Two gene regions that affect a baby’s size at birth have been uncovered by a large international team of researchers, made up of scientists from several UK and international centres including Imperial. one of the regions is also associated with type 2 diabetes.

The research, published in Nature Genetics, is the first robust evidence that a well-known link between lower birth weight and susceptibility to type 2 diabetes has a genetic component.

The team analysed over 38,000 Europeans from 19 studies of pregnancy and birth. Two genetic variants showed strong associations with birth weight. one of the variants, in a gene called ADCY5, has recently been linked with susceptibility to type 2 diabetes. Individuals who inherit two risk copies of this variant are at a 25 per cent higher risk of diabetes in adulthood than those who inherit two non-risk copies.

Professor Marjo-Riitta Jarvelin, Chair in Lifecourse Epidemiology (Public Health), and one of the leaders of the research, said: “we have, for nearly two decades, tried to discover the factors which may explain why smaller fetal size associates with so many later life chronic conditions such as heart disease…Our own studies have demonstrated that a number of environmental factors influence fetal growth and that some fetuses are more vulnerable to those than the others. I believe that our genetic landmark discoveries will give us opportunity to answer these puzzling questions in the near future.”

— Adapted from a news release issued by the Wellcome Trust

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By Katherine Hobson

ADHD Diagnosis: New American Academy of Pediatrics treatment guidelines for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder say ADHD can be diagnosed in kids as early as age four, and that Ritalin and similar drugs are an appropriate treatment even for those youngest kids with persistent symptoms when behavioral-management strategies don’t work, the WSJ reports. many ADHD medications are only approved by the FDA for kids aged six and up, but physicians can use them off-label if they wish.

Birth Weight and Autism: in other pediatrics news, researchers report that low birth weight is linked to a higher risk of autism spectrum disorder later on, Health.com reports. five percent of babies born at less than 4 pounds, 7 ounces went on to develop an autism spectrum disorder by age 21, compared to about 1% of the overall population, Health.com says. The research, which appears in the journal Pediatrics, cannot say whether low birth weight actually causes autism.

Acquiring Anadys: Roche is buying Anadys Pharmaceuticals, which focuses on developing potential treatments for hepatitis C infection, for $230 million, the WSJ reports. The $3.70 per-share price for Anadys is 256% higher than its closing stock price on Friday.

Out of Antarctica: Renee-Nicole Douceur, the engineer who fell ill while working in the South Pole, has been successfully evacuated to New Zealand, ABC News reports. Douceur suffered symptoms of what may have been a stroke in late August, but a rescue was delayed because of weather conditions.

Children with asthma may experience a significant improvement in symptoms if they take Xolair (omalizumab) in addition to asthma therapy recommended by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), according to results of a new study. these findings may lead to an improvement in treatment for childhood asthma, especially for children and adolescents living in the inner cities.

Asthma affects about 9 million children in the United States, and is the main cause of chronic illness in this population. most children experience their first symptoms by age 5, although they can begin at any age. Risk factors for childhood asthma include being male, being black, being raised in a low-income environment, low birth weight, presence of allergies, family history of allergies and/or asthma, and exposure to tobacco smoke before and/or after birth.

Several of these risk factors came into play in the recent study, which was conducted in eight cities in the United States by the Inner City Asthma Consortium (ICAC). the study included 419 young people ages 6 to 20 years old who had been diagnosed with moderate to severe allergic asthma of more than one year duration. sixty percent of the participants were African American, 37 percent were Hispanic, and all lived in a city environment (Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, new York City, Tucson, and Washington DC).

All the participants were taking NIH guidelines-based asthma treatment when they entered the study. At that time they were randomly assigned to take either omalizumab or placebo.

The investigators found that children who took omalizumab did not experience the increase in seasonal asthma attacks in the fall, which are associated with viral airway infections such as colds.

According to William Busse, MD, the principal investigator of ICAC and professor of medicine at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, “because the drug specifically targets IgE, which is the antibody responsible for allergies, our observations show the possible interplay between allergies, respiratory viruses and IgE in provoking asthma attacks.”

This finding is especially important because severe seasonal asthma attacks cause many young people to miss school and to require emergency department care. Discovery of new effective treatment regimens for young people with allergic asthma could significantly improve their quality of life.

Stephen J. Teach, MD, MPH, medical director and principal investigator of IMPACT DC, a program of pediatric asthma care and research at Children’s National Medical Center, and one of the Site Principal Investigators for the ICAC study, noted “the next step for the ICAC is to focus more closely on the role of omalizumab in reducing fall exacerbations of asthma.” and that may help many children, and their parents, breathe a little easier.

SOURCE:Children’s National Medical Center

A Shadow over Expecting ?your Pregnant Symptoms : How Preexisting Health Conditions can Affect you and your Baby

One of the most important things for a woman to ensure while she is pregnant symptoms is that she remains healthy throughout the the nine-month period. This is because anything that affects the mother will affect the baby in her womb. with that into consideration, women should be aware that any preexisting condition they might have and/or the medications that they are taking can have a profound effect on their pregnancy and their baby. in some cases, this may increase the risk of babies being born with birth weight problems (either overweight or underweight), developmental problems, preterm labor, premature rupture of membranes, pre-eclampsia, congenital heart block, or deformities. It may even be the cause of death for both mother and child.

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Among the preexisting medical conditions that pose a significant health risk for women during pregnancy are anemia, asthma, arthritis, sexually transmitted diseases, heart conditions, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), thyroid disorders, kidney diseases, liver diseases, infections, diabetes, hypertension, eating disorders, epilepsy, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), substance abuse, depression, and other mental illnesses. While these conditions can pose complications during pregnancy, it is possible to manage them with medical assistance.

It is highly recommended that women visit their obstetricians monthly during a normal pregnancy, but for women with preexisting conditions this may occur with more frequency so that their healthcare providers can monitor the progress of the pregnancy, how the woman is managing her preexisting condition and how it is affecting the unborn child.

For women with preexisting conditions who are planning to become pregnant, it is important to consult with a doctor before conception happens. A doctor will be able to explain the risks the condition poses to the pregnancy and help a woman weigh the pros and cons of carrying a child. This is called preconception planning, and when followed by early and on-going prenatal care, it is very helpful in ensuring a safe and healthy pregnancy.

Preconception planning can map out a possible plan for every step during the pregnant symptoms , including counseling for the couple who wishes to have the child, the possibility of changing the medications currently being used to manage the preexisting condition, and of any changes in diet for the mother-to-be.    in some cases, such as if a woman has an eating disorder or a predilection for substance abuse, the doctor may suggest going through therapy to eliminate these conditions before becoming pregnant. both diet and medication have been proven to have an impact on the health of the child, since the baby is effectively sharing whatever the mother ingests.

Chronic conditions don’t have to threaten a woman’s life or the life of her unborn child. Apart from seeking medical advice about her preexisting conditions, it is also important to have the support of her family and friends around her. there are also groups composed of women in a similar situation that remind the the woman that she is not the only person going through this challenge. there are many women out there have triumphed over their illnesses to carry a child to term. Practicing preconception planning is just one of the steps in giving birth to healthy babies.

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