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091091-Trying To Get Pregnant? Be Mindful of Time, Money

admin — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 13:33:56 +0000

Editor’s Note: Ohio State University Medical Center is taking its research interactive and wants to hear from you about what you’ve tried to improve your chances of conceiving.

Visit http://osumcnews.wordpress.com/hot-topic/infertility/ to share your story. You can comment anonymously.

(COLUMBUS, Ohio) – More than a thousand babies are born every day on average in the month of September*, making it one of the busier months in maternity departments. But for all of those women who are having babies, there are millions more who keep trying. For some women, getting pregnant can be a long and frustrating experience, and a new study shows that many of them are looking for help in some unconventional ways.

Kim Browning is one such example. She tried for years before she was finally able to get pregnant with her first child and when she decided to have another, she turned to acupuncture to improve her chances.

“It really helped me feel like I was doing everything that I could, mentally. Physically, you don’t notice that big of a difference, so mentally it was really helpful for me,” says Kim.

Kim is not alone. A sampling of women conducted by experts at Ohio State University Medical Center and recently published in the Journal of Reproductive Medicine shows that two out of three women include some form of alternative treatment in their hopes of getting pregnant.**

Whether it’s something as simple as prayer, as ancient as acupuncture or learning to relax in yoga class, a majority of women say they want to do something to help the process along.

“Both men and women would like to feel that they are more active in being able to control the timing of pregnancy and anything that gives them a sense of control, of empowerment, is going to be important to them,” says Jonathan Schaffir, MD of Ohio State University Medical Center.

Ohio State experts say that, while there may be little scientific proof that methods like these actually work, most are relatively harmless, with one exception. If you’re turning to vitamins and supplements to improve your odds of getting pregnant, make sure your doctor knows.

“It’s amazing the people that will tell me they’re taking several supplements and even more amazing when I’ll ask what’s in them and they’ll have no idea what they’re taking,” says Beth Kennard, MD, of Ohio State University Medical Center.

The best advice? Take a team approach and keep your doctor informed of every method you consider for you can both agree on the best way to spend your time – and money.

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091092-Genetic Tests More Available, But No Less Complex

admin — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 13:31:23 +0000

(COLUMBUS, Ohio) – Genetic testing used to be reserved only for those were were almost certain to get diseases like cancer. Now, almost anyone can request a genetic test from their doctor and more people than ever are getting them, but should they? Some genetics experts caution that testing isn’t for everyone and reading the results shouldn’t be left to just anyone.

It was during her first-ever mammogram that Cori Williams learned that she may have early signs of breast cancer. If she does, Cori caught it early, thanks to another appointment she made months ago with a genetic counselor who told her then to start her mammograms now.

“What they found was very tiny, but by the time it would have formed into something that I could have felt, it might have been too late since, because of my age, I wouldn’t have had a mammogram unless I actually felt something,” says Cori.

Because of a strong family history of cancer Cori, like a growing number of women, decided to get a genetic test at her doctor’s office. It turns out that she has mutated genes known as BRCA1 and BRCA2, but knowing exactly what that meant wasn’t clear, until she came to Ohio State University’s Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute.

“We not only take into account that genetic test result, that one piece of paper, but also the family history and the medical history, so it’s a much more complete evaluation and it’s a much more complete risk assessment,” says Amy Sturm, a genetic counselor at Ohio State’s Comprehensive Cancer Center.

If tests who that you have mutated versions of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, your odds of getting breast cancer jump to 85 percent and your kids will have a 50 percent risk.

Sturm says that genetic test at your doctor’s office might offer some insight, but may not tell the whole story. Tests may come back negative with these two specific areas, and if the results aren’t read thoroughly they might give some women a false sense of security.

“This person might still have a strong family history of breast cancer that they do need to be concerned about. That strong family history of breast cancer may just not be caused by BRCA 1 or BRCA 2,” says Sturm.

Before you decide whether or not you need a test, sit down and outline your family tree in detail. If there is a strong family history, talk to your doctor to see if a test is right for you. Above all, Cori recommends, remember that getting results and reading them are two different things, and that you should consider who does each.

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091093-Kids Aren’t Lying, School Really CAN Be A Headache

admin — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 13:28:47 +0000

(COLUMBUS, Ohio) – If you’ve got a child heading back to school, they’ve probably told you what a pain this time of year can be for them. Most kids are probably just complaining, but some may have a valid point. Doctors say they see more headaches, and more severe cases this time of year, just as kids are heading back to class.

Peyton Green used to dread this time of year; the stress of school and homework often left him with agonizing migraine headaches.

“They start with a pain in my stomach, sort of like a stomach ache, and then it will develop from there. My eyes will hurt, and I’ll be really sensitive to light and sound and I just have a throbbing pain in my head,” Peyton says of the headaches.

