User login
High levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) appear to be associated with a reduced risk for Alzheimer’s disease in older adults, according to a report in the December 2010 issue of Archives of Neurology. Researchers studied 1,130 older adults with no history of dementia or cognitive impairment. During 4,469 person-years of follow-up, there were 101 new cases of Alzheimer’s disease, of which 89 were probable and 12 were possible. Higher levels of HDL cholesterol (>55 mg/dL) were associated with a decreased risk of both probable and possible Alzheimer’s disease compared with lower HDL cholesterol levels, even after adjusting for age, sex, education, ethnic group, and APOE ε4 genotype.
NFKBIA gene deletion has been identified in up to one of every four cases of glioblastoma, according to a report published December 22, 2010, online ahead of print in the New England Journal of Medicine. The gene deletion contributes to tumor development, promotes resistance to therapy, and considerably worsens a patient’s prospects for survival. NFKBIA deletion triggers biochemical processes similar to those resulting from mutations in EGFR. Investigators analyzed several hundred tumor samples and found NFKBIA deletions in 25%. EGFR mutations were identified in about a third of the samples. But only 5% of samples had both gene aberrations; thus, the two defects taken together accounted for a majority of all glioblastomas. Patients with either the NFKBIA or EGFR abnormality had a significantly shorter survival, despite maximal therapy, than the remaining patients (about 40%) with neither gene defect.
African Americans and those with lower socioeconomic status appear to have more severe parkinsonism with greater levels of disability, according to findings published December 13, 2010, online ahead of print by Archives of Neurology. Researchers studied 1,159 patients with parkinsonism between 2003 and 2008. Of the participating patients, 93.4% were white, 6.1% were African American, 61.2% earned more than $50,000 annually, 62.7 completed college, and 79.2% had a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. When compared with white patients, those who were African American tended to have more severe parkinsonism and also greater disability. Lower income and lower education level were also associated with increased disease severity and disability. Disparities were also seen in treatment patterns. African Americans were prescribed fewer medications to treat parkinsonism at their first clinic visit, were less likely to receive newer dopaminergic medications, and more likely to receive antipsychotic medications.
Differential consumption of fish may contribute to the racial and geographic disparities in stroke, researchers reported in the December 22, 2010, Neurology. The findings are based on the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study, which included 21,675 US persons ages 45 and older, with oversampling from the southeastern Stroke Belt and Buckle and African Americans. A total of 5,022 (23%) participants consumed two or more servings per week of nonfried fi sh. Factors associated with inadequate intake of nonfried fish included living in the Stroke Belt (vs non-Belt) (odds ratio [OR], 0.83) and living in the Stroke Buckle (vs non-Belt) (OR, 0.89); factors associated with two or more servings per week of fried fi sh included being African American (vs white) (OR, 3.59), living in the Stroke Belt (vs non-Belt) (OR, 1.32), and living in the Stroke Buckle (vs non-Belt) (OR, 1.17).
Outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke is significantly better in those who undergo thrombolysis, compared with those who do not, according to a report that was published in the November 23, 2010, online BMJ. A total of 29,228 patients were included in the analysis, which was adjusted for age and baseline severity, and the main outcome measure was functional outcomes at 90 days as measured by score on the modified Rankin Scale. “The median severity at baseline was the same for patients who underwent thrombolysis and controls (median baseline stroke scale score: 12 for each group),” stated the investigators. “The distribution of scores on the modified Rankin Scale was better among all thrombolysis patients than controls (odds ratio 1.6)…. Increasing age is associated with poorer outcome but the association between thrombolysis treatment and improved outcome is maintained in very elderly people. Age alone should not be a barrier to treatment.”
—Glenn S. Williams and Colby Stong
High levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) appear to be associated with a reduced risk for Alzheimer’s disease in older adults, according to a report in the December 2010 issue of Archives of Neurology. Researchers studied 1,130 older adults with no history of dementia or cognitive impairment. During 4,469 person-years of follow-up, there were 101 new cases of Alzheimer’s disease, of which 89 were probable and 12 were possible. Higher levels of HDL cholesterol (>55 mg/dL) were associated with a decreased risk of both probable and possible Alzheimer’s disease compared with lower HDL cholesterol levels, even after adjusting for age, sex, education, ethnic group, and APOE ε4 genotype.
NFKBIA gene deletion has been identified in up to one of every four cases of glioblastoma, according to a report published December 22, 2010, online ahead of print in the New England Journal of Medicine. The gene deletion contributes to tumor development, promotes resistance to therapy, and considerably worsens a patient’s prospects for survival. NFKBIA deletion triggers biochemical processes similar to those resulting from mutations in EGFR. Investigators analyzed several hundred tumor samples and found NFKBIA deletions in 25%. EGFR mutations were identified in about a third of the samples. But only 5% of samples had both gene aberrations; thus, the two defects taken together accounted for a majority of all glioblastomas. Patients with either the NFKBIA or EGFR abnormality had a significantly shorter survival, despite maximal therapy, than the remaining patients (about 40%) with neither gene defect.
African Americans and those with lower socioeconomic status appear to have more severe parkinsonism with greater levels of disability, according to findings published December 13, 2010, online ahead of print by Archives of Neurology. Researchers studied 1,159 patients with parkinsonism between 2003 and 2008. Of the participating patients, 93.4% were white, 6.1% were African American, 61.2% earned more than $50,000 annually, 62.7 completed college, and 79.2% had a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. When compared with white patients, those who were African American tended to have more severe parkinsonism and also greater disability. Lower income and lower education level were also associated with increased disease severity and disability. Disparities were also seen in treatment patterns. African Americans were prescribed fewer medications to treat parkinsonism at their first clinic visit, were less likely to receive newer dopaminergic medications, and more likely to receive antipsychotic medications.
