Quick Study

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

DIABETES

Fish consumption may stave off kidney problems.

THE QUESTION Might eating fish help prevent kidney disease in people with diabetes?

THIS STUDY analyzed data on 22,384 people (39 to 79 years old); 517 of them had diabetes. Testing revealed the level of the protein albumin in their urine, considered an early sign of kidney disease. People with diabetes who reported eating less than one serving of fish a week were four times more likely to have excessive protein levels (called persistent albuminuria) than were those whose weekly diet included two or more servings of fish. In non-diabetics, no link was found between the amount of fish eaten and urine protein levels.

WHO MAY BE AFFECTED? People with diabetes, who are especially susceptible to kidney disease. Excess sugar in the blood can, in essence, poison the nephrons, the tiny tubes in the kidneys that filter the blood, causing them to break down and possibly fail completely.

CAVEATS Data on fish consumption came from questionnaires completed by the study participants. Factors not taken into account, such as lifestyle or medication, may have affected the results. The study did not differentiate between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Nearly all participants were white; whether the findings apply to other races is unclear.

FIND THIS STUDY November issue of the American Journal of Kidney Diseases.

LEARN MORE ABOUT albuminuria at http://www.kidney.org. Learn about diabetes at http://www.diabetes.niddk.nih.gov.

ALLERGIES

Increasing exposure may lessen kids' sensitivity to milk.

THE QUESTION Can children allergic to milk develop a tolerance of it?

THIS STUDY randomly assigned 20 children, who averaged about 10 years old and had a severe milk allergy, to take a gradually increasing dose of nonfat powdered milk or fake powdered milk daily. At the start, the children could tolerate just 1/4 teaspoon of milk, on average, without a reaction. After four months, children in the milk group could tolerate about five to eight ounces of milk daily; those who had taken the fake milk still could tolerate just 1/4 teaspoon. As the dosage increased, reactions such as itchy mouth and abdominal pain were common, but 90 percent required no treatment.

WHO MAY BE AFFECTED? Children allergic to milk. An estimated 3 million children in the United States have food allergies, an 18 percent increase in the past decade.

CAVEATS The study had a small number of participants. It did not determine if the children's increased tolerance was permanent or if they would lose their tolerance if they did not continue consuming higher amounts of milk. Anyone interested in testing an allergic child's tolerance of milk should consult a doctor before doing so.

FIND THIS STUDY Oct. 28 issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

LEARN MORE ABOUT milk allergy at http://www.mayoclinic.com and http://www.kidshealth.org (enter "Teens" site).

PREGNANCY

Depressed women may be more apt to deliver early.

THE QUESTION Does depression affect pregnancy?

THIS STUDY involved 791 women who were screened early in their pregnancies for symptoms of depression.

When they were, on average, 10 weeks pregnant, 326 of the women (about 41 percent) had depressive symptoms, including 172 whose symptoms were rated severe on a standardized scale. About 1.5 percent of the women had been prescribed an antidepressant.

Overall, 44 women gave birth prematurely (before 37 weeks gestation). Those with the most severe symptoms were more than twice as likely as women without depression to have a premature delivery; milder symptoms correlated to about a 60 percent increased risk.

WHO MAY BE AFFECTED? Pregnant women, about 12 percent of whom deliver prematurely each year in the United States.

Preterm births are a leading cause of infant deaths. Although depression after childbirth, known as postpartum depression, is widely recognized, medical experts say experiencing depressive symptoms while pregnant also is common.

CAVEATS Depression was measured in early pregnancy only. The study did not determine why depression might contribute to premature delivery.

FIND THIS STUDY Oct. 23 online issue of Human Reproduction.

LEARN MORE ABOUT pregnancy and depression at http://www.womenshealth.gov/faq. Learn about premature birth at http://www.marchofdimes.com.

-- 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 of any kind should consult with a physician.