World of Health

A recent study published in the prestigious Journal of Pediatric Dermatology demonstrated that 89 percent of atopic dermatitis sufferers experienced reduced severity and associated itching from this common form of eczema when sleeping on new DermaTherapy bedding.

That’s good news for the UK’s 1 in 5 children (aged 2-15yrs) and 1 in 12 adults who suffer from this irritating skin condition. Available from UK distributor www.anhealth.co.uk, DermaTherapy is the first specialist bed linen to receive clearance from the American Food & Drug Administration (FDA) as a Class I Medical Device for the treatment of atopic dermatitis.

During the eight week trial, patients slept on DermaTherapy bedding instead of their usual cotton bedding. The only medication used by the patients was an emollient applied as needed during the day and evening. Both the doctors conducting the trial and the patients recorded changes in the severity of the eczema and overall quality of life. Using EASI scores (Eczema Area and Severity Index) the doctors found that DermaTherapy users experienced a significant reduction in the severity of eczema and the associated itching during the course of the trial The patients also recorded significant reduction in itch and irritation plus an improvement in sleep , leading to an improved quality of life.

Dr Rupert Mason, GP and dermatology clinician at the Bedford District General Hospital says: “Symptoms of atopic dermatitis can range from just one small patch of dry itchy skin to widespread involvement with acutely infected weeping and cracked areas. For chronic sufferers this can lead to low self-esteem, behavioural problems in the young and a generally impaired quality of life.  The treatment invariably requires a range of therapeutic modalities that may include the liberal use of emollients, minimizing contact with irritants, taking antihistamines to reduce itch, using corticosteroid creams to reduce inflammation and antibiotics to counteract infection.”

“Sleep can often prove difficult and eczema can worsen overnight particularly if the skin becomes too warm and moist, or is irritated by fibres in the night clothes and bedding that are in contact with the skin over the prolonged time spent in bed. The subject of appropriate bed linen for eczema sufferers is one that has been neglected in the past. We just used to presume that cotton was best. So a seriously researched therapeutic innovation such as DermaTherapy supported by evidence of efficacy is particularly welcome. ”

How does DermaTherapy Work?

DermaTherapy is made from uniquely structured, long filament fibres that dissipate heat and moisture away from the skin, resulting in a cleaner, drier and smoother sleeping surface that minimizes friction to the skin.

The linen also has a durable antimicrobial permanently bonded into the fabric to eliminate odours and maintain fabric freshness. In addition, when washed in a normal wash cycle a soil release finish helps remove oils, creams, blood and other stains from the bedding making it especially suitable for those people undergoing medication for dermatological conditions.

Considerably smoother , lighter and thinner than cotton, these special sheets are as soft as the highest percentile Egyptian cotton sheets and feel equally luxurious to touch. Dermatherapy also has an average pore size of just 8.5 microns to help protect against dust mites faeces which is known to be an aggravating factor of eczema. In contrast to cotton, the antimicrobial shield bonded into DermaTherapy protects the fabric from the proliferation of micro-organisms that could adversely affect skin integrity.

DermaTherapy can withstand washing temperatures of up to 90oC but can be laundered just as efficiently at 30oC, helping you to do your bit for the environment and reduce CO2 emissions.

DermaTherapy bedding is available in a wide range of sizes priced from £28.95 for a pair of pillow cases to fitted and flat sheets costing from: single £49.95, double £64.95, king £69.95 and cot £39.95. Buy from www.anhealth.co.uk or call 0844 567 9374.

A recent report by The james Whale Fund for Kidney Cancer states the UK’s death rate is ’still around 6% higher than the European average’. This finding is set alongside the fact that spending on cancer medicines in the UK is only about 60% of that in other advanced European countries.

The relatively poor take-up of new treatments in the UK is one of the reasons listed in the report as ‘contributing to the higher death rate’. The Cancer Patient Support Group at The James Whale Fund for Kidney Cancer last week launched an online petition at No. 10 Downing Street calling for a review of the current system of NICE appraising newly licensed and approved Cancer drugs.

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/NewCancerDrugs/

The news about poor uptake of cancer drugs comes as no surprise to kidney cancer patients from the James Whale Fund for Kidney Cancer; only last week kidney cancer patients received the devastating news that NICE have issued preliminary guidance to the NHS rejecting everolimus (trade name Afinitor & manufactured by Novartis) a new and innovative cancer drug for the second line treatment of advanced kidney cancer.

