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BioAlliance Pharma Obtains European Approval For Loramyc(R) Tablet Embossing And Extension Of Its Shelf Life To 36 Months
BioAlliance Pharma SA (Paris:BIO), the specialty pharmaceutical company focused on therapy and supportive care in cancer and AIDS, announced Europe-wide approval for embossing its Loramyc® mucoadhesive buccal tablet, developed for the treatment of oropharyngeal candidiasis.
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Engineering Autism: Mice With Extra Chromosome Region Show Many Autistic Signs
Mice who inherit a particular chromosomal duplication from their fathers show many behaviors associated with human autism, researchers report in the June 26th issue of the journal Cell, a Cell Press Publication. The duplicated chromosomal region in mice is the equivalent of human chromosome 15q11-13, the most frequent cytogenetic abnormality observed in autism, accounting for some five percent of all cases.
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Black Women More Likely To Have Vitamin D Deficiency, Bacterial Vaginosis, Study Finds
Black women are nearly three times as likely as white women to have a vitamin D deficiency, which is linked with an increased risk of the vaginal infection bacterial vaginosis, according to a study published in the June issue of the Journal of Nutrition, the New York Times reports. Black women likely have lower levels of vitamin D because the higher amount of pigment in their skin prevents the body from absorbing the vitamin.For the study, researchers led by Lisa Bodnar, an assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh, examined 209 white pregnant women and 260 black pregnant women at a Pittsburgh clinic. More than half of the women had low levels of vitamin D, the study found. Women whose vitamin D levels were 50 nanomoles or less had a 26% increased risk of BV, while women whose vitamin levels were less than 20 nanomoles had a 65% increased risk of the infection. About 52% of black women had the infection, compared with 27% of white women, the study found (Bakalar, New York Times, 5/26). The study found that 93% of women with BV had low vitamin D levels and that BV prevalence decreased as vitamin levels increased.In addition, although black women were more likely to have BV, white women who had low levels of vitamin D were as likely to have the infection as black women. Poor diets and obesity also contributed to a vitamin deficiency. Bodnar noted that black women are less likely than white women to meet dietary recommendations for vitamin D. Bodnar recommended that women discuss their level of vitamin D with their physicians and that pregnant women take a prenatal vitamin, which typically includes vitamin D.According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Bodnar"s research team has received NIH funding to conduct a study of whether vitamin D deficiency in women increases the risk of poor birth outcomes and whether high infant mortality among blacks can be attributed to factors such as obesity (Templeton, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 5/23).
Endocrinology

Link Between Obstructive Sleep Apnea And Diabetic Retinopathy

The eyes may be the window into the soul, but they may also contain important medical information. According to new research presented at the American Thoracic Society"s 105th International Conference in San Diego on May 19, patients with diabetes who have retinopathy should also be screened for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). "We know from our earlier research that 23 percent of men with type 2 diabetes have OSA and this is under-recognized and under-treated," said Sophie D. West, M.D., of the Oxford Centre for Respiratory Medicine in the United Kingdom, who led the research. "This study suggests that OSA is linked to retinopathy in type 2 diabetes." The researchers analyzed data from 118 men who had participated in the earlier study on the prevalence of OSA in type 2 diabetes in Oxford, England, and who also had retinal images to review. (All patients with type 2 diabetes in the U.K. are offered annual retinal screening to look for signs of retinopathy.) The images were studied by ophthalmology graders for evidence of retinopathy and the sleep study data was reviewed to determine the presence or absence of OSA. The researchers found that retinopathy was present in more than half - 54 percent - of those who had OSA, compared to fewer than a third - 31 percent - of those without OSA, independent of the effects of glucose control, age, body mass index, high blood pressure and the duration of the diabetes. This was statistically significant. "These results suggest an association between OSA and retinopathy that should be further investigated," said Dr. West. "While the study only analyzed data from men, there is no reason to believe that gender would play a role in the results." There has been very little work previously regarding the relationship between OSA and retinopathy. Previous studies have found strong links between poor glucose control and high blood pressure with retinopathy and these have been the main areas upon which treatment has been targeted in diabetes in order to prevent retinopathy from developing and to delay its progression. However, in this study, OSA had a far stronger relationship with retinopathy than did glucose control or high blood pressure. "While there is clearly more research to be done, there is an immediate implication to consider," said Dr. West. "Our message would be for doctors and nurses who see patients with type 2 diabetes to consider whether they could have OSA and whether they should therefore be referred for a sleep study." Symptoms of possible OSA include snoring, apneas (stopping breathing) and daytime sleepiness. "Future research will try to determine whether the treatment for OSA, that is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), can delay the development or progression of retinopathy, associated with diabetes." Keely Savoie American Thoracic Society


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