Diabetes News and Research

Latest Diabetes News and Research

FDA approves 'first non-surgical treatment' for vitreomacular adhesion

The US Food and Drug Administration reports the approval of ocriplasmin for the treatment of symptomatic vitreomacular adhesion.

26 Oct 2012

High worldwide drug-resistant TB figures are “worrying

The prevalence of resistance to second-line therapy among individuals with multi-drug resistant tuberculosis is high, show the results of a study conducted using data from eight countries worldwide.

26 Oct 2012

Allergies and hygiene: an interview with Sally Bloomfield

Allergies occur when the body overreacts to substances in our environment, such as pollen, dust mites and so forth. What happens is that when we are exposed to these potential threats, the immune system should react, deal with it, and then shut down.

26 Oct 2012

ApoE4 gene becomes less important to quality of life once people hit their 90s

A gene linked to the risk of developing Alzheimer's, heart disease and diabetes becomes less important to quality of life once people hit their 90s, a Mayo Clinic study shows. At that point, good friends and a positive attitude have a bigger impact, the researchers say.

26 Oct 2012

Ancestry could simplify searches for harmful mutations

Explosive advancement in human genome sequencing opens new possibilities for identifying the genetic roots of certain diseases and finding cures. However, so many variations among individual genomes exist that identifying mutations responsible for a specific disease has in many cases proven an insurmountable challenge.

26 Oct 2012

Viewpoints: Medicare provider cuts 'won't work'; A 'pamphlet isn't a plan'

Once the presidential election is over, Congress will try to address the Medicare cost shortfall one way or another. They will almost certainly consider a method that is guaranteed to fail: Medicare rate cuts for doctors and hospitals. It's been tried before, most notably as part of the 1997 Balanced Budget Act. Not once since the BBA required annual physician rate cuts have those cuts been implemented, leading every year to the predictable and depressing final-hours "doc fix" vote.

26 Oct 2012

Targeted deletion of major VEGF gene in mice induces vision loss

Millions of people with "wet" macular degeneration are prescribed a class of medication known as anti-VEGF drugs. But now scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have found that a drastic reduction of VEGF activity may do more harm than good.

26 Oct 2012

Resveratrol does not appear to offer metabolic benefits in healthy women

Resveratrol, an ingredient in red wine thought to improve insulin sensitivity, reduce risk of heart disease and increase longevity, does not appear to offer these benefits in healthy women, new research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis indicates.

26 Oct 2012

ACS BSCN accredits UCSD Bariatric Metabolic Institute as Level 1 facility

The Bariatric Metabolic Institute (BMI) at University of California, San Diego Health System has been accredited as a Level 1 facility by the Bariatric Surgery Center Network (BSCN) Accreditation Program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). This designation means that the institutional performance of UC San Diego BMI meets the rigorous requirements outlined by the ACS BSCN Accreditation Program.

26 Oct 2012

Study defines complexity of underlying mutations responsible for pancreatic cancers

A large-scale study that defines the complexity of underlying mutations responsible for pancreatic cancers in more than 100 patients was published in Nature today.

26 Oct 2012

New study offers hope for lonely older adults at increased risk of health problems

Always look on the bright side of life. Thanks to a new study from Concordia University, this catchy refrain offers a prescription for staying healthy during one's golden years.

26 Oct 2012

Population Health Management discusses latest information on shingles and PHN

Shingles, a reactivation of the herpes zoster (chickenpox) virus affects nearly 1 in 3 Americans. About 1 million cases are diagnosed each year, with some patients suffering excruciating pain and itching due to post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN), a complication of the viral infection that can last for years despite treatment.

26 Oct 2012

Guidelines to help protect vulnerable populations from flu

While it is important to get vaccinated against the flu virus as early as possible, it is never too late to reap the benefits of this vaccine. According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the peak months for the spread of the flu virus are January and February and the season can last into mid-May.

26 Oct 2012

Three new gene variants associated with BMI levels in adults

A large international study has identified three new gene variants associated with body mass index (BMI) levels in adults. The scientific consortium, numbering approximately 200 researchers, performed a meta-analysis of 46 studies, covering gene data from nearly 109,000 adults, spanning four ethnic groups.

26 Oct 2012

HbA1c equally useful across ethnic groups

Currently recommended clinical cutoff points for diabetes diagnosis using glycated hemoglobin should be interpreted similarly in Whites, Blacks, and Hispanics, show findings from a US study.

25 Oct 2012

Legume intake reduces heart disease risk in diabetes patients

Diabetes patients who incorporate legumes as part of a low glycemic index diet improve their glycemic control and reduce their risk for coronary heart disease, a study shows.

25 Oct 2012

Removing rotavirus vaccine age restrictions could save lives

Removing or relaxing the current rotavirus vaccine age restrictions would help save children’s lives, especially in low- and middle-income countries, say researchers.

25 Oct 2012

Geographic variations in US diabetic foot expenditure identified

Researchers report that in the USA, Medicare spending on patients with diabetic foot disease varies significantly between different hospital referral regions.

25 Oct 2012

Scientists to examine origins of soil-carbon chemical chain reactions

Potential connections between the biodiversity of soil microorganisms and the carbon cycle will be studied by the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) and Northern Arizona University (NAU) under a $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

25 Oct 2012

Airport security scanners may affect function of insulin pump or CGM devices

Full-body or X-ray scanners used for airport security screening may affect the function of insulin pump or continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices.

25 Oct 2012