Progress Towards a Blood Test for Depression

A blood test for depression? 07/22/2010. Blood tests have been extremely important tools aiding doctors in making medical diagnoses and in guiding the treatment of many diseases. However, psychiatry is one area of medicine where there are few diagnostic blood tests.
New scientific fields may someday generate blood tests that can be used for these purposes. Some of the areas under increasingly intensive study are genetics, the study of variations in the genes (DNA) that can be extracted from blood cells, and genomics like proteomics, the measurement of the levels of specific proteins in the blood, and gene expression profiling, which measures the levels of RNA produced from DNA as an indication of the level of the "activity" of particular genes.

Using the latter approach, Dutch researchers evaluated blood gene expression profiles in healthy individuals and patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder, or MDD. They identified a set of seven genes in whole blood that was able to distinguish un-medicated MDD patients from healthy controls. Eurekalert!

Gulf War Illness Funding Approved

VA approves $2.8M for Gulf War Veterans' illness research program 07/22/2010.  The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has approved $2.8 million to fund three new research projects that focus on testing or developing new treatments for illnesses affecting Veterans who served in the Gulf War 1990-1991. The research incorporates recommendations of the department's Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force .The Medical News

Rates of PTSD Peak Later in women Than in Men

Women in their 50s more prone to PTSD than men 07/21/2010. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) rates peak in women later than they do in men. Researchers writing in BioMed Central's open access journal Annals of General Psychiatry found that men are most vulnerable to PTSD between the ages of 41 and 45 years, while women are most vulnerable at 51 to 55. PhysOrg.com

Soldiers With TBI Have Increased Risk of Epilepsy Later in Life

Soldiers with Brain Injuries at Higher Risk of Epilepsy Decades Later 07/20/2010.  Soldiers who receive traumatic brain injuries during war may be at a higher risk of epilepsy even decades after the brain injury occurred. The new research is published in the July 20, 2010, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Newswise

Stellate Ganglion Block for PTSD

Obama Loves This Freaky PTSD Treatment; the Pentagon, Not So Much 07/19/2010. Military-backed efforts to find an effective treatment for post-traumatic stress are making sluggish progress. The Pentagon is funding all kinds of ideas — from yoga to telepsychology. All have their limitations. But one doctor is convinced he’s found a viable way to treat the estimated 20 percent of troops now coming home with PTSD — if only the Pentagon would give it a shot. Dr. Eugene Lipov, a Chicago-based anesthesiologist, pioneered the modern-day use of stellate-ganglion block (SGB) in 2004, to eliminate hot flashes among post-menopausal women. SGB, which has been used to relieve migraines and chronic pain since the 1920s, involves a single injection into the sympathetic nerve tissue on the right side of a cervical vertebra. Wired

How Anxiety Manifests During Stressful Situations

Battlefield psychologists investigate stress in combat and after 07/19/2010.  Psychologists aren't usually called to the battlefield, but the 2008-09 Gaza War gave Tel Aviv University researchers a unique picture of how anxiety manifests during stressful situations. In a new study in the American Journal of Psychiatry, Prof. Yair Bar Haim of TAU's Department of Psychology reports that people confronted with acute stress -- daily rocket attacks -- tend to dissociate from threats instead of becoming more vigilant. This research overturns accepted convention and may lead to better understanding of the mechanisms underlying acute stress reactions, he says. Eurekalert!

Ecstacy for PTSD?

MDMA (Ecstasy)-assisted psychotherapy relieves treatment-resistant PTSD 07/19/2010.  MDMA (±3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, also known as Ecstasy), may one day offer hope for individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), even people for whom other treatments have failed. Clinical trial results out today in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, published by SAGE, suggests that MDMA can be administered to subjects with PTSD without evidence of harm and could offer sufferers a vital window with reduced fear responses where psychotherapy can take effect. PhysOrg.com

New PubMed Articles 12 July 2010

1.

Public reporting on hospital process improvements is linked to better patient outcomes.

Werner RM, Bradlow ET.

Health Aff (Millwood). 2010 Jul;29(7):1319-24.PMID: 20606180 [PubMed - in process]Related citations

2.

Bleeding risks in interventional radiology.

Morris A.

Radiol Technol. 2010 Jul-Aug;81(6):548-59.PMID: 20606049 [PubMed - in process]Related citations

3.

Risk for Fractures with Centrally Acting Muscle Relaxants: An Analysis of a National Medicare Advantage Claims Database(September).

Golden AG, Ma Q, Nair V, Florez HJ, Roos BA.

