Health
MINNEAPOLIS – People who are free of dementia and have high levels of a protein that indicates the presence of inflammation have relatives who are more likely to avoid the disease as well, according to a new study published in the Aug. 15 online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
“In very elderly people with good cognition, higher levels of C-reactive protein, which is related to inflammation, are associated with better memory,” said study author Jeremy M. Silverman, PhD, with Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. “Our results found that the higher the level of this protein in the study participant, the lower the risk for dementia in their parents and siblings.”
For the study, researchers identified 277 male veterans age 75 and older and free of dementia symptoms. They were given a test that measured levels of the protein.
Next, the group was interviewed about 1,329 parents and siblings and whether they had dementia. A total of 40 relatives from 37 families had dementia.
A secondary, independent group of 51 men age 85 and older with no dementia symptoms were given an interview about 202 relatives for dementia. Nine of the relatives had dementia.
Study investigators found that participants who had higher amounts of the protein were more than 30 percent less likely to have relatives with dementia. Similar results were found in the secondary group.
Since the protein levels were not associated with years of education, marital status, occupation and physical activity, these factors could not account for the lower risks seen.
“This protein is related to worse cognition in younger elderly people. Thus, for very old people who remain cognitively healthy, those with a high protein level may be more resistant to dementia,” said Silverman. “Our study shows that this protection may be passed on to immediate relatives.”
The study was supported by the National Institute on Aging, United States Department of Veterans Affairs, the Berkman Charitable Trust and the Alzheimer’s Association.
To learn more about dementia, visit http://www.aan.com/patients.
The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 25,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care.
A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, migraine, multiple sclerosis, brain injury, Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy.
For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit http://www.aan.com or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube.
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As a result of the Affordable Care Act – the health care law enacted in 2010 – seniors and people with disabilities in California have saved $340.6 million on prescription drugs since the law was enacted, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced Monday.
Seniors in California saved an average of $572 in the Medicare prescription drug coverage gap known as the “donut hole” in 2012.
Overall, 121,587 Californians enrolled in Medicare have saved more than $340 million since 2010, and $69 million from January through July of this year.
Nationwide, nearly 5.4 million seniors and people with disabilities have saved over $4.1 billion on prescription drugs.
In addition, during the first seven months of 2012, the new health care law has helped 2,107,623 people with original Medicare in California get at least one preventive service at no cost to them.
“The health care law has saved people with Medicare over $4.1 billion on prescription drugs, and given millions access to cancer screenings, mammograms and other preventive services for free,” said Secretary Sebelius. “Medicare is stronger thanks to the health care law, saving people money and offering new benefits at no cost to seniors.”
The health care law includes benefits to make Medicare prescription drug coverage more affordable. In 2010, anyone with Medicare who hit the prescription drug donut hole received a $250 rebate.
In 2011, people with Medicare who hit the donut hole began receiving a 50 percent discount on covered brand-name drugs and a discount on generic drugs.
These discounts and Medicare coverage gradually increase until 2020 when the donut hole is closed.
The health care law also makes it easier for people with Medicare to stay healthy.
Prior to 2011, people with Medicare had to pay extra for many preventive health services. These costs made it difficult for people to get the health care they needed.
For example, before the health care law passed, a person with Medicare could pay as much as $160 for a colorectal cancer screening.
Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, many preventive services are offered free of charge to beneficiaries, with no deductible or co-pay, so that cost is no longer a barrier for seniors who want to stay healthy and treat problems early.
In 2012 alone, 2,107,623 with traditional Medicare in California – or 70 percent of those eligible – have received at least one preventive service at no cost to them.
This includes 172,432 who have taken advantage of the Annual Wellness Visit provided by the Affordable Care Act.
In 2011, an estimated 32.5 million people nationwide with traditional Medicare or Medicare Advantage received one or more preventive benefits free of charge.
For state-by-state information on savings in the donut hole, please visit www.cms.gov/apps/files/donut-hole-data-chart.pdf .
For state-by-state information on utilization of free preventive services, please visit www.cms.gov/apps/files/preventive-data-chart-first-seven-months-2012.pdf .
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Researchers have successfully developed and tested a new prostate cancer screening method that uses the combined power of a novel drug therapy and changes in PSA levels over time to identify men with a high PSA who are more likely to have aggressive prostate cancer despite negative biopsies.
The new study by researchers at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, published in the Journal of Urology, shows that PSA can be a much more effective marker for prostate cancer when an additional drug therapy is used than it can as a stand-alone test, which is how it is currently used by physicians.
