Endocrinology News and Research

Latest Endocrinology News and Research

World health statistics 2012 report puts spotlight on growing problem of NCD burden

The World health statistics 2012 report, released today, puts the spotlight on the growing problem of the noncommunicable diseases burden.

16 May 2012

New hormone link between obesity and type 2 diabetes

A new link between obesity and type 2 diabetes found in mice could open the door to exploring new potential drug treatments for diabetes, University of Michigan Health System research has found.

16 May 2012

Researchers map processes that power health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids

For the first time, researchers at the University of California, San Diego have peered inside a living mouse cell and mapped the processes that power the celebrated health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids. More profoundly, they say their findings suggest it may be possible to manipulate these processes to short-circuit inflammation before it begins, or at least help to resolve inflammation before it becomes detrimental.

16 May 2012

Comcast, UnitedHealth Group completes enrollment in VOD study for type 2 diabetes

UnitedHealth Group and Comcast Corporation announced they have met enrollment targets for an innovative pilot study to evaluate the effectiveness of using video on demand (VOD) to deliver the Diabetes Prevention Program.

16 May 2012

Death risk for marathon runners remains low during or soon after race

Even though hundreds of thousands more people finished grueling 26.2 mile marathons in the United States in 2009 compared to a decade earlier, a runner’s risk of dying during or soon after the race has remained very low — about .75 per 100,000, new Johns Hopkins research suggests. Men, however, were twice as likely to die as women.

16 May 2012

Diabetes may affect 53.1M Americans by 2025: Study

The Diabetes 2025 Model for the U.S. projects a continuous and dramatic increase in the diabetes epidemic and makes it possible to estimate the potential effects of society-wide changes in lifestyle and healthcare delivery systems.

16 May 2012

Viewpoints: Calif. health, welfare programs struggle under budget cuts; Protecting children from diabetes threat

Gov. Jerry Brown and the Democratic-controlled Legislature passed a budget last year that was built on a rickety foundation of false hopes. If that wasn't apparent at the time, it is now that the budget deficit has ballooned to $15.7 billion, up from Brown's $9.2 billion estimate from only four months ago. ... Brown offered several solutions on Monday. Health and welfare programs for the poor would bear 30 percent of the cuts, including $880 million from the main welfare program, CalWORKs, through a variety of reductions.

16 May 2012

Healthy lifestyle choices may reduce risk of stroke

Every 40 seconds someone in the United States has a stroke. Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death and the number one cause of adult disability in the country. While stroke often occurs without warning, understanding risk factors and learning to recognize symptoms can potentially save lives and limit damage if a stroke occurs. In recognition of National Stroke Awareness Month, Northwestern Medicine experts encourage consumers learn about their potential risk factors and start making lifestyle decisions that may decrease their likelihood of having a stroke.

16 May 2012

Palpitations, hypertension strongest risk factors for AF

A large cohort study has found that the strongest risk factors for atrial fibrillation in both men and women were a history of palpitations and hypertension. While hypertension is a well known risk factor for AF, the investigators note that "the impact of self-reported palpitations on later occurrence of AF has not been documented earlier".

16 May 2012

First study to compare complication rates after RAPN and LPN

Robot-assisted surgery has replaced another minimally invasive operation as the main procedure to treat kidney cancer while sparing part of the diseased organ, and with comparable results, according to a new research study by Henry Ford Hospital urologists.

16 May 2012

Exendin-4 drug effectively suppresses craving for food

A drug made from the saliva of the Gila monster lizard is effective in reducing the craving for food. Researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, have tested the drug on rats, who after treatment ceased their cravings for both food and chocolate.

16 May 2012

Water could change the way we eat: Study

Water could change the way we eat. That's the conclusion of new research by T. Bettina Cornwell of the University of Oregon and Anna R. McAlister of Michigan State University. Their findings appear online this week ahead of regular publication by the journal Appetite.

15 May 2012

Narrower CRAE may increase risk of CVD among African Americans with type 1 diabetes

Among African Americans with type 1 diabetes mellitus, narrower central retinal arteriolar equivalent (average diameter of the small arteries in the retina) is associated with an increased risk of six-year incidence of any cardiovascular disease and lower extremity arterial disease, according to a report in the May issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, a JAMA Network publication.

15 May 2012

Excess protein in urine test predicts renal failure in patients with severe sepsis

Henry Ford Hospital researchers have found that the presence of excess protein in a common urine test is an effective prognostic marker of acute renal failure in patients with severe sepsis.

14 May 2012

First U.S. outpatient trial of UVA-developed artificial pancreas

The University of Virginia School of Medicine has launched the first U.S. outpatient trial of a UVA-developed artificial pancreas that could make it easier for type 1 diabetes patients to manage their condition.

14 May 2012

Genetic cause of rare genetic disorder, Hamamy syndrome

Scientists at A*STAR's Institute of Medical Biology (IMB), in collaboration with doctors and scientists in Jordan, Turkey, Switzerland and USA, have identified the genetic cause of a birth defect known as Hamamy syndrome .

14 May 2012

mTOR protein plays a key role in development of diabetes

The signaling protein mTOR is a key regulator that controls cell growth. Dysfunction of mTOR increases not only the likelihood of developing cancer but also diabetes. In the current issue of the journal Cell Metabolism, Mike Hall and his team from the Biozentrum of the University of Basel describe how inhibition of mTOR signaling can impair carbohydrate metabolism and potentially lead to diabetes.

14 May 2012

Phase II trial to examine effects of resveratrol on individuals with mild to moderate dementia

A national, phase II clinical trial examining the effects of resveratrol on individuals with mild to moderate dementia due to Alzheimer's disease has begun as more than two dozen academic institutions recruit volunteers in the coming months. R. Scott Turner, M.D., Ph.D., director of Georgetown University Medical Center's Memory Disorders Program, is the lead investigator for the national study.

14 May 2012

Medication nonadherence linked to unnecessary cardiovascular hospitalizations in older patients

Older patients with high cholesterol or high blood pressure are at particular risk for unnecessary hospitalizations if they don't follow doctor's orders on taking their medications, according to new research from Express Scripts presented this week.

14 May 2012

Tips for a cool and injury-free summer

The dog days of summer are fast approaching, and while we cannot control the rising temperatures on the streets, we can control the heat index of our bodies.

14 May 2012