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Lifespan Of Old Mice Extended By Easter Island Compound
The giant monoliths of Easter Island are worn, but they have endured for centuries. New research suggests that a compound first discovered in the soil of the South Pacific island might help us stand the test of time, too.

Figuring Out Who Will Benefit Most From A New Therapy For Multiple Sclerosis
In a recent phase II clinical trial, the drug alemtuzumab (Campath-1H) was found to be a highly effective treatment for individuals with early relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. However, a substantial proportion of the patients treated (30%) went on to develop another autoimmune disease, mostly thyroid autoimmunity. Now, Joanne Jones and colleagues, at the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom, have determined that individuals with higher levels of the soluble factor IL-21 in their blood prior to alemtuzumab treatment were those that went on to develop an autoimmune disease. Further analysis identified a mechanism by which IL-21 contributes to the development of autoimmunity and determined that in some patients the higher levels of IL-21 were genetically predetermined. The authors therefore suggest that measuring levels of IL-21 in the blood of individuals with early relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis might identify those that would be at greatest risk of developing autoimmunity if treated with alemtuzumab. Terri Laufer and Gregory Wu, at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, further discuss the importance of this in an accompanying commentary, noting that determining one reason why some patients succumb to autoimmune disease after alemtuzumab treatment, while others do not, is likely to increase enthusiasm for this new therapeutic.
News of the day
How Weight Gain And Obesity In Men Reduce PSA Velocity And May Interfere With Prostate Cancer Detection
EHE International recently announced the findings of a study indicating that elevated PSA levels, often associated with prostate cancer, are potentially harder to detect in men who are obese or experiencing weight gain. Prostate specific antigens (PSAs) are proteins produced by the cells of the prostate gland and because elevated levels may be indicative of prostate cancer, PSAs are regularly measured in annual physicals. PSA velocity is a measure of how fast PSA levels are changing in a man through time, and a high PSA velocity is an important indicator of prostate cancer risk. The study describes how obesity and increases in Body Mass Index (BMI) make PSA velocity scores appear lower than they really are, thereby potentially obscuring clinically relevant changes in circulating PSA.
Cardiovascular

Divisions Over Future Medicare Spending Surface In House

"A week-old agreement among House Democrats to smooth out disparities in the way Medicare reimburses rural and urban health providers is in danger of crumbling, as disputes erupted Friday over what actually was agreed to," The Wall Street Journal reports. "Some lawmakers from states with high health-care costs are also pressing House Democratic leaders for changes to the deal to ensure that their doctors and hospitals don"t see too big of a bite. ò€¦ Lawmakers from populous areas are questioning whether the deal on geographic disparities should be altered to allow more time for Medicare changes to take effect, since there is no longer the urgency of putting those changes into effect before the public option is rolled out. Another issue is for how long a period of time after changes go into effect urban hospitals should be "held harmless," meaning they won"t see their Medicare reimbursements cut" (Vaughan, 8/2). The Des Moines Register reports from Marshalltown, Iowa, that "America"s health care system would not be in such dire straits if everybody used medical care the way people here do. ... A national researcher found that Medicare, the giant federal insurance program for the elderly and disabled, spends substantially less on patients from Marshalltown than it spends on patients from most other Iowa areas. The program spent $4,169 in 2006 for each Medicare member in Marshalltown, compared with an Iowa average of $6,572 and a national average of $8,304, according to a study by Dartmouth College." Those low costs "might be due partly to a relatively small supply of doctors. According to figures compiled by the Iowa Medical Society, there is one physician for every 493 residents in the state. That puts Iowa in 44th place nationally. ò€¦ Iowa"s doctors also are more likely to be primary-care physicians, who health-cost experts say tend to practice relatively inexpensive medicine" (Leys, 8/2). At the other end of the spectrum, Dallas, Texas, "ranks among top U.S. spenders for health care," The Dallas Morning News reports. "Faced with data showing Dallas doesn"t give good value for money in health care, North Texas medical, insurance and other business leaders are discussing a transformation of one of the area"s biggest industries to curb spending and improve quality. ò€¦ Dartmouth research with Medicare data shows Dallas among the highest-spending areas of the country, and with some of the most rapidly escalating costs. If the area"s doctors and hospitals practiced medicine as it"s done in Waco, Dartmouth concluded that Dallas could save $1 billion a year just in Medicare spending" (Landers, 8/2). This information was reprinted from kaiserhealthnews.org with kind permission from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives and sign up for email delivery at kaiserhealthnews.org. © Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.


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