This comes despite NICE admitting “……..evidence implies that this treatment is clinically effective”.

This is just one example of the dire situation facing many cancer patients in the UK today. No matter what the cancer is, the poor uptake by NICE of cancer treatments is leaving the UK lagging far behind in survival rates.

Rose Woodward & Julia Black who work together helping cancer patients who have been refused funding for cancer treatments at The James Whale Fund for Kidney Cancer stated:

“The NICE decision means many of our UK kidney cancer patients will go without effective drugs, patients cannot afford to buy these drugs themselves and will die prematurely compared to the rest of the world. That is just not acceptable.”

For more information about The James Whale Fund for Kidney Cancer visit www.jameswhalefund.org

Transcranial magnetic stimulation is a non-invasive stimulation of the cerebral cortex, one of the latest tools that have incorporated the neurosciences, both for purposes of study and research.

As therapeutics to treat various illnesses and neuropsychiatric disorders , including depression, anxiety, attention deficit, hyperactivity, autism, backpain, abnormal noise or tinnitus in the ear, post-traumatic stress, phantom pain in people who have suffered the amputation of limbs or central nervous system injuries, migraine headache, decreased libido, some cases of schizophrenia and epilepsy, and disorders of sleep, obsessive-compulsive, bipolar and uni and, among others.

Also, today is known to have neuroprotective effects that help, at least temporarily, to people affected by neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson disease and the Alzheimer’s disease and that a very favourable impact on the modulation of the plasticity brain, which refers to the brain’s capacity to renew or reconnect neural circuits and thus acquire new skills and abilities and to preserve the memory.

Consists of the selective depolarization of these neurons in the neocortex or cerebral cortex, located between 1.5 and 2 cm below the skull, using pulsed magnetic intensities specific, unique or regular repetitive. This practice is called Transcraneana Repetitive Magnetic Stimulation .

Depolarization due to the aforementioned principle of electromagnetic induction discovered by M. Faraday.

From the therapeutic perspective, there is already a large number of studies showing that the two aspects of magnetic stimulation Transcraneana, EMT and TRMS are the great virtues of being safe but not harmless, that it is effective but can be scheduled as safe, but several measures taken to ensure such security.

The main contraindications for that treatment has are: women in gestation period, children under six years, and people with pacemakers, electrodes or drug infusion pumps, or with metal plates, wires or screws in the head.

Moreover, some patients undergoing cortical stimulation is experiencing some side effects after application, which can be regarded as minor and transient, such as headache (headache), which can be mitigated with common analgesics. There are also health blog reports that people suffering from epilepsy or take antidepressants epileptogenicos, might get to seizures during treatment with magnetic Transcraneanial stimulation.

New studies show that older women are now ignoring contraceptives out of a misguided perception that after a certain age they will no longer be able to get pregnant.

Although it is true that women slowly watch their fertility wane with age, women can still get pregnant throughout their thirties, forties, and fifties.  In fact, the abortion rates for women that fall between the ages of 40-44 are almost the same as those for women who are under 16 years of age according to figures from Wales and England.

The average abortion rate for women of these two groups is about one out of every thousand women.  The reasons they opt for abortion are varied and include possible birth abnormalities in a child which is a side effect that is more common in older mothers.

However, the Family Planning Association claims that some of their evidence shows that abortions occur at an older age many times because women think that they are too old to get pregnant and then are shocked when it happens.

In response to the growing problem the FBA has launched a new campaign that is titled ‘Conceivable?’ and is directed towards women using contraception at all times until menopause is over to prevent unwanted pregnancies.

Julie Bentley, the chief executive of the FPA stated that although it is important to be aware of the fact that fertility decreases with age, it is also important to remember that fertility is still possible up until menopause actually ends.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) ruled the drug Everolimus (Afinitor) too expensive to fund despite the fact that it’s a proven life prolonging drug for kidney cancer patients. This is especially pertinent to kidney cancer patients as it’s a type of cancer that is very difficult to treat. It cannot be treated with chemotherapy or radiation. Once kidney cancer spreads, then these medications are the only hope left for most of these patients. Clinicians and nurses have only one drug with which to try to help those patients facing a terminal diagnosis. Kidney cancer patients desperately need a second treatment option so that clinicians can offer some hope and comfort to both patients and families trying to come to terms with this devastating disease.

