Monday, March 15, 2010
Studies support association of higher vitamin D levels with disease risk reduction
The results of two studies conducted by Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute in Murray Utah, presented on March 15, 2010 at the American College of Cardiology's 59th annual scientific session in Atlanta, show that individuals who increase their vitamin D levels experience a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack, heart failure, high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, kidney failure and all-cause mortality over a given period of time.
The first study included 9,491 participants in whom low vitamin D levels of 30 nanograms per milliliter (considered "normal" by some practitioners) or less were detected. Nearly 80 percent of the subjects were women. Among the 47 percent who increased their vitamin D levels to 30 nanograms per milliliter or more between their initial and follow-up examinations, there was a decrease in the risk of coronary artery disease, heart failure, renal failure and death compared with those whose vitamin D levels failed to reach this level.
In the second study, the disease-predictive value of varying levels of vitamin D in 31,289 subjects aged 50 and older was analyzed. The researchers concluded that having a vitamin D level of greater than 43 nanograms per milliliter was optimal to significantly lower the risk of seven out of ten outcomes during the period examined: death, diabetes, coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, heart failure, depression and renal failure.
"It was very important to discover that the 'normal' levels are too low," noted research team member Dr Heidi T. May. "Giving physicians a higher level to look for gives them one more tool in identifying patients at-risk and offering them better treatment."
"Vitamin D replacement therapy has long been associated with reducing the risk of fractures and diseases of the bone," noted Joseph Brent Muhlestein, MD, who is the director of cardiovascular research at the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute and co-researcher in both studies. "But our findings show that vitamin D could have far greater implications in the treatment and reduction of cardiovascular disease and other chronic conditions than we previously thought."
Dr Muhlestein remarked that increasing vitamin D intake by supplementing with 1,000 to 5,000 international units per day may be appropriate for some people.
"Although randomized trials would be useful and are coming, I feel there is enough information here for me to start treatment based on these findings," he added.
The results of two studies conducted by Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute in Murray Utah, presented on March 15, 2010 at the American College of Cardiology's 59th annual scientific session in Atlanta, show that individuals who increase their vitamin D levels experience a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack, heart failure, high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, kidney failure and all-cause mortality over a given period of time.
The first study included 9,491 participants in whom low vitamin D levels of 30 nanograms per milliliter (considered "normal" by some practitioners) or less were detected. Nearly 80 percent of the subjects were women. Among the 47 percent who increased their vitamin D levels to 30 nanograms per milliliter or more between their initial and follow-up examinations, there was a decrease in the risk of coronary artery disease, heart failure, renal failure and death compared with those whose vitamin D levels failed to reach this level.
In the second study, the disease-predictive value of varying levels of vitamin D in 31,289 subjects aged 50 and older was analyzed. The researchers concluded that having a vitamin D level of greater than 43 nanograms per milliliter was optimal to significantly lower the risk of seven out of ten outcomes during the period examined: death, diabetes, coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, heart failure, depression and renal failure.
"It was very important to discover that the 'normal' levels are too low," noted research team member Dr Heidi T. May. "Giving physicians a higher level to look for gives them one more tool in identifying patients at-risk and offering them better treatment."
"Vitamin D replacement therapy has long been associated with reducing the risk of fractures and diseases of the bone," noted Joseph Brent Muhlestein, MD, who is the director of cardiovascular research at the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute and co-researcher in both studies. "But our findings show that vitamin D could have far greater implications in the treatment and reduction of cardiovascular disease and other chronic conditions than we previously thought."
Dr Muhlestein remarked that increasing vitamin D intake by supplementing with 1,000 to 5,000 international units per day may be appropriate for some people.
"Although randomized trials would be useful and are coming, I feel there is enough information here for me to start treatment based on these findings," he added.
Treatment of Musculoskeletal Disease in Cats
Bennett D, Morton C: A study of owner observed behavioural and lifestyle changes in cats with musculoskeletal disease before and after analgesic therapy, J Feline Med Surg 11:997-1004, 2009.
