Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Diabetes & Endocrinology for May 2008. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
HbA1c Recommended for Diabetes Screening
FRIDAY, May 30 (HealthDay News) -- Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) should be used more often in the screening and diagnosis of diabetes since it does not require fasting and reflects longer-term glycemia than plasma glucose, according to a report published online May 6 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Abstract
Full Text
Risedronate Protects Bones in Breast Cancer Survivors
FRIDAY, May 30 (HealthDay News) -- Weekly risedronate appears to protect against bone loss in postmenopausal breast cancer survivors, according to an article published June 1 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Men with High Hormone Bioactivity Have Better Survival
FRIDAY, May 30 (HealthDay News) -- Elderly men with high circulating insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) bioactivity have better survival than men with low bioactivity, particularly if they have a history of cardiovascular disease or a high inflammatory risk profile, according to a report released online April 15 in advance of publication in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Abstract
Full Text
Mediterranean Diet Reduces Diabetes Risk
FRIDAY, May 30 (HealthDay News) -- The risk of diabetes can be reduced by adherence to a Mediterranean diet, which is high in fiber and vegetable fat, low in trans fatty acids and with a moderate alcohol intake, according to research published May 29 in BMJ Online First.
Abstract
Full Text
Sirolimus Linked to Post-Transplant Diabetes
WEDNESDAY, May 28 (HealthDay News) -- Treatment with sirolimus is associated with an increased risk of new-onset diabetes in kidney transplant recipients, which in turn is associated with mortality and graft loss, according to research released online in April and published in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Cocoa Improves Vascular Function in Diabetics
TUESDAY, May 27 (HealthDay News) -- Flavanols found in cocoa significantly improve vascular function in patients with diabetes, researchers report in the June 3 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Androgen Deficiency Often Goes Untreated
TUESDAY, May 27 (HealthDay News) -- The vast majority of men with symptomatic androgen deficiency are not receiving testosterone treatment, according to new study findings published in the May 26 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Succinobucol No Help for Acute Coronary Syndrome Outcomes
TUESDAY, May 27 (HealthDay News) -- The antioxidant succinobucol has no impact on cardiovascular outcomes for patients with acute coronary syndrome but it has a positive impact on new-onset diabetes and a negative impact on new-onset atrial fibrillation as well as bleeding episodes and anemia, according to study findings published in the May 24 issue of The Lancet.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Early Insulin Therapy Gets Good Results for New Diabetics
TUESDAY, May 27 (HealthDay News) -- Newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients treated with early, intensive insulin therapy have favorable recovery and maintenance of β-cell function compared with treatment using oral hypoglycemic agents, according to a report published in the May 24 issue of The Lancet.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Lifestyle Interventions May Delay Diabetes for Many Years
MONDAY, May 26 (HealthDay News) -- Onset of diabetes can be delayed for up to 14 years by six years of lifestyle interventions, according to study findings published in the May 24 issue of The Lancet.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Low-Income Women Face Barriers to Physical Activity
FRIDAY, May 23 (HealthDay News) -- Low-income women lack motivation to engage in physical activity due to a range of perceived barriers, including fatigue and lack of encouragement, according to a report in the May issue of Applied Nursing Research.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Blood Pressure Should Be Taken at Home
FRIDAY, May 23 (HealthDay News) -- A joint expert panel from the American Heart Association, the American Society of Hypertension and the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association recommends that patients with hypertension should use home blood pressure monitoring and that the expenses associated with home blood pressure monitoring be reimbursed, according to a scientific statement published online May 22 in Hypertension.
Abstract
Full Text
Utility of Metabolic Syndrome Diagnosis Questioned
THURSDAY, May 22 (HealthDay News) -- Metabolic syndrome and its components are strong predictors of diabetes but are only weakly associated with cardiovascular disease in elderly populations, according to an article published online May 22 in The Lancet.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial
Lipid Profile Tied to Heart Risk with Hormone Replacement
THURSDAY, May 22 (HealthDay News) -- Lipid profiles have predictive value in determining the risk of coronary heart disease events in postmenopausal women taking hormone replacement therapy, according to an article published in the June issue of the American Journal of Cardiology.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
NIH Program to Explore Most Puzzling Cases
THURSDAY, May 22 (HealthDay News) -- The National Institutes of Health has launched a new clinical research program to learn more about perplexing medical cases and provide better disease management for individuals with such conditions, according to an announcement this week.
