Heavy rains this summer have resulted in standing pools of water that are breeding more mosquitoes than usual.

Mosquitoes carry and transmit many diseases, including heartworm. Heartworm is a serious and life-threatening parasite transmitted between dogs by mosquitoes.

Heartworm-transmitting mosquitoes bite your dog, then larvae are transferred into the bloodstream where they will incubate and mature. This is the onset of heartworm disease.

If left ignored, these microscopic larvae will develop into large worms inside your dog’s heart and eventually cause a serious, deadly condition.

What Are the Signs of Heartworm Disease?

In the early stages, there are few clinical symptoms. As the heartworms grow the worms migrate to the arteries and eventually to the heart and lungs. This can cause severe lung inflammation and heart failure. Symptoms of more advanced heartworm disease include a mild, persistent cough, lethargy, fatigue, reduced appetite and weight loss.

How is Heartworm Disease Detected?

Heartworm infection in dogs can be detected with a simple blood test.

Are Cats Affected?

Mosquitoes can transmit heartworm larvae to cats. however, heartworms do not mature and reproduce well in the cats. Thus, infected cats do not typically have symptoms nor progress to a life-threatening condition.

Prevention is Key

Heartworm is difficult to treat, but easy to prevent. We recommend that pet guardians take steps now to talk to their veterinarians about how to best protect their pets from this dangerous disease. Heartworm prevention is safe, easy and inexpensive. while treatment for dogs with active heartworm disease is possible, it can be expensive and take months.

There are a variety of options for preventing heartworm infection in both dogs and cats, including monthly chewable tablets and monthly topical applications. All of these methods are extremely effective. these medications interrupt heartworm development before adult worms reach the lungs and cause disease.

Our pets count on us to protect them from this preventable disease. The key to prevention is maintaining the monthly preventative program recommended by your veterinarian. creating calendar or smart-phone reminders to help remind you to give the medication is a tool to help you keep this responsibility.

For more information about heartworm disease, go to heartwormsociety.org and see your veterinarian for your pet’s testing and the monthly preventative.

Jennifer Bolser, DVM is the Chief Clinic Veterinarian for the Humane Society of Boulder Valley’s full-service public veterinary clinic. The clinic is located at 2323 55th Street in Boulder. for information or to make an appointment, call 303-442-4030 or go to boulderhumane.org

posted by Adam on 21 Feb 2011 at 10:06 am

This is a terrible study, and worse, the media is making false statements which are nowhere to be found in the study. This was a study of people who were “tired” or “depressed,” and intentionally restricted the sample. This was a purely political study financed by insurance and by government.Most people with CFS find out their limitations and understand what level of activity they can withstand without relapsing.CFS patients have 30% less blood volume, have marked mitochondrial dysfunction, both of which can lead to congestive heart failure. They have multiple co-infections with herpesviruses EBV, CMV, HHV and often have others such as pathgenic mycoplasma, chlamydia pneumoniae, and intrusion of enteric bacteria into the blood due to high levels of inflammatory cytokines. They have high antibodies to many bacterias and viruses at levels which healthy people just do not have. Their RNaseL enzyme system is engaged at fighting viral replicated at levels healthy people just don’t have, and it borrows from the cellular energy needed to maintain normal levels of activity.Telling CFS patients to exercise their way out of illness makes about as much sense as telling a person with a severe cold to get on an exercise bike and go really fast until they get better.They have marked irregularities in cytokines, abnormalities in natural killer cell counts, and markedly decreased natural killer cell cytotoxicity. CFS patients can lose nearly all of their ability to kill latent viruses — scoring worse than HIV/AIDS patients. by contrast, severe depression combined with smoking has a small fraction of the effect on the immune system.

| post followup | alert a moderator |

CHICAGO (Reuters) – A pregnancy hormone that relaxes blood vessels appeared to reduce symptoms of acute heart failure and improve survival, according to a preliminary study released by U.S. researchers on Sunday.

They said the hormone relaxin, which is being developed by privately held Corthera Inc of California, was safe, and showed signs of reducing the risk of death from heart problems during the study.

