[In Context] News in brief
Antidepressants are no better than placebo for the treatment of depression in patients with dementia, according to the results of a new multicentre trial. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, patients with possible or probable Alzheimer's disease and depression were randomised to receive sertraline (n=107), mirtazapine (n=108), or placebo (n=111). At 13 weeks, there was no difference in depression scores between patients who received placebo and those who received sertraline (mean difference 1·17, 95% CI −0·23 to 2·58) or mirtazapine (0·01, −1·37 to 1·38), and scores did not differ between the two treatment groups. (Source: Lancet Neurology)
Breathalyzer Device Identifies Glucose Metabolism Problems Accurately
According to a study published in the peer-reviewed journal Metabolism, a breathalyzer-like technology, currently under development at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, may help diagnose diseases in the future. The study shows a simple, but sensitive technique, that can identify normal and disease-state glucose metabolism by a fast analysis of exhaled air or blood. Several diseases, including infections, diabetes, and cancer, change the body's metabolism in different ways... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)
