Anemia News and Research

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Anemia is a decrease in normal number of red blood cells (RBCs) or less than the normal quantity of hemoglobin in the blood. However, it can include decreased oxygen-binding ability of each hemoglobin molecule due to deformity or lack in numerical development as in some other types of hemoglobin deficiency. The three main classes of anemia include excessive blood loss (acutely such as a hemorrhage or chronically through low-volume loss), excessive blood cell destruction (hemolysis) or deficient red blood cell production (ineffective hematopoiesis). Anemia is the most common disorder of the blood. There are several kinds of anemia, produced by a variety of underlying causes. Anemia can be classified in a variety of ways, based on the morphology of RBCs, underlying etiologic mechanisms, and discernible clinical spectra, to mention a few.

Interferon alpha and sorafenib combined work better than either alone against kidney cancer

A combination of two drugs works better than either drug alone for patients with renal cell carcinoma, the most common form of kidney cancer, according to a pilot study led by Duke University Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers.

1 Aug 2007

Takeda responds to FDA recommendation on Actos

Following a joint meeting today of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee and the Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee, Takeda Global Research & Development (TGRD) underscores its position that ACTOS(R) (pioglitazone HCl) offers a proven safety profile regarding the risk of cardiovascular disease.

30 Jul 2007

Nutritional Sprinkles supplement cuts anemia in poor children by half

A nutritional supplement known as Sprinkles, which can be added to children's food, reduces anemia by more than half, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Nutrition.

27 Jul 2007

Europe approves MIRCERA to treat anaemia

Roche has announced that the European Commission has approved its innovative drug MIRCERA to treat anaemia associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

27 Jul 2007

Scientists shed new light on how microRNAs carry out their function

MicroRNAs became the stars of the RNA universe when, in 2001, scientists found that these short RNAs can control whether or not genes are expressed.

27 Jul 2007

Hemoglobin-based oxygen carrier shows promise as treatment for sickle cell disease

Studies in mice suggest that a red blood cell substitute based on human hemoglobin could be a promising new treatment for sickle cell disease in humans.

24 Jul 2007

New combo treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia increases survival

The combination treatment of fludarabine plus cyclophosphamide for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) greatly increases progression-free survival and response rates, compared with single treatment with either fludarabine or chlorambucil alone.

20 Jul 2007

Restless legs gene found

An international team of researchers has identified the first gene associated with Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS), a common sleep disorder affecting tens of millions of people worldwide.

19 Jul 2007

New method to estimate sickle cell disease severity

Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) have developed a method to estimate sickle cell disease severity and predict the risk of death in people with this disease.

12 Jul 2007

Functional data analysis in renal anemia

Anemia is one of the most frequent complications of hemodialysis, and its correction is an important factor in restoring a tolerable quality of life to dialysis-dependent patients.

12 Jul 2007

Leading-edge treatment for Crohn's disease at Pediatric Infusion Center

Seventeen-year-old Eliot Drieband explains what it's like to have Crohn's disease - a type of inflammatory bowel disease - in the same matter-of-fact way she describes preparing for an advanced placement exam, working on the school newspaper, starting an organ donor awareness club for teens and being a peer counselor for other kids facing chronic, life-altering illnesses.

9 Jul 2007

DNA repair by Brca2 prevents medulloblastoma

St. Jude investigators have gained some of the first major insights into how certain genes known to prevent cancer also guide the nervous system's normal development before birth and during infancy by repairing DNA damage.

23 Jun 2007

Key mechanism identified by which the body regulates iron metabolism

Scientists at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) have determined a key mechanism by which the body regulates iron metabolism, a discovery that may provide new approaches for the treatment of anemia.

23 Jun 2007

More effective treatment for malaria control during pregnancy in Africa

A review of previous studies indicates that two doses of a malaria preventive therapy during pregnancy provides substantial benefit to HIV-negative women in Africa, with more frequent dosing apparently necessary for HIV-positive women, according to an article in the June 20 issue of JAMA.

20 Jun 2007

Safe blood for safe motherhood

On the occasion of World Blood Donor Day, the theme of which this year is "Safe blood for safe motherhood", WHO is launching a new initiative to improve the availability and use of safe blood to save the lives of women during and after childbirth.

19 Jun 2007

Urocanic acid linked to a deadly parasite of the developing world

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have found a link between some of the world's most common parasites that cause infection and disease throughout the developing world and their attraction to a chemical secreted from human and animal skin.

15 Jun 2007

Study shows pre-op red blood cell levels affect post-op outcomes

Men over 65 with even slightly abnormal red blood cell counts either too low or too high are at greater risk of post-operative death or car-diac events following a major non-cardiac surgery, according to a new study by researchers at the Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center and The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.

15 Jun 2007

New genetic risk factor for coeliac disease

An international research consortium investigating the genetic causes of intestinal inflammatory conditions has identified a new genetic risk factor for coeliac disease.

14 Jun 2007

Priority review granted for oral formulation of HYCAMTIN (topotecan)

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has announced that its new drug application (NDA) for ORAL HYCAMTIN (topotecan) capsules, a treatment for relapsed small cell lung cancer (SCLC), has been granted Priority Review by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

14 Jun 2007

Outcome of surgery on the elderly could be affected by red blood cell count

Researchers in the United States have found that older patients about to undergo major surgery, who have either a high or low red blood cell count, are more at risk for heart attacks or even death following the operation.

13 Jun 2007