Diabetes News for May 26, 2002
Cloning Debate Still Unresolved
The issue of stem-cell cloning has been intensely debated for many months now, and there is no end in sight. Although the US Senate had set a target date of late May to resolve the issue, time spent on other issues will prevent cloning legislation from being passed before the Memorial Day congressional recess.
Congressional representatives from both parties are fairly united in opposition to the idea of reproductive cloning, but are divided on the issue of therapeutic cloning. This would involve the use of stem cells to produce cells that would be used to treat diseases like diabetes, cancer, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's.
President Bush and anti-abortion groups have supported a bill passed by the House of Representatives that would ban all types of human cloning. A similar bill was introduced in the Senate, but the Senate debate has been delayed several times. Competing legislation in support of therapeutic cloning is sponsored by Democratic Senators Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, Tom Harkin of Iowa, Dianne Feinstein of California and Republican Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania.
  
Drug May Stop Alzheimer's And Type 2
People who have Alzheimer's and Type 2 diabetes have clumps of proteins throughout their body which stop normal organ function. Scientists are hopeful that a drug which is now being developed will be able to shrink these protein clumps and thus stop these diseases.
The drug is being developed and tested by researchers from the University College Medical School in London. It is called CPHPC, and works by targeting the serum amyloid P component (SAP) protein. This protein binds the clumps of proteins together and makes them resistant to immune system response. CPHPC draws SAP proteins away from amyloid deposits, which are clumps of abnormal proteins.
The researchers tested the drug, which is patented by the pharmaceutical company F. Hoffmann-La Roche, on 19 people with amyloidosis. This is a rare and deadly condition that involves widespread protein deposits in tissues including the heart and skin. After nine-and-a-half months, the researchers found that CPHPC lowered the participants' blood levels of SAP. Although it is too early to tell if this has improved the condition of the participants, researchers are hopeful that CPHPC will be used to treat anyone with dangerous protein build-up. Their study has been published in the journal Nature (volume 417, pages 254 - 259, May 16, 2002).
Screening For Pancreatic Cancer
People with Type 2 diabetes are known to be at a higher risk for pancreatic cancer, but there has not been an accurate way to screen for it. New research by doctors in Japan shows that there may be a way to screen for pancreatic cancer when the risks for it are greatest.
The scientists who conducted this research are from Kitakyushu Municipal Medical Center in Fukuoka, Japan. They included 86 volunteers in their study, all of whom had started showing signs of pancreatic problems. The participants were divided into two groups, based on whether they had been diagnosed with Type 2 within the last three years or if they had been diagnosed more than three years ago. All of the participants underwent a test called endoscopic retrograde pancreatography (ERP), which allows doctors to view the pancreas and sample tissue.
Results from ERP tests showed that almost 14% of the participants who had been diagnosed with Type 2 recently had advanced pancreatic cancer. About 2% of the participants who had been diagnosed with diabetes more than three years ago had developed pancreatic cancer. The researchers concluded from these findings that the best time to screen for pancreatic cancer in people with Type 2 appears to be three years after their diagnosis.
The researchers have published their findings in the journal Cancer (volume 94, pages 2344-2349, May 2002). They hope that doctors will take a more aggressive approach toward diagnosing pancreatic cancer in people with Type 2 diabetes so that treatment will be more effective.
Mom's Birth Weight And Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes is a particular form of diabetes that only develops during pregnancy, but indicates a risk for the later development of Type 2 diabetes. A new study indicates that a woman's own birth weight may determine her risk of developing gestational diabetes.
This study was conducted by researchers at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver, who examined the New York State Department of Health records of over 23,000 women who had their first child between 1994 and 1998. The researchers then studied these women's health records to determine what their birth weight had been.
The researchers found that 440 of these women developed gestational diabetes during their pregnancies. The women who had had a birth weight of less than 5.3 pounds had twice the risk of developing gestational diabetes. Women who had had a birth weight of over 10.7 pounds had a 50% increased risk of developing gestational diabetes, but researchers attributed this to the women's body mass during adulthood and a history of gestational diabetes in the family. Women who have gestational diabetes often have larger babies, and women are more likely to develop gestational diabetes if their mothers also had the condition.
The investigators determined that low birth weight was a separate risk factor for gestational diabetes, even after taking into account other risk factors, such as birth order and age. The study authors believe that their findings, which have been published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (volume 287; page 2534; May 15, 2002), indicate a potential need for screening women for gestational diabetes if the women had low birth weight.
Gender Differences In Heart Treatment
Some studies have shown a gender bias in the way people are treated for coronary artery disease. However, a new study shows that differences in the way men and women develop the disease may account for differences in treatment.
The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Calgary in Canada, who have published their findings in the Annals of Internal Medicine (volume 136; pages 723-732; May 21, 2002). They analyzed the health records of almost 22,000 people who had undergone cardiac catheterization, which is a test designed to detect blockage in the heart. A year after the test, women were one-third less likely than men to have received artery-clearing angioplasty or coronary artery bypass surgery.
However, researchers also found that the rate at which men and women had coronary surgery was similar when they took into account factors that would rule out the surgery, such as advanced age and other health problems. Men tended to be younger and have fewer heart problems like Type 2 diabetes, chronic lung disease, and high blood pressure. Men were also more likely to need immediate artery-clearing surgery due to heart attack or chest pain.
The study indicates that women do receive appropriate care for heart disease after it is diagnosed, but it does not address issues of care before diagnosis.
Obesity: Huge Problem For 50+
Although Americans who are over the age of 50 are now living longer, smoking less, and developing fewer disabilities than people in previous generations, a new report shows that the increasing problem of obesity may overshadow all of these health gains.
The report has been issued by the AARP's Public Policy Institute, which used research from twenty years ago as well as current studies to determine the health status of older Americans. According to the report, about 60% of adults in America are overweight or obese. AARP has begun a program to promote physical activity in older Americans, encouraging them to get at least 30 minutes of exercise five times per week. In addition, the World Health Organization has announced plans to begin aggressively preventing obesity-related diseases like Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. The WHO will work with food producers on obesity-prevention measures.
In the US, the government has begun a $20 million campaign to decrease obesity and diabetes in residents of five communities. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson plans to promote time for workers to exercise and the facilities at work and to launch major anti-fat ad campaigns by insurers. Thompson also hopes these measures will decrease the $270 billion costs per year of preventable obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and tobacco-related illnesses.
Health May Suffer Without Insurance
Millions of Americans do not have health insurance. A new report shows that this fact in and of itself can be dangerous to their health.
The report was issued by the Institute of Medicine, which is a branch of the National Academy of Sciences. This is a private organization that was created by Congress to give scientific information to the government. Their report cites information from the Census Bureau and various studies on health insurance issues.
According to the report, 38.7 million Americans did not have health insurance for the whole year of 2000. One study showed that death rates for people without insurance were 18.4%, and only 9.6% for those who were insured. In addition, people with diseases like diabetes and cancer experienced a decline in their health when they did not have insurance. People with these conditions must be carefully monitored and treated in order to prevent health deterioration.
This is the second of six planned reports that will point to the results of not having health insurance.
| 
