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The following reflects new findings and outcomes in medical research as presented at major medical meetings and published peer-reviewed medical journals. In this section members can view reports from important congresses as well as summaries of some recently published journal articles. Please let us know if you have a particular area of interest you would like to see covered. RESOURCE LINE - Pediatric Nutrition Simple Strategies and Solutions for Common Nutritional Deficiencies in Infants and ChildrenSummer 2010 Vancouver - Here at the Canadian Paediatric Society Conference, the nutritional needs at different stages of infants’ and young children’s lives were discussed. Firstly, very low birth-weight preterm infants require fortified feeding to ensure growth matches growth rates of in utero infants of the same gestational age. Secondly, for all infants, both term and preterm, breastfeeding is recommended for up to 6 months of age. With the exception of vitamin D, breast milk is nutritionally complete (...) Read more... RESOURCE LINE - Nutrition Strategies to Improve and Maintain Intestinal Flora Balance: The Role of Prebiotics and ProbioticsJune 2010 Las Vegas – Research into prebiotics and probiotics on human health continues and emerging evidence appears promising. Both are able to provide optimal balance in the vast ecology of intestinal microbes and both have been associated with significant clinical benefit in a variety of therapeutic areas. Among their many proven effects is an ability to reduce antibiotic-associated diarrhea, including diarrhea caused by Clostridium difficile, alleviation of pouchitis and symptoms of ulcerative (...) Read more... HEALTH ODYSSEY - Pediatric Nutrition Identification and Management of Feeding Difficulties in ChildrenMay 2010 Miami – Various treatments are implemented for treatment of feeding disorders, including behaviour modifi cation, parental education, drug therapy and nutritional supplementation. A program has been designed to help pediatricians identify and manage feeding diffi culties in infants and young children. The program involves a parental questionnaire used for evaluation and helps physicians with diagnosis and parental education. Outcomes data are still needed to test the underlying causal (...) Read more... RESOURCE LINE - Pediatric Nutrition From Breast Milk to Weaning and BeyondMay 2010 Mothers’ perception that their infant is not satisfied by breast milk alone is consistently cited as one of the top three reasons why mothers decide to stop breast-feeding, regardless of the age at which the infant is weaned, according to a US study.
HEALTH ODYSSEY - Diabetes Management Circle Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring in Diabetes: Identifying and Dismantling Barriers to AdherenceMay 2010 Studies have long indicated that maintaining normal glucose levels in patients with diabetes is critical for the prevention of diabetes-related complications. Patients must take an active interest in their own care by following an all-in-one diabetes management plan, the foundation of which is self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG). There is considerable evidence that adherence to recommended frequencies of SMBG is far from optimal but a recent survey of patients on insulin therapy has (...) Read more... Gynecological Endocrinology February 2010, Vol. 26, No. 2, Pages 81-85 Natural hormone therapy for menopauseKhalid Mahmud Innovative Directions in Health, Minneapolis, MN, USA Correspondence: Innovative Directions in Health, 4005 W, 65th Street, Suite 212, Edina, MN 55435, USA. Tel: +952-922-2345. E-mail: kmahmud@idinhealth.com Menopausal women are deficient in estrogen, progesterone, and frequently in testosterone and DHEA. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in the United States has generally consisted of one or two agents, typically equine estrogen and medroxyprogesterone, with increased risk of heart attack, stroke, dementia, and breast cancer [WHI trials]. Bio-identical hormones [chemically endogenous hormones] have gained popularity and can be mixed according to physician’s orders by compounding pharmacists in (...) Read more... Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics Volume 35 Issue 1, Pages 11 - 48 Phytotherapeutics: an evaluation of the potential of 1000 plantsG. Cravotto MD, L. Boffa PhD, L. Genzini MD and D. Garella MD Dipartimento di Scienza e Tecnologia del Farmaco, University of Turin, Turin, Italy Objective: The aim of this review is to evaluate and summarize the available scientific information on the commonest plant extracts marketed in Western countries. In view of the intense, ongoing search for new plant extracts with powerful anti-inflammatory activity, we paid particular attention to this topic. The aim is to provide broad coverage of as many potentially useful plants as possible and then to focus on those with the greatest therapeutic potential. Methods: Our bibliographic (...) Read more... Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry Volume 34, Issue 1, 1 February 2010, Pages 76-80 Ginkgo biloba for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in children and adolescents: A double blind, randomized controlled trialBahman Salehia, Reza Imanib, Mohammad Reza Mohammadib, Jalil Fallahb, Mohammad Mohammadib, Ahmad Ghanizadehc, Ali Akbar Tasviechib, Ardalan Vossoughib, Shams-Ali Rezazadehd and Shahin Akhondzadehb, , Background Although stimulants are highly effective in controlling the symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), some children will not respond to, or are intolerant of stimulants. Thus, the desire for safe and effective nonstimulant medications has risen during the past several years. Ginkgo biloba has been suggested in the treatment of dementia and memory impairment. We hypothesized that G. biloba would be beneficial for treatment of ADHD, and this could be evaluated in (...) Read more... Colorectal Disease Volume 11 Issue 7, Pages 686 - 688 The physiology of colonic hydrotherapyF. Seow-Choen Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre, Singapore Abstract Objective Colonic hydrotherapy is widely used and many of its practitioners are medically qualified. Nonetheless, the basis of many of their practices requires physiological scrutiny. Method The claims of colonic hydrotherapy are examined against known physiological facts. Results Hydrotherapy is not entirely physiological. Conclusion Colonic hydrotherapy may increase the dissemination and absorption of toxins and bacteria into the body.
Integrative Cancer Therapies, Vol. 7, No. 4, 295-310 (2008) Exogenous Proteases Confer a Significant Chemopreventive Effect in Experimental Tumor ModelsMartin Wald, MD Department of Surgery, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic, martin.wald@telecom.cz In this monograph, the chemopreventive effects of enterally administered proteases (trypsin, chymotrypsin, and papain) have been documented in a series of animal experimental tumor models. The experimental evidence demonstrates a significant inhibition of growth of both the primary tumor and the metastatic disseminations. Survival in animals treated with proteases is significantly longer than in untreated animals. The results confirm the fundamental correlation between early initiation of (...) Read more... RESOURCE LINE Pediatric NutritionSeptember 2009 Reasons for failure to initiate, persist with breast-feeding
Epilepsia Volume 50 Issue 8 , Pages 1927 - 1932 Understanding herb and dietary supplement use in patients with epilepsy*1Kitti Kaiboriboon, †Marie Guevara, and †Brian K. Alldredge *Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, California, U.S.A. ; and †Department of Clinical Pharmacy, University of California, San Francisco, California, U.S.A. ABSTRACT Objective: To determine the prevalence of herb and dietary supplement use and to provide a comprehensive analysis of factors influencing the use of these products in patients with epilepsy. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study using self-administered questionnaires in a selected group of patients who were receiving care at a tertiary epilepsy center. Logistic regression was used to measure the association between the demographic variables and herb and dietary supplement (...) Read more... HEALTH ODYSSEY Feeding Difficulties in Infants and Young Children: Tailor Interventions to Match Child BehavioursJune 2009 Miami Summit, June 2009 – Feeding difficulties in infants and young children are highly prevalent and pediatricians need to pay close attention to parental complaints in order to identify and categorize the chief problem and tailor interventions accordingly. This report presents an expert categorization of feeding difficulties and appropriate consequent treatments. Parental education and reassurance is often sufficient to resolve many feeding issues; however, providing a nutritionally (...) Read more... RESOURCE LINE Pediatric NutritionMay 2009 Increased weight, height seen in picky eaters given a nutritional supplement
HEALTH ODYSSEY - Pediatric Nutrition Enriching Infant Formulas for Optimal Health: A Review of the EvidenceMay 2009 It is well established that breast-feeding is best for all newborns. However, whether for medical or other reasons, not all mothers are able or choose to breast-feed their infant exclusively for the first six months. The alternative is an infant formula that best mimics breast milk. Formulas enriched with nucleotides help boost an infant’s naïve immune system and offer better protection against pathogens. Not all formulas contain supplemental nucleotides, however, and pediatricians who are (...) Read more... HEALTH ODYSSEY Pediatric Nutrition Resource LineMarch 2009 Short-term benefits sufficient to promote breast-feeding for all newborns
