http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. (HealthDay)—Factors such as increased case finding may explain why Michigan had half of the total spinal infections associated with contaminated methylprednisolone acetate in the recent fungal meningitis outbreak, according to research published in the May 17 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-outbreak-spinal-infections-michigan.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Tue, 21 May 2013 16:10:01 EST news288368989 In addition to its well-known effects on the CNS, alcohol consumption has a significant impact on metabolism. After consumption, the body rapidly begins converting ethanol to acetate, which can serve as an energy source for the brain and other organs. Lihong Jiang and colleagues at Yale University used a brain imaging technique, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, to track acetate uptake and metabolism in the brains of heavy drinkers (consumed at least 8 drinks/week) and light drinkers (consumed less than 2 drinks/week). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-brain-acetate-metabolism-reward-heavy.html Addiction Fri, 08 Mar 2013 12:00:02 EST news281963455 (HealthDay)—The American Academy of Neurology's (AAN's) Top Five Recommendations in the Choosing Wisely campaign, established to promote high-value neurologic medicine and to foster physician-patient communication, have been approved and issued, according to a special article published online Feb. 20 in Neurology. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-aan-issues-wisely.html Neuroscience Mon, 25 Feb 2013 14:00:01 EST news281019179 (HealthDay)—Corticorelin acetate (CrA) administration to patients with peritumoral brain edema (PBE) allows the reduction of steroid doses and is associated with reduced incidence and severity of steroid-induced myopathy and other steroid-related adverse effects, according to research published online Feb. 4 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-corticorelin-acetate-steroid-sparing-effect-brain.html Cancer Wed, 06 Feb 2013 15:00:01 EST news279384191 (HealthDay)—Use of the injectable contraceptive depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), common in areas such as sub-Saharan Africa with high HIV-1 prevalence, is associated with suppression of the immune response, according to a study published online Jan. 25 in Endocrinology. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-medroxyprogesterone-acetate-linked-immune-suppression.html Immunology Fri, 01 Feb 2013 12:25:46 EST news278943933 (HealthDay)—For chemotherapy-naive patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, abiraterone acetate correlates with improved radiographic progression-free survival, according to a study published online Dec. 10 in the New England Journal of Medicine to coincide with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's recent approval for expanded use of the drug. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-abiraterone-benefits-chemo-naive-advanced-prostate.html Cancer Wed, 12 Dec 2012 06:00:01 EST news274510696 (Medical Xpress)—Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients sometimes experience "natural" improvements in disability at least over the short term, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of British Columbia and Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-ms-patients-natural-disability.html Neuroscience Thu, 18 Oct 2012 07:41:15 EST news269764866 (HealthDay)—The number of meningitis cases linked to apparently contaminated steroid injections has risen to 91 in nine states, and the number of deaths remains at seven, U.S. health officials reported Sunday. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-steroid-related-meningitis-cases-total-cdc.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Mon, 08 Oct 2012 11:50:01 EST news268914752 (AP)—Health providers scrambled to notify patients in nearly two dozen U.S. states that the steroid injections they received for back pain may have been contaminated with a deadly fungal meningitis. Five people have died. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-clinics-tainted-steroid-dead.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Fri, 05 Oct 2012 11:04:43 EST news268653876 (AP)—A fifth person has died in a growing outbreak of a rare form of meningitis that has sickened more than two dozen people in five U.S. states. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-rare-meningitis-outbreak-dead-sick.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Thu, 04 Oct 2012 10:29:17 EST news268565346 (HealthDay)—The risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in postmenopausal women differs considerably according to the formulation of hormone therapy (HT) used, with the highest VTE risk seen in users of oral estrogen-progestin HT containing medroxyprogesterone acetate, according to research published online Sept. 10 in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-vte-varies-hormone-therapy.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Tue, 18 Sep 2012 13:08:31 EST news267192498 Results of a phase 3 trial published in The Lancet Oncology have confirmed that the drug abiraterone acetate (marketed as Zytiga) offers a significant survival benefit to patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer, which is spreading to other parts of their body (known as metastatic prostate cancer). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-phase-trial-abiraterone-acetate-efficacy.html Cancer Mon, 17 Sep 2012 18:30:08 EST news267099053 Population Council scientists have found that a vaginal ring releasing an anti-HIV drug can prevent the transmission of SHIV in macaques. This study provides the first efficacy data on the delivery of a microbicide from a vaginal ring, and indicates strong potential for the success of such rings in women. Microbicides are compounds that can be applied inside the vagina or rectum to protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-anti-hiv-vaginal-virus-transmission-animal.html HIV & AIDS Wed, 05 Sep 2012 14:00:05 EST news266057842 The immunosuppressive drug fingolimod (trade name: Gilenya) is approved for the treatment of highly-active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) in adults. In an early benefit assessment pursuant to "Act on the Reform of the Market for Medicinal Products" (AMNOG), the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) assessed whether fingolimod offers an added benefit compared with the present standard therapy. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-fingolimod-hint-advantages-small-group.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Thu, 05 Jul 2012 10:40:47 EST news260703640 (HealthDay) -- Fluid resuscitation with hydroxyethyl starch (HES) 130/0.4 for patients with severe sepsis leads to an increased risk of death at day 90 and an increased likelihood of requiring renal-replacement therapy, compared with Ringer's acetate, according to a study published online June 27 in the New England Journal of Medicine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-ringer-acetate-patients-severe-sepsis.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Thu, 28 Jun 2012 04:13:07 EST news260075524 (HealthDay) -- For women taking hormonal contraceptives, sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) is a useful marker to estimate the risk of venous thrombosis, according to research published in the June issue of the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-marker-thrombotic-hormonal-contraceptives.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Fri, 08 Jun 2012 14:20:01 EST news258376813 A new medication proved effective in slowing the spread of metastatic prostate cancer, while helping to maintain the quality of life, in patients with advanced disease. The phase 3 study was unblinded midway, allowing patients receiving the placebo to instead take the drug because of the favorable results. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-advanced-prostate-cancer-drug-disease.html Cancer Sat, 02 Jun 2012 04:11:31 EST news257829076 (Medical Xpress) -- An unusual clinical trial based at the University of Chicago Medicine is seeking to determine whether a drug approved for patients with advanced prostate cancer might be safer and just as effective if taken at a much lower dose with food instead of at the full dose on an empty stomach. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-clinical-trial-impact-food-anti-cancer.html Cancer Mon, 16 Apr 2012 08:50:16 EST news253785000 A research team led by UT Southwestern Medical Center scientists has identified an atypical metabolic pathway unique to some tumors, possibly providing a future target for drugs that could reduce or halt the spread of cancer. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-11-tumor-specific-pathway.html Cancer Tue, 22 Nov 2011 10:04:08 EST news241178637 Depending on the total dosage of zinc and the composition of lozenges, zinc lozenges may shorten the duration of common cold episodes by up to 40%, says Dr. Harri Hemila from the University of Helsinki. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-08-zinc-lozenges-shorten-common-cold.html Medications Tue, 16 Aug 2011 09:18:41 EST news232705104 The final survival analysis of an international study of a new drug for prostate cancer has found an even greater median survival benefit than previously reported, and has established a new class of treatment for men with metastatic prostate cancer. In addition, researchers are exploring a potential biomarker of response to treatment in general. The results were presented today by Howard I. Scher, MD, Chief of the Genitourinary Oncology Service at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center at the 2011 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. The drug, abiraterone acetate (trade name Zytiga) was recently approved by the FDA. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-06-drug-shown-significantly-survival-men.html Cancer Mon, 06 Jun 2011 09:05:44 EST news226569921