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Weight loss has been in the news on MD Consult this week, in both the News and In This Week’s Journals sections. It was reported on Tuesday that testosterone replacement therapy in men with hypogonadism brought about significant improvements in weight and waist size – and that was before introducing formal diet or exercise program. And the numbers were striking – 90% of the study participants lost weight, and 97% lost inches around their waists – certainly encouraging news for those suffering from hypogonadism who might also be struggling with a weight problem. But there were also positive reports for others looking to lose weight; a pair of studies in The Journal of the American Medical Association found useful approaches to both weight loss and maintenance. First, a stepped-care approach in which weight loss strategies were adjusted every three months was found to be effective, and another paper compared methods of maintaining a healthier weight. While all three of the diets studied showed some beneficial effect, the results seemed to give an edge to a low-glycemic index diet – expect new diet books to follow in short order.
The July issue of the Journal of Pediatrics is now online, and it covers a variety of topics. One paper certain to augment the stress level of any new mother suggests that the behaviour of particularly fussy babies is associated with the mother’s (wait for it) prenatal stress level. The authors noted that boys were also more likely to be fussy than girls under any circumstances and they noted a few other limitations, but they did emphasize that reducing stress for pregnant women and new mothers could only help. A study looking at school-aged children examined ‘…the feasibility of performing, reporting, and recording annual school-based assessments of cardiovascular fitness to develop standardized childhood fitness percentiles…’ to help improve overall childhood fitness. Other subjects covered in this issue include 3M syndrome as an under-diagnosed cause of unusually short stature, as well as a look at sleep apnea. Also ready for July is The Lancet Infectious Diseases; this issue looks at HIV status among female sex workers in low- and middle-income countries as well as exploring cost-effective strategies for producing and delivering antiretroviral drugs in such settings. The current state of rotavirus vaccine usage is also covered.
The Clinics section includes a number of articles in press again this week, with Neurologic Clinics looking forward to articles on headaches and multiple sclerosis in pregnancy. Clinics in Liver Disease also has a number of forthcoming articles, with a number of papers on nonalcoholic steatohepatitis – its diagnosis, disease development, and the role of liver histology in predicting outcomes. The inclusion of psychiatric and psychological care in the treatment of the disease is also addressed.
Check back next week for more of what’s new on MD Consult.
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