Audio Medica News - Medical News Interviews

Audio Journal of Medicine

Intensive Care: Prophylactic Steroids Prevent Postextubation Laryngeal Oedema

REFERENCE: Lancet 2007;369:1083-89 Editorial page 1061

RUPERT PEARSE, Barts and The London School of Medicine

A big step forwards in the management of patients in the emergency room who need artificial ventilation has been reported in the Lancet. An effective way to prevent postextubation laryngeal oedema has been reported. A study carried out by Bruno François of the Dupuytren Teaching Hospital in Limoges at 15 intensive-care units of the Association des Réanimateurs du Centre-Ouest, has found that giving patients prednisolone therapy 24hrs before a planned extubation can substantially reduce the incidence of laryngeal oedema and the need for reintubation. Karen Regester spoke to Rupert Pearse who wrote the commentary on the article in the Lancet.

Audio Journal of Medicine

Reporting from European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) 23rd Annual Meeting, Lyon, July 1-4, 2007

Elective Single Embryo Transfer in IVF: 13 Year Data From Sweden

REFERENCE: ABSTRACT Oral 278 also N Engl J Med 2007;357:9-17

SJOERD REPPING, University of Amsterdam

Genetic screening of embryos before implantation for in-vitro fertilisation caused a big reduction in the number of live births as compared with no screening, contrary to expectations. That's the finding of a study announced at the fertility conference in Lyon and simultaneously published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Sjoerd Repping of investigating team from the University of Amsterdam discussed the study findings and its clinical implications with Peter Goodwin.

Audio Journal of Medicine

Reporting from European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) 23rd Annual Meeting, Lyon, July 1-4, 2007

1. Eggs From Young Patients Before Chemotherapy: New Hope for Future Fertility

REFERENCE: ABSTRACT O-107

Ariel Revel, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem

Harvesting eggs from young girls before they undergo aggressive chemotherapy can now be done to give the hope of pregnancy in the future, according to fertility experts from Jerusalem reporting to the European conference on fertility being held in Lyon. The investigators have obtained oocytes from girls as young as five years. Lead author Ariel Revel talked about his group's findings with Sarah Maxwell.

2. First Baby Born From Thawed, Frozen, In-Vitro Matured Oocytes

REFERENCE: ABSTRACT Oral 018

Hananel Holzer, McGill University, Montreal

The results of a study that has produced the first live birth by maturing oocytes in vitro which have been collected from unstimulated ovaries, freezing them, and subsequently thawing them for fertilization were presented to the ESHRE meeting in Lyon. This is the first time oocytes collected without hormonal stimulation have resulted in pregnancies. For some women potentially facing sterility, such as those with breast cancer who do not have time for hormonal stimulation, this technique provides the hope of pregnancy which could otherwise be denied. Sarah Maxwell interviewed Hananel Holzer about the findings.

3. Ovarian Stimulation: Menotrophin Gives More Live Births than Follicle-Stimulating Hormone for Assisted Reproduction

REFERENCE: ABSTRACT Oral 098

Masoud Afnan, Birmingham Women's Hospital

Of two types of gonadotrophins currently used for ovarian stimulation in assisted reproduction one has now clearly demonstrated superiority in a meta-analysis presenteted to the fertility conference in Lyon. Human menotrophin (hGH) gave more live births than recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone (rFSH) whether reproduction was by in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Peter Goodwin talked with Masoud Afnan from Birmingham after his presentation of the study which he co-authored with Madelon van Wely and Julko van der Veen.

4. Single Embryo Transfer Recommended For Most Patients Receiving Donated Oocytes

REFERENCE: ABSTRACT O-007

Viveca Söderström-Anttila, Väestoliitto Fertility Clinics, Helsinki

When oocytes are donated to achieve a pregnancy, single embryo transfer should generally be recommended over double transfer, according to the findings of a study from Helsinki. Sarah Maxwell discussed the data with Viveka Söderström.