A questionnaire-based tool was used in this study to identify behavioral and lifestyle changes that are associated with chronic pain in the cat. The changes were grouped into four behavior domains (mobility, activity, grooming and temperament). Twenty-three cats with chronic musculoskeletal pain determined by physical examination were included. Subsequently, owners of these cats were asked to complete a questionnaire before and 28 days after the start of analgesic treatment (meloxicam). A veterinary surgeon was asked to provide an independent global score before and after treatment. In this study, the baseline global scores for the veterinary assessments were very close to the owners’ scores, suggesting that owners were providing a useful clinical history that correlated well with the veterinary surgeon’s physical examination. Both owners and veterinary surgeons reported significant changes in behavior and lifestyle after analgesic therapy. The authors conclude that the changes in behavior that occurred following analgesic intervention were the consequence of treatment of pain, though they could not exclude the possibility of a placebo effect. All four domains showed a reduction in scores, while the greatest reduction in owners’ scores for each of the four domains was in the activity category. [VT]
Related articles:
Gunew MN, Menrath VH, Marshall RD: Long-term safety, efficacy and palatability of oral meloxicam at 0.01-0.03 mg/kg for treatment of osteoarthritic pain in cats, Journal of Feline Medicine & Surgery 10:235-41, 2008.
Lascelles BD, Hansen BD, Roe S et al: Evaluation of client-specific outcome measures and activity monitoring to measure pain relief in cats with osteoarthritis, J Vet Intern Med 21:410-16, 2007.
More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library
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A questionnaire-based tool was used in this study to identify behavioral and lifestyle changes that are associated with chronic pain in the cat. The changes were grouped into four behavior domains (mobility, activity, grooming and temperament). Twenty-three cats with chronic musculoskeletal pain determined by physical examination were included. Subsequently, owners of these cats were asked to complete a questionnaire before and 28 days after the start of analgesic treatment (meloxicam). A veterinary surgeon was asked to provide an independent global score before and after treatment. In this study, the baseline global scores for the veterinary assessments were very close to the owners’ scores, suggesting that owners were providing a useful clinical history that correlated well with the veterinary surgeon’s physical examination. Both owners and veterinary surgeons reported significant changes in behavior and lifestyle after analgesic therapy. The authors conclude that the changes in behavior that occurred following analgesic intervention were the consequence of treatment of pain, though they could not exclude the possibility of a placebo effect. All four domains showed a reduction in scores, while the greatest reduction in owners’ scores for each of the four domains was in the activity category. [VT]
Related articles:
Gunew MN, Menrath VH, Marshall RD: Long-term safety, efficacy and palatability of oral meloxicam at 0.01-0.03 mg/kg for treatment of osteoarthritic pain in cats, Journal of Feline Medicine & Surgery 10:235-41, 2008.
Lascelles BD, Hansen BD, Roe S et al: Evaluation of client-specific outcome measures and activity monitoring to measure pain relief in cats with osteoarthritis, J Vet Intern Med 21:410-16, 2007.
More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library
Join us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
New for 2010: subscribe to our e-newsletter
Bennett D, Morton C: A study of owner observed behavioural and lifestyle changes in cats with musculoskeletal disease before and after analgesic therapy, J Feline Med Surg 11:997-1004, 2009.
A questionnaire-based tool was used in this study to identify behavioral and lifestyle changes that are associated with chronic pain in the cat. The changes were grouped into four behavior domains (mobility, activity, grooming and temperament). Twenty-three cats with chronic musculoskeletal pain determined by physical examination were included. Subsequently, owners of these cats were asked to complete a questionnaire before and 28 days after the start of analgesic treatment (meloxicam). A veterinary surgeon was asked to provide an independent global score before and after treatment. In this study, the baseline global scores for the veterinary assessments were very close to the owners’ scores, suggesting that owners were providing a useful clinical history that correlated well with the veterinary surgeon’s physical examination. Both owners and veterinary surgeons reported significant changes in behavior and lifestyle after analgesic therapy. The authors conclude that the changes in behavior that occurred following analgesic intervention were the consequence of treatment of pain, though they could not exclude the possibility of a placebo effect. All four domains showed a reduction in scores, while the greatest reduction in owners’ scores for each of the four domains was in the activity category. [VT]
Related articles:
Gunew MN, Menrath VH, Marshall RD: Long-term safety, efficacy and palatability of oral meloxicam at 0.01-0.03 mg/kg for treatment of osteoarthritic pain in cats, Journal of Feline Medicine & Surgery 10:235-41, 2008.
Lascelles BD, Hansen BD, Roe S et al: Evaluation of client-specific outcome measures and activity monitoring to measure pain relief in cats with osteoarthritis, J Vet Intern Med 21:410-16, 2007.
