Individuals who consume a diet rich in vegetables are significantly less likely to develop acute pancreatitis, say researchers.
The study, published online in the journal Gut, examined 80,000 adults in Sweden in order to determine if an imbalance in antioxidant levels, associated with dietary factors, increased the risk of acute pancreatitis.
Pancreatitis refers to inflammation of the pancreas. The pancreas releases hormones as well as digestive enzymes to break down food. However, these enzymes can sometimes activate inside the pancreas, and start to digest the gland itself. Symptoms of acute pancreatitis can be severe and potentially life threatening.
Earlier studies have associated acute pancreatitis with excessive production of free radicals. In addition, levels of antioxidant enzymes, which remove free radicals, are increased during an attack.
In the study, the researchers found that participants consumed on average 2.5 services of vegetables per day and 2 servings of fruit. In general, men, smokers, and those with lower levels of education ate the fewest daily servings of vegetables.
A similar profile was observed for fruit consumption, although these participants were more likely to have diabetes or to consume alcohol.
320 study participants developed acute pancreatitis that was not associated with the complications of gallstones.
Although consuming more vegetables appeared to reduce the risk of acute pancreatitis, consuming more fruit did not.
According to the researchers, individuals who consumed more than 4 servings of vegetables per day were 44% less likely to develop acute pancreatitis than people who ate 1 serving per day.
Participants who were overweight or drank more than 1 alcoholic beverage per day seemed to benefit the most from consuming a diet rich in vegetable. The team found that the risk of developing acute pancreatic decreased by 71% among drinkers and by 51% among those who were overweight.
The researchers note that the protective effect of vegetables is most likely due to the high levels of antioxidants they contain. However, why fruit does not appear to reduce the risk of developing acute pancreatitis may be due to its fructose content, which might counter the effects of antioxidants. Earlier studies have associated fructose with free radical production.
If further studies verify these findings, the researchers suggest that consuming more vegetables may reduce the risk of developing acute pancreatitis that is not associated to gallstones.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
How much do you know about allergies?
Allergy
Date of last update: 25 July 2012
Allergy refers to an adverse reaction of the body to a particular substance in the environment. Many substances that cause allergies are not harmful and have no effect on those people who are not allergic. Any substance that triggers an allergic reaction is called an allergen. Some of the most common allergens include pollen, dust mites, mold and pets.
What are allergies?
Allergy means an adverse reaction of the body to a particular substance in the environment. Many substances that cause allergies are not harmful and have no effect on those who are not allergic. Any substance that triggers an allergic reaction is called an allergen. Some of the most common allergens include pollen, dust mites, mold and pets. Few other common allergens include nuts, fruits and latex. An allergy develops when the body's immune system reacts to an allergen, as if it were a threat, an infection, by producing antibodies to fight it. This process is called immune response. The next time the person comes into contact with the allergen, the body "remembers" previous exposure and produces more antibodies. This causes the release of chemicals in the body leading to an allergic reaction. The most common disorders caused byallergy include asthma, eczema and hay fever. Symptoms may include:
Symptoms depend on how a person came into contact with the allergen. For example, you may have respiratory problems if inhaled pollen.
What are the symptoms of allergies?
Allergic reactions do not occur the first time you come into contact with the allergen, but after being exposed to. This is because the immune system must develop a sensitivity to the allergens before they become allergic. Typical reactions include irritation and allergic inflammation.
Symptoms may include:
It is important to remember that these symptoms may be caused by other diseases, so it is best to consult your doctor. Rarely, an allergy can lead to a severe allergic reaction called anaphylactic shock (or anaphylaxis), which can be fatal. Most allergic reactions are produced locally in specific tissues of a body part, such as nose, eyes or skin. In anaphylactic shock (or anaphylaxis), an allergic reaction does not involve the entire body and usually occurs in a few minutes after contact with a particular allergen. Symptoms of anaphylactic shock (or anaphylaxis) may include:
If you have an anaphylactic shock (or anaphylaxis), you need emergency treatment, usually an injection of adrenaline.
Who is affected by allergy?
The reason that triggers an allergic response is not clear. Some experts believe it may be associated with pollution. Another theory is that allergies are caused by living in an environment that is too clean and free of germs, which would reduce the number of germs that the immune system is able to cope with. This can cause an overreaction when you come into contact with harmless substances. Some people are more likely to develop the hereditary allergy. If this possibility exists, it is called atopic allergy or suffering from atopy. Atopic individuals are more likely to develop allergies because their body produces more IgE antibody than normal. Environmental factors also play a role in the development of allergic disorders. The exact role of the environment is unknown, but studies have shown that a number of factors appear to increase the chance that a child will develop an atopy, such as:
Boys are much more likely to develop an atopy than girls. They are also more prone to be born with a weight below normal. The reasons for this are also unclear.
What are the causes of allergy?
An allergy develops when the immune system reacts to allergens, and they are considered to be harmful, as if they were an infection. There is a type of antibody (protein that fights viruses and infections) called immunoglobulin E (IgE), that fights the allergen. When the body comes into contact with the allergen, IgE antibodies are released causing a chemical production. Together, all these things cause the symptoms of allergic reaction. One of the chemicals involved in an allergic reaction is histamine, which causes:
An allergen is any substance that causes a stronger reaction of the immune system by producing antibodies against them. There are thousands of allergens, but the most common are the following:
How to treat allergies?
