QUICK STUDY A weekly digest of new research on major health topics
PEPTIC ULCERS
Revised drug schedule may improve results.
· THE QUESTION As bacteria have become increasingly resistant to antibiotics, it has become more difficult to combat stomach inflammation and ulcers, often caused by Helicobacter pylori bacteria. Instead of taking several drugs simultaneously, as is standard practice, might it be better to take medication sequentially?
· THIS STUDY randomly assigned 300 adults with H. pylori infection and stomach pain or peptic ulcers to take three antibiotics (pantoprazole, clarithromycin and amoxicillin) twice a day for 10 days or to take drugs sequentially: pantoprazole and amoxicillin for five days; then pantoprazole, clarithromycin and tinidazole for five days. The sequential group also took a placebo for the first five days so that all participants were taking three pills at all times. Eight weeks later, the infection had been cured in 91 percent of those who took drugs sequentially, compared with 78 percent of the standard-treatment group. Among people who had shown a resistance specifically to clarithromycin, 89 percent of the sequential group were cured, compared with 29 percent for standard treatment. No serious side effects were reported in either group.
· WHO MAY BE AFFECTED BY THESE FINDINGS? People with ulcers or stomach inflammation caused by H. pylori bacteria, which generally infects people during childhood but often does not cause symptoms until years later.
· CAVEATS Sequential therapy included one more drug than the standard treatment, which may have influenced the outcome. Participants in the study were from Italy; because antibiotic resistance varies by region, it is unclear whether people in other countries could expect the same results.
· FIND THIS STUDY April 17 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine; abstract available at http:/
· LEARN MORE ABOUT peptic ulcers at http:/
HYPERTENSION
For young adults, physical activity can be helpful.
· THE QUESTION From middle age on, those who exercise have less chance of developing high blood pressure. Among children and teens, however, the link appears less certain. What might be the case for young adults?
· THIS STUDY analyzed data on 3,993 people. The initial data were collected when the participants were 18 to 30 years old (average age, 25); they were examined periodically for the next 15 years. During that time, high blood pressure was diagnosed in 634 of them. People who were the most physically active -- on average exercising five times a week, burning 300 calories per session -- were 17 percent less likely to have developed hypertension than were those who exercised the least. Over the 15-year span, people who increased the time they spent exercising reduced their risk of hypertension by 11 percent for every 1,500 calories they burned weekly.
· WHO MAY BE AFFECTED BY THESE FINDINGS? Young adults. About one in three American adults has high blood pressure. (A reading of 140/90 mmHg or higher is considered high.) The risk increases greatly as people age.
· CAVEATS Data on physical activity were based on the participants' recollections.
· FIND THIS STUDY April issue of the American Journal of Public Health; abstract available at http:/
· LEARN MORE ABOUT hypertension at http:/
OSTEOARTHRITIS
Chondroitin alone does not seem to offer relief.
· THE QUESTION Over-the-counter supplements have become popular among people hoping to relieve knee or hip pain from the degenerative bone disease osteoarthritis without the gastrointestinal side effects of some painkillers. Some experts, however, question whether chondroitin -- a frequent choice -- truly helps. What do the studies show?
· THIS STUDY analyzed data from 20 randomized studies, involving 3,846 people with hip or knee osteoarthritis who took chondroitin or a placebo daily, in doses from 800 to 1200 milligrams, generally for a year or less. Pain assessments showed virtually no difference between those who took chondroitin and those who took a placebo.
· WHO MAY BE AFFECTED BY THESE FINDINGS? People with osteoarthritis, usually caused by the wearing away of cartilage that naturally cushions the joints. About 21 million Americans have this type of arthritis, most of them older than 45.
· CAVEATS Whether chondroitin, a cartilage extract, slowed degeneration of the cartilage cushion remains unclear because only a few studies provided such data. The findings may not apply to chondroitin supplements that also include glucosamine, the most common way chondroitin is sold in the United States. The researchers wrote that they "found no evidence to suggest that chondroitin is unsafe."
· FIND THIS STUDY April 17 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine; abstract available at http:/
· LEARN MORE ABOUT osteoarthritis at http:/
--Linda Searing
The research described in Quick Study comes from credible, peer-reviewed journals. Nonetheless, conclusive evidence about a treatment's effectiveness is rarely found in a single study. Anyone considering changing or beginning treatment should consult a physician.