More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library
Join us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
New for 2010: subscribe to our e-newsletter
Read More
A questionnaire-based tool was used in this study to identify behavioral and lifestyle changes that are associated with chronic pain in the cat. The changes were grouped into four behavior domains (mobility, activity, grooming and temperament). Twenty-three cats with chronic musculoskeletal pain determined by physical examination were included. Subsequently, owners of these cats were asked to complete a questionnaire before and 28 days after the start of analgesic treatment (meloxicam). A veterinary surgeon was asked to provide an independent global score before and after treatment. In this study, the baseline global scores for the veterinary assessments were very close to the owners’ scores, suggesting that owners were providing a useful clinical history that correlated well with the veterinary surgeon’s physical examination. Both owners and veterinary surgeons reported significant changes in behavior and lifestyle after analgesic therapy. The authors conclude that the changes in behavior that occurred following analgesic intervention were the consequence of treatment of pain, though they could not exclude the possibility of a placebo effect. All four domains showed a reduction in scores, while the greatest reduction in owners’ scores for each of the four domains was in the activity category. [VT]
Related articles:
Gunew MN, Menrath VH, Marshall RD: Long-term safety, efficacy and palatability of oral meloxicam at 0.01-0.03 mg/kg for treatment of osteoarthritic pain in cats, Journal of Feline Medicine & Surgery 10:235-41, 2008.
Lascelles BD, Hansen BD, Roe S et al: Evaluation of client-specific outcome measures and activity monitoring to measure pain relief in cats with osteoarthritis, J Vet Intern Med 21:410-16, 2007.
More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library
Join us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
New for 2010: subscribe to our e-newsletter
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Tax soda, pizza to cut obesity, researchers say
(Reuters) - U.S. researchers estimate that an 18 percent tax on pizza and soda can push down U.S. adults' calorie intake enough to lower their average weight by 5 pounds (2 kg) per year.Health
The researchers, writing in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine on Monday, suggested taxing could be used as a weapon in the fight against obesity, which costs the United States an estimated $147 billion a year in health costs.
"While such policies will not solve the obesity epidemic in its entirety and may face considerable opposition from food manufacturers and sellers, they could prove an important strategy to address overconsumption, help reduce energy intake and potentially aid in weight loss and reduced rates of diabetes among U.S. adults," wrote the team led by Kiyah Duffey of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
With two-thirds of Americans either overweight or obese, policymakers are increasingly looking at taxing as a way to address obesity on a population level.
California and Philadelphia have introduced legislation to tax soft drinks to try to limit consumption.
CDC director Dr. Thomas Frieden supports taxes on soft drinks, as does the American Heart Association.
There are early signs that such a policy works.
Duffey's team analyzed the diets and health of 5,115 young adults aged age 18 to 30 from 1985 to 2006.
They compared data on food prices during the same time. Over a 20-year period, a 10 percent increase in cost was linked with a 7 percent decrease in the amount of calories consumed from soda and a 12 percent decrease in calories consumed from pizza.
The team estimates that an 18 percent tax on these foods could cut daily intake by 56 calories per person, resulting in a weight loss of 5 pounds (2 kg) per person per year.
"Our findings suggest that national, state or local policies to alter the price of less healthful foods and beverages may be one possible mechanism for steering U.S. adults toward a more healthful diet," Duffey and colleagues wrote.
In a commentary, Drs. Mitchell Katz and Rajiv Bhatia of the San Francisco Department of Public Health said taxes are an appropriate way to correct a market that favors unhealthy food choices over healthier options.
They argued that the U.S. government should carefully consider food subsidies that contribute to the problem.
"Sadly, we are currently subsidizing the wrong things including the product of corn, which makes the corn syrup in sweetened beverages so inexpensive," they wrote.
Instead, they argued that agricultural subsidies should be used to make healthful foods such as locally grown vegetables, fruits and whole grains less expensive.
(Reuters) - U.S. researchers estimate that an 18 percent tax on pizza and soda can push down U.S. adults' calorie intake enough to lower their average weight by 5 pounds (2 kg) per year.Health
The researchers, writing in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine on Monday, suggested taxing could be used as a weapon in the fight against obesity, which costs the United States an estimated $147 billion a year in health costs.