Where possible, the best way to defend against an allergy is to avoid contact with the allergen causing the reaction.
Drugs
Medications cannot cure allergies, but can be used to treat common symptoms such as a runny nose, itching and sneezing. Many treatments are available as OTC drugs, but before buying them, you should always seek the advice from your doctor or pharmacist.
Antihistamines
Antihistamines treat allergies by blocking the action of histamine, the hormone that body releases when it thinks an allergen has attacked the body. Antihistamines are in the form of pills, creams or liquids or eye drops and nasal spray. The nasal spray may be used to reduce swelling and irritation of the nose and eye drops are used to help relieve pain and itching of the eyes. Spray drops and eye drops are only available for adults, so you should always consult your doctor before buying drugs, especially if children are involved.
Decongestants
Decongestants help bring relief for a blocked nose, which is often caused by hay fever, an allergy to dust mites or an allergy to pets. Decongestants are available in different forms such as tablets, capsules, nasal spray or liquid.
Leukotriene antagonists
The tablets are leukotriene antagonists that block the effects of leukotrienes, a chemical released during an allergic reaction that causes inflammation (swelling) of the respiratory tract. Leukotriene antagonists are used to treat asthma when other treatments have failed.
Hyposensitization (immunotherapy)
Another form of treatment for allergies is the hyposensitization, also known as immunotherapy. The hyposensitization acts gradually introducing increasing amounts of allergen into the body to make it less sensitive to it. Allergens are usually given by injection at intervals of one week or less and the doses of the allergen are going to increase. Upon reaching the maintenance dose, a dose that is effective in reducing the usual allergic reaction, continue with injections every few weeks for at least two years. The hyposensitization is usually recommended for the treatment of various allergies (hay fever or allergy to pets), that have not had improvements with other treatments and for specific allergies , such as the stings of wasps and bees. This treatment should only be administered under the supervision of a physician because there is a risk involved of severe allergic reactions.
The treatment of anaphylaxis
If someone had an anaphylactic shock (or anaphylaxis) that required medical emergency treatment with adrenaline injection, that person is a subject to the possibility of triggering an anaphylactic shock again, then he or she must have a self-injection kit of adrenaline. It is an easy-to-use syringe that you should always carry.
Being cured of HIV is 'wonderful,' US man says
The only person believed to have been cured of HIV infection through a bone marrow transplant says he feels wonderful and is launching a new foundation to boost research toward a cure.
Timothy Ray Brown, 47, an American from Seattle Washington, rose to fame as the so-called "Berlin patient" after doctors tried a novel technique to use an HIV-resistant donor for a stem cell transplant to treat Brown's leukemia.
Since 2007, he has had two high-risk bone marrow transplants and continues to test negative for HIV, stunning researchers and offering new pathways for research into how gene therapy may lead to a more widely acceptable approach.
"I am living proof that there could be a cure for AIDS," Brown told AFP in an interview. "It's very wonderful, being cured of HIV."
Brown looked frail as he spoke to reporters in Washington where the 19th International AIDS Conference, the world's largest meeting of scientific experts, policymakers and advocates is taking place.
The bone marrow transplant he received carried significant risks and may be fatal to one in five patients who undergo it. But he said his only complaint these days is the occasional headache.
He also said he was aware that his condition has generated some controversy, but disputed the claims of some scientists who believe he may still have traces of HIV in his body and may remain infectious to others.
"Yes, I am cured," he said. "I am HIV negative."
Brown said he fully supports more aggressive efforts toward finding a universal cure, and has met with a number of top scientists in recent days who have treated him "like a rock star."
He said he hopes to harness some of that fame to encourage donors to fund more research, and noted that Europe and China spend far more on cure research than the United States.
"There are thousands of very able researchers who cannot get funded for research, so I want to change that. And there are a lot of researchers who are willing to work to find a cure for HIV."
Brown was a student in Berlin, Germany, when he tested positive for HIV in 1995 and was told he probably had about two years to live.
But combination antiretroviral therapy emerged on the global market a year later, and eventually transformed HIV from a death sentence into a manageable condition for millions of people worldwide.
Brown tolerated the medications well but due to persistent fatigue he visited a doctor in 2006 and was diagnosed with leukemia. He underwent chemotherapy, which led to pneumonia and sepsis, nearly killing him.
His doctor, Gero Huetter, had the idea of trying a bone marrow transplant using a donor who had a CCR5 receptor mutation.
People without that receptor appear to be resistant to HIV because they lack the gateway through which the virus can enter the cells. But such people are rare, and are believed to consist of one percent of the northern European population.
It would be an attempt to cure cancer and HIV at the same time.
Brown's leukemia returned in 2007, and he underwent a bone marrow transplant using stem cells from a CCR5 mutation donor, whom he has never met in person. He stopped taking antiretrovirals at the same time.
He soon had no HIV detectable in his system. His leukemia returned though, and he underwent a second bone marrow transplant in 2008, using stem cells from the same donor.
Brown said his recovery from the second operation was more complicated and left him with some neurological problems, but he continues to be free of leukemia and HIV.
Asked if he feels like his cure was a miracle, Brown was hesitant to answer.
"It's hard to say. It depends on your religious belief, if you want to believe it's just medical science or it was a divine intervention," he told AFP. "I would say it's a little bit of both."
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