Avastin may increase risk of neural bleeding and stroke in patients with glioblastoma multiforme, physicians say Sep 19, 2008
Genentech is planning on conducting a randomized clinical trial of Avastin in patients with glioblastoma multiforme, based on the high tumor response rate and tumor free progression that was seen in studies to date, Mass said. Genentech recognizes the importance of further evaluating Avastin in a randomized Phase III clinical trial in glioblastoma, the spokesperson said. (FT.com -- Markets)
Role For Gefitinib In Asian Nonsmokers With Lung Cancer Established Sep 17, 2008
19, 2005) Researchers have closed a randomized clinical trial comparing gefitinib (IressaTM) vs. placebo following chemotherapy and radiation for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). . (Science Daily)
Walking helps older brains Sep 4, 2008
"To our knowledge, this is the first randomized clinical trial being published" on exercise and brain function in older adults with problems, said the lead author Dr. Nicola Lautenschlager of the University of Melbourne. "It's an important piece in that it's the first intervention in people with memory complaints that's showing some potential benefit," said Dr. Raj Shah, director of the memory clinic at Rush University Medical Center. (Casper Star-Tribune, WY)
Brisk walking helps seniors' memory problems Sep 3, 2008
"To our knowledge, this is the first randomized clinical trial being published" on exercise and brain function in older adults with problems, said the lead author Dr. Nicola Lautenschlager of the University of Melbourne. Don't miss this on msnbc. (MSNBC -- Health)
Hydrating Kidney Patients With Sodium Bicarb Has Little Effect Sep 3, 2008
Previous animal studies and one randomized clinical trial have suggested that hydration with sodium bicarbonate may be effective in preventing contrast-induced neuropathy. A new study in the Sept. 3 Journal of the American Medical Association looked at 353 people with moderate to severe kidney disease who were undergoing coronary angiography. (Health-Finder)
September Ophthalmology research highlights Sep 2, 2008
The Complications of Age-Related Macular Degeneration Prevention Trial (CAPT) was a multicenter randomized clinical trial (conducted from 1999 to 2005) that investigated whether low-intensity laser treatment could prevent vision loss in patients with early stage age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The advanced stages of AMD destroy the macula in the eyes retina, the area that normally provides the detailed, central vision we rely on for reading, driving and other daily tasks. (EurekAlert!)
Sequential Doxorubicin And Zoledronic Acid Have Powerful Anti-Tumor Effect In Vivo Aug 15, 2008
8, 2008) Adding the drug docetaxel to anthracycline-based chemotherapy slightly improved disease-free survival in breast cancer patients, according to a randomized clinical trial published in the Journal of. . (Science Daily)
Gummy Bears That Fight Plaque Jul 29, 2008
Xylitol gummy bear snacks: a school-based randomized clinical trial. BMC Oral Health, (in press). (Science Daily)
Gummy bears good for children's teeth Jul 26, 2008
Xylitol gummy bears snacks: a school-based randomized clinical trial. Kiet A Ly , Christine A Riedy , Peter Milgrom , Marilynn Rothen , Marilyn C Roberts and Lingmei Zhou. (BioMed Central)
Scientists learn how food affects the brain Jul 13, 2008
" Controlled meal-skipping or intermittent caloric restriction might provide health benefits, he said. Excess calories can reduce the flexibility of synapses and increase the vulnerability of cells to damage by causing the formation of free radicals. Moderate caloric restriction could protect the brain by reducing oxidative damage to cellular proteins, lipids and nucleic acids, Gmez-Pinilla said. The brain is highly susceptible to oxidative damage. Blueberries have been shown to have a strong... (EurekAlert!)
'Directed Thinking' Increases Time Spent Exercising Jun 26, 2008
11, 2005) The amount of exercise may be more important than intensity to improve cardiovascular health, according to a new analysis of the first randomized clinical trial evaluating the effects of exercise. (May 5, 2005) Exercise in cold water instead of warm water may increase people's appetites, making it harder for them to lose extra pounds, a University of Florida study. (Science Daily)
Portable device effective in zapping away migraine pain Jun 26, 2008
Of the 164 patients involved in the multi-center, randomized clinical trial receiving TMS treatment, 39 percent were pain free at the two-hour post-treatment point, compared to 22 percent in the group receiving "sham" pulses. There were no differences reported related to adverse reactions between the two groups. (EurekAlert!)