Menopause. 15(6):1157-1162, December 2008. Beneficial effects of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) on psychological symptoms and measures of sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women are not related to estrogen or androgen content.Brooks, Nicole A. BSci (Hons) 1; Wilcox, Gisela BMedSc (Hons), MD, FRACP, FRCPA 2; Walker, Karen Z. MND, PhD 3; Ashton, John F. MSc, PhD 4; Cox, Marc B. MSPH, PhD 5; Stojanovska, Lily MSc, PhD 1 Objective: To examine the estrogenic and androgenic activity of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) and its effect on the hormonal profile and symptoms in postmenopausal women. Design: Fourteen postmenopausal women completed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial. They received 3.5 g/day of powered Maca for 6 weeks and matching placebo for 6 weeks, in either order, over a total of 12 weeks. At baseline and weeks 6 and 12 blood samples were collected for the measurement of (...) Read more... Menopause. 15(6):1120-1131, December 2008. Red clover extract: a putative source for simultaneous treatment of menopausal disorders and the metabolic syndrome.Mueller, Monika MSc; Jungbauer, Alois MSc, PhD Abstract: Objective: Currently, red clover extract is used to treat menopausal disorders as an alternative to classic hormone therapy. Several human and animal studies have attributed hypolipidemic, hypoglycemic, or antiatherosclerotic effects to red clover extract or isoflavones. This study was designed to determine the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) [gamma] activation by red clover extract. Design: The PPAR[gamma] binding affinities and the transactivation activities (...) Read more... Published Online, 18 November 2008, www.theannals.com, DOI 10.1345/aph.1L319. Effects of Garlic on Blood Pressure in Patients With and Without Systolic Hypertension: A Meta-Analysis (December)Kurt M Reinhart PharmD1, Craig I Coleman PharmD2, Colleen Teevan BSPharm,3, Payal Vachhani BSPharm4, C Michael White PharmD5* BACKGROUND: Garlic has been suggested to lower blood pressure; however, studies evaluating this parameter have provided conflicting results. OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of garlic on blood pressure in patients with and without elevated systolic blood pressure (SPB) through meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials. METHODS: A systematic search of MEDLINE, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials was conducted to identify randomized controlled trials in humans (...) Read more... Journal of Affective Disorders Volume 112, Issues 1-3, January 2009, Pages 1-10 Complementary and alternative medicine for perinatal depressionMarlene P. Freeman aWomen’s Mental Health Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 6363 Forest Park, Suite 800, Dallas, TX 75235-9086, United States Introduction Perinatal Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is common and poses particular treatment dilemmas. Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) treatments are widely used, accessible, and understudied for well-defined psychiatric indications. Women are more likely than men to both suffer from MDD and use CAM. Methods A PubMed/Medline search was conducted to assess the evidence base for commonly utilized CAM treatments, MDD, and perinatal depression. Results Among CAM treatments, (...) Read more... Integrative Cancer Therapies, Vol. 7, No. 4, 311-316 (2008) Proteolytic Enzyme Therapy in Evidence-Based Complementary Oncology: Fact or Fiction?Josef Beuth, MD Systemic enzyme therapy was recently subjected to experimental investigations and to rigorous clinical studies in cancer patients. The designs of the relevant clinical cohort studies followed the guidelines of Good Epidemiological Practice and represent level IIB in evidence-based medicine (EBM). Scientifically sound experimental in vitro and in vivo investigations are far advanced and document promising immunological, anti-inflammatory, anti-infectious, and antitumor/antimetastatic (...) Read more... The Journal of Dermatology Volume 35 Issue 12, Pages 768 – 771 Effect of rosmarinic acid on atopic dermatitisJongsung LEE 1,2 , Eunsun JUNG 1 , Jassook KOH 3 , Yeong Shik KIM 2 , Deokhoon PARK 1 ABSTRACT Rosmarinic acid is known to have anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities. This study was performed to evaluate the effect of rosmarinic acid on atopic dermatitis (AD), one of the inflammatory disorders of the skin. Twenty-one subjects (14 women and seven men, 5–28 years of age) with mild AD participated in this study. Rosmarinic acid (0.3%) emulsion was topically applied to the elbow flexures of AD patients twice a day (once in the morning and once in the evening). All (...) Read more... Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental Volume 24 Issue 1, Pages 41 - 48 St. John’s wort and Kava in treating major depressive disorder with comorbid anxiety: a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled pilot trialJerome Sarris 1 *, David J. Kavanagh 2, Gary Deed 1, Kerry M. Bone 3 Abstract Objective We report the first randomised controlled trial (RCT) using a combination of St. John’s wort (SJW) and Kava for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) with comorbid anxiety. Methods Twenty-eight adults with MDD and co-occurring anxiety were recruited for a double-blind RCT. After a placebo run-in of 2 weeks, the trial had a crossover design testing SJW and Kava against placebo over two controlled phases, each of 4 weeks. The primary analyses used (...) Read more... International Dairy Journal Volume 18, Issues 10-11, October-November 2008, Pages 969-975 Probiotics and prebiotics – Progress and challengesGregor Reida, b, c, , aCanadian R&D Centre for Probiotics, F2-116, Lawson Health Research Institute, 268 Grosvenor Street, London, Ontario N6A 4V2, Canada bDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada cDepartment of Surgery, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada Abstract This is a particularly important time in the evolution of probiotic and prebiotic research. There has been strong growth in dairy food products containing probiotics and/or prebiotics, and a number of them are supported by clinical studies showing health benefits. By uncovering how probiotic and prebiotic interventions function in vivo, it will be possible to further expand dairy applications that improve general health, and in some cases provide adjunctive anti-disease benefits. (...) Read more... Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology. 42 Supplement 3, Part 1:S116-S118, September 2008. Probiotics in Critically Ill Patients.Madsen, Karen PhD Abstract: Severe sepsis with associated multisystem organ dysfunction is a leading cause of death in patients hospitalized in intensive care units. The gastrointestinal system plays a key role in the pathogenesis of multisystem organ dysfunction owing to a breakdown of intestinal barrier function and increased translocation of bacteria and bacterial components into the systemic circulation. During critical illness, alterations occur in gut microflora owing to several factors, including (...) Read more... Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology. 42 Supplement 3, Part 1:S111-S115, September 2008. Understanding Why Probiotic Therapies Can be Effective in Treating IBD.Fedorak, Richard N. MD, FRCPC * + Abstract: Probiotics, for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease, are a group of specific nonpathogenic bacteria that are functionally and genetically defined by their ability to reduce inflammation in the intestine. Although probiotics also seem to have broad beneficial effects in humans, both as a food and as a therapeutic agent, there are specific identified mechanisms in some, but not all, of these bacteria that are important relative to the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel (...) Read more... European Journal of Cancer Volume 44, Issue 13, September 2008, Pages 1799-1806 Do phytoestrogens reduce the risk of breast cancer and breast cancer recurrence? What clinicians need to knowLouiza S. Velentzisa, , , Jayne V. Woodsideb, Marie M. Cantwellb, Anthony J. Leathema and Mohammed R. Keshtgarc aUniversity College London, Department of Surgery, Breast Cancer Research Group, Charles Bell House, 67-73 Riding House Street, London W1W 7EJ, UK Abstract Oestrogen is an important determinant of breast cancer risk. Oestrogen-mimicking plant compounds called phytoestrogens can bind to oestrogen receptors and exert weak oestrogenic effects. Despite this activity, epidemiological studies suggest that the incidence of breast cancer is lower in countries where the intake of phytoestrogens is high, implying that these compounds may reduce breast cancer risk, and possibly have an impact on survival. Isoflavones and lignans are the most (...) Read more... Multiple Sclerosis, Vol. 14, No. 8, 1113-1119 (2008) Complementary and alternative medicine for multiple sclerosisS Schwarz Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, J 5, Mannheim 68159, Germany; Department of Neurology, Klinikum Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1- 3, Mannheim 68167, Germany st_schwarz@hotmail.com C Knorr Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, J 5, Mannheim 68159, Germany H Geiger AMSEL Baden-Wuerttemberg, Regerstrasse 18, Stuttgart 70071, Germany P Flachenecker Neurological Rehabilitation Center "Quellenhof", Kuranlagenallee 2, Bad Wildbad 75323, Germany We analyzed characteristics, motivation, and effectiveness of complementary and alternative medicine in a large sample of people with multiple sclerosis. A 53-item survey was mailed to the members of the German Multiple Sclerosis Society, chapter of Baden-Wuerttemberg. Surveys of 1573 patients (48.5 ± 11.7 years, 74% women, duration of illness 18.1 ± 10.5 years) were analyzed. In comparison with conventional medicine, more patients displayed a positive attitude toward complementary and (...) Read more... Journal of Digestive Diseases Volume 9 Issue 3, Pages 129 - 139 Phytoceuticals: Mighty but ignored weapons against Helicobacter pylori infectionSun-Young LEE*, Yong Woon SHIN † & Ki-Baik HAHM †‡ ABSTRACT Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection causes peptic ulcer disease, mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphomas and gastric adenocarcinomas, for which the pathogenesis of chronic gastric inflammation prevails and provides the pathogenic basis. Since the role of H. pylori infection is promoting carcinogenesis rather than acting as a direct carcinogen, as several publications show, eradication alone cannot be the right answer for preventing H. pylori-associated gastric (...) Read more... International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare Volume 6 Issue 3, Pages 311 - 320 The clinical effectiveness of Ginger (Zingiber officinale) in adults with osteoarthritisMatthew J Leach, Saravana Kumar Centre for Allied Health Evidence: a collaborating centre of the Joanna Briggs Institute, The University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia ABSTRACT Background Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease, which is associated with increased pain and disability, and a simultaneous decline in the quality of life of sufferers. While there is no cure for OA, there are numerous treatments that aim to reduce sufferers’ symptoms and disability, and improve their quality of life. Medications, which have long been integral interventions for the management of OA, have recently been found to cause harm in some patients. (...) Read more... Best Practice & Research Clinical Rheumatology Volume 22, Issue 4, August 2008, Pages 741-757 Complementary and alternative practices in rheumatologyCesar Ramos-Remus MD, MSc , a, , Director, UIECD, Professor of Rheumatology, Universidad de Guadalajara, and Attending Rheumatologist at Hospital General Regional 45, IMSS Guadalajara, México and Ashwinikumar Raut MDb, Director, Clinical Research & Integrative Medicine aColomos 2292, Providencia, Guadalajara, Jal. 44620, Mexico bMedical Research Centre of Kasturba Health Society, SJAD, 17, K. Desai Road, Ville Parle (West), Mumbai 400 056, India Hundreds of non-conventional treatment modalities have been used to treat patients with diverse diseases. Whatever term is used, non-conventional remedies, complementary medicine and/or alternative therapies (CAM), or even traditional systems of medicine, have become an increasingly prominent part of health-care utilization by the healthy general population and by patients with various diseases, even in an era of rapidly advancing medical technology. It has become a significant topic not (...) Read more... Menopause. 