"While such policies will not solve the obesity epidemic in its entirety and may face considerable opposition from food manufacturers and sellers, they could prove an important strategy to address overconsumption, help reduce energy intake and potentially aid in weight loss and reduced rates of diabetes among U.S. adults," wrote the team led by Kiyah Duffey of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
With two-thirds of Americans either overweight or obese, policymakers are increasingly looking at taxing as a way to address obesity on a population level.
California and Philadelphia have introduced legislation to tax soft drinks to try to limit consumption.
CDC director Dr. Thomas Frieden supports taxes on soft drinks, as does the American Heart Association.
There are early signs that such a policy works.
Duffey's team analyzed the diets and health of 5,115 young adults aged age 18 to 30 from 1985 to 2006.
They compared data on food prices during the same time. Over a 20-year period, a 10 percent increase in cost was linked with a 7 percent decrease in the amount of calories consumed from soda and a 12 percent decrease in calories consumed from pizza.
The team estimates that an 18 percent tax on these foods could cut daily intake by 56 calories per person, resulting in a weight loss of 5 pounds (2 kg) per person per year.
"Our findings suggest that national, state or local policies to alter the price of less healthful foods and beverages may be one possible mechanism for steering U.S. adults toward a more healthful diet," Duffey and colleagues wrote.
In a commentary, Drs. Mitchell Katz and Rajiv Bhatia of the San Francisco Department of Public Health said taxes are an appropriate way to correct a market that favors unhealthy food choices over healthier options.
They argued that the U.S. government should carefully consider food subsidies that contribute to the problem.
"Sadly, we are currently subsidizing the wrong things including the product of corn, which makes the corn syrup in sweetened beverages so inexpensive," they wrote.
Instead, they argued that agricultural subsidies should be used to make healthful foods such as locally grown vegetables, fruits and whole grains less expensive.
Friday, March 12, 2010
In The Future Our Own Skin Cells Could Be Used To Repair Our Hearts
A heart patient's own skin cells soon could be used to repair damaged cardiac tissue thanks to pioneering stem cell research of the University of Houston's newest biomedical scientist, Robert Schwartz. His new technique for reprogramming human skin cells puts him at the forefront of a revolution in medicine that could one day lead to treatments for Alzheimer's, diabetes, muscular dystrophy and many other diseases.
Schwartz brings his ground-breaking research to UH as the Cullen Distinguished Professor of Biology and Biochemistry and head of UH's new Center for Gene Regulation and Molecular Therapeutics. He also is affiliated with the Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital in the Texas Medical Center, where he is director of stem cell engineering.
"Professor Schwartz's work will save lives, and his decision to pursue this pioneering research at UH is a big leap forward on our way to Tier-One status," said John Bear, dean of the UH College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. "Together with the many other outstanding scientists we've assembled here, Schwartz will help make this university a major player in medical research."
Schwartz devised a method for turning ordinary human skin cells into heart cells. The cells developed are similar to embryonic stem cells and ultimately can be made into early-stage heart cells derived from a patient's own skin. These then could be implanted and grown into fully developed beating heart cells, reversing the damage caused by previous heart attacks. These new cells would replace the damaged cardiac tissue that weakens the heart's ability to pump, develops into scar tissue and causes arrhythmias. Early clinical trials using these reprogrammed cells on actual heart patients could begin within one or two years.
Although Schwartz is not the first scientist to turn adult cells into such stem cells, his improved method could pave the way for breakthroughs in other diseases. Schwartz's method requires fewer steps and yields more stem cells. Armed with an effective way to make induced stem cells from a patient's own skin, scientists can then begin the work of growing all kinds of human cells.
For example, new brain cells could treat Alzheimer's patients or those with severe brain trauma, or a diabetic could get new insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Generating new kidney, lung or liver tissue is also possible, with scientists even being able to one day grow an entirely new heart or other organ from these reprogrammed cells. Additionally, Schwartz and his team are working on turning induced stem cells into skeletal muscle cells to treat muscular dystrophy.
"We're trying to advance science in ways folks never even dreamed about," Schwartz said. "The idea of having your own bag of stem cells that you can carry through life and use for tissue regeneration is at the very cutting edge of science."
This latest biomedical hire is a major step in the UH Health Initiative, an effort aimed at having the university become a world-class center for medical research. Creating new cross-disciplinary academic and health-related research opportunities for faculty and students is crucial to this initiative, as are collaborations with other Texas Medical Center member institutions. One of its top goals is to increase the amount of sponsored research expenditures awarded to UH, which is a key factor in attaining Tier-One status.
