Tag Archives: degeneration

MRI scans give early arthritis alert

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New York: MRI-like scanners can detect the debilitating disease, osteoarthritis, at a stage when it can be treated with nutraceuticals, a conference has been told.

The test, a form of the MRI scan used in hospitals every day, could catch osteoarthritis when it is still in the early stages, preventing or reducing damage to the joints.

Treatment usually consists of a powerful drugs with horrible side-effects, physiotherapy and, in some cases, replacement of the affected knee, hip or other joint.

Normally doctors relying on physical examinations and X-rays for diagnosis, which means the disease it not caught early enough.

Osteoarthritis damages the cushioning material between the bones including cartilage.

Researcher Dr Alexej Jerschow, of New York University, used the MRI scanner to measure levels of glycosaminoglycan, the compound that makes the cartilage tough and elastic.

Smokers most at risk of eyesight loss from ageing

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New York: Smoking is one of the strongest risk factors for developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD). But smokers may not benefit from antioxidant vitamin supplements, say experts.

Emily Chew, MD, Deputy Director, Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Research, National Eye Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, United States, said patients who smoke and take beta carotene supplements have an increased risk of developing lung cancer.

In a presentation to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), Dr Chew outlined which patients should and should not take supplements. In a recent study more than 4,700 patients who received supplements of vitamin C and E, beta carotene, zinc and copper and were followed for 6.3 years.

The results of the study showed that while there was a protective benefit for patients with large bilateral macular drusen and those with advanced AMD in one eye, there was no protective benefit for patients with mild and moderate AMD. The supplements did not prevent progression to severe AMD in these patients.

Dr Chew pointed out, however, that the risk of developing AMD in these patients is “exceedingly low,” and therefore, it is unlikely that they would progress to severe AMD.

According to Dr Chew, patients who still smoke, or quit smoking within the past year should avoid the supplements because of the increased risk of cancer. Nor should the offspring of patients with AMD take the supplements, unless they too have AMD in one eye, or large bilateral drusen.

But for most individuals, the benefits of the supplements seem to outweigh any risks. Recently, a meta-analysis of 68 trials reported no significant impact associated with a wide variety of antioxidant supplements. More study is needed, Dr Chew said
Dr Chew concluded that the public health impact of this supplementation regimen could prevent 300,000 people over the next 5 years from either developing advanced macular degeneration or experiencing significant loss of vision as a result of progressive disease.

Antioxidants do not prevent degenerative eye disease

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Melbourne: A diet rich in antioxidant vitamins and minerals does not seem to prevent the degenerative eye disease known as age related macular published on www.bmj.com today.

Age related macular degeneration is the leading cause of visual loss in older people. It is caused by the progressive break down of light sensitive cells in the macula, located in the centre of the retina at the back of the eye. Sufferers do not go blind, but find it virtually impossible to read, drive, or do tasks requiring fine, sharp, central vision.

Risk increases with age and smokers are thought to be more susceptible.

Antioxidants (such as vitamin C, vitamin E, various types of carotenoids, and zinc) are thought to reduce oxidative damage to the retina. But the evidence to support the role of dietary antioxidants in preventing macular degeneration remains unclear.

So researchers at the Centre for Eye Research Australia, the University of Melbourne analysed the evidence to examine the role of dietary antioxidants or dietary supplements in the primary prevention of age related macular degeneration.

They identified 11 studies (seven prospective studies and three randomised controlled trials) involving 149,203 people. A range of common dietary antioxidants were investigated and all the studies were carried out amongst well nourished Western populations with an average follow-up period of nine years.

Importantly, all the studies adjusted for age and smoking in their analyses.

The antioxidants investigated differed across studies, but when results were pooled they showed that vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, lutein, zeaxanthin, α- carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin and lycopene have little or no effect in the primary prevention of early age-related macular degeneration.

None of the three trials found antioxidant supplements to be protective in the primary prevention of early age related macular degeneration.

Despite some study limitations, the authors conclude that there is insufficient evidence to support the role of dietary antioxidants, including the use of dietary antioxidant supplements, for the primary prevention of early age-related macular degeneration.

Currently, cigarette smoking remains the only widely accepted modifiable risk factor for the primary prevention of early age-related macular degeneration, and patients seeking advice on this condition should be encouraged to quit, they add.

An accompanying editorial by Jennifer Evans at the International Centre for Eye Health supports these findings and says that reducing the prevalence of smoking is probably the most effective method of reducing the population burden of this common cause of visual loss in older people.