Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Internal Medicine for June 2011. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Pain Is a Public Health Issue and Economic Burden in U.S.
THURSDAY, June 30 (HealthDay News) -- An integrated approach that responds to all the factors influencing pain can successfully treat, manage, and prevent chronic pain, according to a report published in June by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), on behalf of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
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Low-Dose CT Screening Tied to Reduced Lung Cancer Mortality
THURSDAY, June 30 (HealthDay News) -- Screening with low-dose helical computed tomography (CT) may reduce mortality from lung cancer, according to a study published online June 29 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Bottles of Tylenol Recalled
THURSDAY, June 30 (HealthDay News) -- The manufacturer of Tylenol is recalling one lot of U.S.-distributed Tylenol Extra Strength Caplets 225 count bottles, according to an announcement by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
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Text Messaging Can Help Smokers Stop Smoking
THURSDAY, June 30 (HealthDay News) -- An automated mobile phone text messaging smoking cessation program (txt2stop) can significantly improve continued abstinence in smokers, according to a study published online June 30 in The Lancet.
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Poorer Thyroid Cancer Survival in African-Americans
THURSDAY, June 30 (HealthDay News) -- African-Americans (AAs) with thyroid cancer have a poorer survival rate than whites, which may be attributed to differences in disease characteristics, according to a study published online June 21 in Ethnicity & Disease.
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Parent, Child Surgery May Spur Parents to Quit Smoking
THURSDAY, June 30 (HealthDay News) -- Parents are more likely to try to quit smoking if they or their child had a recent surgery, and are more likely to succeed if they underwent the surgical procedure and not their child, according to a study published in the July issue of Anesthesiology.
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Black Patients Have Slower Transfer for Revascularization
THURSDAY, June 30 (HealthDay News) -- Black patients who have an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and present to a nonrevascularization hospital are transferred more slowly to revascularization hospitals than their white counterparts, according to a study published in the July issue of Medical Care.
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COPD Rates Remain Stable in U.S. Between 1998 and 2009
WEDNESDAY, June 29 (HealthDay News) -- The prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remained stable in the United States between 1998 and 2009, according to a report published online June 29 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).
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Incentives Negatively Impact Non-Incentivized Activities
WEDNESDAY, June 29 (HealthDay News) -- Incentives may have a detrimental impact on non-incentivized activities of quality of care in the long-term, according to a study published online June 28 in BMJ.
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Later Parenteral Nutrition Linked to Faster Recovery
WEDNESDAY, June 29 (HealthDay News) -- Late initiation of parenteral nutrition may have fewer complications and encourage faster recovery than early parenteral nutrition in critically ill adults, according to a study published online June 29 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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U.S. Territories Have Higher Mortality Rates Than States
WEDNESDAY, June 29 (HealthDay News) -- Hospitals in the U.S. territories have significantly higher risk-standardized all-cause mortality rates (RSMR) and lower performance on every core process measure than hospitals in the U.S. states, according to a study published online June 27 in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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Higher Mortality in Obese, Low Occupational-Class Women
WEDNESDAY, June 29 (HealthDay News) -- For women who have never smoked, low socioeconomic status is linked to a higher prevalence of obesity and higher mortality rates from cardiovascular disease, according to a study published online June 28 in BMJ.
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E-Alerts Found to Help Prevent Thromboembolism
WEDNESDAY, June 29 (HealthDay News) -- Electronic alerts (e-alerts) may be a cost-effective prophylactic strategy to prevent venous thromboembolism (VTE) in hospitalized patients, according to a study published in the June issue of the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis.
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African-Americans Have More Noncalcified Plaque
WEDNESDAY, June 29 (HealthDay News) -- African-Americans tend to have more noncalcified atherosclerotic plaque, while whites tend to have more calcified plaque, according to a study published online June 1 in Radiology.
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In Lumbar Stenosis, ABI and TBI Needed for PAD Diagnosis
WEDNESDAY, June 29 (HealthDay News) -- In patients with lumbar spinal canal stenosis (LSCS) with or without normal arterial pulses, screening for peripheral artery disease (PAD) should include measuring the ankle brachial pressure index (ABI) and toe brachial pressure index (TBI), according to a study published in the July 1 issue of Spine.
