e-SQUARE, December 2014




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Healthcare online	Keeping you up-to-date
*VOL. 12 ISSUE: 12 December 201*4	Medical Services Department **SQUARE Pharmaceuticals Ltd.**

Features

Childhood Abuse !

Diabetes & Kids !

Gene Linked Autism !

Hot Flashes Risk !

Obesity & HF !

Painkillers & Skin Cancer !

New Products of SQUARE Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

EDITORIAL TEAM

OMAR AKRAMUR RAB

MBBS, FCGP, FIAGP,

P G Dip. Business Management

MAHFUZUR RAHMAN

MBBS, MBA

EDITORIAL

Dear Doctor,

Welcome to e- SQUARE.

In this issue, we focused on some interesting features like -
"Childhood Abuse !", "Diabetes & Kids !", "Gene Linked Autism !", "Hot Flashes Risk !", "Obesity & HF !", "Painkillers & Skin Cancer !".

In our regular feature, we have some products information of SQUARE Pharmaceuticals Ltd. as well.

Please send your feedback ! We always value your comments !

On behalf of the management of SQUARE, we wish you all a very happy, healthy and prosperous life.

Click on to reply mode.

Yours sincerely,

Editorial Team

Reply Mode : e-square@squaregroup.com

The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of its editor or SQUARE Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

Childhood Abuse !
Abuse In Childhood Tied To Migraines In Adulthood
Adults who experienced childhood abuse or neglect have a higher risk of migraine headaches, suggests a study published online Dec. 24 in the journal Neurology. "Childhood maltreatment can have long-lasting effects, like associated medical and psychological conditions including migraine in adulthood," study author said. "When managing patients with migraine, neurologists should take childhood maltreatment into consideration," study author concluded. Although the study found a link between abuse and migraine, it wasn't designed to prove that abuse could cause the headaches. For the study, study author and her colleagues looked at more than 8,300 people with migraines and more than 1,400 with tension headaches. Tension headaches are the most common type of adult headache, according to the researchers. Migraines are usually much more painful and can be disabling. Study participants were asked if they had been abused as children. The three types of maltreatment asked about were sexual abuse, emotional abuse, or emotional neglect. Emotional abuse was reported by 24.5 percent of those with migraines and 21.5 percent of those with tension headaches. The researchers found that people who experienced emotional abuse before age 18 were one-third more likely to have migraines than tension headaches. That was true even after the researchers accounted for factors such as age, sex, race, income, anxiety and depression. Adults who were victims of childhood sexual abuse and emotional neglect were also more likely to have migraines. Those who experienced two forms of abuse as children were 50 percent more likely to have migraines than those who suffered one form of abuse, the study found.
SOURCE: HealthDay News, December 2014	Return to top

Diabetes & Kids !
Diabetes May Affect Kids' Brain Growth, Study Reports
High blood sugar may slow brain growth in young children with type 1 diabetes, a new study indicates. The research included children aged 4 to 9 years who underwent brain scans and tests to assess their mental abilities, as well as continuous monitoring of their blood sugar levels. Compared to children without diabetes, the brains of those with the disease had slower overall and regional growth of gray and white matter. These differences were associated with higher and more variable blood sugar levels, according to the study. But, the researchers didn't find any significant differences in the children's thinking and memory skills. "Our results show the potential vulnerability of young developing brains to abnormally elevated glucose levels, even when the diabetes duration has been relatively brief," lead author said. "Despite the best efforts of parents and diabetes care teams, about 50 percent of all blood glucose concentrations during the study were measured in the high range. Remarkably, the cognitive tests remained normal, but whether these observed changes will ultimately impact brain function will need further study," she said. "As better technology develops, we hope to determine if the differences observed with brain imaging can improve with better glucose control," she added. Results were published in the December issue of the journal Diabetes. "This is the thing that parents always worry about when it comes to a child with a chronic illness," study co-author said. "Does it affect their brain? The good news here is that there may be some viable solutions on the horizon that parents should be aware of," she said. The association seen in the study does not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.
SOURCE: HealthDay News, December 2014	Return to top

Gene Linked Autism !
Different Gene Mutations May Determine Severity, Type Of Autism
Different types of gene mutations may play a role in the severity and type of autism, new research suggests. The findings could lead to improved diagnosis and treatments for the disorder, the researchers added. No two people with autism have the exact type and severity of behaviors, according to background information from the study. Investigators analyzed hundreds of autism patients and nearly 1,000 genes to determine how gene mutations influence autism symptoms. They found that more damaging genetic mutations usually result in more severe autism symptoms, that autism patients with little or no verbal skills often have mutations in genes that are more active in the brain, and that those with less severe autism symptoms were less likely to have mutations that completely shut down genes. The researchers also found that gene mutations play a role in gender differences in autism. While autism is far more common in males, females with autism are more likely to have severe symptoms. The genes that are mutated in females with autism have greater activity in the brain than those that are mutated in males with autism, according to the study. "If we can understand how different mutations lead to different features of autism, we may be able to use patients' genetic profiles to develop accurate diagnostic and prognostic tools, and perhaps personalize treatment," senior study author said.
SOURCE: HealthDay News, December 2014	Return to top

