Allergic rhinitis, hay fever treated with self adjusted dosing

Allergic rhinitis or hay fever or seasonal allergy can be treated with self adjusted dosing of intranasal corticosteroid triamcinolone acetonide. – Hay fever, the often seasonal allergy that affects between 10 and 20 percent of the American population, is best controlled through a course of patient-adjusted dosing, according to new research published in the September 2008 edition of Otolaryngology ? Head and Neck Surgery.

Trials supporting FDA approved drugs remained unpublished

Over half of all supporting trials determining efficacy for FDA-approved drugs with statistically significant results and larger sample sizes remained unpublished 5 years after approval. – Over half of all supporting trials for FDA-approved drugs remained unpublished 5 years after approval, says new research published in this week’s PLoS Medicine. The most important trials determining efficacy, and those with statistically significant results and larger sample sizes, are more likely to be published.

Electronic cigarette not a safe or proven quitting method for smokers

Electronic cigarette not a safe or proven quitting method for smokers, warns UN, WHO. Marketers of electronic cigarettes should halt unproved therapy claims. – Contrary to what some marketers of the electronic cigarette imply in their advertisements, the World Health Organization (WHO) does not consider it to be a legitimate therapy for smokers trying to quit.

Arthroscopy may not help osteoarthritis patients

A landmark study conducted in London, Canada at The University of Western Ontario and Lawson Health Research Institute shows that a routinely practiced knee surgery is ineffective at reducing joint pain or improving joint function for sufferers of osteoarthritis. – Arthroscopic surgery for osteoarthritis of the knee provides no additional benefit to optimized physical and medical therapy, revealed by researchers in a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) issue of Sept. 11, 2008.

Bapineuzumab promising in treating Alzheimer’s disease

Elan and Wyeth have released results of a phase 2 study of bapineuzumab, an attempt at treating Alzheimer’s disease. – Elan Corporation, plc (NYSE: ELN) and Wyeth (NYSE: WYE) announced encouraging preliminary findings from a Phase 2 study of bapineuzumab (AAB-001) in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. In the 18-month trial, bapineuzumab appeared to have clinical activity in treating Alzheimer’s disease.

Travelers’ diarrhea vaccine skin patch for travelers

A new skin patch may help protect travelers from a common vacation spoiler: traveler’s diarrhea. UT School of Public Health researchers discover significant efficacy of travelers’ diarrhea vaccine. – Researchers at The University of Texas School of Public Health have found that patients given a travelers’ diarrhea vaccine were significantly less likely to suffer from clinically significant diarrhea than those who received placebo, according to a study published in this week’s edition of The Lancet.

Purple passion fruit peel reduces asthma symptoms

Oral administration of the purple passion fruit peel extract reduces wheeze and cough and improves shortness of breath in adults with asthma – Passion fruit peel can significantly improve the symptoms of asthma. Patients given an extract from the Purple passion fruit’s peel had reduced wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath, due to anti-oxidant, anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory properties of Purple passion fruit.

Brain and genes to improve anxiety treatment

U-M researchers look at cannabinoids, genes, medicines and brain scans to find better anxiety treatments. – Right now, about half of all people who take medicine for an anxiety disorder don’t get much help from it. And doctors have no definitive way to predict who will, and who won’t, benefit from each anti-anxiety prescription they write.

Eli Lilly denied NYT report of schizophrenia drug Zyprexa

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) called the assertions in a New York Times online article ‘flat out wrong.’ A report in The New York Times that said a senior executive had encouraged the promotion of its schizophrenia drug Zyprexa for a use not approved by federal regulators. – Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) called the assertions in a New York Times online article ‘flat out wrong.’ A report in The New York Times that said a senior executive had encouraged the promotion of its schizophrenia drug Zyprexa for a use not approved by federal regulators.

Novartis’ Femara protects against breast cancer return

Results from this analysis affirm the safety and efficacy of Novartis’ Femara as extended adjuvant therapy (i.e. following the completion of five years of tamoxifen). – Women may reduce the risk of their breast cancer returning by starting treatment with Femara (letrozole) anywhere from one to seven years after finishing tamoxifen therapy, according to a new analysis published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

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