Female sex hormones could work with beta-agonists for reducing airway constriction, as per a new bench research from the Mayo Clinic.

The findings are being presented at the ATS 2010 International Conference in New Orleans.

From Sciencedaily.com:

“These novel data suggest that estradiol has bronchodilatory properties, and may potentiate beta-2-agonist effects,” said Ms. Townsend. “The finding that estrogens interact synergistically with beta-adrenoceptor signaling (perhaps using common pathways) to facilitate bronchodilation was exciting, and lends itself to further studies on interactions between sex steroids and beta-2-agonists.” But she and her team also cautioned that there is still considerable research necessary to fully understand the association between sex steroidsand factors that contribute to asthma, before the information can be used clinically in patients to relieve asthma symptoms.

Sex steroids can play a role in modulating airway tone, as per lead student researcher, Elizabeth A. Townsend, of the Mayo Clinic Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, where she is completing her Ph.D.

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Hemangiomas, which are Strawberry-like birthmarks that commonly develop in early infancy, are usually harmless but a recent study by researchers at Children’s Hospital Boston disclosed that up to 10 percent of them can lead to tissue distortion or destruction and sometimes vision obstruction.

The researchers showed that steroids specifically target hemangioma stem cells and disclosed the action mechanism besides suggesting other available ways for halting and shrinking hemangiomas, in the March 18 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine.

From Sciencedaily.com:

Hemangiomas, affecting 4 to 10 percent of infants, are noncancerous tumors consisting of a tangled mass of blood vessels. Previously, it was assumed that steroids act on endothelial cells, which make up about 30 percent of cells in the tumor. The new research, led by dermatologist Shoshana Greenberger, MD, PhD, working in the lab of Joyce Bischoff, PhD, in Children’s Vascular Biology Program, shows that steroids interfere with a much rarer and more primitive cell type — hemangioma stem cells.

Greenberger and Bischoff further showed that steroids work by inhibiting hemangioma stem cells’ ability to stimulate blood vessel growth, and that they do so by shutting down production of a specific factor called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF-A). VEGF is well known as a stimulator of angiogenesis (blood vessel growth) in cancer and age-related macular degeneration. “We now have more therapies targeting VEGF, so our findings open the way to finding a more specific and safer therapy for hemangioma,” says Greenberger.

Children’s plastic surgeon John Mulliken, MD, co-director of Children’s Vascular Anomalies Center and a co-author on the study, remarked that he always had a vision to develop a drug for stopping hemangioma at its first appearance.

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Results of two separate studies taking place at Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics can benefit physicians all over the world by helping them make use of genetic testing to prevent complications and ease the worry of new parents through predicting in advance as to which all of the newborns could be requiring hospital readmission shortly after birth.

The study results can also help physicians to identify which all of their young patients are expected to respond better or negligible to therapies involving steroids when it comes to treating asthma.

From Sciencedaily.com:

Up to 85 percent of hospital readmissions during the first two weeks of life are due to hyperbilirubinemia, more commonly recognized as jaundice. The condition can be concerning for new parents, and potentially devastating for the infant if not recognized and promptly treated. New research being led by Susan Abdel-Rahman, PharmD, professor of pediatrics at Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics is identifying specific genetic markers that will enhance the ability to predict which newborns are at risk.

“This condition can be very harmful for newborn infants and scary for new parents,” said Dr. Abdel-Rahman. “Knowing in advance which babies are likely to experience symptoms can provide reassurance for parents and guidance for clinicians in determining which babies may benefit from more careful monitoring.”

The goal of the research is to develop an electronic tool that can be used by clinicians in nurseries nationwide to dramatically improve prediction of risk for hyperbilirubinemia and prevent complications due to late detection. The study will be among the largest of its kind, aiming to enroll 3,500 newborns.

The asthma research was led by Bridgette L. Jones, MD, allergy, asthma and immunology and clinical pharmacology specialist, and Carrie A. Vyhlidal, PhD, research scientist, pediatric clinical pharmacology, at Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics, and a separate study was conducted by researchers at Children’s Mercy.

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A drug used for treating high blood pressure and enlargement of the prostate can guard the brain from damages caused by diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and schizophrenia.

