Medical Research News and Research

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Metformin should be in the first line of defense against type 2 diabetes

A new review of studies confirms that the drug metformin should be in the first line of defense against type 2 diabetes. Using metformin alone can improve control of blood glucose, while also reducing risk factors for heart disease such as excess body weight, cholesterol levels and hypertension, the review found.

20 Jul 2005

Reliable research about the benefits and harms of treatments for malaria in pregnant women is scarce

Few studies compare the effects of different drug regimes in pregnant women, and many of the best studies were conducted in Southeast Asia, where malaria transmission rates are low, says researcher Lois Orton of the University of York in England.

20 Jul 2005

Antibiotics should not be prescribed to patients with the common cold

Antibiotics should not be prescribed to patients with the common cold because there is scant evidence they stop other infections, and the benefits do not outweigh the risks, according to a new systematic review of current evidence.

19 Jul 2005

Older-style antidepressants, as well as anticonvulsant drugs, can help ease the disabling pain caused by nerve tissue damage

For many years antidepressants, which are believed to work by dampening pain signals, have been the first-line drugs for neuropathic pain. "It is usual to start with an antidepressant like amitriptyline, and if this fails then try an anticonvulsant," says Phil Wiffen, a researcher at Churchill Hospital in Oxford, England. "The results of these meta-analyses suggest this is probably still the best approach to take."

19 Jul 2005

Children enrolled in kid-oriented diet and exercise programs are likely to adopt healthier eating and activity patterns

...according to an updated systematic review. Although the youngsters did not experience significant weight loss during the studies, most of which lasted a year or less, the reviewers note promising trends.

19 Jul 2005

Study warns against global use of old asthma medicines for kids' coughs

An asthma medicine widely used around the world to stop children's coughs has no provable benefit for that purpose and may cause harm, a new review of existing studies reports.

19 Jul 2005

$New protective drugs called bisphosphonates reduce pain and fractures in metastatic breast cancer$

New protective drugs called bisphosphonates reduce pain and fractures in metastatic breast cancer

When breast cancer spreads to bones, relatively new protective drugs called bisphosphonates can reduce skeletal damage, says a new systematic review of previous studies. While the new treatment approach does not improve survival rates, it can minimize disabling fractures, spinal cord compression and pain.

19 Jul 2005

Calcium may prevent polyps, but effect on colorectal cancer unclear

Although calcium supplements might prevent development of polyps that sometimes lead to colon cancer, there is not enough evidence that the mineral can prevent colorectal cancer itself, according to a new study.

19 Jul 2005

Surgical removal of severe hemorrhoids is more effective in the long run than tying them off with rubber bands

The review found no significant difference in patients' acceptance of each technique, "implying patients' preference for complete long-term cure of symptoms" despite the pain and higher risk of complications following surgery.

19 Jul 2005

Intestinal hormone secretin should not be used to treat autism

The intestinal hormone secretin, considered by some to be a promising drug in the treatment of autism, does not improve the symptoms and should not be used to treat the disorder, according to a new review of studies.

19 Jul 2005

Combination of ribavirin and interferon is more effective in treating hepatitis C than using interferon alone

The researchers reviewed 72 randomized trials and 9,991 patients who had chronic hepatitis C for more than six months and were previously untreated, who had relapsed after treatment or who had not responded to other treatment.

19 Jul 2005

Pineapple stems that show anti-tumour activity

Scientists at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR) have discovered two molecules from pineapple stems that show anti-tumour activity in laboratory studies. One molecule called CCS blocks a protein called Ras, which is defective in approximately 30% of all cancers. The other molecule called CCZ, stimulates the body's own immune system to target and kill cancer cells.

19 Jul 2005

Australian discovery of adult stem cells in the uterus

Monash Institute of Medical Research (MIMR) senior scientist Dr Caroline Gargett's discovery of adult stem cells in the uterus that can be grown into bone, muscle, fat and cartilage, has been hailed as a major medical and scientific development by international reproduction experts.

19 Jul 2005

Close connection between gender-based violence and HIV infection

amfAR has released an issue brief demonstrating a close connection between gender-based violence and HIV infection. The New York-based AIDS research foundation is calling for resources to develop, test, and implement behavioral, biomedical, and social interventions to address violence as both a cause and a consequence of HIV infection.

18 Jul 2005

Could reality TV save academic medicine?

Imagine a future where medical schools are answerable to shareholders, where patients decide how doctors should be trained, or where academics compete on TV game shows to win research grants...

6 Jul 2005

G8 must focus on healthcare to save millions of lives

Millions of people are dying in the developing world because of poor access to cheap medicines and basic healthcare, the BMA says today (Wednesday, 6 July, 2005) ahead of the G8 summit.

6 Jul 2005

Children who snore are far more likely to suffer hyperactivity disorders

Several years ago, University of Michigan researchers published some of the strongest evidence yet that children who snore when they sleep are far more likely to have attention and hyperactivity problems than their non-snoring peers.

4 Jul 2005

Researchers use imaging to gain better understanding of cancerous cell behaviour

Thanks to imaging and analysis techniques used by researchers at TU Delft, an international group of scientists has been able to gain more insight into the behaviour of cancerous cells.

30 Jun 2005

Bipolar survey indicates how patient satisfaction is achieved

Preliminary results from a large-scale global study of people living with bipolar disorder, presented today at the World Congress of Biological Psychiatry (WCBP), found that patient satisfaction with treatment is achieved through combining broad-based efficacy with a favourable tolerability profile.

30 Jun 2005

Scientists aim to mislead malaria mosquitoes with odours

An international team of scientists will in the coming five years set up a research project on developing diversions to mislead malaria mosquitoes with odours.

29 Jun 2005

Medical Research News and Research

Metformin should be in the first line of defense against type 2 diabetes

Reliable research about the benefits and harms of treatments for malaria in pregnant women is scarce

Antibiotics should not be prescribed to patients with the common cold

Older-style antidepressants, as well as anticonvulsant drugs, can help ease the disabling pain caused by nerve tissue damage

Children enrolled in kid-oriented diet and exercise programs are likely to adopt healthier eating and activity patterns

Study warns against global use of old asthma medicines for kids' coughs

New protective drugs called bisphosphonates reduce pain and fractures in metastatic breast cancer

Calcium may prevent polyps, but effect on colorectal cancer unclear

Surgical removal of severe hemorrhoids is more effective in the long run than tying them off with rubber bands

Intestinal hormone secretin should not be used to treat autism

Combination of ribavirin and interferon is more effective in treating hepatitis C than using interferon alone

Pineapple stems that show anti-tumour activity

Australian discovery of adult stem cells in the uterus

Close connection between gender-based violence and HIV infection

Could reality TV save academic medicine?

G8 must focus on healthcare to save millions of lives

Children who snore are far more likely to suffer hyperactivity disorders

Researchers use imaging to gain better understanding of cancerous cell behaviour

Bipolar survey indicates how patient satisfaction is achieved

Scientists aim to mislead malaria mosquitoes with odours

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