The findings suggest that "early administration of this drug, in addition to standard therapy, might be associated with more rapid, sustained and complete resolution of acute heart failure, as well as with more favorable long-term outcomes," John Teerlink of the University of California, San Francisco, and colleagues wrote in the journal Lancet.

"if established in larger studies, the benefits of relaxin might represent an important advance in the treatment of patients with acute heart failure," the researchers wrote.

In pregnancy, the hormone helps relax and lengthen the cervix to prepare for childbirth, but it is also thought to be a natural vasodilator, widening blood vessels and allowing blood to flow more freely.

Vasodilators are often given to people with high blood pressure, which is common in heart failure, a condition in which the heart gradually loses its ability to pump blood efficiently, leaving organs starved for oxygen.

Teerlink and colleagues studied 234 elderly patients with heart failure and high blood pressure who were given either a 48-hour intravenous infusion of the drug or a placebo.

They found it was safe and helped to reduce shortness of breath in 40 percent of patients who received a moderate dose of the drug, compared with 23 percent who took a placebo.

It also reduced the number of patients in the study who died from heart problems or were readmitted to the hospital within two months for kidney failure compared with the placebo, according to the results, which were also presented at the American College of Cardiology meeting in Florida.

An estimated 5.3 million Americans have heart failure, a chronic but often deadly condition that will cost $34.8 billion this year for direct and indirect U.S. treatment costs, according to the American Heart Association.

© Copyright (c) Reuters

How are they related?

Where did you read that indigestion is a symptom of congestive heart failure? As far as I know, and I just looked in 2 of my med school textbooks, indigestion is not listed as a symptom of congestive heart failure. you can occasionally get loss of appetite and nausea due to fluid buildup, but even those aren't really common symptoms that we look for.

its not a symptom. its just so happens that indigestion causing an acid burn near the thorax region near the heart and heart failure is allso at pretty much the same region hence it is sometimes mistaken heart failure for indigestion.
stress in the heart can cause a build up of acid (feels like indigestion) but an indigestion usually doesnt cause a heart failure.

Are muscular cramps, fatigue and headache ruining your day? think you are having hallucinations? You may be suffering from SIADH, a rare medical condition that affects only a few in the population.

What is SIADH? Simply put, it is a health condition that is characterized by abnormally low sodium levels in the body. “SIADH” is the abbreviated form of “Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone Secretion”. It is commonly seen in people suffering from some types of cancer, heart failure or affected hypothalamus.

SIADH is actually caused due to increased levels of the ADH hormone. ADH or Antidiuretic hormone is released by the pituitary gland and helps the kidney to function properly. It helps maintain the balance of water and minerals like sodium and potassium in the urine and the bloodstream. An excess of this hormone leads to the expulsion of large amounts of sodium through urine while the water level remains almost unchanged. A healthy amount of sodium is vital for proper functioning of the body. Naturally, low sodium level can be very harmful for the body.

SIADH arises when the sodium level drops due to some reason. some of the most common causes for a reduction in sodium level are:

Tumors

Cancerous tumors, particularly small cell lung tumors, can give rise to SIADH. This happens because tumors may begin creating their own ADH (Antidiuretic Hormone) or impact the pituitary gland to boost ADH production.

Medicines

Some anti-epileptic drugs, anti-depressants and certain drugs that are used to treat diabetes, depression and blood pressure may also activate ADH secretion. General anesthesia may be another ADH enhancer. some of these medicines affect liquid output from kidneys thereby bringing on this syndrome.

Lung Disease

Lung disorders such as lung cancer and lung abscess may also give rise to increased ADH production in some cases.

Infections

Certain infections of the CNS (Central Nervous System) such as Guillain-Barre Syndrome result in swelling of the nerves and trigger a release of the ADH hormone.

Malignancy

Malignant conditions like Prostate cancer, Pancreatic cancer, Leukemia and Lymphoma can also lead to this condition.

Chest Disorders

In some cases, chest diseases like tuberculosis and Pneumonia can be causes of SIADH.

