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ALL induction treatment failure should not be an automatic indication for bone marrow transplant

International study that included St. Jude Children's Research Hospital reports some young acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients who fail induction therapy can achieve high cure rates without bone marrow transplantation.

12 Apr 2012

AstraZeneca introduces DUTOPROL for hypertension

AstraZeneca today announced the availability of DUTOPROL (metoprolol succinate extended release/hydrochlorothiazide) Tablets, the first and only once-daily antihypertensive agent that contains the active ingredient of TOPROL-XL (metoprolol succinate) plus a low-dose diuretic that provides proven blood pressure lowering at 24 hours.

12 Apr 2012

Abnormally low level of SMN protein linked to movement problems in spinal muscular atrophy

An abnormally low level of a protein in certain nerve cells is linked to movement problems that characterize the deadly childhood disorder spinal muscular atrophy, new research in animals suggests.

12 Apr 2012

Too little sleep, inconsistent sleep patterns increase risk of diabetes and obesity

A study by researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) reinforces the finding that too little sleep or sleep patterns that are inconsistent with our body's "internal biological clock" may lead to increased risk of diabetes and obesity.

12 Apr 2012

Abiomed's Impella cVAD device awarded CE Mark

Abiomed, Inc., a leading provider of break-through heart support technologies, today announced it has received CE Marking approval in the European Union to market the Impella cVAD device, a new percutaneous Impella® heart pump that provides peak flow of approximately 4 liters of blood per minute.

12 Apr 2012

Overweight moms with moderately high blood sugar raise health risk

Pregnant women who are overweight with moderately elevated blood sugar never set off any alarms for their physicians. The big concern was for women who were obese or who had gestational diabetes because those conditions are known to cause a host of health risks to the mom and baby.

12 Apr 2012

Scientists discover mutation limited to brain tissue that causes HMG

Scientists have discovered a mutation limited to brain tissue that causes hemimegalencephaly (HMG), a condition where one half of the brain is enlarged and dysfunctional, leading to intellectual disability and severe epilepsy.

12 Apr 2012

Scientists use two different methods to visualize rare CTCs, double positive cells in mBC

New research from The Ohio State University utilizes two different methods to visualize circulating tumor cells (CTCs) as well as other unusual circulating cells with both epithelial and hematopoietic characteristics in metastatic breast cancer.

12 Apr 2012

Johns Hopkins cardiologists support use of statins for primary prevention of heart attack

Writing the first commentary for a new feature in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), called Viewpoint, Johns Hopkins cardiologists make the case for why a 55-year-old man with a 10 percent estimated risk of heart attack over the next 10 years should be offered statin medication. They were invited to debate a professor who argues against prescribing statins for "primary" prevention—for those who have not had a cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack—even though they may be considered at "intermediate" risk because of elevated cholesterol or other factors.

12 Apr 2012

Research explores power of offering colon cancer screening options

Researchers find that when given a choice of methods, more people will opt to get screened for colon cancer. Meanwhile, a separate study found that insurance coverage of lung cancer screenings for high-risk patients could prevent -- at a low cost -- thousands of deaths annually.

12 Apr 2012

ECG abnormalities associated with increased risk of CHD in older adults

In a study that included elderly men and women without preexisting cardiovascular disease, major and minor electrocardiographic abnormalities were associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) events and improved the prediction of CHD events such as heart attack, beyond traditional cardiovascular risk factors, according to a study in the April 11 issue of JAMA.

12 Apr 2012

Study: Stem cells from pelvic bone marrow may help hearts beat stronger

Stem cells from the pelvic bone may help hearts beat stronger. Doctors and other clinicians at the Orlando Health Heart Institute are researching the use of stem cells from pelvic bone marrow to restore tissue and improve heart function after muscle damage from heart attacks.

12 Apr 2012

The urgency of autism: Progress in combating it, even as diagnoses increase

News outlets examine progress being made in diagnosing autism and understanding its possible causes.

12 Apr 2012

Researchers discover a lead on the origin of chronic lymphatic leukaemia

Up until now the causes of the development of chronic lymphatic leukaemia, the most common form of cancer of the blood in Europe, have been unknown. At present a cure is not possible. A research group at the MedUni Vienna led by Christoph Steininger of the University Department of Internal Medicine I has now however discovered a lead on the origin of this disease. Says Steiniger: "This could influence the therapy approach taken in treating chronic lymphatic leukaemia."

12 Apr 2012

MacuCLEAR to initiate MC-1101 Phase III studies on early-stage AMD

MacuCLEAR, Inc., a clinical stage specialty pharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing novel solutions for vascular disorders of the eye, announced today it is beginning Phase III studies for its lead compound, MC-1101, for early-stage (Dry) age-related macular degeneration (AMD), based on positive feedback during the company's end-of-Phase II meeting with the FDA.

12 Apr 2012

Takeda enters definitive agreement to acquire URL Pharma

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited and URL Pharma Inc. jointly announced that Takeda's wholly-owned subsidiary, Takeda America Holdings, Inc. and URL Pharma have entered into a definitive agreement to acquire URL Pharma – a privately-held pharmaceutical company headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for an upfront payment of $800 million and future performance-based contingent earn out payments.

12 Apr 2012

Timing pregnancy an important health concern for women

A newly published article in the journal Nursing for Women’s Health highlights the importance of a woman’s ability to time her childbearing. The author asserts that contraception is a means of health promotion and women who work with their health care providers to ensure they are healthy prior to conceiving can minimize their risk of complications during pregnancy and childbirth.

11 Apr 2012

Eye test to detect heart disease early

Scientists at the University of Edinburgh have developed the test which scans blood vessels in the retina at the back of the eyes. They are now launching a study involving more than 1,000 patients to see if the test is reliable.

11 Apr 2012

FDA ‘ups’ safety warnings for blood clots on birth control pill labels

According to federal health regulators more information needs to be added to labels on a popular class of birth control pills that includes Bayer AG's Yaz and Yasmin, to show they may raise the risk of blood clots. A clot in blood vessels can prove fatal if it breaks loose and travels to the lungs, heart or brain.

11 Apr 2012

Supplement intake predicts optimal RBC folate concentration in Canadian women

Researchers have gained new insight into why 22% of Canadian women of childbearing age are still not achieving a folate concentration considered optimal for reducing the risk of having babies with neural tube defects, despite a virtual absence of folate deficiency in the general Canadian population.

11 Apr 2012