15(5):832-840, September 2008. Black cohosh has central opioid activity in postmenopausal women: evidence from naloxone blockade and positron emission tomography neuroimaging.Reame, Nancy E. MSN, PhD 1; Lukacs, Jane L. MSN, PhD 2; Padmanabhan, Vasantha PhD 3,4; Eyvazzadeh, Aimee D. MD 3; Smith, Yolanda R. MD, MS 3; Zubieta, Jon-Kar MD, PhD 5,6,7 Abstract: Objective: To test whether black cohosh (BC) exhibits an action on the central endogenous opioid system in postmenopausal women. Design: This was a mechanistic study conducted in the same individuals of luteinizing hormone pulsatility with a saline/naloxone challenge (n = 6) and positron emission tomography with [11C]carfentanil, a selective [mu]-opioid receptor radioligand (n = 5), before and after 12 weeks of unblinded treatment with a popular BC daily supplement. Results: BC (...) Read more... Journal of Affective Disorders Volume 111, Issues 2-3, December 2008, Pages 125-134 Is acupuncture beneficial in depression: A meta-analysis of 8 randomized controlled trials?Hao Wanga, Hong Qia, Bai-song Wanga, Yong-yao Cuia, Liang Zhua, Zheng-xing Ronga and Hong-zhuan Chen aDepartment of Pharmacology and Biostatistics, Institute of Medical Sciences, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, China Background Depression is one of the most common mental health disorders. Acupuncture is a popular complementary and alternative medicine intervention suggested in the treatment of depression, but its effectiveness is uncertain. This updated meta-analysis was conducted to more precisely assess the beneficial effect of acupuncture in depression therapy. Methods The following databases were searched: MEDLINE, EMBASE, BIOSIS, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Chinese (...) Read more... Health Odyssey Allied Health Care Professionals: A Critical Link for Detection of Ankylosing SpondylitisOctober 2008 Patients presenting with acute or chronic back pain are commonly referred to physiotherapists or treated first-line by chiropractors. Relieving pain symptoms and restoring of mobility and quality of life is key to patient satisfaction. However, the dilemma remains in differentiating back pain due to mechanical causes from that due to inflammation, which may portend the possibility of an underlying more chronic and progressive disease such as ankylosing spondylitis (AS). In patients with no (...) Read more... Health Odyssey Food Allergy in Infancy: A Practice PrimerIn the following pages, Canadian specialists share their expert opinions on how to identify infants at risk for food allergy and allergy to cow’s milk protein in particular; how to minimize that risk; and how to intervene appropriately in infants if they do develop an allergy to cow’s milk protein or symptoms of non-allergic intolerance to lactose in general. Health Odyssey was developed as an educational supplement to help guide physicians and other healthcare professionals not unfamiliar (...) Read more... Journal of Pain and Symptom Management Volume 35, Issue 5, May 2008, Pages 544-562 Chiropractic: A Critical EvaluationEdzard Ernst MD, PhD, FRCP, FRCPEd , a, aComplementary Medicine, Peninsula Medical School, Universities of Exeter & Plymouth, Exeter, United Kingdom Chiropractic was defined by D.D. Palmer as “a science of healing without drugs.” About 60,000 chiropractors currently practice in North America, and, worldwide, billions are spent each year for their services. This article attempts to critically evaluate chiropractic. The specific topics include the history of chiropractic; the internal conflicts within the profession; the concepts of chiropractic, particularly those of subluxation and spinal manipulation; chiropractic practice and research; (...) Read more... Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. May 1, 2008, 14(4): 347-349. Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Patients with Gynecologic Cancer: Is this Usage More Prevalent?Sultan Kav, R.N., Ph.D. Department of Nursing, Baskent University Faculty of Health Sciences, Ankara, Turkey Gul Pinar, R.N., M.S.N. Department of Nursing, Baskent University Faculty of Health Sciences, Ankara, Turkey Fatma Gullu, R.N. Ministry of Health, Ankara Etlik Training and Research Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ankara, Turkey Tulay Turker, R.N. Ministry of Health, Ankara Etlik Training and Research Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ankara, Turkey Sibel Elibol, R.N. Ministry of Health, Ankara Etlik Training and Research Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ankara, Turkey Nevin Dogan, R.N., M.S.N. European Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology. 20(6):506-511, June 2008. An open-label randomized controlled trial of lactulose and probiotics in the treatment of minimal hepatic encephalopathy.Sharma, Praveen a; Sharma, Barjesh C. a; Puri, Vinod b; Sarin, Shiv Kumar a Background and aim: Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) is associated with poor quality of life and increased work disability. Treatment with lactulose and probiotics has shown some benefit. We compared lactulose with probiotics and a combination of lactulose plus probiotics in the treatment of MHE. Patients and methods: One hundred and ninety cirrhotic patients without overt encephalopathy [Child’s A grade 71 patients (37.4%), Child’s B grade 72 patients (37.9%), Child’s C grade 47 (...) Read more... Pediatric Diabetes Volume 9 Issue 3pt1 Page 228-235, June 2008 Use of complementary and alternative medicine in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus – prevalence, patterns of use, and costsKaren DannemannaaHospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany, Wolfgang Heckerb*bHospital for Children and Adolescents, Olgahospital, Stuttgart, Germany*Deceased author., Holger HaberlandccHospital for Children and Adolescents, Lindenhof Hospital, Berlin, Germany, Antje HerbstddDepartment of Children and Adolescents, Hospital of Leverkusen, Leverkusen, Germany, Angela GalleraaHospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany, Thorsten SchäfereeDepartment of Social Medicine, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany, Elmar BrählerffSelbständige Abteilung für Medizi-nische Bychologie, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany, Wieland KiessaaHospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany and Thomas M Kapellen Background: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is increasingly used in adults and children. Studies on CAM in diabetes have mainly focused on the adult population and its use among children with type 1 diabetes has not been well characterized. Objectives: This study determines prevalence, parental reasons and motivations, perceived effectiveness, costs, and communication of CAM use. Moreover, caregiver-related variables associated with the use of CAM were investigated. Methods: A (...) Read more... Cancer Letters Volume 265, Issue 2, 8 July 2008, Pages 167-176 Dietary agents for chemoprevention of prostate cancerDeeba N. Syeda, Yewseok Suha, Farrukh Afaqa and Hasan Mukhtar , a, aDepartment of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin, Medical Sciences Center, Room #B25, 1300 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706, USA Prostate cancer (CaP) is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in American men, responsible for over 29,000 deaths in the year 2007. Chemoprevention is a plausible and cost-effective approach to reduce cancer morbidity and mortality through inhibition of precancerous events before the occurrence of clinical disease. Indeed, CaP is an ideal candidate disease for chemopreventive intervention as it is typically diagnosed in the elderly population with a relatively slower rate of growth (...) Read more... International Journal of Clinical Practice Volume 62 Issue 6 Page 947-954, June 2008 Effects of reiki in clinical practice: a systematic review of randomised clinical trialsM. S. Lee, M. H. Pittler, E. Ernst Complementary Medicine, Peninsula Medical School, Universities of Exeter & Plymouth, Exeter, UK Myeong Soo Lee, PhD, Complementary Medicine, Peninsula Medical School, Universities of Exeter & Plymouth, 25 Victoria Park Road, Exeter EX2 4NT, UK Introduction: The aim of this systematic review is to summarise and critically evaluate the evidence for the effectiveness of reiki. Methods: We searched the literature using 23 databases from their respective inceptions through to November 2007 (search again 23 January 2008) without language restrictions. Methodological quality was assessed using the Jadad score. Results: The searches identified 205 potentially relevant studies. Nine randomised clinical trials (RCTs) met our inclusion (...) Read more... Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology. 30(6):431-442, June 2008. Safety and Efficacy of Acupuncture in Children: A Review of the Evidence.Jindal, Vanita MD; Ge, Adeline MD; Mansky, Patrick J. MD Abstract: Acupuncture has been used therapeutically in China for thousands of years and is growing in prominence in Europe and the United States. In a recent review of complementary and alternative medicine use in the US population, an estimated 2.1 million people or 1.1% of the population sought acupuncture care during the past 12 months. Four percent of the US population used acupuncture at any time in their lives. We reviewed 31 different published journal articles, including 23 (...) Read more... Experimental Hematology Volume 36, Issue 7, Pages 773-785 (July 2008) Alternative treatment paradigm for thalassemia using iron chelatorsNatasha Szuberab, Joan L. Bussc, Shan Soe-Linab, Hady Felflyd, Marie Trudelde , Prem Ponkaab a Departments of Physiology, Medicine, and Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Objective β-thalassemia major, or Cooley’s anemia, is a red blood cell disorder requiring lifelong blood transfusions for survival. Erythrocytes accumulate toxic iron at their membranes, triggering an oxidative cascade that leads to their premature destruction in high numbers. We hypothesized that removing this proximate iron compartment as a primary treatment, using standard and alternative orally active iron chelators, could prevent hastened red cell removal and, clinically, perhaps (...) Read more... Journal of Affective Disorders Volume 110, Issues 1-2, September 2008, Pages 16-26 Complementary and alternative medicine in the treatment of bipolar disorder — A review of the evidenceCarmen Andreescua, b, Benoit H. Mulsanta, c, , and James E. Emanuela aThe