Efforts needed to standardize criteria for age-related muscle loss
2015-04-07
(Press-News.org) The term "sarcopenia" is most often used to describe age-related loss in muscle mass and strength, and it is commonly considered analogous to osteoporosis. Yet unlike osteoporosis, which can be diagnosed based on widely accepted clinical criteria, sarcopenia is not recognized as a clinical condition even though it can impair physical function and contribute to disability, falls, and hospitalizations.
A new review addresses this concern and points to efforts aimed at developing and refining sarcopenia criteria.
"For over 20 years, the lack of a consensus definition for sarcopenia has been a significant barrier for the development of interventions aimed at preserving or improving muscle mass and strength in older adults," said Dr. Robert McLean, lead author of the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research review. "The recent and ongoing efforts of the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health Sarcopenia Project are a major advancement toward closing this important gap."
INFORMATION:
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
2015-04-07
The use of asbestos continues to increase in Asia despite clear health hazards. A recent Respirology review notes that with approximately 4.3 billion people and a growing population, Asia will likely see a large crop of asbestos-related lung diseases in the next few decades. Some of the cases will be benign, but it is likely that there will be many cases of mesothelioma and lung cancer.
Efforts are needed to improve the recognition and diagnosis of asbestos-related lung diseases, and government and non-government groups must cooperate to take steps to prevent them.
INFORMATION: ...
2015-04-07
The number of individuals enrolled in both Medicare Advantage (MA) and the Veterans Affairs (VA) health system nearly doubled from 2004 to 2009, and such dual enrollees are expected to increase in number following the full implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Because both the VA and MA are federally funded managed care systems, expenditures are duplicated for individuals who are dually enrolled.
A new Health Services Research study has found that while dual use does not appear to erode quality of care, there's also no evidence that it improves it.
INFORMATION: ...
2015-04-07
The fixed combination of the drugs tafluprost and timolol (trade name: Taptiqom) has been approved in Germany since December 2014 for adults with open-angle glaucoma or increased intraocular pressure (ocular hypertension). The combination therapy is indicated in patients who are insufficiently responsive to topical monotherapy with beta-blockers or prostaglandin analogues, and who would benefit from preservative-free eye drops.
The German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) examined in a dossier assessment whether this drug combination offers an ...
2015-04-07
We age in part thanks to "friendly fire" from the immune system -- inflammation and chemically active molecules called reactive oxygen species that help fight infection, but also wreak molecular havoc over time, contributing to frailty, disability and disease. The CD33rSiglec family of proteins are known to help protect our cells from becoming inflammatory collateral damage, prompting researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine to ask whether CD33rSiglecs might help mammals live longer, too.
In a study published April 7 by eLife, the team ...
2015-04-07
Viagra and other related drugs are not a universal 'cure-all' for impotence, according to a new study from The University of Manchester and NatCen Social Research.
Drugs, clinically known as oral phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5i), have become the first-line medical treatment option for sufferers of erectile dysfunction (ED) - also known as impotence - since entering the UK market in 1998.
An abundance of studies has demonstrated the effectiveness of such drugs. But researchers at The University of Manchester, who have studied the responses of more than 2,600 ...
2015-04-07
Cancer researchers from the University of Zurich have identified a key signaling pathway in B-cell lymphoma, a malignant type of blood cancer. They demonstrate that the signaling pathway can be blocked using compounds that are already in clinical development. This finding might be extremely important for the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of this disease in the future.
Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a blood cancer and the most common malignant condition of the lymphatic system. Although DLBCL is always fatal if left untreated, the cure rate after chemo-therapy ...
2015-04-07
Improving the quality and quantity of U.S. military members' sleep following deployment could help reduce other health problems, including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, according to a new RAND Corporation study.
However, a lack of consistent and transparent sleep-related policies may impede efforts to promote sleep health among service members, researchers say.
"The U.S. military has shifted from combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan toward helping service members and veterans reintegrate into noncombat roles," said Wendy Troxel, co-leader of the ...
2015-04-07
BOULDER -The Sun undergoes a type of seasonal variability with its activity waxing and waning over the course of nearly two years, according to a new study by a team of researchers led by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). This behavior affects the peaks and valleys in the approximately 11-year solar cycle, sometimes amplifying and sometimes weakening the solar storms that can buffet Earth's atmosphere.
The quasi-annual variations appear to be driven by changes in the bands of strong magnetic fields in each solar hemisphere. These bands also help shape ...
2015-04-07
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is an extremely common virus, which as other members of the herpes virus family causes life-long infections in humans. Most individuals are exposed to HCMV during childhood, yet symptoms can be easily fought off by a healthy immune system. However, infections can be life-threatening for individuals with defective immunity, for instance newborn babies, people with AIDS, or those taking immunosuppressive drugs following organ transplantation. Scientists at École Polytechnique Fe?de?rale de Lausanne (EPFL) have discovered the molecular switch ...
2015-04-07
In the world of the tiny zebrafish, the predatory red tiger oscar is the stuff of nightmares. And while the species has no natural reason to fear robots, researchers at the NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering have published the first study showing that, in a side-by-side comparison, a robotic predator can spook zebrafish just as well as the real thing. Their results may help advance understanding of fear and anxiety in animal populations, including humans.
The study, along with an image of the strikingly lifelike robotic model, is the cover story of the forthcoming ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
[Press-News.org] Efforts needed to standardize criteria for age-related muscle loss