Rose Woodward, Head of Patient Support at the James Whale Fund for Kidney Cancer, said “Kidney cancer patients have seen so much money go into the NHS in the past 10 years – so many initiatives, so many targets, so many programmes. What we would really like is for every politician, regardless of what party they belong to, to get together with the Department of Health Mandarins and to listen. Then act on what patients and their families are saying. We want cancer care in the UK to rival the best in the world – it is ironic and very sad that on a day when Gordon Brown promises one to one care for cancer patients NICE issue a statement denying clinicians the chance to offer Everolimus (Afinitor), a clinically effective “end of life” treatment for kidney cancer patients”.

Dr Thomas Powles Trustee and Medical Advisor of the James Whale Fund for Kidney Cancer: “Everolimus (Afinitor) offers kidney cancer patients a clear clinical benefit and is a breakthrough in treating the disease. Its recent rejection by NICE is based on economic rather than clinical grounds. It leaves kidney cancer patients in the UK at a major disadvantage compared to the rest of Europe and the United States, as there are no other options available for this group of patients. This decision is very out of touch with the patient’s needs”.

The Fund believes that patients with kidney cancer should not be penalised because they suffer from a rare cancer; the NHS should ensure all cancer patients are treated fairly and equally. James Whale, founder and chairman of the James Whale Fund and a kidney cancer survivor says “As someone who has been directly affected by kidney cancer, this decision is scandalous as NICE agrees Everolimus (Afinitor) is clinically effective as a second line treatment for kidney cancer. I find it incomprehensible that the government spends more on NICE decision making committees than it would spend if they gave kidney cancer patients this drug.

The NICE decision means our UK kidney cancer patients will die prematurely compared to the rest of the world. This is so obviously a decision based on lack of funding because NICE accepts the drug works. It’s a cruel decision that will cause kidney cancer patients and families huge distress at a time they should be looked after by the NHS and not just abandoned.

About the Fund: The James Whale Fund is the UK’s leading kidney cancer charity and was set up in 2006 by the broadcaster James Whale who lost a kidney to cancer in the year 2000. Today James continues to lead a full and busy life, as do the majority of people who are diagnosed and treated early. Every year almost 7000 people in the UK learn that they have kidney cancer; that’s over 16 people a day. And yet the condition – the eigth most common cancer among men – rarely attracts much public attention. Our mission at the James Whale Fund is to try and change that.

For more information about The James Whale Fund for Kidney Cancer please visit www.jameswhalefund.org

For those that suffer from diabetes, a new electronic pancreas device may be a godsend.

The prototype for the gadget which is used for treating Type 1 diabetes has been tested on 17 children in Cambridge and electronically monitors blood sugar levels so that the perfect amount of insulin can be injected into the blood.

At the moment the new gadget requires a nurse in order for the insulin device to be programmed, but it does raise the question of if an automated device can be used in the future to control diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes is one of the most common childhood diseases that carries with it long term problems and the number of children that will be affected by the disease is expected to continue to rise, after doubling over the last ten years.

Those that are affected by Type 1 diabetes have an immune system that attacks the cells in the pancreas responsible for making insulin.  When the body does not have insulin it cannot regulate sugar levels within the blood which leads to serious health problems.

Type 1 diabetes brings with a lifetime of insulin injections and at the moment the only alternative to taking injections is an insulin pump which releases insulin into the body slowly and continuously throughout the day.

They are about the size of a mobile phone and can be used with approval from the NHS on people that have problems controlling diabetes with regular injections.

Laser eye surgery patients are becoming less focused on price and more interested in equipping themselves with detailed information regarding the laser used during their treatment and the credentials of their surgeon, a recent study has shown.

Recent research from laser eye surgery specialists Optimax reveals that visits to their website’s Laser Comparison page have multiplied since the feature was introduced in January 2010, suggesting an increased interest in the final result and greater general awareness about the procedure.

Encouraged by consumer advice to make their choice of laser provider based on careful research rather than the ‘bargain’ prices sometimes used in advertising, consumers are now taking more time to differentiate between the laser systems used at the various clinics, and are more likely to question a laser clinic’s record of successful treatments.