Brain Diseases

Brain disorders like Meningitis are another reason behind the appearance of SIADH syndrome in many patients. Head injuries and brain tumors are other possible causes.

Mental Disorders

Major mental diseases like Psychosis are often held responsible for the showing up of this disease.

Encephalitis

This condition is characterized by an inflammation of the brain. It is caused by lead poisoning or the bite of an infected mosquito.

People suffering from SIADH experience a number of symptoms. some of the most commonly observed SIADH signs and symptoms are:

Headache

The low sodium levels may give rise to headaches in affected people.

Fatigue

Most SIADH sufferers experience a tiredness or lethargic feeling which impairs their daily activities.

Restlessness

Reduced sodium level may cause the suffering person fidget and have an uncomfortable feeling.

Nausea

People having SIADH may also feel nauseous. many sufferers feel like vomiting while they are having an abnormally reduced sodium level.

Confusion

The physical discomfort can also lead to mental confusion in some patients.Hallucinations

Physical symptoms and mental confusion also make some affected people suffer from mild hallucinations.

Seizures and Fainting

If the condition is not timely treated, the affected people may suffer from loss of consciousness and seizures.

Spasms

A person may also experience muscular cramps or spasms due to low sodium levels in the body.

In severe cases of SIADH, the patient may suffer from a failure of a vital organ like heart, lungs, liver or kidney. If the person is not treated immediately in emergency care, it may even result in death. In patients who have recently undergone a surgery in the nervous system SIADH may lead to Hyponatremia, a condition that is also characterized by low sodium level in bloodstream. But while Hyponatremia is seen mostly in patients with neurosurgery, SIADH occur in patients with a number of other medical conditions like head trauma, memingitis, asthma and more.

Doctors normally diagnose this syndrome by taking blood and urine samples and checking them for any abnormality in sodium levels. If a tumor or infection is suspected, additional SIADH tests like kidney biopsies, imaging scans and some more blood examinations have to be carried out. If the condition is serious as in case of an organ failure, the person may need dialysis or oxygen therapy while diagnostic tests are being carried out. Intravenous fluids also need to be given to such people.

The diagnosis of SIADH often needs a urine osmolality examination. SIADH urine osmolality test is a very important diagnostic examination. the osmotic pressure of the urine is checked to find out if the person is really having SIADH.

The treatment of SIADH usually depends on the health of the patient and the causative agent of the condition. the fluid intake of the person is normally restricted to bring a temporary relief. For curing SIADH drugs like ADH receptor agonists are also provided. these medicines slow down the production of ADH hormones thus bringing sodium levels back to normal.

The long-term treatment involves finding a cure to the cause of the condition in the affected person. If the person is having SIADH due to cancer, radiation therapes or chemotherapies may be needed. In some cases, surgery is also necessary.

Antibiotics prove to be effective SIADH medications in people suffering from infections.

Early treatment, proper medications and effective SIADH management with fluid restriction can help an affected person make a fast recovery from this syndrome.

If there is no timely treatment of SIADH complications like hyponatremia and even organ failure are very likely. So it is very important that the condition is treated as early and as properly as possible. If you notice symptoms of SIADH in children or adults in your family or even yourself, it is time you immediately seek medical attention. Early treatment can help you keep many uncomfortable situations at bay, enjoy a healthy life and be with your loved ones.

References:

wisegeek.com/what-is-SIADH.htm

ehow.com/about_5117150_causes-SIADH.html

harrisonspractice.com/practice/ub/view/Harrisons%20Practice/141317/all/SIADH

wrongdiagnosis.com/s/SIADH/basics.htm

medscape.com/viewarticle/474907_2

emedicine.medscape.com/article/767624-overview

ccmtutorials.com/problems/explore/name/SIADH.htm

en.ganfyd.org/index.php?title=SIADH

Treatment

Treatment may include:

• Antibiotics, including penicillin, clindamycin, erythromycin, or metronidazole (metronidazole has been most successful)
• Bedrest with a nonstimulating environment (dim light, reduced noise, and stable temperature)
• Medicine to reverse the poison (tetanus immune globulin)
• Muscle relaxers such as diazepam
• Sedatives
• Surgery to clean the wound and remove the source of the poison (debridement)

Breathing support with oxygen, a breathing tube, and a breathing machine may be necessary.

