Belt And Braces Approach May Prevent Deep Vein Thromboses

Combining short periods of leg compression with medications such as heparin is more effective at preventing blood clots in high-risk patients than using either preventative measure alone. A team of Cochrane Researchers believe that this 'belt and braces' approach can significantly decrease a patient's risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). DVT can be fatal if the clot breaks free and travels to the lungs (pulmonary embolism).

Studying The Prevention Of Blood Clots In Cancer Patients

As more individuals with cancer are being treated as outpatients, the University of Rochester Medical Center is working on an emerging problem: how to prevent the life-threatening blood clots that can accompany some newer cancer drugs. A team of researchers, awarded $3 million this month by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, is seeking to change the current standard of care by conducting a landmark clinical trial.

The International Myeloma Foundation Congratulates Friend And Collaborator Dr. Luc Montagnier For Being Awarded The Nobel Prize

The International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) - supporting research and providing education, advocacy, and support for myeloma patients, families, researchers, and physicians - today congratulated French researcher Dr. Luc Montagnier as co-recipient of the 2008 Nobel Prize in medicine. Dr.

Interim Analysis Indicating Superiority Of Fibrin Pad Versus SURGICEL In Mild To Moderate Bleeding

Omrix Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Omrix") (NASDAQ: OMRI), a fully-integrated biopharmaceutical company that develops and markets biosurgical and immunotherapy products, announced today interim results from its U.S. Phase II clinical trial evaluating the safety and hemostatic effectiveness of the Company's Fibrin Pad product candidate as an adjunct to control mild to moderate soft tissue bleeding during abdominal, retroperitoneal, pelvic, and thoracic surgery.

Study Shows Once-Daily Exjade Removes Iron From The Heart In Transfused Patients With Beta-thalassaemia

Interim study results show that once-daily Exjade^ (deferasirox) reduces iron that can build up in key organs in patients who undergo repeated blood transfusions as part of their treatment for thalassaemia.

Initial Clinical Experience With A Novel Spectroscopy Catheter That Can Identify Lipid-core Coronary Plaques

There is an unmet need for a method to identify lipid-core coronary plaques, the structures associated with most heart attacks and not detectable by conventional coronary angiography. On April 25, 2008 the U. S. FDA granted clearance to InfraReDx, Inc. for marketing of its LipiScan(TM) System to identify lipid core containing coronary plaques. Dr.

Massive Transfusion At Major Trauma Centers To Be Studied By UT Researchers

The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston a $9.2 million grant to conduct a multi-center clinical trial that could lead to an improved survival rate for trauma patients - both soldiers and civilians -- who require massive blood transfusions. The university's Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences (CCTS) is contracting with the U.S.

On The Trail Of A Targeted Therapy For Blood Cancers: Exploring Protein Critical To Blood Cell Development

Investigators from the Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research at the Indiana University School of Medicine are focusing on a family of blood proteins that they hope holds a key to decreasing the toxic effects of chemotherapy in children and adults. Their findings may one day help in the development of targeted therapies for leukemia, multiple myeloma and other cancers of the blood. The researchers, led by Kristin T. Chun, Ph.D.

Cerus Presents Data On Intercept Blood System At AABB Annual Meeting

Cerus Corporation (NASDAQ: CERS) announced results from 10 studies on the INTERCEPT Blood System, presented this week at the AABB annual meeting in Montreal, Canada. Study outcomes highlighted the application of the INTERCEPT Blood System for inactivation of harmful bacteria in the blood supply in place of standard bacterial screening methods and meeting certain international accreditation standards required by the AABB.

Cyclacel Announces Completion Of Enrollment In Phase 2 Trial Of Sapacitabine In Elderly AML

lCyclacel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:CYCC) (NASDAQ:CYCCP) announced today the completion of enrollment as per protocol in the Phase 2 clinical trial of sapacitabine, the Company's oral nucleoside analogue, in elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Interim results from this trial are expected to be available by the end of 2008 and final results during the second half of 2009.

Abdominal Venous Thrombosis Risk Factors

Abdominal venous thrombosis may present as BCS or SVT. Hereditary and acquired risk factors have been implicated in the etiopathogenesis of abdominal venous thrombosis. Hereditary risk factors for thrombophilia include Factor V Leiden gene mutation, Prothrombin gene mutation, homozygous methyl tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene mutation and deficiencies of coagulation inhibitor Protein C, Protein S and Antithrombin III.

FDA Licenses Drug To Prevent Joint Damage In Children With Hemophilia A

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a new use for the blood product Kogenate FS to reduce the frequency of bleeding episodes and prevent joint damage in children with the most severe form of hemophilia. Hemophilia A is a rare, hereditary, bleeding disorder in which a protein needed to form blood clots, factor VIII, is missing or its level is reduced. The disorder affects about 15,000 individuals in the United States, nearly all of whom are male.

