Weekly Featured Articles
Selected articles from InfoMedSearch.com from the past week (Monday - Sunday) will be available on Mondays - uploaded for viewing usually Monday mornings (US Central Standard Time). Most recent articles will be on top. Our goal is to keep you informed and updated weekly on important medical topics and issues.
Our Weekly Featured Articles will contain important selections from all of our topics. They will include many of the featured articles presented on our home page, but with more selections we believe will be of interest to all of our subscribers. Healthly living (nutrition, exercise, lifestyle), Prevention and Risk Reduction will be emphasized.
Our "Spotlighted Articles", located in the section below, will feature one selected article from each week of the month.
Spotlighted February 2012 Articles
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InfoMedSearch Weekly Featured Articles
Monday February 6 - February 12 2012
INFOGRAPHIC: America Is Over-Medicated
Soft Drinks May Raise Odds for Respiratory Ills: Study“However, the study merely points out an association and does not establish a cause-and-effect relationship.”
Regular, Moderate Exercise Better than Occasional Bursts
Green tea drinkers show less disability with age: study
Spanking Undermines A Child's Long-Term Development
Sunny Skies Linked to Lower Stroke Risk
Basal Cell Carcinoma at a Young Age: Another Consequence of Tanning Beds
Even for the Overweight, Exercise Helps the Heart
Kegel exercises: A how-to guide for women
A Visual Guide to Understanding Stroke (slides)
NGC - Management of acute low back pain. (2011)
Amazing Vitamin D, Nutrition's Newest Star
BHA and BHT: Two Preservatives to Avoid?
Breastfeeding Protects against Current Asthma up to 6 Years of Age. (J Pediatr. 2012)
Habitual salt intake and risk of gastric cancer: A meta-analysis of prospective studies. (Clin Nutr. 2012)
Vitamin D and fertility-a systematic review. (Eur J Endocrinol. 2012)
Heavy maternal alcohol consumption and cerebral palsy in the offspring. (Dev Med Child Neurol. 2012)
Proton Pump Inhibitors Linked to C difficile Diarrhea
Metformin Urged as 1st Drug for Diabetes “Diet and exercise are the ideal treatments for type 2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease. For some people, losing as few as 10 pounds, combined with 30 minutes of exercise daily, can bring blood sugar levels back into the normal, healthy range. However, even if the diet and exercise routine is successful at first, most of us don't stay with it. The lost weight has a way of finding its way back home, to our middles. Several years ago, the American Diabetes Association's guidelines acknowledged this reality. Lifestyle changes to lose weight and get more active are step one in its guidelines. But the association also said that people just diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should start taking metformin right away. Metformin lowers blood sugar, in part, by decreasing the liver's production of sugar (glucose). Metformin also makes insulin more effective in moving sugar out of the bloodstream and into cells. When this process doesn't work well, it's called insulin resistance. Cells don't let sugar in, so sugar has nowhere to go. Levels in the blood start to climb. Insulin resistance is one of the main features of type 2 diabetes.”
Monday January 30 - February 5 2012
Lack of Sunlight May Raise Stroke Risk
Think you can't get pregnant? Try again, study says
Severe, rapid memory loss linked to future, fatal strokes
Sleep apnea linked to silent strokes, small lesions in brain
IOM Issues Report on Breast Cancer and the Environment
Why Some Children May ‘Grow Out' of Autism
Obesity Linked to Lumbar Disc Degeneration
Contaminant in Drinking Water Linked to Mental Illness
Decaffeinated Coffee May Help Improve Memory Function and Reduce Risk of Diabetes
Music Training Has Biological Impact On Aging Process
Football Findings Suggest Concussions Caused by Series of Hits
A Lonely Heart Can Make You Sick: Middle Aged Divorced Women Vulnerable to Contracting HIV
Regular Use of Vitamin and Mineral Supplements Could Reduce the Risk of Colon Cancer, Study Suggests
WHO Warns of Alarming Rise in Cancer Cases, Calls for More Action
Science Shows How Exercise Might Help in Prostate Cancer
Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Gadgets and Devices
New Guideline on Vitamin D and Postmenopausal Health “A European Menopause and Andropause Society (EMAS) position statement on the role of vitamin D after menopause notes that the recommended daily allowance is 600 IU/day, or 800 IU/day for those 71 years of age or older.”
Q: Does vinegar really kill household germs?
The relation of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin-D levels with severity of obstructive sleep apnea and glucose metabolism abnormalities. (Endocrine. 2012) “Vitamin D deficiency may play a role and/or worsen OSA's adverse outcomes on glucose metabolism. OSA patients may be considered for supplementation treatment which was shown to ameliorate abnormal glucose metabolism and inflammation.”
Monday January 23 - January 29 2012
3-Fold Risk of Infection for Elderly After ER Visits
Oral Cancer Virus Affects 7 Percent of Americans
Healthy Middle Age Makes a Big Difference
Obesity and Pain Linked, Study of One Million Americans Shows
Even Mild Dehydration May Cause Emotional, Physical Problems “Even mild dehydration may affect our moods and ability to concentrate. In a new study of 25 healthy women, mild dehydration dampened moods, increased fatigue, and led to headaches. The women in the study were aged 23, on average. They were neither athletes nor couch potatoes. Women participated in three experiments separated by 28 days. In two of these, dehydration was induced via walking on a treadmill with or without a diuretic pill. These pills encourage urination, and can lead to dehydration.”
Asthma rate and costs from traffic-related air pollution are much higher than once believed
Common Household Chemicals Might Harm Kids' Immunity “PFCs are commonly used in a wide range of household products including nonstick cookware, carpets, upholstery and food packaging such as microwave popcorn bags; previous research has found that the chemicals are present in most people's bloodstreams.”
Kids' Snacks Can Be Healthy and Inexpensive
25-Hydroxyvitamin D deficiency is associated with fatal stroke among whites but not blacks: The NHANES-III linked mortality files. (Nutrition. 2012)
Prevalence of Biofilms and Their Response to Medical Treatment in Chronic Rhinosinusitis without Polyps. (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2012)
Green tea consumption and the risk of incident functional disability in elderly Japanese: the Ohsaki Cohort 2006 Study. (Am J Clin Nutr. 2012)
Upper airway symptoms in primary snoring and in sleep apnea. (Acta Otolaryngol. 2012)
Too Many Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Inactive, Study Finds
Cancer risk with folic acid supplements: a systematic review and meta-analysis. (BMJ Open. 2012 )
Migration of 18 trace elements from ceramic food contact material: Influence of pigment, pH, nature of acid and temperature. (Food Chem Toxicol. 2012)
Is niacin ineffective? Or did AIM-HIGH miss its target? (Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine 2012)
Monday January 16 - January 22 2012
Does Deodorant Ingredient Affect Breast Cancer Risk? “For several years, researchers have studied a possible link between substances called parabens -- widely used as a germ-fighting preservative in cosmetics such as deodorant/antiperspirants -- and breast cancer. Investigators have learned that parabens, also found in some drugs and food products, can mimic weakly the action of the female hormone estrogen -- an established risk factor for breast cancer. And the fact that a disproportionate number of breast tumors occur nearer the underarm also had scientists wondering. But now, British researchers who examined breast tissue samples from 40 women who had mastectomies have found that traces of parabens are widespread in tissues, even in the seven women who said they'd never used underarm products.”
High Levels of MRSA Bacteria in U.S. Retail Meat Products, Study Suggests
Drinking Late in First Trimester May Be Most Hazardous
No Safe Level of Alcohol Use in Pregnancy
New Definition of Autism Will Exclude Many, Study Suggests
Joint Replacement Patients Face Blood Clot Risk in Hospital
Fish oil plus exercise may do older muscles good
U.S. to Force Drug Firms to Report Money Paid to Doctors
Frequent Eating Tied to Less Weight Gain in Girls
Possible Net Harms of Breast Cancer Screening
The Canadian Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines Are Wrong
Exclusive breastfeeding duration and cardiorespiratory fitness in children and adolescents1,2,3 (Am J Clin Nutr 2012)
Alcohol consumption and the risk of colon cancer by family history of colorectal cancer (Am J Clin Nutr 2012)
Olfaction in Parkinson's disease and related disorders. (Neurobiol Dis. 2011)
Parkinson's Disease Risk Greater in Those Exposed to Common Chemical, Trichloroethylene, Study Shows
Low Levels of Vitamin D May Be Linked to Depression
Lithium toxicity profile: a systematic review and meta-analysis (The Lancet 2012)
First Link Between Potentially Toxic PFCs in Office Air and in Office Workers' Blood
Listening to Music Can Be Effective for Reducing Pain in High-Anxiety Persons
Monday January 9 - January 15 2012
Diet Might Have Some Effect on ADHD “There's limited evidence that any particular diet or supplement helps kids with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but at least some research suggests that omega-3 fatty acids may help while fatty "Western-style" diets do these children no favors.”
Statins Associated With Significant Increase in Diabetes Risk “Statin use in postmenopausal women is associated with a significantly increased risk of diabetes mellitus, research shows [1]. New data from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) hints that the risk of diabetes is higher than suggested by previous studies, with investigators reporting a 48% increased risk of diabetes among the women taking the lipid-lowering medications. "With this study, what we're seeing is that the risk of diabetes is particularly high in elderly women, and this risk is much larger than was observed in another previous meta-analysis," senior investigator Dr Yunsheng Ma (University of Massachusetts Medical School, Boston) told heartwire . "For doctors treating patients, we would like them to really look at the risk-benefit analysis, especially in different age groups, such as older women." “
Low-Dose Aspirin to Prevent First Heart Attack or Stroke? Not So Fast
Bacon linked to higher risk of pancreatic cancer, says report “Daily consumption of bacon and other red meat products can raise cancer rates, according to the study. Eating two rashers of bacon a day can increase the risk of pancreatic cancer by 19% and the risk goes up if a person eats more, experts have said. Eating 50g of processed meat every day – the equivalent to one sausage or two rashers of bacon – increases the risk by 19%, compared to people who do not eat processed meat at all.”
Harmful Trans Fat Still Plentiful in Packaged Foods
Frequent red meat eaters at higher risk of stroke “A high-protein diet might benefit health in some ways, but depending on what kind of protein a person consumes, it could raise their stroke risk too, suggests a large new study that finds eating lots of red meat ups the likelihood of having a stroke while poultry lowers it.”
Mediterranean Diet Gives Longer Life, Swedish Study Suggests
Children Near French Nuclear Plants May Run Greater Leukaemia Risk “The study carried out by INSERM, France's National Institute of Health and Medical Research between 2002 and 2007 found that children under the age of 15 living within 5 kilometres of a nuclear plant were twice as likely to have acute leukaemia as other children.”
Inflammatory Bowel Disease Less Common in Sunny States
Following Healthy Lifestyle Could Cut Colorectal Cancer by 23%
10 Cancer Symptoms Women Shouldn't Ignore
Artificial Food Color Additives and Child Behavior (EHP 2012)
Antibiotics in Food Animals: FAQ
Are Vacuum Cleaners Bad for Your Health?
Risk of Acute Myocardial Infarction after Death of a Significant Person in One's Life: The Determinants of MI Onset Study (Circulation 2012)
Prostate Cancer Screening in the Randomized Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial: Mortality Results after 13 Years of Follow-up (J Natl Cancer Inst (2012))
Gone Astray: US Prostate Cancer Screening Trial
Mass prostate cancer screening doesn't reduce deaths
Nocturia is associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease and death. (BJU Int. 2012)
Scientists Identify Inherited Prostate Cancer Gene
Should You Have a PSA Screening Test? Johns Hopkins Responds to Recent USPSTF Recommendations
Effects of moderate aerobic exercise training on chronic primary insomnia (Sleep Medicine 2011) “Long-term moderate aerobic exercise elicited significant improvements in sleep, quality of life and mood in individuals with chronic primary insomnia.”
Total Knee Replacement (animation)
Atrial Fibrillation (animation)
Monday January 2 - January 8 2012
Prevalence of psychiatric disorders in preschoolers. (J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2011)
Effect of Polyphenols on Oxidative Stress and Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Neuronal Death and Brain Edema in Cerebral Ischemia (Int J Mol Sci. 2011) “The importance of inflammation in vasogenic edema, taken together with the anti-inflammatory effects of polyphenols, indicates that the polyphenols may play a protective role in reducing vasogenic brain edema in ischemia.”
Sugary drinks tied to breastfed kids' weight “Babies who were breastfed longest and drank few or no sugary beverages were about half as likely to be obese as kids who weren't breastfed or who consumed the most sugary drinks, in a new study of Hispanic children in southern California. The research, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, is one of the first looks at the combined effects of breastfeeding and how many sugary drinks, like soda and juice drinks, children consume in the first few years of their lives. Past studies have suggested that breastfeeding is linked to a lower risk of obesity in children; however, Jaimie Davis, the study's lead author and a professor at the University of Southern California, said mothers will also give their babies and toddlers sugary drinks. "What happens is that they're breastfeeding and they're often giving their kids juice or Gatorade," said Davis. "They don't realize it's having the counter effect." “
Missed Naps Could Put Toddlers at Risk for Mood Disorders “Toddlers who miss daytime naps may be at increased risk for mood disorders later in life, a new study indicates. Researchers looked at toddlers aged 30 months to 36 months and found that depriving them of a single daily nap resulted in more anxiety, lower levels of joy and interest, and reduced problem-solving abilities. "Many young children today are not getting enough sleep, and for toddlers, daytime naps are one way of making sure their 'sleep tanks' are set to full each day," study leader Monique LeBourgeois, an assistant professor in the integrative physiology department at the University of Colorado, Boulder, said in a university news release. "This study shows insufficient sleep in the form of missing a nap taxes the way toddlers express different feelings, and, over time, may shape their developing emotional brains and put them at risk for lifelong, mood-related problems," she explained.”
More Frequent Aspirin Use Associated With More Severe AMD
Fruit, veggie lovers not immune to weight gain
Lots of Exercise May Boost Kids' Grades
Flush With Germs: Lidless Toilets Spread C difficile
Spinal Manipulation, Exercise Trump Drugs for Neck Pain
Low vitamin D levels linked to depression, UT Southwestern psychiatrists report
Too Many Athletes Warming Up Wrong Says Australilan Sports Scientist
Double Check Dose Before Giving Acetaminophen To Infants, FDA
Essential Screening Tests Every Woman Needs (slides)
Should You Have a PSA Screening Test? Johns Hopkins Responds to Recent USPSTF Recommendations
Half of Asthma Patients Do Not Respond to Standard Therapy “The investigators found that the patients with asthma who were persistently noneosinophilic did not have a forced expiratory volume in 1 second response to a 2-week period of intense treatment with oral and inhaled corticosteroids and oral zafirlukast. The poor response to intense combined treatment seen in patients with persistently noneosinophilic asthma suggests that these patients have a unique disease phenotype for which new treatments need to be developed. The study also indicates that the persistently noneosinophilic group is not homogenous and cannot be easily identified clinically.”
Obstructive sleep apnea linked to wake-up strokes. (J Neurol. 2012)
Ecological Studies of the UVB-Vitamin D-Cancer Hypothesis. (Anticancer Res. 2012)
Breastfeeding and Allergy: The Evidence (Ann Nutr Metab. 2011)
Traffic-Related Pollutants and Wheezing in Children. (J Asthma. 2012)
Dairy products and cancer. (J Am Coll Nutr. 2011)
Fruit and vegetables consumption and breast cancer risk: the EPIC Italy study. (Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2012)
Manganese exposure from drinking water and children's academic achievement. (Neurotoxicology. 2011)
Excess Body Mass Index-Years, a Measure of Degree and Duration of Excess Weight, and Risk for Incident Diabetes (Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2012)
Association of Exclusive Breastfeeding Duration and Fibrinogen Levels in Childhood and Adolescence (Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2012) “Exclusive BF is associated with less low-grade inflammation, as estimated by serum fibrinogen levels, in healthy children and adolescents. These findings give further support to the notion that early feeding patterns could program cardiovascular disease risk factors later in life.”
Parental Smoking and the Risk of Middle Ear Disease in Children (Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2012) “Exposure to SHTS, particularly to smoking by the mother, significantly increases the risk of MED in childhood; this risk is particularly strong for MED requiring surgery. We have shown that per year 130 200 of child MED episodes in the United Kingdom and 292 950 of child frequent ear infections in the United States are directly attributable to SHTS exposure in the home.”
Wholegrain cereals and bread: a duet of the Mediterranean diet for the prevention of chronic diseases. (Public Health Nutr. 2011)
Monday December 26 - January 1 2012
Prevalence of Coronary Atherosclerosis in Asymptomatic Middle-Age Men With High Aerobic Fitness. (Am J Cardiol. 2011)
Fungus Found in Sinks Can Cause Serious Infections “"With about two-thirds of sinks found to harbor Fusarium, it's clear that those buildings' inhabitants are exposed to these fungi on a regular basis," lead investigator Dylan Short, of the College of Agricultural Sciences, said in a university news release. "This strongly supports the hypothesis that plumbing-surface biofilms serve as reservoirs for human pathogenic fusaria." “
Study Finds Bacteria in Unused Paper Towels “Grabbing a paper towel in a public restroom may leave more on your hands than you bargained for. Researchers say they've found bacteria, including some that are known to make people sick, in unused paper towels. They also found that those bacteria could be transferred to hands after washing. The study is published in the American Journal of Infection Control. It did not find any illnesses connected to paper towel use. Experts say the findings are probably most important for people in hospital isolation units and those with weakened immune function who need to be extra cautious about contact with germs.”
When it Comes to Heart Attacks an Hour Can Make a Difference “Heart attack victims who get to the hospital a day or more later might expect to receive an artery-opening angioplasty. However, according to guidelines released in 2007 angioplasty was no more beneficial than medical treatment in such cases. Yet today, doctors still perform as many angioplasties on people showing up "late" after a heart attack as they did before the guidelines were published. Why hasn’t practiced changed in this regard? Doctors may be unaware of—or disagree with— the no-angioplasty approach in this scenario. In addition, doctors may have concerns about being sued if they don’t intervene aggressively or meet patient expectations of a dramatic response.”
Insight: Breast implant scandal shows regulators in dark on risk
Parents' Smoking May Cause Vascular Damage in Children
Asthma Drugs in Pregnancy Might Pose Risk for Kids
Pre- and Perinatal Risk Factors in Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. (Biol Psychiatry. 2011)
ADHD Diet Helps Reduce Symptoms
Sugars and Sugar Alcohols: What’s the Difference?
Myths and Facts About Depression (slides)
Understanding an Asthma Attack
Top Cancer-Fighting Foods (slides)
Is diabetes mellitus an independent risk factor for colon cancer and rectal cancer? (Am J Gastroenterol. 2011) “These data suggest that DM is an independent risk factor for colon and rectal cancer. Although these findings are based on observational epidemiological studies that have inherent limitations due to diagnostic bias and confounding, subgroup analyses confirmed the consistency of our findings across study type and population.”
Airway remodeling and inflammation in competitive swimmers training in indoor chlorinated swimming pools. (J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2011)
Side Effects of Cholesterol-Lowering Statin Drugs
Progressive resistance exercise and Parkinson's disease: a review of potential mechanisms. (Parkinsons Dis. 2012)
Smog: Not an Allergen, but an Irritant
NGC - Common infections in the long-term care setting. (2011)
Monday December 19 - December 25 2011
Intake of alcohol and risk of adult-onset asthma. (Respir Med. 2011)
Pregnant Women Advised to Stay Cool for Baby's Sake: Australian Study
Increased Arm Swing Asymmetry Is Early Sign of Parkinson's Disease
High lead exposure linked to hearing loss in youth “Teens exposed to higher-than-normal levels of lead are more likely to have trouble hearing, suggests a new study that links the hearing problems to lead levels well below those considered "safe" by current standards.”
As Obesity Rises, More Suffer From Acid Reflux “As the obesity epidemic spreads around the world more people are suffering from acid reflux, likely increasing the number of those who will develop esophageal cancer, a new study suggests. In Norway, the prevalence of acid reflux, also called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), has risen almost 50 percent in the past 10 years, say researchers led by Dr. Eivind Ness-Jensen, from the HUNT Research Center's Department of Public Health and General Practice at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Levanger. The increasing number of people who are obese is "the main attributable factor," he said.”
Are the Benefits of Vitamin D Overhyped?
Jump in Resting Heart Rate Might Signal Higher Death Risk “People whose heart rates increased from under 70 beats per minute to more than 85 beats per minute over 10 years had a 90 percent increased risk of dying from heart disease compared to people whose heart rates stayed around 70 beats per minute, according to the large study.” "Resting heart rate is one of the simplest measures in medicine and everyone can do that by themselves at home. From cross-sectional studies, it is known that a person's resting heart rate is related to the relative risk of premature cardiovascular disease and death. However, it has not, before now, been associated with an increased risk of premature cardiovascular death," said study senior author Ulrik Wisloff, director of the K.G. Jebsen Center of Exercise in Medicine in Trondheim, Norway. "Our observations suggest that resting heart rate may be an important prognostic marker for ischemic heart disease and total mortality," said Wisloff, who added that changes in resting heart rate may signal the need for lifestyle changes.”
Moms' pesticide exposure tied to infection in kids
Vitamin D has mixed effects on cancer, broken bones “Extra vitamin D and calcium may offer some protection against fractures in elderly people, but have little or no impact on cancer risk, according to a fresh look at the medical evidence. Some research has suggested that vitamin D, with or without calcium, might help stave off cancer, but recent trials have slashed those hopes.”
Effects of Intense Exercise and Moderate Caloric Restriction on Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Inflammation (American Journal of Medicine 2011) “In morbidly obese individuals, intense exercise with moderate caloric restriction over 7 months is associated with a dramatic improvement in carotid vascular function and atherosclerosis risk factors, as well as a reduction in inflammatory biomarkers, lipids, insulin resistance, and CIMT.”
Are men aging as oaks and women as reeds? A behavioral hypothesis to explain the gender paradox of French centenarians. (J Aging Res. 2011) “The title of this paper builds on the famous fable of Jean de la Fontaine (1621–1695) The Oak and the Reed in which he compares the two plants facing the natural elements (Table 2). The moral of the fable is that the oak remains immovable while the reed bends into the wind, but when the wind becomes stronger, the oak is uprooted while the flexible reed survives. This metaphor illustrates the hypothesis we develop to explain part of the gender paradox noted by Allard and Robine [1] as a result of a large national survey on centenarians: “…women are more prevalent in old age but in poorer overall health. It leads to an impossible challenge: if you want to become a centenarian, be a woman, you're more likely to achieve the breakthrough but once you get there, be a man, as you will be in better shape.” Comparing the responses of the reeds to the wind with the adaptation of elderly to the inherent frailty process that progresses with age, we defend the hypothesis that men, as oaks, have the capacity to cope with the challenges of old age until a breaking point, whereupon they die, while women, as reeds, are more flexible and can adapt and survive.”
Cruciferous vegetables intake and risk of prostate cancer: A meta-analysis. (Int J Urol. 2011)
Sleep apnea headache in the general population (Cephalalgia 2011)
The Promise of Neuroprotective Agents in Parkinson’s Disease (Front Neurol. 2011)
Why patients are turning less to media and friends for health information
NGC - Heart failure in the long-term care setting. (2010)
NGC - Parkinson's disease. (2011)
Monday December 12 - December 18 2011
Dirty Little Secret: Orange Juice Is Artificially Flavored to Taste Like Oranges “The flavor packs aren't listed in the ingredients because they're technically derived from "orange essence and oil", whatever the hell that means. So just remember, when you buy Orange Juice next time, even though it says 100% juice (which it is), it's still 100% artificially flavored.”
Poison in Paint, Toxics in Toys “A report released today identifies for the first time more than 650 brand name products that contain two hormone-disrupting toxic chemicals. Based on new industry data, the report names plastic toys, such as PLAYMOBIL play figures and Chicco baby rattles, which contain BPA (or bisphenol A), the same toxic chemical already banned in plastic baby bottles and sippy cups. The report revealed another toxic ingredient, known as NPEs, in nearly 300 household paints, as well as several cleaners, wood finishes and home maintenance products. … Studies have shown that BPA and NPEs (nonylphenol ethoxylates) mimic the sex hormone estrogen. BPA harms brain development, behavior and the prostate gland, among many other adverse health effects. NPEs are highly toxic to aquatic life, degrade into a long-lived chemical that builds up in the food chain, and may harm reproduction and development in humans. Aggregate exposure to BPA and NPEs from all sources threatens the health of children, workers and the environment.”
As Doctors Use More Devices, Potential for Distraction Grows
Long-term maternal morbidity associated with repeat cesarean delivery. (Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2011)
Kids' leukemia risk tied to dads' smoking “The findings make sense, Buffler said. "Tobacco smoke is full of toxins," including carcinogens, she said, "so it's not unlikely that you'd have damage" in the cells that produce sperm. "Sperm containing DNA (damage) can still reach and fertilize an ovum, which may lead to disease in the offspring," Milne wrote in an email to Reuters Health. The study did not prove that DNA damage in the sperm caused by smoking is responsible for the children's increased risk of cancer. "The causes of ALL are likely to be multifactorial, and our findings relate to just one of the possible contributing factors," said Milne.”
North Louisiana Woman Dies from Rare Ameba Infection “The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals is warning residents about the dangers of the improper use of neti pots. The warning follows the state's second death this year caused by Naegleria fowleri, the so-called brain-eating ameba. A 51-year-old DeSoto Parish woman died recently after using tap water in a neti pot to irrigate her sinuses and becoming infected with the deadly ameba. In June, a 20-year-old St. Bernard Parish man died under the same circumstances. Naegleria fowleri infects people by entering the body through the nose. A neti pot is commonly used to irrigate sinuses, and looks like a genie's lamp.”
Neti Pot Deaths Linked to Brain-Eating Amoeba in Tap Water
Abuse May Alter Child's Brain Activity
Some Fish Oil Supplements Fishy on Quality
Eating Rice May Raise Arsenic Levels
A little reward might get kids to eat veggies
Tanning beds may raise common skin cancer risk 70 percent
Expert Panel Pinpoints Environmental Culprits in Breast Cancer “Women can lower their risk of developing breast cancer by avoiding unnecessary medical radiation, forgoing menopausal hormone therapy and limiting alcohol use, but they don't need to worry about using hair dyes or cellphones, a broad new national report says.”
For Older Runners, the Message Is: Keep Those Legs Pumping
Study: BPA Is in Wide Variety of Paper Products “That's concerning, researchers say, because BPA is chemically similar to the hormone estrogen. It has been linked to problems with reproduction and sexual development, to behavioral and developmental problems in young children, and to some kinds of cancer.”
Is It a Cold or Is It the Flu? (slides)
Food in Canada: Eat at your own risk
Monday December 5 - December 11 2011
Particulate Matter Induces Cardiac Arrhythmias via Dysregulation of Carotid Body Sensitivity and Cardiac Sodium Channels. (Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2011)
Study finds impotence risk higher in men taking several drugs
Some depressed people do worse on medications: study
Starchy Foods May Boost Risk of Breast Cancer Recurrence “Emond said she cannot explain the link between starch and breast cancer recurrence with certainty. However, starchy foods boost insulin levels, and elevated insulin levels have been linked with higher breast cancer risk, she said. The insulin may stimulate the growth of tumor cells, she explained.”
British Study Suggests Mammograms May Do More Harm Than Good
Pregnancy outcome in women aged 40 years or more. (J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2011)
Sports-related injuries in youth athletes: is overscheduling a risk factor? (Clin J Sport Med. 2011)
Maternal Behaviors during Pregnancy Impact Offspring Obesity Risk (Exp Diabetes Res. 2011)
Common colds: Can vitamin C prevent or relieve them?
One Third of Cancers Caused by Lifestyle Factors “One third of all cancers are caused by 4 common lifestyle factors — tobacco, diet, alcohol, and obesity.”
Vitamin D Deficiency Tied to Diabetes in Obese Children
Ex FDA Head Says Bayer Withheld Yasmin Safety Data
Cesium Found in Infant Formula Made by Japan's Meiji
Red meat intake may increase the risk of colon cancer in Japanese, a population with relatively low red meat consumption. (Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2011)
High Blood Sugar Levels in Older Women Linked to Colorectal Cancer
Fit Beats Thin in Extending Life, Study Says
Study Finds No 'Best' Depression Drug
Multiple sclerosis - diagnosis, management and prognosis. (Aust Fam Physician. 2011)
Long-Term Effects of Changes in Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Body Mass Index on All-Cause and Cardiovascular Disease Mortality in Men (Circulation 2011)
Monday November 28 - December 4 2011
Depression as a Stroke Risk Factor
Too Little Salt Can Also Be A Problem
Painful Migraines Linked To Higher Depression Risk
Wi-Fi Laptops Harm Sperm Motility And Increase Sperm DNA Fragmentation
More Exercise Could Make For Better Sleep: Study
Veggies, Fruit May Lower Women's Stroke Risk
Report: Arsenic in Apple, Grape Juice
Aspirin not worth risks for healthy women: study
Public Restrooms Ripe with Bacteria
Soccer Ball Heading May Injure the Brain
Canada Recommends Fewer Mammograms
Ovary-Saving Hysterectomy Linked to Early Menopause
Study: Cholesterol Drugs May Worsen Asthma
Energy Drinks Send Thousands to the ER Each Year
Get Rid of Bumpers, Stuffed Animals in Baby's Crib
The Postpartum Period -- Your 'Fourth' Trimester
Vitamin D status and peripheral arterial disease: evidence so far (Vascular Health and Risk Management 2011)
Physical Activity and Risk of Stroke in Women (Stroke 2011)
Monday November 21 - November 27 2011
Recommendations on screening for breast cancer in average-risk women aged 40–74 years (CMAJ 2011)
Green Tea May Lower "Bad" Cholesterol, New Analysis
Stop 'Selling' Cancer Screening, Says Critic
Bullying Moves From Online to Text-Messaging: Study
Small overdoses of Tylenol can add up to deadly damage
Is BPA Lurking In Your Favorite Thanksgiving Foods?
Mediterranean Diet Helps With Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome
Nocturia in the elderly: A wake-up call (Cleve Clin J Med. 2011)
Poverty-Related Stress Affects Readiness for School “The researchers found that children in lower-income homes received less positive parenting and had higher levels of cortisol in their first two years than children in slightly better- off homes. Cortisol was higher in African American children than in White children. Higher levels of cortisol were associated with lower levels of executive function abilities.”
Older Women Still Suffer from Hot Flashes and Night Sweats Years After Menopause, Study Finds
Evidence Suggests HPV Testing Not Superior to Conventional Pap Tests
STD Complication May Double Infertility Risk “Repeated bouts of pelvic inflammatory disease increase a woman's risk of chronic pelvic pain and infertility, a new study says. Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) -- a complication of sexually transmitted diseases -- is marked by inflammation of the reproductive organs. The condition affects more than 800,000 women in the United States each year and one in 10 of them becomes infertile, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”
Chlamydia Tops STDs Reported to CDC
Fewer Patients Researching Personal Health Issues
Low Vitamin D May Increase Stroke, Heart Attack Risk in Women
A Visual Guide to Parkinson's Disease
Lose the Fat and Improve the Gums, Dental Researchers Find
New Test for Coronary Artery Disease Linked to Higher Rates of Cardiac Procedures and Greater Costs
Association of hypogonadism with vitamin D status: the European Male Ageing Study. (Eur J Endocrinol. 2011)
The Health Benefits of Tai Chi
Abdominal Obesity and Late-Onset Asthma: Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Results: The 3C Study. (Obesity (Silver Spring). 2011)
Maternal Vitamin D Status in Pregnancy and Risk of Lower Respiratory Tract Infections, Wheezing, and Asthma in Offspring. (Epidemiology. 2011)
Treatment Options for Parkinson's Disease
Study Suggests Exercise May Help Memory of Fibromyalgia Patients
Monday November 14 - November 20 2011
ADHD Brain Changes Appear to Persist Into Adulthood
Low Blood Pressure Linked to Recurrent Stroke “A new study points again to evidence of the fabled J-curve of cardiovascular event risk associated with blood pressure (BP). Among patients with recent noncardioembolic stroke, systolic BP (SBP) not only over 140 mm Hg but also under 120 mg Hg were associated with increased risk for recurrent stroke.”
Sugar-Sweetened Drinks May Pose Heart Risks to Women, Study Suggests “Drinking two or more sugar-sweetened beverages a day may boost a woman's risk for developing heart disease and diabetes -- even if this habit isn't causing her to pack on extra pounds, a new study says. Sugary sodas and other sweetened beverages are frequent targets in the war on obesity. Many efforts, such as taking these drinks out of vending machines in schools, are aimed at reducing exposure to these beverages and the empty calories they provide. However, the new study suggests that the risks posed by sugar-sweetened sodas and flavored waters may be independent of weight gain. Middle-aged women who drank two or more sugary beverages a day were close to four times as likely to have high levels of dangerous blood fats called triglycerides and impaired blood sugar levels (known as "prediabetes'), when compared with women who drank less than one sugar-sweetened beverage a day. What's more, women who drank two or more sodas a day also had more belly fat, but not necessarily more weight. Belly fat, or abdominal obesity, poses greater health risks than fat in other areas of the body because it lies deep inside and can produce hormones and other substances that negatively affect blood pressure, cholesterol and insulin production.”
Methamphetamine Use Linked to Schizophrenia
Estrogen from Birth-Control Pill in Water Linked to Rising Prostate Cancer Cases
Parkinson's Disease Linked To Industrial Solvent Exposure
Eat Like A Caveman To Lose Weight
No Myth: Creativity and Mental Disorders Are Linked
Heavy Metals Pollute a Tenth of China's Farmland
Dirt Prevents Allergy, Danish Research Suggests “If infants encounter a wide range of bacteria they are less at risk of developing allergic disease later in life. This is the conclusion of research from the University of Copenhagen, which suggests completely new factors in many modern lifestyle diseases.”
Enlarged Prostate: A Complex Problem
Training in 'Concrete Thinking' Can Be Self-Help Treatment for Depression, Study Suggests
Monday November 7 - November 13 2011
US Colorectal Cancer Screening Strategy Questioned “"The new analyses may show that primary colonoscopy screening is best limited to subgroups," the editorialists note. They speculate that "for most of the population, going the distance may well provide small benefits with larger costs and harms. Drs. Harris and Kinsinger also raise an issue that has been a lightning rod for criticism of breast and prostate cancer screening: overdiagnosis. "The issue of overdiagnosis, a term that has primarily been used with other cancers, should be considered because overdiagnosis is also a major problem for colonoscopy screening." We are taking our eyes off the ball. The "great majority" of findings at colonoscopy are not cancers, but instead are small low-risk adenomas and nonadenomatous polyps, they emphasize. Current practice in the United States dictates that all polyps, regardless of size, be removed. This practice, which has "an uncertain net effect" on the patient, has led gastroenterologists astray, they note. "When our goal changes from reducing [colorectal cancer] mortality within reasonable levels of harms and costs to eradicating every existing polyp, we are taking our eyes off the ball," they write.”"
Woodsmoke from Cooking Fires Linked to Pneumonia, Cognitive Impacts
Smoking Pot Shrinks the Brain “Marijuana use can lead to a loss of brain volume in individuals who are at risk of developing schizophrenia, new research shows.”
Even Homes Without Pets Have Pet Allergens
Long-Term Survival Significantly Reduced After TIA
Sleep Apnea Symptoms Can Be Reduced By Mediterranean Diet And Exercise
Not All Women at Higher Risk in Families Carrying Breast Cancer Gene
Common Breast Cancer Gene Test May Be Flawed, Study Says
Study: Smoking Dramatically Increases Liver Cancer Risk
An epidemiological study of ADHD symptoms among young persons and the relationship with cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption and illicit drug use. (J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2011)
Predictors of Boys' ADHD Symptoms from Early to Middle Childhood: The Role of Father-Child and Mother-Child Interactions. (J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2011)
Bullying and Peer Victimisation in Adolescent Girls with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. (Child Psychiatry Hum Dev. 2011)
Executive Function Profile in the Offspring of Women That Smoked During Pregnancy. (Nicotine Tob Res. 2011)
Studies Suggest Link Between Smog, Joint Disease “Exposure to certain types of air pollution is associated with an increased risk for the painful joint disease known as rheumatoid arthritis, new research suggests. This link is strongest for sulfur dioxide, one of the six most common air pollutants in the United States, according to the findings from two studies scheduled to be presented Wednesday at the American College of Rheumatology annual meeting, in Chicago.”
No Painkillers Please, We're British
Sinusitis Slideshow: Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment
Green Tea Catechins Reduce Invasive Potential of Human Melanoma Cells by Targeting COX-2, PGE(2) Receptors and Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition. (PLoS One. 2011)
Where a Child Is Tested May Affect Autism Diagnosis
Vegetables and fruits consumption and risk of esophageal and gastric cancer subtypes in the Netherlands Cohort Study. (Int J Cancer. 2011)
More Neuropathy in Levodopa-Treated Parkinson's Patients “New evidence suggests that clinical testing for neuropathy in patients with Parkinson's disease receiving long-term levodopa therapy may be advisable.
