October 16, 2000 Research Update

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

Organ-Specific Autoantibodies and Celiac Disease Patients

This is yet another example of how important it is to determine food allergies and avoid those foods we're allergic to. Wheat is high on the list of common allergies, along with corn and milk. This article also brings to light the systemic affects of food allergies; effects are not always what a person would normally think of. No hives, no stomach upset. In this study, children allergic to gluten (a protein found in wheat) had evidence of autoimmunity to cells in the thyroid and pancreas. Would this not lead to strong evidence for every patient with suspected hypothyroidism to have a trial of wheat elimination?

J Pediatr 2000;137:263-265 Patients with celiac disease have high levels of diabetes- and thyroid-related autoantibodies that "disappear" when the patients are placed on a gluten-free diet. The finding confirms the high prevalence of organ-specific autoantibodies in patients with celiac disease, and supports the theory that these antibodies are gluten-dependent, Dr. Alessandro Ventura, of the Universita di Trieste, Italy, and colleagues say in the August issue of the Journal of Pediatrics. The investigators tested 90 children with celiac disease for serum antibodies to islet cells, glutamic acid decarboxylase, insulin, and thyroperoxidase. The overall prevalence of diabetes- and thyroid-related autoantibodies was 11.1% and 14.4%, respectively.

More Than 300 Regularly Prescribed Medicines Can Damage the Lungs

In many condition, we need to start weighing more heavily the risk vs benefit of commonly prescribed drugs. I truly believe, if careful attention was paid to the potential and actual side effects, and patients were given full disclosure of the harmful side effects, the high use of many pharmaceuticals would drop.

(article) The warning issued at the first World Congress on Lung Health and Respiratory Diseases in Florence is clear: there are hundreds of medicines routinely prescribed against a variety of disorders, including high blood pressure, allergies, rheumatism, certain cancers, and common nonrespiratory inflammations, that can cause all kinds of lung diseases. These accidents can happen within a very short time or after several years. They are mostly unpredictable and some are irreversible, leaving damaging after-effects. This was revealed at a postgraduate course on iatrogenic lung diseases presented by Professor Philippe Camus of the University Medical Centre of Dijon, France, who is also a member of the Clinical Assembly of the European Respiratory Society (ERS), organizer of the Congress. The researcher told his audience that so far 310 therapeutic substances have been identified as having such iatrogenic effects. "This means the number is really much greater if you consider that each active principle in a preparation is usually marketed in several different forms. The problem was practically unknown 25 years ago, but it is now taking on alarming proportions," the French lung expert added. Yet the information provided with the packaging rarely warns patients that the medicine could potentially cause a lung disorder, and few doctors give the matter due thought when they prescribe a treatment. This is a pity, according to the specialists attending the World Congress in Florence, because in about 70% of cases, the early withdrawal of the medicine would increase the patient's chances of avoiding the damaging sequelae, and very often the medicine concerned could simply be replaced with another. The Dijon team has posted their research on a Web site (http://www.pneumotox.com).

Herbal Mixture Can Reduce PSA Levels in Men With Prostate Cancer

Herbs and vitamins can be a very, very strong adjunct in conventional cancer care. We need to look at other methods of influencing current cancer treatment. Despite the belief that technology is at high levels, cancer always has been, still is and will continue to be a major killer if we do not start viewing treatment in an integrated fashion.

(article) The results of recent animal studies suggest that PC-SPES, the herbal preparation known to reduce prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels in men with prostate cancer, may have tumor-preventing properties as well. The studies were described at the annual meeting of the American Institute for Cancer research. They are some of the first in vivo experiments involving PC-SPEC, which since 1996 has been widely touted as a possible herbal therapy for prostate cancer. But evidence suggests that the preparation may prevent tumor development in an "all-or-nothing" fashion, only in some animals, said Dr. Jan Geliebter, a researcher at the New York Medical College in Valhalla, New York.

Eleven Deaths Among UK Vioxx Users

The new selective COX-2 inhibitors Vioxx and Celebrex have been touted as a new panacea for arthritic disorders. Although the incidence of ulcers does appear reduced, we still cannot view these drugs as completely safe.