Vitamin D May Promote Colon Cancer Survival Jun 19, 2008
"Definitive evidence that our results are due to vitamin D would require a randomized clinical trial," Ng said. Clinical trials are planned to determine if adding vitamin D to chemotherapy after surgery improves colon cancer survival, the researcher said. (Health-Finder)
Bright Light Therapy May Improve Nocturnal Sleep In Mothers Jun 11, 2008
"Impaired sleep may have negative impact on the mother's well-being. In our research, we were looking for an intervention to help mothers that would be feasible for them to use even when their infant is hospitalized. The preliminary findings from our pilot study indicate that bright light therapy given through use of the special visor may improve mothers' nocturnal sleep, decrease daytime sleepiness, and be beneficial to their well-being. While our results are promising, a larger scale... (Science Daily)
Craniosacral therapy for migraine: protocol development for an exploratory controlled clinical trial Jun 10, 2008
This report endorses the feasibility of undertaking a rigorous randomized clinical trial of CST for migraine using a standardized CST protocol and an innovative control protocol developed for the study. Subjects are able and willing to complete detailed headache diaries during an 8-week baseline period, with few dropouts during the study period, indicating the acceptability of both interventions. (BioMed Central)
Large, Long-Term Veterans Affairs Diabetes Trial (VADT) Reveals Important Cardiovascular Safety News on AVANDIA(R) Jun 9, 2008
The investigators noted that some of the reasons for this decrease relate to the known side effects of weight gain and edema associated with AVANDIA. There were no increased deaths in the study that were associated with AVANDIA. VADT Study Design VADT is a prospective, two-arm, randomized clinical trial designed to evaluate whether intensification of glucose control can reduce major CV events in patients with type 2 diabetes. A total of 1,791 mostly male veterans aged 41 and older with type 2... (PR Newswire)
Early Data Presented at ASCO Show Potential of RAD001 to Enhance Efficacy of, and Overcome Resistance to, Breast Cancer Treatments Jun 2, 2008
"These remarkable early findings support exploring the potential of RAD001 in addressing unmet medical needs in women with HER2+ breast cancer in a larger randomized clinical trial." For breast cancer patients whose disease becomes resistant to available drugs, identifying the mechanism of resistance is important for restoring activity to treatment. Preclinical studies have shown that RAD001, an inhibitor of mTOR, acts on the pathway that mediates trastuzumab resistance and has the potential to... (PR Newswire)
Two Drugs for Heart Failure Show Mixed Results May 23, 2008
"This well-designed and executed randomized clinical trial of outpatient infusion of nesiritide for patients with advanced heart failure demonstrated that this treatment strategy did not result in incremental benefit for this challenging patient population," Fonarow said. HealthDay. (MEDLINEplus)
Radiation Improves Survival for Advanced Prostate Cancer May 22, 2008
"At least from this randomized clinical trial, the evidence would suggest that the cure rate is less, survival is less with that approach.". Dr. Bruce Roth, a professor of medicine and urologic surgery at Vanderbilt University, said radiation procedures have changed since the study began, so the findings may not be as applicable now. (MEDLINEplus)
Determining genetic signature of lung tumors can help guide treatment May 21, 2008
But what is needed next is a larger-scale, randomized clinical trial comparing an EGFR blocker with standard therapy in a genotype-selected population. Sequist is an instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School. (EurekAlert!)