"Dr. Schwartz will expand UH's expertise in promising new areas of scientific discovery to alleviate human disease. By recruiting premier scientists like Schwartz, UH is fast becoming a major player in the regional biomedical research community," said Kathryn Peek, assistant vice president of University Health Initiatives at UH.
Schwartz has decades of experience at the Texas Medical Center. Before coming to UH, he was director of the Institute of Biosciences and Technology, a research component of the Texas A&M Health Science Center. He also was a longtime tenured professor at Baylor College of Medicine and co-directed the school's Center for Cardiovascular Development. The new research center Schwartz heads at UH will be housed in state-of-the-art laboratory facilities at the university's Science and Engineering Research Center.
What attracted him to UH was the commitment of administrators and faculty to making the university a premier center for biomedical research. His hiring comes just a year after the arrival of Jan-Åke Gustafsson, a world-renowned scientist and cancer researcher. They join other leading UH faculty, ranging from biochemists to computer scientists and mathematicians, who are deeply involved in cutting-edge medical research.
A heart patient's own skin cells soon could be used to repair damaged cardiac tissue thanks to pioneering stem cell research of the University of Houston's newest biomedical scientist, Robert Schwartz. His new technique for reprogramming human skin cells puts him at the forefront of a revolution in medicine that could one day lead to treatments for Alzheimer's, diabetes, muscular dystrophy and many other diseases.
Schwartz brings his ground-breaking research to UH as the Cullen Distinguished Professor of Biology and Biochemistry and head of UH's new Center for Gene Regulation and Molecular Therapeutics. He also is affiliated with the Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital in the Texas Medical Center, where he is director of stem cell engineering.
"Professor Schwartz's work will save lives, and his decision to pursue this pioneering research at UH is a big leap forward on our way to Tier-One status," said John Bear, dean of the UH College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. "Together with the many other outstanding scientists we've assembled here, Schwartz will help make this university a major player in medical research."
Schwartz devised a method for turning ordinary human skin cells into heart cells. The cells developed are similar to embryonic stem cells and ultimately can be made into early-stage heart cells derived from a patient's own skin. These then could be implanted and grown into fully developed beating heart cells, reversing the damage caused by previous heart attacks. These new cells would replace the damaged cardiac tissue that weakens the heart's ability to pump, develops into scar tissue and causes arrhythmias. Early clinical trials using these reprogrammed cells on actual heart patients could begin within one or two years.
Although Schwartz is not the first scientist to turn adult cells into such stem cells, his improved method could pave the way for breakthroughs in other diseases. Schwartz's method requires fewer steps and yields more stem cells. Armed with an effective way to make induced stem cells from a patient's own skin, scientists can then begin the work of growing all kinds of human cells.
For example, new brain cells could treat Alzheimer's patients or those with severe brain trauma, or a diabetic could get new insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Generating new kidney, lung or liver tissue is also possible, with scientists even being able to one day grow an entirely new heart or other organ from these reprogrammed cells. Additionally, Schwartz and his team are working on turning induced stem cells into skeletal muscle cells to treat muscular dystrophy.
"We're trying to advance science in ways folks never even dreamed about," Schwartz said. "The idea of having your own bag of stem cells that you can carry through life and use for tissue regeneration is at the very cutting edge of science."
This latest biomedical hire is a major step in the UH Health Initiative, an effort aimed at having the university become a world-class center for medical research. Creating new cross-disciplinary academic and health-related research opportunities for faculty and students is crucial to this initiative, as are collaborations with other Texas Medical Center member institutions. One of its top goals is to increase the amount of sponsored research expenditures awarded to UH, which is a key factor in attaining Tier-One status.
"Dr. Schwartz will expand UH's expertise in promising new areas of scientific discovery to alleviate human disease. By recruiting premier scientists like Schwartz, UH is fast becoming a major player in the regional biomedical research community," said Kathryn Peek, assistant vice president of University Health Initiatives at UH.
Schwartz has decades of experience at the Texas Medical Center. Before coming to UH, he was director of the Institute of Biosciences and Technology, a research component of the Texas A&M Health Science Center. He also was a longtime tenured professor at Baylor College of Medicine and co-directed the school's Center for Cardiovascular Development. The new research center Schwartz heads at UH will be housed in state-of-the-art laboratory facilities at the university's Science and Engineering Research Center.
