Medicine In The News – Febraury 2015

Traumatic Brain Injury Linked to Premature Death
An important study has identified that a proportion of TBI patients will have a premature death, primarily associated with injuries, assaults, and suicide.
JAMA Psychiatry, January 2014
Head Trauma Extends to the Soccer Field and Contact Sports
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the degenerative brain disease linked to repeated blows to the head, is more commonly found in young former soccer players, the strongest indication yet that the condition is not limited to athletes who played sports known for violent collisions, like football and boxing.
New York Times, Boston University School of Medicine, February 2014
Physical Therapy is Beneficial in Knee Osteoarthritis
Several randomized studies have suggested that thrice-weekly exercise focused on quadriceps strengthening is a useful adjunct for osteoarthritis patients.
NEJM Journal Watch, April 2014
Calcium Supplement Controversy Over Increased Risk of Cardiovascular Events
Randomized controlled studies have shown that calcium supplementation significantly reduced the risk of hip fracture and breast cancer, with no significant associations observed in the risk of cardiovascular events.
Family Practice News, April 2014
Diet Drinks Linked to Cardiovascular Events in Women
Drinking two or more diet drinks a day was associated with a 29% increased risk of an incidental cardiovascular event and a 26% increased risk of all causes of death in an observational study of over 60,000 postmenopausal American women.
Medscape, March 2014
Low Testosterone Level Risks
Recent studies suggest that low testosterone levels have been associated with increased risk of heart disease, hypertension, congestive heart failure, diabetes type 2, metabolic syndrome, and increased mortality.
The American Society of Anti-Aging Medicine
Two Causes of Accelerated Decline in Nerve Function
Using nerve conduction studies, researchers found decline in subjects with inflammation, even in subjects with mild elevations of hs-CPR, and/or with elevated hemoglobin A1C (blood glucose).
Science Daily
Non-Pharmacologic Therapies Can Improve Functioning for Chronic Pain Patients
The non-pharmacological therapies used for chronic pain include psychotherapies, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, hypnosis, biofeedback, relaxation techniques, and family and group psychotherapy; physical therapy, such as exercise therapy, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation; occupational therapy; and acupuncture.
Consultant 360, April
Lower Vitamin D Levels Linked with Depression
Besides its classical function of bone metabolism regulation, randomized control trials have shown that depleted vitamin D is associated with depression,.
Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, November 2013
Spironolactone for Heart Failure Does Not Improve Clinical Outcome
In patients with heart failure and a preserved ejection fraction, treatment with spironolactone did not significantly reduce the incidence of the primary composite outcome of death from cardiovascular causes, aborted cardiac arrest, or hospitalization.
The New England Journal of Medicine, April 2014
Beneficial Actions of Pregnenolone in Cognitive Functions, Depression, and Anxiety
Pregnenolone, which is considered neuro-protective, enhances cognitive functions; low levels are correlated to depression and anxiety, as well as fatigue and decreased energy.
The Original Internist, March 2014
Higher Vitamin C Levels Linked to Lower Risk of Hemorrhagic Stroke
Vitamin C depletion is associated with cardiovascular diseases; it may also increase intracerebral hemorrhage risk, as reported at the American Academy of Neurology’s 66th Annual Meeting.
Life Extension, May 2014
Low Testosterone Associated with High Cardiovascular Risk
Low testosterone in men is associated with excess abdominal fat, loss of insulin sensitivity, atherosclerosis, and increased incidence of cardiovascular disease. This study found that men treated with testosterone showed across-the-broad improvements, as indicated by reduced blood pressure, HDL, LDL, triglycerides, glucose, hemoglobin A1c, and C-reactive protein levels, reduced measures of liver damage, and increased HDL.
Life Extension, May 2014
Ultrasound Point-of-Care in Medical Education
Carefully-performed clinical studies have shown that ultrasound can be superior to physical exam as a diagnostic tool.
The New England Journal of Medicine, March 2014
Cinnamon Helps Liver Disease
Cinnamon improves liver enzymes and other factors in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. It also reduces insulin resistance and the glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and C-reactive protein levels, according to the Nutrition Research journal.
Life Extension, May 2014
Phospholipids are Associated with Memory Decline
Study analyses have shown that plasma phospholipids identify antecedent memory impairment or preclinical Alzheimer disease in older adults.
Nature Medicine, 2014

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