“At a time when the value of PSA is being increasingly debated, we have shown that when used in a specific way, it can be of great value in identifying men with previously undetected prostate cancer,” said the study’s lead investigator, Dr. Steven A. Kaplan, the E. Darracott Vaughan Jr., Professor of Urology at Weill Cornell Medical College and director of the Iris Cantor Men’s Health Center at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell.
“We have shown that using PSA with these drugs can help us differentiate prostate cancer from benign prostate disease in patients who are difficult to diagnose,” said Dr. Kaplan, who is also chief of the Institute for Bladder and Prostate Health at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell. “It also demonstrates a better way to use both the PSA test and these powerful drugs.”
Dr. Kaplan created the combination screening method as a way to understand cancer risk in men who have consistently abnormal PSA readings despite one or more negative biopsies.
This patient population offers physicians a “diagnostic dilemma” he said – “despite the fact that biopsies are becoming more and more effective at detecting cancer in the prostate, a significant number of patients with prostate cancer continue to have negative biopsies.”
He added that the PSA (prostate specific antigen) test alone is not a good indicator of prostate cancer. “It measures multiple factors associated with prostate disease, including enlargement of the prostate and inflammation.”
The research team decided to see what would happen to PSA levels after the use of two 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor drugs – finasteride and dutasteride – designed to reduce the size of an enlarged prostate.
The theory is that these drugs might improve the usefulness of PSA in diagnosing prostate cancer. If the PSA remains persistently high even though the prostate has shrunk, or PSA rises after having reached its lowest level, it could indicate the presence of cancer. And when the gland is smaller, a biopsy can be more effective, according to researchers.
The study was conducted in two phases. It enrolled 276 men at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell whose PSA was greater than 4, who had a normal digital rectal examination and two or more negative biopsies.
In the first phase, 97 patients, who were given 5 milligrams of finasteride or 0.5 milligrams of dutasteride daily, had their PSA measured at 6 and 12 months, a transrectal ultrasonography and a biopsy performed at 1 year.
Study results show that a year of the drug therapy reduced PSA in all the men – an average of 48 percent – but the magnitude of reduction was significantly greater in men with benign prostate disease and significantly less in 28 percent of the patients whose prostate biopsy detected cancer.
In the second phase of the study, 179 patients received the same drug therapy but underwent a biopsy only if their PSA showed a change of 0.4 ng/dl. In all, 42 men (27 percent) had the biopsy, and 26 of those participants (54 percent) had cancer. Within that group, 77 percent of the patients had high-grade tumors.
Researchers successfully identified cancer cases in men who participated in the second phase study with the combined drug therapy and evaluation of PSA trends, by sending those with minimal changes for a biopsy. This meant that men who didn’t need a biopsy did not have one – unlike all the men in phase one.
“Our study shows these drugs may be most helpful in helping us diagnose undetectable prostate cancer,” Dr. Kaplan said.
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SACRAMENTO – Dr. Ron Chapman, director of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and state health officer, on Wednesday warned consumers not to eat Red Vines Black Licorice Twists candy, “Best Before” 020413, after tests conducted by CDPH found the products contained levels of lead that exceeded the state’s standards.
Consumers in possession of the candy should discard it immediately, officials said.
Red Vines Black Licorice Twists candy is sold in a one-pound package that is light red with Red Vines name in bold white letters. The black licorice candy shows through the package. The words ‘Black Licorice Twists’ appear towards the bottom of the package.
Red Vines Black Licorice Twists candy is manufactured and distributed by American Licorice Co., Union City, Calif.
American Licorice Co. has initiated a voluntary recall of the affected lot.
CDPH is currently working with the manufacturer to ensure that the contaminated candies are removed from the market place.
Recent analysis of this candy by CDPH determined that Red Vines Black Licorice Twists candy, “Best Before” 020413, contained as much as 0.33 parts per million of lead.
This concentration of lead could provide up to 13.2 micrograms of lead per serving. Children under 6 years of age should not consume more than 6.0 micrograms of lead per day from all dietary sources.
Pregnant women and parents of children who may have eaten this candy should consult their physician or health care provider to determine if medical testing is needed.
Additional information, including photos of the affected product, is available on the CDPH Web site, www.cdph.ca.gov .
Consumers who find this candy for sale should call the CDPH Complaint Hotline at 800-495-3232.
For more information about lead poisoning, contact your county childhood lead poisoning prevention program or public health department.
Additional information is available on the CDPH Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention page, www.cdph.ca.gov/healthinfo/discond/Pages/CLPPBChildrenAtRisk.aspx , and the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Lead and Lead-Contaminated Products Web page, www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/Pages/LeadFAQ.aspx .
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