Scleroderma Media Coverage: August 2008

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August 2008

New Research Shows One in 200 People Born with DNA Mutation That Can Lead to Devastating, Often Fatal Disease. Landmark research finding that one in every 200 people has a DNA mutation that could potentially cause a mitochondrial disease in them or their offspring. Market Watch. 08/11/08. (Also see: Causes of Scleroderma: DNA)

Invisible Illness Week Awareness Grows Through Ill Bloggers. Thousands of bloggers now post daily messages on their blogs about coping with the emotional challenges of living with constant chronic pain and illness. National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week, September 8-14, 2008, is inviting these blogs to have a substantial role in their awareness campaign. American Chronicle. 08/19/08.

Freshman Gives Softball Ol' College Try. Brenda Hearn had all but given up on being able to play collegiate softball. She was diagnosed with scleroderma in March. "I had to practice with gloves on. During volleyball season, I'd go up for a block, but then instead of celebrating, I'd hold my hand because it hurt so much." Mountain View Telegraph. 08/21/08.

Anemia could be beneficial response to chronic disease, study says. The authors argued that anemia of chronic disease is a beneficial and adaptive response to a patient’s disease. The body has adapted over thousands of years to be anemic at times of stress because it needs to conserve energy. Renal Business Today. 08/12/2008. (Also see: Anemia of Chronic Disease)

Acid Reflux Drugs May Up Fractures. Using acid reflux drugs called proton pump inhibitors for at least seven years may be linked to increased risk of osteoporosis-related fractures. WebMD. 08/11/08. (Also see: Reflux and Osteoporosis)

All in the mind: the cases that doctors can't explain. More than one in four patients visiting their GP have unexplained pain or symptoms, according to a new report. Cognitive behavioural therapy, can work for many people, and may even save lives.The Independent. 08/12/08.

B Cells Can Act Alone In Autoimmune Disease, Yale Researchers Report. B cells, the source of damaging autoantibodies, have long been thought to depend upon T cells for their activation and were not considered important in the initiation of autoimmune diseases like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.This study suggests that in systemic autoimmune diseases B cells can be activated the absence of T cells. Medical News Today. 08/07/08. (Also see: Causes of Scleroderma: B cells)

Regional Factors Driven by Genetic Diversity Add Complexity to Autoimmune Disease Drug Development. As a group, autoimmune diseases remain one of the most refractory and difficult-to-treat segments of healthcare therapeutics. PharmaLive. 07/24/08.

Girl's Disease Turning Skin to Stone. Hope suffers from the systemic version of the disease, which starts out with poor circulation in the fingers and progresses to thickening of the skin, according to the International Scleroderma Network’s Web site. Fox News, 08/01/08.

Social support: Tap this tool to reduce stress. Having close friends and family on whom you can count has far-reaching benefits for your health. Here's how to build and maintain these essential relationships. Mayo Clinic. (Also see: Causes of Scleroderma: Stress and Emotional Adjustment )

'Five musketeers' stick together. Last year, when it came time for the September outing, the group was determined that Adams would go with them. In order to do so, Westbrook taught them how to use the feeding tube, hook up the oxygen and any other needs. She even made arrangements for dialysis in the area during the week. MarionStar.com. 07/2708.

A Full Life Is Still Possible with Multiple Sclerosis . Because of improved methods to limit disability, such as physical therapy, and treatments for complications of disability, the life expectancy of individuals with MS is now nearly the same as that of unaffected people. “I tell my patients to make their life decisions as though they didn’t have MS,” Crayton said, emphasizing that patients can have full, productive lives, while working with their health care providers to manage their disease. Karen Young. Society for Women’s Health Research. July 3, 2008. (Also see: Multiple Sclerosis )