A number of news source report today that The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF ) claimed that one sausage or three rashers of bacon a day can increase the bowel cancer risk significantly.
According to the WCRF, processing meat including ham, bacon, pastrami, salami, hot dogs and processed sausages can produce several cancer-causing substances including N-nitroso compounds. It recommended that people eat less than 17.6oz of red meat a week and avoid all processed meat.
The news has attracted large number of comments from the general public.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Diet rich in omega-3 can help eczema
The Daily Telegraph reported that omega-3 can help eczema - German researchers recruited 53 patients suffering from atopic eczema aged 18–40 into a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial and gave them daily tablets of either omega-3 supplements or placebos for 8 weeks.
Clinical outcome was assessed by a standard scale known as the SCORAD (severity scoring of atopic dermatitis) index. The researchers found that those on supplements resulted in a significant clinical improvement of atopic eczema in terms of a decreased SCORAD and concluded that the "data suggest that dietary DHA could be bioactive and might have a beneficial impact on the outcome of atopic eczema, but our results need to be confirmed in a larger study".
Source: "Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation in atopic eczema: a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial" - British Journal of Dermatology 158(4):786-792, April 2008
Clinical outcome was assessed by a standard scale known as the SCORAD (severity scoring of atopic dermatitis) index. The researchers found that those on supplements resulted in a significant clinical improvement of atopic eczema in terms of a decreased SCORAD and concluded that the "data suggest that dietary DHA could be bioactive and might have a beneficial impact on the outcome of atopic eczema, but our results need to be confirmed in a larger study".
Source: "Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation in atopic eczema: a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial" - British Journal of Dermatology 158(4):786-792, April 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
Cod liver oil can cut arthritis drug use
The Daily Mail reported cod liver oil can cut the daily dose of anti-inflammatory drugs needed to ease the pain of arthritis.
The report is based on a small double-blind randomised controlled trial of 97 people aged 37 - 78 with rheumatoid arthritis for an average of 13 years and taking regular NSAID medication. The participants were randomly assigned to either daily capsules of cod liver oil and fish oil or a placebo over 9 months.
60% of participants completed the study, 39% in the cod liver oil group were able to reduce their NSAID intake by about 30% compared with the placebo group. The researchers concluded that cod liver oil capsules could be used by arthritis sufferers to cut their NASID intake.
The study was funded by a company that sells cod liver oil capsules and other food supplements and was published in the journal Rheumatology.
Source: "Cod liver oil (n-3 fatty acids) as an non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug sparing agent in rheumatoid arthritis" - Rheumatology, published online on March 24, 2008
The report is based on a small double-blind randomised controlled trial of 97 people aged 37 - 78 with rheumatoid arthritis for an average of 13 years and taking regular NSAID medication. The participants were randomly assigned to either daily capsules of cod liver oil and fish oil or a placebo over 9 months.
60% of participants completed the study, 39% in the cod liver oil group were able to reduce their NSAID intake by about 30% compared with the placebo group. The researchers concluded that cod liver oil capsules could be used by arthritis sufferers to cut their NASID intake.
The study was funded by a company that sells cod liver oil capsules and other food supplements and was published in the journal Rheumatology.
Source: "Cod liver oil (n-3 fatty acids) as an non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug sparing agent in rheumatoid arthritis" - Rheumatology, published online on March 24, 2008
Owning a cat could cut stroke risks
Scientists at the International Stroke Conference in America said owning and stroking a cat may reduce stress and so protect against cardiovascular disease, reported The Telegraph.
They looked at nearly 4,500 adults aged 30 - 75 and found that cat owners had a much reduced chance of developing strokes or heart attacks, even those who no longer owned a cat benefited from these protective effects.
They looked at nearly 4,500 adults aged 30 - 75 and found that cat owners had a much reduced chance of developing strokes or heart attacks, even those who no longer owned a cat benefited from these protective effects.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Fewer doses of radiation could benefit women with breast cancer
A major study suggests giving higher doses of radiotherapy but fewer exposure provides results that are 'at least as good' as the standard regime. The findings were published in Lancet Oncology and The Lancet.