Blood Test Can Help Improve Treatment Outcomes For Breast Cancer Patients May 20, 2008
"We have a follow-up study underway that evaluates CTC results within the framework of a randomized clinical trial to eliminate potential variability from the treatment administered, "says Liu, the national principal investigator of the new trial. Liu and her colleagues believe a study with the same therapies would offer even stronger evidence for routine use of CTC in patients with metastatic breast cancer. (Science Daily)
Anti-inflammatory Drugs Do Not Improve Cognitive Function In Older Adults, Study Suggests May 15, 2008
The ADAPT (Alzheimer's Disease Anti-Inflammatory Prevention Trial) Research Group conducted a randomized clinical trial involving 2,117 individuals age 70 and older with a family history of Alzheimer's disease. From March 2001 to December 2004, 617 took 200 milligrams of the NSAID celecoxib twice daily, 596 took 220 milligrams of naproxen sodium twice daily and 904 took placebo. (Science Daily)
Lumenis Launches HoLEP Preceptor Program at American Urology Association 2008 Annual Meeting May 13, 2008
Lumenis(R) is a registered trademark of Lumenis Ltd.; VersaPulse(R) is a registered trademark of Lumenis Ltd.; PowerSuite(TM) is a trademark of Lumenis Ltd. (1) 2007, Ehab A. Elzayat, Mostafa M. Elhilali, European Urology, Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate (HoLEP): Long-Term Results, Reoperation Rate, and Possible Impact of the Learning Curve (3) 2008, Kuntz, R. et al., Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate versus Open Prostatectomy for Prostates Greater than 100 Grams: 5 - Year... (PR Newswire)
Lumenis Launches HoLEP Preceptor Program at American ... May 13, 2008
2007, Sascha A. Ahyai, et al., European Urology, Holmium Laser Enucleation versus Transurethral Resection of the Prostate: 3-Year Follow-Up Results of a Randomized Clinical Trial. SOURCE Lumenis Ltd.. (Fox News)
Carotid Bruit May Predict Cardiovascular Risk May 11, 2008
Personalize Your Medical News. Sunday, May 11, 2008. (MedPage Today)
Steroids Provide No Survival Benefit for Children With Bacterial Meningitis May 7, 2008
He added, "Our study shows the need for a further study in children -- a large randomized clinical trial to examine all outcomes of steroid use, before the use of these medicines becomes routine in children with bacterial meningitis." The National Center for Research Resources, part of the National Institutes of Health, supported the study, along with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. One co-author, Jillian Mongelluzzo, received support from the Doris Duke Medical Student Clinical... (PR Newswire)
Vitamin D May Protect Against Peripheral Artery Disease Apr 21, 2008
She notes that proving a cause-and-effect relationship between vitamin D and protection against PAD will require a large randomized clinical trial in which some people receive vitamin D supplementation while others do not. The scientists reported their findings at the American Heart Association's Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology Annual Conference 2008. (Science Daily)
Chemotherapy-induced Anemia Increases Risk Of Local Breast Cancer Recurrence Apr 4, 2008
3, 2008) Patients with breast cancer who developed anemia during chemotherapy had nearly three times the risk of local recurrence as those who did not, according to a study published in the April 1 issue of Clinical Cancer Research. "We speculate that there may be an interaction between chemotherapy/radiotherapy and anemia," said lead researcher Peter Dubsky, MD, a senior consultant in the department of surgery at the Medical University of Vienna, Austria. (Science Daily)
Postoperative Chemotherapy Does Not Improve Survival In Gastric Cancer Patients, Study Suggests Apr 1, 2008
31, 2008) The use of combination chemotherapy following surgery did not improve survival in patients with gastric cancer, according to a randomized clinical trial ... 8, 2008) Adding the drug docetaxel to anthracycline-based chemotherapy slightly improved disease-free survival in breast cancer patients, according to a randomized clinical trial published in the Journal of. (Science Daily)
Real-World Data from ARRIVE Registries Show Favorable Outcomes for TAXUS(R) Express(TM) Stent Mar 30, 2008
Outcomes through two years in the simple- use (single vessel/stent) patient group confirmed the favorable results seen in similar patients enrolled in previous TAXUS randomized clinical trials (the clinical trial cohort) ... "Outcomes in the simple-use patients in ARRIVE are consistent with results from the TAXUS Stent cohorts in the TAXUS randomized clinical trial program, indicating that the ARRIVE methodology is very efficient in capturing adverse event outcomes. Overall, then, these results... (PR Newswire)
Older donated blood tied to heart surgery risk Mar 20, 2008
But, he said, the report falls short of being definitive because it does not represent what scientists consider the gold standard of research: a randomized clinical trial. In such a study, researchers in advance would divide patients into a group that, in this case, would get newer blood and a second group that gets older blood. (Boston Globe)
Genetic counselors turn to unconventional counseling to meet demand for genetic testing Mar 17, 2008
To address these issues, Peshkin and her colleagues have launched a randomized clinical trial the largest to date at Lombardi to evaluate telephone genetic counseling versus in person (standard) genetic counseling among women at high risk of carrying a BRCA1/2 mutation. The study is outlined in the Spring edition of the journal Genetic Counseling posted online today. (EurekAlert!)