Ann Pharmacother. 2010 Jul 6. [Epub ahead of print]PMID: 20606016 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]Related citations

4.

Foley catheter practices and knowledge among Minnesota physicians.

Drekonja DM, Kuskowski MA, Johnson JR.

Am J Infect Control. 2010 Jun 3. [Epub ahead of print]PMID: 20605268 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]Related citations

5.

Cost-Effectiveness of Strategies for Diagnosing Pulmonary Embolism Among Emergency Department Patients Presenting With Undifferentiated Symptoms.

Duriseti RS, Brandeau ML.

Ann Emerg Med. 2010 Jun 2. [Epub ahead of print]PMID: 20605261 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]Related citations

6.

Variation in antibiotic treatment for diabetic patients with serious foot infections: A retrospective observational study.

Fincke BG, Miller DR, Christiansen CL, Turpin RS.

BMC Health Serv Res. 2010 Jul 6;10(1):193. [Epub ahead of print]PMID: 20604922 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]Free ArticleRelated citations

7.

Repeatability of ultrasonographic median nerve measures.

Impink BG, Gagnon D, Collinger JL, Boninger ML.

Muscle Nerve. 2010 Jun;41(6):767-73.PMID: 20513104 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related citations

8.

Ascertainment of colonoscopy indication using administrative data.

Fisher DA, Grubber JM, Castor JM, Coffman CJ.

Dig Dis Sci. 2010 Jun;55(6):1721-5.PMID: 20393875 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related citations

9.

Fecal occult blood test in patients on low-dose aspirin, warfarin, clopidogrel, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Sawhney MS, McDougall H, Nelson DB, Bond JH.

Dig Dis Sci. 2010 Jun;55(6):1637-42. Epub 2010 Mar 3.PMID: 20195757 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related citations

10.

Utilization and antiviral therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C: analysis of ambulatory care visits in the US.

Cheung R, Mannalithara A, Singh G.

Dig Dis Sci. 2010 Jun;55(6):1744-51. Epub 2010 Feb 26.PMID: 20186486 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related citations

11.

Resistance to the antilipolytic effect of insulin in adipocytes of African-American compared to Caucasian postmenopausal women.

Fried SK, Tittelbach T, Blumenthal J, Sreenivasan U, Robey L, Yi J, Khan S, Hollender C, Ryan AS, Goldberg AP.

J Lipid Res. 2010 May;51(5):1193-200. Epub 2009 Nov 25.PMID: 19965580 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related citations

12.

Surveillance in Barrett's esophagus: an audit of practice.

Ajumobi A, Bahjri K, Jackson C, Griffin R.

Dig Dis Sci. 2010 Jun;55(6):1615-21. Epub 2009 Aug 11.PMID: 19669878 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related citations

VA Clinics Ordered to Stop Playing Games With Veterans' Appointments

VA official to clinics: Stop gaming the system 07/12/2010. After years of complaints from veterans who say they aren’t getting VA medical appointments within 30 days even if Veterans Affairs Department records show they are, a top VA official sent out a memo asking employees to quit “gaming” the system. “It has come to my attention that, in order to improve scores on assorted access measures, certain facilities have adopted use of inappropriate scheduling practices sometimes referred to as ‘gaming strategies,’ ” wrote William Schoenhard, VA’s deputy undersecretary for health for operations and management, in the April 26 memo. NavyTimes

Vanguard Episode: War Crimes

Anyway, I wanted to give you an advance heads up about this week’s episode of “Vanguard” – “War Crimes" in which Correspondent Kaj Larsen (a former SEAL) takes a sobering look at PTSD and its impact on American soldiers returning from Iraq & Afghanistan. Kaj explores the growing crisis of incarceration among soldiers traumatized in the wars in Iraq & Afghanistan and hears stories from the men and women who, after serving our country, now find themselves behind bars. I know it’s not the most feel-good story, but it’s definitely an issue that needs more awareness. Rob Wilson

Three New VAOIG Reports

Combined Assessment Program Review of the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System Temple, Texas; Report Number 10-01189-187, 7/9/2010 | Summary | Report (PDF)

Audit of Guide and Service Dog Program; Report Number 10-01714-188, 7/7/2010 | Summary | Report (PDF)

Healthcare Inspection Evaluation of Physician Credentialing and Privileging in Veterans Health Administration Facilities; Report Number 10-02381-185, 7/6/2010 | Summary | Report (PDF)

Veterans Cannot Depend Solely on the DoD or VA for Mental Health Care

Military And Veterans Mental Health 07/11/2010.  American troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and other veterans cannot depend solely on the Departments of Defense (DoD) and Veterans Affairs (VA) for mental health care-even though the civilian mental health care system is in crisis, according to the annual convention of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) held this past week. Medical News Today

LA Times: From Swords to Plowshares

From swords to plowshares: Introducing military veterans to farming 07/11/2010. Veterans Sustainable Agriculture Training and other groups aim to encourage former soldiers, sailors and Marines to consider careers in farming and other food-related businesses. LA Times

New PubMed Articles 11 July 2010

1.

