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Uterine fibroids are growths that form inside a woman’s uterus. Though they’re not cancerous, they can cause pain and other symptoms.

The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says the following warning signs may indicate uterine fibroids:
Menstrual bleeding that is heavier, occurs more often or lasts longer than normal.
Menstrual cramps.
Spotting or bleeding between periods.
Anemia.
Painful intercourse.
Pain in the abdomen or lower back.
Difficult or frequent urination.
Constipation, or pain during bowel movements.
Infertility or miscarriage.
Enlargement of the uterus and abdomen.

Please note this is a corrected version of a press release that was posted to FDA’s website today. The corrections include a modified headline and a revised second paragraph.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first generic versions of Aricept (donepezil hydrochloride) orally disintegrating tablet s on Dec. 11. Donepezil hydrochloride is indicated for the treatment of dementia related to Alzheimer’s disease.

Orally disintegrating tablets dissolve on the tongue, without having to be swallowed whole. This may make it easier to take the medication for older or disabled patients who have difficulty swallowing.

“Generics offer greater access to health care for all Americans,” said Gary Buehler, director of the FDA’s Office of Generic Drugs. “Health care professionals and consumers can be assured that FDA-approved generic drugs have met the same rigorous standards as the brand-name drug and are the same as the branded in dosage form, safety, strength, route of administration, quality, performance characteristics and intended use.”

Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disease that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills and, eventually, the ability to carry out the simplest tasks of daily living. In most people with Alzheimer’s disease, symptoms first appear after age 60. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia among older people, but it is not a normal part of aging.

Dementia refers to a decline in cognitive function that interferes with daily life and activities. Alzheimer’s disease starts in a region of the brain that affects recent memory, then gradually spreads to other parts of the brain.

The generic donepezil hydrochloride orally disintegrating tablets, manufactured by Mutual Pharmaceutical of Philadelphia, have been approved in 5 milligram and 10 mg strengths.

A gene variant that plays a role in inflammation seems to protect the lungs of children with asthma as well as adults who smoke.

Researchers also found that adult smokers with this variant of the MMP12 gene had a lower risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a progressive condition often brought on by smoking.

“The gene seems to be protective of the lungs in both asthma and COPD,” said Dr. Norman Edelman, chief medical officer of the American Lung Association.

Any new gene identified raises the hope that it will provide ways to prevent or treat the disease to which it is allied and this is no exception.

“Levels of the MMP12 gene may impact the quality of life for those individuals with asthma and COPD, and may allow us to come up with potential therapeutic approaches,” added Jeffrey Cirillo, professor of microbial and molecular pathogenesis at Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine in College Station. “By understanding more about this specific gene we can find ways to induce or oppress that protein expression in the lungs.”

“The real question is not why people who smoke get COPD. We kind of know the answer to that. The question is why do people who don’t smoke get COPD,” added Edelman. “If we understood that, we could find ways to reverse it and protect people.”

The MMP12 gene has been implicated in the development of emphysema in mice that are exposed to smoke, suggesting that the gene may also be important in the onset of emphysema in humans. The gene is also linked with other genes involved in asthma.

This information, combined with the fact that factors that can cause the onset of asthma in children are also involved with how well your lungs function in adulthood spurred investigators to undertake this study.

Dr. Juan C. Celedon, an associate professor of medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston and his colleagues looked at seven different groups of people, in all comprising 8,300 children and adults.

A variant of MMP12 was associated with better lung function in children with asthma.

In adults, the variant led to better lung function in adult smokers and reduced the risk of COPD in former or current smokers.

The findings, published online Dec. 16 in the New England Journal of Medicine, also shed new light on the connections between asthma and COPD.

“This suggests that there are some genes that may influence both asthma and COPD, so that for a subgroup of people there may be common determinants,” said study senior author Celedon.

“There is certainly overlapping in that how you get asthma and how you get COPD is related and probably very closely related,” Cirillo said. “That’s exciting because it suggests that if we can decrease or increase expression of genes that are common to both, we could potentially affect both. It’s nice to have one treatment.”

All of which makes sense, Edelman said. “This gene is involved in the inflammatory process, and asthma is a disease of inflammation and COPD is a disease of inflammation,” he noted. “The results are different and the pathways are different but you’re still talking about inflammation of the lung. It’s not terribly surprising that it appears to be protective in both circumstances.”