Hot Flashes Risk !
Severe Hot Flashes During Menopause May Raise Hip Fracture Risk Later: Study
A new study suggests a possible link between certain menopause symptoms -- moderate to severe hot flashes and night sweats -- and higher rates of hip fractures and weaker bones. Hot flashes are common during menopause, affecting about 60 percent of women. The hormonal changes during menopause also affect women after menopause, since they then face a higher risk of weakened bones and osteoporosis. "Our findings suggest women who exhibit moderate or severe menopausal symptoms are more likely to have issues with bone health than their peers," study co-author said. "This is the first large cohort study to examine the relationship between menopausal symptoms and bone health in menopausal women." While the researchers found an association between some menopause symptoms and bone health, they did not prove that hot flashes and night sweats cause hip fractures. The study analyzed the medical records of more than 23,000 U.S. women aged 50 to 79 who were tracked for eight years, on average. Compared to women with no menopausal symptoms, those with moderate or severe hot flashes were more likely to fracture a hip. Those with moderate to severe menopausal symptoms also had weaker bones in the neck and spine, as revealed by bone density tests. "More research is needed to illuminate the connection between bone health and menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes," co-author added. "Improved understanding would help clinicians advise women on how to better prevent osteoporosis and other bone conditions. Women who have hot flashes and want to protect their bones may benefit from healthy lifestyle habits such as avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, exercising and getting sufficient calcium and vitamin D."
SOURCE: HealthDay News, December 2014	Return to top

Obesity & HF !
Excess Weight May Help Heart Failure Patients, Study
Obese heart-failure(HF) patients appear to live longer than people of normal weight who develop the disabling condition, a new study suggests. Researchers tracked nearly 1,500 heart failure patients, most of whom were overweight or obese before their diagnosis. They found that 38 percent of obese and 45 percent of overweight patients died over 10 years, compared with 51 percent of normal-weight patients. The difference held even if they also had other health issues such as diabetes or high blood pressure. "At this time the reasons for this beneficial association are not clear," said lead researcher. It's known that obesity increases the risk for heart failure, which means the heart can't pump blood as it should. However, several investigators have found that in patients with heart failure, overweight and obesity are associated with better survival, compared with normal weight. This is often referred to as the "obesity paradox," she added. It is possible that obese and overweight heart failure patients are better able to use hormones and enzymes to support heart function than the normal-weight patients, she noted. Thus, obesity may provide a survival advantage when spontaneous weight loss occurs as heart failure gets worse, she said. "However, it is also possible that obese individuals may show symptoms of heart failure, such as shortness of breath and swelling, at an earlier stage of heart failure and be diagnosed earlier," she said. This may give rise to the apparent finding that they live longer, lead researcher said. She said this is the first study to show that patients who were obese before developing heart failure appear to survive longer than normal-weight patients. Lead researcher added that whether losing weight could have delayed heart failure isn't known. Also, "the current study cannot answer whether obese patients with heart failure could have an improvement in symptoms and outcomes if they intentionally lose weight," she said. For the study, research team collected data on 1,487 people with heart failure who took part in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study, an ongoing study conducted in four U.S. communities. Among these patients, 35 percent were overweight and 47 percent were obese about four years before their diagnosis. Over a decade of follow-up, 43 percent of the patients died. Survival odds were better for those who started out overweight or obese, the researchers found.
SOURCE: HealthDay News, December 2014	Return to top

Painkillers & Skin Cancer !
Common Painkillers May Help Prevent Certain Skin Cancers, Study Finds
Common painkillers, including ibuprofen, might slightly reduce risk of developing a form of skin cancer, researchers said. Use of ibuprofen and naproxen appear to reduce the risk of squamous cell skin cancer by 15 percent, the researchers concluded after reviewing nine prior studies. Squamous cell skin cancer is usually caused by sun exposure. These painkillers "have potential as part of a skin cancer-prevention strategy," review co-author said. But co-author and other experts aren't ready to recommend popping these or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to prevent skin cancer. For one thing, these drugs are associated with risks of their own. About 2.2 million Americans are diagnosed with either squamous cell or basal cell skin cancer each year, according to the American Cancer Society. About 20 percent of these skin cancers are thought to be squamous cell. The cancers normally appear on parts of the body exposed to the sun, and are often easily removed. They rarely cause death. She said scientists have wondered about the ability of certain painkillers to prevent skin cancer because researchers believe the drugs might have cancer-fighting powers for other kinds of tumors. The painkillers reviewed included aspirin, in addition to ibuprofen and naproxen. These drugs treat pain and reduce inflammation, although they can also cause serious side effects such as bleeding in the digestive system. For the study, the researchers combined the results of nine existing studies. They determined that use of these kinds of drugs -- except aspirin -- might reduce the risk of squamous cell skin cancer by 15 percent, she added. "The analysis also suggested decreased risk of squamous cell cancer associated with aspirin use," co-author said, "but this finding was not statistically significant." The association between the painkillers and reduced squamous cell cancer risk was most pronounced in people with potentially pre-cancerous growths known as actinic keratoses or a history of skin cancer. However, the association seen in the study does not prove a cause-and-effect relationship. The researchers think the painkillers may lower the risk of skin cancer by disrupting the activity of proteins that contribute to swelling and the development of tumors, she said. However, she added that more research is needed into issues such as the proper dosage before recommendations could be made.
SOURCE: HealthDay News, December 2014	Return to top

New Products of SQUARE Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

	Product	Calboral^® - D
	Generic Name	Coral Calcium +Vitamin D
	Strength	1250 mg+ 200 IU
	Dosage form	Tablet
	Therapeutic Category	Calcium Supplement
	Product	Norvis^® Suppository
	Generic Name	Tiemonium Methylsulphate
	Strength	20 mg
	Dosage form	Suppository
	Therapeutic Category	Antispasmodic
	Product	Risedon^® Plus
	Generic Name	Risedronate Sodium, Calcium
	Strength	35 mg and 500 mg
	Dosage form	Copackaged Tablet
	Therapeutic Category	Antiosteoporotic

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