Science news digest for patients

SCIENCE NEWS DIGEST FOR PATIENTS

WOMEN'S HEALTH
HEALTH RISKS Breast implant and health New research has shown that some women may be genetically predisposed to develop symptoms such as chronic fatigue and upper-body pains due to breast implants. 199 women with breast implants were tested to try to find any sort of molecular marker on their cells which could distinguish those who develop symptoms from those who do not. The study showed that women with symptoms were twice as likely to have a molecule called DR-35 on their cells compared to other women. DR-35 is a member of a class of molecules called human leukocyte antigens, a family of molecules which are commonly used by organ transplant teams to assess genetic compatibility between donor and recipient tissues. 68 percent of those who had breast implants and symptoms had DR-35 circulating in their blood compared to 35 percent of women who had no symptoms. It is thought that DR-35 may be causing an over production of antibodies in response to silicone implants, and these antibodies attack a woman's immune system and lead to the symptoms. In support of this, the study found that 81 percent of women with implants who produced high amounts of the anti-immune-system antibodies also tested positive for DR-35. However, since this is the first study to pin down a possible cause for the symptoms, much more research needs to be done before a clinical test can be used to determine the women at risk of becoming sick following a breast implant.
INFERTILITY Hormone therapy for infertility A series of hormones are given to women who have difficulty conceiving. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation in Rochester, Minnesota reported that a combination of two ovarian-stimulating drugs is effective, cheaper and less painful than the commonly prescribed regimen used in the treatment of infertility. Drugs that will help induce ovulation in women is an essential first step in fertility treatments. Clomiphene citrate (CC) tablets are tried at first. If the woman still does not ovulate regularly after a few months of receiving the tablets, expensive and painful cycles of injections of human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) are tried. In a study of over 200 women, the researchers tried a minimal stimulation approach by combining the two therapies. In infertile women who had no success with CC alone, daily CC tablets and a single hMG shot was as effective in inducing pregnancies as that achieved by regular series of hMG shots. Most women however, required more than one cycle of therapy. The cost of such combination therapy per cycle (approximately $257) was considerably less than the regular series of hMG injections ($1, 215). Given the cost of the treatment, it is likely that further considerations will be given to the combination drug therapy in the treatment of infertility in women.

WOMEN'S HEALTH

HEALTH RISKS

Breast implant and health

New research has shown that some women may be genetically predisposed to develop symptoms such as chronic fatigue and upper-body pains due to breast implants. 199 women with breast implants were tested to try to find any sort of molecular marker on their cells which could distinguish those who develop symptoms from those who do not. The study showed that women with symptoms were twice as likely to have a molecule called DR-35 on their cells compared to other women.

DR-35 is a member of a class of molecules called human leukocyte antigens, a family of molecules which are commonly used by organ transplant teams to assess genetic compatibility between donor and recipient tissues. 68 percent of those who had breast implants and symptoms had DR-35 circulating in their blood compared to 35 percent of women who had no symptoms.

It is thought that DR-35 may be causing an over production of antibodies in response to silicone implants, and these antibodies attack a woman's immune system and lead to the symptoms. In support of this, the study found that 81 percent of women with implants who produced high amounts of the anti-immune-system antibodies also tested positive for DR-35. However, since this is the first study to pin down a possible cause for the symptoms, much more research needs to be done before a clinical test can be used to determine the women at risk of becoming sick following a breast implant.

INFERTILITY

Hormone therapy for infertility

A series of hormones are given to women who have difficulty conceiving. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation in Rochester, Minnesota reported that a combination of two ovarian-stimulating drugs is effective, cheaper and less painful than the commonly prescribed regimen used in the treatment of infertility.

Drugs that will help induce ovulation in women is an essential first step in fertility treatments. Clomiphene citrate (CC) tablets are tried at first. If the woman still does not ovulate regularly after a few months of receiving the tablets, expensive and painful cycles of injections of human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) are tried.

In a study of over 200 women, the researchers tried a minimal stimulation approach by combining the two therapies. In infertile women who had no success with CC alone, daily CC tablets and a single hMG shot was as effective in inducing pregnancies as that achieved by regular series of hMG shots. Most women however, required more than one cycle of therapy. The cost of such combination therapy per cycle (approximately $257) was considerably less than the regular series of hMG injections ($1, 215). Given the cost of the treatment, it is likely that further considerations will be given to the combination drug therapy in the treatment of infertility in women.