Most Americans with Celiac disease do not understand: the test

THURSDAY, Aug. 2 HealthDay News)--new research suggests that the 1.4 million Americans have celiac disease, but do not know, while 1.6 million people are on a gluten-free diet for celiac disease--treatment--even though they may not be necessary.

The results, which estimates that 1.8 million Americans have celiac disease--autoimmune condition--indicate that the percentage of 78 patients do not always realize that they have the condition.

"This is proof that the disease is common in the United States," said co-author Dr. Joseph Murray, a gastroenterologist at the Mayo Clinic in the news release. "If you have one person to detect every five or six [who] are not very good job we're doing, celiac disease detection."

People with celiac disease have trouble sample of wheat, rye and barley. Gluten-free diet can help, but around 80% of the people on such a diet not recognized in celiac disease.

"There are many people on a gluten-free Diet and not clear what is the medical need for that," said Murray. "This important if someone thinks that they have celiac disease, that they be tested first before they go on a diet."

The researchers came to their conclusions by examining the results of tests of blood and establish a national test.

Celiac disease seems to be particularly common in the white race.

"Virtually all of the people we were non-Hispanic Caucasians," said co-author Dr. Alberto Rubio-Tapia, Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist, release news. But, he said, the results are head scratching because studies in Mexico had suggested that the disease celiac is common.

Research was partially funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the Centre for disease prevention and control.

Study appears in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, July 31.

--Randy Dotinga Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Source: Mayo Clinic, news release, 31 July 2012

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Mother-to-child spread of disease ' kissing bugs ' reported

MyHealthNewsDaily staff

A boy born in Virginia two years ago became the first person in the United States known to have acquired Chagas disease from his mother, according to a new report, describing the case.

The case highlights the need for increased awareness of the disease among health care providers in the United States, said the researchers. The disease occurs mainly in Latin America, but cases in the United States and elsewhere have been increasing, mainly as a result of migration, according to the World Health Organization.

Chagas disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which is typically transmitted to humans by bites from insects commonly known as kissing bugs. Though less common, the disease also transmitted congenitally, from mother to child during pregnancy, as was the case with Virginia boy.

While the boy's case was the first to be documented formally, it has been estimated that between 65 and 638 cases of congenital Chagas disease occur in the United States each year, said the Centers for disease control and prevention (CDC) report. This estimate is based on the typical birth rates of women from regions where Chagas disease is endemic, and the fact that the disease in 1 to 5 percent of pregnancies of infected mothers, are sent to the child.

In August 2010 birth mother who had recently immigrated to the United States from Bolivia, by cesarean section when his child was 29 weeks old. The boy had signs of jaundice, and excess fluid around his heart, abdomen and lungs. Child's doctors who did not know the boy had Chagas disease, administered antibiotics for what they believed to be a widespread bacterial infection called sepsis.

Two weeks after the birth, the mother revealed she had been told in Bolivia during a previous pregnancy that she had Chagas disease. After testing her baby boy, doctors found he also had the parasite in his blood. The boy was given a 60-day treatment of benznidazole, a drug for Chagas disease, and was healed.

The case "illustrates, congenital Chagas disease, even when serious, not perhaps recognized, or diagnosis could be delayed due to lack define clinical features, or because the diagnosis is not considered," said today's CDC report.

Chagas disease is estimated to affect about 300,000 people in the United States, most of whom immigrated here.

Doctors in the United States should be aware of the condition so that pregnant women from high-risk areas for Chagas disease can be subjected to screening and identification, says the report. Mothers diagnosed with Chagas disease should be treated for the condition, but only after they have finished breast-feeding, the report said.

More from MyHealthNewsDaily:

11 Big Fat pregnancy myths

5 Ways climate change will affect your health

Chagas disease vs. AIDS: 6 differences and 5 similarities

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The National Library of Medicine releases free iPad App, "Native Voices: the Native peoples ' concepts of health and disease"

To give those who cannot travel to Bethesda, Maryland to see him personally lively experience of virtual, National Library Medicine (NLM) announces new iPad app, free, which captures the contents of its popular exhibitions, Native Voices: the native inhabitants of the concepts of health and disease (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/nativevoices/index.html), currently on display. NLM is the world's largest medical library and component of the National Institutes of Health.

