A study conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital and the University of Michigan and published in this months issue of Arthritis and Rheumatism found that there are differences in the pain processing centers of the brain in patients with fibromyalgia when compared to others without the disease.

Researchers performed MRIs of the brain on patients and non patients and found that those suffering from fibromyalgia had more activity and connectivity in regions of the brain that perform pain processing.

Up until about ten years ago many doctors didn’t know what to think about fibromyalgia and many didn’t think that it even existed as a disease process. The feeling was that the pain was secondary to psychological problems that usually accompany the problem. It’s possible that this study will be an important part of the puzzle in understanding this confusing disease. bjmdjd

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Arthritis and Rheumatism · fibromyalgia · Massachusetts General Hospital · MRI of the brain · Univ. of Michigan

A study conducted at Stanford University School of Medicine and published earlier this month in the online version of the Journal of Clinical Oncology states that men who take various common medications can have a deceptively lower PSA Level when being screened for prostate cancer.

The study stated that men who take statins to lower their cholesterol, non – steroidal anti - inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for pain, and thiazide diuretics for fluid buildup and high blood pressure may have lower PSA levels than men who don’t take these drugs. It was noted that the affects of these drugs on PSA levels are greater the longer the drugs are taken.

The clinical implications of these findings are not known at this time without further study. Does the affect lower the believability of PSA in prostate cancer screening or do these drugs actually decrease the likelihood of developing the disease? No one knows for sure.

If you or someone you know takes these drugs and is being screened for prostate cancer using a PSA level they might want to discuss these results with their doctor. bjmdjd

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Journal of Clinical Oncology · NSAIDs · PSA · Stanford Univ. School of Medicine · statins · thiazide diuretics

You might feel that you are in pretty decent shape except for that few extra inches around your mid section. However, a study printed in the current issue of Archives of Internal Medicine begs to differ. Waist size in older adults is a mortality risk factor regardless of the all important body mass index (BMI).

The authors concluded that regardless of an older adults weight they should pay close attention to their waist circumference to avoid earlier mortality.

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Archives of Internal Medicine · body mass index (BMI) · health · waist circumference · wellness

There has long been a concern over the possible cardiac risks of taking certain non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs. So much so that Vioxx was actually removed from the market in 2004. A report outlining the results of a study from Denmark was included in the latest issue of the AARP Bulletin.

The study which was originally reported in the June 8th online edition of the American Heart Association’s Circulation showed that even the short term use of NSAIDs in healthy men and women is associated with an increase in heart attacks and stroke. Previous studies had shown the same association but in patients with already existing heart disease.

The researchers found that ibuprofen had a 29% increase in the risk of fatal or non fatal stroke. Diclofenac (Voltaren) had almost double the risk of death from heart disease. Celebrex results were inconclusive while the results for Naprosyn (Alleve) revealed that it might be a safer alternative to the other drugs. 

Patients requiring chronic use of these meds for arthritis or other aches and pains might want to discuss these findings with their doctor. bjmdjd

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AARP Bulletin · Alleve · Celebrex · Circulation · diclofenac · ibuprofen · Naprosyn · Non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs · NSAIDs · risk of heart attack and stroke · Voltaren

A new study from the Internal Medicine Dept. at the University of Michigan published in the journal Gastroenterology suggests that there is currently over use of surveillance colonoscopies in low risk patients and an under use in high risk patients. The study took into consideration cost effectiveness, mortality, and the unpleasant nature of the procedure.

The results of this study don’t really address screening colonoscopies but surveillance procedures in those people with known precancerous polyps. If you fall into this category you might want to discuss with your gastroenterologist how often you have follow up procedures done. bjmdjd

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Gastroenterology (journal) · precancerous polyps · surveillance colonoscopies

A Canadian study published last week online in the Lancet listed the ten risk factors associated with 90% of the risk of stroke. They are:

1. hypertension (high blood pressure)
2. current smoking
3. waist to hip ratio (an indicator of health that compares the size of the waist to the size of the hips)
4. diet
5. alcohol intake
6. regular exercise
7. diabetes
8. stress and depression
9. heart problems
10. lipids (elevated cholesterol or other fat problems in the blood)

All ten risk factors applied to ischemic stroke (the most common kind of stroke which is caused by  the interruption of blood flow like from a clot) while the first five applied to intracerebral hemorrhagic stroke (the kind where there is bleeding in the brain).

