The “New & Interesting” series is a biweekly compilation of select research findings, news articles, and random tidbits in bullet-point format. The entries are highly abbreviated, but provide links to the original articles or abstracts if you desire to read further.

General Articles

• Cell phones may protect brains from Alzheimer’s disease (Reuters)

• Chronic sleep loss hampers performance. One good night of sleep may not be adequate to recuperate from chronic sleep deprivation. (Reuters)

Technical Articles

• HIV infection is a risk factor for the development of subclinical coronary atherosclerosis, as studied in a cohort of young HIV-infected men (AIDS)

• Morphine use following trauma may reduce the risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (NEJM)

• Microarray technology provides more rapid, sensitive, and specific detection of bacterial species than gold-standard cultures (Lancet)

• The COMPARE trial revealed that the second-generation everolimus-eluting stent was superior in safety and efficacy to the paclitaxel-eluting stent in all-comers who undergo percutaneous coronary intervention. (Lancet)

A German group recently evaluated the use of antidepressants for
fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), a chronic pain disorder affecting
multiple points of tenderness. They performed a meta-analysis of
randomized controlled trials published through August 2008. The
studies included randomized placebo-controlled trials involving
tricyclic/tetracyclic antidepressants (TCAs), selective serotonin
reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), combined serotonin and noradrenaline
reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs).

The study noted a strong association between the use of antidepressants and reduction in pain, fatigue, depression, and sleep disturbances. There was also an improved health-related quality of life. The effects were most notable with TCAs, less with MAOIs, and least with SSRIs or SNRIs.

Source: Hauser W, Bernardy K, Uceyler N, Sommer C. Treatment of fibromyalgia syndrome with antidepressants. JAMA 2009;301:198-209.

The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) recently released a public health advisory on Chantix (varenicline), a smoking cessation drug manufactured by Pfizer. This follows an earlier investigation last year on reported behavioral changes associated with use of the drug. The presence of neurologic or psychiatric effects is not completely surprising, considering that Chantix interferes with the brain’s dopamine system. The dysregulation of dopamine has already been implicated in some neuropsychiatric disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease and schizophrenia. Although the drug does not necessarily need to be withdrawn from the market, the FDA cautions both patients and health care providers to be vigilant about past psychiatric conditions and noted mood/behavior changes while on the drug. The FDA adds that use of the drug may interfere with the ability to drive.

Given that lung cancer and heart disease remain among the top killers in the United States, smoking cessation is a key strategy in preventive health. It is hard enough for a smoker to quit. Fortunately there are still several other pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic tools to aid in smoking cessation, including nicotine patches, Wellbutrin (bupropion), and a great coach-physician.