Exercise as migraine prophylaxis: A randomized study using relaxation and topiramate as controls (Cephalalgia 2011)
Exercise may offer drug-free migraine prevention
Exercise Shown to Be Effective Means of Decreasing Migraines “The study showed that regular exercise, performed at least three times a week for 40 minutes, was as effective as topiramate and behavioral management for decreasing the weekly episodes of migraines. There were no adverse side effects in the exercise or behavioral therapy group and none that were considered to be serious in the medication group. The researchers did not speculate as to the physiologic mechanism by which the exercise program was helpful. They concluded that regular exercise is an effective preventative strategy for migraine sufferers and may be especially helpful for those patients who do not wish to take daily medication.”
Monday October 31 - November 6 2011
Hospital Rooms Crawling With Drug-Resistant Germs: Study
Dietary fiber intake and risk of breast cancer: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. (Am J Clin Nutr. 2011)
The Intestinal Infection Triggered by Antibiotics
Joking, Pretending With Toddlers Gives Them Head Start in Life Skills
Vitamin D Study Suggests No Mortality Benefit for Older Women
Moderate Alcohol Consumption During Adult Life, Drinking Patterns, and Breast Cancer Risk (JAMA 2011) “Low levels of alcohol consumption were associated with a small increase in breast cancer risk, with the most consistent measure being cumulative alcohol intake throughout adult life. Alcohol intake both earlier and later in adult life was independently associated with risk.”
Too Many Meds May Be More Problem Than Cure
Too Much Sitting Raises Odds for Cancer: Study
Physicians Worry About Misinformed Patients in Internet Age
The management of tennis elbow (BMJ 2011) “Tennis elbow is a tendinopathy of the common extensor origin of the lateral elbow Cortisone injections are harmful in the longer term and are no longer recommended in most cases Rehabilitation (exercise) based treatment is helpful, but to be effective patients must usually remove tendon overload Further research is needed on newer (minimally invasive) treatments, such as platelet-rich plasma injections, hyaluronan gel injections, and nitrate patches Reserve surgery and botulinum toxin injections for the worst cases because patients can take six months to return to full function Many cases of tennis elbow cases will naturally resolve in 6-12 months”
Yoga for Chronic Low Back Pain (Annals 2011)
Childhood Diet Lower in Fat and Higher in Fiber May Lower Risk for Chronic Disease in Adulthood
Mediterranean diet tied to better fertility
For Older Men, Lowered Testosterone May Mean Muscle Loss
Air pollution tied to lung cancer in non-smokers “People who have never smoked, but who live in areas with higher air pollution levels, are roughly 20 percent more likely to die from lung cancer than people who live with cleaner air, researchers conclude in a new study. "It's another argument for why the regulatory levels (for air pollutants) be as low as possible," said Francine Laden, a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health, who was not involved in the research. Though smoking is the number one cause of lung cancer, about one in 10 people who develop lung cancer have never smoked.”
Black Licorice: Trick or Treat?
The Coffee-Cholesterol Connection“Diterpene compounds in coffee beans—notably cafestol—are responsible for the cholesterol-raising effect. The longer the coffee grounds come in contact with the brewing water, and the hotter the water, the greater the amount of diterpenes released. Scandinavian-style boiled coffee has the most diterpenes, studies have shown—followed by Turkish/Greek coffee, French-press (cafetière or plunger-pot) coffee and then espresso. American-style “drip” coffee has virtually none because the paper filters trap the compounds. Percolated and instant coffees also have negligible amounts. Decaffeinating coffee does not reduce diterpenes.”
How Do I Know If I'm Dehydrated?
Monday October 24 - October 30 2011
Chest X-Ray Screening Does Not Reduce Lung Cancer Mortality
Omega-3 Fatty Acids Shown to Prevent or Slow Progression of Osteoarthritis
Shunning water linked to high blood sugar“People who drink less than a couple of glasses of water each day may be more likely to develop abnormally high blood sugar, a new study suggests. When someone's blood sugar levels are high, but not high enough to fit the definition of diabetes, doctors often consider that person to have "pre-diabetes" -- which puts them at risk of developing the disease itself. In the new study, adults who drank only half a liter of water -- about two glasses -- or less each day were more likely to develop blood sugar levels in the pre-diabetes range, versus people who drank more water. But whether simply drinking water will cut your risk of blood sugar problems is still up in the air. The findings show a correlation between water intake and blood sugar, but do not prove cause-and-effect, said senior researcher Lise Bankir, of the French national research institute INSERM.”
Psychiatric complications of treatment with corticosteroids: Review with case report. (Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2011)
Salmonella linked to pine nuts sickens 42
Likelihood That a Woman With Screen-Detected Breast Cancer Has Had Her "Life Saved" by That Screening (Arch Intern Med 2011) “Most women with screen-detected breast cancer have not had their life saved by screening. They are instead either diagnosed early (with no effect on their mortality) or overdiagnosed. … Earlier diagnosis (either via enhanced awareness or screening) and better treatment are clearly part of the explanation for this large survivor population. But so too is the enthusiasm for screening and the resulting overdiagnosis. And, ironically, this enthusiasm may, in turn, be the product of a large number of survivors. This self-reinforcing cycle (the more detection, the more enthusiasm—the so-called popularity paradox of screening)21 is driven, in part, by the presumption that every screen-detected breast cancer survivor has had her "life saved" because of screening. Our analyses suggest this is an exaggeration. In fact, a woman with screen-detected cancer is considerably more likely not to have benefited from screening. We believe that this information is important to put cancer survivor stories in their proper context.”
Study: Cell Phones Exceed Exposure Limits For Children
Not Your Fault! Hormones Linked to Weight Regain
Fee for Service: How Long Will It Be Around? “Kent Giles, a healthcare consultant in Atlanta, explains that fee for service is one of the reasons why healthcare costs are twice as high in the United States as in other countries. "Beyond the fact that we pay doctors more here, we reward overutilization of procedures," he notes. "If doctors' payments are cut, they do more procedures. We have to move away from fee for service to control healthcare spending."”
Panel: Boys should get vaccine for HPV, too
More Evidence Links Tanning Beds to Higher Skin Cancer Risk
Vital Clues Not to Miss in Food Poisoning: Slideshow
The association between low 25-hydroxyvitamin D and increased aortic stiffness. (J Hum Hypertens. 2011)
HPV Linked to Cardiovascular Disease in Women
Impact of Early-Life Bisphenol A Exposure on Behavior and Executive Function in Children (Pediatrics 2011)
Long-Chain Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Blood Pressure (American Journal of Hypertension 2011)
Cataract and Ovarian Carcinoma: Is the Vitamin D Hypothesis Alive? (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2011)
Effects of moderate aerobic exercise training on chronic primary insomnia. (Sleep Med. 2011) “Long-term moderate aerobic exercise elicited significant improvements in sleep, quality of life and mood in individuals with chronic primary insomnia.”
The Facts Behind Niacin (Ther Adv Cardiovasc Dis. 2011)
High-Intensity Exercise Best During Lung Cancer Therapy
Monday October 17 - October 23 2011
Obese women have higher risk of suffering breast cancer
Herbal Supplements May Cause Dangerous Drug Interactions in Orthopaedic Surgery Patients, Study Suggests “Many of the most popular herbal supplements used today can have serious side effects when combined with prescription medicines. For example: Feverfew (used for migraine prevention), ginger, cranberry, St. John's Wort and ginseng can interact with the anti-clotting drug warfarin; Feverfew, ginger, and gingko can interact with aspirin; Garlic can interfere with anti-clotting medications and the immunosuppressant drug cyclosporine (prevents transplant rejection); Valerian (used as a sedative) can intensify anesthetics; and St. John's Wort can interact with immunosuppressive drugs and potentially lead to transplant rejection. Herbal products marketed for osteoarthritis also can pose serious risks when combined with prescription medications. For example: Glucosamine, chondroitin and flavocoxid can affect clotting agents; Black cohosh can interact with the cancer drug tamoxifen; and Cat's claw can interact with clotting agents, blood pressure medications and cyclosporine.”
Can Aromatherapy Produce Harmful Indoor Air Pollutants? “Spas that offer massage therapy using fragrant essential oils, called aromatherapy, may have elevated levels of potentially harmful indoor air pollutants such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and ultrafine particles …”
Antidepressant Use Skyrocketed in Past 20 Years: CDC
Pollutants Linked to 450 Percent Increase in Risk of Birth Defects in Rural China
Epstein-Barr Virus and Multiple Sclerosis (J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2011)
High to Moderate Levels of Stress Lead to Higher Mortality Rate “"People are hardy, and they can deal with a few major stress events each year," Aldwin said. "But our research suggests that long-term, even moderate stress can have lethal effects."”
Conflicts of Interest Abound in Diabetes Guidelines Committees
FDA: Dirty Conditions Likely to Blame for Listeria Outbreak at Cantaloupe Farm
Parents turn to the Internet before going to the ER
Cell Phones and Brain Tumors: No Link, But Is Study Flawed? “The latest study on cancer and cell phones — the largest to date — has found no evidence of an overall increase in brain tumors or any cancers over an 18-year period. However, a group of experts says that the study is seriously flawed, and declares that it should be "condemned as misleading spin." … "This seriously flawed study misleads the public and decision makers about the safety of [cell] phone use. I consider that their claims are worthless," Denis L. Henshaw, PhD, emeritus professor of human radiation effects, University of Bristol, United Kingdom, states in the document. "From the way it was set up originally, this deeply flawed study was designed to fail to find an increased risk of brain tumors tied [to] cell phone use. In order for any study of a relatively rare disease like brain tumors to find a change in risk, millions must be followed for decades. By extending an earlier analysis on the same group of cell phone users, this new report provides unsurprising, biased, and misleading conclusions," explains Devra Davis, PhD, MPH, cancer epidemiologist and president of Environmental Health Trust, in the document. A serious concern about this study is the choice of individuals in the control group, the group of experts asserts. The Danish researchers compared the rates of brain tumors that occurred from 1990 to 2007 in those who began using cell phones after 1987 with the rates in those who were nonsubscribers when the study started. "This understates risk, because most of those who began as 'nonsubscribers' to cell phone service (i.e., the 'controls' at the time the cohort was collected) became cell phone users later on, and accumulated almost as many years (on average per person) as the 'exposed' subscribers. Hence, the comparison to the population not contained in the subscriber sample is a comparison between 2 exposed groups. When Michael Kundi and colleagues from the Medical University of Vienna mathematically corrected for this concern in an earlier report from this Danish study, they found a significantly increased risk for brain tumors," the group writes. This concern about the control group is raised in the editorial, which describes it as a "weakness" of the study. The misclassification of subscribers and nonsubscribers "would dilute any association between [cell-]phone use and cancer risk, and this is important for a negative study like the current one," they note. "However, for long-term users, this misclassification would have only a small effect: long-term users who did not hold personal subscriptions would make up a small proportion of the reference population," they assert.”
Formaldehyde exposure and asthma in children: a systematic review. (Cien Saude Colet. 2011)
Simple Lifestyle Changes Can Add a Decade or More Healthy Years to the Average Lifespan, Canadian Study Shows “1. GET ACTIVE: Inactivity can shave almost four years off a person's expected lifespan. People who are physically inactive are twice as likely to be at risk for heart disease or stroke. 2. KNOW AND CONTROL CHOLESTEROL LEVELS: Almost 40 per cent of Canadian adults have high blood cholesterol, which can lead to the build up of fatty deposits in your arteries - increasing your risk for heart disease and stroke. 3. FOLLOW A HEALTHY DIET: Healthy eating is one of the most important things you can do to improve your health -- yet about half of Canadians don't meet the healthy eating recommendations. 4. KNOW AND CONTROL BLOOD PRESSURE: High blood pressure - often called a 'silent killer' because it has no warning signs or symptoms - affects one in five Canadians. By knowing and controlling your blood pressure, you can cut your risk of stroke by up to 40 per cent and the risk of heart attack by up to 25 per cent. 5. ACHIEVE AND MAINTAIN A HEALTHY WEIGHT: Almost 60 per cent of Canadian adults are either overweight or obese - major risk factors for heart disease and stroke. Being obese can reduce your life span by almost four years. 6. MANAGE DIABETES: By 2016 an estimated 2.4 million Canadians will live with diabetes.Diabetes increases the risk of high blood pressure, atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries), coronary artery disease, and stroke, particularly if your blood sugar levels are poorly controlled. 7. BE TOBACCO FREE: More than 37,000 Canadians die prematurely each year due to tobacco use, and thousands of non-smokers die each year from exposure to second-hand smoke. As soon as you become smoke-free, your risk of heart disease and stroke begins to decrease. After 15 years ,your risk will be nearly that of a non-smoker.”
'Screen-Free' Play Best for Toddlers' Brains “Unstructured play is much better than TV or videos for encouraging brain development in infants and toddlers, a new American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement says. Free play helps children under age 2 learn to think creatively, problem solve, and develop reasoning and motor skills at an early age. It also teaches them how to entertain themselves, the pediatric experts pointed out in an AAP news release. While a large number of video programs for infants and toddlers are marketed as educational, no evidence exists to support this claim, said the AAP. The group also said that extensive exposure to TV and videos puts children at risk for delays in language development when they start school.”
Magnesium intake and risk of type 2 diabetes: meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. (Diabetes Care. 2011) “This meta-analysis provides further evidence supporting that magnesium intake is significantly inversely associated with risk of type 2 diabetes in a dose-response manner.”
ADHD Can Be Diagnosed In Kids From Age 4, Says American Academy Of Pediatrics
Amazing Vitamin D, Nutrition's Newest Star (slides)
Reviews on sun exposure and artificial light and melanoma. (Prog Biophys Mol Biol. 2011)
Monday October 10 - October 16 2011
Mother’s Occupation While Pregnant Can Increase Risk of Asthma in Children
Breastfeeding Reduces the Risk of Allergies, Study Suggests
One in Six Mobile Phones in the UK Is Contaminated With Fecal Bacteria, Researchers Found
Environmental Toxins Linked to Hardening of Arteries “In Sweden, and in many countries in the world, many of these substances are forbidden today, but since they are so long-lived they're still out there in our environment. We ingest these environmental toxicants with the food we eat, and since they are stored in our bodies, the levels grow higher the older we get," said Monica Lind, an associate professor in environmental medicine, in the release.”
After ACL repair, half can't play sports the same
Schoolyard Bullies Often Turn Into Violent Adults“Children who bully their peers are at risk of perpetrating intimate partner violence (IPV) as adults, new research suggests. In a survey of almost 1500 adult men, those who frequently bullied others at school were almost 4 times more likely to have perpetrated past-year IPV than those who did not bully. Although at a much smaller risk, those who sometimes bullied when they were young were still 1.53 times more likely to participate in past-year IPV than those who did not bully. "I don't think these results are very surprising, because there's a lot of qualitative evidence suggesting that both bullying and [IPV] are phenomenons thought to stem from desire for power and control over others," lead author Kathryn L. Falb, MHS, research assistant at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts, told Medscape Medical News.”
Chocolate Could Be Sweet Defense Against Stroke “In the latest research to tout the cardiovascular benefits of an already beloved food, Swedish scientists report that eating chocolate seems to lower a woman's risk of stroke. The study found that women who had the highest consumption of chocolate -- about two candy bars a week -- had a 20 percent reduced risk of stroke. "Cocoa contains flavonoids, which have antioxidant properties and can suppress oxidation of low-density lipoprotein ['bad' cholesterol] which can cause cardiovascular disease [including stroke]," explained study author Susanna Larsson, an associate professor in the division of nutritional epidemiology at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. Chocolate's benefits don't end there, Larsson said, adding that dark chocolate consumption has also been found to reduce blood pressure, lower insulin resistance and help keep your blood from forming dangerous clots. But, that doesn't necessarily mean you should start adding chocolate to your daily menu. … But, she suggested, "chocolate should preferably be consumed as dark chocolate, as it contains more of the beneficial flavonoids, as well as less sugar." "There's an upside and a downside to everything. I don't think people should eat all the chocolate they can, but some chocolate in moderation can have some benefit," said Goldberg. She added that it's important to remember that chocolate has a lot of sugar and fat, and it also contains caffeine. So, if you're prone to irregular heartbeats or high blood pressure, eating chocolate may affect those conditions.”
Panel Rejects PSA for Cancer Screening
Some common vitamin supplements could increase death risk, study finds
3 Hours of Exercise Weekly Can Cut Men's Heart Risks “Three hours of vigorous exercise a week can reduce a man's heart attack risk by 22 percent, a new study suggests. The Harvard School of Public Health researchers also found that about 38 percent of that decreased risk was due to the beneficial effects of exercise on a man's levels of "good" high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.”
Green Tea Helps Mice Keep Off Extra Pounds
Q: Should you wash fruit and vegetables before eating them?
18 Secrets for a Longer Life (slides)
A Visual Guide to Prostate Cancer (slides)
Suboptimal vitamin D levels in pregnant women despite supplement use. (Can J Public Health. 2011)
The role of family experiences and ADHD in the early development of oppositional defiant disorder. (J Consult Clin Psychol. 2011)
Monday October 3 - October 9 2011
Aspirin for Primary Prevention of Myocardial Infarction: WHAT IS THE EVIDENCE? (J Cardiopulm Rehabil Prev. 2011) “This analysis does not support a general recommendation for the use of aspirin for primary prevention of MI and also suggests that effective management of risk factors in accordance with current guidelines may attenuate any potential benefit from aspirin with respect to MI. However, there may be a modest benefit in postmenopausal women with respect to stroke.”
Post-stroke infection: A systematic review and meta-analysis (BMC Neurology 2011)
[Acute abducens nerve palsy following prostatitis due to prostate biopsy]. (Nihon Hinyokika Gakkai Zasshi. 2011)
One Quarter of Seniors Over 70 Have Had Silent Strokes
Pale People May Need Vitamin D Supplements
Vitamin D Could Lower Risk of Developing Type 2 Diabetes, Study Suggests
Moderate Exercise Appears to Be Best for Middle-Aged Women
Diabetes again linked to colon cancer risk “Combining the results of 14 international studies, researchers found that overall, people with diabetes were 38 percent more likely to be diagnosed with colon cancer than those who were diabetes-free. There was also a 20 percent increase in the risk of rectal cancer, though that appeared to be confined to men. The findings, reported in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, do not prove that diabetes directly contributes to colon cancer in some people.”
Suspicious Mammogram Result: Now What?
Long-term effects of weight-reducing diets in hypertensive patients (Cochrane Reviews 2011)
Mom's Healthy Diet Might Cut Birth Defect Risk
Men Don't Have To Be As Fat As Women To Get Type 2 Diabetes
Blood Pressure Increases With Fat in Children
Daily aspirin tied to risk of vision loss
Extra Pounds Linked to Weaker Legs in Older Women
Oral Steroids Linked to Vitamin D Deficiency “People taking oral steroids double their risk for severe vitamin D deficiency, which can lead to bone disease or muscle weakness, a new study indicates. Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, in New York City, said steroids might increase levels of an enzyme that inactivates the vitamin, resulting in osteomalacia (softening of the bones), rickets (softening of bones in children) or clinical myopathy (muscle weakness). They recommended that physicians monitor vitamin D levels of patients being treated with oral steroids.”
Pregnant Mothers at Risk from Air Pollution, California Study Suggests
A Visual Guide to Understanding Stroke (slides)
What Is A Breast Self Exam? Are Breast Self Exams Useful?
Reduced Risks of Neural Tube Defects and Orofacial Clefts With Higher Diet Quality (Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2011) “Healthier maternal dietary patterns, as measured by diet quality scores, were associated with reduced risks of NTDs and clefts. These results suggest that dietary approaches could lead to further reduction in risks of major birth defects and complement existing efforts to fortify foods and encourage periconceptional multivitamin use.”
The value of ecologic studies: mercury concentration in ambient air and the risk of autism. (Rev Environ Health. 2011)
Monday September 26 - October 2 2011
CDC confirms 13 dead in listeria cantaloupe outbreak
'Belly Fat' Linked to Development of Asthma, Study Finds
Intrinsic Aerobic Exercise Capacity Linked to Longevity
WHO Reveals Cities With Most And Least Polluted Air
1 in 4 U.S. Adults Treated for High Blood Pressure: Report
FDA Warns LASIK Providers: Stop Making False Claims “LASIK, a laser cornea-shaping procedure, does come with risks. Those risks are small but can include vision loss, under- or over-correction of vision, dry eye, infection, glare, halos and or double vision.”
Tea and coffee consumption and MRSA nasal carriage.
Illnesses From Contaminated Swimming Water Increasing
Doorknobs May Be 'Reservoirs' for MRSA
Painkillers Linked to Heart Rhythm Disorder
Falls Still a Leading Cause of Fatal Injuries in Seniors
Potential link between caffeine consumption and pediatric depression: A case-control study (BMC Pediatr. 2011)
Cognitive function of 6-year old children exposed to mold-contaminated homes in early postnatal period. Prospective birth cohort study in Poland. (Physiol Behav. 2011)
Vitamin D Intoxication with Severe Hypercalcemia due to Manufacturing and Labeling Errors of Two Dietary Supplements Made in the United States. (J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011)
Monday September 19 - September 25 2011
Hospital privacy curtains laden with germs “Health care providers often touch these curtains after they have washed their hands and then proceed to touch the patient. Further, these curtains often hang for a long time and are difficult to disinfect. In their study, Dr. Ohl and his team took 180 swab cultures from 43 privacy curtains twice a week for three weeks. The curtains were located in the medical and surgical intensive care units and on a medical ward of the University of Iowa Hospitals. The researchers also marked the curtains to keep track of when they were changed. Tests detected Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, including the especially dangerous methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), as well as various species of Enterococci -- gut bacteria -- some resistant to the newer antibiotic vancomycin. The researchers used additional tests to identify specific vancomycin and methicillin-resistant strains to see whether the same strains were circulating and contaminating the curtains over and over. The study found significant contamination that occurred very rapidly after new curtains were placed.”
One Size Doesn't Fit All for Vitamin D and Men: African-American Men in Northern Regions Especially Need High Doses of Supplements “African-American men have lower levels of Vitamin D because the increased melanin in darker skin blocks the ultraviolet rays necessary for the body to produce the vitamin, Murphy said. Thus, African-American men require up to six times more sun exposure than Caucasian men to make adequate Vitamin D levels. "It takes a dark-skinned male like myself 90 minutes three times a week to absorb enough sunlight to produce the recommended amount of Vitamin D compared to just 15 minutes three times a week for a Caucasian male," said the Chicago-based Murphy, who also is a physician at Jesse Brown VA Medical Center. African-American men living in Chicago would need to take nearly 2,500 IU's of Vitamin D to reach normal, healthy levels, Murphy said.”
Copper Reduces Infection Risk by More Than 40 Per Cent, Experts Say
Cycling Fast: Vigorous Daily Exercise Recommended for a Longer Life“A study conducted among cyclists in Copenhagen, Denmark showed that it is the relative intensity and not the duration of cycling which is of most importance in relation to all-cause mortality and even more pronounced for coronary heart disease mortality.”
Depression and Risk of Stroke Morbidity and Mortality (JAMA 2011)
Sleeping Less Than 9 Hours Detrimental To Academic Performance In Primary School Children
Ob-Gyn Guidelines Often Based on Opinion, Weak Data “Solid evidence is often missing from the practice guidelines used by obstetrician-gynecologists across the U.S., a new study shows. Less than a third of the recommendations from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) are based on gold-standard randomized controlled trials, researchers found. The rest are based on anecdotal evidence or expert opinion, which is subject to personal biases, they reported.”
Scores Got Sick, 1 Died Trying to Kill Bedbugs
Why the minimum desirable serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level should be 75 nmol/L (30 ng/ml). (Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011)
Acid Reducers Triple Risk of C difficile-Associated Diarrhea
Monday September 12 - September 18 2011
Strict Hand Hygiene, Other Simple Measures, Cut Infection Rates and Medical Costs
Chemicals Found to Impede Cancer Drugs “Since most breast cancers are driven by the estrogen hormone, the bulk of the drugs used to treat breast cancer are designed to knock down estrogen. BPA and methyl paraben not only mimic estrogen's ability to drive cancer, but appear to be even better than the natural hormone in bypassing the ability of drugs to treat it, Goodson said.”
Public Often Unaware of a Drug's Safety Record -- Or Lack of One
Negative Colonoscopy Now Might Mean No Need for Another
Extra Pounds a Deadly Risk Factor for Black Women: Study
Plant-rich diets tied to lower breast cancer risk
A Visual Guide to Epilepsy (slides)
Green tea consumption and colorectal cancer risk: a report from the Shanghai Men's Health Study. (Carcinogenesis. 2011) “This study suggests that regular consumption of green tea may reduce colorectal cancer risk among non-smokers.”
Meat-cooking mutagens and risk of renal cell carcinoma. (Br J Cancer. 2011)
Antidepressant Use and Risk of Adverse Outcomes in Older People (BMJ 2011)
Impact of alcohol use on mortality in the elderly: Results from the Korean Longitudinal Study on Health and Aging. (Drug Alcohol Depend. 2011)
Omega-3 for bipolar disorder: meta-analyses of use in mania and bipolar depression. (J Clin Psychiatry. 2011) “The meta-analytic findings provide strong evidence that bipolar depressive symptoms may be improved by adjunctive use of omega-3. The evidence, however, does not support its adjunctive use in attenuating mania.”
Monday September 5 - September 11 2011
Pesticides in food linked to ADHD in kids “"It's mainly exposure through food. Diet is the driver," says pediatrician and public health expert Phil Landrigan, MD, professor and chair of the department of community and preventive medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. "For most people, diet is the predominant source. It's been shown that people who switch to an organic diet knock down the levels of pesticide by-products in their urine by 85 to 90 percent. … The harmful chemicals are widespread: A 2008 U.S. Pesticide Residue Program Report found detectable concentrations of one organophosphate alone, malathion, in 28 percent of frozen blueberries, 25 percent of strawberries, and 19 percent of celery sampled. (Malathion is also commonly sprayed out of airplanes and onto communities as part of mosquito-control programs. Organophosphate pesticides, also found in some flea and tick products, have been tied to childhood leukemia, and are believed to be partially responsible for colony collapse disorder, which is killing off honeybees (who pollinate our food crops) at unprecedented rates.”
Prenatal Exposure to Phthalates Linked to Decreased Mental and Motor Development
Kids who live with smokers have more ear infections
Chicago bans crib bumpers: Will you bump them out of your nursery?
MU study links inactivity with risk factors for Type 2 diabetes “"A single bout of moderate exercise can improve the way the body maintains glucose homeostasis (blood glucose regulation) and reduce PPG, but becoming inactive for a short period of time quickly disrupts glucose homeostasis," Thyfault said. "This study shows that physical activity directly impacts health issues that are preventable." In the study, Thyfault monitored the activity levels and diets of healthy and moderately active young adults. Participants then reduced their physical activity by 50 percent for three days while replicating the diet they consumed when they were active. Continuous glucose monitors worn by the subjects during the period of inactivity revealed significantly increased levels of PPG. Spikes in blood glucose after meals can indicate increased risks for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. "It is recommended that people take about 10,000 steps each day," Thyfault said. "Recent evidence shows that most Americans are only taking about half of that, or 5,000 steps a day. This chronic inactivity leads to impaired glucose control and increases the risk of developing diabetes."”
More Evidence Links Genes to Parkinson's
Vitamin D May Have Link to Skin Cancer Risk
Vitamin D Plus Calcium May Decrease Risk of Falls
Is Prenatal SSRI Exposure Linked to Autism Spectrum Disorders in Children?
Chocolate consumption and cardiometabolic disorders: systematic review and meta-analysis (BMJ 2011) “Based on observational evidence, levels of chocolate consumption seem to be associated with a substantial reduction in the risk of cardiometabolic disorders.”
Miscarriage risk doubles with use of anti-inflammatory drugs
A Visual Guide to Ovarian Cancer (slideshow)
All About Menopause and Perimenopause (slideshow)
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: is it time to reappraise the role of sugar consumption? (Postgrad Med. 2011)
Monday August 29 - September 4 2011
Sleeping Soon After Dinner May Raise Stroke Risk “Once again, mom was right: Don't eat too close to bedtime. A new study suggests that waiting at least an hour after dinner before going to sleep reduces your risk of stroke by about two-thirds. And for every 20 minutes more that you wait, stroke risk drops another 10%, says researcher Cristina-Maria Kastorini, MSc, a nutritionist at the University of Ioannina Medical School in Greece. The study does not prove cause and effect -- only that there seems to be an association between waiting an hour or more between dinner and bedtime and reduced stroke risk. “
A Lifetime of Physical Activity Yields Measurable Benefits as We Age
Mold Exposure in Infancy Raises Asthma Risk
Sorting Out the Value of Mammography
CDC report finds people live longer if they practice one or more healthy lifestyle behaviors“People can live longer if they practice one or more healthy lifestyle behaviors – not smoking, eating a healthy diet, getting regular physical activity, and limiting alcohol – according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. During the study period, people who engaged in all four healthy behaviors were 63 percent less likely to die early, compared to people who did not practice any of the behaviors. Not smoking provided the most protection from dying from all of the causes examined.”
Study: Kids Are Getting Too Many Antibiotics
A Visual Guide to Sciatica (slideshow)
Breastfeeding is Associated with Improved Child Cognitive Development: A Population-Based Cohort Study. (J Pediatr. 2011)
Hospital garb harbors nasty bacteria, new study says “They might look quite clean, but the white coats, pastel uniforms and colorful surgical scrubs worn by doctors and nurses actually may harbor a host of nasty, potentially dangerous bacteria, a new study finds. More than 60 percent of health workers’ uniforms sampled by researchers tested positive for pathogens, including the germs that can cause pneumonia, bloodstream infections and drug-resistant infections such as MRSA. … To be sure, the study doesn’t verify a link between the germy garb and actual patient infections, the authors say. But it does raise enough questions to reignite conversations about the ick factor of hospital uniforms and scrubs — especially when health workers wear them in public: out to grocery stores, say, or to sandwich shops. “I do cringe,” said Ramona Conner, a registered nurse and manager of standards and recommended practices for the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses. “We do know that antibiotic-resistant organisms have been found to survive for extended lengths of time on hospital materials including clothing and linens. …At the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, N.Y., hospital policy calls for staff to don only scrubs laundered at a hospital-owned facility and to refrain from wearing them outside the premises, said Ann Marie Pettis, director of infection prevention. "The compliance with the policy, however, is less than perfect, unfortunately," Pettis admitted in an e-mail. ””
Greater Exercise Intensity May Add Years to Life “The intensity of exercise, not the duration, is what's important in terms of improving your chances of living a longer life, a new study suggests. Researchers who looked at cyclists in Denmark found that men with high levels of cycling intensity lived 5.3 years longer, and those with average intensity lived 2.9 years longer, than men with low intensity.”
Half Of All Americans Obese By 2030 With UK Close Behind
Kids Need Enough Sleep to Succeed at School: Experts
Separate HPV16, HPV18 Testing May Identify High-Risk Women
Cell Phone Study Was Flawed, Say Some Experts “The use of cell phones, and their possible detrimental effect on human health, is an issue that remains unresolved. A recent study, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (2011;103:1264-1276), concluded that children and adolescents who use cell phones are not at an increased risk for brain tumors, but several experts are disputing these findings. A report issued by L. Lloyd Morgan, BSc, senior research fellow at the Environmental Health Trust, and colleagues found that rather than showing no risk for brain tumors, the study's results indicate that an increased risk for brain cancer is a "major concern." Mr. Morgan and coauthors Ronald Herberman, MD, director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute and the UPMC Cancer Center, in Pennsylvania, and Devra Davis, PhD, MPH, president of Environmental Health Trust, note that the study's results are flawed and mislead the public. They explain that these errors should have been picked up during the peer-review process and by the journal, because the results and conclusion sections of the paper contradict the actual reported results. Several cell phone companies provided funding for this study, and some of the study's authors are known to be linked to industry and to other research that supports the interests of the industry, the report points out. …However, Dr. Davis pointed out that they weren't likely to find an association between cell phone use and brain cancer in young children because brain tumors can take 10 or more years to form. "Young children have not been heavy users of cell phones for that long," she said. "It is ridiculous to look at cell phone use in a 7 year old. What were they, 2 years old when they started using their cell phones?" … Dr. Davis also emphasized that aside from brain tumors, other studies have linked cell phones to serious health risks in children, including learning problems, autism, behavioral impacts, insomnia, attention disorders, and a broad array of disturbances to the developing nervous system. … Another expert, Joel Moskowitz, PhD, director of the Center for Family and Community Health at the University of California, Berkeley, agrees that the findings of the study have been downplayed. "This report and the editorial are another example of biased reporting," he said in an interview. "The results actually verify higher tumor risks for children but the findings are downplayed. They dismiss any evidence or prior evidence of increased risk and harm, and then the media plays it out as either being not conclusive evidence or no evidence." Dr. Moskowitz noted several glaring problems with the study, which are in line with the findings of Mr. Morgan and colleagues. "In a subset of patients who had cell phone records available, there was more than a doubling of risk," he said. “
Vitamin D Plus Calcium May Decrease Risk of Falls
9 things that can undermine your vitamin D level
Monday August 22 - August 28 2011
Antibiotic Overuse May Be Bad for Body's Good Bacteria “Antibiotic overuse doesn't just lead to drug-resistant superbugs, it may also permanently wipe out the body's good bacteria. Good bacteria in the gut help people in many ways, including helping make vitamins and boosting immunity. Some researchers think that killing them off with antibiotics may be contributing to rises in chronic health conditions such as obesity, asthma, and cancer.”
Exercise Can Substitute Effectively as Second 'Medication' for People With Depression, Study Suggests“Exercise can be as effective as a second medication for as many as half of depressed patients whose condition have not been cured by a single antidepressant medication.”
Vitamin D in the healthy and inflamed central nervous system (Journal of the Neurological Sciences 2011)
Eating Right Can Do a Number on Bad Cholesterol
Half of hospitals buy back-door drugs, new survey shows
Researchers: Scented Laundry Detergent Could Be Hazardous
Low Vitamin D Levels Seen in Parkinson's Patients
Alcohol Consumption and Cancer Risk. (Nutr Cancer. 2011)
Niacin: A Critical Component to the Management of Atherosclerosis: Contemporary Management of Dyslipidemia to Prevent, Reduce, or Reverse Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease. (J Cardiovasc Nurs. 2011)
Vitamin D Supplementation: An Update
Jogging Beats Weight Lifting for Losing Belly Fat: Study
Healthy Stuff (researches toxic chemicals in products)
Monday August 15 - August 21 2011
Processed Meats Linked to Increased Stroke Risk
Many Doctors Ignore Guidelines, Order Annual Pap Test
FDA approves Zelboraf and companion diagnostic test for late-stage skin cancer
1 in 10 US kids have ADHD, study finds
Milk better than water to rehydrate kids: McMaster study
Pregnant women in Vancouver may not be getting enough vitamin D
Claims About Cocoa “So should you eat chocolate? Chocolate can have a lot of calories, and the importance of a healthy weight is well known. “If you’re eating chocolate, make sure to watch the calorie content, the fat content and the sugar content,” Su says. “For those who are already consuming chocolate, I would advise them to look for the darker ones,” Djoussé adds, “not the white chocolate or the milk chocolate. You won’t get any of the benefit. It’s just going to be unneeded calories.” But there’s no need to start eating chocolate if you don’t already. “The science doesn’t allow us to make recommendations because the evidence is just not there,” Muniyappa says.”
Chance of having more than one autistic child higher than thought
Antidepressants increasingly prescribed for nonpsychiatric conditions “When patients visit their physicians for common health issues such as fatigue, headaches and premenstrual problems, they increasingly are getting a prescription for the same type of medication. …An antidepressant. … In some cases, patients are being unnecessarily exposed to the adverse effects of the medications, including an increased risk of diabetes, said Dr. Mojtabai, a psychiatrist and associate professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore.”
Caloric Restriction - Powerful Protection for the Aging Heart and Vasculature. (Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2011)
Monday August 8 - August 14 2011
Are Kids Brown-Bagging Bacteria?“Despite parents' best intentions, many school lunches packed at home may reach unsafe temperatures by the time a child eats, and that's true even when lunches are packed in an insulated container with ice packs. A new study of preschoolers' lunches found that more than 90% of the food sent from home was at an unsafe temperature long before children started eating. "The main finding of our study is that more than 90% of perishable items were at an unacceptable temperature -- according to USDA guidelines -- an hour and a half before lunch," said study author Fawaz Almansour, a doctoral candidate in the department of nutritional sciences at the University of Texas at Austin. "This was an eye opener. As a parent, when my child comes home with a stomachache or vomiting, I usually think it's a virus. I don't think the food I serve is the problem," he said.”
