Implications of Cholesterol and Cholesterol-Lowering Therapy in Alzheimer's Disease
Client base: Healthcare Communications Agency, Healthcare, Geriatric, Biotech, Pharmaceutical, Educational
Alzheimer s disease (AD) is a severe neurodegenerative disease that mainly afflicts elderly persons, with a characteristic progressive decline of cognitive functions and dementia. It is believed that the majority of all AD patients are affected by the sporadic form, thus caused by the combined effects of several risk factors, such as elevated cholesterol levels in midlife and deficiencies in the lipoprotein transporters apolipoprotein E (ApoE). Cholesterol play an essential role in the central nervous system (CNS) were it maintains normal physiological conditions, and is a requirement for the ability of neurons to communicate.
It has previously been demonstrated that the cholesterol homeostasis in the CNS is maintained by a slow conversion of brain cholesterol into 24(S)-hydroxycholesterol, with a net flux of 27-hydroxycholesterol from the circulation into the brain. The importance of a preserved cholesterol homeostasis has been supported by the observation that dietary cholesterol may induce an inflammation in the CNS, and increase the levels of pro-inflammatory mediators. It has, in direct association with these observations, been demonstrated that plasma levels of pro-inflammatory proteins, such as interleukin-6, are increased before the clinical onset of AD, after which a chronic state of inflammation often is found. Accordingly, it has been suggested that memory and cognitive functions could benefit from a cholesterol-lowering therapy.
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Medical Writing
Antidiabetic Agents Metformin and Acarbose on Prevention and Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Client base: Healthcare Communications Agency, Healthcare, Geriatric, Biotech, Pharmaceutical, Educational
Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a serious health problem with a prevalence of approximately 10 percent among adults in the United States [1, 2]. The disease has previously been called non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), or adult-onset diabetes. Typical risk factors for type 2 diabetes include obesity, impaired glucose tolerance, a sedentary lifestyle, and race/ethnicity – especially American Indians, Hispanics, African-Americans, Asians, and Pacific Islanders [3].
It has been hypothesized that treatment with antidiabetic agents may have an effect on prevention and incidence of the disease. Here we will review the scientific merit of treatments with metformin, a biguanide antihyperglycemic agent, and the α-glucosidase inhibitor acarbose.
In 2002, The Diabetes Prevention Program Research Group (DPPRG) published the results from a large, double-blind randomized clinical trial in the United States [4]. In this study, they investigated what effect treatment with metformin might have on prevention or delay of onset of type 2 diabetes. They also examined the effect of lifestyle changes, which has gained increased interest as a form of prevention therapy and is supported by several observational studies and clinical trials [5-8]. With an average follow-up of 2.8 years, the DPPRG study reported that both metformin and lifestyle changes were able to significantly decrease the incidence of type 2 diabetes. The results were 4.8 cases for lifestyle changes, 7.8 cases for treatment with metformin, and 11.0 cases for placebo per 100 person-years, respectively. As a result, the incidence of type 2 diabetes was reduced by 58 percent with lifestyle changes, and by 31 percent with metformin, as compared with placebo. Lifestyle changes and treatment with metformin showed a similar reduction in the average fasting plasma glucose concentration. These findings are consistent with the observation that metformin suppresses endogenous glucose production, the main determinant of fasting plasma glucose concentrations [9].
Treatment with Respiratoraxcin [fictional drug] Reveals a Novel Broad-Spectrum Effect on Penicillin-Resistant Respiratory Pathogens In Vitro with Significant Clinical Potential
Client base: Healthcare Communications Agency, Healthcare, Biotech, Pharmaceutical, Educational
Respiratory pathogens have been associated with acute respiratory tract infections (RTIs), and are believed to be the cause behind approximately 10% of the global annual burden of morbidity, mortality and costs of health care [1]. Although pneumococcal vaccines have been available for over 100 years [2], it is still a key element of global disease prevention [3]. It has been estimated that 4 million children in developing countries die each year from RTIs and yet, approximately 75% of all antibiotics worldwide are prescribed for treatment of the disease [1].
This enigma may be partially explained by a dramatic increase in antibiotic-resistant viral strains. Although the first case of resistance was reported in 1940 with penicillin resistant Escherichia coli [4], it has been suggested that routine prescription of antibiotics and an excessive global usage may explain the increased resistance in recent years. Outbreaks of novel respiratory strains, such as the most recent outbreak that occurred in Saudi Arabia in 2012, further demonstrate that the presence of resistance is a real and growing threat to our health [5]. Given the high burden of pneumococcal diseases, it is critical to find new broad-spectrum therapeutic agents to ensure continuous access to efficient treatment options. An alternative therapeutic approach that has shown promise is the use of antibiotic combinations, which have demonstrated increased activity against multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in vitro compared to single antibiotics [6].
The discovery of Respiratoraxcin [fictional drug], a broad-spectrum fluoroquinolone, has instigated a new era of research on RTI, although initial reports suggest that the agent might become important for multiple therapeutic areas [7-8]. In this study, we present a complete microbiological characterization of Respiratoraxcin [fictional drug], focusing on its in vitro activity against respiratory isolates from known cases of RTI, including such important strains as penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumonia (PRSP) [9], Haemophilus influenza, and Branhamella catarrhalis.
Medical Writing
Selected Works
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Implications of Cholesterol and Cholesterol-lowering Therapy in Alzheimer's Disease
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Antidiabetic Agents Metformin and Acarbose on Prevention and Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
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Treatment with Respiratoraxcin [fictional drug] Reveals a Novel Broad-Spectrum Effect on Penicillin-Resistant Respiratory Pathogens