(April 29, 2010 - Insidermedicine)

From Cambridge - An enzyme that is found in the blood with LDL cholesterol has been connected to heart disease, according to another report published in The Lancet. Researchers reviewed 32 studies, examining the levels of Lp-PLA2 in the blood of over 79,000 total participants. They found that increased levels of the enzyme significantly raised risk of heart disease, so much so that its effect on the heart was deemed equivalent to that of high blood pressure.

From Norway - According to a report published in Arthritis Care & Research, obesity increases risk of fibromyalgia. Researchers studied nearly 16,000 women for 11 years, finding that high BMI was an independent risk factor for fibromyalgia, and that women who exercised 4 times a week had a 29% reduced risk of developing the condition.

And finally, from Boston - Another report published in The Lancet discusses how whole genomic analysis may be used to assess a patients risk for disease and possible response to medication. Researchers examined the whole genome of a 40 year old man, revealing several specific variants of diseases within the man's family, as well as variants that predicted the man would have an atypical response to particular heart medications.