Prognosis (Expectations)

Without treatment, one out of four infected people die. the death rate for newborns with untreated tetanus is even higher. with proper treatment, less than 10% of infected patients die.

Wounds on the head or face seem to be more dangerous than those on other parts of the body. If the person survives the acute illness, recovery is generally complete. Uncorrected episodes of hypoxia (lack of oxygen) caused by muscle spasms in the throat may lead to irreversible brain damage.

Complications

• Airway obstruction
• Respiratory arrest
• Heart failure
• Pneumonia
• Fractures
• Brain damage due to lack of oxygen during spasms

Calling your Health Care Provider

Call your health care provider if you have an open wound, particularly if:

• You are injured outdoors.
• The wound has been in contact with soil.
• You have not received a tetanus booster (vaccine) within 5 years or you are not sure of your vaccination status.

Call for an appointment with your health care provider if you have never been immunized against tetanus as an adult or child, if your children have not been immunized, or if you are unsure of your tetanus immunization (vaccine) status.

Review Date : 12/13/2009Reviewed By : David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., inc.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only — they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- 2010 A.D.A.M., inc. any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

Tags: Tetanus, Tetanus Treatment.

Remembering Those We Lost In 2010 some made big news, others passed away quietly … but we don’t forget by MICHAEL HINMAN, Posted Dec-31-2010 Add a comment

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Death is a natural part of life, but sadly it takes a death before we celebrate someone’s life and contributions.

We lost a lot of people who made serious contributions to the science-fiction, fantasy and horror genres on television and the big screen over the past year.

Join us in celebrating these lives of those lost.

Corey AllenJune 29, 1934-June 27, 2010Best known for his work in “Rebel Without a cause,” mr. Allen made a name for himself later as a popular television director, including the series premiere of “Star Trek: the next Generation” and four other episodes, including “Journey’s End.” he also directed four episodes of “Star Trek: Deep Space nine.” he died of Parkinson’s disease.

Eddie BarthSept. 29, 1931-May 28, 2010The raspy voice actor appeared in shows such as “The incredible Hulk,” “The Bionic Woman” and a 1963 episode of “The Twilight Zone.” mr. Barth died of heart failure.

Gary BrocketteSept. 13, 1947-Jan. 1, 2010Mr. Brockette was a character actor who made brief appearances in films such as “The Philadelphia Experiment” and “The Ice Pirates” in 1984. he died of cancer.

John CrawfordSept. 13, 1920-Sept. 21, 2010Made two appearances as Sheriff Moore in “Knight Rider.” mr. Crawford also appeared in “The amazing Spider-Man,” “The incredible Hulk” and “The Bionic Woman” in the 1970s. he died in Malibu, Calif.

Dino De LaurentiisAug. 8, 1919-Nov. 10, 2010Famed producer of a number of projects including “Flash Gordon,” “Halloween II,” “Firestarter,” “Dune” and more. mr. De Laurentiis died at his residence, with attendees at the funeral asked to wear red, his favorite color.

Richard DevonDec. 11, 1926-Feb. 26, 2010Appeared in “Twilight Zone,” “Get Smart” and “Planet of the Apes.” mr. Devon died of vascular disease.

David E. DurstonSept. 10, 1921-May 6, 2010A cult horror exploitation director of the 1970 film “I Drink your Blood.” mr. Durston died of pneumonia.

David FromanDec. 31, 1938-Feb. 8, 2010He would’ve turned 72 today. mr. Froman appeared as Capt. K’Nera in the “Star Trek: the next Generation” episode “Heart of Glory.” mr. Froman died of cancer.

Jimmy GardnerAug. 24, 1921-May 3, 2010The Knight Bus driver Ernie Prang in “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.” mr. Gardner died in London.