All school, no play? Kids' learning suffers without recess, experts say
25 Percent of Ontarians Hospitalized for Depression Required ER Visit or Readmission Within 30 Days
Contrary to Earlier Findings, Excess Body Fat in Elderly Decreases Life Expectancy
Red Meat Linked to Increased Risk of Type 2 Diabetes “Based on these results, the researchers advise that consumption of processed red meat -- like hot dogs, bacon, sausage, and deli meats, which generally have high levels of sodium and nitrites -- should be minimized and unprocessed red meat should be reduced. If possible, they add, red meat should be replaced with healthier choices, such as nuts, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, fish, or beans.”
Precancerous Skin Lesions and Skin Cancer Slideshow
Most Effective Way to Reduce Radiation Errors Rarely Used
Regular Exercise Helps Keep Leg Arteries Clear
Which Is Better: Vitamin D2 or D3? “In conclusion, ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) and cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) are not bioequivalent and should not be considered interchangeable. Although few head-to-head trials exist, based on pharmacokinetic studies and limited clinical evidence, cholecalciferol is preferred over ergocalciferol. Because of its shorter half-life and decreased potency, this is especially relevant in the setting of severe deficiency, where high-dose ergocalciferol is often only given once weekly. Health professionals should encourage use of cholecalciferol over ergocalciferol in all patients without severe renal failure, either as a general supplement or as a treatment for vitamin D deficiency.”
Heart Testing Overused, Report Finds“Santa says the push to test and treat with angioplasty stems from the outdated notion that heart disease is just a ‘plumbing problem’ that clearing the blocked plumbing, or artery, will fix. “We now know that heart disease is also a clotting problem,” he says. “Plaque could sit in the arteries for many, many years without causing a problem, but an (artery-blocking) clot can form very quickly.” Angioplasty with stents can actually cause clotting, and that is why the procedure may increase the risk for heart attacks and strokes in people without heart symptoms, says Kimberly Lovett, MD, of the San Diego Center for Patient Safety at the University of California, San Diego.”
Smoking Linked to Raised Risk of Irregular Heartbeat, Study Finds
Colon Cleansing Has No Health Benefit, May Harm: Report
Osteoarthritis Pictures Slideshow: An Overview and Visual Guide to OA
Osteoarthritis Pictures Slideshow: Exercises for OA of the Knee
Effects of the Exposure to Mobile Phones on Male Reproduction: A Review of the Literature. (J Androl. 2011)
Long-Term Urban Particulate Air Pollution, Traffic Noise and Arterial Blood Pressure (EHP 2011) “We found an association of long-term exposure to PM with increased arterial BP in a population-based sample. This finding supports our hypothesis that long-term PM exposure may promote atherosclerosis with air pollution-induced increases in BP being one possible biologic pathway.”
Potassium, Calcium, and Magnesium Intakes and Risk of Stroke in Women (American Journal of Epidemiology. 2011)
Monday August 1 - August 7 2011
Do Pools Expose Swimmers to Potentially Harmful Chemicals? “Swimmers have detectable levels of a potentially dangerous chlorine by-product called haloacetic acids (HAAs) in their urine within 30 minutes of a swim, a study shows. The Environmental Protection Agency limits HAA levels in drinking water because high amounts may be linked to birth defects and cancer. Chlorine is used in drinking water and swimming pool water to kill harmful bacteria. By-products such as HAA occur when disinfectants such as chlorine react with impurities in the water.”
Even With Regular Exercise, People With Inactive Lifestyles More at Risk for Chronic Diseases “After reviewing recent literature, University of Missouri researchers contend that physical inactivity is the primary cause of chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity and fatty liver disease and that even people who set aside time for exercise regularly but are otherwise sedentary, may not be active enough to combat these diseases. Inactivity, in addition to the availability of high-caloric food has led to an increased rate of metabolic dysfunction in Americans.”
The Impact of Fructose on Renal Function and Blood Pressure (Int J Nephrol. 2011) “These studies suggest that excessive intake of fructose might have an etiologic role in the epidemic of obesity, diabetes, and cardiorenal disease.”
Cancer-Causing Mineral Found in U.S. Road Gravel: Erionite in Roads May Increase Risk of Mesothelioma“The scientists compared the erionite in North Dakota to erionite from the Turkish villages with high mesothelioma rates. They measured airborne concentrations of the mineral in various settings, studied its chemical composition, and analyzed its biological activity. When mice were injected with the erionite from Dunn County, their lungs showed signs of inflammation and abnormal cell growth, precursors to mesothelioma. Under the microscope, the fiber size of the erionite from North Dakota was similar to that of the Turkish erionite. Overall, the researchers found no chemical differences between the North Dakota erionite and samples of the cancer-causing mineral from Turkey. The airborne levels of erionite in North Dakota were comparable to levels found in Turkish villages with 6-8 percent mortality rates from mesothelioma, the researchers reported.”
Omega 3 Fatty Acids Have Protective Benefits When Taken During Pregnancy, Study Suggests
Omega-3 Reduces Anxiety and Inflammation in Healthy Students, Study Suggests
Fetal Exposure to Magnetic Fields From Appliances, Power Lines May Up Kids' Asthma Risk
Even a Little Exercise Helps the Heart, Study Finds “New research shows that even small amounts of exercise -- about 150 minutes, or 2.5 hours, of moderate activity a week -- can reduce the risk of heart disease by about 14 percent. Those who did more -- about 300 minutes a week, or five hours -- reduced their risk of heart disease, including heart attacks, angina and bypass surgeries, by 20 percent compared to people who did no exercise, the study found. "Some physical activity is better than none, and more is better," said lead study author Jacob Sattelmair, who was a doctoral candidate at Harvard University School of Public Health, Boston, when he conducted the research.”
For Many, Risks of Lung Biopsy May Outweigh Benefits: Study “For many patients, biopsies of lung nodules found during CT scans may be unnecessary and even dangerous, a new study finds. "As we have been doing more CT scans, we are finding more of these nodules or spots in the lungs, which have unclear clinical significance," said lead researcher Dr. Renda Soylemez Wiener, an assistant professor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine. Nodules are spotted in as many as 25 percent of patients undergoing a chest CT scan, the study said. "When nodules show up, doctors and patients need to decide whether to biopsy that spot in the lung," she said. "There are risks to that [surgical] procedure, which may be more common than most people realize." Lung collapse and bleeding are complications of the procedure, which involves removing and examining a sample of tissue. Wiener, noting that 98 percent of the nodules turn out to be benign, said physicians perform too many unnecessary lung biopsies.”
Indoor mold poses key asthma risk for babies
Low Vitamin D Linked to Atherosclerosis, Study Finds
You're Never Too Old or Too Frail to Exercise
Iodine and Pregnancy (J Thyroid Res. 2011)
[Physical activity and exercise for rehabilitation of type 2 diabetes]. (Rehabilitation (Stuttg). 2011)
Olive oil intake is inversely related to cancer prevalence: A systematic review and a meta-analysis of 13800 patients and 23340 controls in 19 observational studies. (Lipids Health Dis. 2011)
Olive oil consumption, plasma oleic acid, and stroke incidence (Neurology 2011) “These results suggest a protective role for high olive oil consumption on the risk of stroke in older subjects.”
Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Congestive Heart Failure in Older Adults (Annals 2011)
Association Between Type 2 Diabetes and Exposure to Persistent Organic Pollutants (Diabetes Care 2011)
Monday July 25 - July 31 2011
Cochrane Salt/Blood-Pressure Message Blasted in the Lancet
Prevalence and risk factors of muscle complications secondary to statins (Muscle & Nerve 2011) “Adverse reactions were reported by 21% of patients and 5.9% of controls (p = 0.0013). Objective weakness was found in 15% of the patients who reported muscle symptoms (3.2% of the total cohort) but not in controls. Older age, longer duration of statin use, diabetes, stroke and lower body mass index were associated with increased risk of developing these symptoms. Conclusion: Adverse reactions to statins may be more common than previously reported, and they may be affected by specific patient and disease characteristics.”
Treating Depression With Exercise
Hiding vegetables in kids' foods can increase vegetable intake
Childhood pets linked to lower allergy risk
Building Muscle May Reduce Diabetes Risk, Study Says
Women who eat lots of fiber have less breast cancer “Chinese researchers found those who ate the most of the healthy plant components were 11 percent less likely to develop breast cancer than women who ate the least. Their findings don't prove fiber itself lowers cancer risk, however, because women who consume a lot of it might be healthier overall than those who don't. The results "can identify associations but cannot tell us what will happen if people change their behavior," said John Pierce, a cancer research at the University of California, San Diego, who was not involved in the work. While earlier research has yielded mixed conclusions on the link between cancer and fiber, it would make scientific sense: According to the Chinese researchers, people who eat high-fiber diets have lower levels of estrogen, which is a risk factor for breast tumors.”
Methamphetamine Abuse May Raise Parkinson's Risk “The patients with methamphetamine- or amphetamine-use disorders were 76 percent more likely to develop Parkinson's disease than those not using the drugs. This means that over 10 years, 21 out of 10,000 people with methamphetamine or amphetamine dependence would develop Parkinson's, compared with 12 out of 10,000 people in the general population. "This study provides evidence of this association for the first time, even though it has been suspected for 30 years," lead researcher Dr. Russell Callaghan, a scientist at the Center for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, said in a news release from the center. Parkinson's disease results from low levels of the chemical dopamine in the brain. Animal studies have shown that methamphetamine damages dopamine-producing areas in the brain. "It is important for the public to know that our findings do not apply to patients who take amphetamines for medical purposes, such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), since these patients use much lower doses of amphetamines than those taken by patients in our study," co-author Dr. Stephen Kish, a scientist at the center, said in the news release.”
Summer Heat Holds Potential Danger for Young Athletes
Risky pelvic mesh highlights worries about FDA process “Unlike prescription drugs, which must be proven safe and effective before they’re marketed, most medical devices have no such requirement. Only about 10 percent of devices, those deemed the riskiest, such as breast implants and implantable pacemakers, fall into that category. Surgical mesh, used to support organs that have slipped over time, does not.”
FDA Finds U.S. Drug Research Firm Faked Documents
CDC Issues Guidance for Coping With Lingering Heat
Elderly at Greater Risk for Heat Stroke, Experts Warn
Teacher Influence Persists in Early Grades “The study highlights the importance of identifying and hiring effective teachers in the early grades and implementing interventions such as professional development to improve teacher effectiveness, Konstantopoulos said. "Of course we should have the best teachers we can in all grades," he said. "But if you have to prioritize resources, perhaps the earlier school years make the most sense because this is where students receive most of the basic skills for reading and math." “
Mothers With Breastfeeding Difficulties More Likely to Suffer Postpartum Depression, Study Finds
Extreme Heat Calls for Smarter Workouts
Dehydration Pictures Slideshow: Causes, Symptoms and Tips to Stay Hydrated
Preventing Heart Failure: Thanks for All the Fish
Vitamin D and type 2 diabetes: a systematic review. (Eur J Clin Nutr. 2011)
Low 25(OH)D3 levels are associated with total adiposity, metabolic syndrome, and hypertension in Caucasian children and adolescents. (Eur J Endocrinol. 2011)
Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D and Prostate Cancer Risk in a Large Nested Case-Control Study. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2011) “Our findings indicate that men with higher vitamin D blood levels may be at increased risk of developing prostate cancer. Impact: Greater caution is warranted with respect to recommendations for high-dose vitamin D supplementation and higher population target blood levels.”
Prolonged sitting: is it a distinct coronary heart disease risk factor? (Curr Opin Cardiol. 2011)
Monday July 18 - July 24 2011
Aging, physical activity, and disease prevention. (J Aging Res. 2011)
Air pollution from traffic and cancer incidence: a Danish cohort study. (Environ Health. 2011 ) “This hypothesis-generating study indicates that traffic-related air pollution might increase the risks for cervical and brain cancer, which should be tested in future studies.”
Intentional weight loss in overweight and obese individuals and cognitive function: a systematic review and meta-analysis. (Obes Rev. 2011)
Breastfeeding May Prevent Asthma, Research Suggests
Caffeine Consumption Linked to Female Infertility, Study Suggests “Caffeine reduces muscle activity in the Fallopian tubes that carry eggs from a woman's ovaries to her womb. "Our experiments were conducted in mice, but this finding goes a long way towards explaining why drinking caffeinated drinks can reduce a woman's chance of becoming pregnant," says Sean Ward, professor of physiology and cell biology, at the University of Nevada School of Medicine, who conducted the study.”
Going into hospital far riskier than flying: WHO “Millions of people die each year from medical errors and infections linked to health care and going into hospital is far riskier than flying, the World Health Organization said on Thursday. "If you were admitted to hospital tomorrow in any country... your chances of being subjected to an error in your care would be something like 1 in 10. Your chances of dying due to an error in health care would be 1 in 300," Liam Donaldson, the WHO's newly appointed envoy for patient safety, told a news briefing.”
Does Your Personality Dictate Whether You'll Be Overweight?
Annual Mammograms Now Recommended for Women Beginning at Age 40
Specialists More Likely to Spot Deadly Skin Cancer
High Folate Intake Linked to Better Grades in Swedish Teens
Do robots drive up prostate surgeries?
Secondhand Smoke and Hearing Loss “About 60 percent of U.S. children are exposed to secondhand smoke (SHS). Exposure to SHS is associated with increased risk of hearing loss among adolescents, according to this study. Studies have associated exposure to secondhand smoke prenatally or during childhood with various health conditions, from low birth weight and respiratory infections to behavioral problems and otitis media. Children exposed to SHS are more likely to develop recurrent otitis media. "Secondhand smoke may also have the potential to have an impact on auditory development, leading to sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL)," the authors were quoted as saying.”
A Visual Guide to Atrial Fibrillation (slides)
Q: Are sports drinks better than water when exercising?
A Visual Guide to Heart Disease (slides)
Does vigorous exercise have a neuroprotective effect in Parkinson disease? (Neurology 2011)
Neuropathy in prediabetes: does the clock start ticking early? (Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2011)
Association between Essential Tremor and Other Neurodegenerative Diseases: What Is the Epidemiological Evidence? (Neuroepidemiology. 2011)
Monday July 11 - July 17 2011
Impact of low v. moderate intakes of long-chain n-3 fatty acids on risk of coronary heart disease. (Br J Nutr. 2011) “Prospective observational and intervention data from Japan, where intake of fish is very high, suggest that n-3 LCFA intakes of 900 to 1000 mg/d and greater may confer protection against non-fatal myocardial infarction. Thus, the intake of 250 mg n-3 LCFA per d may, indeed, be a minimum target to be achieved by the general population for the promotion of cardiovascular health.”
Identification of Flame Retardants in Polyurethane Foam Collected from Baby Products (Environmental Science and Health Technology 2011)
New baby delivery strategies help cut health costs “About four years ago, Intermountain started comparing data on births induced after a full 39-week pregnancy to births induced one to two weeks early. The results showed the need for intensive care in babies with respiratory problems were twice as high at 38 weeks and five times as high at 37 weeks. "Suddenly, the data was just very clear that we were putting people at risk by doing an induction prior to 39 weeks," Poulsen said. "And once the docs saw that data, they said: Whoa! We had no idea!" The findings prompted Intermountain to limit induced births for healthy women before 39 weeks in the 18 hospitals with maternity wards within its system. Intermountain has 23 hospitals overall. As a result, about 500 newborns avoided breathing problems and the ICU over the following year, sparing parents the grueling sight of their infant on a ventilator and saving at least $1 million a year in unnecessary medical costs for families and insurers.”
Exposure to Common Chemicals May Affect Thyroid Function “Chemicals called phthalates and bisphenol-A (BPA) that are found in solvents, plastics and numerous household products may alter levels of thyroid hormones in the body, according to a new study. Thyroid hormones play a role in many critical bodily functions, including reproduction and metabolism. Researchers from the University of Michigan School of Public Health used data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to compare thyroid levels and traces of phthalates and BPA in urine samples of 1,346 adults and 329 teenagers. Their findings confirmed previous research linking BPA -- used in certain plastic water bottles and the linings of canned foods -- with disruptions in thyroid hormone levels, they said. Overall, higher concentrations of the chemicals had an inverse impact on thyroid levels, said study lead author John Meeker, an assistant professor, in a university news release. The greater the exposure to phthalates and BPA, the lower the thyroid hormone levels. The strongest link occurred with exposure to DEHP, a phthalate commonly used as a plasticizer, which people come into contact with through diet.”
Paxil study under fire "The published manuscript was biased in its conclusions, made unsubstantiated efficacy claims and downplayed the adverse-event profile of Paxil," Amsterdam's lawyer wrote in an 8 July letter to the Office of Research Integrity (ORI), the body responsible for investigating research misconduct in US Public Health Service agencies and its grant recipients. The letter accuses the study's academic authors of engaging in scientific misconduct by allowing their names to be attached to the manuscript (C. Nemeroff et al. Am. J. Psychiatr. 158, 906–912; 2001), which has been cited more than 250 times. Documents accompanying Amsterdam's complaint are offered as evidence that "most if not all" of the authors were handpicked by GSK, working in conjunction with the medical-communications company Scientific Therapeutics Information (STI) in Springfield, New Jersey, to lend credibility to a result that Amsterdam says places Paxil in an overly favourable light. In one such document, Karl Rickels, a psychiatrist not involved with the study who looked at the issue for the department in 2001 said that "apparently … [academic] participants never had a chance to review or even just see the manuscript before it went to press". “
Teflon component linked to arthritis
Waterlogged? “The recommendation to drink six to eight glasses of water a day to prevent dehydration "is not only nonsense, but is thoroughly debunked nonsense," argues GP, Margaret McCartney in this week's BMJ. There is currently no clear evidence of benefit from drinking increased amounts of water, she says, yet the "we-don't-drink-enough-water" myth has endless advocates, including the NHS. The NHS Choices website states: "Try to drink about six to eight glasses of water (or other fluids) a day to prevent dehydration," while many schools also feel it appropriate to insist that pupils are accompanied to school by a water bottle. Other organisations, often with vested interests, reinforce this message, she says. For example, Hydration for Health (created by French food giant Danone - makers of bottled waters including Volvic and Evian) recommends 1.5 to 2 litres of water daily as "the simplest and healthiest hydration advice you can give." It also claims that "even mild dehydration plays a role in the development of various diseases." But McCartney argues that there is no high quality published evidence to support these claims. She points to several studies showing no clear evidence of benefit from drinking increased amounts of water and suggesting there may be unintended harms attached to an enforcement to drink more water. "It would seem, therefore, that water is not a simple solution to multiple health problems," she writes. For instance, reports that increased water intake in children can improve concentration and mental performance have not been confirmed by research studies, while data relating water drinking to a reduction in children being overweight are prone to bias. While there are some conditions that do benefit from drinking increased water, such as in people with recurrent kidney stones, other evidence for preventing disease is conflicting, adds McCartney. In other words, this is a complex situation not easily remedied by telling everyone to drink more. Untangling the evidence presented by Danone "results in weak and biased selection of evidence", she argues. Danone says we need "informed choices", but their own evidence does not support their call to action. She concludes: "There are many organisations with vested interests who would like to tell doctors and patients what to do. We should just say no." “
Re:Waterlogged - misguided and misleading “The recent "Feature" article by Margaret McCartney in the journal is a form of provocation and I agree entirely with the reply by Thomas Sanders. Perhaps, however, a different approach is needed. Both authors are well aware of the medical literature and I presume both have a background education based on physiological principals. It is with the basic concepts of physiological regulation that I would like to explore the concept of hydration, thirst and overall bodily function and thus dysfunction leading to possible illness. I came into the benefits of increased hydration from looking at medications used in cardiovascular disease and was surprised to find that one class of these same medications has been used to treat other so called modern medical concerns such as obesity, diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer's disease and even erectile dysfunction. These medical concerns have one hormone in common, increased plasma levels of angiotensin II1. Blockade of the production of angiotensin II (inhibiting the specific converting enzyme), antagonists against the angiotensin type 1 receptor, and more recently use of blockers of renin all improve the pathology and decrease organ damage in hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and cancer. The mechanisms of this interaction are unknown and could occur in the initiation, development, or maintenance of the pathology in each of these conditions. Nevertheless, the physiological production of angiotensin is well understood. One of the principal physiological events that increase the levels of angiotensin II in the blood is a decrease in blood volume2,3. Hypovolaemia follows dehydration of the extracellular fluid and the kidney releases the enzyme renin into the blood.”
A Safe Tan? No Way, Experts Say
From Tanning Beds to Melanoma Surgery
Maternal smoking in pregnancy and birth defects: a systematic review based on 173 687 malformed cases and 11.7 million controls (Human Reproduction Update 2011)
Fat Threatens Young Adults As Study Predicts Shorter Lives
Some Aluminum Water Bottles Leach BPA
Toddlers Should Be Physically Active For Three Hours A Day Says UK Govt
Older Adults Have to Exercise More to Maintain Muscle Size, Study Finds “"Our data are the first to suggest that older adults require greater weekly maintenance dosing than younger individuals to maintain resistance-training-induced increases in muscle mass," Bamman added. Bamman said all adults "should include progressive resistance exercise in their weekly regimen, but there will always be times, such as extended travel or a family illness, when exercise is difficult to sustain." In such cases, the study suggested, resistance exercises once a week are certainly better than none.”
Chronic NSAID Use Doubles CV Deaths in Elderly “Bavry and colleagues were not able to differentiate between NSAIDs in the study--most people were taking ibuprofen, naproxen, or celecoxib--and he says until further work is done, he considers the risks of NSAIDs "a class effect," and their use should be avoided wherever possible.”
High salt + low potassium = early death: study
Breast Lumps: 7 Myths and Facts
To Fight Obesity, Even Babies Should Exercise
Too Much Sitting May Be Bad for Your Health
Family Meals Remain Important Through Teen Years, Expert Says
Vitamin D may improve pancreas function
Foods and Drinks That Make You Gotta Go (slides)
Green tea intake lowers fasting serum total and LDL cholesterol in adults: a meta-analysis of 14 randomized controlled trials. (Am J Clin Nutr. 2011)
Monday July 4 - July 10 2011
A Deadly New Reason to Avoid Deer Ticks “Known as babesiosis, the disease is caused by a microscopic parasite that attacks blood cells, causing flu-like symptoms that can make it difficult to accurately diagnose. Like Lyme disease, which is caused by bacteria, babesia microti parasites are carried by deer ticks.”
Scientists find first superbug strain of gonorrhea “Scientists have found a "superbug" strain of gonorrhea in Japan that is resistant to all recommended antibiotics and say it could transform a once easily treatable infection into a global public health threat. The new strain of the sexually transmitted disease -- called H041 -- cannot be killed by any currently recommended treatments for gonorrhea, leaving doctors with no other option than to try medicines so far untested against the disease.”
Red and Processed Meat and Colorectal Cancer Incidence: Meta-Analysis of Prospective Studies (PLoS One. 2011) “High intake of red and processed meat is associated with significant increased risk of colorectal, colon and rectal cancers. The overall evidence of prospective studies supports limiting red and processed meat consumption as one of the dietary recommendations for the prevention of colorectal cancer.”
Effect of exclusive breastfeeding on the development of children's cognitive function in the Krakow prospective birth cohort study. (Eur J Pediatr. 2011)
Indoor Air Pollution Linked to Cardiovascular Risk
Trial puts niacin—and cholesterol dogma—in the line of fire
Antibiotics are modestly more effective than no treatment for middle ear infections in children
Much HPV Testing Completely Unnecessary According To Experts
Burning Coal Indoors Linked to Birth Defects
PIVOT: More Evidence for Watchful Waiting in Prostate Cancer
NGC - Melanoma (2011)
Effect of Aspirin on Mortality in the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease (The American Journal of Medicine 2011)
_______
Confessions of a Pharma Rep (opinion-video)
Ex Drug Rep -- Manipulating Doctors (opinion-video)
______
Physical inactivity and idiopathic pulmonary embolism in women: prospective study (BMJ 2011) “Physical inactivity is associated with incident pulmonary embolism in women. Interventions that decrease time sitting could lower the risk of pulmonary embolism.”
Association between vitamin D and diabetic neuropathy in a nationally representative sample: results from 2001–2004 NHANES (Diabetic Medicine 2011)
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug use and risk of atrial fibrillation or flutter: population based case-control study (BMJ 2011) ”Use of non-aspirin NSAIDs was associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation or flutter. Compared with non-users, the association was strongest for new users, with a 40-70% increase in relative risk (lowest for non-selective NSAIDs and highest for COX 2 inhibitors). Our study thus adds evidence that atrial fibrillation or flutter needs to be added to the cardiovascular risks to be considered when prescribing NSAIDs.”
Monday June 27 - July 3 2011
Longest Trial Ever Confirms Mammograms' Benefits
Exercise After Meals Helps Control Blood Sugar
Drinking Water May Cut Risk of High Blood Sugar
NGC - Acute coronary syndrome and myocardial infarction. (2011)
Vitamin D, Calcium Combo May Halve Melanoma Risk in Some Women
Good Communication in Early Years Key to Success at School, UK Study Shows
Hospitals with a teamwork culture have better patient safety climates
Obesity Killing Non-Smoking Women
Pollutants linked to diabetes in new study “The pollutants, including pesticides and poly-chlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, are largely found in meat and fatty fish. Some of them, including PCBs -- once used in paint, plastics, and for electrical equipment manufacturing -- are heavily regulated and no longer used in many countries.”
Joint Commission Center for Transforming Healthcare Aims to Reduce the Risk of Wrong Site Surgery
Wrong-Site Surgery Occurs 40 Times a Week
Neurontin study more marketing than science: report
Even Diet Soda Induces Weight Gain in the Elderly
Saturated Fat: Not Quite So Bad After All?
Head Traumas: Big Source of Young Athlete Deaths
Bullying's Scars May Last a Lifetime, Experts Say
The Waits That Matter “Such tragic deaths happen every day in U.S. hospitals. The factors that contribute to ED crowding and its consequences have been amply documented in reports by the Institute of Medicine, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Center for Studying Health System Change, and others.1,2 “Boarding” admitted patients in ED exam rooms and corridors for extended periods has become so commonplace that it is accepted as the norm, particularly in large urban hospitals. But a crowded ED is more than a nuisance; it is a threat both to individual patients and to overall public health. Still, the financial imperatives of hospital operations trump patient safety. The GAO has noted that many hospital administrators tolerate ED crowding and even divert inbound ambulances rather than postpone or cancel elective admissions.3 Crowded EDs are only one part of the problem. Inefficient hospital operations are another. Death, disease, and injury occur around the clock, but many hospitals still operate the majority of their services only 5 days a week. A growing number of specialists are either refusing to take after-hours call or demanding payments for doing so.4 After-hours and weekend gaps in coverage have real consequences; mortality rates associated with acute myocardial infarction and other time-critical conditions are significantly higher on weekends than on weekdays.5 “
Dietary Intake of Vitamin B6 and Risk of Breast Cancer in Taiwanese Women (Journal of Epidemiology 2011) “Our findings suggest that higher intake of vitamin B6 is associated with a reduction in breast cancer risk, particularly ER-negative tumors.”
Inverse Association of Vitamin C with Cataract in Older People in India. (AE.Ophthalmology. 2011)
Monday June 20 - June 26 2011
Roundup: Birth Defects Caused By World's Top-Selling Weedkiller, Scientists Say
Cruciferous vegetable consumption is associated with a reduced risk of total and cardiovascular disease mortality (Am J Clin Nutr 2011;94 240-246)
Sunlight exposure is important for preventing hip fractures in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, or stroke (Acta Neurologica Scandinavica 2011)
Could lo-cal be a cure for Type 2 diabetes? (video)
Low-calorie diet offers hope of cure for type 2 diabetes
Study: Children of Smoking Mothers at Higher Risk of Heart Attack
Potato Chips Are Piling on the Pounds, Study Finds
Group Concludes That Cell Phones Are Possibly Carcinogenic
Study confirms safety, cancer-targeting ability of nutrient in broccoli, other vegetables “Sulforaphane, one of the primary phytochemicals in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables that helps them prevent cancer, has been shown for the first time to selectively target and kill cancer cells while leaving normal prostate cells healthy and unaffected.”
Resveratrol Studies Confirms Potential Health Boost
Sleep Loss May Lower Testosterone
Moderate Exercise May Cut Risk of 'Silent' Stroke
Breast-Feeding Lowers Risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
Excess TV Time Linked to Early Death
More Evidence Vitamin D Boosts Immune Response
Calcium Intake: More Is Not Better
Physical Activity in Older Subjects Is Associated With Increased Coronary Vasodilation (J Am Coll Cardiol Img, 2011)
Ten Percent of Middle-Aged Europeans Are On Antidepressants, Study Suggests
Monday June 13 - June 19 2011
Early Exposure to Pets Won't Up Kids' Allergy Risk: Study
Tainted Soil May Put Kids at Risk for Vision Loss
Olive oil consumption, plasma oleic acid, and stroke incidence “These results suggest a protective role for high olive oil consumption on the risk of stroke in older subjects.”
Moldy Home Tied to Kids' Asthma, Allergies
Does Milk Cause Prostate Cancer?
Study Finds Equal Number of Errors in Hospitals, Doctors' Offices “Adverse outcomes in doctors' offices were most often the result of incorrect diagnoses, whereas unsuccessful surgery was the most common cause of negative outcomes in hospitals, according to the study, published in the June 15 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.”
US Adds 8 Chemicals to Carcinogen List “The six agents now "reasonably anticipated to be carcinogens" are: • Styrene, a compound used to make polystyrene. Although disposable cups made from polystyrene leach small amounts of styrene, Bucher says the amounts are very small. • Captafol, a fungicide once commonly used in agriculture but no longer produced after 1987 or used after 2006 in the U.S. • Cobalt-tungsten carbide (in powder or hard metal form) is used to make hard-metal tools. The major source of exposure is from plants manufacturing such products. • Certain inhalable glass wool fibers used in air filters or as insulation. The type of glass wool used for insulation and filtration may be less dangerous than the special kind used for manufacturing. • O-nitrotoluene is used in the manufacture of dyes. Most exposures come from air or ground pollution. • Riddelliine is a plant compound found in a type of daisy found in the Western U.S. and in other parts of the world. It has been used accidentally in medicinal herbs and may contaminate the milk of cows that graze on the plants.“
Hospitals Performed Needless Double CT Scans, Records Show
Overweight more harmful to the liver than alcohol in middle-aged men
The 10 Commandments of Cancer Prevention
New Salt Paper Causes Controversy
ADHD in Adults Pictures Slideshow
Cholesterol 101 Slideshow: What Your Levels Mean
Fish consumption and risk of stroke. (Womens Health (Lond Engl). 2011)
Prevalence of Vitamin D Deficiency in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction (American Journal of Cardiology 2011) “In conclusion, vitamin D deficiency is present in almost all patients with acute myocardial infarction in a multicenter United States cohort.”
Deodorants are the leading cause of allergic contact dermatitis to fragrance ingredients. (Contact Dermatitis. 2011)
Long-term use of aspirin and the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding. (Am J Med. 2011)
Monday June 6 - June 12 2011
Drugs Show Promise Slowing Advanced Melanoma
Drifting Pesticides May Endanger People in Nearby Workplaces “People who work near fields sprayed with pesticides face an increased risk for Parkinson's disease, a new study has found. Not just agricultural workers but teachers, firefighters, clerks and others whose workplaces are near fields in California's Central Valley are at greater risk for the degenerative disorder of the central nervous system, according to researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles. "This stuff drifts," the study's senior author, Dr. Beate Ritz, an epidemiology professor at the UCLA School of Public Health, said in a university news release. "It's borne by the wind and can wind up on plants and animals, float into open doorways or kitchen windows -- up to several hundred meters from the fields." The study focused on three pesticides used on the fields: the fungicides maneb and ziram and the herbicide paraquat. The researchers estimated the exposure of 703 people who lived or worked in the area over a 25-year span, taking into account how far they were from the fields sprayed with the chemicals. About half of the people in the study had Parkinson's. The risk for Parkinson's rose threefold for those who worked near fields sprayed with the three pesticides, the study found. Exposure to just ziram and paraquat raised risk by 80 percent. Earlier analysis by the researchers had found a 75 percent jump in risk for people who lived near fields where maneb and paraquat were sprayed.”
High Central-Line Infection Rates at Many Teaching Hospitals “Preventing these infections, experts say, boils down to following a simple checklist of precautions. Caregivers need to scrupulously wash their hands, disinfect the patient's skin before inserting a catheter and during dressing changes, don full-barrier protection, avoid placing the catheter in the groin, and remove unnecessary catheters. "This is straightforward stuff," John Santa, MD, MPH, director of the Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center, told Medscape Medical News. "There's not a $2 million machine you need to buy, or a cadre of highly paid physicians you need to hire. This is a culture issue, not a knowledge issue." “
Endocrine Society Issues Practice Guideline on Vitamin D “"Considering that vitamin D deficiency is very common in all age groups and that few foods contain vitamin D, the Task Force recommended supplementation at suggested daily intake and tolerable upper limit levels, depending on age and clinical circumstances," the guideline states. For bone health, infants and children up to 1 year of age require at least 400 IU/day vitamin D, and children 1 year and older need at least 600 IU/day, the guideline states. However, at least 1000 IU/day of vitamin D may be needed to raise the blood level of 25(OH)D consistently above 30 ng/mL, it notes. Adults aged 19 to 70 years require at least 600 IU/day of vitamin D to maximize bone health and muscle function. However, getting 25(OH)D levels consistently above 30 ng/mL may require at least 1500 to 2000 IU/day of vitamin D. Adults 70 years and older require at least 800 IU/day of vitamin D for bone health and fall prevention; at least 1500 to 2000 IU/day of supplemental vitamin D may be needed to keep 25(OH)D levels above 30 ng/mL. Pregnant and lactating women need a minimum of 600 IU/day of vitamin D; 1500 IU/day may be needed to maintain blood levels of 25(OH)D higher than 30 ng/mL. "Obese children and adults and children and adults on anticonvulsant medications, glucocorticoids, antifungals such as ketoconazole, and medications for AIDS need at least 2 to 3 times more vitamin D for their age group to satisfy their body's vitamin D requirement," Dr. Holick reported. Tolerable upper limits of vitamin D, which "should not be exceeded without medical supervision," include the following: • 1000 IU/day for infants aged up to 6 months, • 1500 IU/day for infants aged 6 months to 1 year old, • 2500 IU/day for children aged 1 to 3 years, • 3000 IU/day for children aged 4 to 8 years, and • 4000 IU/day for everyone older than 8 years. However, the guideline states that for individuals who are vitamin D deficient, higher levels of vitamin D (2000 IU/day for children up to age 1 year; 4000 IU/day for children aged 1 - 18 years, and up to 10,000 IU/day for adults aged 19 years and older) "may be necessary to correct, treat, and prevent vitamin D deficiency," Dr. Holick said. "Both vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 is equally fine in treating and preventing vitamin D deficiency," he added.”
Extensive Deep Gray Matter Volume Reductions in Children and Adolescents with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. (Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2011)
Concussions Tied to Verbal Memory Loss in Young Athletes
The Poster Plant of Health Food Can Pack Disease Risks
Infection Risk Lurks in Hospital ICUs
Cochrane review stirs controversy over statins in primary prevention
FDA: Prostate Cancer Risk From BPH, Hair Loss Drugs “The prostate drugs Proscar, Avodart, and Jalyn and the hair-loss drug Propecia add to the risk of high-grade prostate cancer, the FDA warns. All of the drugs must change their labels to warn of the risk, which unexpectedly appeared in two different large-scale clinical trials. Ironically, Proscar and Avodart appear to reduce the risk of low-grade prostate cancer, which is less aggressive than high-grade prostate cancer. But the increased risk of high-grade prostate cancer means the drugs can't claim to lower overall prostate cancer risk.”
Age Alone May Not Cause Testosterone to Fall“"Our interpretation is that age in and of itself does not reduce blood testosterone levels . . . but the accumulating disorders as men age, some preventable and some not, some genetic and some environmental, do have such an impact, albeit pretty modest," said study author Dr. David Handelsman, a professor of reproductive endocrinology and andrology at the University of Sydney. "This would make the drive for testosterone treatment for the well-known -- but overrated -- age-related decline in blood testosterone misguided," added Handelsman, also director of the university's ANZAC Research Institute. "But, of course, we could be wrong." “
Yo-Yo Dieting Vs. Obesity? Study Finds Dieters May Be Healthier, Live Longer
Wrinkles could predict woman's bone break risk
NIH study addresses concerns about high folate levels
When Your Healthy Diet Isn't So Healthy
Slideshow: Understanding Colorectal Cancer
USDA Ditches Food Pyramid for a Healthy Plate
E. coli Outbreak May Be a New Strain
Study reveals how high-fat diet during pregnancy increases risk of stillbirth
24-Hour Society May Be Creating Bullies
Shingles May Be Related to Elevated Risk of Multiple Sclerosis
Strength Training for Grandma and Grandpa “People lose 30% of their muscle strength between the ages of 50 and 70 years. However, maintaining muscle strength in old age is enormously important in order to maintain mobility and to be able to lead an independent life and manage everyday tasks independently. In the current issue of Deutsches Ärzteblatt International, Frank Mayer and colleagues from the University of Potsdam conclude that progressive strength (resistance) training counteracts muscular atrophy in old age.”