The findings came after two trials START A and B involving nearly 4,500 women with early breast cancer. About half the women received the international standard of radiotherapy which involves 25 treatments, five times a week over five weeks. The rest received 20 % lower dose of radiation on 13 different occasions in either three or five weeks. There was a reduced rate of side effects and lower rate of 'late adverse effects' in women receiving shorter treatments.
The results suggest that a high total dose given in small treatments is no better than simpler schedules using fewer exposures to a lower total dose. Researchers said women with breast cancer 'could benefit from shorter bursts of radiotherapy' , but critics say the study failed to recognise the harm done to breast cancer patients by high doses of radiotherapy.
Source: "The UK Standardisation of Breast Radiotherapy (START) Trial A of radiotherapy hypofractionation for treatment of early breast cancer: a randomised trial" The Lancet Oncology, Current Issue, Volume 9, Number 4
The findings came after two trials START A and B involving nearly 4,500 women with early breast cancer. About half the women received the international standard of radiotherapy which involves 25 treatments, five times a week over five weeks. The rest received 20 % lower dose of radiation on 13 different occasions in either three or five weeks. There was a reduced rate of side effects and lower rate of 'late adverse effects' in women receiving shorter treatments.
The results suggest that a high total dose given in small treatments is no better than simpler schedules using fewer exposures to a lower total dose. Researchers said women with breast cancer 'could benefit from shorter bursts of radiotherapy' , but critics say the study failed to recognise the harm done to breast cancer patients by high doses of radiotherapy.
Source: "The UK Standardisation of Breast Radiotherapy (START) Trial A of radiotherapy hypofractionation for treatment of early breast cancer: a randomised trial" The Lancet Oncology, Current Issue, Volume 9, Number 4
Vegan diet can help arthritis sufferers
A Swedish study found people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) could cut their risk of heart attacks and strokes by excluding meat, dairy products and gluten from their diets.
Some 66 RA sufferers were assigned at random to either a vegan diet that was free of gluten or a well-balanced non-vegan diet for a year. The result showed that the vegan group had lower body mass index and levels of bad cholesterol than the non-vegan group. Levels of antibodies associated with protection against cardiovascular disease was also increased in the vegan group.
Some limitations of the trial - the sample size was very small and almost half of the people assigned to the gluten-free vegan diet dropped out of the study before one year elapsed.
Source: "Gluten-free vegan diet induces decreased LDL and oxidized LDL levels and raised atheroprotective natural antibodies against phosphorylcholine in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a randomized study" Arthritis Research & Therapy 2008 (free open access)
Some 66 RA sufferers were assigned at random to either a vegan diet that was free of gluten or a well-balanced non-vegan diet for a year. The result showed that the vegan group had lower body mass index and levels of bad cholesterol than the non-vegan group. Levels of antibodies associated with protection against cardiovascular disease was also increased in the vegan group.
Some limitations of the trial - the sample size was very small and almost half of the people assigned to the gluten-free vegan diet dropped out of the study before one year elapsed.
Source: "Gluten-free vegan diet induces decreased LDL and oxidized LDL levels and raised atheroprotective natural antibodies against phosphorylcholine in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a randomized study" Arthritis Research & Therapy 2008 (free open access)
Evidence against leaky gut theory in autism
According to the "leaky gut" theory, vaccines such as MMR can damage the wall of the intestine. causing the production of more peptides which can damage the brain and possibly cause autism.
Advocates of the leaky gut theory have advised autistic children to exclude gluten and casein in their diet.
A new study into the leaky gut theroy examined 65 boys with autism and 158 boys without and found that children with autism did not have more peptides in their urine than the control group. Researchers concluded that peptide urine tests are not helful in the diagnosis or treatment of autism and that further work is needed. They have published their findings in the Archives of Diseases in Childhood.
Source : "Absence of urinary opioid peptides in children with Autism" Arch Dis Child. Published Online First: 12 March 2008
Advocates of the leaky gut theory have advised autistic children to exclude gluten and casein in their diet.
