Archive for May 2009

According to new research from Oregon Health & Science University presented at the American College of Sports Medicine Conference this past week, drinking tart cherry juice may relieve aching muscles caused by exercise. The researchers showed that people who drank tart cherry juice while training for long distance runs reported significant decreases in post-exercise pain, compared to those who didn’t drink the juice. Cherries are known to have anti-inflammatory properties attributed to compounds called anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are responsible for the brilliant red, blue, and purple colors in vegetation and are found in high concentration in fruits like blackberries, acai berries and pomegranates.

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If you have gout you can attest to how painful gout flares can be. Even the diagnosis of gout can be painful because the only definitive way to diagnose the disease is to stick a needle into the inflamed joint, take a sample of the fluid, and look at it under the microscope to find the characteristic gout crystals. However, a new technique being developed at the Vancouver General Hospital may prove to be an accurate and noninvasive way to diagnose gout. By using a CT scanner with two x-ray tubes that can simultaneously produce different energies, researchers were able to detect the presence of gout crystals even in patients without symptoms. This is certainly a very promising and welcomed accomplishment. Gout currently affects over 2 million people in the US.

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A recent study presented at the 56th annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) suggests that the mood enhancing effects of exercise can last longer than an hour, as previously thought. Compared with a control group that did not exercise, the survey group of healthy men and women who exercised reported enhanced moods up to 12 hours post-exercise. volunteers performed exercise at 60% of aerobic capacity, which indicates that moderate-intensity exercise is enough to boost mood. Because these effects appear to fade after 12 hours, the researchers are recommending daily exercise. Current ACSM guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week, which can be achieved in 30 minute segments five days a week.

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Jeff Kapche, a 15-year law enforcement veteran who is currently a detective with the Fort Bend County, Texas Sheriff’s Department has just won a case for all diabetics. The United States District Court for the District of Columbia found that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) discriminated against Mr. Kapche when it refused to hire him as a special agent because of how he manages his type I diabetes. People with type I diabetes require frequent administrations of insulin, which Mr. Kapche injects. However, the FBI’s policy requires special agents to manage their diabetes with insulin pumps, rather than injections, due to the unpredictable nature of the job. However, given Mr. Kapche’s impeccable record of diabetes management throughout his long tenure of public service the court has found the FBI’s policy to be discriminatory. ”I am thrilled the jury understood that the FBI’s decision was discriminatory and that I could be a good Special Agent,” said Kapche. “I don’t want anyone else to go through what I have experienced and I hope this jury verdict sends the message that employers should look at each person as an individual, not simply someone with a disease.” Read more.

Is it discriminatory to deny employment based on a medical condition? Share your comments here.

Pharmaceutical company Pfizer announced a new program called MAINTAIN (Medicines Assistance for Those who Are in Need) which makes 70 of their medicines free to US residents who have lost their jobs. According to the company’s website, the program was initiated by company employees “who were witnessing friends, family and neighbors struggle to make ends meet after losing their jobs.” Many pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer, already have patient assistance programs that help eligible patients pay for medications. By giving away free medicines during this time of economic hardship, the company is likely aiming to keep patients loyal to the brand. Eligibility requirements of the new program include:

• Loss of employment since January 1, 2009
• Prescribed and taking a Pfizer medicine for at least 3 months prior to becoming unemployed and enrolling in the program
• Lack of prescription drug coverage
• Can attest to financial hardship

Click here for more information and the MAINTAIN application.

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Congenital Generalized Hypertrichosis Terminalis (CGHT) is a rare condition in which the majority of one’s body, including the face, is covered in hair. Some colloquially refer to it as ‘wolf man disease.’ Until now it wasn’t exactly clear what caused the condition. However, a study published in the American Journal of Human Genetics suggests that large scale DNA changes may be the cause. By looking at the DNA of people with the disease and their unaffected relatives, scientist noticed that those with CGHT were missing some 500,000 to 900,000 DNA bases on chromosome 17. As well, in one patient there was an additional 1.4 million DNA bases on the same chromosome. It’s still unclear how these large scale changes lead to the condition. However, researchers say that understanding its genetics will likely help those with other conditions characterized by excessive hair growth or loss. Read more.

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Researchers at UCLA recently reported on a naturally occurring compound found in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables that may protect the lungs from inflammation leading to asthma attacks. The compound, sulforaphane, can induce an increase in antioxidant enzymes in the airway passage which offer protection against triggers of asthma including pollen, tobacco smoke and polluted air. The researchers say, “A major advantage of sulforaphane is that it appears to increase a broad array of antioxidant enzymes, which may help the compound’s effectiveness in blocking the harmful effects of air pollution.” They are recommending broccoli or broccoli sprouts as part of a healthy diet, especially if you have asthma.

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The World Health Organization (WHO) is urging pharmaceutical companies for assistance in helping poorer countries prepare for the H1N1 flu. This comes in the midst of the 62nd World Health Assembly in Geneva where health ministers from around the world are meeting. Less wealthy countries don’t have the necessary pharmaceutical resources needed to effectively combat the virus. More importantly, the opportunity to prevent further spread of the epidemic is ripe since the H1N1 flu has not reached most developing countries. Currently, only 6 out of 30 major drug companies have agreed to donate and/or reduce vaccine costs to poorer countries. This has prompted UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, to call for solidarity among the world’s countries. Solidarity, said Ban, “must mean that all have access to drugs and vaccines.”

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Researchers from University of Michigan and Wayne State University are publishing the results of their study on the effects of triglycerides on diabetic neuropathy, a condition whereby nerves are damaged due to the progression of diabetes, often resulting in numbness, tingling, and pain in the feet, hands, legs and arms. Triglycerides are a type of fat that’s produced by the body. It’s a standard component to the “cholesterol test” which almost every person has had done. Elevated triglycerides can play a role in cardiovascular disease, and now this new study is suggesting that patients with high levels of triglycerides are more likely to experience worsening of their neuropathy. This is important because until now doctors couldn’t necessarily predict which patients will have a decline in their neuropathy. Now we may be able to target those patients with elevated triglycerides in hopes of slowing disease progression.

Do you have diabetic neuropathy? Share your comments here.

The parents of 11 month old twin boys disclosed this past week an incredible story – that their twins are actually step half brothers. Ms. Mia Washington of Dallas, Texas admitted that an act of indiscretion had resulted in the conception of her boys by two different fathers. This phenomenon, known as heteropaternal superfecundation, is extremely rare that only a few cases have been reported in medical literature. This is mostly because multiple eggs must first be released during one ovulatory period, and then fertilized by different fathers. DNA testing concluded that there was a 99.999% chance that the twins have different fathers. Read more.

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