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News Briefs: January 2010
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Tuesday, January 26, 2010 Contacts: Contact: Arlyn G. Riskind Director, Media Relations Phone: (301) 941-0240 Email: ariskind@endo-society.org Aaron Lohr Manager, Media Relations Phone: (240) 482-1380 Email: alohr@endo-society.org 1. Common Antidepressant Drugs Linked to Lactation Difficulties in Moms 1. Common Antidepressant Drugs Linked to Lactation Difficulties in Moms According to a new study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM), women taking commonly used forms of antidepressant drugs may experience delayed lactation after giving birth and may need additional support to achieve their breastfeeding goals. Breastfeeding benefits both infants and mothers in many ways as breast milk is easy to digest and contains antibodies that can protect infants from bacterial and viral infections. The World Health Organization recommends that infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life. This new study shows that certain common antidepressant drugs may be linked to a common difficulty experienced by new mothers known as delayed secretory activation, defined as a delay in the initiation of full milk secretion. “The breasts are serotonin-regulated glands, meaning the breasts’ ability to secrete milk at the right time is closely related to the body’s production and regulation of the hormone serotonin,” said Nelson Horseman, PhD, of the University of Cincinnati and co-author of the study. “Common antidepressant drugs like fluoxetine, sertraline and paroxetine are known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) drugs and while they can affect mood, emotion and sleep they may also impact serotonin regulation in the breast, placing new mothers at greater risk of a delay in the establishment of a full milk supply.” In this study, researchers examined the effects of SSRI drugs on lactation using laboratory studies of human and animal cell lines and genetically modified mice. Furthermore, an observational study evaluated the impact of SSRI drugs on the onset of milk production in postpartum women. In this study of 431 postpartum women, median onset of lactation was “SSRI drugs are very helpful medications for many moms, so understanding and ameliorating difficulties moms experience can help them achieve their goals for breastfeeding their babies,” said Horseman. “More human research is needed before we can make specific recommendations regarding SSRI use during breastfeeding.” Other researchers working on the study include: Aaron Marshall, Laura Hernandez and Karen Gregerson of the University of Cincinnati in Ohio; Laurie Nommsen-Rivers of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Ohio; Kathryn Dewey of the University of California at Davis; and Caroline Chantry of the University of California Davis Medical Center in Sacramento. The article, “Serotonin transport and metabolism in the mammary gland modulates 2. Childhood Obesity Alone May Increase Risk of Later Cardiovascular Disease By as early as 7 years of age, being obese may raise a child’s risk of future heart disease and stroke, even in the absence of other cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, according to a new study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM). “This new study demonstrates that the unhealthy consequences of excess body fat start very early,” said Nelly Mauras, MD, of Nemours Children’s Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida and senior author of the study. “Our study shows that obesity alone is linked to certain abnormalities in the blood that can predispose individuals to developing cardiovascular disease early in adulthood. The metabolic syndrome is a cluster of risk factors that raise the risk of developing heart disease, stroke and diabetes. It is being increasingly diagnosed in children as being overweight becomes a greater problem. Although debate exists as to its exact definition, to receive a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome, one must have at least three of the following characteristics: increased waist circumference (abdominal fat), low HDL (“good”) cholesterol, high triglycerides (fats in the blood), high blood pressure and high blood glucose (blood sugar). Mauras and her colleagues wanted to know if obesity could raise cardiovascular disease risk prior to the onset of the metabolic syndrome. Researchers therefore screened more than 300 individuals ages 7 to 18 years and included only those without features of the metabolic syndrome. They included 202 participants in the study: 115 obese children and 87 lean children as controls. Half of the children were prepubertal and the other half were in late puberty. Obese children had a body mass index (a measure of body fat) above the 95th percentile for their sex, age and height. To be eligible to participate in the study, the children and adolescents had to have normal fasting blood sugar levels, normal blood pressure and normal cholesterol and triglycerides. Lean controls also could not have a close relative with type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure or obesity. The latter group proved very difficult to find. All study participants underwent blood testing for known markers for predicting the development of cardiovascular disease. These included elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation, and abnormally high fibrinogen, a clotting factor, among others. Obese children had a 10 fold higher CRP and significantly higher fibrinogen concentrations, compared with age- and sex-matched lean children, the authors reported. These abnormalities occurred in obese children as young as age 7, long before the onset of puberty. The results were striking Mauras stated, as the children were entirely