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Sound Medicine -- December 27, 2003

Hosts Barbara Lewis and Dr. David Crabb talk to physicians and researchers about:

Depression and Arthritis

Green Onions

Revised HIV/AIDS Guidelines

Real Media | Windows Media

Depression and Arthritis

There's an interesting link between two health problems in older adults: arthritis and depression. More than half of all people over the age of 65 suffer from arthritis; the figure jumps to almost 80% after age 70. About 10% of older patients seen in primary care practices suffer from clinical depression. A study of more than 1800 patients over age 60 with depression, and more than 1000 with arthritis, found that effective treatment for depression can also improve problems related to arthritis.

The research was part of a large multi-site study of depression care that included Indiana University. Results, which were published in the November 12, 2003 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, focus on enhancing the primary care team to provide systematic depression care for older adults. Dr. Kurt Kroenke was co-investigator of the IU study. He is professor of medicine at the IU School of Medicine and research scientist at the Regenstrief Institute.

Resources:

Find out more about the study from this news release.

The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases explains arthritis in this article.

The National Institute of Mental Health maintains a thorough resource about depression in older people.

Green Onions

The only health problem most of us associate with fresh vegetables and fruits is that we don't eat enough of them. But in November, green onions from Mexico caused the largest outbreak of hepatitis A in U.S. history, resulting in three deaths and more than 500 cases of the illness. But produce contamination is nothing new. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate there are 76 million cases of food-borne illness a year.

According to a study done last year by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the single biggest cause is contaminated produce. Dr. Richard Linton of Purdue University discusses the importation of produce and the risk of illness. Dr. Linton is the Director of Center for Food Safety Engineering. His research includes developing new ways of eliminating pathogens from produce.

Resources:

Read a report from the CDC about the Hepatitis A outbreak associated with green onions.

Review the basics of handling food safely in this guide from the US Department of Agriculture.

Does your kitchen pass the food safety test?

Revised HIV/AIDS Guidelines

In July, the Panel on Clinical Practices for the Treatment of HIV Infection published its revised guidelines for the management of HIV/AIDS. The group was created by the Department of Health and Human Services in order to keep medical professionals up to date with the best practices for managing HIV/AIDS. Prescribing effective treatment has become more complicated than ever with 22 FDA-approved antiretroviral agents now available to caregivers and patients.

Dr. John Bartlett is co-chair of the panel. He is chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases and a professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University Medical Center.

Resources:

According to this press release from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the revised guidelines will ease selection of HIV/AIDS treatments.

AIDSinfo is a US Department of Health and Human Services project providing information on HIV/AIDS clinical trials and treatment.

The American Society for Clinical Pathology provides clear information about HIV and AIDS, including prevention, testing, and treatment.