Suffering from MS, putting hope in a diet Mar 15, 2008
The diet has not been subjected to a placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial, the gold standard for determining the value of any therapy. But Ann Sawyer and Judith Bachrach, co-authors of "The MS Recovery Diet," say this should not dissuade people struggling with the debilitating symptoms of the degenerative disease. (International Herald Tribune -- Health)
Psychotherapy for all: An experiment in India Mar 15, 2008
Patel is conducting a randomized clinical trial to see whether the strategy works, the first time such a careful study has been run in the developing world. If the research, which will finish in 2010, reports positive results, donors and governments are more likely to try it elsewhere in India and the world, Patel said, adding: "This is the most important question in psychiatry. How do we scale up treatments to a population in a low-resource setting?". (International Herald Tribune -- Health)
Late Treatment With Letrozole Can Reduce Breast Cancer Recurrence Risk Mar 15, 2008
While a randomized clinical trial would more conclusively determine the benefit of letrozole treatment for those who have been off tamoxifen for several months or years -- or even those who never took the drug -- the results of this study can help guide physicians and patients in deciding whether letrozole therapy would be appropriate. "Every patient who has previously taken tamoxifen should discuss these new results with her oncologist. The risk that hormone-dependent breast cancer will recur... (Science Daily)
2 companies compete to sell 'superbug' tests to hospitals Mar 4, 2008
The first randomized clinical trial of screening, which used a test other than Cepheid's, found that the strategy did not reduce the rate of colonization and infection by MRSA in intensive care units. But because that trial used a testing procedure that took days to produce results, some experts dismiss those findings. (International Herald Tribune -- Business)
Thalidomide Shows Promise For Treatment Of Recurrent Ovarian Cancer, Study Suggests Mar 1, 2008
This is the first randomized clinical trial to test thalidomide for recurrent ovarian cancer. Other clinical trials have shown thalidomide to be effective for treatment of multiple myeloma, a cancer of the bone marrow. (Science Daily)
Customized treatments for sepsis lower treatment time and reduce length of ICU stays Feb 29, 2008
Our study is the first randomized clinical trial in which a surrogate biochemical parameter was used to reduce the duration of antibiotic therapy in a population of critically ill patients admitted to the ICU for severe sepsis and septic shock, wrote Dr. Pugin. Despite the relatively short duration of treatment in bacteremic patients assigned to the PCT group, no case of recurrence of infection was observed in these patients. (EurekAlert!)
What's Good for the Heart May Be Good for the Prostate Feb 13, 2008
For the current study, Kristal and colleagues assessed diet, supplement use and alcohol consumption in 4,770 men for seven years, 876 of whom developed symptomatic BPH. They collected the data in the context of a larger randomized clinical trial that aimed to determine whether finasteride, a drug used to treat BPH, would also prevent prostate cancer. The men involved in this analysis, all 55 and older, participated in the placebo arm of the finasteride trial. (PR Newswire)
Diabetes And Cardiovascular Disease Trial Involving Intensively Lower Blood Glucose Stopped For Risk Of Death Feb 8, 2008
However, a randomized clinical trial was needed to determine whether that hypothesis is accurate ... They were also enrolled in one of two other ACCORD randomized clinical trials examining effects of treatments for blood pressure or blood lipids; those study components will continue. (Science Daily)
Gene Variations Associated With Effectiveness Of Blood Pressure Medications Jan 25, 2008
The study included 38,462 participants with hypertension from ALLHAT (Antihypertensive and Lipid Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial), a multicenter randomized clinical trial conducted in the United States and Canada. Genotyping was performed from February 2004 to January 2005. (Science Daily)
Exercising Judgment: The Psychology Of Fitness Jan 11, 2008
11, 2005) The amount of exercise may be more important than intensity to improve cardiovascular health, according to a new analysis of the first randomized clinical trial evaluating the effects of exercise. (Mar. (Science Daily)
Discussing the options for breast cancer surgery Dec 26, 2007
CLINICAL TRIALS MAY NOT REPRESENT POPULATION The randomized clinical trial, widely considered the most reliable biomedical research method, can have significant drawbacks, a new study suggests, because patients included may not be representative of the broader population. The scientists, writing in the December issue of The Annals of Surgical Oncology, reviewed 29 clinical trials of surgical procedures in prostate, colon, breast and lung cancer involving 13,991 patients. (International Herald Tribune)
Medical Myths Even Doctors Believe Dec 22, 2007
