Harvard Health Content API

U.S. drug regulators have expanded their investigation of a pharmacy linked to an outbreak of meningitis. The New England Compounding Center of Framingham, Mass., has been shut down since last month. At least 250 cases of meningitis caused by a fungus have been linked to steroid shots made at the pharmacy. Most of them were linked to a fungus called Exserohilum rostratum. The infections have caused at least 20 deaths. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirmed October 18 that this fungus was found in one lot of steroid vials made by the company. The FDA also said it is looking into the cause of infections among 3 people who received other kinds of drugs made by New England Compounding. The fungus involved in the steroid injections is commonly found in nature. FDA still is looking into how it could have contaminated the drugs used to produce the steroid shots.

Behavior symptoms may return if people with Alzheimer’s disease stop taking a medicine that has helped them, a new study suggests. Some people with Alzheimer’s disease have symptoms of psychosis. For example, they may hear or see things that aren’t there or have false beliefs (delusions). Some may become anxious, angry or violent. Some people get symptom relief from risperidone (Risperdal) or other anti-psychotic drugs. But other research has found that Alzheimer’s patients taking such drugs may die sooner. U.S. drug guidelines recommend careful monitoring of these patients. The new study included 110 people with Alzheimer’s. All of them had taken risperidone for 4 months and had responded well. They were randomly divided into 3 groups. One group kept taking the drug for 8 months. One continued for 4 months, then switched to placebo (fake) pills.

Not getting enough sleep may change the way cells handle insulin, increasing people’s risk of diabetes, a new study finds. Other research has linked a lack of sleep to a higher risk of obesity and diabetes. The new study looked at the effects of sleep on cells. It included 7 healthy young adults of normal weight. They were randomly assigned to sleep either 8.5 hours or 4.5 hours in a sleep lab for 4 nights in a row. Then everyone did the opposite sleep regime for another 4 nights. This took place 4 weeks later. After each 4-day cycle, researchers took samples of belly fat cells. After the sleep-deprived period, fat cells were 30% less able to respond to insulin. This is the hormone that helps move sugar (glucose) from the blood to other body cells. When cells “resist” insulin, the pancreas has to make more of it.