The application allows users to explore video chat with members of the tribal elders, tribal healers and other prominent people practice traditional medicine, Western medicine, or a combination of both. Experience the unique and the prospects they weave tapestry vibrant and diverse cultures and ways of medicine practiced by the Natives of Alaska, native Americans and native Hawaiians. Other clips video provides an overview of the exhibition and the stresses of travel 4,400-mile had ordered a totem of specially crafted for exhibition from Washington State to the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland.

App NLM Native Voices works on all iPads with iOS 4.2 and higher. To download the free app, go to the Apple iTunes store (www.apple.com/iTunes) and type in "NLM Native Voices."

In addition to the content of the native Voices: the native inhabitants of the concepts of health and disease, the application contains a function "of the NLM", which allows the public to obtain information on the National Library of Medicine, and also learn how to "visit the NLM" and "Connect with NLM" through social media outlets.

On the welcome page of the app NLM Native Voices shows the logo of the exhibition and of the four featured interview subjects.

NLM Director Dr. Donald A.B. Lindberg (left top) provides an overview of the Native Voices: the native inhabitants of the concepts of health and disease, this exhibition home users and applications, you can also examine the rich content on five main topics: individual, Community, tradition, healing and nature.

Interviews on app NLM Native Voices can be searched by key words, respondent name or, as shown here, the topic. The speakers presented to talk about the importance of taking responsibility for their own health and the health of their Communities.

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Efficient Disease Risk Prediction a Long Way Off, Experts Say

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THURSDAY, May 24 (HealthDay News) -- Detailed information about a person's genetic makeup and their environmental risk factors does not significantly change their disease risk prediction, according to the results of a new simulation study.

The researchers, from the Harvard School of Public Health, said that much more research is needed before information on patients' genetic variants could actually help doctors prevent or treat certain conditions.

"Overall, our findings suggest that the potential complexity of genetic and environmental factors related to disease will have to be understood on a much larger scale than initially expected to be useful for risk prediction," study author Hugues Aschard, a research fellow in the epidemiology department, said in a Harvard news release. "The road to efficient genetic risk prediction, if it exists, is likely to be long," he added.

In conducting the study, the investigators examined whether or not disease risk prediction for breast cancer, type 2 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis would improve if environmental risk factors were considered along with genetic risk. The study authors called this interplay of genetic and environmental factors a "synergistic effect."

The researchers simulated a wide range of possible interactions between environmental risk factors and common genetic risk markers related to the three diseases to determine if this simulation model would improve risk prediction.

For breast cancer, 15 common genetic variations associated with the disease plus certain environmental factors -- such as age at first menstrual period and first birth, and number of close relatives who had breast cancer -- were considered. In examining type 2 diabetes, the researchers looked at 31 genetic variations along with risk factors such as family history, obesity, smoking and physical activity. For rheumatoid arthritis, they considered 31 genetic variations, as well as smoking and breast-feeding.

These disease models, however, showed no significant improvement in risk prediction, and the researchers concluded that with this method, risk prediction sensitivity would improve by no more than 1 percent to 3 percent.

"Statistical models of synergy among genetic markers are not 'game changers' in terms of risk prediction in the general population," said Aschard.

Study senior author Peter Kraft, an associate professor of epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health, added: "For most people, your doctor's advice before seeing your genetic test for a particular disease will be exactly the same as after seeing your tests."

The study authors noted that additional research on genetic and environmental interactions can provide important clues about the cause of disease, which may lead to improved prevention and treatment.

The study was published online May 24 and will appear in the June 8 print issue of the American Journal of Human Genetics.

-- Mary Elizabeth Dallas Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved. SOURCE: Harvard School of Public Health, news release, May 24, 2012

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MedlinePlus: Diabetic heart disease

The top row in the table of contents includes the following groups: base, learn more and Multimedia and Cool Tools. For the Group of tools, Multimedia and Cool

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This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

The National Library of Medicine releases free iPad App, "Native Voices: the Native peoples ' concepts of health and disease"

To give those who cannot travel to Bethesda, Maryland to see him personally lively experience of virtual, National Library Medicine (NLM) announces new iPad app, free, which captures the contents of its popular exhibitions, Native Voices: the native inhabitants of the concepts of health and disease (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/nativevoices/index.html), currently on display. NLM is the world's largest medical library and component of the National Institutes of Health.