Jackson GillisAug. 21, 1916-Aug. 19, 2010Mr. Gillis wrote episodes of “Knight Rider,” “The New Adventures of wonder Woman,” “Lost In Space,” and the 1950s series “The Adventures of Superman.”

Peter GravesMarch 18, 1926-March 14, 2010The star of “Mission: Impossible” had some genre credits to his name. mr. Graves appeared in “Fantasy Island,” “Buck Rogers in the 25th Century” and “Killers From Space.” mr. Graves died of a heart attack.

Corey HaimDec. 23, 1971-March 10, 2010The actor known for roles such as “The Goonies” had other genre credits to his name like “The Lost Boys,” “Prayer of the Rollerboys,” and others. mr. Haim died of flu-like symptoms.

Peter HaskellOct. 15, 1934-April 12, 2010Played the CEO of Good Guy Toys in “Child’s Play 2″ and “Child’s Play 3.” mr. Haskell also appeared in “The Bionic Woman,” “The Green Hornet” and “The Outer Limits.” Haskell died in Northridge, Calif.

Robert HoyApril 3, 1927-Feb. 8, 2010A popular actor and stuntman in westerns, mr. Hoy had an uncredited role as the Horta in the original “Star Trek” episode “The Devil in the Dark.” he died of cancer.

Lamont JohnsonSept. 30, 1922-Oct. 24, 2010Directed eight episodes of the 1960s version of “The Twilight Zone” including “Kick the Can,” which was featured in the 1980s film. mr. Johnson died in Monterey, Calif.

Bernard KatesDec. 26, 1922-Feb. 2, 2010Appeared as Dr. Sigmund Freud in the “Star Trek: the next Generation” episode “Phantasms.” also played Dr. Whorf in the 1963 “Outer Limits” episode “Nightmare.” mr. Kates died in Lake Havasu City, Ariz.

Irvin KershnerApril 29, 1923-Nov. 27, 2010Director of “Star Wars: Episode V – the Empire Strikes Back.” also directed an episode of “SeaQuest 2032″ in 1993. mr. Kershner died of lung cancer.

Donald LeifertFeb. 27, 1951-Oct. 23, 2010Mr. Leifert was the star of Don Dohler films including “The Alien Factor,” “Fiend” and others. he died in Parkville, Md.

Simon MacCorkindaleFeb. 12, 1952-Oct. 14, 2010Actor who appeared in various shows like “Poltergeist: the Legacy,” “Earth: Final Conflict,” “Fantasy Island,” and movies like “Wing Commander.” mr. MacCorkindale died of cancer.

Tom MankiewiczJune 1, 1942-July 31, 2010Mr. Mankiewicz was a creative consultant for “Superman” and “Superman II.” he died from pancreatic cancer.

Joe MantellDec. 21, 1915-Sept. 29, 2010Mr. Mantell had a bit role in Alfred Hitchcock’s classic “The Birds,” but also appeared in two episodes of “The Twilight Zone” — “Nervous Man In A Four Dollar Room” and “Steel.” he died in Tarzana, Callif.

Louis MarksMarch 23, 1928-Sept. 17, 2010A writer for the original “Doctor Who” series whose credits include “The Masque of Mandragora” and “Planet of Evil.”

Noel MarshallApril 18, 1931-June 30, 2010The executive producer of “The Exorcist,” mr. Marshall died of brain cancer.

Kevin McCarthyFeb. 15, 1914-Sept. 11, 2010Mr. McCarthy starred in the 1950s cult film “Invasion of the Body Snatchers.” he also played Uncle Walt in the “Twilight Zone” movie and appeared in the original “Twilight Zone” series. he died of pneumonia.

Grant McCuneMarch 27, 1943-Dec. 27, 2010Mr. McCune created the shark in “Jaws” (uncredited, sadly) and was nominated for an Oscar for his special effects work in “Star Trek: the Motion Picture.” other movies included “Batman forever,” “Ghostbusters II” and “Spaceballs.” he died of pancreatic cancer.