healthy otherwise. Although it is not yet known whether early therapeutic interventions can reverse high CRP and fibrinogen, she said it would be prudent for health care providers to advise more aggressive interventions to limit calories and increase activity in “healthy” overweight children, even before the onset of puberty. “Doctors often do not treat obesity in children now unless they have other features of the metabolic syndrome,” Mauras said. “This practice should be reconsidered. Further studies are needed to offer more insight into the effects of therapeutic interventions in these children. Other researchers working on the study include: Charles DelGiorno, Keisha Bird, Melissa Morgan, Shawn Sweeten, Prabhakaran Balagopal and Ligeia Damaso of Nemours Children’s Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla; and Craig Kollman of the Jaeb Center for Health Research in Tampa, Fla. The article, “Obesity Without Established Co-morbidities of the Metabolic Syndrome is Associated With a Pro-inflammatory and Pro-thrombotic State Even Before the Onset of Puberty in Children,” will appear in the March 2010 issue of JCEM. 3. New Patient Fact Sheet on Hyperprolactinemia Available The Hormone Foundation has published a new bilingual (English/Spanish) patient fact sheet on Hyperprolactinemia. The fact sheet defines hyperprolactinemia and identifies its causes, including pituitary tumors, certain prescription medication, hypothyroidism, and more. It also covers signs and symptoms in men and women, diagnosis, and treatment. For more information visit: www.hormone.org. 4. Call for Nominations: The Endocrine Society’s Journalism Award The Endocrine Society is calling for nominations for the third annual Award for Excellence in Science and Medical Journalism. The award recognizes outstanding reporting that enhances public understanding of health issues pertaining to the field of endocrinology. The award is open to all credentialed journalists in print (both “hard” and electronic) or broadcast. Candidates can self-nominate or be nominated by someone else. Only one nomination is permitted for each nominee. Submissions can include any work first published between March 1, 2009 and February 28, 2010. Weight will be given to entries that contribute to the public understanding of endocrinology and demonstrate thorough research, accurate reporting and originality. The honor consists of an award to be presented in June 2010 at the Society’s annual meeting in San Diego, California. The award recipient will also receive complimentary travel and hotel accommodations to attend the annual meeting Nomination forms, eligibility and submission requirements can be found at http://www.endo-society.org/media/Journalism-Award.cfm. To apply, please submit the completed nomination form and three copies of the article/work, whether published or taped, to: Aaron Lohr Submissions must be received by March 2, 2010. 5. News Media Registration Open for ENDO 2010: The 92nd Annual Meeting & Expo in San Diego, Calif. The 92nd Annual Meeting & Expo, taking place in San Diego, CA on June 19-22, 2010, is an unique opportunity for journalists to learn about the latest research in fields as diverse as obesity, endocrine disruptors, diabetes, growth hormones, sex steroids, thyroid cancer and much more. For public information officers, ENDO provides a worldwide stage to promote your institution's research to reporters through news releases and participation by your scientists in news conferences. News Media Registration Information Registering as media does not guarantee approval in receiving a press pass. The Endocrine Society will review the credentials of all reporters seeking to attend ENDO to ensure eligibility requirements are met. Media approved for attendance will receive official notification via email from Endocrine Society staff. Reporter Eligibility • Working press employed by bona fide news media: must present a press card, business card, or letter of introduction from an editor of a recognized publication. • Freelance writers: must present a current members card from the American Medical Writers Association or the National Association of Science Writers; evidence of by-lined work pertaining to science, health, medicine, or biomedical research intended for the general public and published within the past two years; or a letter of assignment from a recognized publication. • Public information officers of scientific societies, medical associations, educational institutions, and government agencies: must present a business card. • Representatives of for-profit corporations and of the business side of news media must register onsite, pay the appropriate fees, and are not accredited as Press at the meeting. • Researchers and clinicians who are also reporters and who are presenting at this meeting (oral or poster session) may receive news media credentials if they qualify (see above), but must also register for the meeting and pay the appropriate fee as a presenter. To register as media for ENDO 2010, visit http://www.endo-society.org/endo2010/audience/media.cfm. Registered news media receive a badge that provides access to all meeting sessions, as well as to the Newsroom and press conferences. No one will be admitted without a valid ENDO badge.
# # # Founded in 1916, The Endocrine Society is the world's oldest, largest, and most active organization devoted to research on hormones and the clinical practice of endocrinology. Today, The Endocrine Society's membership consists of over 14,000 scientists, physicians, educators, nurses and students in more than 80 countries. Together, these members represent all basic, applied, and clinical interests in endocrinology. The Endocrine Society is based in Chevy Chase, Md. To learn more about the Society, and the field of endocrinology, visit our web site at www.endo-society.org. |