2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene (TNT) air concentrations, hemoglobin changes, and anemia cases in respirator protected TNT munitions demilitarization workers.

Bradley MD.

Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2010 Jul 2. [Epub ahead of print]PMID: 20596720 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]Related citations

2.

Two countries divided by a common language: health systems in the UK and USA.

Desai M, Rachet B, Coleman MP, McKee M.

J R Soc Med. 2010 Jul;103(7):283-7.PMID: 20595532 [PubMed - in process]Related citations

3.

Evaluation of a generalizable approach to clinical information retrieval using the automated retrieval console (ARC).

D'Avolio LW, Nguyen TM, Farwell WR, Chen Y, Fitzmeyer F, Harris OM, Fiore LD.

J Am Med Inform Assoc. 2010 Jul-Aug;17(4):375-82.PMID: 20595303 [PubMed - in process]Related citations

4.

Percutaneous intervention of Cabrol graft-left main anastomosis during acute myocardial infarction.

Hoskins MH, Kacharava AG, Green TF, Mavromatis K; Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Decatur, GA.

Int J Cardiol. 2010 Apr 15;140(2):e27-9. Epub 2008 Dec 24.PMID: 19108906 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related citations

5.

Preoperative coronary artery revascularization and long-term outcomes following abdominal aortic vascular surgery in patients with abnormal myocardial perfusion scans: A sub-group analysis of the CARP trial.

Garcia S, Rider JE, Moritz TE, Pierpont G, Goldman S, Larsen GC, Shunk K, Littooy F, Santilli S, Rapp J, Reda DJ, Ward HB, McFalls EO.

Catheter Cardiovasc Interv. 2010 Jul 2. [Epub ahead of print]PMID: 20602474 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]Related citations

6.

Pilot weight control intervention among US veterans to promote diets high in fruits and vegetables.

Allicock M, Ko L, der Sterren EV, Valle CG, Campbell MK, Carr C.

Prev Med. 2010 Jun 22. [Epub ahead of print]PMID: 20600260 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]Related citations

7.

Continuous administration of a selective alpha7 nicotinic partial agonist, DMXBA, improves sensory inhibition without causing tachyphylaxis or receptor upregulation in DBA/2 mice.

Stevens KE, Cornejo B, Adams CE, Zheng L, Yonchek J, Hoffman KL, Christians U, Kem WR.

Brain Res. 2010 Jul 2. [Epub ahead of print]PMID: 20599427 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]Related citations

8.

The trials and tribulations of enrolling couples in a randomized, controlled trial: A self-management program for hyperlipidemia as a model.

Voils CI, Yancy WS Jr, Weinberger M, Bolton J, Coffman CJ, Jeffreys A, Oddone EZ, Bosworth HB.

Patient Educ Couns. 2010 Jul 2. [Epub ahead of print]PMID: 20599337 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]Related citations

9.

Screening for mild traumatic brain injury in the presence of psychiatric comorbidities.

Chapman JC, Andersen AM, Roselli LA, Meyers NM, Pincus JH.

Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2010 Jul;91(7):1082-6.PMID: 20599047 [PubMed - in process]Related citations

10.

Service utilization during and after outpatient treatment for comorbid substance use disorder and depression.

Worley MJ, Trim RS, Tate SR, Hall JE, Brown SA.

J Subst Abuse Treat. 2010 Jul 2. [Epub ahead of print]PMID: 20598832 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]Related citations

11.

Insomnia Severity Is Associated with a Decreased Volume of the CA3/Dentate Gyrus Hippocampal Subfield.

Neylan TC, Mueller SG, Wang Z, Metzler TJ, Lenoci M, Truran D, Marmar CR, Weiner MW, Schuff N.

Biol Psychiatry. 2010 Jul 1. [Epub ahead of print]PMID: 20598672 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]Related citations

12.

Nurses' identification of important yet under-utilized end-of-life care skills for patients with life-limiting or terminal illnesses.

Reinke LF, Shannon SE, Engelberg R, Dotolo D, Silvestri GA, Curtis JR.