The application allows users to explore video chat with members of the tribal elders, tribal healers and other prominent people practice traditional medicine, Western medicine, or a combination of both. Experience the unique and the prospects they weave tapestry vibrant and diverse cultures and ways of medicine practiced by the Natives of Alaska, native Americans and native Hawaiians. Other clips video provides an overview of the exhibition and the stresses of travel 4,400-mile had ordered a totem of specially crafted for exhibition from Washington State to the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland.

App NLM Native Voices works on all iPads with iOS 4.2 and higher. To download the free app, go to the Apple iTunes store (www.apple.com/iTunes) and type in "NLM Native Voices."

In addition to the content of the native Voices: the native inhabitants of the concepts of health and disease, the application contains a function "of the NLM", which allows the public to obtain information on the National Library of Medicine, and also learn how to "visit the NLM" and "Connect with NLM" through social media outlets.

On the welcome page of the app NLM Native Voices shows the logo of the exhibition and of the four featured interview subjects.

NLM Director Dr. Donald A.B. Lindberg (left top) provides an overview of the Native Voices: the native inhabitants of the concepts of health and disease, this exhibition home users and applications, you can also examine the rich content on five main topics: individual, Community, tradition, healing and nature.

Interviews on app NLM Native Voices can be searched by key words, respondent name or, as shown here, the topic. The speakers presented to talk about the importance of taking responsibility for their own health and the health of their Communities.

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Restless legs syndrome and conditions associated with metabolic dysregulation, sympathoadrenal dysfunction, and cardiovascular disease risk: A systematic review

Kim E. Innesa, b, , , Terry Kit Selfea, b, c, , Parul Agarwala, d, a Department of Community Medicine, West Virginia University School of Medicine, PO Box 9190, Morgantown, WV 26506-9190, USAb Center for the Study of Complementary and Alternative Therapies, University of Virginia Health System, PO Box 800782, McLeod Hall, Charlottesville, VA 22908-0782, USAReceived 1 February 2011. Revised 7 April 2011. Accepted 11 April 2011. Available online 5 July 2011.View full text Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a distressing sleep and sensorimotor disorder that affects a large percentage of adults in the western industrialized world and is associated with profound reductions in quality of life. However, the etiology of RLS remains incompletely understood. Enhanced understanding regarding both the antecedents and sequelae of RLS could shed new light on the pathogenesis of RLS. Evidence from an emerging body of literature suggests associations between RLS and diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and related conditions linked to sympathetic activation and metabolic dysregulation, raising the possibility that these factors may likewise play a significant role in the development and progression of RLS, and could help explain the recently documented associations between RLS and subsequent cardiovascular disease. However, the relation between RLS and these chronic conditions has received relatively little attention to date, although potential implications for the pathogenesis and treatment of RLS could be considerable. In this paper, we systematically review the recently published literature regarding the association of RLS to cardiovascular disease and related risk factors characterized by sympathoadrenal and metabolic dysregulation, discuss potential underlying mechanisms, and outline some possible directions for future research.

prs.rt("abs_end");Restless legs syndrome; RLS; Ekbom disease; Cardiovascular disease; Hypertension; Diabetes; Impaired glucose tolerance; Obesity; Weight gain; Dyslipidemia; Autonomic dysfunction; HPA axis dysfunction

Figures and tables from this article:

Table 1. Summary table of study characteristics. N = 30 studies (1995-2010).

Abbreviations: CVD = cardiovascular disease; DM = diabetes; DM2 = type 2 diabetes; dx = diagnosis; IGT = impaired glucose tolerance: IRLSSG = international restless legs syndrome study group; Min freq/sev = minimum frequency and/or severity; pts = patients; pts = patients; VA = veterans administration; w/ = with.