John P. McGarrSept. 25, 1964-March 25, 2010Supervising executive producer “House of Wolf Man” and others, mr. McGarr was killed when he was struck by a drunken driver while filming a documentary at an Indianapolis horror convention.

Leslie NielsenFeb. 11, 1926-Nov. 28, 2010More famous as a comedy actor, mr. Nielsen had some strong early genre credits like “Tales of Tomorrow,” “The Wild Wild West,” and others. mr. Nielsen died in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Michael PatakiJan. 16, 1938-April 15, 2010Character actor who played Karnas in the “Star Trek: the next Generation” episode “Too Short a Season.” mr. Pataki also played Capt. Barbera in “The amazing Spider-Man” and Korax in the classic “Star Trek” series “The trouble with Tribbles.” mr. Pataki also was an uncredited jeep driver in the “Twilight Zone” episode “A Quality of Mercy.” he died from cancer.

Charles B. PierceJune 16, 1938-March 5, 2010Film director and screenwriter credited with the line, “Go ahead, make my day.” also was a set decorator for projects like “The Twilight Zone.” mr. Pierce died of natural causes.

Gene PolitoDec. 13, 1918-Nov. 28, 2010Director of photography for the 1960s series “Lost In Space.” also a cinematographer for the 1976 film “Futureworld.” mr. Polito died of esophageal cancer.

Addison PowellFeb. 23, 1921-Nov. 8, 2010Mr. Powell played Dr. Eric Lang in the late 1960s series “Dark Shadows.” he died in Vermont.

Zelda RubinsteinMay 28, 1933-Jan. 27, 2010Became famous as medium Tangina Barrons in the Poltergeist films. Ms. Rubinstein died in Los Angeles.

Nathan ScottMay 11, 1915-Feb. 27, 2010A composer and orchestrator whose work spanned “The Twilight Zone,” the original “Battlestar Galactica” and “Knight Rider.” mr. Scott died of natural causes.

William Edwin SelfJune 21, 1921-Nov. 15, 2010Production manager for “Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea,” the 1960s “Batman” series, “Lost In Space,” “The Green Hornet” and “Dick Tracy” among others. mr. self died from a heart attack.

Ted SorelNov. 14, 1936-Nov. 30, 2010Character actor who played Kaval in the “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” episode “Duet” in 1993. mr. Sorel died of complications from Lyme disease.

David J. Steinberg1964-March 15, 2010The popular actor from the 1988 film “Willow” who had dwarfism, mr. Steinberg also appeared in an episode of “Charmed.” he had moved to Los Angeles in 2004.

Bunny SummersFeb. 23, 1924-Sept. 9, 2010Ms. Summers played Mrs. Boone in the 1984 film “The last Starfighter.” she died at Woodland Hills in Los Angeles.

Gareth WiganDec. 2, 1931-Feb. 13, 2010Mr. Wigan was a lead executive at Twentieth Century Fox that helped secured “Star Wars” from George Lucas. also helped bring other projects to the screen like “Alien” and “Bram Stoker’s Dracula.”

Tags:  William Edwin Self Tom Mankiewicz Ted Sorel Simon MacCorkindale Peter Haskell Noel Marshall Nathan Scott Louis Marks 

About the Author

Michael Hinman is the founder and site coordinator for Airlock Alpha and the entire BlipNetwork. he owns Quantum Global Media inc., the parent corporation of the BlipNetwork. He’s a marketing consultant by day and a veteran print journalist. he lives in Tampa, Fla.

Two New Studies Illustrate How Hepcidin Affects Beta-Thalassemia and Hemochromatosis Diseases

Newswise — a hormone made by the body may be a potential therapeutic tool for the treatment of two anemic blood disorders — beta-thalassemia and hemochromatosis. The new research was led by scientists at Weill Cornell Medical College and published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation and the journal Blood.

Commonly known as Cooley’s anemia, beta-thalassemia affects nearly 1,000 individuals in the United States; worldwide, approximately 300,000 children are born each year with thalassemias. The conditions cause excessive iron absorption in the body’s organs, with symptoms including fatigue, liver disease, heart failure, growth impairment, diabetes and osteoporosis. Standard treatment involves regular blood transfusions, which are often ineffective, or bone marrow transplants, which can help to replace and repair the broken blood production of the body.

