Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/1014902
Study Eyes Wider Use of High-dose Flu Vaccine I T I S N O T O N LY the elderly who could benefi t from high-dose infl uenza vaccines, according to researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. The vaccines could also save the lives of considerably younger people, the scientists hypothesize. Their study, published online and slated for publication in Vaccine, recom- mends 50- to 64-year-olds who have chronic illnesses, including heart or lung disease, cancer, or diabetes, be recruited for clinical trials to determine if they would fare better with the high-dose and new recombinant trivalent influ- enza vaccines than with standard-dose quadrivalent vaccines. The higher-dose vaccine is already recommended for people over age 65. Computer modeling suggests it may provide enough additional protection for younger individuals with certain conditions to justify its greater cost, the research team stated in a news release about the study. n — Steve Barrett A Cellular Approach to Parkinson's A C A N A D I A N S C I E N T I S T ' S discovery of a key factor in Parkinson's-related nerve cell death could open new paths to research about slowing the disorder's progression. Cardiolipin, a molecule in the cells, is vital for the correct folding of a particular protein, according to Scott Ryan, a Professor in the University of Guelph Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology. If the protein, alpha-synuclein, does not fold properly, protein deposits that are common in Parkinson's disease develop. The deposits harm nerve cells that are important in voluntary movement. "Identifying the crucial role cardiolipin plays in keeping these proteins functional means cardiolipin may represent a new target for development of therapies against Parkinson's disease," Ryan stated in a news release. "Currently there are no treatments that stop nerve cells from dying." The study was published in Nature Communications. n — Steve Barrett The Right (Amount of) Care THERE M AY BE a disconnect between how older patients and their healthcare providers view the proper level of medical care, a recent survey suggests. The National Poll on Healthy Aging by the University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy & Innovation found 14 percent of adults ages 50–80 agreed with the statement, "When it comes to medical treatment, more is usually better." Forty-three percent disagreed; 43 percent were neutral. One in six told pollsters that during the past year, a provider had recommended a medication, test or procedure that the patient considered unnecessary. In contrast, about 10 percent of patients said a provider had advised against a test, medication or procedure they felt they needed. Although most said the provider had spelled out the reasoning behind the recommendation, 40 percent did not fully understand the explanation. n — Steve Barrett 2 0❱❱❱❱❱ T H A T ' S N E W S