View Within ArticleTable 2. Relation of RLS to cardiovascular disease. Summary of study characteristics and findings (N = 15 studies published between 1995 and 2010).

Abbreviations: appt = appointment; ARIC = atherosclerosis risk in communities; BOLD = the burden of obstructive lung diseases study; BP = blood pressure; btwn = between; CAD = Coronary artery disease; CHF = congestive heart failure; CHS = cardiovascular health study; condn = condition; CVD = cardiovascular disease; DM = diabetes mellitus; DM2 = type 2 diabetes; dx = diagnosis; ECA = epidemiologic catchment area; F=female; FBG = fasting blood glucose; FHS = framingham heart study; Freq = frequency; Hgb = hemoglobin; HPFS = health professionals follow-up study; HTN = hypertension; hx = history; ICD = International Classification of Diseases; ICSD = international classification of sleep disorders; IRLS = international RLS study group rating scale; IRLSSG = international restless legs syndrome study group; M = male; MEMO = the memory and morbidity in augsburg elderly study; MI = myocardial infraction; MONICA = monitoring trends and determinants in CVD survey-Augsburg; n’s = numbers; NC-FP-RN = north carolina family practice research network; NHS II = nurses health study II; NSF = national sleep foundation poll; NY cohorts = new york hypertension cohorts; OR = odds ratio (95% Confidence Interval); pt = patient; RLS = restless legs syndrome; SDB = sleep disordered breathing; SHHS = sleep heart health study; SHS = strong heart study; SPAR = the official database covering the total population of Sweden; Sx = symptoms; TG = triglycerides; Tucson cohorts = tucson epidemiologic study of airways obstructive diseases and the health and environment study; tx = treatment; VA = veterans administration; w/ = with; w/o = without.*Calculated from data provided in paper.

View Within ArticleTable 3. Relation of RLS to hypertension: Summary of study characteristics and findings (N = 17 studies published between 1995 and 2010).

Abbreviations: appt = appointment; ARIC = atherosclerosis risk in communities; BOLD = the burden of obstructive lung diseases study; BP = blood pressure; btwn = between; CHF = congestive heart failure; CHS = cardiovascular health study; condn = condition; CVD = cardiovascular disease; DBP = diastolic blood pressure; DM = diabetes mellitus; DM2 = type 2 diabetes; DM1 = type 1 diabetes; dx = diagnosis; ECA = epidemiologic catchment area; F=female; FBG = fasting blood glucose; FHS = framingham heart study; Freq = frequency; Hgb = hemoglobin; HPFS = health professionals follow-up study; HTN = hypertension; hx = history; ICD9CM = international classification of diseases, 9th revision, clinical modification; ICSD = international classification of sleep disorders; IRLS = international RLS study group rating scale; IRLSSG = international restless legs syndrome study group; M = male; MEMO = the memory and morbidity in augsburg elderly study; MI = myocardial infarction; MONICA = monitoring trends and determinants in CVD survey-Augsburg; n’s = numbers; NC-FP-RN = north carolina family practice research network; NHS II = nurses health study II; NSF = national sleep foundation poll; NY cohorts = new york hypertension cohorts; OR = odds ratio (95% Confidence Interval); Pt = patient; RLS = restless legs syndrome; SBP = systolic blood pressure; SDB = Sleep disordered breathing; SHHS = sleep heart health study; SHS = strong heart study; SPAR = the official database covering the total population of Sweden; Sx = symptoms; TG = triglycerides; Tucson cohorts = tucson epidemiologic study of airways obstructive diseases and the health and environment study; tx = treatment; VA = veterans administration; w/ = with; w/in = within; w/o = without.* Calculated from data provided in paper.

View Within ArticleTable 4. Relation of RLS to diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance: Summary of study characteristics and findings (N=26 studies (1995-2010)).