Blood Supply Slipping As Economy Tumbles

New York Blood Center (NYBC), serving New York City, Long Island, Hudson Valley and New Jersey, is reporting slipping blood reserves due to increased September demand from hospitals and current economic strife. "Businesses are among our most dedicated supporters," said NYBC President and CEO Dr. Robert Jones. "Some of their scheduled corporate drives have understandably been cut back or canceled, and at the same time, demand has been going up.

FDA Approves Bayer HealthCare's Kogenate(R) FS Treatment For Routine Prophylaxis In Children With Hemophilia A

Bayer HealthCare LLC announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved routine prophylaxis with Kogenate(R) FS Antihemophilic Factor (Recombinant) to reduce the frequency of bleeding episodes and the risk of joint damage in patients aged 0-16 years with severe hemophilia A with no pre-existing joint damage.

Triple Antiplatelet Therapy Appears Superior To Dual Antiplatelet Therapy

Results of five research studies and a clinical registry first-report presentation scheduled for the 20th annual Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) scientific symposium, sponsored by the Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF), suggest that triple antiplatelet therapy for patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stents achieves greater platelet inhibition than conventional dual antiplatelet therapy.

Surgeons Test Blood Chemicals To Spot Early Signs Of Organ Injury Or Failure

Investigators at two major academic medical centers in the United States are analyzing blood chemicals that may identify the patients who are in danger of organ injury after certain types of surgery or organ failure after trauma. The hope is to develop bedside blood tests that will quickly and reliably determine which patients are at risk for organ damage so they may receive preventive treatment.

SiDMAP Launches A Metabolomics Service For Early Detection Of Drug-Induced Liver And Kidney Toxicity

SiDMAP, LLC, announced that it has expanded its SiDToxв„ў services to enable rapid and specific detection of drug-induced organ toxicity. Using its proprietary metabolomics technology platform, SiDMAP is able to monitor changes in vital metabolite fluxes in response to drug treatment to quickly determine organ toxicity before structural or morphological damage occurs. With recent advances in drug discovery, large numbers of potential new drugs have been identified.

Larger Labs Report Kidney Function Routinely

Labs that conduct the highest number of routine blood tests are more likely than others to report estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), an important measure of kidney function that can identify early kidney disease, according to a survey funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The work is reported in the October issue of the American Journal of Kidney Diseases.

Multiple Myeloma Research Consortium Initiates Phase 1B Study Of Elotuzumab Monoclonal Antibody In Combination With REVLIMID And Dexamethasone

The Multiple Myeloma Research Consortium (MMRC) today announced the initiation of a three-drug combination study of elotuzumab (also known as HuLuc63), a humanized anti-CS1 monoclonal IgG1 antibody administered intravenously, in combination with REVLIMID^ (lenalidomide), and dexamethasone for the treatment of multiple myeloma in patients who are experiencing a relapse. Emory University's Winship Cancer Institute, Washington University, and St.

$2 Egg-Beater Could Save Lives In Developing Countries By Replacing Expensive Centrifuges

Plastic tubing taped to a handheld egg-beater could save lives in developing countries, the Royal Society of Chemistry's journal Lab on a Chip reports. The low-cost centrifuge replacement can separate plasma from blood in minutes, which is used in tests to detect lethal infectious diseases responsible for half of all deaths in developing countries.

ANGIOMAX Reduced Cardiac Mortality By 43 Percent And Improved Overall Survival By 31 Percent In Horizons-AMI Trial

The Medicines Company (NASDAQ: MDCO) today announced one-year follow-up data from the landmark HORIZONS-AMI trial demonstrated that Angiomax_ (bivalirudin) significantly reduced cardiac-related death by 43 percent (p=0.005), improved overall survival by 31 percent (p=0.029) and reduced major bleeding complications by 39 percent (p

Chronic Myeloid Leukemia - Data From EUTOS For CML Demonstrate Need For Improved Management And Dose Optimization Across Europe

One-year data from the European Treatment and Outcome Study (EUTOS) for Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML), presented here today, provide a clear rationale for the initiative's program of close disease management and therapeutic monitoring.

Bivalirudin Tops Treatment Standard In STEMI Patients Undergoing PCI

WASHINGTON DC- Bivalirudin (AngiomaxR) is more effective than conventional therapy involving heparin plus a platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor (GPI) in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), according to updated results of the Harmonizing Outcomes with Revascularization and Stents in Acute Myocardial Infarction (HORIZONS-AMI) trial.

Researchers ID Switch Critical For Survival In Hypoxia

Hypoxia-induced injury occurs in the case of heart attack, stroke or other neurological or respiratory conditions which diminish the supply of oxygen to vital tissues and organs. Scientists know that most life forms are able to somehow suppress non-essential activity in order to survive oxygen deprivation, but they didn't know why or how this metabolic slowdown occurred.

Unique Collaborative Research Program Between Novartis And Leukaemia Physicians Across Europe Moves CML Management Forward

Data on 2,500 patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) and results from state-of-the art monitoring are providing new insights into the management of the condition, according to one-year data from a unique collaborative research programme designed to optimise the treatment and monitoring of patients throughout Europe. The

Costs Of Home Hemodialysis Offset By Better Health, Fewer Hospitalizations

Daily hemodialysis administered in patients' homes is associated with better health outcomes compared with peritoneal dialysis, according to an article in the October issue of the American Journal of Kidney Diseases, the official journal of the National Kidney Foundation.

