JAMA news releases are made available to the public after 3 pm US Central time on the first 4 Tuesdays of each month. The Archives Journals news releases are made available to the public after 3 pm Central time on Mondays. We also provide a list of previous news releases.
THIS WEEK'S CONTENT
JAMA NEWS RELEASES
(Embargoed for Release: 3:00 p.m. CT, Tuesday, September 30, 2008)
JAMA NEWS RELEASES
GENE VARIATION ASSOCIATED WITH DECREASED RISK OF COLORECTAL CANCER
CHANGING DOSING, ADMINISTRATION OF ANTHRAX VACCINE REDUCES SIDE EFFECTS
NEWS MEDIA OFTEN DO NOT REPORT POTENTIAL SOURCES OF BIAS IN MEDICAL RESEARCH
LONGER-DURATION PSYCHOTHERAPY APPEARS MORE BENEFICIAL FOR TREATMENT OF COMPLEX MENTAL DISORDERS
JAMA REPORT (VIDEO SCRIPT)
VIDEO: Windows Media | Quicktime
RESEARCHERS IDENTIFY GENETIC VARIATION ASSOCIATED WITH DECREASED RISK FOR COLON CANCER
INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THESE NEWS RELEASES IS PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT. JOURNAL ATTRIBUTION IS REQUIRED.
TV Note: This week's JAMA Report video is on a gene variation that is associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer. The report will be fed Tuesday, September 30, from 9:00 - 9:30 a.m. ET and 2:00 - 2:30 p.m. ET, on Galaxy 28 (C-Band), Transponder 19, downlink frequency: 4080 vertical, audio 6.2/6.8. For more information, call 312/464-JAMA.
Save the Date: JAMA will present new research from its theme issue, "Health of the Nation", at a media briefing on Tuesday, October 21, from 10 a.m. – 12:15 p.m., at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. To register, go to www.jamamedia.org and click on the Events tab, or call 312-464-JAMA. Program information will be included in a future email.
Please Note: The FOR THE MEDIA Web site now has a search feature to enable media to find previous JAMA/Archives news releases on specific medical topics. This search feature link is located on the home page at www.jamamedia.org.
JOURNALISTS CAN NOW ACCESS EMBARGOED JAMA/ARCHIVES STUDIES ONLINE
Go to www.jamamedia.org for more information and to apply for access.
Embargoed for Release: 3:00 p.m. CT, Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Media Advisory: To contact corresponding author Boris Pasche, M.D., Ph.D., call Troy Goodman at 205-934-8938.
GENE VARIATION ASSOCIATED WITH DECREASED RISK OF COLORECTAL CANCER
CHICAGO—Variation of a gene for a protein hormone that is secreted by fat cells is associated with a decreased colorectal cancer risk, according to a study in the October 1 issue of JAMA.
Several studies have shown an association between obesity and the risk of colorectal cancer, according to background information in the article. Adiponectin is a hormone secreted by fat tissue, and serum levels of adiponectin are inversely correlated with obesity and high levels of insulin. "While there is evidence of an association between circulating adiponectin levels and colorectal cancer risk, no association between genes of the adiponectin pathway and colorectal cancer have been reported to date," the authors write.
Virginia G. Kaklamani, M.D., D.Sc., of the Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, and colleagues conducted a study to determine the association between variations of the adiponectin (ADIPOQ) and adiponectin receptor 1 (ADIPOR1) genes with colorectal cancer risk. The study consisted of two case-control studies including patients with a diagnosis of colorectal cancer and controls without cancer. Case-control study 1 included a total of 441 patients with colorectal cancer and 658 controls; both groups were of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry and from New York. Case-control study 2 included 199 patients with colorectal cancer and 199 controls from Chicago, matched 1:1 for sex, age and ethnicity.
"In this clinic-based case-control analysis, we found an association between 1 single-nucleotide polymorphism [SNP; a gene variation] of the ADIPOQ gene (rs266729) and colorectal cancer risk in 2 separate case-control studies, as well as in the combined analysis of both studies after adjustment for age, sex and other SNPs," the researchers write.
They add that the findings suggest that the ADIPOQ gene may harbor SNPs/mutations susceptible to modify colorectal cancer risk. "If these exciting results can be confirmed in other studies, the adiponectin axis may emerge as an important modifier of colorectal cancer risk. Future studies will need to address the potential impact of adiponectin and its SNPs in the prognosis of colorectal cancer and also may be incorporated in genetic risk models for the disease."
(JAMA. 2008;300[13]:1523-1531. Available pre-embargo to the media at www.jamamedia.org)
Editor's Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.