Hepcidin, a hormone found naturally in the bloodstream and acting at the level of the digestive tract, has been known to be at low-levels in patients with beta-thalessemia. Now, the researchers have evidence that boosting levels of hepcidin may actually have a direct effect in relieving anemic patients of their body’s iron overload, potentially relieving the ravages of these conditions.

“The major consequence of iron-overload is that the lifespan of a red blood cell is half that of a normal red blood cell. these blood cells are not properly formed, are not as healthy as normal blood cells, and, therefore, cannot properly function,” explains Dr. Stefano Rivella, associate professor of genetic medicine in the Department of Pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medical College.

In the Journal of Clinical Investigation study published online on Nov. 22, Dr. Rivella and his colleagues report that breeding mice that overproduce hepcidin with other mice suffering from beta-thalassemia led to offspring that were almost as healthy as normal mice. however, when they crossed the hepcidin-expressing mice with normal mice, hepcidin levels were too high, leading to too much iron removal and an inability to produce healthy red blood cells.

“We see from this evidence that there is a balance in the body — not too much iron and not too little iron — that must be maintained to keep iron levels normal in order to produce normal blood cells,” says Dr. Rivella.

He explains that under normal conditions, hepcidin recognizes when there are not enough red blood cells. in turn, the body will then produce the correct amount of hepcidin, which regulates the amount of iron needed.

“In patients with beta-thalassemia, this mechanism isn’t working — it’s as if the raw materials — the iron — are being sent into a factory, but since no products — blood cells — are being made, more and more iron is being sent in and stored in the body’s organs,” explains Dr. Rivella.

Hepcidin’s Influence on Hemochromatosis and Iron Overload

A second study published in a recent issue of the journal Blood, and authored by Dr. Rivella and his lab, illustrates a potential new dietary treatment for patients with hemochromatosis. This anemic disease is caused by a mutation to the HFE gene, leading to lowered production of hepcidin. The disorder affects nearly 1.5 million individuals in the United States.

Hemochromatosis interferes with the body’s ability to break down iron, resulting in too much iron being absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. Like in beta-thalassemia, patients often have iron buildup within the liver, which could lead to liver failure and sometimes liver cancer.

For treatment, patients often have blood taken out of their body, called phlebotomy. Doing so is believed to force the body to remove iron from the liver, reducing iron overload within the organ. Patients return regularly to the doctor’s office to have blood removed, in order to lower iron levels in the body, but the procedure is not so effective and could be improved, as Dr. Rivella and his colleagues describe in their study.

“We’ve learned that in hemochromatosis the body will always look to the diet in the gut for iron and not take it from the liver,” explains Dr. Rivella. “Therefore, a low-iron diet immediately following phlebotomy may force the body to look primarily to the liver for its iron supply.”

To test their hypothesis, Dr. Rivella tested three different groups of mice: normal mice on a normal diet (group 1), normal mice given a high-iron diet (group 2), and mice with hemochromatosis on a normal diet (group 3). Group 2 was given a high-iron diet in order to raise iron levels in the liver, similar to mice in group 3.

Each group had blood removed through phlebotomy and then had their hepcidin levels tested. a low level of hepcidin would indicate that the hepcidin is being utilized to absorb iron from the gut.

Results indicated that group 1 behaved as expected: Blood was removed and found to have low levels of hepcidin, meaning that the body was absorbing iron from the digestive tract.

Group 2 had higher levels of hepcidin because the body was able to recognize that there was a reservoir of iron within the liver, illustrating that hepcidin was needed to prevent the iron from being absorbed from the gut.

However, the levels of hepcidin in group 3 was low because the body was unable to recognize a high level of iron in the liver because a genetic mutation lowered the production of hepcidin, resulting in iron being taken from the gut instead of the liver.