What attracted him to UH was the commitment of administrators and faculty to making the university a premier center for biomedical research. His hiring comes just a year after the arrival of Jan-Åke Gustafsson, a world-renowned scientist and cancer researcher. They join other leading UH faculty, ranging from biochemists to computer scientists and mathematicians, who are deeply involved in cutting-edge medical research.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Feline Herpesvirus
Lee M, Bosward KL, Norris JM: Immunohistological evaluation of feline herpesvirus-1 infection in feline eosinophilic dermatoses or stomatitis, J Feline Med Surg 12:72-79, 2010.
Feline herpesvirus (FHV) is well known cause of upper respiratory tract disease. Less commonly, it is also associated with inflammatory oral disease (stomatitis) and dermatitis, primarily on the face. Cats with FHV dermatitis have erythema, swelling, crusting, and ulceration typically around the muzzle and around the eyes. Diagnosis may be difficult as it relies on finding intranuclear viral inclusion bodies on biopsy samples. Many cases are misdiagnosed as eosinophilic granuloma complex (EGC) or another skin disease. This study used immunohistochemistry (IHC) and histopathology to detect the presence of FHV in biopsy samples from cats suspected of having EGC, other eosinophilic skin diseases, and stomatitis. Cases were taken from samples submitted to the University of Sydney between 1996 and 2008. Of the 30 cases examined, two showed a positive reaction for FHV using IHC. In both cases, intranuclear inclusion bodies were found on histopathology, but were difficult to detect. The authors conclude that FHV is uncommonly associated with EGC or similar skin diseases in cats in Sydney, Australia. They also point out that misdiagnosis can easily occur, and FHV should be considered in cats with severe ulcerative skin lesions, especially when unresponsive to corticosteroid treatment. IHC is helpful to differentiate FHV dermatitis from other skin diseases. [SL]
Related articles:
Malik R, Lessels NS, Webb S et al: Treatment of feline herpesvirus-1 associated disease in cats with famciclovir and related drugs, Journal of Feline Medicine & Surgery 11:40-48, 2009.
Holland JL, Outerbridge CA, Affolter VK et al: Detection of feline herpesvirus 1 DNA in skin biopsy specimens from cats with or without dermatitis, J Am Vet Med Assoc 229:1442-46, 2006.
More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library
Join us on Facebook
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New for 2010: subscribe to our e-newsletter
Feline herpesvirus (FHV) is well known cause of upper respiratory tract disease. Less commonly, it is also associated with inflammatory oral disease (stomatitis) and dermatitis, primarily on the face. Cats with FHV dermatitis have erythema, swelling, crusting, and ulceration typically around the muzzle and around the eyes. Diagnosis may be difficult as it relies on finding intranuclear viral inclusion bodies on biopsy samples. Many cases are misdiagnosed as eosinophilic granuloma complex (EGC) or another skin disease. This study used immunohistochemistry (IHC) and histopathology to detect the presence of FHV in biopsy samples from cats suspected of having EGC, other eosinophilic skin diseases, and stomatitis. Cases were taken from samples submitted to the University of Sydney between 1996 and 2008. Of the 30 cases examined, two showed a positive reaction for FHV using IHC. In both cases, intranuclear inclusion bodies were found on histopathology, but were difficult to detect. The authors conclude that FHV is uncommonly associated with EGC or similar skin diseases in cats in Sydney, Australia. They also point out that misdiagnosis can easily occur, and FHV should be considered in cats with severe ulcerative skin lesions, especially when unresponsive to corticosteroid treatment. IHC is helpful to differentiate FHV dermatitis from other skin diseases. [SL]
Related articles:
Malik R, Lessels NS, Webb S et al: Treatment of feline herpesvirus-1 associated disease in cats with famciclovir and related drugs, Journal of Feline Medicine & Surgery 11:40-48, 2009.
Holland JL, Outerbridge CA, Affolter VK et al: Detection of feline herpesvirus 1 DNA in skin biopsy specimens from cats with or without dermatitis, J Am Vet Med Assoc 229:1442-46, 2006.
More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library
Join us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
New for 2010: subscribe to our e-newsletter
Lee M, Bosward KL, Norris JM: Immunohistological evaluation of feline herpesvirus-1 infection in feline eosinophilic dermatoses or stomatitis, J Feline Med Surg 12:72-79, 2010.
