Higeia o Panacea en el tratamiento de la hepatopatía grasa no alcohólica / Hygeia or Panacea for treating non alcoholic fatty liver disease

La hepatopatía grasa no alcohólica es la afección crónica del hígado más frecuente en la mayor parte del mundo. Como en otras enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles, en su tratamiento se han empleado recursos tanto medicamentosos como no farmacológicos. Con el propósito de estimar el uso y el valor respectivo de cada uno en el enfoque terapéutico actual se realiza esta revisión y actualización del tema. Para esto, fueron revisadas las evidencias publicadas, fundamentalmente en artículos de gastroenterología y de otras especialidades que tratan del tema y disponibles en bases de datos electrónicas(AU)

Non alcoholic fatty liver disease is the most frequent chronic liver condition in the world. As in other chronic non-communicable diseases, treatment has used both pharmacological and non-pharmacological resources. In order to estimate the use and value of each current therapeutic approach, a revision for updating on this topic is conducted. Published evidence were reviewed, mainly articles on gastroenterology and other specialties dealing with the topic and which are available in electronic databases(AU)

Complementary and alternative medicine use among long-term lymphoma survivors: a pilot study.

No published survey has specifically addressed the beliefs, knowledge, and usage of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in long-term (5-20 years) lymphoma survivors alone. In this pilot project, 95 subjects were randomly selected from a population of 2,475 long-term lymphoma survivors and mailed a questionnaire. The median time from lymphoma diagnosis to completion of the questionnaire was 11 years (range 6-20). Overall, 68% (95% CI: 54-80%) of the long-term lymphoma survivors reported that they have used CAM, a rate higher than the estimated usage rate reported for the general population The most commonly used modalities were chiropractic (39%, 95% CI: 27-53%) and massage therapy (21%, 95% CI: 12-34%). Less than 10% used meditation (5%, 95% CI: 1-15%) and relaxation (7%, 95% CI: 2-17%). In terms of common herbal usage, 5% (95% CI: 1-15%) had used St. John's Wort and 7% (95% CI: 2-17%) had used shark cartilage. Although none of the patients reported that CAM usage was directed specifically towards treating their lymphoma, 4% (95% CI: 0-12%) of patients reported that CAM could cure cancer, and 14% (95% CI: 6-26%) reported that CAM could increase their feeling of control over their health. This pilot study suggests that long-term lymphoma survivors appear to use CAM at a rate higher than the general population. The use of potential agents of risk by the survivors and the lack of access to potentially beneficial modalities highlights the need for further study of CAM in this population.

Mesotherapy.

Mesotherapy is a technique which involves microinjections of conventional homeopathic medication and/ or vitamins into the mesoderm or middle layer of the skin to promote healing or corrective treatment to a specific area of the body. It is a debatable addition in the therapeutic armamentarium in the management of skin rejuvenation. However, dermatologists have to use this cautiously and judiciously as at present there is a lot of controversy regarding its efficacy and safety despite the fact that mesotherapy is gaining popularity in the West.

[Traditional nostrum].

The commercialization of drugs started toward the end of Heian period (794-1192) when not only aristocrats and monks who were traditional patrons to drug makers, but also local clans and landlords who became powerful as a result of the disbanding of aristocratic manors accumulated enough wealth to spend money on medicine. Although traveling around the country was still a dangerous endeavor, merchants assembled groups to bring lucrative foreign drugs (mainly Chinese) to remote areas. The spread of commercial drugs to common people, however, did not happen until the early Edo period (1603-1867), when the so-called barrier system was installed nationwide to make domestic travel safe. Commercialization started in large cities and gradually spread to other areas. Many nostrums popular until recently appeared in the Genroku period (1688-1703) or later. Many such nostrums were all-cures, often consisting of such active ingredients as Saussureae radix, Agalloch, or Gambir. Even in the Edo period, many people living in agricultural or fishing villages, as well as those in the lower tier, were still poor. Much of the medication available to those people was therefore made of various plant or animal-derived substances that were traditionally used as folk medicines.

Tratamientos de medicina alternativa con intención curativa en el manejo del paciente con cáncer: consideraciones éticas / Alternative medicine treatment with curative ends in the management of the patient with cancer: ethical considerations

Se discute la ética de los manejos terapéuticos de los pacientes oncológicos, así como la bioética de las investigaciones oncológicas en humanos relacionándolos con el empleo de tratamientos cuestionables o no demostrados en la práctica médica, tanto por personal propio del sistema de salud como por personal ajeno al mismo(AU)

Cell therapy: a cruel and dangerous deception. A drama in three acts.

'Cell therapy' is a long-standing quack remedy used in Germany and adjacent countries. Organ extracts from fetal or young animals, fresh or lyophilized, are injected, with the intention of achieving 'cure' or at least 'treatment' of postulated organ deficiencies or failures. In Germany and in Australia 'cell therapy' has been administered in Down syndrome, cancer and for traumatic and other brain injuries. The preparation is banned in Germany, and can be lawfully imported into Australia only with express Ministerial permission. Even so its illicit use has been widespread. Morbidity and mortality have been reported since 1956, mostly in the German literature. There is a finite risk of infection with slow viruses of animal origin. This possibility should be considered in otherwise unexplained spongiform encephalopathy or leuco-encephalitis. Legal problems are considerable when quack practitioners (medically qualified or otherwise) administer such a preparation to children or legally incompetent adults.

Unproved cancer remedies. A survey of use in pediatric outpatients.

Sixty-nine patients or parents of patients were interviewed during a five-week period. Each interviewee was given a questionnaire listing commonly recommended unproved drugs, diets, and miscellaneous treatments, and was instructed to respond to each remedy as follows: Have you tried it? Have you considered trying it? Has it been recommended by someone else? Six patients (8.7%) had tried at least one unproved remedy, four (5.8%) considered trying some other remedy, and recommendations to seek other remedies had been made to 17 patients (24.6%). Laetrile and assistance from faith healers were the remedies named most frequently.