Government Says 2 Common Materials Pose Risk of Cancer“Government scientists listed formaldehyde as a carcinogen, and said it is found in worrisome quantities in plywood, particle board, mortuaries and hair salons. They also said that styrene, which is used in boats, bathtubs and in disposable foam plastic cups and plates, may cause cancer but is generally found in such low levels in consumer products that risks are low. Frequent and intense exposures in manufacturing plants are far more worrisome than the intermittent contact that most consumers have, but government scientists said that consumers should still avoid contact with formaldehyde and styrene along with six other chemicals that were added Friday to the government’s official Report on Carcinogens. Its release was delayed for years because of intense lobbying from the chemical industry, which disputed its findings. John Bucher, associate director of the National Toxicology Program, which produced the report, said evidence of formaldehyde’s carcinogenicity was far stronger than for styrene and that consumers were more likely to be exposed to potentially dangerous quantities of formaldehyde. … Consumers can reduce their exposure to formaldehyde by avoiding pressed-wood products or buying only those that are labeled as U.L.E.F. (ultra-low-emitting formaldehyde), N.A.F. (no added formaldehyde) or C.A.R.B. (California Air Resources Board) Phase 1 or Phase 2 compliant. Styrene is mostly a concern for workers who build boats, car parts, bathtubs and shower stalls. Studies of workers exposed to high levels of styrene have found increased risks of leukemia and lymphoma and genetic damage to white blood cells. There is also some evidence that styrene increases the risks of cancer of the pancreas and esophagus among styrene workers, the report found. Consumers can be exposed to styrene from the fumes of building materials, photocopiers and tobacco smoke. As for styrene’s presence in plastic utensils and other consumer products, Dr. Brawley likened the risk from such products to that of coffee and cellphones — uncertain and slight. “
Yogurt consumption and risk of colorectal cancer in the italian EPIC cohort. (Int J Cancer. 2011) “In this prospective study, high yogurt intake was significantly associated with decreased CRC risk, suggesting that yogurt should be part of a diet to prevent the disease. Investigation of larger cohorts is necessary to reveal any residual confounding of the association of yogurt intake with CRC risk.”
Vitamin D intake and risk of cardiovascular disease in US men and women. (Am J Clin Nutr. 2011) “These observations suggest that a higher intake of vitamin D is associated with a lower risk of CVD in men but not in women.”
Will eating more broccoli help you live longer?
Monday May 30 - June 5 2011
Choose My Plate (Dinner Plate Replaces Food Pyramid)
Do all patients with type 2 diabetes need breakfast? (European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2011)) “Not all patients with type 2 diabetes may need breakfast. Moreover, a non-breakfast diet reduces glycemic variability.”
Experts Say Cellphones Are Possibly Carcinogenic
Kids With Stubborn Asthma May Have Food Allergy
Chronic fatigue syndrome. (Clin Evid (Online). 2011)
Eating Meat May Raise Colon Cancer Risk
Losing more than 15 percent of body weight significantly boosts vitamin D levels in overweight women
How Vitamins and Minerals May Prevent Age-Related Diseases
Coronary Artery Calcification Predicts Long-Term Mortality in Hypertensive Adults (American Journal of Hypertension (2011))
Regular consumption of cocoa powder with milk increases HDL cholesterol and reduces oxidized LDL levels in subjects at high-risk of cardiovascular disease (Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases 2011)
Effects of sugar-sweetened and sugar-free cocoa on endothelial function in overweight adults (International Journal of Cardiology 2011) “Daily cocoa ingestion improves EF independently of other biomarkers of cardiac risk, and does not cause weight gain. Sugar-free preparations may further augment endothelial function.”
Super-Sticky 'Ultra-Bad' Cholesterol Revealed in People at High Risk of Heart Disease
Apnea Screening Recommended for Men With ED
Fibromyalgia Pictures Slideshow: Photos of Causes, Diagnosis, Symptoms & Treatment
Slideshow: Top Cancer-Fighting Foods
Physical activity and erectile dysfunction in middle-aged men : a brief review (J Androl. 2011)
Resistance Training Improves Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Perimenopausal risk factors and future health (Human Reproduction Update 2011)
Lower Extremity Fat Mass Is Associated With Insulin Resistance in Overweight and Obese Individuals: The CARDIA Study. (Obesity (Silver Spring). 2011)
Monday May 23 - May 29 2011
Dietary calcium intake and risk of fracture and osteoporosis: prospective longitudinal cohort study (BMJ 2011)“Gradual increases in dietary calcium intake above the first quintile in our female population were not associated with further reductions in fracture risk or osteoporosis.”
Sun protects against childhood asthma “Vitamin D, which is primarily absorbed from the sun, plays a role in protection against childhood asthma. Now, a new study led by Valencian researchers has shown that children who live in colder, wetter cities are at greater risk of suffering from this respiratory problem, since there are fewer hours of sunlight in such places. "Prolonged exposure to the sun can cause cancer, but it's also dangerous to avoid it. There has to be a balance between the pros and cons", Alberto Arnedo-Pena, an epidemiologist at the Public Health Centre in Castellón and lead author of the research, which is part of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC), led by Luis García Marcos of the University of Murcia, tells SINC. In fact, 90% of our vitamin D is synthesised through exposure to the sun. This vitamin, which can be found in various cell receptors, is usually found at lower levels in people with asthma. The study results show that there is a higher prevalence of this illness among children in wetter places with less sun (northern Spain).”
U.S. Rates of Autism, ADHD Continue to Rise: Report “One in six U.S. children now has a developmental disability such as autism, learning disorders or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to new research from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That number appears to be on the rise. In 1997-1999, about 12.8 percent of kids were diagnosed with a developmental disability. That number rose to 15 percent in 2006-2008 -- or an additional 1.8 million U.S. children. Much of the bump up in cases seems driven by rising rates of autism and ADHD, experts say.”
Why Caffeine Can Reduce Fertility In Women
Indoor particulate matter increases asthma morbidity in children with non-atopic and atopic asthma.
Fish Oil May Have Positive Effects on Mood, Alcohol Craving, New Study Shows
Menopause age related to when mom went through it
Does aspirin cut deaths? New study clouds picture
Calcium, With or Without Vitamin D, Raises Risk for Adverse Cardiovascular Events
Cardiac Calcifications Linked to Silent Strokes
Blood Pressure High for 1 in 5 Young Adults
Allergy Self-Diagnosis Leads to Misdiagnosis
When food is what makes you sick
Beware of 'Second-Impact Syndrome' After Concussions“Young athletes who return to play before a concussion fully heals and sustain another head injury can suffer serious and potentially deadly brain complications, an expert warns. Athletes under age 25 are especially vulnerable to "second-impact syndrome," according to Dr. James Kinderknecht, a sports medicine and shoulder service physician at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.”
Baked/Broiled Fish Reduces HF, Fried Fish Ups Risk “Eating baked or broiled dark fish such as salmon five times a week may prevent heart failure in older women, whereas having fried fish only once a week may increase this risk, a new study reports [1]. The findings are based on a 10-year follow-up of more than 84 000 postmenopausal women who participated in the Women's Health Initiative--Observational Study (WHI-OS). Compared with the women who rarely ate broiled or baked fish, those who consumed five or more servings a week had a 30% lower risk of developing heart failure. Conversely, women who had at least one serving a week of fried fish had an almost 50% increased risk of incident heart failure, compared with those who rarely ate fried fish.”
Ragweed, Molds Top Allergy Culprits
10 Hidden Allergy Hotspots in Your Home
She had her house sprayed for fleas, and then the trouble began
Longitudinal analysis of sleep in relation to BMI and body fat in children: the FLAME study (BMJ 2011) “Young children who do not get enough sleep are at increased risk of becoming overweight, even after adjustment for initial weight status and multiple confounding factors. This weight gain is a result of increased fat deposition in both sexes rather than additional accumulation of fat free mass.”
Younger Docs More Likely to Prescribe Drugs for Heart Disease: Study "Although younger doctors prescribed more drugs, this did not result in significantly better control of their patients' major CV [cardiovascular] risk factors, suggesting that other factors have an important role to play in the clinical management of CV risk, including lifestyle changes," Professor Massimo Volpe from the Faculty of Medicine at Sapienza University in Rome said in a journal news release.”
Latitude is significantly associated with the prevalence of multiple sclerosis: a meta-analysis (J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2011)
Green and black tea in relation to gynecologic cancers. (Mol Nutr Food Res. 2011)
Coffee consumption modifies risk of estrogen-receptor negative breast cancer (Breast Cancer Research 2011)
Monday May 16 - May 22 2011
Lack Of Exercise Linked To Higher Heart Disease Risk In Healthy Children As Young As Nine
Dairy Consumption Does Not Elevate Heart-Attack Risk, Study Suggests “Baylin likened the nutritional complexity of dairy products to that of eggs, which were once a source of intense consumer concern because of their cholesterol content, but are now viewed in a more complex way because they, too, have seemingly protective nutrients.”
T'ai Chi May Prevent Falls, Improve Mental Health in Elderly
Potentially Toxic Flame Retardants Found in Baby Products
Early Adversity May Shorten Child's Life
HPV Test Beats Pap for Cervical Cancer Screening
Study: Many With ADHD Can't Control Emotions “Researchers are calling this cluster of symptoms deficient emotional self-regulation (DESR). It involves quick bursts of outsized anger, frustration, impatience, or excitability in response to everyday events.”
GPs Lack Accuracy in Spotting Skin Cancers: Study
Obesity Linked to Prostate Cancer
Clinical practice guideline: tonsillectomy in children. (NGC 2011)
The regulation of medical devices
Out of joint: The story of the ASR “The story of the ASR shows the power that companies have in deciding the fate of their devices, their hold over surgeons, and the lack of regulatory power in Europe.”
Extremely obese children have higher prevalence of psoriasis, higher heart disease risk
Does Swimming in Chlorinated Pools Lead to Childhood Asthma? (Medscape Pulmonary Medicine 2011)
1 in 7 U.S. Nursing Homes Cited for Poor Infection Control
Babies Born to Obese Moms Face Higher Death Risk: Study
Plasma omega-3 fatty acids and incident diabetes in older adults. (Am J Clin Nutr. 2011)
Early Diagnoses of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Massachusetts Birth Cohorts, 2001-2005. (Pediatrics. 2011)
Amelioration of Lipid Abnormalities by a-Lipoic acid Through Antioxidative and Anti-Inflammatory Effects. (Obesity (Silver Spring). 2011)
Monday May 9 - May 15 2011
'Most Adults With Autism Go Undiagnosed'- New Findings, UK
Health Vs. Fitness: Why Fitness Does Not Necessarily Equate To Health “Tom Griesel elaborates: "Over-training has a damaging effect on our delicate state of homeostasis. Too much exercise will tap into our lean body mass for energy and this causes stress which results in elevated levels of cortisol and other stress related hormones. “According to Al Sears, MD, countless injuries can result because many of us add repeated "cardio" to our busy days to push for greater endurance or maybe even relieve stress. He says, "Our ancient ancestors never ran for long distances without rest. Maybe it happened rarely but never routinely. It doesn't happen in the animal kingdom either." Walking may be the ideal exercise. "Walking interspersed with short 30-60 second bursts of running is exactly what we were designed to do and has a most beneficial effect on our heart and circulatory system. Anyone can do it. No special equipment or gym memberships are required," recommends Dian Griesel, Ph.D. who wears a pedometer at all times to track her mileage.”
Children of Bipolar Parents Are Overly Sensitive to Stress Hormone Cortisol, Study Finds
Refillable Soap Containers Could Spread Bacteria
Study Suggests That 'Bad' Cholesterol Is Not As Bad As People Think
Bedbugs Can Carry Superbugs “They found bedbugs carrying methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant enterococci. "I was a little surprised. Historically, bedbugs have not been associated with infections," Dr. Romney said in a telephone interview.”
Lessening the Dangers of Radiation: Ultrasound as Effective as CT Scans for Most Diagnoses, Research Finds “For diagnosing head and neck ailments, tests that use radiation are always less desirable than those that don't. Otolaryngologists have a wide range of techniques available to them, including CT or "CAT" scans, MRI and ultrasound. CT uses significant radiation and MRI a lower amount, but ultrasound is a non-invasive, non-radiating technique. It does not require injection of radioactive contrast material and has no side effects. … "I would recommend the use of ultrasound scans, and not radiating CT scans, for most procedures," Dr. Vaiman says. "I would especially recommend ultrasound when children are investigated. There are some tumors that do require CT or MRI investigation, but these cases are rare. When in doubt, and high-resolution imaging is necessary, I would suggest a low-radiating MRI." His findings follow warnings from international health organizations about the dangers of overexposure to CT-related radiation. Some medical experts caution that patients are exposed to too many CT scans, and the results could be harmful to their health. Excessive radiation can itself lead to cancerous growths, for example.”
Teens Who Feel Responsible to Their Parents Are More Engaged in School “In the United States, but not in China, the youths' sense of responsibility to their parents declined over the two years. But in both countries, youngsters who said they felt responsible to their parents were more invested and engaged in school, and often earned higher grades, independent of the quality of the parent-child relationship. Responsibility was defined as children's feelings of obligation to their parents and their motivation in school to please them, such as meeting parental expectations. "The findings suggest that parents need to communicate to teenagers the importance of acting responsibily as they enter middle school," according to Eva M. Pomerantz, professor of psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, who led the study. "Explicitly talking with teens about acting responsibly is likely to be useful. Involvement in teens' lives is also very important. For example, when parents are involved in teens' learning, teens tend to develop a sense of responsibility to parents, which maintains their achievement over the middle school years." “
Nut Consumption and Blood Lipid Levels (Arch Intern Med. 2010)
Newborn vitamin D levels tied to infection risk
High prevalence of hypovitaminosis D status in patients with early Parkinson disease.
Many Strokes Start During Sleep
Bad Bugs Slideshow: Identifying Bugs and Their Bites
What Works and What Doesn't: The Verdict on Cold Remedies
Slideshow: A Visual Guide to Prostate Cancer
Chronic cola drinking induces metabolic and cardiac alterations in rats (World J Cardiol. 2011)
Monday May 2 - May 8 2011
Combination of ADHD and Poor Emotional Control Runs in Families, Study Suggests “"Our research offers strong evidence that heritable factors influence how we control our emotions," says Craig Surman, MD, of the MGH Pediatric Psychopharmacology and Adult ADHD Program, the study's lead author. "Emotion -- like capacities such as the ability to pay attention or control physical movement -- is probably under forms of brain control that we are just beginning to understand. Our findings also indicate that ADHD doesn't just impact things like reading, listening and getting the bills paid on time; it also can impact how people regulate themselves more broadly, including their emotional expression. Along with the classic ADHD symptoms of trouble paying attention, excessive physical activity and poor impulse control, many individuals with ADHD display high levels of anger, frustration and impatience. In contrast to mood disorders, which are characterized by the persistence of specific emotions and behaviors, DESR involves emotional expressions that are brief and occur in reaction to situations that would be expected to produce similar but much less extreme responses in most individuals. For example, an individual who consistently reacts to minor disappointments by snapping at family members or co-workers or who displays great distress in response to small inconveniences may have DESR.”
Breast Cancer Recurrence Rates Appear Different When Radiation Used
Obese Teens Lack Vitamin D, Study Finds
More Than Half of Kids in Car Seats Have Unbuckled Themselves, Survey Finds
Stillbirths tied to secondhand smoke: study
Belly Fat Can Double the Risk of Death in Coronary Artery Disease Patients
Screening Teens' Hearts Could Be Lifesaving
How to Make Your Home Healthier: A Room-by-Room Guide
Adverse effects of concentrated green tea extracts. (Mol Nutr Food Res. 2011)
What should be the optimal levels of blood pressure: does the J-curve phenomenon really exist? (J.Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2011)
Dietary Folate and Vitamin B6 and B12 Intake in Relation to Mortality From Cardiovascular Diseases. Japan Collaborative Cohort Study (Stroke 2011) “High dietary intakes of folate and vitamin B6 were associated with reduced risk of mortality from stroke, coronary heart disease, and heart failure among Japanese.”
Breastfeeding and the risk for diarrhea morbidity and mortality (BMC Public Health 2011) “Our findings support the current WHO recommendation for exclusive breastfeeding during the first 6 months of life as a key child survival intervention. Our findings also highlight the importance of breastfeeding to protect against diarrhea-specific morbidity and mortality throughout the first 2 years of life.”
Cotton Swabs Prove Problematic for Ear Health
How to Raise a Child Who Doesn't Bully
Air Pollution Near Michigan Schools Linked to Poorer Student Health, Academic Performance
Estimated Costs of Environmental Disease in Children at $76.6 Billion Per Year
Parental Exposure to BPA During Pregnancy Associated With Decreased Birth Weight in Offspring
Structured Exercise Training Associated With Improved Glycemic Control for Patients With Diabetes
Monday April 25 - May 1 2011
Heart Attacks Are More Serious If They Occur at Certain Times of the Day
Half of Men Feel Worse After Prostate Removal
Pregnant and Stressed May Mean Offspring Who Misbehave “Women who experience repeated stressful events while pregnant are more likely to have children with behavioral problems, a new study suggests.”
Why Defensive Medicine Won't Go Away...and Might Become Worse
5-minute screen identifies subtle signs of autism in 1-year olds
Pesticides May Wipe Out More Than Bugs“Prenatal exposure to organophosphate (OP) pesticides that are widely used on fruit and vegetable crops throughout the United States has been linked to IQ deficits in school-age children, according to 3 new studies published online April 21 in Environmental Health Perspectives. The studies add to the growing body of literature linking exposure to pesticides and insecticides to adverse neurologic and cognitive outcomes in children.”
Citrus flavonoids show anti-inflammatory potential
Exercise may prevent stress on telomeres, a measure of cell health
Diet-exercise combo best for obese seniors
Bullied Kids Showing Up in School Nurses' Offices“"The message is, a child might be getting frequent stomachaches from being picked on," said Eric Vernberg, lead author of the study and director of the Child and Family Services Clinic at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. The research, published in the May issue of Pediatrics, revealed a useful strategy for detecting aggressive interactions among children that may otherwise go unrecognized, added Vernberg. "If a child is frequently showing up at the nurse's office with a fever or vomiting and no obvious illness, it might reflect the visit is related to victimization and to some extent aggression," Vernberg said. He added that when a student often visits a school nurse and parents get calls about their child complaining of stomachaches, "it's certainly worth examining the child's relationship with [his] peers." “
What Are the Riskiest Food-Bacteria Combos?
FDA Warns About Hand Sanitizer Anti-MRSA Claims
Student Bullying Linked to Family Violence: CDC
Health Tip: Curb Snoring With Lifestyle Changes
Dangers of Epilepsy: A Population Study
Chocolate consumption is inversely associated with prevalent coronary heart disease: The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Family Heart Study (Clinical Nutrition 2011)
Tai Chi Appears to Benefit Quality of Life for Patients With Chronic Heart Failure, Study Finds
Effects of Exercise on Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Type 2 Diabetes (Diabetes Care 2011)
Monday April 18 - April 24 2011
The effect of mediterranean diet on metabolic syndrome and its components a meta-analysis of 50 studies and 534,906 individuals. “These results are of considerable public health importance, because this dietary pattern can be easily adopted by all population groups and various cultures and cost-effectively serve for primary and secondary prevention of the MS and its individual components.”
Can Common Virus, Lack of Sunlight Boost MS Risk?“- Infection with mononucleosis -- the easily spread virus that's the bane of many college students -- and little exposure to sunlight may combine to boost a person's risk for developing multiple sclerosis, a new study suggests. "MS is more common at higher latitudes, farther away from the equator," the study's lead researcher, Dr. George C. Ebers, of the University of Oxford in England, said in a statement provided by the American Academy of Neurology. "Since the disease has been linked to environmental factors such as low levels of sun exposure and a history of infectious mononucleosis, we wanted to see whether the two together would help explain the variance in the disease across the United Kingdom."”
Osteoporosis Diet Dangers: Foods to Avoid
Diet Plus Exercise Is More Effective for Weight Loss Than Either Method Alone “"This study shows that you get the biggest bang for your buck by combining a healthy weight-loss diet -- which in this case meant reducing calories by cutting fat intake and boosting the consumption of low-calorie foods -- with regular, moderate-intensity aerobic exercise," McTiernan said. "You don't need to be an athlete; walking, biking or gym cardio machines all work well. Start slowly and gradually increase to 45 minutes of activity a day, more if you are able." In addition to promoting weight loss and preventing weight gain over time, regular exercise helps with balance, strength and fitness. "This helps older people keep active overall, which has been shown to prolong a healthy life," McTiernan said. The study also found that the women who lost the most weight and body fat kept a food journal, writing down everything they ate and drank with the exception of water and no-calorie drinks. Other strategies associated with the most successful weight loss included preparing meals at home and eating out less often at restaurants. "Doing your own cooking gives you the most control over calories," McTiernan said.”
US Meat and Poultry Is Widely Contaminated With Drug-Resistant Staph Bacteria, Study Finds
Key Risk Factor for Bullying Identified
Childhood Eczema and Hay Fever Leads to Adult Allergic Asthma, Study Finds
Slideshow: Type 2 Diabetes Overview
Slideshow: When a Loved One Has Alzheimer's Disease
Slideshow: The Truth About Omega-3, the Good Fat
Osteoporosis Diet Dangers: Foods to Avoid
Hospitals Shouldn’t Make You Sicker “The agency used a “bundle” of measures, including screening all patients with nasal swabs and isolating those found infected with MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. All health care workers were urged to take special precautions to prevent spreading germs from those patients and to wash their hands carefully. And the V.A. sought to change its “institutional culture” so that all personnel felt responsible for controlling the bacterium.”
Radiation and cancer risk: a continuing challenge for epidemiologists (Environ Health. 2011)
Bullying Among Middle School and High School Students --- Massachusetts, 2009 (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) 2011)
Protective effects of fish intake and interactive effects of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid intakes on hip bone mineral density in older adults: the Framingham Osteoporosis Study (Am J Clin Nutr 2011)
Consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids, fish, and nuts and risk of inflammatory disease mortality (Am J Clin Nutr 2011)
It is time to remove the 'benign' from the essential tremor label. (Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2011)
Monday April 11 - April 17 2011
Regular Exercise Can Help Preserve/Build Heart Mass
Persons With Sleep Apnea Have Twice The Risk Of Suffering A Stroke
Blueberries May Inhibit Development of Fat Cells
Allergic to cancer “Glioma isn’t the first cancer to be negatively correlated with common allergies, says Michael Scheurer, an epidemiologist at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Allergy-prone people may fight off colorectal and pancreatic cancer, and even childhood leukemia, better than sniffles-free people, according to some studies. At the other end of the spectrum, allergies that cause asthma may spur lung tumors. Just why these links exist isn’t clear. Allergy sufferers mount heightened immune responses to some foreign or dangerous cells and chemicals, says Scheurer, who was not involved in the study. And cancer cells are certainly dangerous — human immune systems naturally seek them out. The immune systems in people with allergies may just do it better. “They have an overactive immune system, and maybe that’s been protecting them from the development of tumors,” he says.”
Periodic Fasting May Cut Risk of Heart Disease, Diabetes
Breast Milk May Hold Clues to Breast Cancer Risk
Caffeine and Diabetes: Helpful or Harmful?“A growing body of research suggests that caffeine disrupts glucose metabolism and may contribute to the development and poor control of type 2 diabetes, a major public health problem.”
Sleep -- Can You Get Too Much of a Good Thing?
Relationship between dietary intake and the development of type 2 diabetes in a Chinese population: the Hong Kong Dietary Survey. (Public Health Nutr. 2011)
8 Ways to Lower Your Cancer Risk
Maternal Stress During Pregnancy May Affect Child's Obesity
Tea Drinking as a Risk Factor for Neural Tube Defects in Northern China. (Epidemiology. 2011)
Monday April 4 - April 10 2011
Exercise and T2DM—Move Muscles More Often!
Hospital Errors May Be More Common Than Thought “Medication errors, infections, and other hospital-related errors may be 10 times more common than previously estimated, according to a study involving a new tracking tool. Medical errors may actually occur in as many of one-third of hospital admissions, according to a new study in the April issue of Health Affairs. “It’s a little scary,” admits study author David C. Classen, MD, an associate professor of medicine at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Whether the problem is getting worse or error tracking methods are improving is not known. “We have gotten better tools to detect medical errors which give us a better yardstick to determine if we are improving,” he says. … Common hospital errors included medication-related issues, procedure-related mistakes, and hospital-acquired infections. The most severe mistakes were related to a surgery or procedure, the new study showed. Classen says that asking questions and demanding answers can help reduce the risk of medical errors when you are hospitalized. If someone tries to give you medication, “stop and say ‘I want to hear all about it before I take it,’” he suggests. Before surgery, “insist that your surgeon comes and sees you before starting the procedure to review the steps,” Classen says. A patient advocate is important, he says. “If you don’t have family, you need another advocate to watch over things.” “If your surgery involves the use of any type of device such as a urinary catheter, ask daily when it is coming out,” he says. These devices can increase your risk of developing an infection and should be removed as soon as they are no longer medically necessary.”
Avoiding or controlling diabetes may reduce cancer risk and mortality
Study Probes Potential Link Between Welding, Parkinson's Disease
Long-Term Ecstasy Users at Risk for Brain Damage, Study Warns “Brain scans showed an approximate 10 percent shrinkage in the volume of the hippocampus and a lower proportion of overall gray matter among long-term ecstasy users, the researchers found. Previous research has suggested that people who use ecstasy can develop serious memory problems, so a team of Dutch researchers decided to investigate whether the drug caused structural changes in the brain. They used MRI scans to measure the volume of the hippocampus in 10 men in their mid-20s who were long-term ecstasy users and seven men in the same age group who had never used the drug. The hippocampus is the area of the brain responsible for long-term memory.”
Regular Exercise Can Help Preserve/Build Heart Mass “To heartwire , Bhella commented: "You have to use it or lose it. It is never too late to start exercising. Exercising twice a week can prevent age-related loss of cardiac mass, while exercising four to five times a week can rebuild cardiac mass. This is the first time anybody has shown this." He explained that while higher cardiac mass has not directly been shown to cause better outcomes, it is associated with increased levels of fitness, which has been shown to be associated with better outcomes. He stressed that all the increases were in the healthy range and that cardiac mass did not start to become pathologic until levels of around 130 g/m2, which happens in left ventricular dysfunction. "The increase we are seeing is a healthy remodeling of the heart, associated with delivering more blood effectively to the body. So oxygen uptake increases, and in turn fitness increases," he explained.”
Best Diet Plan: 6 Mini Meals or 3 Squares a Day?
Most Americans Get Enough Vitamin D“But “there are still segments of the population that are at higher risk of vitamin D deficiency,” says Michal L. Melamed, MD, an assistant professor of medicine and epidemiology and population health at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. “For these individuals, taking a supplement or spending a little bit of time in the sun probably is not harmful unless they have a family or personal history of melanoma,” she says. “There are a number of health benefits to adequate vitamin D, most notably on bones. But other studies suggest it can reduce risk for cancer, cardiovascular disease, and high blood pressure.” The new data showed that the prevalence of those at risk for vitamin D deficiency or inadequacy did not change between 2001 and 2006. “It is reassuring that there wasn’t an increase in recent years,” Melamed says. “The problem is not getting worse, but there is definitely a difference compared with 20 years ago.” “
Recommended Immunization Schedules for Persons Aged 0 through 18 Years — United States, 2011
Acetaminophen in Pregnancy: Link to Baby's Asthma? “"The message would be that this study raises some concern, and that it really reinforces the general principle to avoid unnecessary medication during pregnancy," he says. "This [report] does not change the recommendation." Acetaminophen, called paracetamol in New Zealand, would ''remain as the preferred analgesic'' to bring down fever in a pregnant woman, he says. "But we would caution against the regular use, particularly regular unnecessary use, during pregnancy." The report is published in the journal Clinical & Experimental Allergy.”
Walnut May Be Top Nut for Heart Health “Walnuts are the No. 1 nut for heart health, says a researcher who presented his findings Sunday at the American Chemical Society annual meeting. That's because walnuts were found to have more antioxidants -- and better-quality antioxidants -- than other popular nuts tested, says Joe Vinson, PhD, a researcher at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania. Antioxidants protect cells against damage caused by harmful molecules known as free radicals. The damage can play a role in heart disease and other health conditions. ''Nuts are good for your heart," Vinson says. They can lower cholesterol, reduce the oxidative stress caused by the free radicals, and decrease unhealthy inflammation, he says.”
Major Depression and Menopause
Even Moderate Drinking Increases the Risk for Cancer
Emergency Department CT Exams of Children Have Increased Substantially “However, the relatively higher radiation doses associated with CT, compared to most other imaging exams, have raised concerns over an increase in risks associated with ionizing radiation. A child's organs are more sensitive to the effects of radiation than those of an adult, and they have a longer remaining life expectancy in which cancer may potentially form. In addition, the current prevalence of CT makes it more likely that children will receive a higher cumulative lifetime dose of medically related radiation than those who are currently adults.”
Zinc for the common cold. “AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Zinc administered within 24 hours of onset of symptoms reduces the duration and severity of the common cold in healthy people. When supplemented for at least five months, it reduces cold incidence, school absenteeism and prescription of antibiotics in children. There is potential for zinc lozenges to produce side effects. In view of this and the differences in study populations, dosages, formulations and duration of treatment, it is difficult to make firm recommendations about the dose, formulation and duration that should be used.”
Older and Stronger: Progressive Resistance Training Can Build Muscle, Increase Strength as We Age “Through resistance training adults can improve their ability to stand up out of a chair walk across the floor, climb a flight of stairs -- anything that requires manipulating their own body mass through a full range of motions. Normally, adults who are sedentary beyond age 50 can expect muscle loss of up to 0.4 pounds a year. "That only worsens as people age. But even earlier in adulthood -- the 30s, 40s and 50s -- you can begin to see declines if you do not engage in any strengthening activities," Peterson says. "Our analyses of current research show that the most important factor in somebody's function is their strength capacity. No matter what age an individual is, they can experience significant strength improvement with progressive resistance exercise even into the eighth and ninth decades of life," he says.”
Good news, bad news for former estrogen users“A new analysis of the landmark Women’s Health Initiative, the federal study that discovered the health risks, indicates that women who stopped using estrogen after the dangers were uncovered are no longer at increased risk for strokes and blood clots about 10 years after they stopped. At the same time, the women continued to be at a lower risk for breast cancer. That’s the good news. The bad news is that there is no benefit of being less likely to develop heart disease, and any reduction in the risk of hip bone fractures evaporates with time, according to a report in the latest issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. For years, women took estrogen or a combination of estrogen and progestin to help alleviate hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause, and in the belief that the drugs had a host of health benefits, including protecting their hearts. But the Women’s Health Initiative stunned doctors and women when researchers reported that the risks of the hormones outweighed any benefits. Hormone use plummetted, but women who had been using the drugs were left to wonder whether they were still at risk.”
Monday March 28 - April 3 2011
Dairy consumption and risk of breast cancer: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. (Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2011) “In conclusion, findings of the present meta-analysis indicate that increased consumption of total dairy food, but not milk, may be associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer.”
Q: Can eating a lot of sugar give you diabetes?
Patients in Their 50s With Diabetes Have Nearly Double the Risk for Developing 'Geriatric' Ailments, Study Finds “Adults between 51 and 70 with diabetes developed age-related ailments like cognitive impairment, incontinence, falls, dizziness, vision impairment and pain at a faster rate than those without diabetes, the study found. Results were published in the March issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine.”
Prenatal Exposure to Perfluorinated Chemicals and Behavioral or Coordination Problems at Age 7 Years (EHP 2011)
Randomised prostate cancer screening trial: 20 year follow-up (BMJ 2011)
Prostate Cancer Screening Doesn't Cut Death Rates: Study “A 20-year study from Sweden suggests that screening for prostate cancer does not substantially reduce the risk of death from the disease. On the other hand, a good many men might receive false-positive results and overtreatment, adding an element of risk to widescale screening, the researchers report in the March 31 online issue of the BMJ. "In the light of our findings, I would say that the benefit from screening is not sufficient to support mass screening," said study author Dr. Gabriel Sandblom, an associate professor at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. "However," added Sandblom, "the study was initiated more than 20 years ago, when PSA [prostate specific antigen testing] was not available and the treatment of localized prostate cancer was not as effective as it is today. I would thus not categorically advise against PSA testing based on an individual decision from a man who feels concern about prostate cancer." This advice is not out of line with recently updated guidelines on prostate cancer screening from the U.S. government. The recommendations, issued in 2008, take a dim view of prostate cancer screenings at any age for healthy men and flatly recommend against them entirely for men over 75.”
Avoiding Health Risks Could Prevent More Than Half of All Cases of Atrial Fibrillation
Prenatal Alcohol Exposure Linked to Behavior Problems in Teens
Symptoms of Learning Disabilities
Pollen Counts From Popular Commercial Web Sites Unreliable “A new study provides scientific support for what allergists have long suspected — pollen count information available from popular commercial television channels and online sites is often unreliable — according to researchers here at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) 2011 Annual Meeting. "The moral of the story is 'reader beware,' " said Dan Dalan, MD, associate clinical professor at the University of North Dakota Medical School in Fargo.”
Coffee and its consumption: benefits and risks. (Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2011) “Many research investigations, epidemiological studies, and meta-analyses regarding coffee consumption revealed its inverse correlation with that of diabetes mellitus, various cancer lines, Parkinsonism, and Alzheimer's disease. Moreover, it ameliorates oxidative stress because of its ability to induce mRNA and protein expression, and mediates Nrf2-ARE pathway stimulation. Furthermore, caffeine and its metabolites help in proper cognitive functionality. Coffee lipid fraction containing cafestol and kahweol act as a safeguard against some malignant cells by modulating the detoxifying enzymes. On the other hand, their higher levels raise serum cholesterol, posing a possible threat to coronary health, for example, myocardial and cerebral infarction, insomnia, and cardiovascular complications. Caffeine also affects adenosine receptors and its withdrawal is accompanied with muscle fatigue and allied problems in those addicted to coffee. An array of evidence showed that pregnant women or those with postmenopausal problems should avoid excessive consumption of coffee because of its interference with oral contraceptives or postmenopausal hormones.”
Treatment for ulnar neuropathy at the elbow (Cochrane Reviews 2011) “The available evidence is not sufficient to identify the best treatment for idiopathic ulnar neuropathy at the elbow on the basis of clinical, neurophysiological and imaging characteristics. We do not know when to treat a patient conservatively or surgically. However, the results of our meta-analysis suggest that simple decompression and decompression with transposition are equally effective in idiopathic ulnar neuropathy at the elbow, including when the nerve impairment is severe. In mild cases, evidence from one small randomised controlled trial of conservative treatment showed that information on movements or positions to avoid may reduce subjective discomfort.”
For Young Kids With Pneumonia, Timing of Antibiotic Critical: Study “Correct and rapid antibiotic treatment is crucial for critically ill young children with bacterial pneumonia, says a new study. Even a few hours' delay can lead to a longer hospital stay, said Dr. Jennifer A. Muszynski of Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.”
Exercise May Blunt Salt's Effect on Hypertension
Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels and Prediabetes Among Subjects Free of Diabetes. (Diabetes Care. 2011) “Lower serum 25(OH)D levels are associated with prediabetes in a representative sample of U.S. adults.”
Brain Research Reveals Possible Causes of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
Monday March 21 - March 27 2011
Blood Pressure: 100 Million Americans May Be Unnecessarily Labeled Abnormal “They found that in people aged over 50, those with SBPs above 140, independent of DBP, were significantly more likely to die prematurely. In those aged 50 or less, DBPs above 100 were linked to significant increases in premature death. The authors' analysis offers alternative cut-off points for the definition of 'normal'. “
Does Cell Phone Exposure Weaken Bone Density? “If you wear your cell phone on your hip, or carry it in your pocket, you may be weakening the bones in your body that are in closest proximity to the device. At least, that’s what a new study suggests. The study found men who routinely wear their cell phone on their belt on the right side have reduced bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) in the right hip, according to the study by Dr. Fernando D. Sravi of National University of Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina. "The different patterns of right-left asymmetry in femoral bone mineral found in mobile cell phone users and nonusers are consistent with a nonthermal effect of electromagnetic radiofrequency waves not previously described," Sravi writes.”
Public Health update of Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) producing metallo-beta-lactamases (NDM, VIM, IMP) in the U.S. reported to CDC “KPC producers have been reported in about 35 states and are associated with high mortality, up to 40 percent in one report. They may be present in the other 15 states as well, but have not been reported to CDC. The presence of CRE, regardless of the enzyme that produced that resistance, reinforces the need for better antibiotic stewardship, transmission prevention, and overall HAI prevention in any healthcare setting.”
Egg consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease in the SUN Project. (Eur J Clin Nutr. 2011)
Pesticides on Produce Tied to ADHD in Children “New research suggests that exposure to high levels of organophosphate pesticides, commonly found on berries, celery and other produce, could raise the odds for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. At this point, though, there is no evidence that pesticide exposure can actually cause ADHD, stated the authors of a paper appearing in the June issue of Pediatrics. Certainly parents and children shouldn't swear off fruits and veggies, said study lead author Maryse Bouchard, an adjunct researcher in the department of environmental and occupational health at the University of Montreal and at Sainte-Justine University Hospital Centre. However, "I think it's safe to say that we should as much as possible reduce our exposure to pesticides," she said. That would meaning going organic, buying at farmers' markets and washing fruits and vegetables thoroughly before consuming them, she said.”
10 Things That May be Making Your Allergies Worse
Exposure to Chemicals in Environment Associated with Onset of Early Menopause “A recent study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM) found that higher levels of perfluorocarbons (PFCs) in the body are associated with increased odds of having experienced menopause in women between 42 and 64 years old. Women in this age group with high levels of PFCs also had significantly lower concentrations of estrogen when compared to women who had low levels of PFCs.”
Are Swimming Pools Safe for Children with Asthma?
Night Waking In Men May Be Caused By Sleep Apnea, Not Enlarged Prostate
Risk for Myocardial Infarction Doubles After TIA
Study: Reluctance to Speak Up Encourages Medical Errors “Nurses often don't speak up about incompetent colleagues or when they see fellow health-care workers making mistakes that could harm patients, new research finds.”
Richer White Women More Prone to Melanoma, Study Finds “"Melanoma correlates strongly with childhood sunburns, so we think young skin is more vulnerable," Spencer said. "For the moms and dads, your child's and teenager's skin is a lot more vulnerable than yours. Most of the damage that can lead to melanoma occurs during childhood sunburns before age 20." Clarke and Spencer agreed that young people resist anti-tanning messages, making it particularly difficult to target them in public education campaigns. "What do we do to make tanning less cool?" Clarke said. "I think there are a lot of messages around tanning, though I'm not sure how much melanoma has been part of this conversation. But this is serious -- melanoma can kill you." Spencer added: "Tell a 15-year-old not to get a suntan? That's just a really hard group to reach. I think teenagers know today, but they just don't care." “
40% of Gastric Banding Patients Have Complications “While the majority of morbidly obese patients who undergo gastric banding say they are generally satisfied years later, almost 40 percent are saddled with major complications, while about half have to have their bands removed, a small, new Belgian study reveals.”
Kid Food Allergies Develop In The Womb; First Born More At Risk “In the study, 4% of first-borns had some type of food allergy compared with 3.5% of second-borns and 2.6% of third-borns.”
Soy Food Consumption and Breast Cancer Prognosis. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2011)
Antidepressants Linked to Glaucoma in Elderly
Learning disabilities and ADHD
Eskimo Study Suggests High Consumption of Omega-3s in Fish-Rich Diet Reduces Obesity-Related Disease Risk “A study of Yup'ik Eskimos in Alaska, who on average consume 20 times more omega-3 fats from fish than people in the lower 48 states, suggests that a high intake of these fats helps prevent obesity-related chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.”
Circulating levels of vitamin D and colon and rectal cancer: the Physicians' Health Study and a meta-analysis of prospective studies (Cancer Prev Res 2011)
Nocturia as a manifestation of systemic disease. (BJU Int. 2011)
Acupuncture for Pain No Better Than Placebo -- And Not Without Harm, Study Finds “If even sham acupuncture is as good as or better than standard care, then what is the harm? The answer lies in the adverse effect case studies. These studies were grouped into three categories: Infection (38 cases), trauma (42 cases) and other adverse effects (13 cases). Many of these adverse side effects are not intrinsic to acupuncture, but rather result from malpractice of acupuncturists. The most frequently reported complications included pneumothorax, (penetration of the thorax) and bacterial and viral infections. Five patients died after their treatment. In an accompanying commentary, Harriet Hall, MD, states her position forcefully: "Importantly, when a treatment is truly effective, studies tend to produce more convincing results as time passes and the weight of evidence accumulates. When a treatment is extensively studied for decades and the evidence continues to be inconsistent, it becomes more and more likely that the treatment is not truly effective. This appears to be the case for acupuncture. In fact, taken as a whole, the published (and scientifically rigorous) evidence leads to the conclusion that acupuncture is no more effective than placebo." “
Association Found Between Industry Funding and Promotional Pieces on Menopausal Hormone Therapy
Monday March 14 - March 20 2011
Heavy Drinking Associated With Increased Risk of Death from Pancreatic Cancer
Updated Vitamin D and Calcium Recommendations
Breastfed Children Do Better at School, Study Suggests
Combating Myths About Seasonal Allergies
Frequently Asked Questions About Potassium Iodide “Potassium iodide is a salt, similar to table salt. Its chemical symbol is KI. It is routinely added to table salt to make it "iodized." Potassium iodide, if taken in time and at the appropriate dosage, blocks the thyroid gland's uptake of radioactive iodine and thus could reduce the risk of thyroid cancers and other diseases that might otherwise be caused by exposure to radioactive iodine that could be dispersed in a severe nuclear accident.”
Brain scan overdose offers glimpse of radiation threat
Thyroid cancer a hazard from radioactive iodine emitted by Japan’s failing nuclear power plants
Creativity Is An Upside To ADHD
Exercise Program Improves Gait Pattern in Older Women
Germs lurking in old makeup: It isn't pretty
Invisible and Odorless, Radon Poses Risks to Lungs
Monday March 7 - March 13 2011
Cadmium in Children’s Jewelry: 100 Times Recommended Maximum Exposure If Mouthed or Swallowed
The linkage between childhood bullying behaviour and future offending. (Crim Behav Ment Health. 2011) “We found a strong linkage between bullying behaviour during childhood and subsequent criminal offending after the age of 12. Criminal convictions for bullies were nearly twice as high for non-bullies up to the child's 18th birthday.”
Keys to Long Life? Not What You Might Expect
Consequences of Sexual Abuse in Children and Adolescents. (Neurosci Behav Physiol. 2011)
Mediterranean Diet: A Heart-Healthy Plan for Life “The Mediterranean diet is a dietary pattern characterized by high consumption of monounsaturated fatty acids, primarily from olives and olive oils; daily consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grain cereals, and low-fat dairy products; weekly consumption of fish, poultry, tree nuts, and legumes; a relatively low consumption of red meat; and a moderate daily consumption of alcohol, normally with meals.”
25-hydroxyvitamin d levels and hypertension rates. (J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2011) “This study demonstrates increased rates of hypertension in individuals who tested for lower levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D starting at levels <40 ng/mL. This retrospective analysis raises the question of whether supplementing to optimal vitamin D levels can prevent or improve hypertension.”
Ultraviolet radiation: a hazard to children and adolescents. (Pediatrics. 2011)
Passive Smoking Increases Risk of Stillbirth and Birth Defects, Study Suggests “The study, published in the April edition of the journal Pediatrics, found passive smoking increased the risk of still birth by almost one-quarter (23 per cent) and was linked to a 13 per cent increased risk of congenital birth defects. The findings underline the importance of discouraging expectant fathers from smoking around their pregnant partners and warning women of the potential dangers of second-hand smoke both pre-conception and during pregnancy.”
Smoking increases your breast cancer risk by 16%
Sexual Side Effects From Propecia, Avodart May Be Irreversible “The drugs -- prescribed to treat a common urological condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and baldness -- work by blocking androgen. In the case of BPH, this helps reduce the enlarged prostate, making urination easier. But there's a downside. "We need androgen for erectile function, libido and ejaculation, and for just feeling good," Traish said. Noting that increasing numbers of patients report ongoing sexual problems after they stop taking the drugs, Traish said, "That's where the light should be shined." “
Study: Smoking Alters the Teenage Brain
Those That Love Soda Have Worse Eating Habits Overall
Exercise intensity: Why it matters, how it's measured
Why Poor Diet During Pregnancy Negatively Affects Offspring's Long-Term Health “The research, by scientists from the University of Cambridge, provides important insight into why children born to mothers who consumed an unhealthy diet during pregnancy have an increased risk of type 2 diabetes (a significant contributing factor to heart disease and cancer) later in life.”
Avoid Risking Children's Health During Home Energy Retrofits, Renovations, Experts Urge “Lead exposure can potentially lead to lowered intelligence and worse; asbestos exposure can potentially lead to debilitating long term illness, and certain materials used in renovation can increase other health risks, experts warn in a new report by the Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA).”
Frequency of Citrus Fruit Intake Is Associated With the Incidence of Cardiovascular Disease: The Jichi Medical School Cohort Study. (J Epidemiol. 2011) “Frequent intake of citrus fruit may reduce the incidence of CVD, especially cerebral infarction, in men and women.”
Adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is associated with migraine headaches. (Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2011)
Benefits of exercise in rheumatoid arthritis. (J Aging Res. 2011)
Monday February 28 - March 6 2011
Tight Blood Sugar Control May Put Some Diabetics at Risk “Trying to maintain the blood sugar levels typical of people without diabetes can increase the risk of death for people with type 2 diabetes and heart disease by 19 percent, according to the latest analysis from the long-running ACCORD study. “
Cigarette Smoking Linked to Lou Gehrig's Disease “The risk of developing ALS might be caused by damage to neurons from nitric oxide or other components of cigarette smoke (such as pesticide residue), the authors wrote. Chemicals in cigarette smoke also generate free radicals and by-products such as formaldehyde that are associated with the disease.”
Body mass index and risk of multiple myeloma: A meta-analysis of prospective studies. (Eur J Cancer. 2011) “Results from this meta-analysis are in line with the conclusions of the previous meta-analyses, and suggest that excess body weight is a risk factor for multiple myeloma.”
Not Just for Workers: Maternal Exposure to Ambient Benzene Linked to Spina Bifida in Infants (Environmental Health Perspectives 2011)
Research Uncovers Clue to SIDS “A new Australian study finds that babies who sleep on their stomachs -- a position thought to pose a risk for SIDS -- have lower levels of oxygen in their brains than those who sleep on their backs. The discovery suggests that a lack of oxygen could explain why babies in such a position are at a higher risk of sudden infant death syndrome while sleeping: Their brains may be less able to wake them up when they're in danger from not breathing. The research also backs current recommendations on the prevention of SIDS that suggest infants be put on their backs to sleep. "For a lot of parents, it's important for them to know why something works before they do it. If we can make this link, if we can say that if your baby is on his stomach, he's not getting enough oxygen to his brain, it'll help parents see why this might be true," said Dr. Rachel Moon, a pediatrician at Children's National Medical Center who studies SIDS.”
Microbiology of sinusitis. (Proc Am Thorac Soc. 2011) “Most sinus infections are viral, and only a small proportion develops a secondary bacterial infection. Rhinoviruses, influenza viruses, and parainfluenza viruses are the most common causes of sinusitis. The most common bacteria isolated from pediatric and adult patients with community-acquired acute purulent sinusitis are Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis, and Streptococcus pyogenes. Staphylococcus aureus and anaerobic bacteria (Prevotella and Porphyromonas, Fusobacterium and Peptostreptococcus spp.) are the main isolates in chronic sinusitis. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other aerobic and facultative gram-negative rods are commonly isolated from patients with nosocomial sinusitis, the immunocompromised host, those with HIV infection, and in cystic fibrosis. Fungi and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are the most common isolates in neutropenic patients.”
Endurance Exercise Thwarts Premature Aging in Mice
Study Unravels Link Between Stress and Chronic Health Issues
Pediatricians' Group Backs Ban on Tanning Booth Use by Minors
Half of Men May Have HPV Infection
Parent relief: Big drop in kids' ear infections “Why the numbers are declining is a bit of a mystery, but Harvard researchers think it's partly because fewer people smoke, meaning less irritation of children's airways. Many doctors credit growing use of a vaccine against bacteria that cause ear infections. And some think increased breast-feeding is protecting more children.”
Monday February 21 - February 27 2011
Change in 25-Hydroxyvitamin D and Physical Performance in Older Adults. (J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci.)
Low Vitamin D Levels Linked to Allergies in Kids
Pollutants in air can cause diabetes too
Shorter Door-to-Needle Times Reduce Stroke Mortality
Kids Growing Up on Farms Less Likely to Have Asthma
Congestive heart failure can be as serious as a heart attack
Cellphone Use Tied to Changes in Brain Activity
Effects of Cell Phone Radiofrequency Signal Exposure on Brain Glucose Metabolism (JAMA 2011)
Markedly Higher Vitamin D Intake Needed to Reduce Cancer Risk, Researchers Say “While the IOM committee states that 4000 IU/day is a safe dosage, the recommended minimum daily intake is only 600 IU/day. "Now that the results of this study are in, it will become common for almost every adult to take 4000 IU/day," Garland said. "This is comfortably under the 10,000 IU/day that the IOM Committee Report considers as the lower limit of risk, and the benefits are substantial." He added that people who may have contraindications should discuss their vitamin D needs with their family doctor. "Now is the time for virtually everyone to take more vitamin D to help prevent some major types of cancer, several other serious illnesses, and fractures," said Heaney.”
Spinal Fusion Results Worse “Two years after treatment, the spinal fusion group had worse results in every way. About one-quarter had returned to work, compared with two-thirds of the other group. Disability was permanent for 11%, compared with 2% of the non-surgery group. Nearly 85% of those who got surgery were still taking narcotic pain relievers. The rate was 49% for the other group. The surgery group also had far more related medical problems and lost work days.”
Menopausal Hot Flashes May Be a Good Sign for Heart “The results are significant since there has been concern that menopausal symptoms, which result from instability in the blood vessels in the skin, may put women at risk for other types of vascular problems as well. "It is reassuring that these symptoms, which are experienced by so many women, do not seem to correlate with increased risk of cardiovascular disease," said Szmuilowicz.”
Menopausal Night Sweats Linked to Coronary Heart Disease
Are Antipsychotics Overprescribed? “These agents are most legitimately used, obviously, for schizophrenia in both the short term and long term.[2] They are also legitimately used in the short term (meaning a few months) for acute mania.[3] That's about it, in my view. Now, some antipsychotics are US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) indicated for maintenance treatment of bipolar disorder. But for various scientific reasons, I believe the studies on which these approvals are based are deeply flawed.[4,5] So despite the president's stamp of approval, I don't think we can give a scientific stamp of approval. I think [antipsychotics] are scientifically proven for only a few months of mania, and then they should be stopped in general, both due to lack of proven efficacy (despite what the FDA says) and for safety concerns associated with some of the drugs.[4,5] Antipsychotics are also used for bipolar depression, and some have FDA indications for the condition. Here too I am skeptical about the related studies. But even if accepted, the evidence only supports short-term use (8 weeks), not long-term use for prevention; hardly any data exist with any antipsychotics by themselves in the prevention of bipolar depression, and what little data does exist are subject to many scientific problems.[4,5] Then there is so-called major depressive disorder, or plain old depression. Certain antipsychotics have an FDA indication here, but again only for short-term use. Hence, short-term use might be justifiable, but scientifically long-term use is not.[6] “
Knee Pain From Common Arthritic Condition Eased By Weight Loss “Knee pain related to osteoarthritis (OA) is a common complaint among obese individuals and retired professional athletes, especially former NFL players, but researchers presenting their work at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's Specialty Day program said they have a simple solution: lose weight.”
Stress Fractures Hitting High School Athletes
AAD: Genital Herpes May Double Prostate Cancer Risk
Amphetamines Could Cause Parkinson’s
Making the Distinction: Parkinson’s or Essential Tremor
Pollutants in air can cause diabetes too
Monday February 14 - February 20 2011
Study: Doctors Order Tests Out of Fear of Lawsuits “CT scans, MRIs and other pricey imaging tests are often more for the doctor's benefit than the patient's, new research confirms. Roughly one-fifth of tests that bone and joint specialists order are because a doctor fears being sued, not because the patient needs them, a first-of-its-kind study in Pennsylvania suggests. … Patients expect the highest level of care and think this means the most advanced technology, Flynn said. Many patients feel better when a doctor orders lots of tests -- until they get the bill. Besides hurting your wallet and adding to health care costs, unnecessary tests can expose people to radiation that accumulates over a lifetime and can raise the risk of cancer. Ordinary X-rays are rarely a concern, but an MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging scan, can cost $1,000 or more. And super-sharp X-rays called CT scans involve relatively large radiation doses. Yet doctors often order tests they don't really think a patient needs because they fear being sued if the diagnosis was wrong or they miss detecting a problem.”
Infant Deaths Spur Video Baby Monitor Recall
New CDC Guidelines for Treating Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Crib Injuries Land Thousands of Toddlers in ER Each Year
Dietary Fiber Intake and Mortality in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study. (Arch Intern Med. 2011) “Dietary fiber may reduce the risk of death from cardiovascular, infectious, and respiratory diseases. Making fiber-rich food choices more often may provide significant health benefits.”
How Omega-3 Fatty Acids Help Prevent Several Forms of Blindness
NIH study finds two pesticides associated with Parkinson’s disease “New research shows a link between use of two pesticides, rotenone and paraquat, and Parkinson's disease. People who used either pesticide developed Parkinson’s disease approximately 2.5 times more often than non-users."
What Is the Effect of Physical Activity on the Knee Joint? A Systematic Review (Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 2011) “Given that optimizing cartilage health is important in preventing osteoarthritis, these findings indicate that physical activity is beneficial, rather than detrimental, to joint health.”
Alcohol Consumption, Blood Pressure, and the Risk of Stroke. (Hypertens Rep. 2011) “Men with a severe form of hypertension showed a 12-fold increased risk for cardiovascular disease mortality associated with heavy binge drinking. Binge drinking is a significant risk factor for stroke. Hypertensive patients should be warned about the risks of alcohol and urged to avoid binge drinking because of an increased risk for all subtypes of stroke.”
Experts Urge Even Greater Caution in Use of X-Rays During Pregnancy and Infancy “Clinicians should be careful about using x-rays on pregnant women and infants because of the potential for a slight increase in the risk of children developing cancer, concludes a new study published on the British Medical Journal website.”
Berries May Offer Sweet Protection Against Parkinson's Disease “People who eat foods rich in antioxidants called flavonoids, especially berries, may be protecting themselves from developing Parkinson's disease, a new study suggests. In addition to berries, flavonoids are found in a variety of foods such as apples, chocolate, and citrus fruits. These compounds have been touted as protective against some diseases because of their antioxidant effects, researchers say. However, not all flavonoids are created equal. Only those known as anthocyanins, found in berries and other red/purplish fruits and vegetables, protected both men and women, according to the results of this study, which was funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health.”
Popular Students -- But Not the Most Popular -- More Likely to Torment Peers , Study Finds
Study of Breast Biopsies Finds Surgery Used Too Extensively “Too many women with abnormal mammograms or other breast problems are undergoing surgical biopsies when they should be having needle biopsies, which are safer, less invasive and cheaper, new research shows.”
Pediatrics Report Details Risks From Energy Drinks
Kids With ADHD Much More Likely to Develop Substance Abuse Problems as They Age, Study Finds
Vegans' Elevated Heart Risk Requires Omega-3s and B12, Study Suggests
Zinc Within 24 Hours of Symptom Onset May Be Helpful for Common Cold
Group Wants Ban on 2 Types of Caramel Coloring in Sodas “Two types of caramel coloring used in some sodas and foods contain two carcinogens and should be banned, according to the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). "We are calling on the FDA to ban the use of caramel coloring in colas and certain other foods," CSPI Executive Director Michael F. Jacobson said during a teleconference. The caramel coloring used in some sodas is manufactured via a chemical reaction between sugars, ammonia, and sulfates. These reactions produce the two carcinogens: 2-methylimidazole (2-MEI) and 4-methylimidazole (4-MEI), he says. These chemicals have been shown to cause cancer in mice and rats.”
Stretching Doesn't Prevent Injuries
Monday February 7 - February 13 2011
Prenatal Exposure to Pesticides May Harm Kids' Development “Horton suggests that parents turn to so-called integrated pest management, which includes common-sense measures to control pests such as eating only in home eating areas, not bedrooms; keeping cracks and crevices in the house repaired to keep out pests; using trash cans with a lid and liner to contain garbage; and storing food properly.”
Common Insecticide Used in Homes Associated With Delayed Mental Development of Young Children
Eating processed foods dumbs down kids “The researchers found that a diet heavy in processed food at the age of three was associated with lower IQ five years later. A healthy diet at three was associated with a higher IQ later on. However, the researchers found that changes to children's eating habits after the age of three made no difference to their IQ.”
Most ADHD Kids Have Multiple Conditions, Study Says
Risk of Cancer Increases With Exposure to Low-Dose Radiation from Cardiac Imaging, Study Finds
Lack of Sleep Found to Be a New Risk Factor for Colon Cancer
Sun Exposure, Vitamin D May Lower Risk of Multiple Sclerosis
Lifestyle Affects Life Expectancy More Than Genetics, Swedish Study Finds
Childhood Obesity Linked to Health Habits, Not Heredity, Study Finds
Exercise Helps Overweight Children Think Better, Do Better in Math “And the more they exercised, the better the result. Intelligence scores increased an average 3.8 points in those exercising 40 minutes per day after school for three months with a smaller benefit in those exercising 20 minutes daily. Activity in the part of their brain responsible for so-called executive function also increased in children who exercised. "In kids you just don't know what impact you are going to have when you improve their ability to control their attention, to behave better in school, to make better choices," Davis notes. "Maybe they will be more likely to stay in school and out of trouble. … The researchers hypothesize that such vigorous physical activity promotes development of brain systems that underlie cognition and behavior. Animal studies have shown that aerobic activity increases growth factors so the brain gets more blood vessels, more neurons and more connections between neurons. Studies in older adults have shown exercise benefits the brain and Davis's study extends the science to children and their ability to learn in school. About one-third of U.S. children are overweight. Davis suspects exercise would have a similar impact on their leaner counterparts."”
Breast-cancer study questions lymph node removal
LED Products Billed as Eco-Friendly Contain Toxic Metals, Study Finds
Sideline Test Accurately Detects Athletes' Concussions in Minutes, Study Shows
[Nosocomial diarrhea.] (Internist (Berl). 2011) “Hospital acquired or nosocomial diarrhea affects up to one third of hospitalized patients. It increases mortality rates as well as lenght and costs of the hospital stay. Drug side effects are the predominant cause of nosocomial diarrhea whilst clostridium difficile is the most common infectious agent, whose development is closely linked to antibiotic usage. The causal therapy of mild clostridium difficile infections is controversially discussed. Nevertheless, the use of Metronidazol for mild cases and of vancomycin for severe forms of the disease is recommended. Diarrhea outbreaks might be caused by viruses and less often by Salmonella and Listeria.”
U-Shaped Curve for Sleep Duration and Cardiovascular Disease “They conclude that people reporting consistently sleeping five hours or less per night should be regarded as a higher-risk group for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. And that sleeping nine hours or more per night may represent a useful diagnostic tool for detecting subclinical or undiagnosed comorbidity.”
Breastfeeding linked to fewer seizures in kids “And the longer babies are breastfed, the better, the researchers found. Babies who had mom's milk for more than 9 months had fewer seizures than babies who had breast milk for a shorter time, report the authors in the Journal of Pediatrics. Past studies have shown a link between breastfeeding and risk for mental disorders later in life, such as attention deficient disorder or schizophrenia, said Dr. Michael Kramer, professor of pediatrics at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, who was not involved in the study. But this is the first time anyone's looked at a possible link between the seizure disorder epilepsy and breastfeeding. Breastfeeding does a lot of good things, but this apparent protection against epilepsy "needs to be taken with a grain of salt, because it just hasn't been studied very much," Kramer told Reuters Health.”
Good and Bad Exercises for Low Back Pain
Bullying May Accompany Drive to Be Popular “Teens who are already popular but trying to become even more so are the most likely to bully other kids, new research suggests. The kids seem to think that antagonizing others will raise their own status in the eyes of their peers, according to the study, published in the February issue of the American Sociological Review.”
Atrial Fibrillation Is a Major Risk Factor for Stroke, Especially in Women: The Jichi Medical School Cohort Study. (J Epidemiol. 2011)
Monday January 31 - February 6 2011
Regular physical exercise training assists in preventing type 2 diabetes development: focus on its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. (Cardiovasc Diabetol. 2011)
During Pregnancy A Deficiency Of Dietary Omega-3 May Explain Depressive Behaviors
Benefits of Outdoor Exercise Confirmed “On balance this review has identified some promising effects on self-reported mental well-being immediately following exercise in the natural environment, as opposed to those reported following exercise indoors. This is a first step towards vindicating the positive effects of programmes such as the Green Gym and Blue Gym, and innovative interventions by medical practitioners that include exercise outdoors as part of holistic treatments for those suffering from depression and similar psychological ailments.”
A Restricted Diet Should Be Part Of Standard Of Care For All Children With ADHD “In a linked Comment, Dr Jaswinder Kaur Ghuman, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA, says that an elimination diet trial should be implemented only under the supervision of the child's primary health-care provider and a nutritionist to ensure that growing children do not suffer from nutritional deficiencies with the restricted diet. She concludes: "Diagnosing food sensitivity is complex, can take several weeks, and can be burdensome for families to implement. The restricted diet can be tried for 2-5 weeks. If there is benefit, the restricted foods can be added back weekly, one food component at a time, to identify the problem foods to be excluded from a less restrictive permanent diet. In my opinion, a stringent elimination diet should not continue for more than 5 weeks without obvious benefit because of the time, effort, and resources required to implement the restricted diet and because long-term effects of dietary elimination on the child's nutritional status are not known."”
Physicians Say Good Riddance to 'Worst Drug in History' “An estimated 10 million patients have used the pain reliever propoxyphene and were sent scrambling to doctors' offices when it was recently pulled from the market. Many physicians are still dealing with the aftermath of the product, first approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1957. "Propoxyphene is the worst drug in history," Ulf Jonasson, doctor of public health, from the Nordic School in Gothenburg, Sweden, told Medscape Medical News. The researcher played a role in the decision to stop the pain reliever in the United Kingdom, Sweden, and later in the entire European Union. "No single drug has ever caused so many deaths," Dr. Jonasson said.”
Full bladder wakes one in five men at night
Heme Iron from Meat and Risk of Colorectal Cancer: A Meta-analysis and a Review of the Mechanisms Involved (Cancer Prev Res 2011)
Diabetes in Pregnancy a Risk for Mom Years Later
Do Tans Protect Against Sun Damage?
Starting HRT early raises breast cancer risk: study
Breast Cancer Risk in Relation to the Interval Between Menopause and Starting Hormone Therapy. (J Natl Cancer Inst. 2011) “Risks were greater among users of estrogen-progestin than estrogen-only formulations and if hormonal therapy started at around the time of menopause than later.”
Does a Mediterranean diet reduce the mortality risk associated with diabetes: Evidence from the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study (Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases 2011)
Health information remains high on the list of popular uses for the Internet “Seeking health information is the third-most-prevalent activity among American Internet users, according to a report being issued Feb. 1 by the Pew Internet Project. The only things more universal were exchanging e-mail and using search engines. (Of course, if someone uses Google to look up "shingles," there's obviously some overlap.) Eight out of 10 Internet users report going online for health information, even if it's only occasionally. "Health-care information is there when they need it," said Susannah Fox, associate director. People most commonly look up diseases, treatments and doctors, often on behalf of a child or other dependent.”
Strawberries, Blueberries May Ward Off High Blood Pressure
AAP Issues Recommended Childhood and Teen Immunization Schedules “Highlights of the new schedules include guidance on hepatitis B vaccine administration to children who did not receive the recommended birth dose, and new recommendations on the use of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13), which replaced the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7). Because of recent outbreaks of pertussis nationwide, the new recommendations offer guidance for a dose of tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap) in 7- to 10-year-old children who have not been adequately immunized against pertussis. The updated schedules now recommend a booster dose of the conjugated meningococcal vaccine to improve protection of adolescents throughout the greatest period of risk for meningococcal disease. Instructions on dosing of influenza vaccine are now based on a history of receiving monovalent 2009 H1N1 vaccine. The policy statement also offers guidance on administering human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines to boys 9 to 18 years old to lower their risk of acquiring genital warts.”
Recommended Childhood and Adolescent Immunization Schedules_United States, 2011 (Pediatrics 2011)
Incontinence improves in older women after intensive pelvic floor muscle training: An assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial. (Neurourol Urodyn. 2011)
Serotonin syndrome associated with polypharmacy in the elderly (General Hospital Psychiatry 2011) “As this case illustrates, serotonin syndrome can be caused by combinations of direct serotonin agonists (e.g., serotonergic antidepressants) and indirect serotonin agonists (e.g., atypical antipsychotics).”
A survey of phthalate esters in consumer cosmetic products. (J Cosmet Sci. 2010)
Monday January 24 - January 30 2011
Attendance at chlorinated indoor pools and risk of asthma in adult recreational swimmers. (J Sci Med Sport. 2011) “Attendance at chlorinated indoor pools may constitute a risk factor for developing asthma in leisure adult swimmers.”
Hypokalemia and sudden cardiac death. (Exp Clin Cardiol. 2010) “In cardiovascular patients, hypokalemia is often caused by nonpotassium-sparing diuretics, insufficient potassium intake and a shift of potassium into stores by increased potassium uptake stimulated by catecholamines, beta-adrenoceptor agonists and insulin. Interestingly, drugs with a proven significant positive effect on mortality and morbidity rates in heart failure patients all increase plasma potassium concentration. Thus, it may prove beneficial to pay more attention to hypokalemia and to maintain plasma potassium levels in the upper normal range. The more at risk of fatal arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death a patient is, the more attention should be given to the potassium homeostasis.”
Physical activity and breast cancer: review of the epidemiologic evidence and biologic mechanisms. (Recent Results Cancer Res. 2011)
Hot Flushes Are Linked With a Significant Reduction in Breast Cancer Risk, Study Finds
Drinking Water in Vietnam Has Excessive Arsenic “More than a quarter of drinking wells in Vietnam's densely-populated Red River delta contain unsafe levels of arsenic that can cause cancer, neurological problems and hypertension, researchers warned on Tuesday. In a paper published January 17th in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, they also said 44% of the wells in the delta carried levels of manganese that exceed World Health Organization guidelines. "About 7 million people are at a considerable risk of chronic arsenic poisoning. This is particularly worrying because groundwater is the main source of drinking water throughout the delta," lead author Michael Berg wrote in an email to Reuters. Arsenic contamination of groundwater occurs in many countries, like Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Chile, China, Hungary, India, Mexico, Peru, Thailand and the United States. Manganese can disrupt the development of growing children.”
Acute exercise improves postprandial cardiovascular risk factors in overweight and obese individuals (Atherosclerosis 2011)
Prevention Saves Lives as Well as Money, New Research Confirms “"Fundamentally, we like to say prevention is better than treatment, and this article, I think, demonstrates that there is a value proposition around that notion," APHA member Eduardo Sanchez, MD, MPH, chair of the National Commission on Prevention Priorities, told The Nation's Health. "I think another important thing that we try to say over and over: not all prevention is equal. So this article helps identify those most impactful services." According to the analysis of the estimated costs of adopting a package of 20 proven preventive services against the cost savings that could be generated, the impact of prevention can be profound. If 90 percent of the population had access to tobacco cessation services, alcohol abuse screening, daily aspirin intake — if at risk for certain health conditions — and colorectal cancer screening, each of those four interventions alone would result in more than 100,000 years of life saved, the study found.”
Cigarette Smoking and the Incidence of Breast Cancer. (Arch Intern Med. 2011)
Nutrition to Blame for Asthma?
Cochrane Review Stirs Controversy Over Statins in Primary Prevention “A new Cochrane review has provoked controversy by concluding that there is not enough evidence to recommend the widespread use of statins in the primary prevention of heart disease [1].”
Gender and hygiene: Could cleanliness be hurting girls? “The "hygiene hypothesis" links the recent rise in incidence of asthma, allergies, and autoimmune disorders such as Crohn's disease and rheumatoid arthritis, with particular geographical and environmental locations, in particular urban, industrialized nations. Many scholarly studies have noted that as countries become more industrial and urban, rates of these diseases rise. For instance, the rate of Crohn's disease is on the rise in India as sanitation improves and industrialization increases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has noted that asthma prevalence is higher among females (8.9 percent compared to 6.5 percent in males) and that women are more likely to die from asthma. The National Institutes of Health statistics show that autoimmune diseases strike women three times more than men. A report by the Task Force on Gender, Multiple Sclerosis, and Autoimmunity shows that among people with multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis, the female to male ratio is between 2:1 and 3:1. With the disease lupus, nine times as many women are affected as men.”
Yoga's Spiritual Balance May Boost Health
Elderly Patients Are Often Prescribed Inappropriate Medicines in the ICU “The most common potentially inappropriate medications were anticholinergic drugs, Dr. Morandi noted.“
Loud Road Noise Linked to Stroke in Older Adults
Rise in Some Head and Neck Cancers Tied to Oral Sex: Study
Monday January 17 - January 23 2011
The possible role of fungal contamination in sick building syndrome. (Front Biosci (Elite Ed). 2011) “Our results showed that Cladosporium sp. were commonly recovered in AHU as growth sites and free spores. They were found mainly on the blower wheel fan blades, the ductwork, and cooling coil fans. Our results showed that the presence of species of molds other than Cladosporium in locations other than the blower wheel blades indicated that the AHU condition was not optimal. In a series of three papers, we examined growth and mycotoxin production by Chaetomium globosum (CG). In these studies we showed that CG produces two potent mycotoxins, chaetoglobosin A (Ch-A) and chaetoglobosin C (Ch-C) when grown on building material. We discovered that these toxins break down when exposed to temperatures in excess of 75degreesC. We also showed that growth and mycotoxin production by CG is favored at a neutral pH. In another study, we showed that mycotoxins can be detected in body fluids and human tissues from patients exposed to mycotoxin producing molds, and we showed which human tissues or fluids were the most likely to give positive results for detection of these compounds.”
Health Implications of Fructose Consumption: A Review of Recent Data (Nutr Metab. 2010) “Certainly high fructose consumption can induce insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, hyperinsulinemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and hypertension in animal models. There is no evidence for similar effects in humans at realistic consumption patterns. Although there are existing data on the metabolic and endocrine effects of dietary fructose that suggest that increased consumption of fructose may be detrimental in terms of body weight and adiposity and the metabolic indexes associated with the insulin resistance syndrome, much more research is needed to fully understand the metabolic effect of dietary fructose in humans. Despite the epidemiological parallel between the marked increase of obesity and fructose consumption, there is no direct evidence linking obesity to the consumption of physiological amounts of fructose in humans (= 100g/day). A moderate dose (= 50g/day) of added fructose has no deleterious effect on fasting and postprandial triglycerides, glucose control and insulin resistance. There is no existing evidence for a relation between moderate fructose consumption and hypertension. Fructose may induce hyperuricaemia, but mainly in patients with gout.”
Adult ADHD Often Precedes Certain Type of Dementia: Study “Adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have a more than threefold increased risk of developing a common form of degenerative dementia called dementia with lewy bodies (DLB), a new study says. "Lewy bodies" -- abnormal clumps of protein deposits that develop inside nerve cells and disrupt brain functioning -- are found in people with Parkinson's disease and some other neurological disorders.”
The Role of Antioxidants in Health, Disease and Aging. (CNS Neurol Disord Drug Targets. 2011)
More Evidence Organophosphate Pesticides Raise ADHD Risk in Children
Does Long-Term Cell Phone Use Lead to Brain Tumors? “Although debate continues, independent studies with long-term follow-up strongly suggest an increased risk of brain tumors related to the use of cellular or cordless phones. "We conclude that the current standard of exposure to microwave during mobile phone use is not safe for long-term exposure and needs to be revised," conclude the study authors, led by R.B. Dubey of Apeejay College of Engineering, Sohna, Gurgaon, India. Brain Tumor Risk May Double after 10 Years of Cell Phone Use …”
Antioxidants May Help Some Couples Conceive
X-Rays Linked to Increased Childhood Leukemia Risk
Is Acute Otitis Media a Treatable Disease?
Healthbeat: Is your diet giving you a headache?
What’s In Your Bottled Water — Besides Water?
Study: Newer Antipsychotic Drugs Are Overused
Is Stevia a Good Substitute for Sugar?
Lights in the Bedroom May Increase Breast Cancer Risk
Room Light Before Bedtime May Impact Sleep Quality, Blood Pressure and Diabetes Risk "Given that chronic light suppression of melatonin has been hypothesized to increase relative risk for some types of cancer and that melatonin receptor genes have been linked to type 2 diabetes, our findings could have important health implications for shift workers who are exposed to indoor light at night over the course of many years," said Gooley. "Further research is still needed to both substantiate melatonin suppression as a significant risk factor for breast cancer and determine the mechanisms by which melatonin regulates glucose metabolism."”
Exposure to Room Light before Bedtime Suppresses Melatonin Onset and Shortens Melatonin Duration in Humans. (J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2010) “Conclusions: These findings indicate that room light exerts a profound suppressive effect on melatonin levels and shortens the body's internal representation of night duration. Hence, chronically exposing oneself to electrical lighting in the late evening disrupts melatonin signaling and could therefore potentially impact sleep, thermoregulation, blood pressure, and glucose homeostasis.”
What Are the Symptoms of Oral Cancer?
Monday January 10 - January 16 2011
Air pollution ultrafine particles: toxicity beyond the lung. (Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2010)
'Thirdhand Smoke' May Be Bigger Health Hazard Than Previously Believed “In an effort to learn more about thirdhand smoke, the scientists studied interactions between nicotine and indoor air on a variety of different materials, including cellulose (a component of wood furniture), cotton, and paper to simulate typical indoor surfaces. They found that nicotine interacts with ozone, in indoor air, to form potentially toxic pollutants on these surfaces. "Given the toxicity of some of the identified products and that small particles may contribute to adverse health effects, the present study indicates that exposure to [thirdhand smoke] may pose additional health risks," the article notes.”
Sugary Drinks, Foods Might Put Teens at Risk for Heart Disease
Protective Properties of Green Tea Uncovered “Regularly drinking green tea could protect the brain against developing Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia, according to latest research by scientists at Newcastle University.”
Study: Spacing Babies Close May Raise Autism Risk
High Level of 'Good' Cholesterol Alone May Not Protect Heart “HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol performs this clean-up by acting as a boat, removing unwanted cholesterol from cells called macrophages and transporting it to the liver, where the body can get rid of it. That helps prevent the cholesterol from getting stuck in the arterial walls, leading to the plaques that are a hallmark of heart disease, explained Dr. Daniel Rader, director of Preventive Cardiology at the University of Pennsylvania. Low levels of HDL are strongly associated with an increased risk of heart disease, but the converse isn't always the case. For years, experts were perplexed at why some of those with high levels of HDL cholesterol were still at high risk of heart attacks. In fact, a trial for torcetrapib, a drug that raised levels of HDL cholesterol, was halted in 2006 when it emerged that people taking the drug were at heightened risk of heart attacks and death. That led researchers to surmise there might be something about the way in which a person's HDL functioned that mattered more than HDL levels.”
Analysis of Overall Level of Evidence Behind Infectious Diseases Society of America Practice Guidelines (Arch Intern Med. 2011) “More than half of the current recommendations of the IDSA are based on level III evidence only. Until more data from well-designed controlled clinical trials become available, physicians should remain cautious when using current guidelines as the sole source guiding patient care decisions.”
Yes, “Exercise is Medicine”….but It Is So Much More! (Cardiopulm Phys Ther J. 2010)
Not all 'good' cholesterol is healthy, study shows
Youths With STDs May Not Admit They Had Sex
Tiny breaks from sitting can whittle a tiny waist “Taking short breaks from sitting, even for only one minute, might whittle your waistline and improve your heart health, according to a new study.”
Flat feet are associated with knee pain and cartilage damage in older adults. (Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2011)
The More You Walk, the Lower Your Diabetes Risk: Study “Follow-up with the participants five years later showed that a higher daily step count was associated with a lower body-mass index (BMI), lower waist-to-hip ratio and better insulin sensitivity, even after adjusting for factors such as diet, smoking and alcohol intake.”
Six months of exclusive breast feeding: how good is the evidence? (BMJ 2011)
Smoking around your kindergartner could raise their blood pressure “The study is the first to show that breathing tobacco smoke increases the blood pressure of children as young as 4 or 5 years old.”
Vitamins C And E Linked To Metabolic Syndrome In Older Ecuadorians
Treatment of Acute Otitis Media in Children under 2 Years of Age (NEJM 2011)
Antibiotics Can Ease Kids' Ear Infections, Studies Show “Amid the ongoing controversy over routine antibiotic use for children with acute ear infections, two new studies support the practice when stringent diagnostic criteria are met. Researchers from Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and the University of Turku in Finland found antibiotics more effective than a placebo in reducing ear infection severity and duration in toddlers. In both studies, the rate of clinical failure -- defined as persistent signs of acute infection -- was dramatically lower days later among those prescribed amoxicillin-clavulanate (Augmentin) than in children left untreated.”
Monday January 3 - January 9 2011
Eating Healthier Means Living Longer “…the "results of this study suggest that older adults who follow a dietary pattern consistent with current guidelines to consume relatively high amounts of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, poultry and fish, may have a lower risk of mortality.”
Exercise May Lower Risk of Death for Men With Prostate Cancer “A new study of men with prostate cancer finds that physical activity is associated with a lower risk of overall mortality and of death due to prostate cancer. The Harvard School of Public Health and University of California, San Francisco researchers also found that men who did more vigorous activity had the lowest risk of dying from the disease. It is the first study in men with prostate cancer to evaluate physical activity after diagnosis in relation to prostate cancer-specific mortality and overall mortality.”
The association of body mass index with mortality in the california Teachers Study. (Int J Cancer. 2011) “Death from any cancer, and breast cancer specifically, and cardiovascular disease was observed only for obese participants. The obesity and mortality association remained after stratification on HT and smoking. Obese participants remained at greater risk for mortality after stratification on menopausal hormone therapy and smoking. Obesity was associated with increased all-cause mortality, as well as death from any cancer (including breast), and cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. These findings help to identify groups at risk for BMI-related poor health outcomes.”
Kids With ADHD Need High Incentives To Focus
Mother’s Milk Improves Physical Condition of Future Adolescents, Study Finds “Adolescents who are breast fed at birth have stronger leg muscles than those who received artificial milk.”
One in 26 Americans Will Develop Epilepsy
Anti-Bullying Program Reduces Malicious Gossip on School Playgrounds “The study, led by the University of Washington, is the first to show that the widely-used Steps to Respect bullying prevention program can curb children's gossip, an element of playground culture often seen as harmless but capable of causing real harm. "Gossip is an element of bullying, and it can lead to physical bullying," said Karin Frey, a UW research associate professor of educational psychology. "Kids will tell you that gossip is just as painful as physical bullying." But teachers tend to not view gossip as a significant form of bullying, Frey said. Since gossip can lead to physical bullying, she and her collaborators investigated whether the program would help suppress teasing, name-calling, rumor-spreading and other ostracizing chitchat.”
Consistent Exercise Linked to Lower Risk for Death From Colon Cancer “Add another study to the body of literature that says exercise is good for you, especially with regard to modifying cancer risk and outcomes. The latest research, carried out by at the Siteman Cancer Center at Washington University School of Medicine and Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri, shows that regular long-term physical activity is associated with a lower risk for colon cancer mortality.”
Foods That Help or Harm Your Sleep Slideshow
Newborns With Low Vitamin D Levels at Increased Risk for Respiratory Infections
Eating lots of red meat ups women's stroke risk “The study team found that those in the top tenth for red meat consumption, who ate at least 102 grams or 3.6 ounces daily, were 42 percent more likely to suffer a stroke due to blocked blood flow in the brain compared to women who ate less than 25 grams (just under an ounce) of red meat daily.”
Straight Talk on Caffeine and BPH “There is no question that caffeine (the active ingredient in coffee) stimulates an already overactive bladder of the sort that is common in men with prostatic obstruction and irritation, increasing urinary urgency and frequency and sometimes leading to urge incontinence. Caffeine does this in two ways. Caffeine produces a diuresis (increase in speed of urine production). The faster you make urine and fill the bladder, the more you reduce its threshold for wanting to empty. Caffeine also enhances the sensation and contractility of the bladder itself, probably by the blood level of the caffeine rather than the amount that is in the bladder itself. The problem is not limited to coffee. Caffeine belongs to a family of drugs, the theoxanthines, including theophylline (found in tea), also a notorious bladder irritant, and theobromine (found in chocolate). Tea contains about half as much caffeine per volume as coffee, but the theophylline is also a stimulant and bladder irritant. All of these drugs stimulate the nervous system (they wake you up!) and they improve critical thinking and precision performance.”
Slideshow: Causes of Fatigue and Sleepiness and How to Fight Them
Kids' radiation exposure common and dangerous “The first large study to examine the use of X-rays, CT scans and other medical radiation in children estimates the average child will get more than seven radiation scans by age 18, a potentially worrisome trend. Most of the scans involve X-rays, which use relatively little radiation. But there is growing concern about CT scans, which entail far more radiation and can raise the risk for cancer, particularly in children. The study found that X-rays of the chest, hand and foot are the most common. Forty-two percent of children had at least one radiation procedure and 25 percent had two or more during the three-year study period. Dental X-rays were not included in the study.”
Clinical Practice Guideline: Tonsillectomy in Children (Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery 2011)
Patients with Heart Devices Don't Meet Criteria “A new study that included more than 100,000 patients with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) reveals that about 20 percent of them did not meet the guidelines to receive the devices in the first place. Furthermore, those who did not meet the criteria and received an ICD had a higher risk of in-hospital death than those who did meet the criteria. Current practice guidelines do not recommend use of an ICD for primary prevention in patients recovering from a heart attack or coronary artery bypass graft surgery and those with severe heart failure symptoms or a recent diagnosis of heart failure. “
Study tying vaccine to autism was fraud, report says “The first study to link a childhood vaccine to autism was based on doctored information about the children involved, according to a new report on the widely discredited research. The conclusions of the 1998 paper by Andrew Wakefield and colleagues were renounced by 10 of its 13 authors and later retracted by the medical journal Lancet, where it was published. Still, the suggestion the MMR shot was connected to autism spooked parents worldwide and immunization rates for measles, mumps and rubella have never fully recovered. A new examination found, by comparing the reported diagnoses in the paper to hospital records, that Wakefield and colleagues altered facts about patients in their study.”
Monday December 27 - January 2 2010
Epidemiological evidence that UVA radiation is involved in the genesis of cutaneous melanoma. (Curr Opin Oncol. 2010)
More evidence olive oil and veggies help the heart “It's not exactly clear why specifically leafy vegetables and olive oil may protect the heart, study author Dr. Domenico Palli of the Cancer Research and Prevention Institute in Florence told Reuters Health. "Probably the mechanisms responsible for the protective effect of plant-origin foods on cardiovascular diseases involve micronutrients such as folate, antioxidant vitamins and potassium, all present in green leafy vegetables."”
Glaxo Whistle-Blower Lawsuit: Bad Medicine “Of all the things that you trust every day, you want to believe your prescription medicine is safe and effective. The pharmaceutical industry says that it follows the highest standards for quality. But in November, we found out just how much could go wrong at one of the world's largest drug makers. A subsidiary of GlaxoSmithKline pleaded guilty to distributing adulterated drugs. There was reason to believe that some of the medications were contaminated with bacteria, others were mislabeled, and some were too strong or not strong enough. It's likely Glaxo would have gotten away with it had it not been for a company insider: a tip from Cheryl Eckard set off a major federal investigation.”
Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes Reduced By Almonds
Some soy supplements OK for long-term use “Menopausal women who take a certain type of soy supplement long-term aren't at increased risk for breast cancer or any other ill effects, a new two-year study suggests. But the researchers point out that the findings may not apply to all soy supplements. The ones used in the study contained a different combination of the estrogen-like compounds called isoflavones than preparations typically available over the counter. Given their estrogen-like properties, soy isoflavones have been suggested as an alternative to hormone therapy for women experiencing menopausal symptoms …”
Preteens With Conduct Disorders Risk Violence, Delinquency as Teens “Those who stole, destroyed property, fought and bullied as preteens were six times more likely to sell illicit drugs, nine times more likely to join a gang, 11 times more likely to carry a weapon, and eight times more likely to be arrested when they were teens, said the University of Montreal researchers. "Children with conduct disorders who are not violent are also more likely to adopt serious delinquent behaviors as teenagers. More specifically, this group is three times as likely to sell illicit drugs, four times as likely to join a gang, and three times as likely to mug someone using a weapon," principal author Eric Lacourse said in a university news release.”
Per capita sugar consumption is associated with severe childhood asthma: an ecological study of 53 countries. (Prim Care Respir J. 2010) “We have demonstrated an ecological association between sugar consumption during the perinatal period and subsequent risk of severe asthma symptoms in six and seven year-olds.”
Management of Food Allergy in the School Setting (PEDIATRICS 2010) “Anaphylaxis is a severe, potentially fatal, systemic allergic reaction that occurs suddenly after contact with an allergy-causing substance.1 Food allergy is a common cause of anaphylaxis.2 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported an 18% increase in food allergy among school-aged children from 1997 to 2007; 1 in 25 children are now affected.3 Results of studies of children with food allergy indicate that 16% to 18% have experienced a reaction in school.4,5 Allergic reactions or treatment for anaphylaxis also occur in children whose allergy was previously undiagnosed ( 25% of cases of anaphylaxis).5,6 Fatalities were noted to be overrepresented by children with peanut, tree nut, or milk allergy and among teenagers and those with underlying asthma. Preschool-aged children may experience food-induced anaphylaxis more often than older children, but the majority of food-allergic reactions in preschool- and school-aged children are not anaphylaxis,7,8 and deaths are rare.9 … The family must notify the school about the child's potentially life-threatening food allergy. The family may notify the school by providing a written "emergency action plan" or "food-allergy action plan" (see Appendix for a list of resources). It is recognized that multiple forms of plans are in use and that development of a more universal plan would streamline care. The physician/family may also need to provide the school with a list of foods to be avoided and possible substitutions.”
Radiation beam strays, harming instead of helping “The treatment Ms. Faber received, stereotactic radiosurgery, or SRS, is one of the fastest-growing radiation therapies, a technological innovation designed to target tiny tumors and other anomalies affecting the brain or spinal cord, while minimizing damage to surrounding tissue. Because the radiation is so concentrated and intense, accuracy is especially important. Yet, according to records and interviews, the SRS unit at Evanston lacked certain safety features, including those that might have prevented radiation from leaking outside the cone. “
Winter health myths: Sorting fact from fiction
12 Tips to Avoid Diabetes Complications
End-Of-Life Care at Home Can Improve Quality of Life for Patients and Families “The study determined that those who died in hospitals experienced more physical and psychological discomfort than those who died at home. According to a survey by the National Hospice and Palliatative Care Organization, 80 percent of terminally ill patients prefer to live out their last days at home as opposed to a hospital. … "Patients who died at home were less likely to die in pain. They had less psychological suffering and their loved ones saw that their overall quality of life was better," Wright said. The families of patients also experienced increased psychological stress when their terminally ill loved ones died in a hospital setting. Family members had a fivefold higher risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder if their loved one died in the intensive care unit compared to at home," Wright said.”
Sun Exposure, Vitamin D and Age at Disease Onset in Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis (Neuroepidemiology 2010)
Healthy Lifestyle May Reduce Stroke Risk by 80%
Smoking tied to miscarriage risk
Exposure to North Dakota Road Material May Increase Risk of Lung Cancer “With similar properties to asbestos, erionite may pose health risks to those who breathe in the fibers. Erionite exposure has been associated with an unprecedented mesothelioma incidence in some Turkish villages in Cappadocia, and it has been widely believed that exposure to erionite was limited to that part of the world.”
Chronic Nasal Congestion May Be Linked to Severe Asthma
Proximity to Freeway Associated With Autism
Fish consumption and risk of stroke in Swedish women.Larsson SC, Virtamo J, Wolk A.Am J Clin Nutr. 2010 “These results suggest that the consumption of fish, especially of lean fish, may reduce risk of stroke in women.”
Monday December 20 - December 26 2010
Smokers' Former Homes May Retain Tobacco Toxins “The health of nonsmokers who move into homes previously inhabited by smokers could be threatened by tobacco toxins lodged in dust and on surfaces, a new study finds. This so-called "thirdhand smoke" was found on surfaces even after the homes had been vacant for two months and cleaned and repainted, said researchers reporting online Dec. 17 in Tobacco Control. "We found that thirdhand smoke is trapped on surfaces like walls and ceilings and in household dust and carpets left over by previous residents," study author Georg Matt, a psychology professor at San Diego State University, said in a university news release. "The homes of smokers become reservoirs of tobacco smoke pollutants. When new nonsmoking tenants come in contact with polluted surfaces and inhale suspended microscopic dust, they are unknowingly exposed to tobacco smoke toxins." “
Ambulatory blood pressure measurement. (Prescrire Int. 2010)
Obesity May Interfere With Vitamin D Absorption “The more obese a person is, the poorer his or her vitamin D status, a new study by a team of Norwegian researchers suggests. The study found an inverse relationship between excess pounds and an insufficient amount of vitamin D, which is critical to cell health, calcium absorption and proper immune function. Vitamin D deficiency can raise the risk for bone deterioration and certain types of cancer. The researchers also suggest that overweight and obese people may have problems processing the vitamin properly.”
Too Much Fried Fish Might Help Make South the 'Stroke Belt' “The stroke belt, with more deaths from stroke than the rest of the country, includes North and South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee and Louisiana. Consuming a lot of fried foods, especially when cooked in animal or trans fats, is a risk factor for poor cardiovascular health, according to health experts.”
Slideshow: Top Items for Your Allergy Relief Kit
CDC: Travelers to Haiti Are Bringing Cholera to United States
Gray Matter Alterations in Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Identified by Voxel Based Morphometry (Biological Psychiatry 2010)
Blueberries and Other Purple Fruits to Ward Off Alzheimer's, Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson's “These toxins, called hydroxyl radicals, cause degenerative diseases of many kinds in different parts of the body. In order to protect the body from these dangerous varieties of poorly-bound iron, it is vital to take on nutrients, known as iron chelators, which can bind the iron tightly. Brightly-coloured fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of chelators, as is green tea, with purple fruits considered to have the best chance of binding the iron effectively .”
Study: No Improvement in Hospital Safety “Some hospitals are no safer today than they were 10 years ago, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. In 1999, an Institute of Medicine (IOM) report revealed that medical errors cause as many as 98,000 deaths and more than 1 million injuries per year. Researchers have found that despite efforts to ensure patient safety in the years since the report was published, those rates have remained largely unchanged.”
Do Breast-Fed Baby Boys Grow Into Better Students?
Vitamin D Supplementation: A Promising Approach for the Prevention and Treatment of Strokes (Current Drug Targets 2010)
Blood pressure targets: are clinical guidelines wrong? (Current Opinion in Cardiology 2010) “Summary: In hypertension, evidence does not support the traditional premise ‘the lower the better’. The optimal blood pressure targets have not been established, especially for systolic blood pressure in nondiabetic patients.”
Drink This to Help Undo a Heavy Meal “What makes orange juice so good at clamping down on the inflammation and oxidation that big, fatty meals cause? The heroes are likely two important flavonoids found in oranges -- naringenin and hesperidin. These powerful antioxidants help tamp down body processes that can damage blood vessels and lay the groundwork for big health problems, like atherosclerosis and heart disease.”
Training the Best Treatment for Tennis Elbow, Study Suggests
Heartburn Drugs May Raise Pneumonia Risk
Moms who take folic acid, iron have smarter kids “They said ensuring that pregnant women get this basic prenatal care could have a big effect on the educational futures of children who live in poor communities where iron deficiency is common.”
Smoking may worsen pain for cancer patients “The relationship between smoking and cancer is well established. In a study published in the January 2011 issue of Pain, researchers report evidence to suggest that cancer patients who continue to smoke despite their diagnosis experience greater pain than nonsmokers. They found that for a wide range of cancer types and for cancers in stages I to IV, smoking was associated with increased pain severity and the extent to which pain interfered with a patient's daily routine.”
CDC Issues 2010 Treatment Guidelines for Sexually Transmitted Diseases
NGC - Major depression in adults in primary care. (2010)
Monday December 13 - December 19 2010
Joint effects of dietary vitamin D and sun exposure on breast cancer risk: results from the French E3N cohort. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2010) “Our results suggest that a threshold of vitamin D exposure from both sun and diet is required to prevent BC and this threshold is particularly difficult to reach in postmenopausal women at northern latitudes where quality of sunlight is too poor for adequate vitamin D production.”
Salt, processed meat and the risk of cancer. (Eur J Cancer Prev. 2010) “Compared with never adding salt at the table, always or often adding salt at the table was associated with an increased risk of stomach, lung, testicular and bladder cancer. Processed meat was significantly related to the risk of the stomach, colon, rectum, pancreas, lung, prostate, testis, kidney and bladdercancer and leukaemia; the odds ratios for the highest quartile ranged from 1.3 to 1.7. The findings addtothe evidence that high consumption of salt and processed meat may play a role in the aetiology of severalcancers.”
Change in Physical Activity and Colon Cancer Incidence and Mortality (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2010)
Caffeine Negatively Affects Children: Most Consume Caffeine Daily “In a study published in The Journal of Pediatrics, researchers found that 75% of children surveyed consumed caffeine on a daily basis, and the more caffeine the children consumed, the less they slept.”
Food Poisoning Hits 1 in 6 Americans Each Year: CDC “Each year in the United States some 48 million people, or one in every six Americans, are sickened by the food they eat, according to two federal health reports issued Wednesday.”
Sales Receipts Contain Toxic Ingredient “A study released earlier this week by the environmental group Washington Toxics Coalition found that half of receipts spit out by modern cash registers and 95 percent of paper currency tested were tainted with bisphenol A. BPA was found in 11 of 22 receipts gathered from retailers in New York, nine other states and Washington, D.C. BPA is part of a powdery film used on receipts to produce a thermally activated ink, and has been in use in treated papers since the 1960s. It is also used in the manufacture of some plastics. BPA easily transfers from receipts to other items, including currency and human skin, where it can be absorbed into the body, according to the study. “
We're Living Longer, But Not Healthier
Cranberry Juice May Not Prevent Urinary Tract Infection
What the new vitamin D advice means
Prenatal Exposure to Acetaminophen Linked to Childhood Wheezing
Accuracy of Screening Mammography Fluctuates With Menstrual Cycle “For premenopausal women scheduling mammography at regular intervals, the screening may be more sensitive in week 1 of the menstrual cycle, a new study suggests.”
ER Patients Put Faith in CT Scans “The study also found that 75 percent of patients underestimated the amount of radiation delivered by a CT scan, and only 3 percent understood that CT scans increase a person's lifetime risk of cancer. It's estimated that 1.5 percent to 2 percent of all cancers in the United States may be attributable to CT scan radiation.”
Secondhand Smoke Exposure Linked to Mental Disorders in Children “A higher level of salivary cotinine, a biomarker used to measure secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure, is associated with poorer mental health — particularly hyperactivity and conduct disorder — in children, suggests a new community-based study drawn from the Scottish Health Surveys. In addition, investigators found that 40% of the more than 900 children included in the study had high SHS exposure, with the highest cotinine levels found in those living in poorer areas.”
Children, Teens Account for Half of Exercise-Related Heat Injuries
Echinacea for Treating the Common Cold (Annals 2010) “Illness duration and severity were not statistically significant with echinacea compared with placebo. These results do not support the ability of this dose of the echinacea formulation to substantively change the course of the common cold.”
Physical Activity and Onset of Acute Ischemic Stroke: The Stroke Onset Study. (Am J Epidemiol. 2010)
25-Hydroxyvitamin D concentration, vitamin D intake and joint symptoms in postmenopausal women. (Maturitas. 2010)
Active surveillance for prostate cancer. (JAMA. 2010)
Finger Length a Clue to Prostate Cancer Risk
Slideshow: A Visual Guide to Prostate Cancer
Hand pattern indicates prostate cancer risk. (Br J Cancer. 2010)
Abnormalities of the corpus callosum in non-psychotic high-risk offspring of schizophrenia patients. (Psychiatry Res. 2010)
What is Bizarre in Bizarre Delusions? A Critical Review (Schizophr Bull. 2010)
Monday December 6 - December 12 2010
When Wrinkle-Free Clothing Also Means Formaldehyde Fumes “Though it is not obvious from the label, the antiwrinkle finish comes from a resin that releases formaldehyde, the chemical that is usually associated with embalming fluids or dissected frogs in biology class. And clothing is not the only thing treated with the chemical. Formaldehyde is commonly found in a broad range of consumer products and can show up in practically every room of the house. The sheets and pillow cases on the bed. The drapes hanging in the living room. The upholstery on the couch. In the bathroom, it can be found in personal care products like shampoos, lotions and eye shadow. It may even be in the baseball cap hanging by the back door. … The United States does not regulate formaldehyde levels in clothing, most of which is now made overseas. Nor does any government agency require manufacturers to disclose the use of the chemical on labels. So sensitive consumers may have a hard time avoiding it (though washing the clothes before wearing them helps).“
Early Cell Phone Exposure Again Linked to Behavior Problems in Children
Diabetic Brains Suffer From Lack Of Cholesterol “The findings offer a new explanation for the neurologic and cerebral complications that come with diabetes, including cognitive dysfunction, depression, and an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease, according to the researchers.”
Both High, Low Levels of Vitamin D in Older Women May Be Problematic “The industry-sponsored Vitamin D Council, in fact, recommends a "minimal acceptable" blood level of 50 ng/ml. But, Ensrud noted, "Our study did not find that higher vitamin D status [more than 30 ng/ml] was associated with lower subsequent risks of frailty or death. In fact, higher levels of vitamin D were associated with increased likelihood of frailty." "Our results indicate that well-designed large randomized trials of sufficient duration are needed to accurately quantify health effects of vitamin D supplementation, including whether or not supplementation reduces the incidence or progression of frailty in older adults," Ensrud concluded.”
Certain Obese Women Have Poorer Breast Cancer Outcomes
Blueberries and Other Purple Fruits to Ward Off Alzheimer's, Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson's “Eating purple fruits such as blueberries and drinking green tea can help ward off diseases including Alzheimer's, Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson's, a University of Manchester report claims.”
Yearly Mammograms Starting at Age 40 Cut Mastectomy Risk in Half
When to End a Run to Avoid Injury: Runners Change Form When Running Exhausted “Runners who continue running when they are exhausted unknowingly change their running form, which could be related to an increased risk for injury.”
Physical activity and gastrointestinal cancer prevention. (Recent Results Cancer Res. 2011)
Aspirin Cuts Death Rate From Several Common Cancers “Taking aspirin over a long period of time can substantially cut the risk of dying from a variety of cancers, according to a study showing that the benefit is independent of dose, sex, or smoking. It also found that the protective effect increases with age.”
Facts on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome/Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SIDS/SUID)
Germ Cops Help Hospitals Prevent Infection, Death
Bullying at age eight and criminality in adulthood: findings from the Finnish Nationwide 1981 Birth Cohort Study. (Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2010)
Is It a Common Cold or Allergies?
Monday November 29 - December 5 2010
Study finds low vitamin-d levels in northern California residents with metabolic syndrome “"In spite of our great sun exposure in Northern California, 30 percent of patients with metabolic syndrome have vitamin-D deficiency, and even many subjects in the control group had inadequate levels," said Ishwarlal Jialal, the study's principal investigator and professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at the UC Davis Health System. "Considering our climate and healthy lifestyles here, these findings were unexpected."”
Wide Variation in Response to FDA Rosiglitazone Warning “Doctors do not respond adequately to FDA boxed warnings on drug labels, resulting in significant exposure of patients to potentially unsafe medications, according to researchers who use the rosiglitazone saga as an example.”
Vitamin D status in a sunny country: Where has the sun gone? (Clinical Nutrition 2010) “In São Paulo, at the end of winter, we observed a high prevalence of hypovitaminosis D and secondary hyperparathyroidism in healthy adults. s25(OH)D was dependent on age and skin color. After summer, we observed a decrease in the prevalence of hypovitaminosis D. This unexpected finding emphasizes the need for a strong recommendation to monitor s25(OH)D, even in a sunny country such as Brazil.”
As Bullies Go Digital, Parents Play Catch-Up “Cyberbullying is often legally defined as repeated harassment online, although in popular use, it can describe even a sharp-elbowed, gratuitous swipe. Cyberbullies themselves resist easy categorization: the anonymity of the Internet gives cover not only to schoolyard-bully types but to victims themselves, who feel they can retaliate without getting caught. But online bullying can be more psychologically savage than schoolyard bullying. The Internet erases inhibitions, with adolescents often going further with slights online than in person. “
'Hands-Only' CPR Works, but Survival Still Low “Using national data on more than 55,000 Japanese adults who suffered a witnessed cardiac arrest, the researchers found that roughly 7% of those who received CPR from a bystander and were treated by paramedics within 15 minutes survived with a favorable neurological outcome. There was no significant difference between those who received conventional CPR and those who received the hands-only approach: 7.1% and 6.4%, respectively, survived and had a favorable neurological outcome one month later -- meaning no greater than "moderate" brain damage that left them still able to perform routine daily activities. That compared with a rate of 3.8% among victims who received no bystander CPR and were treated by emergency medical services within 15 minutes of their collapse. When treatment from paramedics was delayed for more than 15 minutes, survival with minimal brain damage was universally lower -- though somewhat higher with conventional CPR relative to hands-only and no CPR. Among victims who received no CPR, just 0.7% survived with no more than moderate brain damage one month later. That figure was 1.3% among those who received hands-only CPR, and 2% among victims who received conventional CPR.“
Working With Pesticides May Affect Memory and More
Obesity Can Shorten Life, Analysis Finds “With a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher, the morbidly obese had a death rate more than double that of those of normal weight, according to study author Amy Berrington de Gonzalez.”
Study: Being overweight, not just obese, raises death risk “The latest research involving about 1.5 million people concluded that healthy white adults who were overweight were 13% more likely to die during the time they were followed in the study than those whose weight is in an ideal range. "Having a little extra meat on your bones — if that meat happens to be fat — is harmful, not beneficial," said Dr. Michael Thun of the American Cancer Society, senior author of the study. The study's conclusions, published in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine, are similar to three other large studies, said the lead author, Amy Berrington of the National Cancer Institute. "Now there's really a very large body of evidence which supports the finding that being overweight is associated with a small increased risk of death," Berrington said.”
Hearing Loss in Elderly May Be Linked to Folate Deficiency
People With Sleep Apnea At Higher Risk For Aggressive Heart Disease
Eating vegetables, fruits as children linked to healthier arteries as adults “Children who consistently eat lots of fruits and vegetables lower their risk of having stiff arteries in young adulthood, according to research reported in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.”
Tummy Fat May Threaten Women's Bones
Household Chemicals Linked to Early Puberty, Infertility
Excess Fructose May Play Role in Diabetes, Obesity and Other Health Conditions
Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D
Report Questions Need for 2 Diet Supplements “Over the past few years, the idea that nearly everyone needs extra calcium and vitamin D — especially vitamin D — has swept the nation. With calcium, adolescent girls may be the only group that is getting too little, the panel found. Older women, on the other hand, may take too much, putting themselves at risk for kidney stones. And there is evidence that excess calcium can increase the risk of heart disease, the group wrote. As for vitamin D, some prominent doctors have said that most people need supplements or they will be at increased risk for a wide variety of illnesses, including heart disease, cancer and autoimmune diseases. And these days more and more people know their vitamin D levels because they are being tested for it as part of routine physical exams. “The number of vitamin D tests has exploded,” said Dennis Black, a reviewer of the report who is a professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California, San Francisco. … But Andrew Shao, an executive vice president at the Council for Responsible Nutrition, a trade group, said the panel was being overly cautious, especially in its recommendations about vitamin D. He said there was no convincing evidence that people were being harmed by taking supplements, and he said higher levels of vitamin D, in particular, could be beneficial. Such claims “are not supported by the available evidence,” the committee wrote. They were based on studies that observed populations and concluded that people with lower levels of the vitamin had more of various diseases. Such studies have been misleading and most scientists agree that they cannot determine cause and effect. It is not clear how or why the claims for high vitamin D levels started, medical experts say. First there were two studies, which turned out to be incorrect, that said people needed 30 nanograms of vitamin D per milliliter of blood, the upper end of what the committee says is a normal range. They were followed by articles and claims and books saying much higher levels — 40 to 50 nanograms or even higher — were needed. After reviewing the data, the committee concluded that the evidence for the benefits of high levels of vitamin D was “inconsistent and/or conflicting and did not demonstrate causality.” Evidence also suggests that high levels of vitamin D can increase the risks for fractures and the overall death rate and can raise the risk for other diseases. While those studies are not conclusive, any risk looms large when there is no demonstrable benefit. Those hints of risk are “challenging the concept that ‘more is better,’ ” the committee wrote. That is what surprised Dr. Black. “We thought that probably higher is better,” he said. He has changed his mind, and expects others will too: “I think this report will make people more cautious.” “
Binge Drinking Increases Heart Disease Risk
Girls Who Suffer Child Abuse May Abuse Alcohol as Adults
Could You Have Type 2? 10 Diabetes Symptoms
Urban Particulate Matter Air Pollution Is Associated With Subclinical Atherosclerosis Results From the HNR (Heinz Nixdorf Recall) Study. (J Am Coll Cardiol. 2010) “Our study shows a clear association of long-term exposure to PM(2.5) with atherosclerosis. This finding strengthens the hypothesized role of PM(2.5) as a risk factor for atherogenesis.”
Monday November 22 - November 28 2010
Kids With Larger Waist Sizes Are More Likely to Have Cardiac Risk Factors “In a study of more than 4,500 children, researchers found those with higher waist circumferences had significantly higher pulse pressures, which is known to be linked to increased risk of heart-related disorders.”
Just a Little Bit of Sugar “Most women should consume no more than 25 grams (about 6 teaspoons) of added sugars a day, and most men, no more than 37.5 grams (about 9 teaspoons), according to the American Heart Association. With 4 calories per gram of sugar, that’s no more than 100 calories of added sugars for women, and no more than 150 for men. It’s easy to exceed these sugar limits—and most Americans do. A 16-ounce bottle of soda has about 44 grams (11 teaspoons) of added sugar, and many people drink a lot more than that. In fact, the average American consumes about 90 grams (22 teaspoons) of added sugars a day—355 calories’ worth—mostly from sodas, but also from other sweetened beverages (including fruit drinks), desserts, candy, and breakfast cereals. Many other foods, even ketchup, have sugar added to them as well.”
Greater Coffee Intake in Men Is Associated With Steeper Age-Related Increases in Blood Pressure. (Am J Hypertens. 2010) “Greater coffee intake in men was associated with steeper age-related increases in SBP and pulse pressure, particularly beyond 70 years of age and in overweight to obese men.”
Insomnia medication: Do published studies reflect the complete picture of efficacy and safety? (Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2010) “In conclusion, selective publication and reporting lead to an overestimation of efficacy and underestimation of safety of insomnia products. Authors of treatment guidelines should be aware of this bias. EPARs/FDA reviews provide a more unbiased view of the benefit-risk balance of insomnia and other medications and hence these documents should be consulted by e.g. authors of meta-analyses and of treatment guidelines.”
No Link Between Mold Growth and Development of Asthma and Allergy, Scandinavian Study Finds
Hospitals hurt 18 percent of patients, study says
19 Million New Cases Of Sexually Transmitted Disease Annually In The USA “If an STD goes untreated or undetected, the risk of becoming infected with HIV is greater, there is a higher chance of having a serious health consequence, such as infertility. Gonorrhea and Chlamydia, if left untreated can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease in females, which can cause infertility. In fact, according to US health authorities, over 24,000 American women with an STD become infertile annually. Syphilis can lead to brain damage, as well as damage to the cardiovascular system and other organs, if left untreated. A pregnant woman can pass on her syphilis infection to her baby (congenital syphilis), causing stillbirth, perinatal death, neurological problems, and physical deformity. 40% of babies die if the pregnant mother has syphilis.”
Early puberty triggered by body fat: study
Diabetes requires aerobic plus weight exercise, experts say
Music-Based Exercise Class Cuts Seniors' Fall Risk
Radiation Worries for Children in Dentists’ Chairs “Not only do most dentists continue to use outmoded X-ray film requiring higher amounts of radiation, but orthodontists and other specialists are embracing a new scanning device that emits significantly more radiation than conventional methods, an examination by The New York Times has found.”
Cadmium, lead found in drinking glasses “Drinking glasses depicting comic book and movie characters such as Superman, Wonder Woman and the Tin Man from "The Wizard of Oz" exceed federal limits for lead in children's products by up to 1,000 times, according to laboratory testing commissioned by The Associated Press. The decorative enamel on the superhero and Oz sets — made in China and purchased at a Warner Brothers Studios store in Burbank — contained between 16 percent and 30.2 percent lead. The federal limit on children's products is 0.03 percent. The same glasses also contained relatively high levels of the even-more-dangerous cadmium, though there are no federal limits on that toxic metal in design surfaces. In separate testing to recreate regular handling, other glasses shed small but notable amounts of lead or cadmium from their decorations. Federal regulators have worried that toxic metals rubbing onto children's hands can get into their mouths. Among the brands on those glasses: Coca-Cola, Walt Disney, Burger King and McDonald's.”
Among Cell-Phone Junkies, Rash on the Rise
Spanking Kids Can Make Them More Aggressive Later
Food Allergy: What You Need to Know (Medscape Allergy & Clinical Immunology 2010)
Slideshow: Surprising Headache Triggers
The seasonality of pandemic and non-pandemic influenzas: the roles of solar radiation and vitamin D. (Int J Infect Dis. 2010)
Monday November 15 - November 21 2010
Long-Term Health Problems Linked To Bariatric Surgery “One of the most well-known procedures of this type is gastric bypass surgery, which makes the stomach smaller and allows food to bypass part of the small intestine. The operation tricks the patient into feeling full with less food than when their stomach was its original size. While gastric bypass surgery can cause rapid and dramatic weight loss, there are drawbacks. After bypassing the small intestine, food moves directly to the lower intestine which does not absorb nutrients as well as the upper part of the digestive tract. The patient eats less and derives less nutrition from the food that is consumed. Less fat is absorbed by the body, but along with that benefit, fewer essential nutrients and vitamins are absorbed. "Typically what happens is people get really excited about the weight loss, and feel healthier to the point where they feel that they don't need to go in for their routine checkups," said Nana Gletsu Miller, Ph.D, an assistant professor at the School of Public Health at Emory University. "Less than 20 percent get routinely checked after surgery, and this is what leads to complications." “
High prevalence of low vitamin d and musculoskeletal complaints in women with breast cancer. (Breast J. 2010) “Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is high in breast cancer women and this may increase the risk of bone loss and fractures in those who are going to start AIs. Moreover, musculoskeletal pains are common in breast cancer women, even before the initiation of AIs and in association with low vitamin D in the majority. Future studies may be needed to establish the contribution of low vitamin D, if any, on the prevalence of musculoskeletal pains in women on AIs.”
Public information as a marketing tool: Promotion of diseases and medicines
Forceps and Other Instruments Can Assist Birth, but With Risks to Mother, Child
Cancer risks after radiation exposure in middle age. (J Natl Cancer Inst. 2010) “For radiation exposure in middle age, most radiation-induced cancer risks do not, as often assumed, decrease with increasing age at exposure. This observation suggests that promotional processes in radiation carcinogenesis become increasingly important as the age at exposure increases. Radiation-induced cancer risks after exposure in middle age may be up to twice as high as previously estimated, which could have implications for occupational exposure and radiological imaging.”
"Mammography Saves Lives" Slogan Doesn't Tell Full Story “The current Mammography Saves Lives campaign in the United States and previous campaigns promoting screening for breast cancer are not providing balanced information, because they underreport, or don't mention at all, potential harms from the procedure, say critics. This campaign slogan is 1-sided, several critics told Medscape Medical News, and it oversells the benefits of mammography. When asked for a more accurate headline, H. Gilbert Welch MD, MPH, from the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Dartmouth Medical School, Lebanon, New Hampshire, had the following tongue-in-cheek suggestions: "Mammography could save your life, but it's a long shot" and "Chances are it won't, but mammography could save your life." “
Prior Aspirin Use and Outcomes in Acute Coronary Syndromes (J Am Coll Cardiol, 2010)
Slideshow: A Visual Guide to Multiple Sclerosis
Despite FDA Warning, Avandia Use Varies Across U.S. “Using the controversial diabetes drug Avandia as an example, new research finds that doctors' prescribing patterns vary across the country in response to warnings about medications from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The result is that patients may be exposed to different levels of risk depending on where they live, the researchers said.”
Should You Be Snuggling With Your Cellphone? “The authors included some disturbing data in an appendix available only online. These showed that subjects who used a cellphone 10 or more years doubled the risk of developing brain gliomas, a type of tumor.”
Internet fuels bad self-diagnoses and 'cyberchondria' “"It’s important to stay up on health-related information … but because information on the Web is so unfathomably plentiful, so readily available, and so unsorted, it's easy for someone to jump to the conclusion that they have a brain tumor when in fact it’s just a sinus infection,” according to Judy Segal, professor of English at the University of British Columbia who works on the cultural studies of medicine. To complicate matters further, a lot of the medical information available for free online is actually accurate and reliable, experts say. "The problem is, though, that even when the information is reliable, our ability to know what to do with it isn’t," Segal told MyHealthNewsDaily. "Medical problems are often complicated, and someone without a medical background may jump to false conclusions." “
Drinking 100 Percent Fruit Juice Is Linked To Higher Intake Of Essential Nutrients
Regular exercise 'cuts disease risk' “Regular exercise cuts the risk of more than 20 illnesses, a review found on Monday. The chance of major diseases, including colon cancer, heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and stroke are all reduced with weekly exercise, according to the study published in the International Journal of Clinical Practice. "Apart from not smoking, being physically active is the most powerful lifestyle choice an individual can make for improved health outcomes," said the author, Leslie Alford from the school of physiotherapy at the University of East Anglia.”
Early 'Pot' Use May Harm Brain More: Study “People who started smoking marijuana at a young age did much worse on tests of executive brain function than those who started smoking when they were older, a new study shows. The findings highlight the danger posed by marijuana and the need to develop effective strategies to reduce marijuana use, especially among young people, said the researchers. They noted that adolescence is a critical time in brain development. Executive function includes planning, flexibility, abstract thinking and inhibition of inappropriate responses.”
Top 50 US Hospitals for Inpatient Cardiovascular Care
Nearly 1 in 7 Hospitalized Medicare Patients Experience Adverse Events
Air travel and the risk of thromboembolism. (Intern Emerg Med. 2010)
Monday November 8 - November 14 2010
To Best Fight Cancer, New Guidelines Urge Exercise
Gout In Women, A Not So Sweet Outcome Of Sugar-Sweetened Drinks “Women who consume fructose-rich beverages, such as sugar-sweetened soft drinks and orange juice, are at an increased risk for gout, according to research presented this week at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting in Atlanta.”
Study links painkillers to reproductive disorders “Use of mild painkillers such as paracetamol, aspirin and ibuprofen during pregnancy may partly account for a sharp increase in male reproductive disorders in recent decades, according to a study published on Monday. The research found that women who took a combination of more than one mild analgesic during pregnancy had an increased risk of giving birth to sons with undescended testicles.”
Long-term impact of overweight and obesity in childhood and adolescence on morbidity and premature mortality in adulthood: systematic review. (Int J Obes (Lond). 2010) “Conclusions:A relatively large and fairly consistent body of evidence now demonstrates that overweight and obesity in childhood and adolescence have adverse consequences on premature mortality and physical morbidity in adulthood.”
Hormone Therapy Increases Risk Of Ovarian Cancer
Breast Cancer Recurrence: Younger Women at Higher Risk “A study of nearly 600 younger women with a very early stage of breast cancer suggests that women under age 45 are at higher risk of recurrence. Canadian researchers studied women with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) who were given the standard treatment of breast-conserving surgery followed by radiation, says study head Iwa Kong, MD, a clinical research fellow in radiation oncology at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center in Toronto. By an average of nearly eight years after treatment, cancer had come back in the affected breast of 18% of women under 45, compared with 11% of women aged 45 to 50.”
Executive Functioning Problems Consistent Predictors of Adult ADHD
Exercise May Reduce Risk of Endometrial Cancer
Dangerous chemicals in food wrappers likely migrating to humans: U of T study “University of Toronto scientists have found that chemicals used to line junk food wrappers and microwave popcorn bags are migrating into food and being ingested by people where they are contributing to chemical contamination observed in blood. Perfluorinated carboxylic acids or PFCAs are the breakdown products of chemicals used to make non-stick and water- and stain-repellant products ranging from kitchen pans to clothing to food packaging. PFCAs, the best known of which is perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), are found in humans all around the world. "We suspected that a major source of human PFCA exposure may be the consumption and metabolism of polyfluoroalkyl phosphate esters or PAPs," says Jessica D'eon, a graduate student in the University of Toronto's Department of Chemistry. "PAPs are applied as greaseproofing agents to paper food contact packaging such as fast food wrappers and microwave popcorn bags." “
Regular Physical Activity Significantly Reduces Depression Risk
Two More Risk Factors Linked to Breast Cancer “Apart from age, family history, and age at first menstrual period, two additional factors have been associated with a higher risk for developing breast cancer; mammographic breast density and extent of lobular involution. Lobular involution is the physiological degeneration of the breast and is known to increase with age. Researchers found that breast density and extent of lobular involution were independent risk factors for breast cancer, and that combined, they pose an even greater risk. “
Why Risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Is Greater in Babies of Mothers Who Smoke
Which Is More Sanitary: Hand Towels or Air Dryers? “No matter which method you choose, you won't be rid of germs unless you dry your hands thoroughly. Germs love water. It's their ideal medium for multiplying and getting around. And the recent study found that putting in the time and effort to really dry hands completely will mean way fewer germs. And get this: Drying hands vigorously with a paper towel bested rubbing them dry under a blower when it came to germ levels. Seems the skin-on-skin friction created when we rub our hands under the blower somehow releases more germs that live deep in our pores.”
Tai Chi Relieves Arthritis Pain, Improves Reach, Balance, Well-Being, Study Suggests
'Toxic Toy Crisis' Requires Fresh Solutions, Experts Say
Monday November 1 - November 7 2010
Calcium supplements can set stage for MI “People who take calcium supplements without coadministered vitamin D may be increasing their risk for heart attack by as much as 31%, based on the findings of a recent meta-analysis… Data suggest that these cardiovascular risks are associated only with calcium-supplement use, not dietary calcium intake.”
What Is the Value of Mammograms for Women in Their 40s?
Overheating in Infants Can Lead to SIDS, Experts Warn “During cold weather, the use of extra blankets and heavy clothes to keep infants warm can lead to dangerous overheating and increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), U.S. experts warn. Infants are sensitive to extremes in temperatures and have poor regulation of their body temperature. Research has shown that multiple layers of clothing, heavy clothing, heavy blankets and warm room temperatures increase risk of SIDS. Babies who are in danger of overheating feel hot to the touch, the experts at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) explained in a U.S. National Institutes of Health news release.”
Eating Peanuts in Pregnancy Linked to Positive Allergy Tests in Allergy-Prone Kids
High Resting Heart Rate Means Shorter Life? “Heart disease patients with the lowest heart rate, 59 beats per minute or less, had the least risk of suffering a major cardiac event. Those who had heart rates greater than 78 had a 39 percent increased risk of suffering a major cardiac event, 77 percent increased risk of cardiovascular disease death, and a 65 percent increased risk of all-cause death. They were twice as likely to be hospitalized as those with lower heart rates.”
Half of Teens Treated for Depression Will Relapse: Study “Although almost all teens who were treated for major depression initially recovered, about half ended up suffering a relapse within five years, a new study found. And those recurrences were more likely to strike girls than boys, the researchers found.”
Sexual abuse in childhood tied to schizophrenia “Although child abuse has been firmly tied to other mental health problems -- including depression, anxiety and suicide -- the link to psychotic illnesses has long been a subject of debate. The new study shows sexual assaults more than doubled the odds that a child would develop schizophrenia as an adult -- from less than 1 in 100 (0.7 percent) in the general population to nearly 2 in 100 (1.9 percent) among the abuse victims. The risk was higher still if the assault involved penetration or multiple perpetrators, or took place in the early teenage years. Nearly one in five adults who had been raped by more than one person between ages 13 and 15 developed schizophrenia or another psychotic illness, Margaret Cutajar, of Monash University in Victoria, and colleagues found.”
'Spiral' CT scans can cut lung cancer deaths
Changes in waist circumference and mortality in middle-aged men and women. (PLoS One. 2010)
Teens of Epileptic Mothers May Lag Academically: Study
Concussion Rate in Young Hockey Players Higher Than Thought
Insufficient Vitamin D Levels in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Patients Linked to Cancer Progression and Death “In the Mayo Clinic study, published online in the journal Blood, the researchers found that patients with insufficient levels of vitamin D when their leukemia was diagnosed progressed much faster and were about twice as likely to die as were patients with adequate levels of vitamin D. They also found solid trends: increasing vitamin D levels across patients matched longer survival times and decreasing levels matched shortening intervals between diagnosis and cancer progression. “
Parents' Effort Key to Child's Educational Performance “A new study by researchers at the University of Leicester and University of Leeds has concluded that parents' efforts towards their child's educational achievement is crucial -- playing a more significant role than that of the school or child. … The researchers found that parents' effort is more important for a child's educational attainment than the school's effort, which in turn is more important than the child's own effort.”
Mediterranean Diet Helps Control Cholesterol: Adding Monounsaturated Fats to a Low-Cholesterol Diet Can Further Improve Levels “The addition of monounsaturated fat (MUFA) to a cholesterol-lowering dietary portfolio in patients with mild to moderate elevated cholesterol levels increased HDL by 12.5% and lowered LDL levels by 35%, found a study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).”
Doctors discourage repeat calcium heart scans
Half of Those Travelling Internationally Not Aware of Potential Health Risks, Study Finds
Bed Rest Can Harm, Instead of Help, in Pregnancy Complications, Research Suggests
Lung cancer and occupation: A new zealand cancer registry-based case-control study. (Am J Ind Med. 2010)
The Crucial Role of Recess in Schools. (J Sch Health. 2010)
Monday October 25 - October 31 2010
'Time is Muscle': Aspirin Taken During Acute Coronary Thrombosis (Br J Cardiol. 2010) “Low-dose aspirin is of value in the long-term management of vascular disease, and the giving of aspirin to patients believed to be experiencing an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is standard practice for paramedics and doctors in most countries. Given during infarction, aspirin may disaggregate platelet microthrombi and may reduce the size of a developing thrombus. Effects of aspirin other than on platelets have also been suggested and these include an increase in the permeability of a fibrin clot and an enhancement of clot lysis. Animal experiments have also shown a direct effect of aspirin upon the myocardium with a reduction in the incidence of ventricular fibrillation. Randomised trials have shown that the earlier aspirin is taken by patients with myocardial infarction, the greater the reduction in deaths. We suggest, therefore, that patients known to be at risk of an AMI, including older people, should be advised to carry a few tablets of soluble aspirin at all times, and chew and swallow a tablet immediately, if they experience severe chest pain.”
Glucosamine May Kill Pancreatic Cells “Individuals who use large amounts of glucosamine, those who consume it for long periods, and those with little SIRT1 in their cells are therefore believed to be at greater risk of developing diabetes.”
Dietary Fats Seem to Affect Sperm Quality “Men who eat foods containing a lot of saturated fats -- think burgers and fries -- and monounsaturated fats may be harming their sperm, a new study by Harvard researchers suggests.”
More Physical Education for Children Boosts Bone Mass “Increasing the amount of physical activity that children get in school increases the health of their bones and might be one way of preventing the epidemic of hip and other fractures currently seen in adults … “
Drug Companies Influence Prescribing, Study Finds “Doctors tend to prescribe drugs that pharmaceutical companies promote to them and patients end up paying more but not always getting the most suitable medicines, researchers reported on Wednesday. An analysis of 58 studies in several countries found that information from drug companies influenced the decisions doctors made, and not necessarily in a positive way. "You couldn't say that information from pharmaceutical companies benefited doctor's prescribing, which is what pharmaceutical companies claim," said Dr. Geoffrey Spurling of the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, who led the study.”
Spice in Curry Could Prevent Liver Damage
Fish Oil Might Help Fight Gum Disease
A Review of Triple-negative Breast Cancer (Cancer Control. 2010)
You don't have to hurt as you age! Eat broccoli and avoid arthritis
Association of adherence to lifestyle recommendations and risk of colorectal cancer: a prospective Danish cohort study (BMJ 2010) “Adherence to the recommendations for physical activity, waist circumference, smoking, alcohol intake, and diet may reduce colorectal cancer risk considerably, and in this population 23% of the cases might be attributable to lack of adherence to the five lifestyle recommendations.”
Scientists Raise Concerns About Flame Retardants "Flame retardants used in a wide range of consumer products pose a threat to human health and may not even be all that effective, according to a statement signed by nearly 150 scientists from 22 countries. Brominated and chlorinated flame retardants (BFRs and CFRs) are used in products such as televisions, computers, cell phones, upholstered furniture, mattresses, carpet pads, textiles, airplanes and cars."
Belly Fat Is Key to U.S. Diabetes Risk “Bernstein says fat that accumulates in the belly is particularly dangerous because it affects the organs involved in regulating blood sugar. Insulin stimulates the liver to store sugar in the blood for later use. Belly fat keeps the liver from doing this efficiently, so blood sugar accumulates in the bloodstream. "Exercising helps the body burn this fat, but it is not enough," Bernstein tells WebMD. "People who have excess fat around the middle need to do all they can to reduce their waist size. That means exercising, eating a healthy diet, and cutting calories." “
Moms' Influence on Kids' Weight Starts in Pregnancy, Study Finds
Succimer Found Ineffective for Removing Mercury
Monday October 18 - October 24 2010
Are Cortisone Shots for Tendon Injuries Worth It? “"If we look at delaying recovery and [at] recurrence rates, then there is solid evidence, especially for the tennis elbow steroid injections, that they will delay recovery and there will be a high probability of recurrences beyond that if the patient had just adopted a wait-and-see policy [over 12 months]." “
Aspirin May Cut Colon Cancer Deaths “Low-dose aspirin takers have a 24% lower risk of colon cancer and a 35% lower risk of dying from colon cancer, find University of Oxford researcher Peter Rothwell and colleagues. “
Obesity is related to increased menopausal symptoms among Spanish women (Menopause Int 2010)
1 in 10 Child Athletes Injured, Experts Say “Sports participation among children and teens is a welcome trend, as it teaches teamwork and lays the groundwork for lifelong exercise, experts agree. Not so good, however, are the high rates of injury. About 38 million kids and teens in the United States are in organized sports, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health. And about one in 10 needs medical attention for a sports injury, according to Safe Kids USA, an advocacy group. … "These kids are specializing in sports when they are 7 or 8," he said, and the trend is not healthy. He is against a child playing the same sport for 12 months straight because it invites overuse injuries. “
So That’s Why We’re Allergic to Sun Creams
Obesity in Kids Rises Around the World “The proportion of young children who are overweight or obese has increased about 60% in the past 20 years, the World Health Organization (WHO) says in a new report. The WHO says that in 1990, 4.2% of kids under age 5 were overweight or obese, but that figure grew to 6.7% in 2010. What's more, researchers say the prevalence will likely hit 9.1% in 2020, and that the problem is worse in developed nations than in developing ones. The prevalence in developed nations is 11.7%, compared with 6.1% in developing countries, but the trend is expected to pick up speed in developing regions over the next 10 years.”
Dietary Fructose and Hypertension. (Curr Hypertens Rep. 2010)
Breast Cancer Seen as Riskier With Hormone “Hormone treatment after menopause, already known to increase the risk of breast cancer, also makes it more likely that the cancer will be advanced and deadly, a study finds.”
Anaphylaxis: A review and update (Can Fam Physician. 2010)
Fathers on fatty diet may give diabetes to daughters
"Caffeinating" children and youth
Coffee, green tea, black tea and oolong tea consumption and risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease in Japanese men and women (J Epidemiol Community Health 2009) “Consumption of coffee, green tea and oolong tea and total caffeine intake was associated with a reduced risk of mortality from CVD.”
Slideshow: A Visual Guide to Asthma
Monday October 11 - October 17 2010
When Drugs Cause Problems They Are Supposed to Prevent “Something new is happening, said Daniel Carpenter, a government professor at Harvard who is an expert on the drug agency. The population is aging, many have chronic diseases. And companies are going after giant markets, huge parts of the population, heavily advertising drugs that are to be taken for a lifetime. And the way drugs are evaluated, with the emphasis on shorter-term studies before marketing, is not helping, Dr. Carpenter said. “Here is a wide-scale institutional failure,” he said. “We have placed far more resources and requirements upon premarket assessment of drugs than on postmarket.” “
Moms' Influence on Kids' Weight Starts in Pregnancy, Study Finds
Associations of Sugar and Artificially Sweetened Soda with Albuminuria and Kidney Function Decline in Women. (Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2010) "Consumption of =2 servings per day of artificially sweetened soda is associated with a 2-fold increased odds for kidney function decline in women."
Siblings of Autistic Children May Also Have Subtle Traits “As many as one in five siblings of children with autism may have subtler problems with language and speech, according to new research involving nearly 3,000 children. What isn't yet clear is if these problems indicate a milder form of an autism spectrum disorder, or exactly what type of intervention, if any, might be needed to help these youngsters. "Smaller studies have reported that in families with children with autism, many children who don't have an autism diagnosis have had a language delay," said the study's lead author, Dr. John Constantino, professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Mo. "When we looked at this huge sample, we saw the same thing -- about 20 percent of children presumed to be non-autistic had language delays and autistic qualities in their speech. In the general population, the prevalence of these traits is only about 7 percent," he said. “
22.2% Of American Adults Diagnosed With Arthritis
RENEW: Intense Diet/Exercise Improves Weight, CV Risk Factors, in Severely Obese
Most Doctors Don't Follow Colon Cancer Screening Guidelines
ACOG Guidelines for Treating Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnant Women Reviewed " "In about 35% of women who have this condition, nausea and vomiting are clinically significant, resulting in lost work time and negatively affecting family relationships. In a small minority of patients, the symptoms lead to dehydration and weight loss requiring hospitalization. The reported incidence of hyperemesis gravidarum is 0.3 to 1.0%; this condition is characterized by persistent vomiting, weight loss of more than 5%, ketonuria, electrolyte abnormalities (hypokalemia), and dehydration (high urine specific gravity)." "
Regional brain volume in depression and anxiety disorders. (Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2010)
Shortfalls in carotenoid intake may impact women's health“Only about a third of American women are meeting their fruit and vegetable intake recommendations, which means they are likely missing out on potentially important breast and ovarian health benefits (1). Along with vitamins, minerals and fiber, fruits and vegetables contain a type of phytonutrient called carotenoids, which research suggests help support women's health including breast and ovarian health. “
Study Shows Vigorous Exercise Reduces Risk of Breast Cancer in African-American Women “Postmenopausal African-American women who exercise vigorously for more than two hours a week can reduce their risk of developing breast cancer by 64% compared to women of the same race who are sedentary, according to new research.”
Belly Fat Is Key to U.S. Diabetes Risk “Bernstein says fat that accumulates in the belly is particularly dangerous because it affects the organs involved in regulating blood sugar. Insulin stimulates the liver to store sugar in the blood for later use. Belly fat keeps the liver from doing this efficiently, so blood sugar accumulates in the bloodstream. "Exercising helps the body burn this fat, but it is not enough," Bernstein tells WebMD. "People who have excess fat around the middle need to do all they can to reduce their waist size. That means exercising, eating a healthy diet, and cutting calories." “
Colonoscopy may miss more than 7 percent of cancers“The team found that about eight percent, or one in every 13 cancers, had been missed during colonoscopies conducted six months to three years prior to diagnosis. Women were a third more likely to have had their cancer missed, report the researchers in The American Journal of Gastroenterology. And general practice physicians missed cancers 60 percent more often than gastroenterologists. There are three likely reasons for these "misses," noted Dr. David Lieberman of the Oregon Health and Science University, in Portland. Tumors may simply have gone unidentified on the exam, or were seen but not completely removed. While rare, he also noted that it is possible that an undetected cancer was actually not present at the exam, but rather grew very quickly afterwards.”
Can obsessions drive you mad? Longitudinal evidence that obsessive-compulsive symptoms worsen the outcome of early psychotic experiences. (Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2010)"OCD and the psychosis phenotype cluster together and predict each other at (sub)clinical level. The co-occurrence of subclinical OC and psychosis may facilitate the formation of a more 'toxic' form of persistent psychosis."
Can early introduction of egg prevent egg allergy in infants? A population-based study.(J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2010)" Introduction of cooked egg at 4 to 6 months of age might protect against egg allergy. Changes in infant feeding guidelines could have a significant effect on childhood egg allergy and possibly food allergy more generally."
3 ways to lower breast cancer risk, despite your DNA“The researchers chose to include exercise, BMI and alcohol intake in their definition of a healthy lifestyle, Gramiling said, as opposed to other factors such as eating lots of fruits and vegetables, because these criteria have shown the strongest evidence, based on previous studies, of having an impact on one's breast cancer risk.”
Tea polyphenols inhibit Pseudomonas aeruginosa through damage to the cell membrane. (Int J Food Microbiol. 2010)
Impacts of Oxidative Stress and Antioxidants on Semen Functions (Vet Med Int. 2011)
Red onions help you stay hale and hearty
Comprehensive Review of the Effects of Diabetes on Ocular Health (Expert Rev Ophthalmol. 2010)
Watermelon Lowers Blood Pressure, Study Finds
Young Teens Who Play Sports Feel Healthier and Happier About Life
Monday October 4 - October 10 2010
Chest Compression–Only CPR by Lay Rescuers and Survival From Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (JAMA. 2010) “Among patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, layperson compression-only CPR was associated with increased survival compared with conventional CPR and no bystander CPR in this setting with public endorsement of chest compression–only CPR.”
Hands-Only CPR Saves More Lives in Cardiac Arrests
Loud Workplaces May Increase Heart Problems
Study Shows Vigorous Exercise Reduces Risk of Breast Cancer in African-American Women “Postmenopausal African-American women who exercise vigorously for more than two hours a week can reduce their risk of developing breast cancer by 64% compared to women of the same race who are sedentary, according to new research.”
Sleep Apnea Mask May Cause Subtle Facial Changes
Colonoscopy may miss more than 7 percent of cancers“The team found that about eight percent, or one in every 13 cancers, had been missed during colonoscopies conducted six months to three years prior to diagnosis. Women were a third more likely to have had their cancer missed, report the researchers in The American Journal of Gastroenterology. And general practice physicians missed cancers 60 percent more often than gastroenterologists. There are three likely reasons for these "misses," noted Dr. David Lieberman of the Oregon Health and Science University, in Portland. Tumors may simply have gone unidentified on the exam, or were seen but not completely removed. While rare, he also noted that it is possible that an undetected cancer was actually not present at the exam, but rather grew very quickly afterwards.”
Motor and Mental Symptoms of Parkinson's Reduce Life Expectancy
You don't have to hurt as you age! Eat broccoli and avoid arthritis
Migraine with Aura: More Bad News?
Cruciferous Vegetable Intake and Lung Cancer Risk: A Nested Case-Control Study Matched on Cigarette Smoking (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2010) “After carefully controlling for cigarette smoking, higher intake of cruciferous vegetable was associated with lower risk of lung cancer.”
Bacteria to Blame in Asthma Attacks in Children, Research Suggests “"This indicates that bacteria can exacerbate asthma symptoms even if they aren't infected with a virus," Professor Bisgaard says. "The findings open up an entirely new method for treating severe asthma attacks. We can't treat viral infections, but scientists will now look into whether treatment with antibiotics can help children when they have an asthma attack if they are also suffering from a bacterial infection." "Being able to use antibiotics to treat asthma attacks in children would be revolutionary," Professor Bisgaard says.”
Monday September 27 - October 3 2010
Women's Study Finds Longevity Means Getting Just Enough Sleep “Kripke said the study should allay some people's fears that they're not getting enough sleep. "This means that women who sleep as little as five to six-and-a-half hours have nothing to worry about since that amount of sleep is evidently consistent with excellent survival. That is actually about the average measured sleep duration for San Diego women." Researchers uncovered other interesting findings as well. For example, among older women, obstructive sleep apnea (pauses in breathing during sleep) did not predict increased mortality risk. "Although apneas may be associated with increased mortality risk among those under 60, it does not seem to carry a risk in the older age group, particularly for women," Kripke said.”
Blueberries Help Fight Artery Hardening, Lab Animal Study Indicates “Blueberries may help fight atherosclerosis, also known as hardening of the arteries, according to results of a preliminary U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-funded study with laboratory mice. The research provides the first direct evidence that blueberries can help prevent harmful plaques or lesions, symptomatic of atherosclerosis, from increasing in size in arteries.”
Vitamin C Rapidly Improves Emotional State of Acutely Hospitalized Patients, Study Suggests “Patients administered vitamin C had a rapid and statistically and clinically significant improvement in mood state, but no significant change in mood occurred with vitamin D, the researchers discovered. Their results were published recently in the journal Nutrition.”
Epinephrine and its Use in Anaphylaxis: Current Issues (Current Opinion in Allergy and Clinical Immunology 2010)
Cancer risk can be cut with good habits such as exercise and healthful eating “"The sedentary lifestyle is a big contributor to cancer, we now think," says Higginbotham - and not just because it leads to weight gain. Research is suggesting there's something risky about inactivity itself. The strongest evidence involves colon cancer. One review found that just getting exercise reduced colon cancer risk by 50 percent, regardless of the intensity of the workout. Even moderate exercise, such as brisk walking for three to four hours per week, was shown in one study to lower colon cancer risk. Thun believes exercise may speed up your digestive processes, so that food moves faster through your system. The quicker the transit times of food through the colon, the lower the risk of cancer. “
Multivitamin use and the risk of myocardial infarction: a population-based cohort of Swedish women. (Am J Clin Nutr. 2010) “The use of multivitamins was inversely associated with MI, especially long-term use among women with no CVD. Further prospective studies with detailed information on the content of preparations and the duration of use are needed to confirm or refute our findings.”
When Niacin is a Drug “Niacin’s beneficial effect on blood cholesterol has been recognized for at least half a century. It does not reduce LDL (“bad”) cholesterol as much as statins do, but one advantage of niacin is that it raises HDL (“good“) cholesterol substantially; statins raise HDL only modestly. No one is sure exactly how niacin works, but it does change the proportion of LDL to HDL in a favorable direction. It also decreases triglycerides, fats in the blood that can increase the risk of heart disease. In clinical trials niacin has proved to reduce the risk of heart attacks, perhaps because it boosts HDL so much. Niacin may raise blood sugar slightly, but it is now considered safe for people with diabetes.”
Chocolate consumption is inversely associated with prevalent coronary heart disease: The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Family Heart Study. (Clin Nutr. 2010) “These data suggest that consumption of chocolate is inversely related with prevalent CHD in a general United States population.”
Dairy calcium intake, serum vitamin D, and successful weight loss. (Am J Clin Nutr. 2010)
Caffeine and Bladder Problems Linked “In Gleason’s study, women who reported taking in 329 milligrams of caffeine a day -- about three cups of coffee -- or more had a 70% higher likelihood of having the bladder problem. Urinary incontinence, or the unintentional loss of urine, affects more than 13 million Americans, mostly women. Women are most likely to develop it either during pregnancy or childbirth or with menopause and its hormonal changes, due to pelvic muscle weakness. But it's not a natural consequence of aging, experts say.”
Eight Cups A Day--And Other Water Myths
A Guide to Commercially-Bottled Water and Other Beverages “Commercially-bottled water labels reading "well water," "artesian well water," "spring water," or "mineral water" do not guarantee that the water does not contain Crypto.”
How much physical activity do older adults need?
Vitamin D Levels and Mortality in Type 2 Diabetes (Diabetes Care 2010) “CONCLUSIONS In type 2 diabetic patients, severe vitamin D deficiency predicts increased risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, independent of UAER and conventional cardiovascular risk factors. Whether vitamin D substitution improves prognosis remains to be investigated.”
Exclusive Breast-Feeding for 6 Months May Protect Infants Against Common Infections
Kids with ADHD More Likely to Have Missing DNA
Dog Ownership Is Associated With Reduced Eczema in Children With Dog Allergies
Diabetes risk may fall as magnesium intake climbs “People who consumed the most magnesium in foods and from vitamin supplements were about half as likely to develop diabetes over the next 20 years as people who took in the least magnesium, Dr. Ka He of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and colleagues found. The results may explain in part why consuming whole grains, which are high in magnesium, is also associated with lower diabetes risk. However, large clinical trials testing the effects of magnesium on diabetes risk are needed to determine whether a causal relationship truly exists, the researchers note in Diabetes Care. It's plausible that magnesium could influence diabetes risk because the mineral is needed for the proper functioning of several enzymes that help the body process glucose, the researchers point out. Studies of magnesium and diabetes risk have had conflicting results, though.”
Ultrafine air particles may increase firefighters' risk for heart disease “"Firefighters simply can't avoid inhaling these ultrafine particles when they are not wearing their protective breathing apparatus and, unfortunately, they routinely remove it during overhaul," explains Stuart Baxter, PhD, a collaborator in the study and UC professor of environmental health.”
Stress of Returning to School Can Worsen Bed-Wetting: Expert
APA Releases Updated Treatment Guideline for Major Depression
Intakes of vitamins A, C, and E and use of multiple vitamin supplements and risk of colon cancer: a pooled analysis of prospective cohort studies. (Cancer Causes Control. 2010) “Modest inverse associations with vitamin C and E intakes may be due to high correlations with folate intake, which had a similar inverse association with colon cancer. An inverse association with multivitamin use, a major source of folate and other vitamins, deserves further study.”
What is central sleep apnea? (Respir Care. 2010)
Monday September 20 - September 26 2010
Type D Personality & Heart Risk “The personality classification system that identified "Type A" decades ago, more recently defined Type D as a personality marked by chronic negative emotions, pessimism and social inhibition. Researchers noted a three-fold increased risk of cardiovascular issues such as peripheral artery disease, angioplasty or bypass procedures, heart failure, heart transplantation, heart attack or death for Type D heart patients.”
Hot water hand washing a tepid tale
Lower Folate Levels Increase Risk for Depressive Symptoms, Particularly in Women
1 in 5 men who have sex with men in 21 U.S. cities has HIV; nearly half unaware
Manganese in Drinking Water: Study Suggests Adverse Effects on Children's Intellectual Abilities
News Review From Harvard Medical School -- Study: Mammograms Overrated as Lifesaver “The study found that regular mammograms reduced breast cancer deaths only 2% to 3%. The rest of the reduction came from better treatment, available in all counties. The New England Journal of Medicine published the study. …In recent years, some groups of experts have advised limiting mammography among women under age 50. Recent evidence has suggested little benefit for such screening. This change in advice has been controversial. This new study may stir even more controversy. After all, it argues that the benefits of mammography for all women are small at best.”
Toy Recall, Report Signal Small-Battery Dangers “Swallowing button batteries can be fatal or cause serious harm, and research suggests that severe injuries in children, though relatively scarce, are on the rise.”
Fast Food and Cheap Eats Associated With Kidney Disease “McDonald’s, Burger King, Taco Bell … they all tempt us every day with their convenient locations, cheap prices, and tasty looks, but these foods are full of phosphates, which are shown to have adverse effects on people with kidney disease. A study done showed that people who don’t have the means to buy healthy food eat fast food more frequently, in turn worsening kidney disease. Phosphorus is a mineral found naturally in foods like milk, cheese, beans and peanut butter. It is vital for the formation of bones and teeth, as well as energy production and the formation of cell membranes. Since the kidneys excrete excess phosphate, patients with Chronic Kidney Disease may develop increased blood levels of phosphate, or hyperphosphatemia. Manufacturers add phosphates to foods to give them a longer shelf-life and make them more appealing.”
The Best Diet for Allergies and Hay Fever “In a study published in the journal Thorax, researchers found that Crete islanders who ate a Mediterranean diet had fewer allergies. They noted that diet staples such as nuts, grapes, oranges, apples, and fresh tomatoes were protective against allergies. The researchers also reported that eating margarine increased the risk of allergies and wheezing. This is because margarine is made with unhealthy fat that boosts inflammation.”
High Blood Sugar Levels Increase Infection Risk From General Surgery “"We wanted to find out how much increased glucose in your blood had a role in infection in general surgery," said lead researcher Ashar Ata, from the College's Department of Surgery. "Surprisingly, we did find that by the time your glucose is higher than 140 milligrams per deciliter, the infection went from 1.8 percent to almost 10 percent." When blood sugar levels reach that point, medical staff should intervene to control them, Ata said, adding, "We found the higher the blood glucose, starting at about 110 milligrams per deciliter, the more likely you are to have an infection."”
The effects of air pollution on vitamin D status in healthy women: A cross sectional study (BMC Public Health 2010) “The question addressed by this study was whether air pollution affects the blood level of 25-OH-D in healthy women. We found that the place of living, as a surrogate of air pollution, has a significant influence on vitamin D status. Hence, controlling air pollution levels will promote the body vitamin D status.”
Prenatal Omega-3s May Improve Kid's Vision
Traumatic Brain Injury — Football, Warfare, and Long-Term Effects
The Importance of Recess “It makes sense for children to have a break in the school day that is given over to free, unstructured, active play — the definition of recess. Prior research has shown that children are less fidgety and more attentive after recess. In 2007, Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg, a pediatrician at the University of Pennsylvania, wrote about the benefits of play on behalf of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). He described play as essential for healthy brain development. In addition to promoting intelligence, it helps develop creativity, imagination and resilience. “
6 Best Foods You're Not Eating
Preventing Colon Cancer With Exercise
Fish Oil Supplements—For Your Heart’s Sake
Should You Try Phytotherapy for Your BPH? “If saw palmetto is going to work, it usually does so within the first month. Therefore, saw palmetto should be stopped if symptoms do not improve after a month of use. If saw palmetto does relieve symptoms, you may want to continue taking it, but inform your doctor that you are doing so. The typical dose of saw palmetto is 160 mg taken twice a day. Supplements that contain at least 85% free fatty acids and at least 0.2% sterols are the most likely to be effective.”