“The implications of these findings are that if you take out the blood from patients with hemochromatosis, the body will still look to take readily available iron from the diet, instead of from the overloaded iron packed in the liver,” explains Dr. Rivella.

Recently, Dr. Rivella and collaborators at UCLA were awarded a $4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to test a drug that mimics hepcidin in people with beta-thalassemia and hemochromatosis. they hope to show that boosting hepcidin in the body helps to better treat their iron overload and anemia.

First author of the Journal of Clinical Investigation study is Dr. Sara Gardenghi of Weill Cornell Medical College. Co-authors include Pedro Ramos, Maria Franca Marongiu, Luca Melchiori, Laura Breda, Ella Guy, Kristen Muirhead, Niva Rao, Patricia Giardina and Robert Grady, all from Weill Cornell Medical College; Cindy Roy, from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md.; Nancy Andrews, from Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, N.C.; Elizabeta Nemeth, from the David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Calif.; Antonia Follenzi, from Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, N.Y.; Xiuli an and Narla Mohandas, from the Red Cell Physiology Laboratory, New York Blood Center, New York, N.Y.; Yelena Ginzburg, from the Erythropoiesis Laboratory, New York Blood Center, New York, N.Y.; and Eliezer a. Rachmilewitz, from the Hematology Department, Edith Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Israel.

Research conducted in the JCI study is supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health, the Cooley’s Anemia Foundation, the Associazione Veneta per la Lotta alla Talassemia, the Carlo and Micol Schejola Foundation, the Children’s Cancer and Blood Foundation, and the American Portuguese Biomedical Research Fund.

First author of the Blood study is Dr. Pedro Ramos of Weill Cornell Medical College. Co-authors include Ella Guy, Nan Chen, Sara Gardenghi, Carla Casu, Catia C. Proenca and Robert W. Grady — all from Weill Cornell; Antonia Follenzi, from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, N.Y.; Nico Van Rooijen, from the Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Vrije Universiteit Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; and Maria de Sousa, from the Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar, Porto, Portugal.

Research conducted in the BLOOD study was supported by grants from The National Institutes of Health, the Carlo and Micol Schejola Foundation, the Children’s Cancer and Blood Foundation, and the American Portuguese Biomedical Research Fund.

Weill Cornell Medical College 

Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University’s medical school located in New York City, is committed to excellence in research, teaching, patient care and the advancement of the art and science of medicine, locally, nationally and globally. Physicians and scientists of Weill Cornell Medical College are engaged in cutting-edge research from bench to bedside, aimed at unlocking mysteries of the human body in health and sickness and toward developing new treatments and prevention strategies. in its commitment to global health and education, Weill Cornell has a strong presence in places such as Qatar, Tanzania, Haiti, Brazil, Austria and Turkey. through the historic Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, the Medical College is the first in the U.S. to offer its M.D. degree overseas. Weill Cornell is the birthplace of many medical advances — including the development of the Pap test for cervical cancer, the synthesis of penicillin, the first successful embryo-biopsy pregnancy and birth in the U.S., the first clinical trial of gene therapy for Parkinson’s disease, and most recently, the world’s first successful use of deep brain stimulation to treat a minimally conscious brain-injured patient. Weill Cornell Medical College is affiliated with NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, where its faculty provides comprehensive patient care at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. The Medical College is also affiliated with the Methodist Hospital in Houston, making Weill Cornell one of only two medical colleges in the country affiliated with two U.S.News & World Report Honor Roll hospitals. For more information, visit weill.cornell.edu.

when he coughs up the blood it looks like hes coughing up his insides. im taking him to the vet in the morning but i wanna know what im up againts.

Oh! That's serious. Glad to hear you have an appointment with your vet in the morning.

If it is heartworm, treatment is expensive and depending how far it has progressed depends on the outcome. Whatever he has is not good.

could be a number of things, go to the vet expecting anything, they are the professionals, they are the ones you need to listen to!

well if he has heartworm and if he has had it for a long time he could be developing congestive heart failure… or he could have a tumor that is causing the blood… either way it is a serious problem and may not be somethign you want to hear… i hope everythign goes well