(article) Eleven deaths and more than 1,000 reports of suspected adverse reactions to Merck's new osteoarthritis drug Vioxx (rofecoxib) have been reported in the UK since its launch in June last year, British regulators said on Thursday. Five patients died following gastrointestinal reactions, three following cardiac failure and three following myocardial infarction, the agencies reported in their newsletter "Current Problems." An estimated 557,100 prescriptions for Merck's COX-2 inhibitor have been dispensed in the UK up to the end of May 2000, the agencies said. The rate of reported adverse reactions is therefore approximately one per 500 prescriptions. The newsletter reminded prescribers that rofecoxib is contraindicated in patients with active peptic ulceration, GI bleeding, and severe congestive heart failure. It also noted that "caution should be exercised in patients with a history of cardiac failure, left ventricular dysfunction, or hypertension and in patients with pre-existing oedema for any other reason". In conclusion, the agencies said, "As with all new drugs, the safety of rofecoxib remains under close review." They pointed out that another COX-2 inhibitor, Pharmacia's celecoxib (Celebrex), had been launched recently and promised to report on its safety profile in a forthcoming bulletin. Merck officials were not immediately available for comment.

Diet, Body Size Influence Age of Menarche, Adolescent Growth

More evidence continues to accumulate relating lifestyle and diet as children to diseases later in life. Considering the poor state of our children's diet and increase in processed and fast food, can we still continue to delude ourselves into believing that our lifespans will actually increase over the next few decades?

Am J Epidemiol 2000;152:446-52 Diet and body size in early childhood influence the age at which girls achieve menarche as well as their growth during adolescence. "Menarche occurred earlier in girls who were taller and who consumed more (age- and calorie-adjusted) animal protein and less vegetable protein as early as ages 3 to 5 years," the investigators report. The girls experienced their peak height growth at a mean age of 11.12 years, and the mean peak growth velocity was 7.99 cm/year, Dr. Berkey's team determined. Peak velocity was noted at a younger age among girls who consumed higher levels of fat than average between ages 1 and 2 years, ate more animal protein than average between ages 6 and 8 years, or were taller than average before they were 6 years of age. The risk of some adult diseases is thought to be influenced by adolescent growth and development factors, the researchers note, "and this paper suggests that several adolescent factors might be modifiable by dietary changes in young children."

Environmental Pollutants Harming Canadian Children's Health

Technology, while producing advances in how we live, can have harmful affects on our health. Taking simple steps such as air filters in the bedroom and drinking only filtered water can help reduce our exposure to the side effects of technology.

(article) Canadian children's chronic, low-level exposure to pollutants in food, water and air may be responsible for a sharp rise in childhood cancers, asthma and behavioral problems, according to a recent report released here. The report states that the fourfold increase in childhood asthma during the past 2 decades and the rise in allergies and respiratory problems may be attributed to poor indoor and outdoor air quality. Indoor air is of particular concern since Canadian children spend more than 90% of their time inside, where concentrations of pollutants such as insulation and cleaning agents can be up to 100 times higher than outdoors, Dr. Chance noted. The 25% increase in the rate of childhood cancers in the past 25 years is at least in part due to exposure to environmental contaminants, according to the report. In particular, there has been a dramatic rise in certain types of cancer, including acute lymphocytic leukemia, tumors of the central nervous system and bone tumors. The report also says that the large increase in hyperactivity disorder and other learning disabilities among children may be in part due to pollutants such as lead, polychlorinated biphenyls, mercury and dioxins, which can reduce intelligence and slow central nervous system development in fetuses. While standards exist for many environmental contaminants, they are based on testing done in adults and do not necessarily reflect children's vulnerability to pollution, according to the report. In particular, infants and toddlers can be more vulnerable to environmental contaminants, since relative to their weight, they eat more food, drink more water and breathe more air and are more likely to play outside.

Chronic Back Pain Patients on an Airbed vs Innerspring Mattresses

Sleeping surface can have a large impact on back pain. Many patients ask me if they should be sleeping on a softer or harder mattress. Unfortunately, in my experience, every patients is different in their needs. That's why the new generation airbeds are becoming popular; patients can adjust them to levels that are comfortable for their bodies.

MedGenMed, September 11, 2000 Objective: To compare SF-36, pain Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and sleep VAS outcomes of an adjustable airbed with innerspring mattresses in a population of chronic back pain sufferers. Discussion and Conclusion: SF-36 and VAS outcomes measures showed a highly significant benefit for the airbed design in this short-term comparison. The airbed appears to be a useful sleep aid and an adjunct to medical and physical therapies for chronic back pain sufferers.