For More Information: Contact the JAMA/Archives Media Relations Department at 312/464-JAMA (5262) or email: mediarelations{at}jama-archives.org.
Go back to the top.
Embargoed for Release: 3:00 p.m. CT, Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Media Advisory: To contact corresponding author Conrad P. Quinn, Ph.D., call Curtis Allen at 404-639-3286.
CHANGING DOSING, ADMINISTRATION OF ANTHRAX VACCINE REDUCES SIDE EFFECTS
CHICAGO—Reducing the number of doses of an anthrax vaccine and changing its administration to intramuscular injection resulted in comparable measures of effectiveness but with fewer adverse events, according to a study in the October 1 issue of JAMA.
"Simpler and better tolerated regimens for vaccination with anthrax vaccine adsorbed (AVA) are needed," the authors write. The licensed AVA vaccination regimen is administered by injection below the skin (subcutaneously) at 0, 2, and 4 weeks and 6, 12 and 18 months, with annual boosters thereafter. Data supporting this regimen are limited.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, in collaboration with several U.S. clinical study sites and the Anthrax Vaccine Research Program Working Group, conducted a randomized clinical trial, which included 1,005 enrollees, to assess safety and serological outcomes of alternative schedules and routes of administration of AVA. Participants received AVA by the subcutaneous (SQ) or intramuscular (IM) route at 0, 2 and 4 weeks and 6 months (4-SQ or 4-IM; n = 165-170 per group) or at a reduced 3-dose schedule (3-IM; n = 501). A control group (n = 169) received saline injections at the same time intervals.
The researchers found that at month 7, after completion of the priming series (1st four injections), all groups had serum antibody responses that were "noninferior to" (i.e., no less than) the licensed regimen. Most injection site adverse events (AEs), such as pain, warmth, tenderness, itching, abnormal redness of the skin and swelling, occurred at lower proportions in the 4-IM group compared with the 4-SQ group. The odds ratio for ordinal pain (response ranging from no pain to extreme pain) reported immediately after injection was reduced by 50 percent for the 4-IM vs. 4-SQ groups.
"Our data demonstrate that a 3-IM regimen (omission of the week 2 dose) elicits serum antibody responses at month 7 that are noninferior when compared with regimens containing 4 doses of AVA (SQ or IM). Intramuscular administration was associated with a significant reduction in injection site AEs. Changing the injection route from SQ to IM may increase vaccine acceptability. Reducing the number of doses in the AVA regimen would have the added benefit of increasing the number of doses available for prophylactic use," the authors conclude.
(JAMA. 2008;300[13]:1532-1543. Available pre-embargo to the media at www.jamamedia.org)
Editor's Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.
For More Information: Contact the JAMA/Archives Media Relations Department at 312/464-JAMA (5262) or email: mediarelations{at}jama-archives.org.
Go back to the top.
Embargoed for Release: 3:00 p.m. CT, Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Media Advisory: To contact Michael Hochman, M.D., call David Cecere at 617-503-8428.
NEWS MEDIA OFTEN DO NOT REPORT POTENTIAL SOURCES OF BIAS IN MEDICAL RESEARCH
CHICAGO—An analysis of news media coverage of medical studies indicates that news articles often fail to report pharmaceutical company funding and frequently refer to medications by their brand names, both potential sources of bias, according to a study in the October 1 issue of JAMA.
New articles represent an important source of medical information for many patients, and even some physicians. "An increasingly recognized source of commercial bias in medical research is the funding of studies by companies with a financial interest in the results," the authors write. Little is known about how frequently news articles report the funding sources of the medical research they report on, or how frequently news articles use brand medication names instead of generic names, which could create commercial bias.
Michael Hochman, M.D., of the Cambridge Health Alliance and Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, Mass., and colleagues reviewed U.S. news articles from newspaper and online sources about pharmaceutical-funded medication studies to determine how frequently and prominently they indicate the funding source and how often they refer to medications by their brand vs. generic names. The studies were published in five major general medical journals (JAMA, New England Journal of Medicine, Lancet, Archives of Internal Medicine and the Annals of Internal Medicine). The researchers also surveyed editors at the 100 most widely circulated newspapers in the U.S. about their publications' practices on the reporting of company funding and the use of generic medication names.
The authors identified 306 news articles, of which 175 were from newspapers and 131 were from online sources. Among the 306 news articles about company-funded medication studies, the funding source for the studies was not reported in 42 percent of the articles. There was no significant difference in nonreporting rates between articles obtained from newspaper and online sources. Of the 306 news articles, 277 concerned medications with both generic and brand names. Among these 277 articles, 38 percent used only brand names and 67 percent used brand names in at least half of the medication references.
