Insidermedicine in 60 - February 6, 2008

From Perth - Genetic markers can be used to screen for potential adverse reactions to Ziagen, a drug used to treat HIV. Researchers compared the rate of adverse events in a group of patients who tested negative to HLA-B5701 versus those allocated to usual treatment. While 3% of those in the usual treatment group had a reaction to the medicine, this did not occur in those who tested negative to the HLA subgroup.

From the Netherlands - A new treatment that involves surgical removal of the blood clot causing a heart attack may lower the risk of recurrent MI and death. In a randomized clinical trial of over 1000 patients with acute ST-elevated MIs, aspiration of the clot resulted in a 34% reduction in those with significant heart damage and a reduction in 30 day mortality.

And finally, from Newcastle - A technique that involves using the DNA of 3 people to create an embryo may one day lead to the eradication of mitochondrial diseases, which can present with problems of the nerves, muscles, heart and eyes. In the study, 2 people contributed nuclear material, and another their mitochondrial DNA, to the embryo. This research may one day prevent children from being born with fatal diseases.

For Insidermedicine in 60, I'm Dr. Susan Sharma.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• gene
• dna
• hiv
• aids
• drug
• medication
• surgery
• heart
• cardiac
• arrest
• stemi
• clot
• embryo
• parent
• birth
• disease
• hereditary
• infant