Newsbriefs: Lutein; Low Back Pain; Gout
Lutein Consumption May Aid Healthy Brain Aging.
Lutein, a pigment found in cruciferous vegetables (Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli) and leafy greens, is associated with preserving “crystallized intelligence,” the ability to use your lifetime skills and knowledge. Study participants with higher blood serum levels of lutein scored higher on standard tests that measure crystallized intelligence. (Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, Dec. 6, 2016.)
New Guidelines To Treat Low Back Pain.
The American College of Physicians (ACP) has issued new guidelines on treating low back pain, the first change since 2007 when the previous guidelines were issued. The guidelines apply to nonradicular pain—that is, pain not stemming from damage to the spinal nerve root. The new guidelines include new therapies, such as tai chi, yoga, acupuncture motor control exercise (MCE), and mindfulness-based treatment. Opioids should be the last option for treatment, say the guidelines, and should be considered only when all other therapies have failed. The ACP’s review committee recommends that non-drug therapy and exercise be the first line of treatment, along with the above-mentioned multidisciplinary rehabilitation.
Gout Linked to High Cardiovascular Risk.
Patients with gout are at very high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), and risk prediction tools appear to underestimate the presence of carotid plaque, according to a study led by Mariano Andres, MD, Hospital General Universitario de Alicante. The study of 237 patients with gout found 92.3 percent to have at least one CVD risk factor. Carotid ultrasound was performed in 59.9 percent of patients who initially were not considered very high risk. Dr. Andres said that the “prevalence of carotid plaques in patients with gout appears greater than the general population and similar to other chronic inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis.” Researchers recommended optimal prevention strategies (Annals of Rheumatic Diseases, January 2017.)
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