Archive for June, 2008

Jun 23 2008

Group Health study debunks five myths about abuse of men

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Men’s Health News
Domestic violence can happen to men, not only to women, according to Group Health research in the June American Journal of Preventive Medicine. "Domestic violence in men is under-studied and often hidden-much as it was in women 10 years ago," said study leader Robert J. Reid, MD, PhD, an associate investigator at the Group Health Center for Health Studies. "We want abused men to know they’re not alone." His findings confirm some common beliefs but also debunk five myths about abuse in men:
Myth 1: Few men experience domestic violence. Many do. In-depth phone interviews with over 400 randomly sampled adult male Group Health patients surprised Dr. Reid and his colleagues: 5% had experienced domestic violence in the past year, 10% in the past five years, and 29% over their lifetimes. The researchers defined domestic violence to include nonphysical abuse-threats, chronic disparaging remarks, or controlling behavior-as well as physical abuse: slapping, hitting, kicking, or forced sex.
Myth 2: Abuse of men has no serious effects. The researchers found domestic violence is associated with serious, long-term effects on men’s mental health. Women are more likely than men to experience more severe physical abuse, said Dr. Reid. "But even nonphysical abuse–can do lasting damage." Depressive symptoms were nearly three times as common in older men who had experienced abuse than in those who hadn’t, with much more severe depression in the men who had been abused physically.
Myth 3: Abused men don’t stay, because they’re free to leave. In fact, men may stay for years with their abusive partners. "We know that many women may have trouble leaving abusive relationships, especially if they’re caring for young children and not working outside the home," said Dr. Reid. "We were surprised to find that most men in abusive relationships also stay, through multiple episodes, for years."
Myth 4: Domestic violence affects only poor people. The study actually showed it to be an equal-opportunity scourge. "As we found in our previous research with women experiencing domestic violence, this is a common problem affecting people in all walks of life," said Dr. Reid. "Our patients at Group Health have health insurance and easy access to health care, and their employment rate and average income, education level, and age are higher than those of the rest of the U.S. population."
Myth 5: Ignoring it will make it go away. Not so. "We doctors hardly ever ask our male patients about being abused-and they seldom tell us," said Dr. Reid. "Many abused men feel ashamed because of societal expectations for men to be tough and in control." Younger men were twice as likely as men age 55 or older to report recent abuse. "That may be because older men are even more reluctant to talk about it," he added.
This study extends Group Health’s research on domestic violence, a.k.a. intimate partner violence. The team’s previous publications have documented the prevalence, persistence, and health effects of domestic violence on women. In the current study, they asked men the same questions that they had asked of women. "Our team is concerned about abuse of people: of women as well as men," Dr. Reid added. "We do not want to downplay the seriousness of domestic violence as experienced by women."
generico cialis soft in linea comrare Dr. Reid said more research is needed to determine the best ways for doctors to ask men if they have experienced domestic violence-and how best to help them into couples counseling, leaving their partners, or getting protection orders. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is toll-free 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).

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Jun 23 2008

Aussie blokes in denial about beer guts

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Men’s Health News
Scientists from the Queensland University of Technology say when it comes to being overweight and obese, Australian men are in denial.
The researchers say even though more than 60% of Aussie men have a Body Mass Index over 30 which makes them clinically overweight only 34% regard themselves as fat.
According to the study into perceptions of weight by Dr Katrina Giskes from the Institute for Health and Biomedical Innovation, men are inclined to underestimate their weight status, whereas women are more likely to overestimate their weight.
Dr. Giskes says this makes it much more difficult to deal with men who are overweight.
Among the leading causes of death among Australians overweight and obesity are key risk factors and public health campaigns aiming to tackle these factors emphasise increasing physical activity and adopting a healthy diet.
Dr. Giskes says while there are some psychological benefits to positive perceptions of weight status, deceiving yourself you weigh less than you do makes it easier to ignore public health campaigns encouraging healthier food and more active lifestyles.
Dr. Giskes suggests such campaigns may prove to be unsuccessful and possibly harmful if the way people perceive their weight status, remains unaddressed.
Buy fosamax without prescription She says the challenge is to promote this awareness differentially between gender and socio-economic groups.
For the study data from the National Health Survey of more than 34,000 men and women was used and it revealed that men from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds were even more likely to ignore the health risks associated with their beer gut.
The research found that while 37.4 per cent of women were overweight or obese, 42.8 per cent considered they were and this was more so amongst well-off, well-educated women.
This group of women are also those most likely to develop body image problems and eating disorders.
The research is published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health.
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Jun 23 2008