Advanced Center for Interventions and Services Research for Late-life Mood Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, United States bJohn A. Hartford Center of Excellence in Geriatric Psychiatry, Pittsburgh, United States cCentre for Addiction and Mental Health and Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Canada Abstract A growing number of patients with mood disorders are using complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) interventions. In this paper, we review the published scientific evidence on the benefits and risks of CAM for the treatment of patients with bipolar disorder. Since very few studies of CAM have involved patients with bipolar disorder, most available evidence is derived from trials conducted in patients with major depressive disorder. The use of omega-3 fatty acids has been (...) Read more... The Diabetes Educator, Vol. 34, No. 4, 645-654 (2008) Review of Selected Chinese Herbal Medicines in the Treatment of Type 2 DiabetesEmily Wang, MD and Judith Wylie-Rosett, EdD, RD From the Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York. Purpose The purpose of this article is to examine how Chinese herbal medicines are used in the treatment of diabetes, focusing on potential benefits and risks. Methods Medline, expert interviews, and Internet searches were used to identify Chinese herbal medicines with antidiabetic properties and their diabetes-related health claim, proposed antidiabetic effect, adverse effects, contraindications, and drug interactions. Results Twenty-three herbs and 5 herbal formulas were selected for (...) Read more... NEONATAL NUTRITIONAL INTERVENTION For Mothers Who Cannot Breast-Feed: Choosing the Formula for Optimal Infant Growth and DevelopmentMarch 2008 Breast milk is considered optimal for healthy infant growth and development and mothers are widely encouraged to breast-feed exclusively for the first six months of life. For those mothers who cannot exclusively breast-feed or who need supplemental nutrition, considerable effort has gone into the making of infant formulas that best mimic breast milk in both quantity and quality of constituents. Unintentionally, however, some efforts, notably the addition of palm olein oil (PO), only (...) Read more... Neurologist. 14(1):2-4, January 2008. Vitamins and Stroke: The Homocysteine Hypothesis Still in Doubt.Ntaios, George C. MSc; Savopoulos, Christos G.; Chatzinikolaou, Anastasia C. MD; Kaiafa, Georgia D. PhD; Hatzitolios, Apostolos Abstract: During the last years, many epidemiologic studies have identified homocysteine as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases like coronary events, stroke, and venous thromboembolism. Supplementation with oral folate and vitamins B6 and B12 (mainly folate) reduce plasma homocysteine levels to a significant degree. Recent clinical trials showed that vitamin supplementation leads to slower progression or even regression of atherosclerotic lesions in the carotid (...) Read more... Mycoses Volume 51 Issue 1 Page 30-34, January 2008 Potent anti-microbial activity of traditional Chinese medicine herbs against Candida speciesC. Jayampath Seneviratne11Department of Oral BioSciences, Ricky W. K. Wong22Biomedical and Tissue Engineering Research Group, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Hong Kong, Prince Philip Dental Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China and Lakshman P. Samaranayake11Department of Oral BioSciences1Department of Oral BioSciences and 2Biomedical and Tissue Engineering Research Group, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Hong Kong, Prince Philip Dental Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China Summary Anti-candidial activities of eight traditional Chinese medicinal (TCM) herbs were evaluated against six different Candida species. TCM preparations were screened for antifungal activity using a standard agar diffusion assay. Following identification of potential candidate herbs, their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values were determined using the standardised NCCLS M-27A broth microdilution assay. Among TCM herbs, Rhizoma Coptidis had potent antifungal activity against (...) Read more... Pediatric Neurology Volume 38, Issue 1, January 2008, Pages 20-26 Effects of Iron Supplementation on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in ChildrenEric Konofal MD, PhD , †, , , Michel Lecendreux MD , †, Juliette Deron PhD, Mps , Martine Marchand MD‡, Samuele Cortese MD , Mohammed Zaïm MD§, Marie Christine Mouren MD and Isabelle Arnulf MD, PhD† Iron deficiency has been suggested as a possible contributing cause of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. This present study examined the effects of iron supplementation on ADHD in children. Twenty- three nonanemic children (aged 5-8 years) with serum ferritin levels 30 ng/mL who met DSM-IV criteria for ADHD were randomized (3:1 ratio) to either oral iron (ferrous sulfate, 80 mg/day, n = 18) or placebo (n = 5) for 12 weeks. There was a progressive significant (...) Read more... Dermatologic Therapy Volume 20 Issue 5 Page 330-342, September 2007 Less-known botanical cosmeceuticalsLESLIE S. BAUMANN Division of Cosmetic Dermatology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida ABSTRACT: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has become increasingly popular in the United States during the last 10–15 years. The use of oral and topical supplements falls within this framework. Most oral and topical supplements are based on or include several botanical ingredients, many of which have long histories of traditional or folk medicine usage. Several of the available products derived from botanical sources are touted for their dermatologic benefits. The focus in this (...) Read more... Therapeutic Drug Monitoring. 29(6):679-686, December 2007. Drug Interactions With Herbal Medicines.Skalli, Souad PhD *; Zaid, Abdelhamid PhD +; Soulaymani, Rachida MD * Abstract: The use of herbal medicines (HM) is on the rise among the global population. Although the safety profile of many herbal medicines is promising, accumulated data show evidence of significant interactions with medications, which can place individual patients at great risk. A range of electronic databases have been reviewed for articles published in this field: Medline, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database, HealthSTAR, AMBASE, CINHAL, Cochrane Library, as well as Internet (...) Read more... American Journal of Hematology Volume 82, Issue S12 , Pages 1147 – 1148 Iron loading and its clinical implicationsChaim Hershko * Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel*Correspondence to Chaim Hershko, Department of Hematology, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, PO Box 3235, Jerusalem, Israel The main aspects of iron loading and the consequent clinical implications described in this series of articles are summarized in this final chapter. Despite mechanisms to maintain iron homeostasis, harmful iron accumulation can occur in patients with hereditary defects of regulatory proteins, such as hepcidin, or with transfusion-dependent anemias, such as thalassemia and myelodysplastic syndromes. Identifying the role of nontransferrin bound iron in the pathogenesis of disease allows for (...) Read more... Arch Intern Med. 2007;167(20):2184-2190. Long-Term Beta Carotene Supplementation May Help Prevent Cognitive DeclineCHICAGO – Men who take beta carotene supplements for 15 years or longer may have less cognitive decline, according to a report in the November 12 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Decreases in cognitive ability—thinking, learning and memory skills—strongly predict dementia, a growing public health issue, according to background information in the article. Long-term cellular damage from “oxidative stress” may be a major factor in cognitive decline. Some (...) Read more... Urology Volume 70, Issue 4, October 2007, Pages 672-676 Onion and Garlic Intake and the Odds of Benign Prostatic HyperplasiaCarlotta Galeonea, b, , , Claudio Pelucchia, Renato Talaminic, Eva Negria, Luigino Dal Masoc, Maurizio Montellad, Valerio Ramazzottie, Silvia Franceschif and Carlo La Vecchiaa, b Objective To analyze the relationship between onion and garlic intake and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), using data from a multicenter case–control study conducted in Italy. Methods A multicenter case–control study of 1369 patients with BPH and 1451 controls, admitted to the same hospitals for a wide spectrum of acute, non-neoplastic conditions, was conducted in Italy between 1991 and 2002. Information was collected by trained interviewers using a validated and reproducible food (...) Read more... Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology Volume 120, Issue 5, November 2007, Pages 1031-1035 Is vitamin D deficiency to blame for the asthma epidemic?Augusto A. Litonjua MD, MPHa, b, c, d, , and Scott T. Weiss MD, MSa, c, d aChanning Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Mass bDivision of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Mass cCenter for Genomic Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Mass dHarvard Medical School, Boston, Mass In the 1960s, the prevalence of asthma and allergic diseases began to increase worldwide. Currently, the burden of the disease is more than 300 million people affected. We hypothesize that as populations grow more prosperous, more time is spent indoors, and there is less exposure to sunlight, leading to decreased cutaneous vitamin D production. Coupled with inadequate intake from foods and supplements, this then leads to vitamin D deficiency, particularly in pregnant women, resulting in (...) Read more... Journal of Hypertension. 25(12):2361-2369, December 2007. Intake of fruit, vegetables, and antioxidants and risk of type 2 diabetes: systematic review and meta-analysis.Hamer, Mark; Chida, Yoichi Background: The public health recommendation is to consume five or more servings of fruit and vegetables daily, but the association between the intake of fruit and vegetables and the risk of type 2 diabetes is unclear. Methods: To examine the association between the intake of fruit, vegetables, and antioxidants and the risk of type 2 diabetes, prospective cohort studies were sought, with measures of intakes at baseline and incident diabetes at follow-up. Results: Five cohort studies of (...) Read more... Clinical Journal of Pain. 23(9):744-749, November/December 2007. Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use for Arthritis Pain in 2 Chicago Community Areas.Feinglass, Joe PhD *; Lee, Chin MD, MPH +; Rogers, Michelle ND ++; Temple, Leslie Mendoza MD [S] [//]; Nelson, Cynthia MA [P]; Chang, Rowland W. MD, MPH [sharp] ** Objective: To compare the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for arthritis between 2 ethnically distinct metropolitan Chicago community areas. Methods: A telephone interview survey of adults age 45 years or above living in North (88.9% white) or South (79.7% African American) areas. Of 763 respondents, 405 reported arthritis or chronic joint symptoms and were asked about use and satisfaction with 7 CAM therapies. Differences between areas were compared with (...) Read more... International Journal of Cardiology Volume 122, Issue 1, 31 October 2007, Pages 48-51 Herbals in cardiovascular practice: Are physicians neglecting anything?Mehmet Birhan Yilmaz , a, , Osman Can Yontara, Okan Onur Turguta, Ahmet Yilmaza, Kenan Yaltaa, Muslum Gula and Izzet Tandogana aCumhuriyet University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Cardiology, Sivas, Turkey Background Herbal products have been widely used by many patients with cardiovascular problems solely expecting benefit out of them. Since, it is important to consider patients’ needs and believes to prevent breaking off the relationship of patients and physicians, we conducted a survey on patients admitted to our outpatient Cardiology department. Methods A questionnaire was prepared including 49 questions. After giving informed consent, 310 participants were enrolled into our survey. (...) Read more... Postgraduate Medical Journal 2007;83:633-637; A systematic review of randomised clinical trials of individualised herbal medicine in any indicationR Guo , P H Canter , E Ernst Peninsula Medical School, Universities of Exeter & Plymouth, Exeter, UK Aim: To summarise and critically evaluate the evidence from randomised clinical trials for the effectiveness of individualised herbal medicine in any indication. Methods: Search of electronic databases and approaches to experts in the field to identify randomised, controlled clinical trials of individualised herbal medicine in any indication. Independent data extraction and assessment of methodological quality by two authors and best evidence synthesis. Results: Three randomised clinical (...) Read more... International Journal of Clinical Practice Volume 61 Issue 10 Page 1705-1707, October 2007 Honey: nutritional and medicinal valueF. R. Khan11LLyes‘Onnen ysbyty gwynedd, NHS Trust UK, Bangor, North Wales, UK, Z. Ul. Abadin22Victoria Hospital, Blackpoll, UK, N. Rauf33Gynaecology LRH, Pakistan1LLyes‘Onnen ysbyty gwynedd, NHS Trust UK, Bangor, North Wales, UK Honey is not only used as nutrition but also used in wound healing and as an alternative treatment for clinical conditions ranging from gastrointestinal tract (GIT) problems to ophthalmic conditions. We did the literature search and found interesting facts about the nutritional and medicinal value of honey. No wonder, it is a good source of nutrition, the results of the studies prove that it also helps in wound healing. On burns, it has an initial soothing and later rapid healing effects. (...) Read more... Cancer Treatment Reviews Volume 33, Issue 5, August 2007, Pages 407-418 Impact of antioxidant supplementation on chemotherapeutic efficacy: A systematic review of the evidence from randomized controlled trialsKeith I. Blocka, b, , Amanda C. Kocha, b, , , Mark N. Meada, , Peter K. Tothya, , Robert A. Newmanc, d, and Charlotte Gyllenhaala, b, Purpose Much debate has arisen about whether antioxidant supplementation alters the efficacy of cancer chemotherapy. Some have argued that antioxidants scavenge the reactive oxygen species integral to the activity of certain chemotherapy drugs, thereby diminishing treatment efficacy. Others suggest antioxidants may mitigate toxicity and thus allow for uninterrupted treatment schedules and a reduced need for lowering chemotherapy doses. The objective of this study is to systematically (...) Read more... Arch Intern Med. 2007;167:1730-1737. Vitamin D Supplementation and Total Mortality - A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled TrialsPhilippe Autier, MD; Sara Gandini, PhD Background Ecological and observational studies suggest that low vitamin D status could be associated with higher mortality from life-threatening conditions including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes mellitus that account for 60% to 70% of total mortality in high-income countries. We examined the risk of dying from any cause in subjects who participated in randomized trials testing the impact of vitamin D supplementation (ergocalciferol [vitamin D2] or cholecalciferol [vitamin (...) Read more... Horm Metab Res 2007; 39: 627-631 The Future of Metabolic Syndrome and Cardiovascular Disease Prevention: Polyhype or Polyhope? Tales from the PolyeraO. H. Franco1, K. Karnik1, L. Bonneux21 Unilever Corporate Research, Colworth Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire, MK441LQ, UK Recently society has been witnessing the rise of a new era in the prevention and treatment of the metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease: the Polyera. This new era started when a promising concept - the Polypill - was introduced by Wald et al. in 2003. The Polypill is a theoretical combination of six pharmacological compounds (a statin, three different antihypertensives, aspirin, and folic acid) that in combination could reduce cardiovascular disease by more than 80%. Although the (...) Read more... Menopause. 14(5):905-912, September/October 2007. Soy isoflavone supplementation and fasting serum glucose and lipid profile among postmenopausal Chinese women: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.Ho, Suzanne C. PhD 1,2; Chen, Yu-ming PhD 1,5; Ho, Susan S.S. PhD 3; Woo, Jean L.F. MD 4 Objective: Long-term effects of soy-derived isoflavones on lipids remain uncertain, and few data are available on their effects on glycemic control. We examined the effects of isolated soy germ isoflavones on the changes in fasting glucose (FG) and lipids. Design: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in 203 postmenopausal Chinese women aged 48 to 62 years. They were randomly assigned to receive daily doses of 500 mg calcium, and 0 mg isoflavones (placebo, n = (...) Read more... BMJ 2007;335:340 (18 August), Probiotics for treatment of acute diarrhoea in children: randomised clinical trial of five different preparationsRoberto Berni Canani, assistant professor of paediatrics1, Pia Cirillo, paediatrician1, Gianluca Terrin, paediatrician1, Luisa Cesarano, paediatrician1, Maria Immacolata Spagnuolo, paediatrician1, Anna De Vincenzo, paediatrician1, Fabio Albano, paediatrician1, Annalisa Passariello, paediatrician1, Giulio De Marco, paediatrician1, Francesco Manguso, consultant physician in gastroenterology2, Alfredo Guarino, professor of paediatrics1 Objective To compare the efficacy of five probiotic preparations recommended to parents in the treatment of acute diarrhoea in children. Design Randomised controlled clinical trial in collaboration with family paediatricians over 12 months. Setting Primary care. Participants Children aged 3-36 months visiting a family paediatrician for acute diarrhoea. Intervention Children’s parents were randomly assigned to receive written instructions to purchase a specific probiotic product: oral (...) Read more... Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety Volume 16, Issue 9 , Pages 947 – 957 National surveillance of herbal dietary supplement exposures: the poison control center experienceBrian M. Gryzlak, MA, MSW 1, Robert B. Wallace, MD, MSc 1 *, M. Bridget Zimmerman, PhD 2, Nicole L. Nisly, MD 3 1Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa, IA, USA Purpose
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology Volume 21 Issue 8 Page 1027-1037, September 2007 A pragmatic randomized controlled trial on the effectiveness of low concentrated saline spa water baths followed by ultraviolet B (UVB) compared to UVB only in moderate to severe psoriasisT Brockow*† *Corresponding author, FBK German Institute for Health Care Research, Lindenstr. 5, 08645 Bad Elster, Germ el. +49 37437 55728; fax +49 43755777; E-mail: thomas.brockow@d-i-g.org† Spa Medicine Research Institute, Bad Elster, Germany , R Schiener‡§ ‡ Department of Dermatology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany RU Peter‡ ‡ Department of Dermatology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany Objective To evaluate whether low concentrated saline spa water baths followed by ultraviolet B (LC-SSW-UVB) are superior to UVB alone in moderate to severe psoriasis. Background There is a lack of sufficiently large randomized controlled clinical trial evaluating the additional benefit of saltwater baths followed by UVB compared to UVB only in psoriasis. Study design Partly evaluator blind, multicentre, pragmatic, randomized controlled trial. Setting Five German spa centres. Subjects (...) Read more... European Journal of Internal Medicine Volume 18, Issue 6, October 2007, Pages 456-462 Clinical aspects of cobalamin deficiency in elderly patients. Epidemiology, causes, clinical manifestations, and treatment with special focus on oral cobalamin therapyEmmanuel Andrèsa, , , Josep Vidal-Alaballb, f, Laure Federicia, Noureddine Henoun Loukilic, Jacques Zimmerd and Georges Kaltenbache Abstract The aim of this work was to review the literature concerning cobalamin deficiency in elderly patients. Articles were identified through searches of PubMed–MEDLINE (January 1990 to June 2006), restricted to: English and French language, human subjects, elderly patients (> 65 years), clinical trial, review and guidelines. Additional unpublished data from our cohort with cobalamin deficiency at the University Hospital of Strasbourg, France, were also considered. All of the papers and (...) Read more... Clinical Therapeutics Volume 29, Issue 7, July 2007, Pages 1354-1367 Efficacy and tolerability of adding prescription Omega-3 fatty acids 4 g/d to Simvastatin 40 mg/d in hypertriglyceridemic patients: An 8-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studyMichael H. Davidson MD1, , , Evan A. Stein MD, PhD2, Harold E. Bays MD3, Kevin C. Maki PhD4, Ralph T. Doyle5, Robert A. Shalwitz MD5, Christie M. Ballantyne MD6, Henry N. Ginsberg MD7 and for the COMBination of prescription Omega-3 with Simvastatin (COMBOS) Investigators Abstract Background: Patients with elevated serum triglyceride (TG) levels often have elevations in non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) levels as well. The National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATP III) has identified non-HDL-C as a secondary therapeutic target in these patients, but treatment goals may not be reached with statin monotherapy alone. Objective: This study evaluated the effects on non-HDL-C and other variables of adding (...) Read more... Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy Volume 61, Issue 7, August 2007, Pages 412-422 Interplay among oxidants, antioxidants, and cytokines in skin disorders: Present status and future considerationsMeital Portugala, Vivian Barakb, Isaac Ginsburgc and Ron Kohena, Abstract The pathogenicity of skin disorders involves a complexity of physiological, immunological, environmental, and genetic phenomena. This review focuses on cross-talks between two main agents, the oxidants and cytokines network, which have recently been found to play important roles in the pathophysiology of a large variety of skin disorders, including carcinogenesis, UVB irradiation damages, inflammatory processes, and a series of diseases such as, psoriasis, pyoderma gangrenosum, (...) Read more... Liver International Volume 27 Issue 7 Page 879-890, September 2007 Traditional Chinese herbal medicines for treatment of liver fibrosis and cancer: from laboratory discovery to clinical evaluationJohn M. Luk11 Department of Surgery, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong*, Xiaoling Wang44 Department of Cell Biology, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China*, Ping Liu44 Department of Cell Biology, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China, Kwong-Fai Wong11 Department of Surgery, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, Kwong-Leung Chan11 Department of Surgery, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, Yao Tong33 School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, Chi-Kin Hui22 Department of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, George K. Lau22 Department of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong and Sheung-Tat Fan11 Department of Surgery, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Liver disease afflicts over 10% of the world population. This includes chronic hepatitis, alcoholic steatosis, fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which are the most health-threatening conditions drawing considerable attention from medical professionals and scientists. Patients with alcoholism or viral hepatitis are much more likely to have liver cell damage and cirrhosis, and some may eventually develop HCC, which is unfortunately, and very often, a fatal malignancy (...) Read more... Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice Volume 13, Issue 3, August 2007, Pages 194-200 Complementary and alternative therapies: Survey of knowledge and attitudes of health professionals at a tertiary pediatric/women’s care facilityJanis Browna, , , Elizabeth Cooperb, , Lyn Franktonb, 1, Michelle Steeves-Wallb, , Jane Gillis-Ringb, Wanda Barterc, Ann McCabed, and Conrad Fernandeze, f, aDepartment of Interdisciplinary Research, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, NS, Canada bDivision of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Department of Nursing, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, NS, Canada cDepartment of Nutrition, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, NS, Canada dWomen’s and Newborn Health, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, NS, Canada eDepartment of Pediatrics, Hematology/Oncology, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, NS, Canada fDalhousie University, School of Medicine, Sir Charles Tupper Medical Building, 5849 University Avenue, Halifax, NS, Canada B3H 4H7 Summary Nurses, physicians, and allied health professionals at the IWK Health Centre, Halifax, NS, Canada, a tertiary care, regional center for a population of 2.5 million were surveyed. We examined personal attitudes and professional practice in addressing the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use by patients. We also examined the availability of CAM-related information to health professionals. The findings suggest that health professionals: (1) are supportive of the use (...) Read more... Acta Oncologica, Volume 46, Issue 6 2007 , pages 717 - 722 Qigong for cancer treatment: A systematic review of controlled clinical trialsAuthors: Myeong Soo Lee a; Kevin W. Chen b; Kenneth M. Sancier c; Edzard Ernst a Abstract Qigong is a mind-body integrative exercise or intervention from traditional Chinese medicine used to prevent and cure ailments, to improve health and energy levels through regular practice. The aim of this systematic review is to summarize and critically evaluate the effectiveness of qigong used as a stand-alone or additional therapy in cancer care. We have searched the literature using the following databases from their respective inceptions through November 2006: MEDLINE, AMED, (...) Read more... Menopause. 14(4):624-629, July/August 2007. Effect of 6 months of exercise and isoflavone supplementation on clinical cardiovascular risk factors in obese postmenopausal women: a randomized, double-blind study.Aubertin-Leheudre, Mylene MSc 1,2; Lord, Christine MSc 1; Khalil, Abdelouahed PhD 1,3; Dionne, Isabelle J. PhD 1,2 Objective: To investigate whether 6 months of exercise combined with isoflavone supplementation could improve clinical risk factors that predispose to cardiovascular disease in obese postmenopausal women. Design: This was a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial in which 50 healthy obese postmenopausal women were divided into two groups and assigned to isoflavone supplementation (n = 25) or a placebo (n = 25) for 1 year. For the last 6 months, both groups participated in an exercise (...) Read more... Menopause. 14(4):648-655, July/August 2007. Effects of the phytoestrogen genistein on hot flushes, endometrium, and vaginal epithelium in postmenopausal women: a 1-year randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.D’Anna, Rosario MD 1; Cannata, Maria Letizia MD 1; Atteritano, Marco MD 2; Cancellieri, Francesco MD 1; Corrado, Francesco MD 1; Baviera, Giovanni PhD 1; Triolo, Onofrio MD 1; Antico, Francesco MD 1; Gaudio, Agostino MD 2; Frisina, Nicola MD 2; Bitto, Alessandra MD 3; Polito, Francesca PhD 3; Minutoli, Letteria MD 3; Altavilla, Domenica PhD 3; Marini, Herbert MD 4; Squadrito, Francesco MD 3 Abstract: Objective: To evaluate in a 12-month, prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study whether pure administration of the phytoestrogen genistein (54 mg/d) might reduce the number and severity of hot flushes in postmenopausal women with no adverse effect on the endometrium. Design: A total of 389 participants met the main study criteria and were randomly assigned to receive the phytoestrogen genistein (n = 198) or placebo (n = 191). About 40% of participants in (...) Read more... Menopause. 14(4):612-623, July/August 2007. Cross-sectional analysis of specific complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use by racial/ethnic group and menopausal status: the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN).Gold, Ellen B. PhD 1; Bair, Yali PhD 1; Zhang, Guili PhD 1; Utts, Jessica PhD 2; Greendale, Gail A. MD 3; Upchurch, Dawn PhD 4; Chyu, Laura MA 4; Sternfeld, Barbara PhD 5; Adler, Shelley PhD 6 Abstract: Objective: To examine the relationships of race/ethnicity, menopausal status, health characteristics, and symptoms with use of 21 types of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in midlife women. Design: Cross-sectional, multiple logistic regression analyses of 2,118 women completing the sixth annual visit in the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation, a multisite, multiethnic, longitudinal study. Results: More than half of women used some type of CAM. Use of most (...) Read more... Update on Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Infant Development: Weighing the Evidence for ActionJune 2007 June 2007 - Within the medical community there is still considerable debate over whether a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids supports optimal neurodevelopment in the fetus. This debate has arisen largely because there remains a need for high-quality research to support the consumption of omega-3 either from seafood or from supplementation in pregnant and lactating women. The Australian government has set aside approximately $4 million to test the effect of omega-3 long-chain fatty acids on (...) Read more... The Lancet: Infectious Disease Volume 7, Issue 7, July 2007, Pages 473-480 Evaluation of echinacea for the prevention and treatment of the common cold: a meta-analysisSachin A Shah PharmDa, c, Stephen Sander PharmDa, c, C Michael White PharmDa, c, Mike Rinaldi PharmDa, b and Dr Craig I Coleman PharmDa, c, , Summary Echinacea is one of the most commonly used herbal products, but controversy exists about its benefit in the prevention and treatment of the common cold. Thus, we did a meta-analysis evaluating the effect of echinacea on the incidence and duration of the common cold. 14 unique studies were included in the meta-analysis. Incidence of the common cold was reported as an odds ratio (OR) with 95% CI, and duration of the common cold was reported as the weighted mean difference (WMD) with (...) Read more... Antiviral Research Volume 75, Issue 3, September 2007, Pages 179-187 Plant lectins are potent inhibitors of coronaviruses by interfering with two targets in the viral replication cycleEls Keyaertsa, Leen Vijgena, Christophe Pannecouqueb, Els Van Dammec, Willy Peumansc, Herman Egberinkd, Jan Balzarinib, , and Marc Van Ransta, , Abstract We describe the antiviral activity of plant lectins with specificity for different glycan structures against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and the feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV) in vitro. The SARS-CoV emerged in 2002 as an important cause of severe lower respiratory tract infection in humans, and FIPV infection causes a chronic and often fatal peritonitis in cats. A unique collection of 33 plant lectins with different specificities were (...) Read more... HIV Medicine Volume 8 Issue 5 Page 300Issue 5 - 305 - July 2007 Use of complementary and alternative medicines among a multistate, multisite cohort of people living with HIV/AIDSJS Josephs11Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, , JA Fleishman22Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD, and , P Gaist33National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA and KA Gebo11Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, for the HIV Research Network Objective The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of and factors associated with use of complementary or alternative medicine (CAM) in a multistate, multisite cohort of HIV-infected patients. Methods During 2003, 951 adult patients from 14 sites participated in face-to-face interviews. Patients were asked if they received treatment from any alternative therapist or practitioner in the previous 6 months. Logistic regression was performed to examine associations between demographic (...) Read more... Complementary Therapies in Medicine Volume 15, Issue 2, June 2007, Pages 128-138 The in vitro evidence for an effect of high homeopathic potencies—A systematic review of the literatureClaudia M. Witta, , , Michael Bluthb, Henning Albrechtc, Thorolf E.R. Weißhuhna, Stephan Baumgartnerd and Stefan N. Willicha aInstitute for Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité University Medical Center, D-10098 Berlin, Germany bKlinik für Tumorbiologie, D-Freiburg/Br, Germany Objective Systematic assessment of the in vitro research on high potency effects. Method Publications of experiments were collected through databases, experts, previous reviews, citation tracking. Inclusion criteria: stepwise agitated dilutions 10−23; cells or