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New Survey Highlights Growing Concern About Risk Of Infection In Cancer Patients And Emerging Antibiotic Resistance
Amgen (Nasdaq: AMGN) announced the results of a national Harris Interactive, Inc. survey indicating that the vast majority of oncologists and infectious disease (ID) specialists are highly concerned about the negative impact infection may have on treatment outcomes in chemotherapy patients, as well as emerging antibiotic resistance. Nearly all oncologists surveyed (92 percent) believe it is important for cancer patients to prevent infections to achieve successful treatment outcomes. Antibiotic resistance is a growing concern among the majority of physicians surveyed, with 96 percent of ID specialists and 79 percent of oncologists reporting an increase in antibiotic-resistant infections in cancer patients over the past five years. Both groups of physicians report methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections as the most commonly observed in chemotherapy patients.
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Study: Furosemide Has Health Benefits For Thoroughbred Racehorses
A groundbreaking study to be published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) shows that furosemide does more than enhance performance in Thoroughbred racehorses; it also has beneficial effects on the health and welfare of those horses.
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H1N1 Death Toll Doubles Over Last Month; First Vaccine Trial Begins
The worldwide death toll from the H1N1 (swine flu) virus has doubled in the past month, reaching over 700, the WHO announced Tuesday, the AP/Google.com reports. "WHO did not give a breakdown of the deaths Tuesday. But as of last week, the U.S. reported 263 deaths, Canada reported 45 deaths and Britain had 29. According to WHO"s last update on July 6, there were 119 deaths in Mexico," the news service writes. "Yet even Tuesday"s figure of 700 deaths may seriously underestimate the true toll, experts say, because not all swine flu cases are being picked up due to testing limitations" (Jordans, 7/21).
Sexual Health

Gene Test Determines Transplant Drug Tolerance

A simple genetic test can determine a kidney transplant patient"s tolerance for a potent anti-rejection medication, according to an upcoming study in the Journal of the American Society Nephrology (JASN). The test could allow doctors to individualize each patient"s dose, optimizing the drug"s benefits and minimizing its side effects. Cyclosporine A is an important immunosuppressant therapy for individuals who receive kidney transplants without it, many patients would experience organ rejection and would not survive. Unfortunately, cyclosporine A can cause serious side effects such as elevated blood pressure, increased risk of infections and cancers, and kidney function deterioration. The frequency and severity of cyclosporine A-related side effects vary among patients, even at comparable cyclosporin A levels in the blood. Determining which patients are more sensitive than others is a challenge for physicians who prescribe the medication. Giuseppe Remuzzi, MD, FRCP, and Piero Ruggenenti, MD (Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research, Italy), and their colleagues, hypothesized that genetics may influence patients" susceptibilities to cyclosporine A"s side effects. In particular, they suspected that variations in a gene called ABCB1, which creates a protein that transports drugs out of cells, may play a role. In individuals who have certain genetic changes in the ABCB1 gene, the transporting protein is sluggish so that when a drug is present, it lingers within cells and tissues. This can amplify the drug"s effects. After studying the genetics of 147 kidney transplant recipients, the researchers found that patients with these genetic changes in the ABCB1 gene were more likely to experience side effects after receiving cyclosporine A than patients without the variants. These effects included delayed functioning of the transplanted kidney, increased need for anti-hypertensive medications, and the development of diabetes, infections, and cancers. "The identification of particular genetic variants performed before transplantation, while patients are on the waiting list, could provide useful information to tailor cyclosporine A dose as early as possible after transplantation, with the ultimate goal to decrease toxicity, improve efficacy, and increase long-term graft survival," said Dr. Remuzzi. The authors report no financial disclosures. ASN is a not-for-profit organization of 11,000 physicians and scientists dedicated to the study of nephrology and committed to providing a forum for the promulgation of information regarding the latest research and clinical findings on kidney diseases. ASN publishes JASN, the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN), and the Nephrology Self-Assessment Program (NephSAP). In January 2009, the Society will launch ASN Kidney News, a newsmagazine for nephrologists, scientists, allied health professionals, and staff. American Society of Nephrology (ASN)


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