Stem Cell Research Decision SoonThe debate over whether or not stem cells should be used in federally-funded research may finally be coming to an end, after months of heated political arguments. Stem cells, which have the potential of developing into any kind of cell, hold great promise in the search for cures for diabetes, heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's, among others. However, opponents believe that the use of these cells would be unethical, as an embryo would be destroyed in the process. Those in favor of stem cell research say that the embryos would be destroyed anyway, because they would be obtained from fertility clinics. Although stem cell research has the support of most Democrats and even some Republicans in Congress, President Bush has not yet made a decision about whether or not stem cell research should continue. Republican supporters of stem cell research include Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss; Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz; Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah; Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine; Sen. Strom Thurmond, R-S.C.; Gordon Smith, R-Ore; and former Sen. Connie Mack, R-Florida. Those who are most vocally opposed to stem cell research include the Catholic Church, anti-abortion groups, and conservative lawmakers. President Clinton's policy allowed federally-funded researchers to use stem cells as long as they did not destroy the embryos themselves. It is not yet clear if Bush will continue this policy, as he is currently seeking a policy that is in the "middle ground." He may adopt a plan that would allow federally funded researchers to use stem cells already taken from embryos. The plan would allow this research to go on for a specified length of time in order to build up scientific evidence of whether or not stem cell research is beneficial. Bush's decision, which is unknown at this point, will be made by mid-July, according to Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson.    
Sleep Loss A Cause Of Diabetes?There are many widely-known ways of controlling Type 2 diabetes, including adopting a healthy diet and exercise program. Another factor to add to this list may be a good night's sleep. At the American Diabetes Association's annual meeting in Philadelphia on June 25, researchers from the University of Chicago in Illinois presented their findings on a study that attempted to connect sleep time to insulin resistance (abstract 183-OR). The study involved a comparison of insulin levels of adults who averaged 5.2 hours of sleep per night over eight nights with the insulin levels of adults who slept an average of 8 hours. Results of the study showed that those who slept only 5.2 hours secreted about 50% more insulin than those who slept for eight hours, and were therefore about 40% less sensitive to insulin. More research is needed to determine exactly how sleep might affect glucose regulation, but the data suggests that sleep loss could be another factor playing a role in the current "epidemic of diabetes" in industrialized countries.
Diabetes And Eating Disorders In GirlsDiabetes alone is a complex disease requiring careful monitoring and even lifestyle changes in order to maintain good health. When the disease is combined with an eating disorder, which happens all too frequently in teenage girls, the control of the disease becomes even more difficult. A connection between the two disorders may also be affected by the relationship the girl has with her mother. A study of 88 girls with an average age of 15 was recently conducted by researchers at the University of Toronto in Canada (abstract 192-OR), and presented at the annual meeting of the American Diabetes Association in Philadelphia (June 25, 2001). The researchers found that the girls who said they had difficulties in communicating with their mothers had higher incidences of eating disorders. In addition, girls with mothers who restricted their food or had other eating problems also had higher rates of eating disorders. The problem becomes compounded when intensive insulin therapy is required, as this can lead to weight gain. The researchers conducted another study (abstract 191-OR) which compared the rates of eating disorders of girls between nine and fourteen years old with and without Type 1 diabetes. Of the 101 girls with diabetes, 8% had eating disorders, while only 1% of the 303 girls without diabetes had an eating disorder. The study also indicated that girls with diabetes tended to be more advanced in terms of puberty and weigh more than the girls without the disease. The body mass index (BMI) of the girls with diabetes was about 25, while the BMI of girls without diabetes was 19.5. The researchers hope that their study will increase awareness of the correlation between diabetes and eating disorders in girls and the quality of family relationships, and emphasize the need for early detection and treatment.
Urine Test Indicates Heart Disease RiskTests of blood pressure and cholesterol levels have been accurate in indicating risk of heart disease. Now a test of the levels of the blood protein albumin may help detect heart disease in post-menopausal women. Recently, Dutch scientists who had studied the albumin levels in post-menopausal women published their findings in the journal Circulation, which is published by the American Heart Association (June 2001). The study included 1,118 healthy women who participated for 18 years after menopause. Researchers found that higher levels of albumin in urine samples were linked to higher rates of cardiovascular death in older women. Additional research is needed in order to definitively connect albumin levels with heart disease, and researchers emphasize that urine tests should not be used in place of tests of blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Early Aspirin Use May Help To Avoid RetinopathyOne of the complications of diabetes is diabetic retinopathy, which involves the damage of blood vessels in the retina as a result of high sugar levels in the blood. Even when blood sugars are well-controlled, many people with diabetes for at least 30 years have some retinopathy. So other preventives are needed. Two recent studies suggest that aspirin, if used early, may be a simple and effective method of prevention and treatment of eye damage. When blood vessels become damaged, excess clotting increases occlusions which cause heart attacks and stokes. Because blood clots consist of platelets and fibrin, drugs such as aspirin, which act as antiplatelet agents, effectively reduce the risk of clots. Aspirin is highly recommended in the prevention of heart and blood vessel disease, and many also be helpful for people with diabetes to prevent retinopathy. The first study was conducted by a collaboration between researchers from the Schepens Eye Research Institute at Harvard Medical School in Boston and researchers from University of Genoa in Italy. The researchers studied the donated retinas from nine people with diabetes and eight people without the disease. Results, which are published in the journal Diabetes (volume 50, pages 1432-1439, June 2001) showed that the retinas from the people with diabetes had many more, and larger, blood clots in the capillaries than those from the people without the disease. Tiny blood clots appeared to be forming earlier in people with diabetes before any evidence of retinopathy. Although the Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study reported in the journal Ophthalmology (volume 98, pages 757-765, 1991) found that aspirin has no effect in more advanced retinopathy, this current study suggests that early treatment with aspirin should be investigated. The second study followed the effects of aminoguanidine and aspirin on two different groups of diabetic dogs for five years. The results were published in the journal Diabetes (volume 50, pages 1636-1642, July 2001). Aspirin significantly inhibited the development of damaged capillaries and retinal hemorrhages but had little effect on other aspects of retinopathy. Aminoguanidine, a glycosylation inhibitor, was found to be even more protective. Since this use of aspirin began as early as 4 to 6 weeks after blood sugars were elevated, this study also suggests benefits from early aspirin use.
Generic Diabetes Drugs ComingGood news for those with diabetes who are taking the Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. drug Glucophage--lower-cost generic drugs may soon be an option. Glucophage is one of several top-selling drugs that are scheduled to face competition from generic drugs between 2000 and 2005 due to the conclusion of their exclusivity periods. However, drug companies that market the prominent drugs use many methods to delay competition. One of the methods used by Bristol-Myers is the development of second-generation treatments. For Glucophage, this second-generation drug is Glucophage XR, which is a once-per-day dose of Glucophage. This has already been introduced to the market, and some people have already made the switch to this time-released drug. The original Glucophage is less convenient because it is usually taken two or three times a day. The company has also pushed its new Glucovance drug, which combines Glucophage and glyburide, an older sulfonylurea, to make it more potent than Glucophage. The five-year exclusivity period for Bristol-Myers' Glucophage expired in September 2000, and FDA regulators are expected to make the decision about whether or not generic drugs can be marketed very soon. |
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