VIVUS Enters Into 30 Million Dollars Funding Collaboration For The Phase 3 Studies Of Avanafil For Erectile Dysfunction

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VIVUS, Inc. (NASDAQ: VVUS) announced that it has entered into a $30 million funding collaboration with Deerfield Management ("Deerfield"). Under the terms of the agreements, Deerfield will provide funds for the phase 3 program for avanafil, a fast-acting, highly selective, phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor (PDE5i) for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED). The $30 million in funding will be provided by Deerfield from two sources: $20 million under a Royalty and Funding Agreement and $10 million from the sale of VIVUS common stock. VIVUS has granted Deerfield a royalty interest on sales of MUSE®, our product currently marketed for the treatment of ED.
"The collaboration with Deerfield allows us to move avanafil into the phase 3 clinical trials on a timely basis. The funding collaboration provides us with financial flexibility and allows us to leverage the MUSE franchise for the benefit of avanafil development. Deerfield is a well-respected healthcare investment organization. Their interest in avanafil for ED and in becoming a shareholder of VIVUS is significant," commented Leland Wilson, President and Chief Executive Officer. "The market for ED therapies continues to grow. In 2007, sales of all PDE5i’s exceeded $3 billion, an increase of 15% over the previous year. Given the profile of avanafil and the results seen to date, we believe that if approved, avanafil could offer patients suffering from ED a satisfying treatment alternative."
"Avanafil has a proven mechanism of action and a unique and attractive profile," said Howard Furst, M.D., a partner at Deerfield Management. "We are pleased to have entered into this collaboration with Vivus that provides full funding for phase 3 while avoiding significant shareholder dilution."
Under the terms of the Royalty and Funding Agreement, Deerfield will provide VIVUS $20 million of funding in the first 18 months of the collaboration. Buy lasix without prescription In consideration for the funding, Deerfield will receive a royalty on product sales of MUSE and if approved, product sales of avanafil. VIVUS and Deerfield have also entered into an Option and Put Agreement that allows VIVUS to purchase the royalty stream from Deerfield and allows Deerfield, under certain conditions, to require VIVUS to purchase the royalty stream from Deerfield. VIVUS, entirely at its discretion, can buy back the royalty stream at any time in the first three years of the collaboration for $25 million. In the fourth year, the purchase price increases to $28 million. For this purchase right, VIVUS will make a $2 million upfront payment to Deerfield which will be credited to the purchase price if VIVUS exercises its purchase option. Beginning the fourth year, Deerfield will have the right to sell its interests to VIVUS for a minimum of $17 million. Under certain circumstances, including a change in control, the right to sell the interests back to VIVUS held by Deerfield accelerates at amounts consistent with the VIVUS purchase rights. Once the royalty stream has been acquired by VIVUS, no additional royalty payments will be made to Deerfield.
About the Phase 2 Studies of Avanafil
VIVUS previously reported the results of the phase 2 study of avanafil in men with erectile dysfunction (ED) were positive. The phase 2 study was a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, parallel-design study conducted to assess the safety and efficacy of different doses of avanafil for the treatment of ED. Patients were instructed to attempt sexual intercourse 30 minutes after taking avanafil, with no restrictions on food or alcohol consumption. Results showed that up to 84% of avanafil doses resulted in erections sufficient for vaginal penetration, as compared to placebo (pgeneric viagra online buy | generic propecia online buy | Buy soma pills