A new study into the leaky gut theroy examined 65 boys with autism and 158 boys without and found that children with autism did not have more peptides in their urine than the control group. Researchers concluded that peptide urine tests are not helful in the diagnosis or treatment of autism and that further work is needed. They have published their findings in the Archives of Diseases in Childhood.
Source : "Absence of urinary opioid peptides in children with Autism" Arch Dis Child. Published Online First: 12 March 2008
Monday, March 17, 2008
Wine damages the brain more than beer or spirits
Quite a few newspapers reported that German researchers compared brain scans of alcoholics and healthy adults and found that the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for memory, was 10% smaller in wine drinkers. A shrink hippocampus can affect the brain' spatial awareness as well as memory.
The researchers also found that beer drinkers had the lowest level of homocysteine, a compound that has been linked to heart disease and strokes. The study was published in the journal "Alcohol and Alcoholism".
This finding contradicts previous studies that linked moderate wine drinking to health bebefits including reducing high blood pressure and heart attack.
The researchers also found that beer drinkers had the lowest level of homocysteine, a compound that has been linked to heart disease and strokes. The study was published in the journal "Alcohol and Alcoholism".
This finding contradicts previous studies that linked moderate wine drinking to health bebefits including reducing high blood pressure and heart attack.
Aspirin can cut asthma in women
The Telegraph reported a study that found aspirin could cut the risk of asthma in women by 10%.
The study was based on a randomised controlled trial involving 37,270 female health professionals who took either 100 mg of aspirin every other day or a placebo. The participants completed questionnaires over a 10 year period, which included a question relating to newly diagnosed asthma. The results showed a 10% fewer cases of asthma with aspirin use. The researchers said that the results might not apply to all women.
Source: "Randomised Aspirin Assignment And Risk Of Adult-Onset Asthma In The Women's Health Study". Thorax 2008 March 13 (epub ahead of print)
The study was based on a randomised controlled trial involving 37,270 female health professionals who took either 100 mg of aspirin every other day or a placebo. The participants completed questionnaires over a 10 year period, which included a question relating to newly diagnosed asthma. The results showed a 10% fewer cases of asthma with aspirin use. The researchers said that the results might not apply to all women.
Source: "Randomised Aspirin Assignment And Risk Of Adult-Onset Asthma In The Women's Health Study". Thorax 2008 March 13 (epub ahead of print)
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Moderate drinking in middle age can lower heart risk
Multiple news source reported a study that found middle-aged non-drinkers who began moderate drinking resulted in subsequent lower cardiovascular risk.
Researchers followed 7697 adults aged 45-64 who were non-drinkers and participating in the "Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities" study over a 10-year period. After 4 years, researchers found that new moderate drinkers had 38% less cardiovascular risk than non-drinkers. They also found the wine-only drinkers had the lowest cardiovascular events and drinkers of other types also had advantage over non-drinkers but not significant statistically.
The authors said that the resulted cardiovascular benefit must be weighed with caution against the hazards of alcohol drinking. They suggested that for some individuals, limited alcohol may be included in their diet.
Source: "Adopting Moderate Alcohol Consumption in Middle Age: Subsequent Cardiovascular Events" The American Journal of Medicine 121( 3): 201-206
Researchers followed 7697 adults aged 45-64 who were non-drinkers and participating in the "Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities" study over a 10-year period. After 4 years, researchers found that new moderate drinkers had 38% less cardiovascular risk than non-drinkers. They also found the wine-only drinkers had the lowest cardiovascular events and drinkers of other types also had advantage over non-drinkers but not significant statistically.
The authors said that the resulted cardiovascular benefit must be weighed with caution against the hazards of alcohol drinking. They suggested that for some individuals, limited alcohol may be included in their diet.
Source: "Adopting Moderate Alcohol Consumption in Middle Age: Subsequent Cardiovascular Events" The American Journal of Medicine 121( 3): 201-206
Vaccine can cut high blood pressue
The Guardian and other news source reported that a team of Swiss scientists has developed a vaccine that targets angiotensin II to reduce blood pressure significantly.
The findings, published in The Lancet, were based on a 14 week multicentre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial involving 72 patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension. The patients received randomly injections of either 100 μg or 300 μg of the vaccine or placebo.
The researchers found that systolic and diastolic blood pressure fell by 9mm and 4mm respectively in patients given 300 μg of the vaccine, especially in the morning, but no change in blood pressure in the placebo group. They said the findings were promising but large-scale trials were needed.
Source: "Effect of immunisation against angiotensin II with CYT006-AngQb on ambulatory blood pressure: a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled phase IIa study" The Lancet 2008; 371:821-827 Number 9615 ( full text via Athens)
The findings, published in The Lancet, were based on a 14 week multicentre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial involving 72 patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension. The patients received randomly injections of either 100 μg or 300 μg of the vaccine or placebo.
The researchers found that systolic and diastolic blood pressure fell by 9mm and 4mm respectively in patients given 300 μg of the vaccine, especially in the morning, but no change in blood pressure in the placebo group. They said the findings were promising but large-scale trials were needed.
Source: "Effect of immunisation against angiotensin II with CYT006-AngQb on ambulatory blood pressure: a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled phase IIa study" The Lancet 2008; 371:821-827 Number 9615 ( full text via Athens)
Cancer risk continues after HRT stopped
The Women's Health Initiative (WHI) trial of HRT in 2002 stopped early because cancer risks and heart disease were found while taking the treatment.
The Times reported that the same team conducted a follow-up study to 2005 monitoring 15,730 women with an average age of 63, originally included in the trial. The women were randomised to take either the combined HRT pill or placebo. The study found that three years after stopping the treatment, the risk of breast cancer was significantly higher than the placebo group, but other risks such as blood clots and strokes, return to normal after the women stopped taking the pills.
The research team pointed out that the findings should be interpreted with caution and suggested that to reduce the cancer risks, HRT should be used at the minimum effective dose and for the shortest possible time. The study was published in JAMA.
Source: "Health Risks and Benefits 3 Years After Stopping Randomized Treatment With Estrogen and Progestin" - JAMA. 2008;299(9):1036-1045 ( full text via Athens)
The Times reported that the same team conducted a follow-up study to 2005 monitoring 15,730 women with an average age of 63, originally included in the trial. The women were randomised to take either the combined HRT pill or placebo. The study found that three years after stopping the treatment, the risk of breast cancer was significantly higher than the placebo group, but other risks such as blood clots and strokes, return to normal after the women stopped taking the pills.
The research team pointed out that the findings should be interpreted with caution and suggested that to reduce the cancer risks, HRT should be used at the minimum effective dose and for the shortest possible time. The study was published in JAMA.
Source: "Health Risks and Benefits 3 Years After Stopping Randomized Treatment With Estrogen and Progestin" - JAMA. 2008;299(9):1036-1045 ( full text via Athens)
Antidepressant drugs have no clinically significant effect
The Guardian and other news sources reported one of the largest studies including a meta-analysis of 47 published and unpublished clinical trials of modern antidepressant drugs that compared the effect on patients taking the drugs with those given a placebo. Some data were obtained through the Freedom of Information rules.
The researchers found the new-generation antidepressant medication has little overall clinical significance and the drugs were effective only in the most extremely depressed. The author said "this study raises serious issues that need to be addressed surrounding drug licensing and how drug trial data is reported."
The paper was published in the journal PLoS (Public Library of Science) Medicine and is expected to have an impact on doctors in prescribing the drugs more cautiously.
Source: "Initial Severity and Antidepressant Benefits: A Meta-Analysis of Data Submitted to the Food and Drug Administration" PLoS Medicine February 26, 2008 ( free full text)
The researchers found the new-generation antidepressant medication has little overall clinical significance and the drugs were effective only in the most extremely depressed. The author said "this study raises serious issues that need to be addressed surrounding drug licensing and how drug trial data is reported."
The paper was published in the journal PLoS (Public Library of Science) Medicine and is expected to have an impact on doctors in prescribing the drugs more cautiously.
Source: "Initial Severity and Antidepressant Benefits: A Meta-Analysis of Data Submitted to the Food and Drug Administration" PLoS Medicine February 26, 2008 ( free full text)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)