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Research Briefs

	Baylor receives $7.2 million increase for scientific programs
	Benefits of medication vs. surgery for heart failure studied
	An ancient remedy for modern ills

Baylor receives $7.2 million increase for scientific programs

Funding for two major federal scientific programs at Baylor College of Medicine was increased by $7.2 million as a result of the FY2003 Appropriations Bill for research programs and efforts by House Majority Leader Tom DeLay and Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison.

The National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI) will receive a $6.75 million increase over the President's request. Funds support biomedical research on the impact of microgravity on the health of astronauts.

NSBRI research may also lead to new discoveries on earth in the field of osteoporosis, muscle wasting, sleep disorders and radiation-related conditions. In light of the recent space shuttle tragedy, Baylor acknowledged DeLay's and Hutchison's recognition of the critical research the NSBRI performs to ensure the health and safety of the nation's astronauts.

The Children's Nutrition Research Center (CNRC) will receive an increase of $450,000 for children's nutritional requirements research. CNRC is one of six federally funded human nutrition research centers and is the first to conduct scientific investigations into the role of maternal, infant and child nutrition. The research focuses on the importance of early nutrition for children's growth and development as well as health maintenance in adult life. The CNRC is funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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Benefits of medication vs. surgery for heart failure studied

Determining whether surgery or medical management is the best treatment for congestive heart failure caused by coronary artery disease is the subject of a new, international study underway at Baylor College of Medicine.

Surgical Treatment for Ischemic Heart Failure, or STICH, is a randomized clinical trial that compares outcomes of patients who receive medical management, coronary artery bypass graft surgery, or coronary artery bypass with a procedure called surgical ventricular restoration, which reshapes the left part of the heart.

“Medical and surgical management for congestive heart failure have both improved dramatically over the past 20 years,” said Matthias Loebe, MD, PhD, principal investigator of the trial at the DeBakey Heart Center at Baylor and The Methodist Hospital and an assistant professor in the Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery at Baylor. “Since the number of people with congestive heart failure is rapidly growing, we hope this study will help us find the best course of treatment.”

STICH is one of the largest clinical trials sponsored by the National Institutes of Health with more than 70 centers involved and a plan to enroll 2,800 patients in the trial over three years.

Baylor will have two sites participating in the study -- The Methodist Hospital and the Houston Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

To participate in the study at The DeBakey Heart Center call Susan McRee at 713-790-4498. Eligible veteran patients interested in participating in the clinical trial at the VA can call 713-794-7441.

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An ancient remedy for modern ills

If the pain in your neck is not responding to modern medicines, you may want to try an ancient answer -- acupuncture.

"Acupuncture can relieve pain in many areas of the body," said John Cianca, MD, assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. "Along with traditional medicine, I use it to treat a variety of acute problems such as ankle sprains, muscle spasms or arthritis. I only recommend it for patients who I believe will benefit most from it. Even then, two people with the same problem may have different outcomes."

Acupuncture is an ancient Eastern healing philosophy that's been in practice for more than 2,500 years. It has increasingly moved into the Western mainstream as millions of Americans use it for pain relief or other conditions. It is thought that an essential life energy called "qi" (pronounced chee) runs through the body in channels called meridians. These meridians connect internal organs with each other and with the surface of the body. If qi is blocked, pain or illness can result. Acupuncturists insert sterile hair-thin needles into specific points along the meridians to release blocked qi and restore its balance within the body.

No one knows for sure just how acupuncture works. Some believe it relieves pain by stimulating pain-killing endorphins. But Cianca believes it works at a molecular level rather than on a cellular or systems level.

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