Telephone interviews conducted by researchers at Boston University in Massachusetts point to parents as a significant contributor to poor asthma control in their children. Continue reading Parents as a risk factor for poor asthma control
Monthly Archives: August 2009
Prompted voiding for urinary incontinence
Researchers from the VA Medical Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota reviewed treatments for nursing home residents with urinary incontinence.
Prompted voiding used alone and combined with exercise were associated with modest short-term improvement in daytime urinary incontinence. Continue reading Prompted voiding for urinary incontinence
American Academy of Pediatrics’ position on CAM
The Task Force on Complementary and Alternative Medicine has published a review of everything a pediatrician ever wanted to know about CAM.
Here are just a few of the highlights. Continue reading American Academy of Pediatrics’ position on CAM
Supplements and prostate health
Is there benefit in prostate cancer, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and prostatitis? Continue reading Supplements and prostate health
Is it risky taking antioxidants during cancer treatment?
Researchers from Columbia University in New York City looked at the evidence in breast cancer patients. Continue reading Is it risky taking antioxidants during cancer treatment?
No human evidence that aequorin prevents dementia
A company called Quincy Bioscience sells a product containing aequorin (Prevagen) that it promotes as “the first supplement to address aging through the restoration of calcium-binding proteins.”
A reader asked what I’ve heard about this product, which contains aequorin (Aequorea victoria), a calcium-binding protein found in the jellyfish. Continue reading No human evidence that aequorin prevents dementia
The role of exercise in migraine treatment
Researchers from the University for Regensburg in Bayern, Germany reviewed the evidence. Continue reading The role of exercise in migraine treatment
Chest physiotherapy after upper abdominal surgery
 Researchers from the Universidade de São Paulo in Brazil evaluated the effectiveness of chest physiotherapy during the immediate postoperative period among patients who had elective upper abdominal surgery. Continue reading Chest physiotherapy after upper abdominal surgery
Short sleep duration and coronary artery calcification
Coronary artery calcification is the accumulation of calcified fatty deposits on the inside of the arteries that supply blood to the heart. Their presence is a predictor of future coronary heart disease. Researchers from the University of Chicago in Illinois report that sleeping longer is associated with lower calcification.
Let’s review the research and reviews from 2008 that looked at CAM options to treat insomnia. Continue reading Short sleep duration and coronary artery calcification
1 year on the Mediterranean diet
Researchers in the PREDIMED (Prevencion con Dieta Mediterranea) Study in Spain report a reduction in the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in older adults who followed the traditional Mediterranean diet enriched with nuts for just 1 year. Continue reading 1 year on the Mediterranean diet
Traditional Indian medicine for HIV/AIDS
Reviewers from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland assessed the quality of scientific articles on traditional Indian medicine for HIV/AIDS treatment and care. Continue reading Traditional Indian medicine for HIV/AIDS
Caution: Moisturizing creams in breast cancer patients
 Dr. Adrienne Olson of Breastlink in Rancho Palos Verdes, California reported during the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium that breast cancer patients might unknowingly expose themselves to estrogen by using certain skin moisturizers.
Yet, none of these products listed the estrogenic hormones among their ingredients. Continue reading Caution: Moisturizing creams in breast cancer patients
Yoga benefits in healthy pregnant women
 Researchers from Swami Vivekananda Yoga Research Foundation in Bangalore, India measured the effect of yoga on perceived stress. Continue reading Yoga benefits in healthy pregnant women
Lack of evidence for aromatherapy in dementia
 That’s the conclusion by reviewers from Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust in Kent, UK. Continue reading Lack of evidence for aromatherapy in dementia
Ginkgo biloba interacts with midazolam
In addition to interacting with midazolam (Versed for sedation and anxiety), researchers from the FDA and the NIH studied ginkgo’s effect on the combination of lopinavir/ritonavir (Kaletra, Aluvia for HIV/AIDS).
But only the midazolam interaction with ginkgo biloba appeared to be significant for patients. Continue reading Ginkgo biloba interacts with midazolam
Omega-3 and cardiovascular disease
 Based on studies in tens of thousands of patients, researchers from New Orleans and Baltimore suggest daily targets for treatment with omega-3. Continue reading Omega-3 and cardiovascular disease
Cost-effectiveness of natural supplements
 Researchers from the University of Toronto, in Ontario reviewed the evidence. Continue reading Cost-effectiveness of natural supplements
Black cohosh to manage menopausal symptoms
Reviewers from the University of Florida, College of Medicine in Jacksonville assessed the evidenced. Continue reading Black cohosh to manage menopausal symptoms
Benefits of massage on pregnancy and infants
Researchers from the University of Miami Medical School, in Florida reported benefits in mothers and their offspring. Continue reading Benefits of massage on pregnancy and infants
Does pomegranate interact with blood thinners?
 In this patient, it appears there was greater “blood thinning” effect when pomegranate was taken with warfarin (Coumadin), according to this report. Continue reading Does pomegranate interact with blood thinners?