J Palliat Med. 2010 Jun;13(6):753-9.PMID: 20597709 [PubMed - in process]Related citations

13.

Increasing poisoning mortality rates in the United States, 1999-2006.

Bohnert AS, Fudalej S, Ilgen MA.

Public Health Rep. 2010 Jul-Aug;125(4):542-7.PMID: 20597454 [PubMed - in process]Related citations

14.

Recurrent herpes simplex virus type 2 meningitis in elderly persons.

Davis LE, Guerre J, Gerstein WH.

Arch Neurol. 2010 Jun;67(6):759-60. Review.PMID: 20558398 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related citations

Female Veterans Nearly Four Times as Likely as Men to End Up Homeless

Female Veterans Struggle To Stay Off Streets 07/11/2010.  More than 240,000 female service members have been deployed to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but for many, reintegrating into civilian life and trying to find employment is not within their reach. The Department of Veteran Affairs has acknowledged that women are nearly four times as likely as men to end up homeless. NPR

Obama Promises More Help for Veterans With PTSD

Obama: More post-traumatic stress help for vets 07/10/2010. The government is taking what President Barack Obama calls "a long overdue step" to aid veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, making it easier for them receive federal benefits.

The changes that Veteran Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki will announce Monday (07/11/2010) fulfill "a solemn responsibility to provide our veterans and wounded warriors with the care and benefits they've earned when they come home," Obama said in his weekly radio and online address Saturday (07/10/2010). AP

Navy Veterans With Mesothelioma

US Navy Veterans Diagnosed With Mesothelioma Should Call The Mesothelioma Victims Center First With Its Expanded Free Service 07/08/2010. When it comes to an individual, or family member dealing with a diagnosis of a rare form of cancer called mesothelioma, there is nothing even close to the Mesothelioma Victims Center, and the expanded free help and assistance it provides. Expanded free help and assistance includes assistance with Social Security, or Veterans Administration disability relief, assistance in finding the absolute best health care options in the area of the mesothelioma victim, practical information the family needs to know about this form of cancer, and the names of the absolute best mesothelioma law firms in the US. PR Web

VA to Make PTSD Claims Easier

Veterans Affairs to Ease Claim Process for Disability 07/08/10.  The government is preparing to issue new rules that will make it substantially easier for veterans who have been found to have post-traumatic stress disorder to receive disability benefits, a change that could affect hundreds of thousands of veterans from the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Vietnam. NYT

U.S. Representative Patrick Kennedy: "Every day in America, our military veterans are being held behind enemy lines," because of a "Byzantine mental health system."

Patrick Kennedy Says Military Veterans Are "Being Held Behind Enemy Lines" By Mental Health Care System; Receives NAMI's Highest Honor 05/07/2010.  U.S. Representative Patrick Kennedy told the annual convention of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) today that "Every day in America, our military veterans are being held behind enemy lines," because of a "Byzantine mental health system."  Medical News Today

New PubMed Articles 5 July 2010

1.

Water immersion versus standard colonoscopy insertion technique: randomized trial shows promise for minimal sedation.

Leung CW, Kaltenbach T, Soetikno R, Wu KK, Leung FW, Friedland S.

Endoscopy. 2010 Jul;42(7):557-563. Epub 2010 Jun 30.PMID: 20593332 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]Related citations

2.

Sphingosine protects aging hearts from ischemia/reperfusion injury: Superiority to sphingosine 1-phosphate and ischemic pre- and post-conditioning.

Vessey DA, Kelley M, Li L, Huang Y.

Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2009 Jul;2(3):146-51.PMID: 20592769 [PubMed - in process]

3.

Androgen deprivation therapy in prostate cancer: anticipated side-effects and their management.

Kim HS, Freedland SJ.

Curr Opin Support Palliat Care. 2010 Jun 28. [Epub ahead of print]PMID: 20592607 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]Related citations

4.

Utility of the Functional Activities Questionnaire for Distinguishing Mild Cognitive Impairment From Very Mild Alzheimer Disease.

Teng E, Becker BW, Woo E, Knopman DS, Cummings JL, Lu PH.

Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord. 2010 Jun 29. [Epub ahead of print]PMID: 20592580 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]Related citations

5.

Studying the Effects of ACGME Duty Hours Limits on Resident Satisfaction: Results From VA Learners' Perceptions Survey.

Kashner TM, Henley SS, Golden RM, Byrne JM, Keitz SA, Cannon GW, Chang BK, Holland GJ, Aron DC, Muchmore EA, Wicker A, White H.