More Information
Technology Can Help Get the Message to Diabetics
THURSDAY, May 22 (HealthDay News) -- Obese diabetic patients can be helped to reduce their blood sugar and improve their cholesterol levels with support via mobile phone short messaging services and the Internet, researchers report in the May issue of Applied Nursing Research.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Pancreas-Kidney Transplant in Type 1 Diabetes Studied
THURSDAY, May 22 (HealthDay News) -- Among patients with type 1 diabetes and end-stage renal disease, those receiving simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplant have improved long-term survival compared to those receiving a living-donor kidney transplant alone, according to an article published online May 21 in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Metabolic Syndrome Linked with Cholesterol Levels
TUESDAY, May 20 (HealthDay News) -- There is an association between levels of oxidized low-density lipoprotein and presence of the metabolic syndrome and its components, according to research published in the May 21 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Test Could Improve Diagnosis of Thyroid Nodules
TUESDAY, May 20 (HealthDay News) -- Assessing galectin-3 expression in individuals with indeterminate follicular thyroid nodules could help reduce the number of unnecessary thyroidectomies for benign lesions, according to research published online May 19 in The Lancet Oncology.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Thyroid Dysfunction Linked to Modestly Higher Mortality
TUESDAY, May 20 (HealthDay News) -- Subclinical hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism are associated with a modestly increased risk of coronary heart disease and death, according to a review published online May 20 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text
Erectile Dysfunction Predicts Heart Trouble in Diabetics
TUESDAY, May 20 (HealthDay News) -- New data suggests that men with type 2 diabetes who have erectile dysfunction are at an increased risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke, according to two articles published in the May 27 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Abstract - Ma
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Abstract - Gazzaruso
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial
Uncertainty Linked to Less Blood Pressure Treatment
TUESDAY, May 20 (HealthDay News) -- Diabetic patients with high blood pressure are less likely to receive treatment changes if their provider is unsure about their true blood pressure, according to a review in the May 20 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text
Editorial
Physician Suicide Rate Higher Than in General Population
THURSDAY, May 15 (HealthDay News) -- The stigma of mental illness among physicians is preventing the profession from facing the fact that the suicide rate among physicians is higher than that of the general population, according to an article published in the May/June issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text
Computed Tomography Helps Predict Amputation Risk
WEDNESDAY, May 14 (HealthDay News) -- A tibial artery calcification score, calculated using computed tomography, is better at identifying patients with peripheral arterial disease who are at high risk of amputation than traditional risk factors and an abnormal ankle-brachial index, according to research published in the May 20 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial
Arthritis Common in Adults with Diabetes
TUESDAY, May 13 (HealthDay News) -- More than half of adults with diabetes in two recent years also had arthritis, and people with both conditions were more likely to be physically inactive than those with diabetes alone, according to the results of a national survey published in the May 9 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
More Information
Metabolic Syndrome Linked to Poorer Hepatitis C Prognosis
TUESDAY, May 13 (HealthDay News) -- The presence of the metabolic syndrome is associated with a greater risk of treatment failure in patients with hepatitis C treated with pegylated interferon-alfa and ribavirin combination therapy, according to research published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology in May.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Multi-Ethnic Obesity Study Examines Cardiovascular Risk
MONDAY, May 12 (HealthDay News) -- Obesity is highly prevalent in most racial and ethnic groups and is associated with subclinical vascular diseases such as coronary artery calcification and thickening of the carotid artery lining, according to an article published in the May 12 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Hypertension Increases Retinal Vein Occlusion Risk
MONDAY, May 12 (HealthDay News) -- Hypertension and hyperlipidemia significantly increase the risk of developing retinal vein occlusion, while diabetes mellitus only modestly increases risk, according to a report in the May issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Medical Research Is Good for the Economy
MONDAY, May 12 (HealthDay News) -- Rising health care costs mean the United States should invest more, not less, in the funding of medical research because this will ultimately benefit the economy, according to an editorial published online May 7 in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Calcitriol Improves Outcomes in Chronic Kidney Disease
MONDAY, May 12 (HealthDay News) -- Individuals with chronic kidney disease and hyperparathyroidism may have a lower risk of dying or requiring dialysis if they take oral activated vitamin D, according to an article published online May 7 in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Gene Silencing Linked to Fetal Growth and Diabetes
FRIDAY, May 9 (HealthDay News) -- In a rat model of intrauterine growth retardation, which has been linked to diabetes in adulthood, a gene important for pancreatic β-cell function and development undergoes epigenetic changes that result in its silencing after diabetes onset, according to research published online May 8 in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