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Jun 23 2008

Levitra® Therapy Suitable For Men With High Cholesterol

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At the 23rd Annual European Association of Urology (EAU) Congress, results were presented which added evidence that Levitra® (vardenafil HCI) works very well in men with dyslipidemia.(1) The double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in about 400 men showed that Levitra® significantly improved the ability of men with erectile dysfunction (ED) and high cholesterol, to achieve and maintain an erection for successful sexual intercourse.(2) The trial, led by Dr. Martin Miner, clinical associate professor of family medicine at Brown University, Swansea, Massachusetts, was the first prospective study designed to evaluate Levitra’s safety and efficacy in patients with dyslipidemia (high cholesterol) and ED. All trial participants were taking statins to control their dyslipidemia. The results of the 12-week trial showed that men randomized to receive Levitra® had significantly increased success rates of penetration and the ability to maintain an erection compared to placebo.
"Erectile dysfunction is very often associated with high cholesterol. Many physicians are not treating ED, a life-changing condition", said Mr. Ian Eardley, consultant urologist and honorary senior lecturer at St. James University Hospital, Leeds. "This study provides further support that Levitra® can successfully treat ED, even in men with a serious underlying condition like high cholesterol. Nearly 70% of men with ED have an underlying condition such as high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol levels. The accumulating evidence shows that Levitra® is a potent treatment for ED in men with underlying conditions", he emphasized at the EAU congress in Milan.
acheter cialis soft comprimes ED and testosterone deficiency often share the same underlying conditions such as dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease and obesity. The presence of ED should automatically trigger tests to establish testosterone levels, as testosterone deficiency is a significant detriment to quality of life.
Also presented at the EAU in Milan, new data from the European Testogel®-Study, which showed that testosterone therapy with Testogel® may improve cardiovascular and metabolic conditions and quality of life in men with low testosterone (hypogonadism).(3) In the international, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 362 men aged 50-80 with late on-set hypogandism (LOH), i.e. testosterone deficiency associated with aging, were randomized to receive Testogel® or placebo for 6 months, followed by a 12-month open-label phase during which all patients received Testogel.
Over the first six months, Testogel® use was associated with significant improvements in cardiovascular and metabolic profiles, as well as quality-of-life scores as measured by the aging male symptom scale (AMS) compared to placebo. Once all study participants were using Testogel® the difference between the two groups narrowed considerably to a point where there was little difference between the study participants’ scores on the total AMS and sexual subscale, or between their cardiovascular and metabolic profiles. The study concluded that testosterone therapy may offer benefits for men’s overall health and be associated with improvements in cardiovascular and metabolic profiles and quality of life in men with LOH.
About Bayer HealthCare
Bayer HealthCare, a subsidiary of Bayer AG, is one of the world’s leading, innovative companies in the healthcare and medical products industry and is based in Leverkusen, Germany. The company combines the global activities of the Animal Health, Consumer Care, Diabetes Care and Pharmaceuticals divisions. The pharmaceuticals business operates under the name Bayer Schering Pharma and as Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals in the US and Canada. Bayer HealthCare’s aim is to discover and manufacture products that will improve human and animal health worldwide.
About Bayer Schering Pharma
Bayer Schering Pharma is a worldwide leading specialty pharmaceutical company. Its research and business activities are focused on the following areas: Diagnostic Imaging, Hematology/Cardiology, Oncology, Primary Care, Specialized Therapeutics and Women’s Healthcare. With innovative products, Bayer Schering Pharma aims for leading positions in specialized markets worldwide. Using new ideas, Bayer Schering Pharma aims to make a contribution to medical progress and strives to improve the quality of life.
Forward Looking Statements
This release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer Group or subgroup management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer’s public reports which are available on the Bayer website at The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.
References
1 Miner M. Vardenafil Efficacy and Safety in Men With Erectile Dysfunction and Dyslipidemia: A 12-Week, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Abstract presented at Sexual Medicine Society of North America Fall Meeting, December 2007, Chicago, USA.
2 Miner M, and Billups KL. Erectile dysfunction and dyslipidemia: Relevance and role of phosphodiesterase type-5 inhibitors and statins. J Sex Med 2008;5(suppl 1):4-41
3 Bouloux PM et al. Testosterone therapy in men with late-onset hypogonadism: the benefits for men’s overall health. Data presented at the Bayer Schering Pharma Symposium at the 23rd annual congress of the EAU, Milan, Italy, March 2008.
View drug information on Levitra.
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Jun 23 2008

Study shows prostate cancer gene 3 (PCA3) correlates with severity of prostate cancer

