Posted: under Diabetes.
You have developed diabetes probably because your body contains the genes linked to development of the disorder. You got those genes from one or both of your parents.There is quite a bit of evidence that your type of diabetes (called type II, non-insulin-dependent diabetes) is an inherited disorder caused by a defective gene passed on by one or both parents. Even if neither of your parents had diabetes, they could have inherited the tendency and passed that on to you.You have carried this gene in your body since you were born. But you didn’t develop diabetes until recently, when your blood glucose increased above the normal range. You probably didn’t even have the symptoms of diabetes and only found out you had this disease after your doctor performed a blood glucose test.Your type of diabetes usually shows up in mature adults (over the age of forty). It often develops in people who are overweight or obese and in women who deliver babies who weigh four kilograms or more at birth.Some women develop a form of diabetes (gestational diabetes) during pregnancy. This form of diabetes must be treated intensively during pregnancy to ensure delivery of a healthy baby. Women with this form of diabetes usually are free of diabetes after delivery, although they are at increased risk for the development of “regular” diabetes later in life.*2/210/5*
Apr 26 2011
Posted: under Anti-Infectives.
Interferons are natural glycoproteins that are produced by cells in response to viral infections, and they possess intrinsic antiviral activity. Initially, interferon-alfa was the only therapy available for the treatment of chronic HCV, and the drug needed to be given by intradermal injection three times per week. Administration of interferon-alfa resulted in a sustained virologic response (defined as complete HCV suppression 24 weeks after cessation of therapy) in only 15% to 20% of patients after 48 weeks of treatment. Subsequently, two large randomized trials demonstrated that the combination of interferon-alfa and the nucleoside analogue ribavirin was more effective than interferon alone, resulting in a sustained virologic response in 38% to 43% of patients after 48 weeks of therapy. Histologic improvement was noted in patients treated with combination therapy. Both studies also showed that patients with genotypes 2 or 3 had a higher sustained virologic response (64-69%) and required only 24 weeks to achieve this outcome, whereas those with genotype 1 had a much lower rate of sustained virologic response (28-31%) and required a full 48 weeks of therapy.The attachment of polyethylene glycol (PEG) to interferon results in a compound that has a much longer half-life than unmodified interferon, requiring only one intradermal injection per week. Two types of pegylated interferons (peginterferon alfa-2a and 2b), which differ in their pharmacokinetic and chemical properties, have been developed. Subsequently, randomized trials showed that once-weekly treatment with peginterferon alfa-2a had a higher rate of sustained virologic response (44-69%) than conventional interferon alfa-2a given three times per week (14-28%) after 48 weeks of therapy. In addition, peginterferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin was shown to produce a higher rate of sustained virologic response (54%) compared with interferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin (47%) after 48 weeks of therapy. Recently, peginterferon alfa-2a plus ribavirin was found to produce significant improvements in the rates of sustained virologic response (56%) compared with interferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin (44%) or peginterferon alfa-2a alone (29%) after 48 weeks of therapy.*85/348/5*
Apr 15 2011