molecules from human or animal. Experiments were assessed with the modified SAPEH score. Results From 75 publications, 67 experiments (1/3 of them replications) were evaluated. Nearly 3/4 of them found a high potency effect, and (...) Read more... Complementary Therapies in Medicine Volume 15, Issue 2, June 2007, Pages 84-91 Differences in perceived risks and benefits of herbal, over-the-counter conventional, and prescribed conventional, medicines, and the implications of this for the safe and effective use of herbal productsNatalie Lyncha and Dianne Berryb, , aSchool of Psychology, University of Reading, UK bPro-Vice-Chancellor’s Office, University of Reading, Whiteknights House, Reading RG6 6AH, UK Objectives To investigate people’s views about the efficacy and specific risks of herbal, over-the-counter (OTC) conventional, and prescribed conventional medicines, and their likelihood of taking a second (herbal or OTC conventional) product in addition to a prescribed medicine. Methods Experiment 1 (1 factor within-participant design); Experiment 2 (1 factor between-participant design). Convenience samples of general population were given a hypothetical scenario and required to make a (...) Read more... Future Oncology June 2007, Vol. 3, No. 3, Pages 307-318 Phytoestrogens: perpetrators or protectors?Jan HJ Martin , Stephen Crotty & Paul N Nelson University of Wolverhampton, Research Institute of Healthcare Science, Wulfruna Street, Wolverhampton, WV1 1SB, UK. j.martin@wlv.ac.uk Research Institute of Healthcare Science, Wulfruna Street, Wolverhampton, WV1 1SB, UK. s.j.crotty@wlv.ac.uk Research Institute of Healthcare Science, Wulfruna Street, Wolverhampton, WV1 1SB, UK. p.n.nelson@wlv.ac.uk Phytoestrogens are estrogen-like substances produced by plants that account for some of the constituents present in vegetation that may be responsible for the health benefits of a diet rich in fruit and vegetables. Phytoestrogens have a plethora of different actions that they are capable of exerting on cellular metabolism. This review will focus on some of the major nonestrogen receptor-mediated cellular effects used by phytoestrogens and will draw attention to the fact that while they may (...) Read more... BJU International Volume 100 Issue 1 Page 199Issue 1 - 203 - July 2007 Phytoestrogens from Belamcanda chinensis regulate the expression of steroid receptors and related cofactors in LNCaP prostate cancer cellsPaul Thelen , Thomas Peter , Anika Hünermund , Silke Kaulfuß**Institute of Human Genetics and , Dana Seidlová-Wuttke††Department Clinical and Experimental Endocrinology, Georg-August-University, Göttingen, Germany , Wolfgang Wuttke††Department Clinical and Experimental Endocrinology, Georg-August-University, Göttingen, Germany , Rolf-Hermann Ringert and Florian Seseke Department of Urology, *Institute of Human Genetics and †Department Clinical and Experimental Endocrinology, Georg-August-University, Göttingen, Germany OBJECTIVE To investigate the changes in expression underlying the marked reduction of tumour growth in vivo, by analysing the effect of Belamcanda chinensis extract (BCE) on LNCaP cells in vitro, as phytoestrogens are chemopreventive in prostate cancer, and in previous studies we examined the effects of the isoflavone tectorigenin isolated from B. chinensis on LNCaP prostate cancer cells, and a BCE consisting of 13 phytoestrogenic compounds on tumour-bearing nude mice. MATERIALS AND (...) Read more... The Lancet Volume 369, Issue 9576, 2 June 2007-8 June 2007, Pages 1876-1882 Efficacy of folic acid supplementation in stroke prevention: a meta-analysisProf Xiaobin Wang MDa, , , Xianhui Qin MSb, Hakan Demirtas PhDc, Jianping Li MDd, Guangyun Mao MDb, Prof Yong Huo MDd, Prof Ningling Sun MDe, Prof Lisheng Liu MDf, g and Prof Xiping Xu MDc aMary Ann and J Milburn Smith Child Health Research Program, Children’s Memorial Hospital and Children’s Memorial Research Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA Background The efficacy of treatments that lower homocysteine concentrations in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease remains controversial. Our aim was to do a meta-analysis of relevant randomised trials to assess the efficacy of folic acid supplementation in the prevention of stroke. Methods We collected data from eight randomised trials of folic acid that had stroke reported as one of the endpoints. Relative risk (RR) was used as a measure of the effect of folic acid (...) Read more... JAMA. 2007;297:2351-2359. Folic Acid for the Prevention of Colorectal AdenomasBernard F. Cole, PhD; John A. Baron, MD; Robert S. Sandler, MD; Robert W. Haile, DrPh; Dennis J. Ahnen, MD; Robert S. Bresalier, MD; Gail McKeown-Eyssen, PhD; Robert W. Summers, MD; Richard I. Rothstein, MD; Carol A. Burke, MD; Dale C. Snover, MD; Timothy R. Church, PhD; John I. Allen, MD; Douglas J. Robertson, MD; Gerald J. Beck, PhD; John H. Bond, MD; Tim Byers, MD, MPH; Jack S. Mandel, PhD, MPH; Leila A. Mott, MS; Loretta H. Pearson, MPhil; Elizabeth L. Barry, PhD; Judy R. Rees, BM, BCh, MPH, PhD; Norman Marcon, MD; Fred Saibil, MD; Per Magne Ueland, MD; E. Robert Greenberg, MD; for the Polyp Prevention Study Group Context Laboratory and epidemiological data suggest that folic acid may have an antineoplastic effect in the large intestine. Objective To assess the safety and efficacy of folic acid supplementation for preventing colorectal adenomas. Design, Setting, and Participants A double-blind, placebo-controlled, 2-factor, phase 3, randomized clinical trial conducted at 9 clinical centers between July 6, 1994, and October 1, 2004. Participants included 1021 men and women with a recent history (...) Read more... Ontario Association of Naturopathic DoctorsCanadian Association of Naturopathic DoctorsFuture Lipidology June 2007, Vol. 2, No. 3, Pages 313-339 Nutritional and nutraceutical considerations for dyslipidemiaCesare R Sirtori , James W Anderson & Anna Arnoldi University of Milano, Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Italy. cesare.sirtori@unimi.it University of Kentucky, Medical Science Building, Lexington (KY), USA. jwandersmd@aol.com University of Milano, Department of Agri-Food Molecular Sciences, Italy. anna.arnoldi@unimi.it Improved nutritional habits are a major target in the treatment of dyslipidemias and atherosclerosis prevention. A number of newer approaches have been developed in the last few years, leading to a better knowledge of nutrients as well as of novel functional foods, supplements or nutraceuticals, which may provide an alternative to lipid-lowering drugs. Functional foods are fortified or enriched products with potential health benefits, whereas nutraceuticals can be defined as diet (...) Read more... Future Lipidology June 2007, Vol. 2, No. 3, Pages 263-270 Omega-3 fatty acid ethyl esters (Omacor®) for the treatment of hypertriglyceridemiaDeepak Bhatnagar & Fatima Hussain The Royal Oldham Hospital, Rochdale Road, Oldham, OL1 2JH, UK. deepak.bhatnagar@pat.nhs.uk; d.bhatnagar@manchester.ac.uk Royal Sussex County Hospital, Eastern Road, Brighton, BN2 5BE, UK. timmy_fh@hotmail.com Omacor® is a highly purified fish oil preparation whose main ingredients are the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid in the form of ethyl esters. Omacor decreases serum triglyceride and very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels predominantly by its action on the liver, where its component fatty acids form a poor substrate for triglyceride synthesis. Omacor is useful in the treatment of mild-to-moderate hypertriglyceridemia. It has little effect on (...) Read more... Journal of Women’s Health May 2007, Vol. 16, No. 4: 481-488. Phytoestrogens and Coronary Microvascular Function in Women with Suspected Myocardial Ischemia:CARL J. PEPINE, M.D.,1 GREGORY O. VON MERING, M.D.,1 Aims: Soy phytoestrogens are popular, but information on their coronary effects in patients with suspected ischemic heart disease is limited. Accordingly, we investigated the relationship between blood phytoestrogen levels and coronary reactivity in women with suspected myocardial ischemia referred for coronary angiography. Methods: Coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) and volumetric flow reserve (VFR) to adenosine (ADO) and nitroglycerin (NTG) (nonendothelial-dependent responses) and (...) Read more... The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine May 2007, Vol. 13, No. 4 : 451 -460 Searching for CAM Evidence: An Evaluation of Therapy-Specific Search StrategiesKaren Pilkington, M.Sc. School of Integrated Health, University of Westminster, London, United Kingdom. Objectives: The aim of this investigation was to explore the effectiveness of search strategies developed to identify trials of specific complementary therapies in a range of clinical conditions. Design: All primary studies included in a series of systematic reviews were identified. An analysis of the original source of the study and search term(s) by means of which the study had originally been retrieved was carried out. Each study was then searched for in each of 6 databases (AMED, (...) Read more... Arch Intern Med. 2007;167:1060-1067. Effect of Soy Nuts on Blood Pressure and Lipid Levels in Hypertensive, Prehypertensive, and Normotensive Postmenopausal WomenFrancine K. Welty, MD, PhD; Karen S. Lee, MD; Natalie S. Lew, BA; Jin-Rong Zhou, PhD Background Epidemiologic studies suggest a low incidence of cardiovascular disease in populations that consume dietary soy. For people aged 40 to 70 years, each increment of 20 mm Hg in systolic blood pressure (BP) or 10 mm Hg in diastolic BP doubles the risk of cardiovascular disease for BPs of 115/75 to 185/115 mm Hg. Methods To determine the effect of soy nuts on systolic and diastolic BP and lipid levels, 60 healthy postmenopausal women were randomized in a crossover design to a (...) Read more... The Journal of Integrative Medicine On-LineRCCMOffice of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine (OCCAM)National Advisory Council for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NACCAM)National Center on Complementary and Alternative Medicine of the National Institutes on HealthExpanded Dictionary of Metaphysical Healthcare, Alternative Medicine, Paranormal Healing, and Related MethodsM. D. Anderson Resources on Complementary/Integrative Cancer TherapiesInternational Health NewsThe Integrative Medicine AllianceAmerican Cancer Society Herbs, Vitamins, and MineralsHerbalGramEnerChiHealthEvidence-based Complementary and Alternative MedicineBotanical Medicine in Modern Clinical PracticeHERBAL MEDICINEAlternative Medicine ConferencesTownsend Letter, the Examiner of Alternative MedicineAlternative Medicine Articles in All Recent JournalsSchools, Training and Licensure: Internet Resources: Alternative MedicineAlternative Health NewsComplementary and Alternative Medicine in Cancer TreatmentModernized Chinese Medicine International AssociationComplementary & Alternative Medicine AssociationsThe Canadian College of Naturopathic MedicineCcmadoctors.caCanadian