Feline herpesvirus (FHV) is well known cause of upper respiratory tract disease. Less commonly, it is also associated with inflammatory oral disease (stomatitis) and dermatitis, primarily on the face. Cats with FHV dermatitis have erythema, swelling, crusting, and ulceration typically around the muzzle and around the eyes. Diagnosis may be difficult as it relies on finding intranuclear viral inclusion bodies on biopsy samples. Many cases are misdiagnosed as eosinophilic granuloma complex (EGC) or another skin disease. This study used immunohistochemistry (IHC) and histopathology to detect the presence of FHV in biopsy samples from cats suspected of having EGC, other eosinophilic skin diseases, and stomatitis. Cases were taken from samples submitted to the University of Sydney between 1996 and 2008. Of the 30 cases examined, two showed a positive reaction for FHV using IHC. In both cases, intranuclear inclusion bodies were found on histopathology, but were difficult to detect. The authors conclude that FHV is uncommonly associated with EGC or similar skin diseases in cats in Sydney, Australia. They also point out that misdiagnosis can easily occur, and FHV should be considered in cats with severe ulcerative skin lesions, especially when unresponsive to corticosteroid treatment. IHC is helpful to differentiate FHV dermatitis from other skin diseases. [SL]
Related articles:
Malik R, Lessels NS, Webb S et al: Treatment of feline herpesvirus-1 associated disease in cats with famciclovir and related drugs, Journal of Feline Medicine & Surgery 11:40-48, 2009.
Holland JL, Outerbridge CA, Affolter VK et al: Detection of feline herpesvirus 1 DNA in skin biopsy specimens from cats with or without dermatitis, J Am Vet Med Assoc 229:1442-46, 2006.
More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library
Join us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
New for 2010: subscribe to our e-newsletter
Read More
Feline herpesvirus (FHV) is well known cause of upper respiratory tract disease. Less commonly, it is also associated with inflammatory oral disease (stomatitis) and dermatitis, primarily on the face. Cats with FHV dermatitis have erythema, swelling, crusting, and ulceration typically around the muzzle and around the eyes. Diagnosis may be difficult as it relies on finding intranuclear viral inclusion bodies on biopsy samples. Many cases are misdiagnosed as eosinophilic granuloma complex (EGC) or another skin disease. This study used immunohistochemistry (IHC) and histopathology to detect the presence of FHV in biopsy samples from cats suspected of having EGC, other eosinophilic skin diseases, and stomatitis. Cases were taken from samples submitted to the University of Sydney between 1996 and 2008. Of the 30 cases examined, two showed a positive reaction for FHV using IHC. In both cases, intranuclear inclusion bodies were found on histopathology, but were difficult to detect. The authors conclude that FHV is uncommonly associated with EGC or similar skin diseases in cats in Sydney, Australia. They also point out that misdiagnosis can easily occur, and FHV should be considered in cats with severe ulcerative skin lesions, especially when unresponsive to corticosteroid treatment. IHC is helpful to differentiate FHV dermatitis from other skin diseases. [SL]
Related articles:
Malik R, Lessels NS, Webb S et al: Treatment of feline herpesvirus-1 associated disease in cats with famciclovir and related drugs, Journal of Feline Medicine & Surgery 11:40-48, 2009.
Holland JL, Outerbridge CA, Affolter VK et al: Detection of feline herpesvirus 1 DNA in skin biopsy specimens from cats with or without dermatitis, J Am Vet Med Assoc 229:1442-46, 2006.
More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library
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New for 2010: subscribe to our e-newsletter
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Low levels of vitamin D linked to muscle fat, decreased strength in young people
First-of-a-kind study by investigator at the Research Institute of the MUHC finds 'epidemic' of vitamin D insufficiency in young, healthy adultsThis release is available in French.
There's an epidemic in progress, and it has nothing to do with the flu. A ground-breaking study published in the March 2010 Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found an astonishing 59 per cent of study subjects had too little Vitamin D in their blood. Nearly a quarter of the group had serious deficiencies (less than 20 ng/ml) of this important vitamin. Since Vitamin D insufficiency is linked to increased body fat, decreased muscle strength and a range of disorders, this is a serious health issue.
