Biopeer

Drugs rout angioplasties

American researchers found surprisingly that angioplasties give only temporary relief, if at all, to most heart patients. They analyzed 2,287 patients who were medically stable but had severe blockages, mostly in two arteries. On an average, these patients suffered from 10 instances of chest pain in a week and 40 per cent of them had already had a heart attack. They were all given suitable medication and prescribed to follow a healthy diet. One-half of the group was to get angioplasties. After 4 years, they found a minor difference between the statistics of the two groups. Only about one-third of the patients who had been given suitable medication needed an angioplasty or a bypass. The researchers suggest that instead of conducting surgery on non-emergency patients, they should first be treated with drugs.

Meanwhile, another group of researchers in USA revealed that a controlled dose of aspirin could lower a woman’s death risk. The scientists studied women from the Nurses’ Health Study between 1980 and 2004. They were all between the ages of 35 and 60 and at the beginning, had no history of cardiovascular disease or cancer. They were interviewed every two years and were asked about their weekly intake of aspirin. High doses of aspirin were not beneficial to the patients. However, those who took moderate doses of aspirin had a 25 per cent lower chance of dying from any cause and a 38 per cent reduced risk of dying of heart diseases. Several scientists challenge the results of this study and further investigations are the only way to resolve the controversy.

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Good news for osteoporosis sufferers

A research study conducted at the University at Buffalo, New York discovered the role of estrogen in preventing osteoporosis. The researchers exposed a group of human osteoblasts for 24 hours to estradiol, the primary estrogen in humans. This group of osteoblasts along with another control group was given a cancer drug, etoposide, which is known to stimulate apoptosis. The activity of an enzyme known as caspace-3 significantly reduced in the cells exposed to estrogen and shot up in the control group of cells. They concluded that one reason for estradiol’s role in preventing osteoporosis was its anti-apoptotic effects on osteoblasts. Further research is being conducted to find other agents that might give similar results to those of estradiol on osteoblasts.

Meanwhile, Dutch researchers have found a way to identify patients likely to get osteoporosis, with the help of Dental X-rays. The bone thickness of the femur, hip and spine of 671 women was measured using the usual method, which is an expensive procedure. They also analyzed the characteristics of the trabecular bone pattern using one panoramic and two intra-oral radiographs. They found that this automated procedure was much cheaper and served the same purpose. In addition, the procedure involved the same amount of radiation required for dental purposes.

In the UK, scientists have developed a gel that cures pain in the lower back. The team infused tiny sponge-like particles into the impaired part between the vertebral column of a pig, and adjusted the pH levels. They found that the particles swell and stiffen when injected into the affected area, which have a high pH level. The researchers feel that this method could prove to be a better therapy as compared to surgery, as a remedy for trouble in the spine.

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Cardiovascular research makes significant advances

Scientists from UT Southwestern Medical Center discovered a tiny molecule responsible for stress-related heart disease. They mutated the genes of a group of mice in such a way that they could not generate a particular microRNA, known as miR-208. The mutant mice were exposed to certain circumstances such as hypothyroidism, injecting them with a protein that leads to heart failure and so on. The hearts of these mice were found to be healthier than those of the control group, which had normal levels of miR-208. The beta-myosin levels, which indicate heart damage, remained low in these mice. The findings can help develop a possible treatment for heart disease.

Meanwhile, another study looked into the dangers that clogged arteries pose even to those who appear to be perfectly healthy. Researchers examined information over a one-year period about 68,236 patients from across the globe, who either suffered from heart disease or had three factors such as obesity, diabetes or high blood pressure that predict clogged arteries. One-in-seven patients with the established disease were likely to have a fatal heart attack or stroke, or be hospitalized due to heart disease within one year. There were higher risks for these patients than those with the risk factors but no detected heart disease. This study is the first to put a definite measure on the risks of clogged arteries.

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin got positive results for phase one of the clinical trials to test stem cell therapies for heart disease. Even in the beginning of these trials, the subjects noticed a decrease in chest pain and an improvement in their exercise capacity. The scientists believe that infusing stem cells from the person’s blood into a damaged heart could possibly restore the cumulated decay. Through further success in their trials, they hope to develop a flawless cure for heart diseases.

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Genes linked to psychiatric disorders

American researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center found a gene that could be responsible for bipolar disorder. They studied genetically modified mice with a disorder similar to human mania, to identify the cause for bipolar disorders and mania. The mice were put through a number of tests. They were given a dose of lithium, which is usually an effective treatment against bipolar disorders in humans and worked on the genetically modified mice as well. The mice became normal after they were injected with a Clock gene controlling the daily bodily functions. This suggests a biological explanation for the disorder, which could lead to better therapies.