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Ambulatory BP Monitoring Can Predict Renal, Cardiac Risk
TUESDAY, June 28 (HealthDay News) -- In patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring, especially at night, may predict renal and cardiovascular risks better than office BP measurements, according to a study published in the June 27 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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Flu Vaccine Safe for Sunitinib, Sorafenib Treated Patients
TUESDAY, June 28 (HealthDay News) -- Patients undergoing chemotherapy with sunitinib or sorafenib develop seroprotection rates similar to healthy controls following vaccination against influenza, according to a study published online June 28 in Clinical Cancer Research.
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Neurontin Study Deemed Seeding Trial, Not Scientific Study
TUESDAY, June 28 (HealthDay News) -- The Study of Neurontin: Titrate to Effect, Profile of Safety (STEPS) trial had extensive marketing objectives, and may have been a seeding trial to promote gabapentin and increase prescribing among health care professionals, according to a study published in the June 27 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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Moderate, Severe Diastolic Dysfunction Predicts Mortality
TUESDAY, June 28 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with normal systolic function, the presence of moderate or severe diastolic dysfunction (DD) may be an independent predictor of cardiovascular mortality and survival rate, according to a study published in the June 27 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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Brief Intervention Helps Employees Return to Work
TUESDAY, June 28 (HealthDay News) -- A brief intervention is as efficient as multidisciplinary intervention for increasing one-year return to work (RTW) for sick-listed employees with low back pain (LBP), according to a study published in the July 1 issue of Spine.
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New Model Estimates Impact of Breast-Cancer Risk Factors
TUESDAY, June 28 (HealthDay News) -- A new breast cancer risk model predicts that changes in the modifiable risk factors in a woman's lifestyle may reduce the absolute risk of developing breast cancer, according to a study published online June 24 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
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FDA Changes Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agent Dosing
FRIDAY, June 24 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has recommended more conservative dosing guidelines for the use of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) in the treatment of anemia associated with chronic kidney disease, as these drugs are tied to an increased risk of cardiovascular events.
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Simvastatin Tops Ezetimibe for Endothelial Protection
FRIDAY, June 24 (HealthDay News) -- Simvastatin is more effective than ezetimibe in treating patients with high cholesterol levels, but treatment with a combination is most beneficial, according to a study published online May 30 in the Journal of Internal Medicine.
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Disordered Eating Persists From Adolescence to Adulthood
FRIDAY, June 24 (HealthDay News) -- Dieting and disordered eating behaviors that begin during adolescence continue to be prevalent in early adulthood, according to a study published in the July issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.
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Long-Term Pollutant Exposure Tied to Uncontrolled Asthma
FRIDAY, June 24 (HealthDay News) - Long-term exposure to particulate matter smaller than 10 µm (PM10) and ozone (O3) is associated with uncontrolled asthma in adults, according to a study published online June 20 in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.
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Most Young Adults Receive Routine Health Care
FRIDAY, June 24 (HealthDay News) -- The majority of young American adults regularly seek health care and have access to insurance, according to a survey published online June 14 by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).
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Poor Bowel Preparation Tied to Missed Adenoma Diagnosis
FRIDAY, June 24 (HealthDay News) -- Patients who undergo colonoscopies with suboptimal preparation of the bowel may have missed adenoma diagnoses, which are detected at repeat colonoscopy, according to a study published in the June issue of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.
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CDC: Expanded HIV Testing Initiative Effective
THURSDAY, June 23 (HealthDay News) -- Initiatives to expand HIV testing, including an opt-out HIV screening approach used among inmates during prison medical intake evaluation, appear to be effective in identifying new HIV cases, according to two reports in the June 24 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Motivational Interviewing May Improve Post-Stroke Mood
THURSDAY, June 23 (HealthDay News) -- Motivational interviewing (MI) is associated with improved mood and reduced mortality in post-stroke patients, according to a study published online June 23 in Stroke.