Audio Journal of Medicine

Reporting from European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) 23rd Annual Meeting, Lyon, July 1-4, 2007

Elective Single Embryo Transfer in IVF: 13 Year Data From Sweden

REFERENCE: ABSTRACT Oral 005

Per-Olof Karlström, Academic Hospital Uppsala

COMMENT: Richard Kennedy, University Hospital, Coventry

Elective single embryo transfer, now the norm in Sweden for in-vitro fertilisation, has greatly reduced rates of multiple pregnancy and the risks that go with it. And there are other benefits, according to Per-Olof Karlström from Uppsala who talked with Peter Goodwin during the ESHRE conference on fertility held in Lyon.

The evidence from Sweden was put in perspective during the conference by Richard Kennedy from Coventry.

Audio Journal of Global Health Issues

Simple Intervention Could Significantly Improve TB Detection in Women

REFERENCE: The Lancet 2007; 369:1955-1960

MISHAL KHAN, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Giving comprehensive instructions to women before they produce a sputum sample can make tuberculosis detection more effective – that’s the conclusion of a study published in the Lancet. A team from the UK and Pakistan carried out a large randomised trial in both men and women, and Derek Thorne got the details from Mishal Khan, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Audio Journal of Global Health Issues

Pneumonia in Children Under One Year: Current Guidelines Not Sufficient

REFERENCE: The Lancet 2007; 369:1440-1451

Lisa McNally, Institute of Child Health, London, and University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban

A new study suggests that current guidelines for the treatment of severe pneumonia in children under one year should change. The investigation, which took place in South Africa, found that HIV status and polymicrobial disease were among the predictors for treatment failure, and these findings have implications for the guidelines drawn up by the WHO. Derek Thorne heard more from Lisa McNally, who worked with the Institute of Child Health in London, and the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban.

Audio Journal of Global Health Issues

Type 1 Polio Vaccine Could Help Finally Eradicate Polio

REFERENCE: Lancet 2007; 369:1356-62

NICHOLAS GRASSLY, Imperial College London

A case-control study performed in India has provided hope that polio could finally be eradicated. India is one of six countries in which polio transmission has not yet been interrupted and, specifically, it is the type 1 poliovirus that persists there. Nicholas Grassly of Imperial College London told Derek Thorne about his team’s study, published in the Lancet.

Audio Journal of Global Health Issues

Non-Perfect HIV Vaccine Could Still Have Major Benefits

REFERENCE: N Engl J Med 2007;356:2073-81

ANTHONY FAUCI, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda

Is there any hope for an HIV vaccine? According to Anthony Fauci, of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, there is – but it might not be a perfect vaccine. He believes that even a vaccine that does not confer total immunity could still be of use, because it may slow disease progression and also reduce the spread of the disease. He talked with Derek Thorne about his co-authored paper in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Audio Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine

Reporting from ACC 2007

Reduced Mortality and Repeat MI with Enoxaparin for Patients with ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction

HARVEY WHITE, Auckland City Hospital, New Zealand

REFERENCE: European Heart Journal Advanced On-Line Publication April 24th, 2007

Enoxaparin could be the new standard anti-thrombotic therapy for patients receiving fibrinolysis for ST elevation myocardial infarction. This finding is from the double-blind EXTRACT-TIMI 25 Trial which compared the low molecular weight heparin with unfractionated heparin and saw a consistent treatment superiority from enoxaparin with a reduction in repeat myocardial infarction and mortality. Sarah Maxwell spoke with the principal investigator Harvey White at the Auckland City Hospital in New Zealand.

Audio Journal of Global Health Issues

Can Road-Side Tranexamic Acid Therapy Reduce Mortality and Blood Transfusions after Trauma? The CRASH Trial.

JAIME MIRANDA, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Lima

An antifibrinolytic agent, tranexamic acid (commonly used to reduce bleeding during surgery) is being investigated as first-aid to cut mortality and the need for blood transfusion immediately after trauma or injury. The CRASH trial, still in its early phases in a worldwide adult population, aims to bring particular benefit to developing countries, many of which are blighted by trauma with few measures, if any, having been available up to now to reduce the death toll. In Lima, Peru, Jaime Miranda discussed his group's ongoing investigation with Peter Goodwin.