According to separate study, certain gene mutations have a bigger role in autism than was suspected earlier. Researchers using modern technology tested the genetic mutations of 264 families and identified certain mutations that were seen in the children but not in the parents. The spontaneous mutations were found ten times more likely to occur in autistic patients than in unaffected people. The mutations were much lower in families that had more than one autistic member, which meant that both genetic mechanisms and inheritance lead to higher risks. They could link more than 100 genes, combined or individually, to various autism cases and concluded that the genetic defects are primary causes of the disorder.

Meanwhile, another study has associated schizophrenia with a gene involved in inflammation. US scientists examined the entire genome of 178 schizophrenic patients and 144 unaffected people, through a technique called whole genome association. They narrowed in on a gene variant that is responsible for bodily responses to infection and the brain’s reactions to injury. They analyzed another group of 71 schizophrenic patients and 31 unaffected people through gene sequencing technology and found several genetic irregularities only in the schizophrenic patients. Further studies could confirm these findings and possibly lead to new therapies against schizophrenia.

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Significant advances in cancer research

US researchers have associated a high fat diet with breast cancer. They interviewed 188,700 women between the ages of 50 and 71, about their eating habits. They were all post menopausal and their health was monitored for the next 4 years. Overall, 3501 women developed breast cancer. They found that those who consumed the highest amount of fat had an 11 per cent higher chance of getting breast cancer as compared to those who ate the least fatty food. The body mass index, alcohol intake, smoking habits and so on, did not affect the results. However, those who had had a hormone replacement therapy and consumed large amounts of fat had higher chances of developing cancer. The researchers suspect that the extra fat affects hormone production and thus causes cancer. However, more studies need to be conducted to fully comprehend the risks involved.

Meanwhile, another study found that those surviving leukemia had a higher chance of developing cancer over time. Researchers from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, examined 2169 children and adolescents who had received therapies for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Their aim was to calculate the long-term cumulative incidence of secondary cancers. 1290 patients had remained in remission. 9.5 per cent of these patients contracted cancer as their first event. They found that the occurrence of cancer in the leukemia-surviving patients increased as time went by. The cumulative incidence was 6.27 per cent over a period of 30 years when meningiomas and basal cell carcinomas were not taken into account. These findings raise significant health issues and emphasize the importance of a continual follow through after leukemia treatment.

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Unlikely drugs could help sufferers of neurological disorders

In France, a study conducted on a single patient has suggested that an insomnia drug could enhance functioning of the brain. The researchers analyzed a woman, 48 years of age, who was suffering from akinetic mutism, which left her with an inability to speak or walk. It was found that 20 minutes after the patient was given zolpidem, an insomnia drug, she was able to talk, move and even eat on her own. This lasted for about three hours and after monitoring all her drugs, they concluded that zolpidem was responsible for these effects. The researchers tested the drug, examined the results of it on the cerebral regions through a positron emission tomography (PET) scan, and got positive results again. They feel that analyzing patients one by one can help determine individual therapies for patient with a rare or orphan disorder.

Meanwhile, Japanese scientists found a drug that strengthens the bones of Parkinson’s patients. The study lasted for 2 years and involved the examination of 242 aged Parkinson’s patients from Japan. Before the study began, these patients suffered from a number of orthopedic problems due to their inactiveness. The researchers gave half the group doses of the drug, risendronate along with vitamin D2 while the control group was given a placebo with the vitamin D2. They found that the experimental group was three times less likely to fracture their hips in comparison with the placebo group. A biomarker, which caused bone loss, was lowered by 47 per cent in those given the drug and 33 per cent in the placebo group. Another observation they made was that the bone mineral density of the experimental group was 2.2 per cent higher than before and that of the placebo group was 3 per cent higher. The researchers also found an accurate treatment against the side effects of the drugs.

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Mixed announcements regarding vaccines

American studies indicate that Varivax, a malarial vaccine, does not last long. The studies reveal that a second dose is needed to keep the disease at bay. This information serves to reassert what researchers already suspected. It was found that people, who had been vaccinated as children but got the disease much later, suffered a lot more and the complications were higher. An adult, who suffered from malaria, was more likely to be hospitalized and the mortality risk was 20 times higher. Due to the conclusions of this study, US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services have advised that a second shot be given to children between the ages of 4-6. The CDC’s researchers, gathered and analyzed information from 350,000 people from Antelope Valley, California. After analyzing the data, the researchers found that between 1995 and 2004, 11,356 people had had malaria. Of the total number of patients, only 1,080 people had been vaccinated. The researchers, however, are positive about the vaccine. They say that it has helped bring down the chances of children contracting malaria.