The survey of newspaper editors found that 88 percent indicated that his/her publication often or always reported company funding in articles about medical research, and that 77 percent reported that they often or always referred to medications by the generic names in articles about medical research. Three percent of editors indicated that their publication had a written policy stating that company funding should be reported in articles about medical research, while the editor at two percent of newspapers responded that his/her publication had a written policy stating that medications should be referred to predominantly by their generic names.
However, the editors' perceptions diverged from their publications' actual performances. A total of 104 newspaper articles were analyzed from publications for which editors reported always identifying company funding. Of these articles, 45 percent failed to cite company funding. Additionally, a total of 75 newspaper articles were analyzed from publications for which the editors reported always using generic names. Of these articles, 76 percent used brand names in at least half of the medication references.
"Our findings raise several concerns. For patients and physicians to evaluate new research findings, it is important that they know how the research was funded so they can assess whether commercial biases may have affected the results. Additionally, the use of generic medication names by the news media is preferable so that physicians and patients learn to refer to medications by their generic names, a practice that is likely to reduce medication errors and may decrease unnecessary health care costs," the authors write.
(JAMA. 2008;300[13]:1544-1550. Available pre-embargo to the media at www.jamamedia.org)
Editor's Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.
For More Information: Contact the JAMA/Archives Media Relations Department at 312/464-JAMA (5262) or email: mediarelations{at}jama-archives.org.
Go back to the top.
Embargoed for Release: 3:00 p.m. CT, Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Media Advisory: To contact Falk Leichsenring, D.Sc., email: falk.leichsenring{at}psycho.med.uni-giessen.de. To contact editorial author Richard M. Glass, M.D., call Jim Michalski at 312-464-5785.
LONGER-DURATION PSYCHOTHERAPY APPEARS MORE BENEFICIAL FOR TREATMENT OF COMPLEX MENTAL DISORDERS
CHICAGO—Psychodynamic psychotherapy lasting for at least a year is effective and superior to shorter-term therapy for patients with complex mental disorders such as personality and chronic mental disorders, according to a meta-analysis published in the October 1 issue of JAMA.
Evidence indicates that short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy is insufficient for a considerable proportion of patients with complex mental disorders, i.e., patients with multiple or chronic mental disorders or personality disorders. Some studies suggest that long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (LTPP) may be helpful for these patients, according to background information in the article. LTPP is therapy in which emphasis is placed on more interpretive or supportive interventions, depending on the patient’s needs, and that involves careful attention to the therapist-patient interaction.
Falk Leichsenring, D.Sc., of the University of Giessen, Germany, and Sven Rabung, Ph.D., of the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany, conducted a meta-analysis to examine the effectiveness of LTPP (lasting for at least a year, or 50 sessions) and whether it is superior to shorter psychotherapeutic treatments for complex mental disorders, including personality disorders, chronic mental disorders (defined as lasting at least a year) and multiple mental disorders. The researchers identified and included 23 studies for the meta-analysis (11 randomized controlled trials and 12 observational studies), involving a total of 1,053 patients receiving LTPP.
The authors found: "In this meta-analysis, LTPP was significantly superior to shorter-term methods of psychotherapy with regard to overall outcome, target problems, and personality functioning. Long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy yielded large and stable effect sizes in the treatment of patients with personality disorders, multiple mental disorders, and chronic mental disorders. The effect sizes for overall outcome increased significantly between end of therapy and follow-up."
With regard to overall effectiveness, analysis indicated that after treatment with LTPP patients with complex mental disorders on average were better off than 96 percent of the patients in the comparison groups.
The authors add that further research should evaluate the cost-effectiveness of LTPP.
(JAMA. 2008;300[13]:1551-1565. Available pre-embargo to the media at www.jamamedia.org)
Editor's Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.
EDITORIAL: PSYCHODYNAMIC PSYCHOTHERAPY AND RESEARCH EVIDENCE
In an accompanying editorial, Richard M. Glass, M.D., Deputy Editor, JAMA, and with the University of Chicago, comments on the findings regarding LTPP.
"… the meta-analysis by Leichsenring and Rabung in this issue of JAMA provides evidence about the effectiveness of long-term dynamic psychotherapy for patients with complex mental disorders who often do not respond adequately to short-term interventions. It is ironic and disturbing that this occurs at a time when provision of psychotherapy by psychiatrists in the United States is declining significantly. The reasons for this merit careful evaluation. To some extent this may reflect the cost-efficacy of treatments for some mental disorders with medications and brief supportive visits. However, this trend appears to be strongly related to financial incentives and other pressures to minimize costs. Is that what is really wanted for patients with disabling disorders that could respond to more intensive treatment?"