Differential consumption of fish may contribute to the racial and geographic disparities in stroke, researchers reported in the December 22, 2010, Neurology. The findings are based on the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study, which included 21,675 US persons ages 45 and older, with oversampling from the southeastern Stroke Belt and Buckle and African Americans. A total of 5,022 (23%) participants consumed two or more servings per week of nonfried fi sh. Factors associated with inadequate intake of nonfried fish included living in the Stroke Belt (vs non-Belt) (odds ratio [OR], 0.83) and living in the Stroke Buckle (vs non-Belt) (OR, 0.89); factors associated with two or more servings per week of fried fi sh included being African American (vs white) (OR, 3.59), living in the Stroke Belt (vs non-Belt) (OR, 1.32), and living in the Stroke Buckle (vs non-Belt) (OR, 1.17).
Outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke is significantly better in those who undergo thrombolysis, compared with those who do not, according to a report that was published in the November 23, 2010, online BMJ. A total of 29,228 patients were included in the analysis, which was adjusted for age and baseline severity, and the main outcome measure was functional outcomes at 90 days as measured by score on the modified Rankin Scale. “The median severity at baseline was the same for patients who underwent thrombolysis and controls (median baseline stroke scale score: 12 for each group),” stated the investigators. “The distribution of scores on the modified Rankin Scale was better among all thrombolysis patients than controls (odds ratio 1.6)…. Increasing age is associated with poorer outcome but the association between thrombolysis treatment and improved outcome is maintained in very elderly people. Age alone should not be a barrier to treatment.”
—Glenn S. Williams and Colby Stong
High levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) appear to be associated with a reduced risk for Alzheimer’s disease in older adults, according to a report in the December 2010 issue of Archives of Neurology. Researchers studied 1,130 older adults with no history of dementia or cognitive impairment. During 4,469 person-years of follow-up, there were 101 new cases of Alzheimer’s disease, of which 89 were probable and 12 were possible. Higher levels of HDL cholesterol (>55 mg/dL) were associated with a decreased risk of both probable and possible Alzheimer’s disease compared with lower HDL cholesterol levels, even after adjusting for age, sex, education, ethnic group, and APOE ε4 genotype.
NFKBIA gene deletion has been identified in up to one of every four cases of glioblastoma, according to a report published December 22, 2010, online ahead of print in the New England Journal of Medicine. The gene deletion contributes to tumor development, promotes resistance to therapy, and considerably worsens a patient’s prospects for survival. NFKBIA deletion triggers biochemical processes similar to those resulting from mutations in EGFR. Investigators analyzed several hundred tumor samples and found NFKBIA deletions in 25%. EGFR mutations were identified in about a third of the samples. But only 5% of samples had both gene aberrations; thus, the two defects taken together accounted for a majority of all glioblastomas. Patients with either the NFKBIA or EGFR abnormality had a significantly shorter survival, despite maximal therapy, than the remaining patients (about 40%) with neither gene defect.
African Americans and those with lower socioeconomic status appear to have more severe parkinsonism with greater levels of disability, according to findings published December 13, 2010, online ahead of print by Archives of Neurology. Researchers studied 1,159 patients with parkinsonism between 2003 and 2008. Of the participating patients, 93.4% were white, 6.1% were African American, 61.2% earned more than $50,000 annually, 62.7 completed college, and 79.2% had a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. When compared with white patients, those who were African American tended to have more severe parkinsonism and also greater disability. Lower income and lower education level were also associated with increased disease severity and disability. Disparities were also seen in treatment patterns. African Americans were prescribed fewer medications to treat parkinsonism at their first clinic visit, were less likely to receive newer dopaminergic medications, and more likely to receive antipsychotic medications.
Differential consumption of fish may contribute to the racial and geographic disparities in stroke, researchers reported in the December 22, 2010, Neurology. The findings are based on the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study, which included 21,675 US persons ages 45 and older, with oversampling from the southeastern Stroke Belt and Buckle and African Americans. A total of 5,022 (23%) participants consumed two or more servings per week of nonfried fi sh. Factors associated with inadequate intake of nonfried fish included living in the Stroke Belt (vs non-Belt) (odds ratio [OR], 0.83) and living in the Stroke Buckle (vs non-Belt) (OR, 0.89); factors associated with two or more servings per week of fried fi sh included being African American (vs white) (OR, 3.59), living in the Stroke Belt (vs non-Belt) (OR, 1.32), and living in the Stroke Buckle (vs non-Belt) (OR, 1.17).
Outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke is significantly better in those who undergo thrombolysis, compared with those who do not, according to a report that was published in the November 23, 2010, online BMJ. A total of 29,228 patients were included in the analysis, which was adjusted for age and baseline severity, and the main outcome measure was functional outcomes at 90 days as measured by score on the modified Rankin Scale. “The median severity at baseline was the same for patients who underwent thrombolysis and controls (median baseline stroke scale score: 12 for each group),” stated the investigators. “The distribution of scores on the modified Rankin Scale was better among all thrombolysis patients than controls (odds ratio 1.6)…. Increasing age is associated with poorer outcome but the association between thrombolysis treatment and improved outcome is maintained in very elderly people. Age alone should not be a barrier to treatment.”
—Glenn S. Williams and Colby Stong