Prazosin, the drug that is also prescribed as an antipsychotic medication, can block an increase of steroid hormones known as glucocorticoids.

The finding was disclosed by researchers at the Oregon Health & Science University and Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

From Sciencedaily.com:

Scientists believe stress activates a neurochemical response in the brain that triggers the release of glucocorticoids in the brain, and that high levels of glucocorticoids in blood serum are associated with such psychiatric conditions as schizophrenia, depression, PTSD and Alzheimer’s disease. This mechanism has been linked to decreases in cognitive performance in older people who are not suffering from clinical dementia.

“Our hypothesis is that just being afraid of being blown up all the time means you have high levels of steroids all the time,” Berger said, referring to PTSD among military personnel.

Low levels of glucocorticoids have anti-inflammatory effects in the brain, but high levels can trigger inflammatory mechanisms that damage nerve cells by activating an enzyme that causes oxidative stress. Even a single exposure to a high dose of glucocorticoids can be sufficient to damage nerve cells: A previous study showed synthetic glucocorticoid therapy to treat autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis can induce mood disorders, including psychosis, and cognitive impairment known as “steroid dementia” in severe forms.

This study was funded by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

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A study published on bmj.com has reported that a single corticosteroid drug dose along with antibiotics could be used to alleviate pain besides proving itself as a better treatment option than the use of antibiotics alone. This study, however, was silent about similar benefits for children with sore throat.

Dr Matthew Thompson at the University of Oxford and collaborators expected the premise that corticosteroids could successfully ease sore throat symptoms due to their anti-inflammatory effects.

From MedicalNewsToday.com:

The results of eight trials were analyzed. They compared corticosteroids to placebo in adults or children. Overall, 743 patients were involved in the trial, including 369 children and 374 adults. They all had symptoms of severe sore throat.

In order to reduce partiality, variations in study feature and quality were considered.

Results showed patients given corticosteroids together with antibiotics were three times more likely to report total clearing up of pain after 24 hours than patients given placebo. After 48 hours the effect on pain was less evident. According to the authors, this indicates that a single dose of corticosteroids may be sufficient.

In addition, corticosteroids reduced the average time to pain relief by about six hours. But, the researchers specify that considerable effects were observed only in adult patients and only in those receiving oral corticosteroids. After assessing the trials, it was apparent that the use of simple painkillers made no difference.

The authors explain: “These findings suggest that, in patients with severe sore throat, pain can be reduced and resolution hastened by use of corticosteroids in conjunction with antibiotic therapy.” They write in conclusion: “These results may also help to prevent antibiotic use, particularly in the context of delayed prescribing. Future research should focus on the effect of corticosteroids independent of antibiotics.”

The associated editorial said steroids could reduce pain in the first day but cautioned about absence of information on the possible harmful effects.

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Patients suffering from chronic disease ulcerative colitis that can limit life to few social functions and trips away from home can finally expect some respite after a promising new therapy was pioneered by University of Kentucky gastroenterology specialists.

Ulcerative colitis brings inflammation and ulcers in the colon leading to frequent toilet trips and abdominal pain. Some of the currently available options of treatment are steroids, surgery, or anti-inflammatory drugs.

From Sciencedaily.com:

One of the study participants is Robert Lewandowski, of Hager Hill in Johnson County. Lewandowski was diagnosed with the disease a decade ago and saw the retirement plans he and his wife made slipping away as he became more and more reluctant to leave home.

“The first thing you do is when you think about going somewhere, you have to think about where the bathroom is and how quickly you can get to it,” Lewandowski said. “Eventually, you stop going and doing things because it’s too much of a problem.”

Lewandowski’s disease went into remission after a few years, then reappeared, sending him to the bathroom 20 or more times a day. Therapies he used in the past didn’t work, so his physician referred him to the clinical study at UK. He saw an improvement almost immediately, and a year later, he is able to lead a normal life, with no symptoms of the disease. “I’m happy,” he said.

Willem J.S. deVilliers, M.D., Ph.D., chief of the UK Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition, remarked that this findign can be described as a welcome addition to the treatment options.

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