Peyton used to get them up to two or three times a week, often forcing him to miss school. And he’s not the only one: it’s estimated that more than 20 million kids* suffer from migraines or painful tension headaches** and when they go back to school, the numbers go up.

“For various reasons, we definitely see an uptick in our headache problems right now,” says Ann Pakalnis, MD, who runs the headache clinic at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

Dr. Pakalnis cites several reasons why kids tend to get more headaches this time of year. First is a lack of sleep. Switching from summer schedules to school hours can be tough, and using caffeine to compensate for it can make things worse. Dr. Pakalnis has published a study that shows kids who have migraines often have restless sleep and can show signs of depression.***

But be careful treating these headaches. Taking too much medication can make headaches worse.

“It’s very important that the parents discuss that with the children and realize that if they are taking medication that frequently, then the headaches really do need to be evaluated thoroughly,” says Dr. Pakalnis.

Peyton’s migraines are now being controlled with special medication.

Before writing off a child’s pain as an excuse, doctors say parents need to do their homework to know when it’s time to see a doctor. If your child complains often about headaches or begins to miss out on fun activities, pay attention. If the headache seems to come from the back of the head or neck, it’s probably a good idea to get them checked out.

Sources:
*USA Quick Facts, 2008 United States Census Bureau, retrieved August 209 from: http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/00000.html

**Headaches in Children and Adolescents, Nationwide Children’s Hospital Headache Clinic, 2008, retrieved August 2009 from:http://www.nationwidechildrens.org (key word: headache clinic).

***Serotonin Effects on Sleep and Emotional Disorders in Adolescent Migraine, Headache, National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Institutes of Health, March 2009. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19486363?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

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091083-’Stomach Pacemakers’ Help Kids Keep Food Down

admin — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:41:00 +0000

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091082-Doctors To Use ‘Trained’ Stem Cells To Heal Heart

admin — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 14:50:28 +0000

(COLUMBUS, Ohio) – After suffering two heart attacks and undergoing two surgeries, Bob Chirico does what he can to keep his heart strong – making it a point to exercise every day.

“I get about four miles on the bike. And I get off the bike and I don’t really have any problems. I have no angina, no shortness of breath,” says Bob.

But for Bob and millions of people who survive heart attacks, the damage is already done. Once you lose heart muscle, it’s gone for good. But scientists at Ohio State University Medical Center are working to change that.

In lab tests, they’re injecting stem cells from adult bone marrow into areas of the heart that have lost blood supply, to try and get the heart to heal itself.

“And these stem cells, when there is injury to the heart, will go to that area of the heart – or to a limb, or any areas with inadequate blood supply – and promote or stimulate your body to grow its own new blood vessels,” says Vincent Pompili, MD of Ohio State.

But in damage areas of the heart, normal stem cells don’t stand much of a chance. In fact, 96% of them die within four days.* They just don’t get enough oxygen.

So scientists at Ohio State are taking another approach. They’re now bathing stem cells in drugs that train them how to survive in tissue with less oxygen.

“And we found there was a phenomenal benefit in doing the pre-condition, or pre-training the cells,” says Periannan Kuppusamy, PhD of Ohio State.

It has worked well enough that doctors will soon begin injecting the pre-trained stem cells into heart attack patients as they arrive at the hospital.

And the best part is they’ve found a way to give the cells through an IV – so doctors don’t have to inject them directly into the heart.

Scientists are getting these stem cells from adult bone marrow – and say they are adapting well in heart tissue.

A typical injection will contain around 200-million cells – in the hopes that at least some will survive and begin to grow new blood vessels in the damaged heart.

Sources:

*Pharmacological Preconditioning of Mesenchymal Stem Cells with Trimetazidine (1-[2,3,4-Trimethoxybenzyl]piperazine) Protects Hypoxic Cells against Oxidative Stress and Enhances Recovery of Myocardial Function in Infarcted Heart through Bcl-2 Expression, The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Vol. 329, No. 2, July 2009.

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091081-Take Vitamins & Supplements? Take Precautions

admin — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 14:29:09 +0000

(COLUMBUS, Ohio) – After being diagnosed with a brain tumor, Debbie Tncza not only took her doctor’s orders, but took vitamins and supplements to help. And every step of the way she made sure her husband and doctor knew what she was taking and how much.
“At one time, I had chemo and radiation and I was having blood work every week. And he received my blood work, also – it would go straight out to him, too. And he’s say ‘I want you to adjust this … change this,” says Debbie.

It’s estimated more than 40% of cancer patients like Debbie take vitamins or supplements to help with their care.* The problem is, many of us, cancer patients or not, don’t tell our doctors what we’re taking – and that may be dangerous.

