A cancer drug called bosutinib may inhibit the growth of cysts in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN). The findings point to a potential new treatment strategy for affected patients, but the long-term benefits remain to...
Post
ECSTASY could treat post-traumatic stress disorder: Illegal party drug is given the green light for trials in the mental-health condition
Ecstasy, or MDMA, has received ‘breakthrough status’ by the FDA for PTSD trials This means there is substantial evidence the ‘medication’ could benefit sufferers MDMA is thought to dampen down PTSD triggers, allowing them to be overcome Past studies show 61 out of 107 patients do not have symptoms one year later Assuming sufficient funding, the...
Post
Inclisiran lowers ‘bad’ cholesterol for up to 1 year
Inclisiran lowers low-density lipoprotein (LLD “bad” cholesterol for up to one year in patients with high cardiovascular risk and elevated LDL cholesterol, according to late-breaking results from the ORION 1 trial presented today in a Hot Line LBCT Session at ESC Congress. “The ease of dosing – small volume subcutaneous injections twice a year most...
Post
Compounds in cocoa may help delay onset of type 2 diabetes
What if eating chocolate helped prevent and treat diabetes? It’s crazy enough to laugh off. But here’s the thing: BYU researchers have discovered certain compounds found in cocoa can actually help your body release more insulin and respond to increased blood glucose better. Insulin is the hormone that manages glucose, the blood sugar that reaches...
Post
PATHWAY-2 uncovers main cause of drug-resistant hypertension, finds old drugs work best
Salt retention is the main culprit behind drug-resistant hypertension (RHTN), with older diuretic medications being the most effective treatment, according to new results from the PATHWAY-2 study. The research, presented at ESC Congress today, “will change clinical practice across the world and will help improve the blood pressure and outcomes of our patients with resistant...
Post
CO2 laser + platelet-rich plasma promising treatment for vitiligo
Rania Abdelghani, M.D., from Al-Azhar University in Cairo, and colleagues randomly assigned 80 adult patients with localized non-segmental vitiligo to receive four treatment options: fractional CO2 laser, PRP, combined fractional CO2 laser and PRP, or combined fractional CO2 laser and narrowband ultraviolet B (NB-UVB)—all for two months. The researchers found that the laser and PRP group achieved the best results...
Post
Osteoarthritis: Could this algae extract lead to a cure?
Osteoarthritis is a joint disease, characterized by the breakdown of the joint cartilage. This condition has, so far, been considered incurable, and treatments are only symptomatic. However, new research points to a substance extracted from brown algae as holding the potential to cure osteoarthritis. Modified chemical extracts from the Laminaria hyperborea algae (shown here) have...
Post
Gene therapy with BMP4 protects against weight gain and insulin resistance in mice
“By increasing BMP4, we can increase the metabolic rate, but we only see this in initially lean mice. Overweight mice proved to have a BMP4 resistance, which is also an important finding,” says Jenny Hoffmann, first author of the article and active at the Lundberg Laboratory for Diabetes Research. She recently earned her PhD in...
Post
Studies reveal how shingles vaccine should be used in arthritis patients
New research indicates that the live varicella-zoster vaccine—which is given to protect against shingles—elicits robust immune responses in patients when administered several weeks prior to the start of treatment with the arthritis drug tofacitinib. The Arthritis & Rheumatology findings are encouraging because patients with rheumatoid arthritis have a higher risk of developing shingles than other adults, and...
Post
PCSK9 inhibition could ameliorate cardiovascular disease by immune mechanisms
Barcelona, Spain – 28 Aug 2017: PCSK9 inhibition could ameliorate atherosclerosis and thus cardiovascular disease by immune mechanisms that are unrelated to lowering of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, according to research presented today at ESC Congress.1 T cells and dendritic cells are common in atherosclerotic plaques. Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory process in which activation of...