Abstract
Full Text
New Drug Class Promising for Hyponatremia Treatment
FRIDAY, May 9 (HealthDay News) -- A new class of drugs, vaptans, act by blocking the action of vasopressin and are useful in treating euvolemic and hypervolemic hyponatremia, according to an article published in the May 10 issue of The Lancet.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Osteoporosis Risk Factors Identified in Men
THURSDAY, May 8 (HealthDay News) -- Older men with a low body mass index may be at increased risk of developing osteoporosis, but there isn't enough data to establish relative risks in men or identify the best screening methods, according to a review. In a separate article, the American College of Physicians offers screening guidelines and recommends screening high-risk men with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Both reports are published in the May 6 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Abstract - Liu
Full Text
Full Text - American College of Physicians
Study Finds Clue to Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
THURSDAY, May 8 (HealthDay News) -- Women who experience premenstrual dysphoric disorder have significantly lower serum levels of insulin-like growth factor-1, according to research published in the May issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Few Women with Gestational Diabetes Screened After Birth
THURSDAY, May 8 (HealthDay News) -- Only one-third of women who develop gestational diabetes are offered postpartum diabetes screening by their obstetrician-gynecologists, according to research published in the May issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Moms' Elevated Glucose Linked to Fetal Problems
WEDNESDAY, May 7 (HealthDay News) -- Maternal glucose levels that are elevated, but not high enough to warrant a diabetes diagnosis, are associated with increased birth weight and a marker of fetal hyperinsulemia, researchers report in the May 8 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Metformin, Insulin Show Similar Neonatal Effects
WEDNESDAY, May 7 (HealthDay News) -- The use of metformin in women with gestational diabetes was associated with similar rates of perinatal complications as the use of insulin, according to a report published in the May 8 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial
Ghrelin Boosts Brain's Response to Pictures of Food
WEDNESDAY, May 7 (HealthDay News) -- Ghrelin, a gut peptide hormone that triggers hunger and food consumption, may promote eating by increasing the hedonic and incentive responses to food-related cues, according to research published in the May 7 issue of Cell Metabolism.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Salicylate Benefits Insulin-Resistant Obese Subjects
WEDNESDAY, May 7 (HealthDay News) -- In insulin-resistant but otherwise healthy obese subjects, treatment with the salicylate derivative triflusal reduces fasting glucose levels, according to a report published online May 6 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Abstract
Full Text
Aspirin Resistance Affects Cardiovascular Disease
TUESDAY, May 6 (HealthDay News) -- Although aspirin has clear benefits for the secondary prevention of vascular disease, some patients may experience aspirin resistance, which has implications for the treatment of conditions associated with cardiovascular disease such as diabetes, according to a report in the May 13 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Most Osteoporosis Drugs Prevent Fractures Equally
TUESDAY, May 6 (HealthDay News) -- Among patients who receive drug treatment for osteoporosis, the risk of non-vertebral fracture is not significantly different between those assigned to risedronate or raloxifene, or between those assigned to risedronate or alendronate. But nasal calcitonin recipients may be at greater risk for non-vertebral fractures than alendronate recipients, according to the results of a study published in the May 6 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Depression in Elderly Linked with Low Vitamin D Levels
TUESDAY, May 6 (HealthDay News) -- Among older adults, depression is significantly associated with lower vitamin D levels and elevated levels of parathyroid hormone, according to an article published in the May issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Genetic Defect Identified in Infancy-Onset Diabetes
MONDAY, May 5 (HealthDay News) -- Infants with permanent neonatal diabetes mellitus, a rare disorder presenting within six months of birth, have a genetic defect leading to misfolded proinsulins and cell death, according to a report in the May issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
Abstract
Full Text
Health Costs for Uninsured Workers Examined
MONDAY, May 5 (HealthDay News) -- A pair of reports released by The Commonwealth Fund on May 2 examines changing trends from the 1990s to the mid-2000s related to health coverage for American workers and the public implications created by uninsured workers.
Full Text
Full Text
Role of IGF-I Receptor in Prostate Cancer Explored
FRIDAY, May 2 (HealthDay News) -- Work with a knockout mouse model points to a crucial role for insulin-like growth factor type I receptor (IGF-IR) signaling in prostate cancer and a growth control mechanism dependent upon IGF-IR, according to research published in the May 1 issue of Cancer Research.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Jobs for Medical Grads a Hot Topic in United Kingdom
FRIDAY, May 2 (HealthDay News) -- The availability of physician jobs for medical graduates in the United Kingdom is the subject of a Head to Head feature in the May 3 issue of BMJ.
Full Text -- Winyard
Full Text -- Maynard
Variant Alleles Predispose to Osteoporosis and Fractures
THURSDAY, May 1 (HealthDay News) -- Individuals of European descent who possess variant alleles of genes regulating bone metabolism have an increased risk of osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures, according to an article published online May 1 in The Lancet.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial
