Archives by Title 2011
Autism-vaccine researcher a "fraud": medical journal
(Reuters) - Dr. Andrew Wakefield, the-now disgraced British doctor who published studies linking vaccines with autism, committed an "elaborate fraud" by faking data, the British Medical Journal said on Wednesday.(MORE)
Routine blood test may identify people with pre-diabetes, cutting later treatment costs
INDIANAPOLIS – A simpler form of testing individuals with risk factors for diabetes could improve diabetes prevention efforts by substantially increasing the number of individuals who complete testing and learn whether or not they are likely to develop diabetes. (MORE)
Secondhand television exposure linked to eating disorders
Boston, MA (January 5, 2010) — For parents wanting to reduce the negative influence of TV on their children, the first step is normally to switch off the television set. (MORE)
Loss of gene promotes brain-tumor development, reduces survival, study finds
COLUMBUS, Ohio – New research shows that loss of a gene called NFKBIA promotes the growth of glioblastoma multiforme, the most common and deadly form of brain cancer, and suggests that therapies that stabilize this gene may improve survival for certain glioblastoma patients. (MORE)
Less invasive techniques help manage complications of severe pancreatic disease
Dr. Emil Kozarov and a team of researchers at the Columbia University College of Dental Medicine have identified specific bacteria that may have a key role in vascular pathogenesis, specifically atherosclerosis, or what is commonly referred to as "hardening of the arteries" – the number one cause of death in the United States.(MORE)
Metabolic syndrome found in 52 percent of patients after liver transplantation
Researchers from Israel have determined that more than half of liver transplant recipients develop post-transplantation metabolic syndrome (PTMS), placing them at greater risk for cardiovascular disease. Prior to transplantation only 5% of the patients were diagnosed with metabolic syndrome, but rates of obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, hypertension, and diabetes were significantly higher post transplantation. Full details of this retrospective-prevalence study are available in the January 2011 issue of Liver Transplantation, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. (MORE)
Weight-loss surgery improved female urinary problems but male erection issues got worse
Women who underwent gastric band surgery to lose weight reported significant improvements in urinary function and quality of life after the operation, according to research published in the January issue of the urology journal BJUI. (MORE)
Yale researchers find double doses of chicken pox vaccine most effective
When vaccinating children against varicella (chicken pox), researchers at Yale School of Medicine have found, two doses are better than one. In fact, the odds of developing chicken pox were 95 percent lower in children who had received two doses of the vaccine compared with those who had received only one dose. (MORE)
New findings show vitamin D accelerates recovery from TB
New research findings which show that vitamin D can speed up antibiotic treatment of tuberculosis (TB) have been revealed by scientists at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry. The study - which gives fresh insight into how vitamin D may affect the immune response - is published today (6 January 2011) in The Lancet. (MORE)
Antibiotic resistance is not just genetic
Genetic resistance to antibiotics is not the only trick bacteria use to resist eradication– they also have a second defence strategy known as persistence that can kick in. (MORE)
U.S. requires reviews for newer tobacco products
(Reuters) - Certain new tobacco products must undergo a review by regulators to show they are equivalent to older ones, health officials said on Wednesday. (MORE)
Losing a child to cancer takes financial toll, too
(Reuters Health) - Many families who lose a child to cancer face not only emotional devastation, but serious financial problems as well, a new study suggests. (MORE)
Fishy diet comes with lower risk of stroke
(Reuters Health) - Women who eat more than three servings of fish per week are less likely to experience a stroke, a new study suggests. (MORE)
Malfunctioning gene associated with Lou Gehrig’s disease leads to nerve-cell death in mice
PHILADELPHIA – Lou Gehrig’s disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) are characterized by protein clumps in brain and spinal-cord cells that include an RNA-binding protein called TDP-43. This protein is the major building block of the lesions formed by these clumps. (MORE)
Bacteria eyed for possible role in atherosclerosis
Dr. Emil Kozarov and a team of researchers at the Columbia University College of Dental Medicine have identified specific bacteria that may have a key role in vascular pathogenesis, specifically atherosclerosis, or what is commonly referred to as "hardening of the arteries" – the number one cause of death in the United States. (MORE)
Biological joints could replace artificial joints soon
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Artificial joint replacements can drastically change a patient’s quality of life. Painful, arthritic knees, shoulders and hips can be replaced with state-of-the-art metal or ceramic implants, eliminating pain and giving a person a new lease on life. But, what if, instead of metal and plastic, doctors were able to take a patient’s cells and grow an entirely new joint, replacing the old one with a fully functional biological joint? A team of University of Missouri and Columbia University researchers have found a way to create these biological joints in animals, and they believe biological joint replacements for humans aren’t far away. (MORE)
Tablet splitting is a highly inaccurate and potentially dangerous practice, says drug study
Medical experts have issued a warning about the common practice of tablet splitting, after a study found that nearly a third of the split fragments deviated from recommended dosages by 15 per cent or more. (MORE)
Accurate interpretation of antinuclear antibodies test key to confirming autoimmune disease
The presence of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) indicates the possibility of autoimmunity and the indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) assay on HEp-2 cells is the standard blood test (ANA-HEp-2) used to detect ANA. However, studies have shown that a "false-positive" ANA test occurs in up to 13% of healthy individuals. In such cases the test detects the presence of autoantibodies that apparently are not associated with autoimmunity. Researchers from Brazil have now uncovered distinguishing characteristics of the ANA test in healthy individuals and patients with autoimmune disease, reducing the likelihood of an erroneous autoimmune disorder diagnosis. Their findings are published in the January 2011 issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).(MORE)
Current smokers with early rheumatoid arthritis less responsive to TNF inhibitors, methotrexate
Patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who are current smokers were less likely to achieve good response to methotrexate (MTX) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors than those who never smoked. The study by researchers from Sweden also found that RA patients who smoked in the past did not experience a lower response to these therapies. Results of the 10-year study appear in the January 2011 issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR). (MORE)
Porphyromonas gingivalis accelerates inflammatory atherosclerosis in a mouse model
Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of death in the developed world. While a number of risk factors for atherosclerosis have been defined, scientists continue to study other possible risk factors for this disease. Recent epidemiological and experimental studies link infectious agents with the development of inflammatory atherosclerosis. A hallmark of chronic infection with the oral pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis is the induction of a chronic inflammatory response. P. gingivalis induces a local inflammatory response that results in oral bone destruction, which is manifested as periodontal disease, an inflammatory disease that affects approximately 100 million people in the US. In addition to chronic inflammation at the initial site of infection, mounting evidence has accumulated supporting a role for P. gingivalis-mediated periodontal disease as a risk factor for systemic diseases including, diabetes, pre-term birth, stroke, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. (MORE)
Vitamins C and E linked to metabolic syndrome in older, low-income Ecuadorians
BOSTON - With life expectancy increasing in Latin America, age-related disease has become a pressing public health concern. Results of an epidemiological study conducted by researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (USDA HNRCA) at Tufts University and the Corporacion Ecuatoriana de Biotecnologia showed that the metabolic syndrome, a condition that increases a person’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, was prevalent in a low-income urban community in Ecuador and that a poor diet low in micronutrients appeared to contribute. (MORE)
New glaucoma test allows earlier, more accurate detection
Cumbersome glaucoma tests that require a visit to the ophthalmologist could soon be history thanks to a home test developed by a UA engineer.(MORE)
Estrogen may help precancerous cells spread in oral cavity
Head and neck cancer is the sixth most common type of cancer and is on the rise in some demographic groups, including young women without any known risk factors. Now, researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center report that estrogen may increase the movement of precancerous cells in the mouth and thus promote the spread of the disease within the oral cavity. (MORE)
Study finds problems with reviewing medical images from portable media
Radiologists and referring clinicians frequently use portable media (CDs, DVDs) to review patient medical images acquired at outside imaging centers, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scans, but issues regarding access, importability, and viewing of these portable media exist, according to a study in the January issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology. (MORE)
Sleep apnea device eases fatigue in three weeks
(Reuters) - People with breathing problems that disrupt their sleep were less tired after three weeks of treatment with a breathing device compared to those treated with a placebo, U.S. researchers said on Saturday. (MORE)
Study finds evidence of increased lung cancer risk among tuberculosis patients
Although a clear association of tuberculosis with lung cancer remains to be established, a new study published in the January issue of the Journal of Thoracic Oncology provides compelling evidence of increased lung cancer risk among people with tuberculosis. (MORE)
Risk for alcoholism linked to risk for obesity
Addiction researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found that a risk for alcoholism also may put individuals at risk for obesity. (MORE)
New test announced for major killer of lung transplant patients
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — A lung transplant can mean a new chance at life. But many who receive one develop a debilitating, fatal condition that causes scar tissue to build up in the lungs and chokes off the ability to breathe.(MORE)
New report examines impacts of health IT on workflow in outpatient settings
(Vidyya) - AHRQ released a new summary report, Incorporating Health IT into Workflow Redesign (PDF, 1.37 MB), prepared by the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Center for Quality and Productivity Improvement (CQPI). The report summarizes existing research and evidence related to the impact of health IT on workflow in outpatient settings. Key information obtained from the research will be incorporated into a toolkit to assist small and medium-sized practices in workflow analysis and redesign before, during, and after health IT implementation. The toolkit, Workflow Assessment for Health IT, is expected to be available in January 2011. (MORE)
Electronic health record usability: vendor practices and perspectives
(Vidyya) - Electronic Health Record Usability: Vendor Practices and Perspectives provides insight into the current processes, practices, and perspectives of certified EHR vendors with regard to key aspects of the usability of their products. (MORE)
Annotated bibliography: Disease registries
(AHRQ) - View this collection of peer-reviewed resources on disease registries. These resources were selected and reviewed by experts in disease registries, and they represent the best known evidence on the benefits, challenges, and best practices associated with registry use in transforming health care for a community or population. Summaries of each item are provided in addition to a link for users to access the full resource. Where possible the National Resource Center has attempted to select resources that are freely available in the public domain. However, some of the articles may require individual or institutional access. (MORE)
Study finds no blood clot risk with hormone patch
(Reuters Health) — Women who treat menopause symptoms with hormone patches rather than pills may not have an increased risk of blood clots in the legs or lungs -- even when they have a history of such clots, a new study suggests. (MORE)
Eating lots of red meat ups women's stroke risk
(Reuters Health) — Women who eat a lot of red meat may be putting themselves at increased risk of stroke, a new study in more than 30,000 Swedish women hints. (MORE)
(Alexandria, VA) - A multidisciplinary clinical practice guideline, "Tonsillectomy in Children" will be published in the January issue of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery (watch for a new cover and publisher in that issue of the journal). The new guideline provides evidence-based recommendations on the pre-, intra-, and postoperative care and management of children aged 1 to 18 years under consideration for tonsillectomy. Additionally, this guideline is intended for all clinicians in any setting who care for these patients. This guideline also addresses practice variation in medicine and the significant public health implications of tonsillectomy.(MORE)
PET scans provide insight into fever-induced epilepsy in children
(Reston, VA) - Sudden, catastrophic childhood epilepsy is a parent's worst nightmare, especially in the case of fever-induced refractory epileptic encephalopathy in school-age children (FIRES). While not much is known about the condition, new research published in the January issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine shows that positron emission tomography (PET) scans can offer an evaluation of cognitive dysfunction of FIRES, its evolution and further prognosis. (MORE)
With proper planning, selective rather than mass vaccination can provide immunity against flu
(Jerusalem) - With the current outbreak of the flu season in Israel, hospitals are reporting overcrowding, and doctors are advising people who have not yet been vaccinated against flu to get their shots. (MORE)
Call for truth in trans fats labeling by the FDA
(FDA) - Did you know that when you pick up a product promoted as trans fat free, you may still be ingesting a significant amount of this potentially harmful substance? An article by Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine student Eric Brandt, published in the January/February 2011 issue of the American Journal of Health Promotion, reveals that misleading labeling practices can result in medically significant intake of harmful trans fat, despite what you read on Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved labels. Indeed, consumers' inability to identify high-risk foods may cause individuals to exceed the daily recommended value of 1.11 grams of trans fat from processed foods and lead to adverse long-term health side effects. (MORE)
Large-scale analysis identifies new genetic alterations associated with height
(CellPress) - A large collaborative study has added to the growing list of genetic variants that determine how tall a person will be. The research, published by Cell Press on December 30 in the American Journal of Human Genetics, identifies uncommon and previously unknown variants associated with height and might provide insight into the genetic architecture of other complex traits.(MORE)
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