They found a 1928 randomized clinical trial which compared hair growth in shaved patches to growth in non-shaved patches. The hair which replaced the shaved hair was no darker or thicker, and did not grow in faster. (Science Daily)
Medical myths that even doctors believe Dec 21, 2007
The researchers say that this myth was refuted back in 1928, when a randomized clinical trial compared hair growth in shaved patches to growth in non-shaved patches. The hair that replaced the shaved hair was no thicker, nor did not grow in faster. (CTV.ca)
Cytomedix Announces That CMS Preliminarily Affirms Non-Coverage of PRP Gel Dec 21, 2007
The strength of its prospective, well-controlled, double-blinded, randomized clinical trial that shows higher healing rates in diabetic foot ulcers than any other technology including several that are reimbursed by Medicare without having been reviewed nationally in a formal coverage decision. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance recently obtained by Cytomedix for the use of its AutoloGel(tm) System in exuding wounds including chronic wounds and other surgically or mechanically debrided... (Primezone Releases)
Standard Hepatitis B Treatment Bested by Newcomer Dec 20, 2007
The study authors pointed out that telbivudine hasn't yet been compared to the other new hepatitis B medication, entecavir, in a randomized clinical trial. Entecavir has also been shown to be more effective than lamivudine and creates less resistance as well. (Health-Finder)
Venlafaxine Extended-release Effective For Patients With Major Depression, Study Suggests Dec 17, 2007
The PREVENT study, an acronym for the title of the study "The Prevention of Recurrent Episodes of Depression with Venlafaxine for Two Years study," is, according to one of the senior authors on the paper, Dr. Martin B. Keller, "a multiphase, double-blind, randomized clinical trial designed to investigate the efficacy of the serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) venlafaxine extended release in the prevention of depressive recurrence over 2 years in patients with a history of... (Science Daily)
Research Identifies Need for Improved Understanding of Sickle Cell Disease in Adulthood Dec 9, 2007
In addition, after one year of treatment, the deferiprone-deferoxamine group showed greater efficacy in terms of serum ferritin level reduction than the deferoxiamine-only arm of a previous randomized clinical trial in which a comparable cohort of patients were studied. -- Deferasirox, an oral iron chelator, works as well as deferoxamine, which requires subcutaneous injection, among sickle cell patients; possible implications for improved patient compliance, reducing risk of organ damage... (PR Newswire)
ZOLINZA (vorinostat) in combination with bortezomib demonstrated clinical activity Dec 9, 2007
Based on these initial results presented for the first time, Merck is evaluating plans to accelerate testing of ZOLINZA in combination with bortezomib in the randomized clinical trial setting to further define the clinical activity in relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma," said Dr. Garcia-Vargas. ### About ZOLINZA ZOLINZA is the first histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor approved by the U.S. Food Administration (FDA) for the treatment of cutaneous manifestations in patients with cutaneous... (EurekAlert!)
Pycnogenol Reduces Osteoarthritis Knee Pain Dec 6, 2007
Researchers believe this study is the first randomized clinical trial to show Pycnogenols effectiveness in alleviating the clinical symptoms of knee osteoarthritis. There are several more breakthrough studies on Pycnogenol and osteoarthritis expected to be published next year allowing for development of innovative, natural formulas for joint health. (Newsmax)
Rural Patients' Colon And Lung Cancers Diagnosed Earlier, Research Says Nov 21, 2007
27, 2005) Almost half of lung cancers detected by a chest x-ray were early-stage cancers, according to baseline results of a large, randomized clinical trial that is testing the efficacy of a chest x-ray as a. (Apr. (Science Daily)
Caregivers Benefit From Cancer Support Programs, Study Shows Nov 13, 2007
Article: "Randomized Clinical Trial of a Family Intervention for Prostate Cancer Patients and Their Spouses," Laurel L. Northouse, Darlene W. Mood, Ann Schafenacker, James E. Montie, Howard M. Sandler, Jeffrey D. Forman, Maha Hussain, Kenneth J. Pienta, David C. Smith, Trace Kershaw, Cancer; Published Online: November 12, 2007 (DOI: 10. 1002/cncr. (Science Daily)
Family counseling improves lives of patients and spouses coping with prostate cancer Nov 12, 2007
This randomized clinical trial by Dr. Laurel Northouse from the University of Michigan and co-investigators found that patients and their spouses who participated in a five-session home counseling program reported significant improvement in such areas as symptom management, hope, uncertainty and couples communication ... Article: Randomized Clinical Trial of a Family Intervention for Prostate Cancer Patients and Their Spouses, Laurel L. Northouse, Darlene W. Mood, Ann Schafenacker, James E.... (EurekAlert!)
