New Version of Hepatitis C Drug Appears to Last Longer
Hepatitis C patients may soon have a more effective version of the drug used to treat their condition, one that stays in the bloodstream longer.
The currently used treatment for the disease is interferon alfa-2a, trade-named Roferon. A major problem in its use is that it is cleared from the bloodstream very quickly, minimizing its effectiveness. In the newer version, called peginterferon alpha-2a or Pegasys, the interferon is bound to large molecules of polyethylene glycol, which allows it to remain in the body longer.
The first study compared the two drugs in 531 patients with chronic hepatitis C. A team led by Dr. Stefan Zeuzem of the Klinikum der Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany, reported in the Dec. 7 New England Journal of Medicine that 69% of the patients given peginterferon responded within 48 weeks, compared to just 28% of those given standard interferon.
In a second study, reported in the same journal, a team led by Dr. Jenny Heathcote of Toronto Western Hospital compared the two drugs in hepatitis C patients with cirrhosis of the liver, which makes them harder to treat. The response rate was 30% for those given a high dose of peginterferon, compared with 8% for those given interferon. The two studies were sponsored by Hoffman-LaRoche, which manufactures both drugs.
Link Between Smoking, Colorectal Cancer
An estimated 6,800 Americans die each year from colorectal cancer that is a direct result of cigarette smoking, according to the American Cancer Society. Those deaths account for 12% of the 56,000 deaths from colorectal cancer each year.
Epidemiologist Ann Chao and her colleagues at the cancer society studied the health and personal habits of 781,351 men and women over a five-year period. They reported in the Dec. 6 Journal of the National Cancer Institute that people who have been smoking for 20 years or longer are 40% more likely to develop colorectal cancer. Including lung cancer and heart disease, the society estimates that smoking causes more than 400,000 premature deaths annually.
Study: Sterilized Women May Have Milder Periods
Contrary to existing belief, women who are sterilized are no more likely to develop menstrual problems than women who are not, according to researchers from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In fact, they generally have shorter, less painful periods and bleed less.
The new finding contradicts decades of belief that sterilization--called tubal ligation--makes women’s periods worse, a phenomenon that even has a name: post-tubal-ligation syndrome. But the syndrome does not exist, said Dr. Herbert B. Peterson of CDC.
Peterson and his colleagues tracked 9,514 women who were sterilized between 1978 and 1987, comparing them with 573 women who were not sterilized, but whose partners were.
The team reported in the Dec. 7 New England Journal of Medicine that the sterilized women were no more likely than unsterilized women to report increases in the length of their periods or bleeding between periods. They were more likely to have decreases in the number of days of bleeding, the amount of bleeding and menstrual pain.
New IUD Mirena Wins Approval in U.S.
The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved a new contraceptive intrauterine device (IUD) that releases tiny amounts of a hormone to increase its efficiency. The IUD, called Mirena, is 99% effective in blocking pregnancy for as long as five years, slightly better than other IUDs.
IUDs are the most popular form of birth control around the world, but fell into disfavor in the United States because of complications associated with the Dalkon Shield, which was blamed for painful infections, miscarriages and some deaths before it was banned in 1975. Mirena becomes the second IUD available in this country, joining the Paragard IUD, also known as the “copper-T” IUD, which provides protection for 10 years.
Allergies to Mice May Trigger Asthma
Researchers have long known that allergies to cockroaches, cats and dogs can trigger or exacerbate asthma attacks. New research suggests that allergies to mice are nearly as important as those to cockroaches.
Dr. Robert Wood and his colleagues at Johns Hopkins University studied 608 homes of asthmatic children in eight cities. They reported in the December Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology that 95% of the homes had mouse allergens in at least one room. They also found that 18% of children living in the homes were allergic to mice and that those children tended to have more severe asthma.
In L.A. County, 7% of Adults Diabetic
Seven percent of adults in Los Angeles County have diabetes, according to a new survey by the L.A. County Department of Health Services. The disorder is the seventh-leading cause of death locally, according to a report issued Dec. 6. The incidence of the disease is closely linked to obesity, said Dr. Jonathan E. Fielding, the department’s director. The prevalence of diabetes is 4% among individuals of normal weight, but 21% among extremely obese people.
Drug Could Slow Alzheimer’s
A new drug called galantamine can slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease in its early stages, according to European researchers. Galantamine inhibits acetylcholinesterase, an enzyme that plays a role in the development of the disorder.
A team headed by Dr. Gordon Wilcock of the University of Bristol in Britain studied 653 patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s. Half were given galantamine and half a placebo for six months. The team reported in the Dec. 9 British Medical Journal that the drug significantly improved the patients’ cognitive function (thinking ability) and slowed the decline in their ability to carry out their usual daily activities. There were few side effects to the drug’s use.
*
Thomas H. Maugh II is at thomas.maugh@latimes.com.
