SIDS Risk Higher in Infants of HIV-Positive Women Who Use Opiates
Risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is 69 times higher for babies of HIV-positive women who used opiates during pregnancy than in the general population of similarly aged infants, Swiss researchers report in the November issue of the Archives of the Disease in Childhood. Increased SIDS risk did not appear to be mediated by […]
U.S. Government to Release Revised U.S. HIV Estimates
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Tuesday it will soon release long-awaited revised estimates of how many Americans become infected with the AIDS virus every year.
Strontium Reduces Postmenopausal Nonvertebral and Vertebral Fracture Risk
Long-term strontium ranelate treatment reduces the risk of nonvertebral and vertebral fractures in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis, according to a report in the June issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.
Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension More Severe in Carriers of BMPR2 Mutation
Among patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), those with germline mutations in the gene encoding bone morphogenetic protein receptor 2 (BMPR2) present at an earlier age and with more severe hemodynamic compromise, according to findings from a French study. Dr. Marc Humbert of Universite Paris-Sud 11 and colleagues screened 223 consecutive patients with PAH for […]
Growth Hormone Therapy May Decrease Diabetes Risk in Girls With Turner Syndrome
Growth hormone (GH) treatment has beneficial effects on body composition, regional fat deposition and glucose tolerance in girls with Turner syndrome, a study suggests. "We found that GH-treated girls were leaner, with less abdominal fat and normal glucose tolerance compared with never-treated girls in the current study and compared with Turner syndrome girls in studies […]
Drug Misuse Partially Accounts for Excess Mortality in Scotland
Mortality rates in Scotland are substantially higher than in England and Wales – the so-called "Scottish effect." New research suggests that loss of life related to problem drug use accounts for a significant portion of the excess death rate.
FDA Approvals: KINRIX and Metvixia
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a combination vaccine that offers protection against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, and polio in a single shot; and the use of methyl aminolevulinate 16.8% cream with a narrow-band, red-light device equipped with light-emitting diodes for the treatment of actinic keratoses.
HHS Announces New International Programs to Enhance Drug and Food Safety
Joint Inspections with European Union and Australian Regulators; Third-Party Certification Program Are Latest Steps toward Implementing New Import StrategyU.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Mike Leavitt today announced two groundbreaking programs designed to enhance the safety of food and medical products exported to the United States.
Cymbalta® is now approved for fibromyalgia
Cymbalta is a selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SSNRI) indicated in adults for Acute and maintenance treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) Management of diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain (DPNP) Treatment of acute generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) The management of fibromyalgia, with or without depression Although the mechanism of the antidepressant action of Cymbalta in […]
Effective Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer Remains Elusive
Although therapeutic strategies have advanced for many common gastrointestinal cancers, significant progress in the treatment of pancreatic cancer remains elusive. The eagerly anticipated results of randomized trials that evaluated gemcitabine-based combination regimens have proven to be disappointing, researchers report in a review paper that discusses the use of systemic therapy in advanced pancreatic cancer. Whereas […]
