Quick hits: Bayer will stop selling its troubled permanent birth control device Essure by the end of the year. As of 2015, there were more than 17,000 adverse event reports worldwide associated with Essure, which looks like a tiny coil and is made of nickel. Bayer says it will no longer sell Essure because of financial reasons. The FDA responded to Bayer’s announcement noting that their own review of adverse event reports found there are certain risks associated with Essure. The risks include persistent pain, perforation of the uterus or fallopian tubes from device migration, abnormal bleeding and allergy or hypersensitivity reactions. In 2016, the FDA required a “boxed warning” be placed on Essure to alert women to these risks. Posted July 20, 2018. Via FDA.
Quick hits: Taking antidepressants along with having depression itself may be associated with a higher risk of potentially life threatening blood clots. Venous thromboembolism is a blood clot that develops in the leg, groin, arm, or heart. Researchers conducted a meta-analysis that included 8 observational studies involving VTE. An analysis of 3 studies that compared people with depression to those without it found those in the former group had a higher risk of developing VTE. And among antidepressants, those taking SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) had the highest VTE risk among antidepressant classes. The researchers cautioned that the findings do not prove cause and effect and further studies are needed to demonstrate if the associations are causal and whether it is depression or antidepressant use or both which is responsible for an increase in VTE risk. Posted July 24, 2018. Via University of Bristol.
Quick hits: Adhering to a Mediterranean diet — one that is rich in fish, olive oil, nuts and vegetables — may help to lessen the severity of psoriasis. Researchers examined 3,557 people who’d reported that they had the inflammatory skin condition. Participants were asked about their diet and were given a score based on their adherence to a Mediterranean diet. A MEDI-LITE score of 0 meant no adherence to the diet, while a score of 18 meant full adherence. Patients with the most severe psoriasis had the lowest MEDI-LITE scores, the researchers reported. The diet may work to inhibit psoriasis because of the anti-inflammatory properties of foods in the diet. They are rich in dietary fiber, antioxidants and polyphenols — the latter two especially act to protect cells. Posted July 25, 2018. Via JAMA Dermatology.