Meanwhile, the CDC announced safety data regarding RotaTeq, a rotavirus vaccine. The USFDA (Food and Drug Administration) had received several reports concerning the intussusception after receiving the RotaTeq vaccination. The FDA then notified healthcare professionals about the same. After conducting studies they found that giving the vaccine did not increase your chances of getting intussusception. RotaTeq prevents 74 per cent of rotavirus incidents. The approval of the vaccine is important since RotaTeq is the only authorized vaccine to prevent the rotarvirus disease.

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Good news for lung cancer patients

Researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine have found an advanced method of radiation to measure lung motion. During radiation for lung cancer patients, a large area needs to be radiated, since the tumor moves with each breathing motion. Scientists have conducted extensive studies and found mathematical details of the lung’s chaotic movements. Using these patterns, they have invented a device, the 4D Phantom that reconstructs actual tissue motion. Studies conducted earlier considered the breathing patterns to be completely even and turning off the radiation beams at certain intervals had not worked in the past. The next step is to improve asthma and emphysema treatments after analyzing breathing patterns.

At the Dana Farber Institute, researchers have designed molecules that inhibit lung cancer cell growth. Using X-ray crystallography, they studied normal and mutated forms of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and identified the arrangement of two of its mutated forms in lung cancer cells. A defect in EGFR causes cancer development, which in certain cases could also be its weakness. They found two inhibitors, gefitinib and AEE788, which are highly effective in curbing cancer growth. The findings are likely to lead to better lung cancer therapies.

Another study has proven that a hormone used in blood pressure treatment is significant for lung cancer. Human cancer cells, taken from the American Tissue Culture Collection, were injected into mice. After 32 days, a random group of mice were infused with angiotensin (1-7) for 28 days, which led to a 30 per cent reduction in tumor volume. The blood levels in the mice had a likeness to those in humans given the angiotensin-converting enzyme. The control group was given saline treatment and their tumor volume doubled. This study combined with an earlier study on lung cancer cells in the lab has significant implications and may lead to a more effective cancer treatment.

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Studies concerning the heart

A global study has linked a genetic defect to heart disease and metabolic syndrome. The researchers observed members of an Iranian family, who had a history of early coronary artery disease (CAD). Almost half of those observed had been diagnosed early for CAD and had died young, while those who did not suffer from CAD lived relatively longer. After close examination of the chromosome segments in the bloodline, the scientists found that a defect in the LRP6 gene altered an amino acid in the protein. Acting in the Wnt signaling pathway, LRP6 is located on a short segment of chromosome 12. Further knowledge about the Wnt pathway could lead to better therapies against these disorders.

Meanwhile, scientists from Duke University Medical Center found an association between depression, diabetes and heart disease. They observed 933 CAD patients and found that patients with both type 2 diabetes and high levels of depression had a higher risk of death as compared to depressed patients who did not have diabetes. Moreover, the risk of death increased with a rise in the levels of depression. Further investigations will determine the cause for this link. For now, physicians must keep a closer check on patients with all three diseases.

In USA, researchers found a connection between a parent's life span and heart disease in the offspring. They analyzed 1,697 people over the age of 30, whose parents were part of the Framingham Heart Study, over a period of 12 years. The participants, whose parents survived past the age of 85, had lower chances of having high blood pressure and cholesterol, in relation to the participants who had lost one or both of their parents. The study aimed at understanding the role of genes in cardiovascular diseases, which could help lower risks of heart diseases.

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FDA's approvals give hope to many

The United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has granted approval to a breast cancer drug, Tykerb. The manufactures, GlaxoSmithKline, said the drug is for patients who were earlier treated with Herceptin, an intravenous drug or other older chemotherapy drugs like taxanes and anthracyclines. Tykerb is to be taken with the chemotherapy drug, Xeloda. A study conducted a year ago showed that the combination of Xeloda and Tykerb checked tumor growth for approximately 8½ months whereas Xeloda by itself postponed tumor growth by 5 months. However, Glaxo later announced that the new drug delayed tumor growth by not more than 2 months. Some researchers believe that in comparison with Herceptin, this drug proves to be less toxic. Further studies need to be conducted to clear the controversy regarding the drug’s benefits.

Meanwhile, the FDA approved the sale of Infuse bone graft, a product of Medtronic Inc. The piece of equipment is to be used in the reconstruction of various dental and facial bones. In particular, the FDA gave its authorization for the use of Infuse for regenerative bone grafting procedures in areas like the jaws, head, neck, face and the hard and soft tissues. Earlier, during bone grafting procedures, a bone belonging to the patient had to be withdrawn from other sites for the procedure. Infuse, a human bone protein, is designed in such a way that it encourages bone development after it is applied a collagen sponge carrier, which absorbs it. The FDA has in the past given the nod of approval for the use of Infuse in some lumbar spine fusions and tibial fracture repair treatments. According to manufacturers, this device will to be used in approximately 350,000 procedures.

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