Society for International HealthThe Alternative Medicine College of CanadaHealth Canada Natural Health ProductsHealth Canada Regulations Amending the Food and Drug Regulations (Nutrition Labelling, Nutrient Content Claims and Health Claims)European Neuropsychopharmacology Volume 17, Issues 6-7 , May-June 2007, Pages 440-447 Omega-3 fatty acid monotherapy for pediatric bipolar disorder: A prospective open-label trialJanet Wozniaka, b, , , Joseph Biedermana, b, Eric Micka, b, James Waxmonskyc, Liisa Hantsood, Catherine Beste, Joanne E. Cluette-Browne and Michael Laposatae aPediatric Psychopharmacology Research Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States bDepartment of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States cDepartment of Psychiatry, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, United States dDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States eDepartment of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States Background: To test the effectiveness and safety of omega-3 fatty acids (Omegabrite® brand) in the treatment of pediatric bipolar disorder (BPD). Method: Subjects (N = 20) were outpatients of both sexes, 6 to 17 years of age, with a DSM-IV diagnosis of BPD and Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) score of > 15 treated over an 8-week period in open-label trial with omega-3 fatty acids 1290 mg–4300 mg combined EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). Results: Subjects (...) Read more... The American Journal of Cardiology Volume 99, Issue 7 , 1 April 2007, Pages 930-933 Self-Reported Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Patients With Previous Acute Coronary SyndromeCarole Decker RN, PhDa, b, , , Jason Huddleston DOc, Mikhail Kosiborod MDa, c, Donna M. Buchanan PhDa, Casey Stoner MAa, Angela Jones MSa, Sudeshna Banerjee MDd and John A. Spertus MD, MPHa, c Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use is common in patients with cardiovascular disease. Although numerous efforts have sought to understand CAM types and the prevalence of CAM, whether patients preferentially use CAM instead of evidence-based therapies is unknown. Self-reported use of CAM and evidence-based therapies in a prospective registry of hospitalized patients with acute coronary syndrome from March 1, 2001 to October 31, 2002 were examined. Poisson regression models were (...) Read more... The Lancet Volume 369, Issue 9567 , 31 March 2007-6 April 2007, Pages 1090-1098 Effects of eicosapentaenoic acid on major coronary events in hypercholesterolaemic patients (JELIS): a randomised open-label, blinded endpoint analysisDr Mitsuhiro Yokoyama MDa, , , Hideki Origasa PhDb, Masunori Matsuzaki MDc, Yuji Matsuzawa MDd, Yasushi Saito MDe, Yuichi Ishikawa MDf, Shinichi Oikawa MDg, Jun Sasaki MDh, Hitoshi Hishida MDi, Hiroshige Itakura MDj, Toru Kita MDk, Akira Kitabatake MDl, Noriaki Nakaya MDm, Toshiie Sakata MDn, Kazuyuki Shimada MDo, Kunio Shirato MDp and for the Japan EPA lipid intervention study (JELIS) Investigators Background Epidemiological and clinical evidence suggests that an increased intake of long-chain n-3 fatty acids protects against mortality from coronary artery disease. We aimed to test the hypothesis that long-term use of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) is effective for prevention of major coronary events in hypercholesterolaemic patients in Japan who consume a large amount of fish. Methods 18 645 patients with a total cholesterol of 6·5 mmol/L or greater were recruited from local physicians (...) Read more... Digestive and Liver Disease Volume 39, Issue 4 , April 2007, Pages 293-304 Herbal medicine in the treatment of liver diseasesF. Stickela, , and D. Schuppanb aInstitute of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Berne, Murtenstrasse 35, CH-3010 Berne, Switzerland bDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Beth Israel Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA Herbal drugs have become increasingly popular and their use is widespread. Licensing regulations and pharmacovigilance regarding herbal products are still incomplete and clearcut proof of their efficacy in liver diseases is sparse. Nevertheless, a number of herbals show promising activity including silymarin for antifibrotic treatment, phyllantus amarus in chronic hepatitis B, glycyrrhizin to treat chronic viral hepatitis, and a number of herbal combinations from China and Japan that (...) Read more... Cardiology in Review. 15(3):116-122, May/June 2007. Nutriceuticals in Cardiovascular Disease: Psyllium.Petchetti, Lavanya MD *; Frishman, William H. MD +; Petrillo, Richard MD *; Raju, Kolanuvada MD * In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the use of dietary fiber in health maintenance and disease prevention. A deficiency of fiber in the Western diet may be contributing to the current epidemics of diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease (CAD), and colonic cancer. The awareness of fiber as a dietary supplement may have contributed to the reported 30% decline in death rate from CAD observed over the past 15 years. Psyllium is a soluble gel-forming fiber that has been (...) Read more... Antiviral Therapy 2007; 12: 285-295 Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B and C: a reviewApurva A Modi, Elizabeth C Wright and Leonard B Seeff Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has been used for centuries in China and Japan to treat various illnesses, including viral hepatitis. Several therapeutic approaches constitute CAM, the most relevant for this review being the use of herbals. However, profound disagreements exist between conventional and alternative medicine practitioners regarding their value. Western medical advocates cite deep concerns about the purity of most herbals because of lack of standardized (...) Read more... Menopause. 14(3):541-549, May/June 2007. Botanical and dietary supplements for mood and anxiety in menopausal womenGeller, Stacie E. PhD 1,2; Studee, Laura MPH 1 Objective: This paper reviews the commonly used botanicals for treatment of mood and anxiety disorders in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women and presents information on their safety and efficacy. Design: The MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched for clinical trials related to the use of botanicals for depression, anxiety, and mood disturbances. Papers were excluded if they were in a language other than English, did not include midlife women as study participants, or did not (...) Read more... Menopause. 14(3):481-488, May/June 2007. Effects of soy protein isolate and moderate exercise on bone turnover and bone mineral density in postmenopausal women.Evans, Ellen M. PhD; Racette, Susan B. PhD; Van Pelt, Rachael E. PhD; Peterson, Linda R. MD; Villareal, Dennis T. MD Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the independent and additive effects of soy protein isolate (SPI) and moderate-intensity exercise (EX) on bone turnover and bone mineral density (BMD). Design: This study used a placebo-controlled, double-blind (soy), randomized 2 (SPI vs milk protein isolate [MPI]) x 2 (EX vs no EX) design. Sixty-one postmenopausal women were randomized, and 43 (62 +/- 5 y) completed the 9-month intervention (SPI, n = 10; MPI, n = 12; SPI + EX, n = 11; MPI + (...) Read more... Menopause. 14(3):468-473, May/June 2007. Isoflavone treatment for acute menopausal symptoms.Cheng, Guojun MD, PhD 1; Wilczek, Brigitte MD, PhD 2; Warner, Margaret PhD 1; Gustafsson, Jan-Ake MD, PhD 1; Landgren, Britth-Marie MD, PhD 2 Objective: The onset of climacteric symptoms (hot flashes and night sweats) is the primary reason for perimenopausal women to start hormone therapy. The association of a lower incidence of postmenopausal symptoms with high intake of soybeans in Asian women suggests that phytoestrogens are an alternative to estrogen therapy. The main effective compounds in soybean are isoflavones, which have a higher binding affinity to estrogen receptor [beta] than to estrogen receptor [alpha]. The aim of (...) Read more... Journal of Psychiatric Research Volume 41, Issue 10, November 2007, Pages 828-836 The beneficial effects of the herbal medicine Free and Easy Wanderer Plus (FEWP) for mood disorders: Double-blind, placebo-controlled studiesZhang-Jin Zhanga, , , Wan-Hu Kangb, Qiang Lib and Qing-Rong Tanc Abstract Our previous study has shown the beneficial effects of the herbal medicine called Free and Easy Wanderer Plus (FEWP) as adjunctive therapy with carbamazepine (CBZ) in the 12-week treatment of bipolar disorders (Zhang ZJ, Kang WH, Tan QR, Li Q, Gao CG, Zhang FG, et al., Adjunctive herbal medicine with carbamazepine for bipolar disorders: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. J Psychiatr Res; 2005). Here, we present follow-up data obtained from a continuation of the (...) Read more... Clinical & Experimental Allergy Volume 37 Issue 6 Page 808 - June 2007 The efficacy of amino acid-based formulas in relieving the symptoms of cow’s milk allergy: a systematic reviewD. J. Hill, S. H. Murch, K. Rafferty, P. Wallis, C. J. Green (2007) The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the efficacy of amino acid-based formulas (AAF) in patients with cow’s milk allergy (CMA). Studies were identified using electronic databases and bibliography searches. Subjects eligible for inclusion were patients of any age with CMA or symptoms suggestive of it. Comparisons of interest were AAF vs. extensively hydrolysed formula (eHF), AAF vs. soy-based formula (SF) and AAF vs. cow’s milk or cow’s milk-based formula. Outcomes of interest (...) Read more... North American Research Conference on Complementary and Integrative Medicine New Frontiers in Complementary and Integrative MedicineEdmonton, Alberta / May 24-27, 2006 Edmonton - The Consortium of Academic Health Centers for Integrative Medicine consists of global experts in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Integrative care or integrative medicine modalities combine CAM therapies with more traditional biomedical care, and their use continues to expand. Many changes and benefits of CAM “whole systems” interventions are not captured in the current definitions of health outcome measures. The changes in the meaning of health and wellness for (...) Read more... 27th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research Essential Role of Vitamin D in the Management of OsteoporosisNashville, Tennessee / September 23-27, 2005 Nashville - Often overlooked in the prevention and management of osteoporosis, vitamin D inadequacy in fact plays a major role in the bone-wasting condition and the risk of associated fractures. Because it stimulates calcium absorption, inadequate levels of vitamin D lead to impaired calcium absorption and a compensatory increase in parathyroid hormone, resulting in increased bone resorption and accelerated bone loss (Prince et al. J Bone Miner Res 1995;10(6):835-42, Brazier et al. J Bone (...) Read more... |
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