Integrative Medicine Alert – September 1, 2010
September 1, 2010
View Issues
-
ASA for Fibromyalgia? It's Not What You Think
Women with fibromyalgia participated in a treatment protocol consisting of an educational consultation with a physician, followed by group activities focusing on structured written emotional disclosure and emotional awareness exercises. The treatment group was compared to a wait-list control group of fibromyalgia patients. The affective self-awareness (ASA) intervention significantly improved pain, tenderness, and physical function for at least 6 months in the treatment group compared to the wait-list control group. -
Glucosamine for Low Back Pain from Osteoarthritis?
A number of studies suggest that glucosamine sulfate may help relieve pain and possibly repair cartilage damage in large joints affected by osteoarthritis. By extension, many patients use glucosamine to treat their chronic nonspecific lower back pain. The results of this study, which includes long-term follow-up, suggest there is little if any therapeutic value of glucosamine for chronic low back pain. -
Probiotics to Treat Childhood Eczema: Another Useful Lactobacillus Strain
A newly identified probiotic strain, Lactobacillus sakei KCTC 10755BP, was found to improve symptoms of moderate-to-severe eczema in children 2-10 years old. -
Strong Bones, and Heart Disease, Too
A meta-analysis of calcium supplementation studies where vitamin D was not also administered suggests that isolated supplemental calcium may significantly increase the risk of myocardial infarction as well as, to a lesser degree, stroke. -
Guided Imagery Helps Reduce Preoperative Anxiety, but Has Little Impact on Postoperative Outcomes
This study examined the effects of using guided imagery on head and neck patients undergoing outpatient surgery. Preoperative anxiety was reduced significantly, and pain at 2 hours postoperative, but not analgesic use, length of stay, or patient satisfaction. -
Where There's a Wheel, There's a Way
The more bike riding a premenopausal women does, the less likely she is to gain weight. -
SunneD or ShunneD? Vitamin D
Regularly offered advice by professionals and the lay media that 5-30 minutes of unprotected daily sun exposure a few days a week is sufficient to maintain adequate vitamin D stores may be misguided and, worse, false, woefully underestimating the amount of sun exposure that may be necessary. Supplementing with appropriate amounts of vitamin D seems the appropriate general course. -
Study Indicates Ginkgo biloba Does Not Reduce the Risk of Cancer
A new analysis of data from the ginkgo evaluation of Memory (GEM) study suggests that the herbal dietary supplement Ginkgo biloba does not reduce the risk of most cancer types in older adults. -
Pharmacology Watch
Lorcaserin submitted for FDA review, FDA advisory panel votes against phentermine/topiramate, mixed vote on rosiglitazone, advisory panel votes to remove breast cancer indication from bevacizumab labeling, no increase in seizuress