I apologize that I added so few studies during December.  I moved my practice to State College, Pennsylvania and just didn't have as much time.  I usually add about 120 studies per month including 60-70 new studies to my website.  I hope that I will be able to keep it up with my added clinical workload.

Depression Increases Diabetes Risk: In a 3-year follow-up study of 2,662 women, researchers found that depression was linked to higher insulin-resistance values and the onset of diabetes. This association resulted largely from abdominal obesity. Once the calculations were adjusted for "central adiposity," depression no longer predicted insulin resistance and diabetes -- except among African-American women. Diabetes was twice as high in African-American women at follow-up compared to European-American women. Susan A. Everson-Rose, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Diabetes Care, December 2004. For more, see Depression.

Knee and Hip Osteoarthritis Pain Helped: In a 194-patient, 12-week DB PC study of osteoarthritis pain of the knee and hip using a standard strength static bipolar magnetic bracelet, a weak magnetic bracelet, or a non-magnetic (dummy) bracelet, mean pain scores were reduced significantly more in the standard magnet group than in the dummy group (1.3 points). Patients before starting the study had 8-20 points of pain on the WOMAC A scale. This benefit was not quite as large as reported in some NSAID pain med trials, but was considered in the same range and of clinical significance. For instance, an important study using a COX-2 inhibitors, the middle strength caused a 1.5 point decrease in pain over the placebo and the high strength a 1.9 point decrease. Of course, COX-2 inhibitors cause an increased death rate and this appears unlikely for wrist bracelets. Self reported blinding status did not affect the results. The scores for secondary outcome measures were consistent with the pain scores. Randomised controlled trial of magnetic bracelets for relieving pain in osteoarthritis of the hip and knee. Harlow T, Greaves C, et al. College Surgery, Cullompton, UK. BMJ. 2004 Dec 18;329(7480):1450-4. For more, see Magnets and Arthritis.

Selenium No Help in Acute Pancreatitis: Oxygen free radicals appear in the early phase of acute pancreatitis followed by an imbalance between the oxygen and anti-oxygen system. In a 90-day DB PC study of 70 patients with acute pancreatitis, five patients in the selenium and three patients in the placebo group died. All 17 clinical parameters showed no statistical significance. Investigation of Antioxidant Therapy with Sodium Selenite in Acute Pancreatitis. A Prospective Randomized Blind Trial Lindner D, Lindner J, et al, Chemnitz, Germany.. Med Klin (Munich). 2004 Dec;99(12):708-712.

Selenium and IV Anti-Oxidant Said to Help Critically Ill: A meta-analysis of whether supplementing critically ill patients with antioxidants, trace elements, and vitamins improves their survival found 11 articles which met the authors’ inclusion criteria. Antioxidants were associated with a significant reduction in mortality [Risk Ratio (RR) 0.65, p=0.03] but had no effect on infectious complications. Studies that utilized a single trace element were associated with a significant reduction in mortality [RR 0.52, p=0.04] whereas combined antioxidants had no effect. Studies using parenteral antioxidants were associated with a significant reduction in mortality [RR 0.56, p=0.02] whereas studies of oral antioxidants were not. Selenium supplementation (alone and in combination with other antioxidants) may be associated with a reduction in mortality [RR 0.59, p=0.09] while nonselenium antioxidants had no effect on mortality. Antioxidant nutrients: a systematic review of trace elements and vitamins in the critically ill patient. Heyland DK, Dhaliwal R, et al. Queen's University, Kingston,  ONT, Canada. Intensive Care Med. 2004 Dec 17. For more, see Selenium.

Gaboxadol GABA(A) Receptor Agonist Helps Sleep: Gaboxadol, a selective GABA(A) receptor agonist, was used in the DB PC crossover study of 10 healthy elderly given 15 mg gaboxadol hydrochloride on three consecutive nights vs. placebo. Gaboxadol significantly shortened subjective sleep onset latency and increased self-rated sleep intensity and quality without side effects. Next-day cognitive performance was not affected by gaboxadol. Effect of Repeated Gaboxadol Administration on Night Sleep and Next-Day Performance in Healthy Elderly Subjects. Mathias S, Zihl J, et al. Max-Planck-Institute of Psychiatry,  Munich, Germany. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2004 Dec 15. For more, see Insomnia.

Anti-Depressant Lowers Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia: In a 12-week DB PC study of 29 patients with chronic schizophrenia with prominent negative symptoms (20 points+ on the negative subscale of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS)), negative symptoms decreased more (-4.5) with paroxetine than with placebo. HAM-Depression scores remained almost constant. Negative symptoms of schizophrenia are improved by the addition of paroxetine to neuroleptics: a double-blind placebo-controlled study. Jockers-Scherubl MC, Bauer A, et al. Charite University Medicine Berlin, Germany . Int Clin Psychopharmacol. 2005 Jan;20(1):27-31. Ed: A growing number of studies have documented this phenomenon. For more, see Other Medicines for Schizophrenia.