The laser providers’ comparison table considers factors such as the regularity of servicing, frequency of laser upgrades along with the medical background of the doctors operating them.

It also shows typical success rates for the three main laser systems used in most UK laser eye surgery clinics, based on independent studies of results from each.

Dr Malcolm Samuel, Medical Director at Optimax says; ‘Patients choosing a laser eye surgery clinic should look for the latest available technology, and check the qualifications and experience of their surgeon’. He adds; ‘The majority of Optimax surgeons are fellows of the Royal College of Ophthalmology, all of whom are highly experienced laser specialists. Our laser technology is constantly reviewed and updated.’

Use of the internet is also believed to be a major factor in the emergence of ‘clued up’ laser eye surgery candidates, who make their booking having already done extensive online research regarding their options and are familiar with the medical terms involved.

View the Laser Eye Surgery Comparion information here – http://www.optimax.co.uk/laser_comparison.aspx

Millions of people over the age of seventy may be eligible for the shingles vaccine.  The news comes after the independent committee of the government that focuses on immunization recommended the vaccines use.

The committee states that there are benefits to be gained for the elderly by protecting them against the virus that leads to a painful skin ailment.  It is possible that a large scale vaccination program might be enacted by the end of 2010 if a cost-effective way to distribute it is developed.

Most of the reports about the new shingles vaccine were spurred after the JCVI (Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation) made a short statement.  The responsibility of the committee is to advise the government on ways to prevent the spread of disease via vaccinations.

The short statement from the committee advised the government that the elderly should be vaccinated against shingles after reviewing a suitable amount of economic, medical, and epidemiological evidence.  After its review, it found that adults between the ages of 70 to 79 would benefit from the vaccine.

Shingles is caused by the virus herpes zoster and results in a painful sin rash.  It is usually the result of a reactivation of the same virus that causes chickenpox in children.  Thus, anyone who has suffered from chickenpox in the past is at risk for shingles although it usually occurs in those over the age of 60.

Symptoms include a rash that develops into blisters that are often quite painful and oftentimes debilitating.

Very low calorie diets are far more effective at tackling obesity than conventional diets, potentially putting an end to losing battles among drastically overweight Britons.  That is the conclusion of a recent year-long trial amongst Britons.

Statistics show that more than one in five women in the UK are overweight, whilst one in six men have a body mass index (BMI) of over 30.  A healthy weight BMI should be between 20 and 25.

In a 12 month study, adult men and women with a BMI at or above 35 were entered into a clinical trial of different diet interventions with the aim of achieving a five per cent weight loss. An initial test was comprised of eating 600 less calories per day than the recommended daily allowance for men/women. Those who failed to achieve the 5% weight loss were then put on either the low carbohydrate, high protein diet (LCHP) or a very low calorie diet (VLCD). The latter eating plan drastically cuts the amount of calories consumed by relying on a diet of milkshakes.

At the end of the year-long trial, the average weight loss for the Very Low Calorie Diet was 31 kilograms, compared to just four kilograms for the low carb/high protein diet, one of the country’s current fashionable eating fads.

The very low calorie programme, known as LighterLife, was also twice as successful as those who stuck with eating just 600 less calories per day, which reduced obese Brits’ weight by an average of 18kg. It also resulted in increased cardiovascular benefits and improvements in cholesterol.

The study was led by Professor Iain Broom, the director of the Centre for Obesity Research and Epidemiology at Robert Gordon University and a professor of metabolic medicine at the University of Aberdeen.Professor Broom said: “This shows how a very low calorie diet can provide excellent weight loss for obese people in both the short and long term, including those patients who have failed other dietary approaches.  The cholesterol benefits are also considerable, as are the lean body mass results which demonstrate that patients see the very same changes in their body composition as those on a conventional diet – there was no difference in the amount of lean body mass change, suggesting that cardiac muscle was not affected by VLCD therapy.”

The study supports what LighterLife seeks to achieve with every client who undertakes it, greater weight loss results and an immediate solution to the side effects of obesity such as high cholesterol and restricted movement. It demonstrates that for people living with obesity a very low calorie diet can be the solution they’ve been looking for.

For more information visit www.lighterlife.com