(JAMA. 2008;300[13]:1587-1589. Available pre-embargo to the media at www.jamamedia.org)
Editor's Note: Please see the article for additional information, including financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.
For More Information: Contact the JAMA/Archives Media Relations Department at 312/464-JAMA (5262) or email: mediarelations{at}jama-archives.org.
Go back to the top.
JAMA REPORTS
VIDEO:
Windows Media |
Quicktime
RESEARCHERS IDENTIFY GENETIC VARIATION ASSOCIATED WITH DECREASED RISK FOR COLON CANCER
INTRO:
Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer found in men and women in the United States. Researchers have discovered new information that may help determine your risk of developing the disease. They say risk may actually depend on whether or not you have a certain genetic variation. Alissa Krinsky explains in this JAMA Report.
VIDEO:
B-ROLL
Myra walking with husband
Photo of Myra
Photo of Myra and grandkids
AUDIO:
MYRA WIGGONTON (Wig-in-ton) WAS DIAGNOSED WITH COLON CANCER IN 2005. SOON SHE LEARNED THE CANCER HAD SPREAD TO HER LIVER AND SAYS IT WAS HER FAMILY THAT HELPED HER SURVIVE.
VIDEO:
SOT/FULL
Super @ :13
Myra Wiggonton
Colon Cancer Patient
Runs :10
AUDIO:
“My family stayed with me twenty-four hours a day, and my husband sat with me every night and held my hand till I went to sleep.”
VIDEO:
B-ROLL
Doctor at desk at computer
Doctor’s face
Hand on mouse
Doctor at computer
AUDIO:
DOCTOR BORIS PASCHE (pash) IS AN ONCOLOGIST WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA’S COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTER. HE IS PART OF A TEAM OF RESEARCHERS LOOKING INTO FACTORS THAT MAY INCREASE OR DECREASE A PATIENT’S RISK OF DEVELOPING COLON CANCER.
VIDEO:
SOT/FULL
Super @ :38
Boris Pasche, M.D., Ph.D.
Oncologist
Runs: 06
AUDIO:
“What we have found is a region of a gene that is associated with colorectal cancer risk.”
VIDEO:
B-ROLL
Doctor picks up blood sample
Blood sample
Blood samples into machine
Blood samples
AUDIO:
RESEARCHERS CONDUCTED TWO INDEPENDENT STUDIES. LOOKING AT BLOOD SAMPLES FROM MORE THAN 600 PATIENTS WITH COLORECTAL CANCER AND MORE THAN 800 PEOPLE WITHOUT CANCER – AND THEY ANALYZED D-N-A FROM EACH PATIENT. THOSE WHO HAD A CERTAIN VARIATION OF THE ADIPONECTIN (Add-i-pone-ek-tin) GENE WERE LESS LIKELY TO HAVE COLORECTAL CANCER.
VIDEO:
SOT/FULL
Boris Pasche, M.D., Ph.D.
Oncologist
Runs: 07
AUDIO:
“The degree of decreased risk was approximately thirty percent decreased risk.”
VIDEO:
B-ROLL
GXF/JAMA COVER
Patient and husband sitting
AUDIO:
THE STUDY APPEARS THIS WEEK IN JAMA, JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. COLON CANCER PATIENT MYRA WIGGONTON, WHOSE PROGNOSIS IS NOW GOOD, SAYS THE FINDINGS SHOULD OFFER HOPE TO OTHERS.
VIDEO:
SOT/FULL
Myra Wiggonton
Colon Cancer Patient
Runs: 07
AUDIO:
“If people knew they would later have cancer, they could prevent themselves from having it.”
VIDEO:
SOT/FULL
Boris Pasche, M.D., Ph.D.
Oncologist
Runs: 08
AUDIO:
“It is our hope that we’ll be able to offer early screening to the individuals that are at risk so that we can prevent disease from developing.”
VIDEO:
B-ROLL
Lab tech looking at samples
Blood samples
Patient with husband
Picture of patient and daughter
AUDIO:
AS GENETIC STUDIES CONTINUE MYRA TRUSTS THAT ANSWERS WILL BE FOUND, HOPING HER FAMILY AND OTHERS MAY NOT HAVE TO ENDURE THE STRUGGLE SHE HAD WITH COLON CANCER. ALISSA KRINSKY, JAMA REPORT.
TAG:
Researchers say patients who participated in the study were from various ethnic backgrounds. If further studies confirm these findings, researchers believe new screening tests for patients—tests that could help determine risk for colon cancer—may one day be available. For more information about this study you can log on to www.jama.com.