"Vitamin D insufficiency is a risk factor for other diseases," explains principal investigator, Dr. Richard Kremer, co-director of the Musculoskeletal Axis of the Research Institute of the MUHC. "Because it is linked to increased body fat, it may affect many different parts of the body. Abnormal levels of Vitamin D are associated with a whole spectrum of diseases, including cancer, osteoporosis and diabetes, as well as cardiovascular and autoimmune disorders."
The study by Dr. Kremer and co-investigator Dr. Vincente Gilsanz, head of musculoskeletal imaging at the Children's Hospital Los Angeles of the University of Southern California, is the first to show a clear link between Vitamin D levels and the accumulation of fat in muscle tissue – a factor in muscle strength and overall health. Scientists have known for years that Vitamin D is essential for muscle strength. Studies in the elderly have showed bedridden patients quickly gain strength when given Vitamin D.
The study results are especially surprising, because study subjects – all healthy young women living in California – could logically be expected to benefit from good diet, outdoor activities and ample exposure to sunshine – the trigger that causes the body to produce Vitamin D.
"We are not yet sure what is causing Vitamin D insufficiency in this group," says Dr. Kremer who is also Professor of Medicine at McGill University. High levels of Vitamin D could help reduce body fat. Or, fat tissues might absorb or retain Vitamin D, so that people with more fat are likely to also be Vitamin D deficient."
The results extend those of an earlier study by Dr. Kremer and Dr. Gilsanz, which linked low levels of Vitamin D to increased visceral fat in a young population. "In the present study, we found an inverse relationship between Vitamin D and muscle fat," Dr. Kremer says. "The lower the levels of Vitamin D the more fat in subjects' muscles."
While study results may inspire some people to start taking Vitamin D supplements, Dr. Kremer recommends caution. "Obviously this subject requires more study," he says. "We don't yet know whether Vitamin D supplementation would actually result in less accumulation of fat in the muscles or increase muscle strength. We need more research before we can recommend interventions. We need to take things one step at a time."
First-of-a-kind study by investigator at the Research Institute of the MUHC finds 'epidemic' of vitamin D insufficiency in young, healthy adultsThis release is available in French.
There's an epidemic in progress, and it has nothing to do with the flu. A ground-breaking study published in the March 2010 Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found an astonishing 59 per cent of study subjects had too little Vitamin D in their blood. Nearly a quarter of the group had serious deficiencies (less than 20 ng/ml) of this important vitamin. Since Vitamin D insufficiency is linked to increased body fat, decreased muscle strength and a range of disorders, this is a serious health issue.
"Vitamin D insufficiency is a risk factor for other diseases," explains principal investigator, Dr. Richard Kremer, co-director of the Musculoskeletal Axis of the Research Institute of the MUHC. "Because it is linked to increased body fat, it may affect many different parts of the body. Abnormal levels of Vitamin D are associated with a whole spectrum of diseases, including cancer, osteoporosis and diabetes, as well as cardiovascular and autoimmune disorders."
The study by Dr. Kremer and co-investigator Dr. Vincente Gilsanz, head of musculoskeletal imaging at the Children's Hospital Los Angeles of the University of Southern California, is the first to show a clear link between Vitamin D levels and the accumulation of fat in muscle tissue – a factor in muscle strength and overall health. Scientists have known for years that Vitamin D is essential for muscle strength. Studies in the elderly have showed bedridden patients quickly gain strength when given Vitamin D.
The study results are especially surprising, because study subjects – all healthy young women living in California – could logically be expected to benefit from good diet, outdoor activities and ample exposure to sunshine – the trigger that causes the body to produce Vitamin D.
"We are not yet sure what is causing Vitamin D insufficiency in this group," says Dr. Kremer who is also Professor of Medicine at McGill University. High levels of Vitamin D could help reduce body fat. Or, fat tissues might absorb or retain Vitamin D, so that people with more fat are likely to also be Vitamin D deficient."
The results extend those of an earlier study by Dr. Kremer and Dr. Gilsanz, which linked low levels of Vitamin D to increased visceral fat in a young population. "In the present study, we found an inverse relationship between Vitamin D and muscle fat," Dr. Kremer says. "The lower the levels of Vitamin D the more fat in subjects' muscles."
While study results may inspire some people to start taking Vitamin D supplements, Dr. Kremer recommends caution. "Obviously this subject requires more study," he says. "We don't yet know whether Vitamin D supplementation would actually result in less accumulation of fat in the muscles or increase muscle strength. We need more research before we can recommend interventions. We need to take things one step at a time."
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