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New anti-cancer drug targeting vitamin D receptor reduces PSA level in HRPC

A new anti-cancer drug aimed at vitamin D receptors on cancer cells has prompted encouraging responses in the levels of PSA (prostate specific antigen) in men with prostate cancer that has become resistant to hormonal therapies.

18 Nov 2010

Food, drugs of abuse engage same brain systems, show studies

New animal research helps explain why some eat without hunger or to excess. The studies explore the biological effects of poor eating habits, showing that high-fat diets cause lasting brain changes that may impair healthy eating. Additional studies show that food and drugs of abuse engage many of the same brain systems. The findings were presented at Neuroscience 2010, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world's largest source of emerging news on brain science and health.

16 Nov 2010

MEDecision publishes e-book to support PCMH implementations

MEDecision, Inc., a leading provider of collaborative healthcare management solutions, on November 4 published an e-book, The Patient-Centered Medical Home: The Cornerstone of Healthcare Transformation.

12 Nov 2010

Not enough doctors for primary care medical homes

Provisions of new federal health care reforms will move the country toward a primary care medical home for patients, but the nation may not have enough primary care doctors to handle the workload, according to a study by the University of Michigan Health System.

12 Nov 2010

Lancet series focuses on chronic diseases, development

"Just a small percentage of low- and middle-income countries' health care budgets are allocated toward the treatment and prevention of chronic diseases even though such illnesses are expected to account for 69% of global deaths by 2030," according to a paper published Wednesday in the Lancet, as part of a series on chronic disease and development, ModernHealthcare.com reports.

12 Nov 2010

Diabetic drug may retard growth of fluid-filled cysts in PKD: Research

Researchers report that a drug commonly used to treat diabetes may also retard the growth of fluid-filled cysts of the most common genetic disorder, polycystic kidney disease.

12 Nov 2010

Hospital for Special Surgery presents advantages of specialized disease center for comprehensive lupus care

The benefits of collaborative, multidisciplinary care of patients with complex autoimmune diseases like lupus and multiple sclerosis are just beginning to be appreciated by physicians. Hospital for Special Surgery in New York will present evidence of the advantages of such a specialized disease center dedicated to comprehensive lupus care at the 74th Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology in Atlanta.

11 Nov 2010

ESC emphasizes simple measures for diabetic patients to slow-down CVD progression

Diabetics can face a five times increase in the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) than non-diabetics. This leads to a seven to ten year reduction in life expectancy and a higher probability of suffering a fatal heart attack. These sad statistics have prompted the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) to mark World Diabetes Day on 14 November 2010 by emphasising the simple measures that diabetes patients should adopt to slow-down the progression of CVD and greatly improve their quality of life.

11 Nov 2010

MCAN invests $4 million to improve asthma management in four high risk cities

The Merck Childhood Asthma Network, Inc. (MCAN), today announced it is targeting four high risk cities with nearly $4 million for programs that will combine evidence-based science, case management and asthma trigger removal plans to manage a disease that requires more than the right medical care.

11 Nov 2010

March of Dimes honors professor who linked fetal malnutrition to chronic adult disease

The world-renowned physician and professor who pioneered the theory linking fetal malnutrition to chronic adult disease will receive the March of Dimes Agnes Higgins Award for outstanding achievement in the field of maternal-fetal nutrition.

9 Nov 2010

Endeca, eHealth Ontario partner to implement chronic disease management system

Endeca Technologies, Inc., a search and business intelligence (BI) company, today announced that eHealth Ontario, an agency of the Government of Ontario, has selected Endeca and commenced work on the chronic disease management system (CDMS) and portal project previously announced in August 2010. Endeca, working with its partners, will assist with the design, build, and implementation of the system that will be used initially to better manage diabetes care throughout the province.

9 Nov 2010

Combination treatment with methotrexate and prednisone achieves remission in newly-developed RA

People with newly-developed rheumatoid arthritis or undifferentiated arthritis may be able to achieve remission, with continued drug therapy, after four months of treatment with methotrexate and prednisone, according to research presented this week at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting in Atlanta.

9 Nov 2010

SIMPONI injection improves inflammation, structural damage in RA patients

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) analyses from two Phase 3 clinical trials showed that once every four week subcutaneous injections of SIMPONI (golimumab) 50 mg plus methotrexate resulted in statistically significant improvements in markers of inflammation and structural damage in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) compared with placebo plus methotrexate.

9 Nov 2010

Vaccinations do not increase risk of RA

Common adult vaccinations are not associated with an increased risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, according to research presented this week at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting in Atlanta.

9 Nov 2010

Anti-TNF therapy increases risk of varicella zoster virus infections

Anti tumor necrosis factor therapy increases the risk of developing varicella zoster virus infections, including shingles and chicken pox, according to research presented this week at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting in Atlanta.

9 Nov 2010

Structural deformities affect typing styles of touch typists with rheumatoid arthritis

Joint damage caused by rheumatoid arthritis can lead to difficulties in typing and can force people to seek alternative—but potentially more destructive—ways of putting their fingers to the keyboard, according to research presented this week at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting in Atlanta.

8 Nov 2010

Limiting inflammation can control accumulation of carotid atherosclerosis in RA patients

New data presented this week at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting in Atlanta show that systemic inflammation and rheumatoid arthritis disease activity may contribute to the progression of atherosclerosis in people with RA. The data also show that this progression may be modified favorably by TNF inhibitors and detrimentally by glucocorticoids.

8 Nov 2010

Study suggests bacterial products contribute to autoimmune diseases

Researchers are using 21st century technologies to investigate the century old hypothesis that certain autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, are caused by bacteria living in the human body and will present their initial data this week at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting in Atlanta.

8 Nov 2010

Anti-TNF therapies may reduce Alzheimer's risk among people with rheumatoid arthritis

Anti-TNF therapies commonly used to treat rheumatoid arthritis have been found to potentially reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's dementia among people with rheumatoid arthritis, according to research presented this week at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting in Atlanta.

8 Nov 2010

Amgen wins Scrip Best New Drug award for Prolia

Amgen is pleased to announce that it has won the Best New Drug award for Prolia™ (denosumab), a novel treatment approved in the United States (U.S.) for women with postmenopausal osteoporosis at high risk for fracture, at the 2010 Scrip Awards ceremony Nov. 4 in London. Named one of TIME's Top 10 Medical Breakthroughs of 2009, Prolia is the first treatment specifically designed to target osteoclasts, the cells that break down bone.

8 Nov 2010