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Men’s Health News
A study published in the May 2008 issue of the peer-reviewed Journal of Urology demonstrates that the prostate cancer gene 3 (PCA3) can be used to detect and stratify stage and grade of prostate cancer.(1)
Following recent calls for a more accurate test for the detection of prostate cancer,(2)(3) the results of this study indicate the PROGENSA(TM) PCA3 gene-based urine test may be clinically useful in identifying men with low-grade or low-volume cancer for whom active surveillance would be more appropriate than aggressive treatment, and also shows the test as a more reliable method than existing diagnostic tools such as serum-PSA.(1)
"More and more data is emerging that the PCA3 score is a useful measure to fine tune the diagnosis and classification prostate cancer," says Mr. Ranjan Thilagarajah, Consultant Urological Surgeon at Broomfield Hospital, Mid Essex Health Trust. "PROGENSA PCA3 appears to help differentiate between those that are candidates for active surveillance, and those who need aggressive treatments, making it a vital part of cutting-edge prostate cancer management. Here at Broomfield Hospital, we have already used the test in over 100 men, and hope that it will become a useful tool for more men across the country."
The study found that PCA3 scores correlate with tumour volume, and with prostatectomy Gleason scores (grade of prostate cancer). When compared to other standard measures, (including serum-PSA) the PCA3 score was found to be the best predictor of tumour volume.
In addition, PCA3 was the most successful measure for predicting low volume cancer, indicating that a PCA3 score could be beneficial when identifying men for non-aggressive therapies, such as active surveillance, for men with low-grade/low-volume cancer. Over the past 20 years, the greater utilisation and reliance on serum-PSA has led to an increase in identifying those with low grade cancer,(4)(5) therefore PROGENSA PCA3 may be a valuable tool for ensuring aggressive treatment or invasive biopsies are limited to those needing it most.
For more information about PROGENSA PCA3 and prostate cancer, please visit
Notes
A PCA3
score can be measured using PROGENSA PCA3 - a commercially available non-invasive urine test that measures the amount of PCA3 in the urine. Unlike serum-PSA, which measures the level of Prostate Specific Antigen - a substance not exclusively associated with prostate Cancer(6)(7) - PCA3 is over-expressed only by prostate cancer,(8) and therefore is seen as a more reliable diagnostic measure.
PCA3 is a prostate-specific gene that is highly over-expressed in prostate tumours.(8) The PROGENSA(TM) PCA3 test uses Transcription Mediated Amplification (TMA) to quantify the amount of PCA3 mRNA in a patient urine sample; the higher the PCA3 score, the more likely prostate cancer is present.(9)
Previous studies have indicated that in men who have previously had a negative biopsy, PROGENSA(TM) PCA3 can more accurately predict which men are likely to have a positive follow-up biopsy than a PSA test alone.(9)
The prostate is a walnut-shaped gland that sits beneath the bladder and in front of the rectum. It is a fundamental part of the male reproductive system.
Prostate cancer is the most common male cancer in the UK, with more than 34,000 men diagnosed every year, 24 per cent of all new male cancers.(10) Despite improved treatment options for prostate cancer over the past 20 years, the number of prostate cancer deaths in the UK has slightly increased. In 2005, there were 10,000 deaths in the UK, accounting for 13 per cent of all male cancer deaths.(11)
Reference List
Nakanishi,H. et al. (2008) PCA3 molecular urine assay correlates with prostate cancer tumor volume: implication in selecting candidates for active surveillance. J Urol 179, 1804-1809
Stamey,T.A. et al. (2004) The prostate specific antigen era in the United States is over for prostate cancer: what happened in the last 20 years? J Urol 172, 1297-1301
Bradford,T.J. et al. (2006) Molecular markers of prostate cancer. Urol Oncol. 24, 538-551
Loeb,S. et al. (2006) Pathological characteristics of prostate cancer detected through prostate specific antigen based screening. J Urol 175, 902-906
comprare il viagra soft senza ricetta Stamey,T.A. et al. (1993) Localized prostate cancer. Relationship of tumor volume to clinical significance for treatment of prostate cancer. Cancer 71, 933-938
The Prostate Cancer Charity (2007) The PSA test.
The Prostate Cancer Charity (2007) PSA background.
Bussemakers,M.J. et al. (1999) DD3: a new prostate-specific gene, highly overexpressed in prostate cancer. Cancer Res 59, 5975-5979
Marks,L.S. et al. (2007) PCA3 molecular urine assay for prostate cancer in men undergoing repeat biopsy. Urology 69, 532-535
Office for National Statistics (2007) Cancer Statistics registrations: Registrations of cancer diagnosed in 2003, England (Series MB1 no.34. ed. Vol. 2005 edn)
Office for National Statistics (2007) Review of the Registrar General on deaths by cause, sex and age, in England and Wales, 2005. In Series DH2 no.32
and
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