Clay Marsh, MD is the director of the Center for Personalized Health Care at Ohio State University Medical Center. He says while many doctors encourage patients to take an active role in their health by taking vitamins and supplements, there are issues. Some can interfere with medicine – and taking too much of certain vitamins can be dangerous.

“Some of the fat soluble vitamins like Vitamin A for instance, or Vitamin E can sometimes have detrimental effects because the build up in our bodies and they can actually cause problems,” says Dr. Marsh.

Problems with things like bone density, hemorrhaging, and even birth defects.**

Dr. Marsh says you should research the vitamins and supplements you’re interested in and talk to your doctor about all of them, before taking any of them.

Experts say if you are undergoing surgery or are trying to get pregnant, it’s especially important to talk to your doctor.

Supplements like garlic, ginko biloba and ginseng can increase your risk of bleeding – and too many Vitamin D supplements can cause abnormal heart beats.

Sources:

* A Population-based Study of Prevalence of Complementary Methods Use by Cancer Survivors: A Report From the American Cancer Society’s Studies of Cancer Survivors, Cancer, Volume 113, Issue 5, September 1, 2008, Pages: 1048-1057
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/121370084/abstract

**Diet Supplement Fact Sheet, National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements, retrieved July 2009 from:
http://ods.od.nih.gov/Health_Information/Information_About_Individual_Dietary_Supplements.aspx

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092871-Kids Hurt in Tubs and Showers At a Surprising Rate

admin — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 13:34:30 +0000

(COLUMBUS, Ohio) – A new national study finds kids are being hurt in bathtubs and showers at a surprising rate.* You might think scalding or near drownings would be the most common threat in the bathroom, but they’re not.

Experts at Nationwide Children’s Hospital say slips and falls are far more common, sending more than 43,000 kids a year to the emergency department. That’s an average of 120 kids every day who are hurt in the tub or shower.* In most cases, parents are watching their kids, but it doesn’t matter.

“Unfortunately, adult supervision isn’t enough to prevent these injuries, they happen so quickly that a parent simply can’t react quickly enough to prevent them. Therefore it is important to prevent them from happening by using a slip resistant mat inside and outside the bath and shower,” says Gary Smith, MD, with Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Center for Injury Research and Policy.

Smith suggests installing support bars so kids can hold onto them when getting in and out of the tub and shower. Also make sure there are no sharp edges they can fall against.

In the study publishing in the August issue of the journal Pediatrics, researchers say most injuries occur to children under age 4, and most often to the face.

“That is because young children, the ones typically injured in bathtubs and showers, they tend topple forward, they have a high center of gravity, and they tend to strike their head and their face, and that ends up with injures such as lacerations,” says Smith.

Experts at Nationwide Children’s Hospital are calling on manufacturers to use more slip-resistant materials when making bathtubs and showers. They say that could cut the number of injuries significantly.

Source: *Injuries Associated with Bathtubs and Showers Among Children in the United States, Pediatrics, Volume 124, Number 2, August 2009.

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091073-A Vaccine for Ear Infections Without the Needle

admin — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:25:16 +0000

(COLUMBUS, Ohio) – Even when she’s well, little Cammy Barber doesn’t like getting her ears checked – and for good reason. She’s only nine months old and has already had eight ear infections. And her mom, Coleen Barber, will tell you, treating them isn’t always easy.

“The shots are awful to see the child have to get, but even the medicine alone, they don’t like the flavor of it, at this age, it’s hard to sneak it into anything,” says Coleen.

So scientists at Nationwide Children’s Hospital are working on an alternative involving just a single drop of liquid. A drop that’s not injected or even swallowed, but simply rubbed onto the outside of the ear. And best of all, it’s a vaccine designed to stop ear infections before they ever start.

Experts say it could someday help kids everywhere, especially those with no other alternatives. And lab test are promising.

“It was extremely effective. So we’re very excited about the ability to maybe immunize without needles and deliver this vaccine to the poorest children in the world,” says Lauren Bakaletz, PhD, a researcher at Nationwide Children’s hospital who developed the vaccine.

Dr. Bakaletz says it works by activating cells just under the surface of the skin, called dendritic cells. When this liquid touches the skin, it touches off a response throughout the body.

“These cells deliver it to the lymphoid organs where it can generate an immune response. So really harnessing a power that’s there all the time, but you’re doing it in a way that’s now directed toward a specific disease,” says Dr. Bakaletz.

Dr. Bakaletz, who is also with the Ohio State University, says work still needs to be done before the vaccine is tested on kids – but if someday could help babies like Cammy live more care-free, pain-free lives.