Abbreviations: appt = appointment; ARIC = atherosclerosis risk in communities; BG = blood glucose; BMI = body mass index; BOLD = the burden of obstructive lung diseases study; BP = blood pressure; btwn = between; CHF = congestive heart failure; CHS = cardiovascular health study; condn = condition; CVD = cardiovascular disease; DM = diabetes mellitus; DM1 = type 1 diabetes; DM2 = type 2 diabetes; dx = diagnosis; ECA = epidemiologic catchment area; F=female; FBG = fasting blood glucose; FHS = framingham heart study; Freq = frequency; Hgb = hemoglobin; HOMA = homeostasis model assessment; HPFS = health professionals follow-up study; HTN = hypertension; hx = history; ICD9CM = international classification of diseases, 9th revision, clinical modification; IGT = impaired glucose tolerance; ICSD = international classification of sleep disorders; IGR = impaired glucose regulation; IGT = impaired glucose tolerance; IRLS = international RLS study group rating scale; IRLSSG = international restless legs syndrome study group; M = male; MEMO = the memory and morbidity in augsburg elderly study; MONICA = monitoring trends and determinants in CVD survey-Augsburg; NC-FP-RN = north carolina family practice research network; NHS II = nurses health study II; NSF = national sleep foundation poll; NY cohorts = new york hypertension cohorts; OGTT = oral glucose tolerance test; OR = odds ratio (95% Confidence Interval); pts = patients; RLS = restless legs syndrome; SDB = sleep disordered breathing; SHHS = sleep heart health study; SHS = Strong heart study; SPAR = the official database covering the total population of Sweden; Sx = symptoms; TG = triglycerides; Tucson cohorts = tucson epidemiologic study of airways obstructive diseases and the health and environment study; tx = treatment; VA = veterans administration; w/ = with; w/in = within; w/o = without.*Calculated from data provided in table.

View Within ArticleTable 5. Relation of RLS to obesity, weight gain, and dyslipidemia: Summary of study characteristics and findings (N=18 studies with data on the association of RLS to obesity/weight gain, 7 studies with data on the association of RLS to lipid profiles).

Abbreviations: appt = appointment; ARIC = atherosclerosis risk in communities; BMI = body mass index; BOLD = the burden of obstructive lung diseases study; BP = blood pressure; btwn = between; CHF = congestive heart failure; CHS = cardiovascular health study; condn = condition; CVD = cardiovascular disease; DM = diabetes mellitus; DM1 = type 1 diabetes; DM2 = type 2 diabetes; dx = diagnosis; ECA = epidemiologic catchment area; F=female; FBG = fasting blood glucose; FHS = framingham heart study; Freq = frequency; Hgb = hemoglobin; HPFS = health professionals follow-up study; HTN = hypertension; hx = history; ICSD = international classification of sleep disorders; IRLS = intl RLS study group rating scale; IRLSSG = international restless legs syndrome study group; M = male; MEMO = the memory and morbidity in augsburg elderly study; MI = myocardial infarction; MONICA = Monitoring trends and determinants in CVD survey-Augsburg; NC-FP-RN = north carolina family practice research network; NHS II = nurses health study II; NSF = national sleep foundation poll; NY cohorts = new york hypertension cohorts; OGTT = oral glucose tolerance test; OR = odds ratio (95% confidence interval); RLS = restless legs syndrome; SDB = sleep disordered breathing; SHHS = sleep heart health study; SHS = strong heart study; SPAR = the official database covering the total population of Sweden; Sx = symptoms; TG = triglycerides; Tucson cohorts = tucson epidemiologic study of airways obstructive diseases and the health and environment study; tx = treatment; VA = veterans administration; w/ = with; w/o = without.*Calculated from data provided in paper.

View Within ArticleCopyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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From restless legs syndrome to Willis-Ekbom disease: A condition reaches full age

 

Disease Tolerance as a Defense Strategy

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Abstract
The immune system protects from infections primarily by detecting and eliminating the invading pathogens; however, the host organism can also protect itself from infectious diseases by reducing the negative impact of infections on host fitness. This ability to tolerate a pathogen’s presence is a distinct host defense strategy, which has been largely overlooked in animal and human studies. Introduction of the notion of “disease tolerance” into the conceptual tool kit of immunology will expand our understanding of infectious diseases and host pathogen interactions. Analysis of disease tolerance mechanisms should provide new approaches for the treatment of infections and other diseases.

Posted in Autoimmune disease, evolutionary medicine