Characterization of consistent triggers of migraine with aura. (J.Cephalalgia. 2010)
Monday September 13 - September 19 2010
Mortality Risk Increased By 36 Percent By Use Of Medication For Insomnia Or Anxiety “A number of hypotheses have been put forward to explain the link between use of these medications and increased mortality. Sleeping pills and anxiolytics affect reaction time, alertness, and coordination and are thus conducive to falls and other accidents. They may also have an inhibiting effect on the respiratory system, which could aggravate certain breathing problems during sleep. These medications are also central nervous system inhibitors that may affect judgment and thus increase the risk of suicide.”
Does cleaning with antibacterial products reduce illness in your home? “Infectious diseases expert Dr Michael Whitby says no 'reputable research' has found that using antibacterial products to clean surfaces – such as bench tops, bathroom sinks and toilets – will cut sickness. (Much of the research into bacteria in the home is funded by the companies that make the antibacterial products.) "I'm not saying that inanimate surfaces don't spread disease. What I'm saying is that in the close relationship of a household, a lot of it [disease] is spread person to person, and cleaning the inanimate surfaces with an antibacterial cleaner is not going to help," Whitby says.”
Aerobic Exercise Relieves Insomnia “Exercise improved the participants' self-reported sleep quality, elevating them from a diagnosis of poor sleeper to good sleeper. They also reported fewer depressive symptoms, more vitality and less daytime sleepiness.”
Coal Ash: The toxic threat to our health and environment
Protect Your Colon From Diverticular Disease
Swimming Pool Chemicals May Carry Cancer Risk
Only 5% of Americans Engage in Vigorous Physical Activity on Any Given Day
Hormone Therapy: Is "Natural” Better?
Living to 100: What's the Secret?
Physical Activity Can Reduce the Genetic Predisposition to Obesity by 40 Percent, Study Finds “The authors say: "Our findings further emphasize the importance of physical activity in the prevention of obesity."”
Why an extra inch on the waist is a cancer risk
More Evidence That Glucosamine, Chondroitin Won't Help Ailing Joints “This latest report is one of several that have found no beneficial effect of either supplement in relieving arthritic pain. But since there is no evidence that the pills cause harm, the new report's authors say there's no reason to stop taking them if individuals think they are being helped.”
Brain Anomalies Found in Moms With Postpartum Depression “In a small study that involved MRI brain scans, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center revealed that women with postpartum depression have reduced activity in parts of the brain that control emotional responses and recognize emotional cues in others.”
Strong Grip May Mean Longer Life
Monday September 6 - September 12 2010
Breast-Feeding for Less Than 1 Month Linked to Increased Risk for Type 2 Diabetes “"Diet and exercise are widely known to impact the risk of type 2 diabetes, but few people realize that breastfeeding also reduces mothers' risk of developing the disease later in life by decreasing maternal belly fat."”
4 MRI Agents to Carry Warnings, 3 Agents Contraindicated for Patients With Kidney Disease
Is Hand Washing Enough to Stop the Spread of Disease? “Not drying your hands thoroughly after washing them, could increase the spread of bacteria and rubbing your hands whilst using a conventional electric hand dryer could be a contributing factor. Frequently people give up drying their hands and wipe them on their clothes instead, but hand-hygiene is a key part of infection control and drying hands after washing is a very important part of the process. … Our bodies naturally have bacteria called commensals all over them. However, bacteria from other sources, such as raw meat, can also survive on hands, and can be easily transferred to other surfaces, increasing the risk of cross-contamination. When hands are washed the number of bacteria on the surface of the skin decreases, but they are not necessarily eliminated. If the hands are still damp then these bacteria are more readily transferred to other surfaces. … Dr Snelling says: "Good hand hygiene should include drying hands thoroughly and not just washing. The most hygienic method of drying hands is using paper towels or using a hand dryer which doesn't require rubbing your hands together." “
Hooked on Headphones? Personal Listening Devices Can Harm Hearing, Study Finds “"The ear is going to be damaged throughout your lifetime; what we're seeing here resembles early onset age-related hearing loss -- you might think of it as prematurely aging the ear," he said. "I don't demonize headphones," said Fligor, who encourages moderation, not prohibition. At a reasonable volume -- conversational or slightly louder -- there's little risk, he said: "It's when you start overworking the ear that you get problems."”
Brain Cells -- Not Lack of Willpower -- Determine Obesity, Study Finds “Eating a high fat diet causes more "insulation" in the nerve cells, and makes it even harder for the brain to help a person lose weight. "Obese people are not necessarily lacking willpower. Their brains do not know how full or how much fat they have stored, so the brain does not tell the body to stop refuelling. Subsequently, their body's ability to lose weight is significantly reduced."”
Black Rice Rivals Pricey Blueberries as Source of Healthful Antioxidants
Chronic Insomnia With Objectively Measured Short Sleep Duration Is Associated With Increased Mortality In Men “Compared to men without insomnia who slept for six hours or more, men with chronic insomnia who slept for less than six hours were four times more likely to die during the 14-year follow-up period (odds ratio = 4.33). Results were adjusted for potential confounders such as body mass index, smoking status, alcohol use, depression and obstructive sleep apnea. Further adjustments for hypertension and diabetes had little effect on the elevated mortality risk (OR = 4.00). No significant mortality risk was found in women with insomnia and a short sleep duration of less than six hours (OR = 0.36).”
Low-Carbohydrate Diets and All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality (Annals 2010)
Psychological Violence During Pregnancy Linked to Postnatal Depression
Both Mothers and Fathers at Risk for Depression in First Year After Child's Birth
NSAID Use Associated With Future Stroke in Healthy Population “"First we found an increased risk of MI with NSAIDs. Now we are finding the same thing for stroke. This is very serious, as these drugs are very widely used, with many available over the counter," Gislason told heartwire . "We need to get the message out to healthcare authorities that these drugs need to be regulated more carefully." … Results showed that NSAID use was associated with an increased risk of stroke. This increased risk ranged from about 30% with ibuprofen and naproxen to 86% with diclofenac.”
What To Do About High Triglycerides
Are you getting essential nutrients from your diet?
Role of physical activity and diet in incidence of hypertension: a population-based study in Portuguese adults. (Eur J Clin Nutr. 2010) “Conclusions:In Portuguese adults, after adjustment for several confounders, the development of hypertension was inversely associated with potassium and fruits/vegetables/pulses intake. A dose-response is inherent to these inverse associations.”
Monday August 30 - September 5 2010
Artificially Sweetened Soft Drinks Linked to Preterm Delivery
Exercise Can Treat Cardiovascular Disease as Well as Prevent It
Diverse Diet of Veggies May Decrease Lung Cancer Risk
Clinical guideline for the evaluation, management and long-term care of obstructive sleep apnea in adults. (NGC - 2009)
Widely Used Herbicide, Atrazine, Causes Prostate Inflammation in Male Rats and Delays Puberty
Too Much Aluminum in Infant Formulas, UK Researchers Find
Drinking Water: Challenging the 8-Glasses-a-Day Myth
Playing With Pain Can Ruin Your Tennis Game
Oral bisphosphonates and risk of cancer of oesophagus, stomach, and colorectum: case-control analysis within a UK primary care cohort (BMJ 2010) “The risk of oesophageal cancer increased with 10 or more prescriptions for oral bisphosphonates and with prescriptions over about a five year period. In Europe and North America, the incidence of oesophageal cancer at age 60-79 is typically 1 per 1000 population over five years, and this is estimated to increase to about 2 per 1000 with five years’ use of oral bisphosphonates.”
Injection Therapy for Persistent Low Back Pain: When, Where, Why?
Association of Risk-Reducing Surgery in BRCA1 or BRCA2 Mutation Carriers With Cancer Risk and Mortality (JAMA. 2010)
Higher 25-hydroxyvitamin D is associated with lower relapse risk in multiple sclerosis (Annals of Neurology 2010)
Psychological treatments for fibromyalgia: A meta-analysis. (Pain. 2010)
Practical recommendations for treatment of hypertension in older patients. (Vasc Health Risk Manag. 2010) “Thiazide diuretics should be the first-line agents in uncomplicated, isolated systolic hypertension. Starting at low doses and proceeding in a gradual manner, these agents have proven efficacy in decreasing the risk of stroke and cardiovascular events. It is now recommended that these agents be used in low-dose combinations with other antihypertensive drug classes in patients who do not achieve target blood pressure (<140/90 mmHg).”
New Guidelines Issued for Insomnia and Other Sleep Disorders
Monday August 23 - August 29 2010
Parental Autoimmune Diseases Associated With Autism Spectrum Disorders in Offspring. (Epidemiology. 2010)
Moms Who Don't Breastfeed More Likely to Develop Type 2 Diabetes, Study Finds
Polyphenol Antioxidants Inhibit Iron Absorption “"Iron deficiency is the most prevalent nutrient deficiency in the world, especially in developing countries where meats are not plentiful," said Han. "People at high risk of developing iron deficiency -- such as pregnant women and young children -- should be aware of what polyphenols they are consuming." “
Lose a Little Weight, Gain Some Continence
Diabetes can cause a sugar coating that smothers body's immune defences “The research found that high levels of glucose outcompetes the binding of mannose and fucose to the specialized immune receptors, potentially blocking these receptors from detecting infectious bacteria and fungi. Glucose also binds in such a way that it inhibits the chemical processes that would normally then follow to combat infections.”
Chocolate Intake and Incidence of Heart Failure: A Population-Based, Prospective Study of Middle-Aged and Elderly Women (Circulation: Heart Failure 2010)
Vit D linked to cancer, autoimmune disease genes
Salmonella Outbreaks Spur Nationwide Egg Recall
Acetaminophen: Teen Asthma Trigger?
Two Cups Of Water Before Each Meal Enhanced Weight Loss In Clinical Trial
Do This for 5 Minutes, Get 5 Years Younger “Researchers think it's the antioxidants in tea that help keep telomeres long. It's a beneficial chain reaction of sorts. Antioxidants fight diseases like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease -- conditions that tend to damage cells. And when damaged, cells divide in order to repair injuries and the telomeres -- a finite resource -- shrink. Interestingly, the tea study showed telomere benefits only in men, possibly because cell-protecting hormones unique to women left less room for improvement.”
Is Bottled Tea Another Junk Drink? “Bottled tea is not only poor in levels of health-improving ingredients for which tea is famous, but it often contains high quantities of sugar and some other substances - substances the health-conscious consumer may be trying to avoid, Li pointed out. Li and team measured polyphenol levels in six brands of tea bought from supermarkets. Half of them contained "virtually no antioxidants" while the rest had small quantities of polyphenols which would most likely carry little health benefit, especially when the high sugar content was taken into consideration.”
Allergic Reactions, From Simple to Severe: Slideshow
Can Crash Diets Be a Good Way to Lose Weight? “Crash diets are a tempting way to lose weight fast, says Hensrud. But most experts agree that they're not worth the risk. Just one week of overly restrictive dieting can cause serious nutritional deficiencies, alter your metabolism, and undercut your emotional well-being. And most crash diets only set you up to regain the weight, since you haven't made any long-term lifestyle changes.”
Heat Illness Among High School Athletes --- United States, 2005—2009 (MMWR 2010)
Sunlight exposure or vitamin D supplementation for vitamin D-deficient non-western immigrants: a randomized clinical trial. (Osteoporos Int. 2010) “Vitamin D supplementation is more effective than advised sunlight exposure for treating vitamin D deficiency in non-western immigrants.”
Monday August 16 - August 22 2010
CDC: Nearly 1,100 Foodborne Outbreaks Reported Nationally In 2007
Revisiting Dietary Cholesterol Recommendations: Does the Evidence Support a Limit of 300 mg/d? (Current Atherosclerosis Reports 2010) “Clinical studies have shown that even if DC may increase plasma low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in certain individuals (hyper-responders), this is always accompanied by increases in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, so the LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio is maintained. More importantly, DC reduces circulating levels of small, dense LDL particles, a well-defined risk factor for CHD. This article presents recent evidence from human studies documenting the lack of effect of DC on CHD risk, suggesting that guidelines for DC should be revisited.”
Antagonistic people may increase heart attack, stroke risk
Change in Prevalence of Hearing Loss in US Adolescents (JAMA. 2010)
Even modest weight gain can harm blood vessels, Mayo researchers find “Among those who gained weight in their abdomens (known as visceral fat), even though their blood pressure remained healthy, researchers found that the regulation of blood flow through their arm arteries was impaired due to endothelial dysfunction. Once the volunteers lost the weight, the blood flow recovered. Blood flow regulation was unchanged in the weight-maintainers and was less affected among those who gained weight evenly throughout their bodies.”
Higher Intake of Fish, EPA, and DHA Linked to Less Depression in Teenage Boys
Sports-Related Repetitive Brain Trauma May Cause ALS-Like Disease
Higher Exercise Capacity Equals Improved Survival in Older Adults
1 in 5 U.S. teens has hearing loss, new study says
Love red meat? Cutting back just a bit helps heart “Now, a new study suggests that you don't have to cut out red meat altogether to improve your heart health. If you eat red meat more than once a day, cutting back to one serving every other day can substantially reduce your risk of having a heart attack or dying from heart disease, the study found.”
Low back pain symptoms show a similar pattern of improvement following a wide range of primary care treatments: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials. (Rheumatology (Oxford). 2010) “Conclusions. NSLBP symptoms seem to improve in a similar pattern in clinical trials following a wide variety of active as well as inactive treatments.”
More Evidence Organophosphate Pesticides Raise ADHD Risk in Children “Organophosphate pesticides work by disrupting neurotransmitters, particularly acetylcholine, which is critical for brain development in humans and helps to sustain attention and short-term memory. Exposure to these compounds may also disrupt DNA replication and the growth of nerve axons and dendrites. Young children are more vulnerable to organophosphate exposure than adults because of lower levels of acetylcholinesterase, which detoxifies these pesticides, the study authors explained.”
Vitamin D May Treat Or Prevent Allergy To Common Mold
The Truth About Belly Fat “Study participants who ate all whole grains (in addition to five servings of fruits and vegetables, three servings of low-fat dairy, and two servings of lean meat, fish, or poultry) lost more weight from the abdominal area than another group that ate the same diet, but with all refined grains. "Eating a diet rich in whole grains while reducing refined carbohydrates changes the glucose and insulin response and makes it easier to mobilize fat stores," says study researcher Penny Kris-Etherton, PhD, RD, a distinguished professor of nutritional sciences at Penn State University. "Visceral fat is more metabolically active and easier to lose than subcutaneous fat, especially if you have plenty of it and the right conditions are met, such as the ones in our study."”
12 Possible Heart Symptoms Never to Ignore
History of Smoking is Associated with Younger Age at Diagnosis of Breast Cancer (The Breast Journal 2010)
A randomized trial of treatment for acute anterior cruciate ligament tears. (N Engl J Med. 2010)
Monday August 9 - August 15 2010
Smoking Cessation: An Integral Part of Lung Cancer Treatment. (JJ.Oncology. 2010) “Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the US. About 50% of lung cancer patients are current smokers at the time of diagnosis and up to 83% continue to smoke after diagnosis. A recent study suggests that people who continue to smoke after a diagnosis of early-stage lung cancer almost double their risk of dying. Despite a growing body of evidence that continued smoking by patients after a lung cancer diagnosis is linked with less effective treatment and a poorer prognosis, the belief prevails that treating tobacco dependence is useless.”
Sugar Sweetened Beverages and Risk of Metabolic Syndrome and Type 2 Diabetes: A Meta-analysis. (Diabetes Care. 2010) “Conclusions: In addition to weight gain, higher consumption of SSBs is associated with development of MetSyn, and T2DM. These data provide empirical evidence that intake of SSBs should be limited to reduce obesity-related risk of chronic metabolic diseases.”
Sugar-sweetened Carbonated Beverage Consumption Correlates with BMI, Waist Circumference, and Poor Dietary Choices in School Children (BMC Public Health 2010)
Drinking caloric beverages increases the risk of adverse cardiometabolic outcomes in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study (Am J Clin Nutr 2010) “Our findings suggest that higher SSB consumption is associated with cardiometabolic risk. Recommendations to limit consumption of these caloric beverages may help reduce the burden of these risk factors in US adult populations.”
Exercise Capacity and Mortality in Older Men. A 20-Year Follow-Up Study (Circulation 2010) “Conclusions—Exercise capacity is an independent predictor of all-cause mortality in older men. The relationship is inverse and graded, with most survival benefits achieved in those with an exercise capacity >5 METs. Survival improved significantly when unfit individuals became fit.”
Expensive New Blood Pressure Meds No Better Than Generics, According to Long-Term Data “But the diuretic still was superior in two measures: Compared with the diuretic group, the ACE inhibitor group had a 20 percent higher death rate from stroke, and the calcium channel blocker group had a 12 percent higher rate of hospitalizations and deaths due to heart failure. Diuretics, sometimes called "water pills," are the traditional medications for high blood pressure. They cause kidneys to remove sodium and water from the body, thereby relaxing blood vessel walls. ACE inhibitors such as lisinopril (brand names, Prinivil® and Zestril®) decrease chemicals that tighten blood vessels. Calcium channel blockers such as amlodipine (brand name, Norvasc®) relax blood vessels. Diuretics cost $25 to $40 per year, while newer brand-name hypertension drugs can cost $300 to $600 per year. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute recommends patients control their blood pressure by first controlling their weight, exercising, reducing sodium, increasing potassium and drinking alcohol in moderation. The institute says that if lifestyle changes are not sufficient, diuretics then normally should be the drug of first choice. However, newer, higher-priced drugs are heavily marketed, and diuretics account for only about 30 percent of prescriptions written for high blood pressure medications, Whelton said.”
Breast cancer risk varies among different progestins used in hormone replacement therapy “Progestins are used in hormone replacement therapies to counteract the negative effects of estrogen on the uterus and reduce the risk of uterine cancer. However, evidence in recent studies and clinical trials has demonstrated that progestins increase the risk of breast cancer. Now, University of Missouri researchers have compared four types of progestins used in hormone replacement therapies and found significantly different outcomes on the progression of breast cancer in an animal model depending on the type of progestins used.”
Maternal smoking in pregnancy, adult adiposity and other risk factors for cardiovascular disease (Atherosclerosis 2010) “Adults exposed to tobacco in utero had a more adverse CVD risk profile in mid-adulthood which appeared to reflect a lifetime accumulation of postnatal influences; whereas their higher BMI and central adiposity may be due in part to intrauterine mechanisms.”
Diuretic dose and long-term outcomes in elderly patients with heart failure after hospitalization. (Am Heart J. 2010) “CONCLUSION: Exposure to higher furosemide doses is associated with worsened outcomes and is broadly predictive of death and morbidity.”
Red meat consumption and risk of heart failure in male physicians. (Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2010) “CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that higher intake of red meat is associated with an increased risk of HF.”
Swimming with death: Naegleria fowleri infections in recreational waters (Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease 2010)
CDC: Poultry No. 1 Culprit in Food Poisoning
Diabetics With Eye Disease: Nearly 1 in 3 “Nearly 30% of U.S. diabetics over age 40 have an eye disease linked to the condition, a study has found. This disease is known as diabetic retinopathy. For just over 4% of diabetics, it is severe enough to threaten their vision, the study found.”
Painters at Significantly Increased Risk of Bladder Cancer, Study Finds
Warning On Exertional Heat Stroke In High School Athletes
Too Little Sleep May Raise Heart Disease Risk
Sitting around shortens your life: Expending energy is beneficial to health
Superbug detected in health tourists from South Asia
Temperature Drops Lead to More MIs “He said there are messages from this research for both doctors and patients. "We need to think about simple, commonsense ways to reduce risk, such as advising people to wrap up warm, keep their homes well heated and insulated, and limit their time outdoors," he noted. Also, if people are taking medications regularly, such as aspirin, they may need extra reminders to take it during cold snaps, he suggested.”
Belly fat may double risk of death for older adults
Colder days raise the risk of more heart attacks
Burning Candle at Both Ends Harmful?
Acetaminophen Use in Adolescents May Double Risk for Asthma “Acetaminophen use in adolescents is linked to development and/or maintenance of asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis, and eczema, according to the results of a global study reported online August 13 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.”
Chocolate for Blood Pressure Too Hard to Stomach, Researchers Say “Egan is keen to stress, however, that it is far too soon to be recommending dark chocolate as a treatment for high blood pressure. "Clearly more research is needed; we don't think the state of the art is there yet. The number of studies is relatively small, few people have been studied, and the number of products that have been investigated is also too small to be making general health recommendations for the world." Ried and her colleagues have also recently published a meta-analysis of 15 trials looking at this subject [4], and she says they too concluded that the studies "are too diverse to give confident answers on optimal dosage or duration of treatment." Their main finding, she says, "was that chocolate may help people with high blood pressure but not with normal blood pressure"--they found BP reductions of around 5 mm Hg systolic, which, "albeit modest, is comparable to the effects of 30 daily minutes of moderate exercise," she says.”
Eaten Alive: 5-Year Battle With Flesh-Eating Germ
Monday August 2 - August 8 2010
Meat consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes: the Multiethnic Cohort. (Public Health Nutr. 2010) “CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support the growing evidence that red and processed meat intake increase risk for diabetes irrespective of ethnicity and level of BMI.”
Effects of Vitamin D Supplementation on Blood Pressure (Southern Medical Journal 2010) “Oral vitamin D supplementation may lead to a reduction in systolic blood pressure but not diastolic blood pressure.”
Physical activity and the risk of stroke. (Expert Rev Neurother. 2010) “ … increasing levels of leisure-time physical activity in women tended to be associated with lower stroke risk, with a particular benefit of regular, brisk walking for those who did not vigorously exercise. The results reinforce recommendations that both men and women participate in regular, leisure-time physical activity.”
[Effect of diet and salt intake on the development of hypertension in children and adolescents] (Acta Med Croatica. 2010)
Dietary folate intake and the risk of 11 types of cancer: a case-control study in Uruguay. (Ann Oncol. 2010)
Women Don't Need to Delay Getting Pregnant After Miscarriage, Study Suggests
Resveratrol May Slow Aging in Humans
New study gives first indication that smog might trigger cell death in the heart
Prenatal Smoking Exposure and the Risk of Psychiatric Morbidity Into Young Adulthood (Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2010) “Prenatal smoking exposure is associated with an increased risk of psychiatric morbidity, whereas prenatal exposure to more than 10 cigarettes a day increases the risk of mortality in childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood.”
When Snoring Is More Than an Annoyance
Slideshow: Understanding Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
Lack of Food Puts Kids at Risk for Asthma, Other Chronic Ills
Fructose helps pancreatic cancer cells to multiply, UCLA study finds “Pancreatic tumor cells use fructose to divide and proliferate, U.S. researchers said Monday in a study that challenges the common wisdom that all sugars are the same. Tumor cells fed both glucose and fructose used the two sugars in two different ways, the team at the University of California Los Angeles found. They said their finding, published in the journal Cancer Research, might help explain other studies that have linked fructose intake with pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest cancer types. “
As People Live Longer, More Will Develop Cataracts
Athletes Need to Protect Against Heat Stroke: Expert
Review Suggests Bias in Drug Study Reporting “Drug studies paid for by the pharmaceutical industry are more likely to publish favorable results than those funded by sources with no financial interest in the findings, a new review has found.”
Many dietary supplements are contaminated
Many Doctors Don't Report Incompetent Colleagues
Seven hours the magic number for sleep
Monday July 19 - August 1 2010 (two weeks, posted August 2)
Sunbed use during adolescence and early adulthood is associated with increased risk of early-onset melanoma. (Int J Cancer. 2010) “Among those who had ever used a sunbed and were diagnosed between 18-29 years of age, three quarters (76%) of melanomas were attributable to sunbed use. Sunbed use is associated with increased risk of early-onset melanoma, with risk increasing with greater use, an earlier age at first use and for earlier onset disease.”
After Stroke Scans, Patients Face Serious Health Risks “The cases come at a time when Americans are receiving more medical radiation than ever before, a result of rapid technological advancements that improve diagnosis but can also do harm when safeguards and oversight fail to keep pace. Even when done properly, CT brain perfusion scans deliver a large dose of radiation — the equivalent of about 200 X-rays of the skull. But there are no hard standards for how much radiation is too much. The overdoses highlight how little some in the medical profession understand about the operation of these scanning devices and the nature of radiation injuries, as well as the loose requirements for reporting accidents when they are detected. For a year or more, doctors and hospitals failed to detect the overdoses even though patients continued to report distinctive patterns of hair loss that matched where they had been radiated. After the Food and Drug Administration issued a nationwide alert asking hospitals to check their radiation output on these tests, a few hospitals continued to overdose patients for weeks and in some cases months afterward, according to records and interviews. “
Chest Compressions Alone Best With CPR “If you haven't been well-trained in CPR and you see someone having what appears to be a heart attack, just doing chest compressions to help keep the blood flowing can be as effective as CPR that includes mouth-to-mouth breathing, new research claims.”
Vitamin D Deficiency Linked to Arterial Stiffness in Black Teens “"Our study is the first clinical trial of vitamin D intervention to use 2,000 IU in black subjects and to include cardiovascular risk factors as outcomes in youth," said Dong. "Our study indicates that the current recommendations for vitamin D intake in black teenagers may need to be revised upward."”
Damp house linked to kids' risk of nasal allergies “However, Jaakkola said that based on other research, it is plausible that damp conditions in the house contribute to nasal allergies. Such conditions, he noted, encourage the growth of dust mites and fungi, and attract cockroaches -- all of which can serve as allergy triggers. Moisture may also boost the emission of chemicals from building materials, according to Jaakkola, and those chemicals could potentially create inflammation in the airways. The bottom line for parents, Jaakkola said, is that they would be wise to look out for signs of water damage at home. "In general, we should try to avoid dampness problems in homes and repair (damage) as soon as the problems appear," he noted, adding that parents of children who already have any form of allergy should be particularly careful to do so.”
Western diet link to ADHD “"We found a diet high in the Western pattern of foods was associated with more than double the risk of having an ADHD diagnosis compared with a diet low in the Western pattern, after adjusting for numerous other social and family influences," Dr Oddy said. "We looked at the dietary patterns amongst the adolescents and compared the diet information against whether or not the adolescent had received a diagnosis of ADHD by the age of 14 years. In our study, 115 adolescents had been diagnosed with ADHD, 91 boys and 24 girls." A "healthy" pattern is a diet high in fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains and fish. It tends to be higher in omega-3 fatty acids, folate and fibre. A "Western" pattern is a diet with a trend towards takeaway foods, confectionary, processed, fried and refined foods. These diets tend to be higher in total fat, saturated fat, refined sugar and sodium. "When we looked at specific foods, having an ADHD diagnosis was associated with a diet high in takeaway foods, processed meats, red meat, high fat dairy products and confectionary," Dr Oddy said. "We suggest that a Western dietary pattern may indicate the adolescent has a less optimal fatty acid profile, whereas a diet higher in omega-3 fatty acids is thought to hold benefits for mental health and optimal brain function. "It also may be that the Western dietary pattern doesn't provide enough essential micronutrients that are needed for brain function, particularly attention and concentration, or that a Western diet might contain more colours, flavours and additives that have been linked to an increase in ADHD symptoms. It may also be that impulsivity, which is a characteristic of ADHD, leads to poor dietary choices such as quick snacks when hungry." “
Air pollution, asthma linked to suicide
ADHD, conduct disorder and smoking most strongly related to dropping out of high school
Age of Onset Influences Prognosis in Bipolar
Advice to rest in bed versus advice to stay active for acute low-back pain and sciatica (Cochrane Reviews 2010)
More Than Half of All ACL Reconstructions Could Be Avoided, Swedish Study Finds
Peripheral Neuropathy Fact Sheet
Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet
Emergency Department Wait Times Continue to Rise
Are you sitting down? It's slowly killing you “More leisure time spent sitting was associated with higher risk of mortality, particularly in women. Women who reported more than six hours per day of sitting (outside of work) were 37 percent more likely to die during the time period studied than those who sat fewer than three hours a day. Men who sat more than six hours a day (also outside of work) were 18 percent more likely to die than those who sat fewer than three hours per day. The association remained virtually unchanged after adjusting for physical activity level. Associations were stronger for cardiovascular disease mortality than for cancer mortality. When combined with a lack of physical activity, the association was even stronger. Women and men who both sat more and were less physically active were 94 percent and 48 percent more likely to die during the study period, respectively, compared with those who reported sitting the least and being most active. "Several factors could explain the positive association between time spent sitting and higher all-cause death rates," Patel said. "Prolonged time spent sitting, independent of physical activity, has been shown to have important metabolic consequences, and may influence things like triglycerides, high density lipoprotein, cholesterol, fasting plasma glucose, resting blood pressure, and leptin, which are biomarkers of obesity and cardiovascular and other chronic diseases."
Carpal tunnel syndrome. Part II: effectiveness of surgical treatments--a systematic review. (Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2010)
Carpal tunnel syndrome. Part I: effectiveness of nonsurgical treatments--a systematic review. (Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2010)
Darker Skin Doesn't Mean Melanoma Immunity
Antioxidants Do Help Arteries Stay Healthy “Long-term supplementation with dietary antioxidants has beneficial effects on sugar and fat metabolism, blood pressure and arterial flexibility in patients with multiple cardiovascular risk factors. Researchers writing in BioMed Central's open access journal Nutrition and Metabolism report these positive results in a randomized controlled trial of combined vitamin C, vitamin E, coenzyme Q10 and selenium capsules.”
No Pap Smears for Women Under 21: Guidelines “Pap smears in women under 21 do more harm than good, new guidelines from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) say. In most cases such tests reveal only human papillomavirus (HPV) infections, which rarely lead to cervical cancer in women under 21, said Dr. Mark Einstein of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine (no relation) in the Bronx, New York.”
Those Who Exercise When Young Have Stronger Bones When They Grow Old “The researchers have therefore established that there is a positive link between exercise while young and bone density and size. The connection is even stronger if account is taken of the type of sports done. "The bones respond best when you're young, and if you train and load them with your own bodyweight during these years, it has a stimulating effect on their development," says Nilsson. "This may be important for bone strength much later in life too, so reducing the risk of brittle bones."”
Vitamin D Levels Associated With Parkinson's Disease Risk “Vitamin D is known to play a role in bone health and may also be linked to cancer, heart disease and type 2 diabetes, according to background information in the article. "Recently, chronically inadequate vitamin D intake was proposed to play a significant role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease," the authors write. "According to the suggested biological mechanism, Parkinson's disease may be caused by a continuously inadequate vitamin D status leading to a chronic loss of dopaminergic neurons in the brain." “
Monday July 12 - July 18 2010
Periodontal bacteria and hypertension: the oral infections and vascular disease epidemiology study (INVEST) (Journal of Hypertension 2010) “Conclusion: Our data provide evidence of a direct relationship between the levels of subgingival periodontal bacteria and both SBP and DBP as well as hypertension prevalence.”
Cyberbullying Perpetrators and Victims at Risk for Physical and Psychiatric Problems “Both cyberbullies and their victims are likely to experience psychiatric and psychosomatic problems, according to a new study of more than 2000 Finnish adolescents that also found that 1 in 4 of those who had been victimized reported fearing for their safety. However, those who were both cybervictims and cyberbullies at the same time were the most troubled of all, report the investigators.”
Risk factors for ischaemic and intracerebral haemorrhagic stroke in 22 countries (the INTERSTROKE study): a case-control study (The Lancet 2010) “Our findings suggest that ten risk factors are associated with 90% of the risk of stroke. Targeted interventions that reduce blood pressure and smoking, and promote physical activity and a healthy diet, could substantially reduce the burden of stroke.”
Effects of age at first pregnancy and breast-feeding on the development of postmenopausal osteoporosis. (Menopause. 2010) “CONCLUSIONS:: Breast-feeding seems to significantly decrease the incidence of postmenopausal OPS. Women whose first pregnancy occurs after PBM (>/=27 y of age) and who have a history of breast-feeding had the lowest prevalence of OPS. Thus, an association between OPS and both breast-feeding and age of pregnancy seems to be present.”
Using Domestic Spoons to Give Children Medicine Increases Overdose Risk, Doctors Warn
Hospital infection deaths caused by ignorance and neglect, survey finds “Yet evidence suggests hospital workers could all but eliminate CRBSIs by following a five-step checklist that is stunningly basic: (1) Wash hands with soap; (2) clean patient's skin with an effective antiseptic; (3) put sterile drapes over the entire patient; (4) wear a sterile mask, hat, gown and gloves; (5) put a sterile dressing over the catheter site.”
Serum Vitamin D and the Risk of Parkinson Disease (Arch Neurol. 2010)
Sleep Plays Important Role in Chronic Disease: Report “7 to 8 hours is optimal for adults, but too much or too little raises health risks, study finds”
Obesity at Age 20 Linked to Early Death
MRI Superior to CT for Stroke “Diffusion MRI scans are better than CT scans at diagnosing strokes, according to a new guideline from the American Academy of Neurology. In one large study, among many that were reviewed for the guideline, stroke was accurately detected 83 percent of the time when an MRI was used compared to 26 percent of the time when a CT was used. MRI scans also detected lesions from strokes more accurately and helped identify the severity of some types of stroke.”
Predicting Risk Of Death From Prostate Cancer Via Baseline PSA
Greatly Increased Risk Of Reflux Disease Of Esophagus In Extremely Obese Children
Too Much Screen Time Can Threaten Attention Span “Too much time spent watching television and playing video games can double the risk of attention problems in children and young adults, new research finds.”
Monday July 5 - July 11 2010
Simple Massage Relieves Chronic Tension Headache, Study Finds
Lifesaving cancer drugs may put workers' lives at risk “The same powerful chemotherapy drugs that have saved hundreds of thousands of patients’ lives for decades have at the same time potentially taken a deadly toll on the hospital and clinic workers who handled them.”
High Fructose Diet May Contribute to High Blood Pressure, Study Finds “People who eat a diet high in fructose, in the form of added sugar, are at increased risk of developing high blood pressure, or hypertension, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society Nephrology (JASN). The results suggest that cutting back on foods and beverages containing a lot of fructose (sugar) might decrease one's risk of developing hypertension.”
Low Vitamin D Linked to the Metabolic Syndrome in Elderly People “A new study adds to the mounting evidence that older adults commonly have low vitamin D levels and that vitamin D inadequacy may be a risk factor for the metabolic syndrome, a condition that affects one in four adults.”
Adolescent Cyberbullies and Their Victims May Have Physical, Mental Health Problems
Abused Children Appear Likely to Have Mental Disorders as Young Adults
Cocoa Flavanols Improve Vascular and Blood Pressure Measures for Coronary Artery Disease Patients “A new study by UCSF cardiologists and researchers found that high concentrations of cocoa flavanols decrease blood pressure, improve the health of blood vessels and increase the number of circulating blood-vessel-forming cells in patients with heart disease. The findings indicate that foods rich in flavanols -- such as cocoa products, tea, wine, and various fruits and vegetables -- have a cardio-protective benefit for heart disease patients.”
Extremely Obese Children Have 40 Percent Higher Risk of Reflux Disease of Esophagus, Study Finds
Are hospitals deadlier in July?
Negative Perceptions of Menopause Contradicted by New Study
Inactivity 'No Contributor' to Childhood Obesity Epidemic, New Report Suggests “EarlyBird has already shown how the trajectory leading to obesity is established very early in life, long before children go to school, and how most childhood obesity is associated with obesity in the same-sex parent. While portion size, calorie-dense snacks and sugary drinks are all important contributors, early feeding errors seem crucial -- and physical activity is not the answer.”
Heart tests add to U.S. radiation dose concerns “"For many patients in the United States, there is a substantial cumulative radiation exposure from cardiac procedures," said Dr. Jersey Chen of Yale University School of Medicine, whose study appears in the Journal of the American College of Radiology. An advanced type of heart stress test called myocardial perfusion imaging, in which doctors inject a radioactive tracer in patients to test blood flow, accounted for 74 percent of radiation exposure from heart scans. Heart catheterization and stenting -- procedures in which thin tubes are fished through blood vessels to open blocked arteries -- were the second biggest contributor to radiation exposure, Chen said.”
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it": a commentary on the positive-negative results of the ACCORD Lipid study. (Cardiovasc Diabetol. 2010)
Overview of essential tremor (download article)
What Works in Falls Prevention After Stroke?. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (Stroke 2010) “Fall risk is high in stroke survivors; however, the only intervention shown to be effective in reducing falls in this review was vitamin D supplementation.”
Green tea supplementation affects body weight, lipids, and lipid peroxidation in obese subjects with metabolic syndrome. (J Am Coll Nutr. 2010) “CONCLUSIONS: Green tea beverage consumption (4 cups/d) or extract supplementation (2 capsules/d) for 8 weeks significantly decreased body weight and BMI. Green tea beverage further lowered lipid peroxidation versus age- and gender-matched controls, suggesting the role of green tea flavonoids in improving features of metabolic syndrome in obese patients.”
History of Smoking is Associated with Younger Age at Diagnosis of Breast Cancer (The Breast Journal 2010)
The Utility of Breast MRI in the Management of Breast Cancer (The Breast Journal 2010)
The New HPV Test You Should Ask Your Doctor About
Medical tourism: first report of multiresistant bacteria after elective surgery in India
Obesity Rate Swells in 28 States
Knee Injury? Surgery Won't Cut Arthritis Risk
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