Young People To Learn About The Power Of Giving

Students in classrooms across the UK will be able to learn about the dramatic effects of blood, organ, bone marrow and tissue donation and how they, too, can become lifesavers by choosing to donate, thanks to 'Give and Let Live', a free education pack issued by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT). The teaching resource is aimed primarily at 14 to16 year old students but can be adapted for younger pupils, or 6 th formers.

Warfarin Linked To Increased Bleeding In Brain

A new study shows that people who take the commonly used blood thinning drug warfarin may have larger amounts of bleeding in the brain and increased risk of death if they suffer a hemorrhagic stroke. The study is published in the September 30, 2008, print issue of Neurology^, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Warfarin is commonly prescribed to prevent blood clotting.

Response To 'Blood Thinning Drug Linked To Increased Bleeding In Brain' In Neurology

Dr Peter Coleman from The Stroke Association commented: "We urge people to continue to take Warfarin as prescribed by their doctor. It is important that they know the correct dosage and that they have follow up blood tests so make sure the speed at which the blood is clotting is controlled. This will prevent uncontrolled bleeding.

Non-invasively Measuring Blood Flow Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging - NOVAв„ў Now Available In Europe

NOVAв„ў, the most advanced technology to quantitatively and non-invasively measure blood flow using magnetic resonance imaging, will now be available to vascular patients in Europe. Developer and producer VasSol, Inc. this month announced their partnership with Italian distributor Tekmed Instruments. Starting in October, Tekmed Instruments will offer NOVAв„ў (Non-invasive Optimal Vessel Analysis) Quantitative MRA, or QMRA, software for licensing throughout Italy.

British Lymphology Society Chooses Belfast For Prestigious Annual Conference

The British Lymphology Society (BLS), the only UK body representing the medical professionals who treat lymphoedema, has chosen Belfast as the venue for its high profile annual conference. Nearly 200 nursing and physiotherapy delegates, plus 11 pharmaceutical companies will be gathering at the Wellington Park Hotel for three days; 5-7 October.

Scientists Establish New Blood Test To Better Evaluate Prostate Cancer

An international study led by researchers at The Institute of Cancer Research will pave the way for a test to be used to better tailor treatments and hopefully extend the survival of men with aggressive forms of metastatic prostate cancer.

The International Myeloma Foundation Applauds Expansion Of VELCADE(R) For Previously Untreated Patients In Europe And Canada

The International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) - supporting research and providing education, advocacy, and support for myeloma patients, families, researchers, and physicians - today heralded the expansion of treatment options for previously untreated patients with multiple myeloma, giving patients in Canada and Europe access to drugs similar to what is available to patients in the United States.

Stroke Patients Benefit From Dissolving A Blood Clot In The Brain Up To 4.5 Hours After A Stroke

Patients can still benefit up to 4.5 hours after a stroke if a drug that dissolves blood clots in the brain is administered. Thus far, three hours had been considered the useful limit for administering thrombolytic drugs. The results of the "European Cooperative Acute Stroke Study 3" (ECASS 3) have now been published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Bayer's Novel Anticoagulant Xarelto^ Now Also Approved In The EU

The Bayer Group has achieved a major success in its product development: The European Commission has granted marketing approval for Xarelto^ (rivaroxaban), a novel anticoagulant taken as one tablet, once-daily, for the prevention of venous blood clots in adult patients undergoing elective (planned) hip or knee replacement surgery. Bayer HealthCare will start launching the product in the EU member states very soon.

AHRQ Awards $3 Million To Help Reduce Central Line-Associated BloodStream Infections In Hospital ICUs

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has awarded nearly $3 million for a contract to help reduce central line-associated bloodstream infections in hospital intensive care units (ICUs) by spreading the knowledge gained from a previous AHRQ-funded project. The Health Research & Educational Trust, an affiliate of the American Hospital Association, has been selected to coordinate the new 3-year project, which is part of an AHRQ initiative to reduce health care-associated infections.

Research Shows New Class Of Stent Effective In Preventing Thrombosis, Restenosis, And Reocclusion

CeloNova BioSciences, Inc., announced that Masahiko Ochiai MD, Associate Professor, Division of Cardiology, Yokohama Hospital, Kanagawa, Japan has selected the CATANIA(TM) Coronary Stent System featuring NanoThin Polyzene(R)-F for treating a patient with a chronic total occlusion (CTO) during a live case symposium at the Paris Cardiovascular Interventions (Francophone) Congress.

CLSI Publishes Updated Standard For Collection Of Diagnostic Capillary Blood Specimens

Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) recently published an updated standard, Procedures and Devices for the Collection of Diagnostic Capillary Blood Specimens; Approved Standard--Sixth Edition (H04-A6), which provides a technique for the collection of diagnostic capillary blood specimens, including recommendations for collection sites and specimen handling and identification.