Cell Therapeutics, Inc. (CTI) Reports Recent Accomplishments and Third Quarter 2007 Financial Results Nov 8, 2007
Recent Events -- Announced agreement to acquire ZEVALIN(R) (ibritumomab tiuxetan), the first FDA-approved radioimmunotherapy, from Biogen Idec; this acquisition, if completed, will return CTI to a select group of only a few biotech companies which market and sell a commercial product -- Announced a potential abbreviated registration path for pixantrone based on the Company's decision to do a full analysis of the EXTEND (PIX301) phase III clinical trial for patients with relapsed, aggressive... (PR Newswire)
Fostering stem-cell research Oct 29, 2007
Fish oil and depression Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles are recruiting volunteers for a randomized clinical trial that will compare two compounds found in fish oil - the omega-3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA - against each other and against inactive pills in 300 adults who have major depression, the hospitals said. To be eligible, participants must not be taking antidepressant medications, principal investigator Dr. David Mischoulon of... (Boston Globe)
Treatment For Alcoholism Could Be Selected Based On Genetics Oct 26, 2007
Kranzler and his colleagues used data collected through Project MATCH, a multi-center randomized clinical trial evaluating the efficacy of three types of psychosocial treatment for alcoholism: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET), and Twelve Step Facilitation (TSF). The researchers collected DNA samples from 812 European-American subjects (596 men, 216 women), and followed their passage through 12 weeks of treatment and a 12-month post-treatment period. (Science Daily)
Ore. prep athletes say drug testing does not deter Oct 19, 2007
The study involved roughly 1,400 teenagers and was the first randomized clinical trial to determine the deterrent effects of drug testing on high school athletes. The study comes at a time when an increasing number of high schools are testing for drugs -- a controversial practice. (KGW Northwest NewsChannel 8, OR -- Sports)
Random drug testing not reliable in keeping teen athletes from using Oct 19, 2007
The study, named SATURN (Student Athlete Testing Using Random Notification), is the first-ever prospective, randomized clinical trial to assess the deterrent effects of drug and alcohol testing among high school athletes. Prior to this study, there was little research and no randomized trials to establish whether student-athlete drug and alcohol testing is an effective deterrent, said Linn Goldberg, M.D., F.A.C.S.M., principal investigator, professor of medicine and head of the Division of... (EurekAlert!)
OrbusNeich's Genous(TM) Bio-Engineered R Stent(TM) is Subject of Sessions on Innovation at TCT 2007 Oct 18, 2007
Latest Randomized Clinical Trial Results of First Pro-Healing Stent Also Featured at Annual Symposium HONG KONG, Oct. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- OrbusNeich's Genous(TM) Bio-engineered R stent(TM) is the subject of several sessions about innovation in interventional cardiology strategies and device design at this year's Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics symposium, TCT 2007, which is set for Oct. 20-25 at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. The line-up of sessions that feature the... (PR Newswire)
New cervix test improves finding of pre-cancer cells Oct 18, 2007
In a blind, randomized clinical trial, Canadian researchers showed that a test that identifies the DNA of the human papillomavirus, the virus believed to cause cervical cancer, appears to be exquisitely sensitive, identifying nearly 95 percent of the women who have pre-cancerous or cancerous cells. In combination with the standard Pap smear, that number became 100 percent. (AZCentral -- News)
Banked Blood Loses Ability To Deliver Oxygen To Tissues Almost Immediately Oct 13, 2007
"Both McMahon and Stamler believe that a large-scale randomized clinical trial in humans is needed, arguing that blood has both benefits and risks, and therefore should be evaluated in the same manner as medications."There is little doubt that transfused blood can be harmful," said Stamler. "We are only uncertain about how serious the problem is. The availability of a potential solution will hopefully focus the attention of the medical community on the potential magnitude of this problem. (Science Daily)
Crucial factor declines in banked blood Oct 11, 2007
Both research teams believe that a large-scale randomized clinical trial in humans is needed, arguing that blood has both benefits and risks, and therefore should be evaluated in the same manner as medications. Editor: Liu Dan. (Xinhua)
Long-Term Follow-up of the West of Scotland Coronary Prevention Study Oct 11, 2007
Background The West of Scotland Coronary Prevention Study was a randomized clinical trial comparing pravastatin with placebo in men with hypercholesterolemia who did not have a history of myocardial infarction, with an average follow-up of approximately 5 years. The combined outcome of death from definite coronary heart disease or definite nonfatal myocardial infarction was reduced from 7. (New England Journal of Medicine)
Banked Blood Could Do More Harm Than Good Oct 10, 2007
A large-scale randomized clinical trial in humans is needed, said McMahon and Stamler. These studies show that donated blood has risks as well as benefits, and therefore should undergo clinical trials in the same way as drugs and medication. (Medical News Today)