The study suggested that specifically treating these ten risk factors could greatly decrease the number of strokes that occur. Something to think about when planning on what you need to do to overall improve your health.  bjmdjd

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ischemic stroke. hemorrhagic stroke · risks of stroke · The Lancet

I’ve heard all of my life that it was harmful to hold in your anger and that it was just better to let it out. There may be some proof for certain people that this is true.

Research published in the latest issue of the American Journal of Cardiology says that for people with coronary artery disease holding in anger is associated with a higher risk of heart attack and cardiac death.

It was noted by the authors of the study that there may be a great deal of anger in patients who outwardly appear to be well adjusted and without anger. With the increased likelihood of cardiac events these patients require recognizing and possibly treating from a mental health standpoint. bjmdjd

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American Journal of Cardiology · anger · cardiac death · heart attack

While writing one of the installments for my radio show this past weekend I came across some alarming statistics concerning tanning booth use and melanoma. I’ve known about the possible connection for some time but it really struck me as to what a serious problem this is. And unfortunately the most affected group appears to be young females who might not be making decisions based on the most reliable information. Couple this with a dose of feeling bullet proof and you’ve got a recipe for disaster.

A recent study from the University of Minnesota found that there is strong evidence that ”indoor tanning increases the risk for melanoma and should be avoided.” In 2006 the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer stated that there was only a weak association between indoor tanning and the risk of developing melanoma. Recently the group changed their stance and now calls tanning devices carcinogenic.

The tanning industry is a big money maker and of course they refute the findings of the latest study saying that the lead researcher was not a neutral party. One of the main concerns of the authors was the same as mine. That the main users of the indoor tanning devices are teens. The study noted that in looking at 116 American cities the average number of tanning salons surpassed the average number of Starbucks or McDonalds!

To tan or not to tan. Indoor tanning appears to be a serious public health problem. As mentioned by the authors of the study it needs to be addressed in schools much like obesity and smoking. There is talk of possibly making it unlawful for anyone below the age of 18 to use tanning salons. At least not without parental consent. Do we need more laws or just allow common sense to prevail? While I hate more laws it doesn’t appear that common sense is working very well.  bjmdjd

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indoor tanning · melanoma · tanning booths · University of Minnesota

The big story in the news today is the results of a new study published in Pediatrics journal which shows a possible connection between pesticide exposure and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Pesticides now join a growing list of possible causes of the popular diagnosis including too much television exposure and simply over diagnosis.

The Harvard study measured the pesticide levels in the urine of 1,139 children between the ages of 8 and 15 years old. Through caretaker interviews it was found that 150 children with positive urine tests carried the diagnosis of ADHD. The higher the pesticide level the more likely the child was to have the disorder.

It is important to note that while the study does show a possible connection it is only one study and much more work and research needs to be done to make a definite correlation. The authors of the study recommended buying organic products and washing all fruits and vegetables well before eating.  bjmdjd

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ADHD · fruits and vegetables · Harvard study · Pediatrics journal · pesticide and ADHD connection · pesticides

For many years it was felt that nuts were an unhealthy snack. More recently many kinds of nuts have been found to be better for you than originally thought.

A recent study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine revealed that eating almost any kind of nut lowers total cholesterol levels and the bad kind LDL. The amount of lowering was found to be dependent on how many nuts were consumed. The authors of the study said that the risk of coronary artery disease was almost 40% lower in folks who ate at least four servings of nuts per week compared to those who rarely or never ate them.

It does seem that the benefits of eating nuts on cholesterol lowering was better in those who started with higher cholesterol levels. This study seems to support the 2003 statement by the Food and Drug Administration that the consumption of certain types of nuts might lower the risk of heart disease. The nuts mentioned at that time by the FDA included almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios, walnuts, and peanuts.  bjmdjd

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Archives of Internal Medicine · coronary artery disease · Food and Drug Administration · nuts can lower cholesterol