It is estimated that 83% of all kids get ear infections before their third birthday** and another child gets an ear infection every 2.3 seconds in this country.* In fact, it is the number one reason kids are taken to the emergency department.**

Sources:

*New Vaccines Against Otitis MEdia: Projected Benefits and Cost-effectiveness, Pediatrics, Vol. 123 No. 6, June 2009, retrieved from: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/123/6/1452

** A Novel Transcutaneous Immunization Regimen Elicits a Mucosal and Systemic Immune Response That Confers Protection Against Nontypeable Haemophilus Influenzae-induced Otitis Media, Laura Novotny, Lauren Bakaletz, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, presented at the American Society of Microbiology General Meeting, May 2009

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091072-Study: Stress Feeds Cancer, Beta Blockers May Help

admin — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:13:49 +0000

(COLUMBUS, Ohio) – Just a few years ago, Dick Bill wasn’t sure if he would get to spend any more time with his grandkids. After a lifetime in the sun, Dick had a life-altering bout with melanoma – and emerged a different man.

“I changed my whole lifestyle, because I think I got a second chance. I got a wake up call. I quit smoking, I quit drinking, I started exercising,” says Dick.

By making those changes, Dick has lowered his stress level considerably, which not only helps him enjoy life more, but may also help keep his cancer in check.

“Studies have shown that psychological stress affects the immune system, and in that way, that’s the mechanism by which cancers are able to progress,” says Eric Yang, PhD of the James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute.

And studies by Dr. Yang of Ohio State’s comprehensive Cancer Center prove it. In the lab, scientists added human stress hormones to tumors and saw the number of cancerous proteins increase by nearly two thousand percent.* The more stress hormones, the more likely cancer cells are to grow.

Then scientists tried something novel.

Using common drugs called beta blockers, they reversed that process. Beta blockers kept stress hormones away and kept tumors from growing.*

best of all, they are drugs that have already been in use some 30 years and helped millions of people with other conditions such as high blood pressure.

“It’s a common drug, it’s not toxic, people take blood pressure medication all the time. That’s exactly what people take – we take beta blockers if you have high blood pressure and it’s perfectly innocuous,” says Ronald Glaser, PhD.

That could help speed up human trials. In the meantime, the more that patients like Dick Bill work to decrease their stress, the more they might increase their odds of beating melanoma.

Scientists at Ohio State say other cancers such as cancers of the head and neck, ovarian cancer and multiple types of myeloma may show a similar responses to beta blockers.

While it is a promising approach, there is no word yet on human trials.

Sources:

*Norepinephrine upregulates VEGF, IL-8, and IL-6 expression in human melanoma tumor cell lines: Implications for stress-related enhancement of tumor progression, Brain, Behavior and Immunity, Volume 23, Issue 2, February 2009, pages 267-275.

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091071-Lab Test: Inject Genes into the Brain, Fat Disappears

admin — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:08:11 +0000

(COLUMBUS, Ohio) – It’s estimated two out of three Americans are now overweight or obese* – and spend about $60 billion a year to try and change it.** But someday losing weight might be as quick as a single injection – but this one wouldn’t be in the arm – it would be in the brain.

It was Doctor Matthew During, MD, PhD of Ohio State University Medical Center who developed the concept – using a gene in lab mice known as BDNF.

“We’re putting in a normal, healthy copy of the gene that’s already there, but just giving it the instructions to turn it on so that gene is now what we call being expressed,” says Dr. During.

And when it is expressed, that gene helps control not only how much the animals eat but how efficiently they burn calories.

Clinical trials involving mice yielded impressive results. Within an hour of injection, insulin levels in the mice dropped by a third. Within weeks of injection, the mice shed half their weight. All from a single injection.***

Dr. During says going directly into the brain works best – and it’s a technique already in use.

For years, surgeons have implanted devices in the brain to help with everything from Parkinson’s Disease to depression. And some day, During says, he could see the same for weight loss.

“We do the surgery and drop in the gluid and it takes an hour or two. The patient then has a follow-up scan four four to six hours later, if everything looks healthy on the brain, we send them home,” says Dr. During.

While human tests have yet to start, the approach could someday be a viable option for people like Tammy Murray. Even though she’s committed to exercising and eating righ, she knows how easy it can be to get sidetracked.

“When months go by, you get further and further away from your goal, your weight creeps up, your bad habits increase and you’re back where you started,” says Murray.

But these injections would be permanent and scientists say the results would be too.

Scientists also say that there is a safety mechanism built into the injection that can shut down the gene therapy if anything goes wrong.

Dr. During hopes to take his idea to the FDA for human studies within the next 12 to 18 Months.

Sources:

*Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity Among Adults, National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, April 2006, retrieved from: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/pubs/pubd/hestats/overweight/overwght_adult_03.htm

**The U.S. Weight Loss & Diet Control Market, (9th edition), Marketdata Inc. April 2007, retrieved from: http://www.prwebdirect.com/releases/2007/4/preweb520127.php

***Molecular therapy of obesity and diabetes by a physiological autoregulatory approach, Nature Medicine, Volume 15, Number 4, April 2009.

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