July23, 2001 Research Update

James Bogash, D.C. Mesa, AZ
info@lifecarechiropractic.com
www.lifecarechiropractic.com

Facial Wrinkling and the Presence of Basal Cell Carcinoma

Just sort of a FYI...don't worry so much about those wrinkles--they may protect against cancer!! Discordance Between Facial Wrinkling and the Presence of Basal Cell Carcinoma

http://archderm.ama-assn.org/issues/v137n6/abs/dob00059.html

Comparison of Simple Measures of Insulin Sensitivity

There have been several studies lately pointing to the utility of the fasting insulin to glucose ratio in identifying insulin resistance. Considering that insulin resistance is estimated to be in 20% of the population and this is such a simple test, it should be considered standard for any battery of lab tests. JCEM -- Abstracts: Silfen et al. 86 (6): 2863 http://jcem.endojournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/86/6/2863

CRP, Interleukin 6, and Risk of Developing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Inflammation plays a key role in many of todays chronic diseases and lifestyle changes to lower overall inflammatory burden will cut across disease risk for a variety of diseases. Identifying and avoiding food allergies, choosing a more plant based diet over animal based, adequate fruit and veggie intake and exercise are just a few of the ways to lower inflammation. Of interesting note is that insulin is generally considered a proinflammatory hormone (with the exception of a few studies that suggest an anti-inflammatory action in certain instances)...it is possible that increasing inflammation is one way in which high insulin promotes diabetes. C-Reactive Protein, Interleukin 6, and Risk of Developing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus http://jama.ama-assn.org/issues/v286n3/abs/joc10096.html

Chronobiology--Reducing Time

There are many theories as to how we age: antioxidant damage, glycosylation of proteins (sugar molecules irreversibly damaging protein in our cells) and telomere shortening among many others. This article is in line with the antioxidant theory, suggesting that a balance between oxidized and reduced NAD in the cell controls production of two proteins that control the age of the cell. The bottom line? Nothing's changed. Anti-aging still consists of moderation and avoidance of damaging factors such as refined carbs, saturated fats and hydrogenated oils. High intakes of fruits and veggies will give the body what it needs to maintain a happy balance of NAD forms. Science -- Schibler et al. 293 (5529): 437 http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/summary/293/5529/437

Lymphoma, inflammatory bowel disease and immunosuppression

The idea of long term immunosupression to manage a chronic disease has always concerned me. This article reviews the concern, to include the use of the new TNF-alpha receptor blockage medications, of increase risk of lyphoma. Many, if not all, cases of inflammatory bowel disease can respond wonderfully to functional medicine concepts and lifestyle changes. The increased risk of cancer with these therapies that suppress the immune system is opposing Mother Nature, and the downstream effects of this are beyond our current knowledge. Synergy : Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics 15 (8), 1101-1108 http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/Journals/content/abstracts/apt/2001/15/8/abstract_apt1023.asp?journal=apt&issueid=6345&artid=119255&cid=apt.2001.8& ftype=abstracts

Fructo oligosaccharides in the prevention of travellers' diarrhoea

FOS is a nondigestable carbohydrate that friendly bacteria can use as a fuel source to proliferate and help the GI tract stay healthy. This study shows some benefit to the use of FOS to reduce effects of travellers' diarrhea. Probiotics and FOS are a nice GI preventative for anyone traveling out of the country. As a side note, there is some concern that certain harmful bacteria (namely Klebsiella) can also use FOS. A stool analysis is always a nice place to start if this is a concern to find out what the flora of the patient's GI tract consists of. Synergy : Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics 15 (8), 1139-1145 http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/Journals/content/abstracts/apt/2001/15/8/abstract_apt1043.asp?journal=apt&issueid=6345&artid=119264&cid=apt.2001.8& ftype=abstracts

In Utero And Perinatal Factors May Influence Asthma Risk in Children

There are many people who want to blame genetics for much of today's chronic diseases, but I firmly believe that environment is the bigger player. As more and more studies come out implicating factors at the beginning of life in health, I feel confident that my viewpoint will become even more cemented.

Allergy 2001;56:491-497 Complications during pregnancy or delivery, illness during the first week of life and low birthweight appear to be associated with an increased risk of childhood asthma. To establish whether there is a link between asthma and events in pregnancy and early life, Dr. Isabella Annesi-Maesano from INSERM in Villejuif, France and colleagues collected data on 4065 children of 2583 mothers from the National Child Development Stud. The children, who were born in 1958, were followed into adulthood and were last interviewed in 1991, according to the report in the June issue of Allergy. Childhood asthma developed in 10.1% of the cohort. Overall, asthma was more common among children with mothers who had complications during pregnancy. The researchers also found higher rates of asthma in subjects with illness or health complications during the first week of life and birthweights below 2.5 kg. Early or threatened labor and the malposition or malpresentation of the fetus were significantly related to the development of childhood asthma, Dr. Annesi-Maesano's team reports. "These findings among the offspring of a nationally representative birth cohort obtained after controlling for potential confounders provide further epidemiologic evidence that the risk of developing childhood asthma may be influenced to some extent by events in pregnancy and delivery," Dr. Annesi-Maesano and colleagues conclude.

UK Group Sees Disaster in Direct-To-consumer Drug Advertising

So they could see it in England but not here in America...direct to consumer advertising, while a major source of funding for newspapers, magazines and TV, has led to a substantial increase in pharmaceutical sales. Common sense would suggest that advertising should have no impact whatsoever in pharmaceutical use. But no one ever said common sense was common in medicine...

(article) The Consumers' Association warned Tuesday that if the European Commission relaxes rules banning direct-to-consumer (DTC) pharmaceutical advertising in Europe, "disastrous consequences" would follow for the UK National Health Service, leading to spiralling drugs budgets. In a new report, "Promotion of prescription drugs: public health or private profit?" — due to be published on July 18 — the association says EC proposals to relax the rules on providing information on drugs for AIDS, diabetes and asthma will lead to a US-style boom in pharmaceutical marketing targeted at consumers. The consumer group has written to EC officials and the UK Government, urging them to put "public interest before the demands of the pharmaceutical industry." It argues that the introduction of DTC pharmaceutical advertising in the US helped fuel an 84% increase in drug bills between 1993 and 1998. Louise Ansari, spokesperson for the Consumer's Association, said that DTC drug advertising had "had a monumental impact on drug budgets in both New Zealand and the US."