Wood Creosote as Good as Loperamide (Lomotil) for Diarrhea: Seirogan, an herbal medication containing wood creosote, a mixture of simple phenolic (single-ring) compounds, has been marketed in Asia for the past century for diarrhea. In a 123-patient DB PC study at 12 centers in the United States and Mexico, adults with acute diarrhea received wood creosote 135 mg (up to 5 doses/d) or loperamide 4 mg (loading dose) followed by 2 mg (up to 8 mg/d) after each loose stool for up to 3 days. The time to the last unformed stool was similar between groups (creosote 24.and loperamide 22 hours) and total relief (31 vs.28.5 hours). The numbers of unformed stools on day 1 were 3.3 and 2.2 (P < 0.002). The percentages of patients with improved or resolved abdominal cramping at the end of day 1 were 92.5% and 78% (P < 0.038). Both medications were well tolerated. Multicenter, double-blind, randomized comparison of wood creosote, the principal active ingredient of Seirogan, an herbal antidiarrheal medication, and loperamide in adults with acute nonspecific diarrhea. Kuge T, Shibata T, Willett MS., Osaka, Japan. Clin Ther. 2004 Oct;26(10):1644-51. For more, see Diarrhea.

Galantamine Helped Korean Alzheimer’s: In a 16-week DB PC study, 300 Koreans suffering from Alzheimer’s disease were given galantamine 8, 16, or 24 mg/d; The ADAS cognitive subscale improved from 3.7 to 5.6 points in the galantamine groups, vs. a 4.7 point deterioration with placebo (P < 0.001). Improvements in all 3 treatment groups were observed in mean DAD-K, BEHAVE-AD-K, and CIBIC-plus-K scores (P < 0.001, P < 0.005, and P < 0.001). A prospective, double-blind, community-controlled comparison of three doses of galantamine in the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease in a Korean population. Suh GH, Yeon Jung H, et al. Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. Clin Ther. 2004 Oct;26(10):1608-18. Ed: This study looks a little too good to be true, which probably means it is.  Cholinergic inhibitors, at their current high prices, are just not worth the small benefits they give.

Donepezil Modest Benefit for Alzheimer: In a 24-week DB PC study of 153 adults with mild Alzheimer disease, donepezil 5 mg/d for 6 weeks, then 10 mg/d made a treatment differences of 2.3 (P = .001) points in the ADAS-cognitive scores. MMSE changes favored donezezil by 1.8 (P = .002) points. Efficacy of donepezil in early-stage Alzheimer disease: a randomized placebo-controlled trial. Seltzer B, Zolnouni P, et al. Tulane University. Arch Neurol. 2004 Dec;61(12):1852-6. Ed: While these changes are significant, they are modest in size and only slightly slow down the progression of the disease. For more, see Alzheimer disease.

Pregabalin (Lyrica) Helped Anxiety: In a 4-week DB PC study of 276 adults with generalized anxiety disorder, pregabalin (150 mg/day or 600 mg/day), lorazepam (6 mg/day), or placebo. Fewer patients given lorazepam (59%) completed the trial than placebo (73%), 600 mg/day of pregabalin (71%), or 150 mg/day of pregabalin (90%). Hamilton anxiety scores decreased 9.2 with150 mg/day of pregabalin, 10.3 with 600 mg/day of pregabalin and 12.0 with lorazepam vs. 6.8 for placebo. There were no serious adverse events reported by patients given pregabalin, and no withdrawal syndrome was associated with pregabalin treatment. Pregabalin in generalized anxiety disorder: a placebo-controlled trial by Pande AC, Crockatt JG, et al. Am J Psychiatry 2003 Mar;160(3):533-40. Ed: Pfizer is developing a new medication.

Pregabalin (Lyrica-Phizer) Helped Diabetic Neuropathy: Pregabalin, an alpha2-delta ligand with analgesic, anxiolytic, and anticonvulsant activity, was used in a 5-week DB PC study at 75, 300, or 600 mg/day vs. placebo in 338 patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). The 300- and 600-mg/day groups did much better than placebo (p = 0.0001). Responders (patients with > or =50% reduction in pain compared to baseline) were 46% (300 mg/day), 48% (600 mg/day), and 18% (placebo). Most common side-effects were dizziness and sleepiness. Pregabalin relieves symptoms of painful diabetic neuropathy: a randomized controlled trial. Lesser H, Sharma U, et al.  University of  Rochester. Neurology. 2004 Dec 14;63(11):2104-10. For more, see Diabetic Neuropathy.

IV Immunoglobulins Minimal Benefit for MS: In a 12-week DB PC study of 76 multiple sclerosis patients, IV immunoglobulins (IVIg) or placebo were given in combination with methylprednisolone on 3 consecutive day. There was no difference in the neurologic deficit aqt 12 weeks (p = 0.89). A slightly better, but not significant remission was seen in the IVIg group (p = 0.23) and Multiple Sclerosis Impairment Scale (p = 0.24), and in time to next relapse (p = 0.22). IV immunoglobulins as add-on treatment to methylprednisolone for acute relapses in MS. Sorensen PS, Haas J, Sellebjerg F, et al. Copenhagen University, Denmark. Neurology. 2004 Dec 14;63(11):2028-33. For more, see Multiple Sclerosis.