already know – that a looming shortage of general practitioners will contribute to a possible health crisis in the coming years as the average age of Americans increase. A poll of US medical students show that only 2% plan on becoming general practitioners due to worries about having to care for elderly patients with complicated illnesses. In addition, students complained that internal medicine required more paperwork, a greater breadth of knowledge and pay less than more lucrative specialties. “The number of older adults in the United States is expected to nearly double between the years 2005 and 2030, and one planning model predicts that the United States will have 200,000 too few physicians by 2020,” they wrote. Full story.

Don Gorske, a Wisconsin man made famous by the 2004 movie Super Size Me, has recently recorded the consumption of his 23rd thousand McDonald’s Big Mac sandwich. According to the 6-foot 2-inch, 185 pound Gorske, his daily food intake consists of two Big Macs, in addition to soft drinks. He also claims a cholesterol level of 140. (An ideal LDL cholesterol level is less than 130). Although not as staggering as Olympian Michael Phelps’ 12,000 calorie diet, Gorske is able to maintain his weight and cholesterol level likely due to his daily activity level – he walks 10 miles a day. Full story.

Beginning September 5, 2008 the FDA will post a quarterly list of drugs that are being evaluated for potential safety concerns. The drugs are identified through the FDA’s Adverse Event Reporting System, a computerized information database designed to support the FDA’s drug safety surveillance program. The appearance of a drug (and the related safety issue) on the list does not mean there is necessarily a problem with the drug. It simply means that the FDA is looking into a potential safety concern that may or may not be related to the drug. The FDA is stressing that this list is not to be used as a warning alarm for those who are taking medications. Rather, it is merely a means of communication for the consumer to know when the FDA is in the early stages of looking into a potential safety problem. See the first quarterly list.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breast-feeding for babies during the first 6 months of life. Despite this, only an estimated 11% of infants receive breast milk during this period. Why are so many women not breast-feeding? Some believe that free formula samples given to mothers as they leave the hospital are to blame. For years producers of baby formulas have donated samples to hospitals as an advertising tactic. The practice of giving free formula and discount coupons to mothers undermines what we know about the importance of breast milk – that in addition to nutrition, it provides antibodies, hormones, and enzymes beyond what formulas can provide. In a new study published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 94% of hospitals surveyed confirmed the practice of distributing formula samples. However, according to the report, the number of hospitals which are banning the practice is increasing. Full story.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a new dose of the drug Actonel for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis – the thinning of bone tissue and loss of bone density over time, which increases the risk of fractures. The new 150 milligram dose of the drug is the only oral once-a-month therapy approved for the prevention of spinal and non-spinal fractures. In 2002, it was estimated that over 10 million people in the US already have osteoporosis. Approximately 80% of these are women. Full story.

Preliminary results of a small Yale University study shows that women who have c-sections are more “neurohormonally deprived” than women who undergo vaginal birth. It is believed that the process of birth induces production of hormones that “prime” the mother’s brain for certain behaviors, such as kissing, cuddling and feeding, which allow for instant mother-baby bonding. MRI brain scans of c-section mothers taken while they listened to their babies crying showed less activation in areas of the brain associated with empathy, drive and motivation than mothers who delivered vaginally. However, after a few months, it appears that these differences between the two groups largely disappear. Full story.

The US was the first country to implement a single-dose chickenpox vaccination program for all children in 1995, and the effort appears to be paying off. According to results of a study published by the CDC in the journal Pediatrics, the vaccination program has resulted in a 90% decrease in the number of cases of chickenpox. However, experts currently recommend a 2-dose vaccination (introduced in 2006) to further decrease the spread of the very contagious disease that once killed children by the hundreds annually. The vaccination is a weakened form of the chickenpox virus that induces the body to produce antibodies against the real virus, thus conferring immunity. Full story.