Acad Med. 2010 Jul;85(7):1130-1139.PMID: 20592508 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]Related citations

6.

Sleep and Brain Energy Levels: ATP Changes during Sleep.

Dworak M, McCarley RW, Kim T, Kalinchuk AV, Basheer R.

J Neurosci. 2010 Jun 30;30(26):9007-16.PMID: 20592221 [PubMed - in process]Related citations

7.

End-of-Life Care for Veterans With Schizophrenia and Cancer.

Ganzini L, Socherman R, Duckart J, Shores M.

Psychiatr Serv. 2010 Jul;61(7):725-8.PMID: 20592010 [PubMed - in process]Related citations

8.

Associations of housing status with substance abuse treatment and service use outcomes among veterans.

Buchholz JR, Malte CA, Calsyn DA, Baer JS, Nichol P, Kivlahan DR, Caldeiro RM, Saxon AJ.

Psychiatr Serv. 2010 Jul;61(7):698-706.PMID: 20592005 [PubMed - in process]Related citations

9.

Who Terminates From ACT and Why? Data From the National VA Mental Health Intensive Case Management Program.

Mohamed S, Rosenheck R, Cuerdon T.

Psychiatr Serv. 2010 Jul;61(7):675-83.PMID: 20592002 [PubMed - in process]Related citations

10.

Quality of colonoscopy reporting in community practice.

Palmer LB, Abbott DH, Hamilton N, Provenzale D, Fisher DA.

Gastrointest Endosc. 2010 Jun 28. [Epub ahead of print]PMID: 20591430 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]Related citations

11.

Study protocol: home-based telehealth stroke care: a randomized trial for veterans.

Chumbler NR, Rose DK, Griffiths P, Quigley P, McGee-Hernandez N, Carlson KA, Vandenberg P, Morey MC, Sanford J, Hoenig H.

Trials. 2010 Jun 30;11(1):74. [Epub ahead of print]PMID: 20591171 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]Related citations

12.

Clinical supervision for the treatment of adults with severe mental illness: pertinent issues when assisting graduate nursing students.

Buck KD, Lysaker PH.

Perspect Psychiatr Care. 2010 Jul;46(3):234-43.PMID: 20591130 [PubMed - in process]Related citations

13.

The Association Between C-Reactive Protein Levels and Insulin Therapy in Obese vs Nonobese Veterans With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Khatana SA, Taveira TH, Dooley AG, Wu WC.

J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2010 Jun;12(6):462-8.PMID: 20591095 [PubMed - in process]Related citations

14.

Improving nurse practitioner assessment of woman veterans.

Fitzgerald CE.

J Am Acad Nurse Pract. 2010 Jul;22(7):339-45.PMID: 20590954 [PubMed - in process]Related citations

15.

Care of the returning veteran.

Quinlan JD, Guaron MR, Deschere BR, Stephens MB.

Am Fam Physician. 2010 Jul 1;82(1):43-9.PMID: 20590069 [PubMed - in process]Related citations

16.

The N141I mutation in PSEN2: implications for the quintessential case of Alzheimer disease.

Yu CE, Marchani E, Nikisch G, Müller U, Nolte D, Hertel A, Wijsman EM, Bird TD.

Arch Neurol. 2010 May;67(5):631-3.PMID: 20457965 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related citations

17.

Escitalopram attenuates posterior cingulate activity during self-evaluation in healthy volunteers.

Matthews SC, Simmons AN, Strigo IA, Arce E, Stein MB, Paulus MP.

Psychiatry Res. 2010 May 30;182(2):81-7. Epub 2010 Apr 24.PMID: 20418072 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related citations

18.

Age in men does not determine gonadotropin-releasing hormone's dose-dependent stimulation of luteinizing hormone secretion under an exogenous testosterone clamp.

Iranmanesh A, Mulligan T, Veldhuis JD.

J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2010 Jun;95(6):2877-84. Epub 2010 Mar 31.PMID: 20357176 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related citations

19.

Medications (NSAIDs, statins, proton pump inhibitors) and the risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma in patients with Barrett's esophagus.

Nguyen DM, Richardson P, El-Serag HB.

Gastroenterology. 2010 Jun;138(7):2260-6. Epub 2010 Feb 23.PMID: 20188100 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related citations

20.

Intermittent MTII application evokes repeated anorexia and robust fat and weight loss.

Zhang Y, Collazo R, Gao Y, Li G, Scarpace PJ.

Peptides. 2010 Apr;31(4):639-43. Epub 2009 Dec 23.PMID: 20034526 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related citations