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Tighter Control of Systolic BP Lowers Stroke Risk for Some
THURSDAY, June 23 (HealthDay News) -- Tight control of systolic blood pressure (SBP) to levels of less than 130 mm Hg is associated with additional risk reduction of stroke among people with risk factors but no established cardiovascular disease, according to a meta-analysis published online June 2 in the Annals of Neurology.
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Statin Therapy Tied to Lower Prostate Cancer Risk
THURSDAY, June 23 (HealthDay News) -- Statin therapy may decrease the risk and severity of prostate cancer, according to a study published in the July issue of The Journal of Urology.
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Higher Antibiotic Use Among Younger Home Care Patients
THURSDAY, June 23 (HealthDay News) -- Home care patients younger than 65 years and those with poor health are more likely to receive antibiotic treatment, according to a study published in the July issue of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology.
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Increase in Global Proportion of Asbestos Used in Asia
THURSDAY, June 23 (HealthDay News) -- The use of asbestos has increased drastically in Asia since 1970, with 64 percent of global use from 2001 to 2007 attributable to Asia, according to a review published online March 30 in Respirology.
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Syndrome Caused by E. coli Mostly in Adults, Women
WEDNESDAY, June 22 (HealthDay News) -- A large, ongoing outbreak of the hemolytic-uremic syndrome caused by Shiga-toxin-producing Escherichia coli (E. coli) in Germany is occurring mostly in adults, primarily women, according to a study published online June 22 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Variability Seen in Primary Care High-Risk Prescribing
WEDNESDAY, June 22 (HealthDay News) -- High-risk prescribing or potentially inappropriate prescribing of drugs in primary care patients shows considerable unexplained variation between practices, and it is more likely in patients prescribed long-term drugs, according to a study published online June 21 in BMJ.
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Specific Diet, Lifestyle Factors Tied to Long-Term Weight Gain
WEDNESDAY, June 22 (HealthDay News) -- Specific dietary and lifestyle behaviors are independently associated with long-term weight gain, according to a study published in the June 23 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Increased Prevalence of Diabetic Kidney Disease
WEDNESDAY, June 22 (HealthDay News) -- The prevalence of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) in the United States increased between 1988 and 2008 in proportion to the prevalence of diabetes, according to a study published online June 22/29 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Exercise Training Effective Therapy for Patients With POTS
WEDNESDAY, June 22 (HealthDay News) -- Exercise training may be a more effective therapy for patients with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) than β-blockers, according to a study published in the July issue of Hypertension.
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Melanoma Screening Advised for High-Risk Patients
WEDNESDAY, June 22 (HealthDay News) -- Screening for early melanoma detection should be focused on the at-risk population, according to a study published in the June issue of the Archives of Dermatology.
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Insufficient Evidence for Pretesting TPMT Status
WEDNESDAY, June 22 (HealthDay News) -- There is insufficient evidence to support pretesting for thiopurine S-methyltransferase (TPMT) status before initiating thiopurine treatment, and estimates of the sensitivity of genotyping are imprecise, according to a review published in the June 21 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Intensive-Dose Statins Linked to Increased Diabetes Risk
TUESDAY, June 21 (HealthDay News) -- Intensive-dose statin therapy may be associated with an increased risk of new-onset diabetes and a lower risk of cardiovascular events, according to a meta-analysis published in the June 22/29 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Multidetector CT Scan Diagnostic of Appendicitis
TUESDAY, June 21 (HealthDay News) -- Multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) is a highly sensitive and specific test for routine evaluation of suspected appendicitis in adults, according to a study published in the June 21 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Anti-TNF Doesn't Increase Complication Risk in Early RA
TUESDAY, June 21 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who are treated with anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) therapy do not have an increased risk of serious infections and malignancies compared to those treated with methotrexate (MTX), according to a meta-analysis published in the June issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.
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Longer Peri- and Preshock Pauses Linked to Poor Survival
TUESDAY, June 21 (HealthDay News) -- For patients who suffer cardiac arrest and present with a shockable rhythm, longer perishock and preshock pauses are independently associated with a decrease in survival to hospital discharge, according to a study published online June 20 in Circulation.
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Millions in U.S. Do Not Receive PAD Prevention Therapies
TUESDAY, June 21 (HealthDay News) -- Millions of U.S. adults with peripheral artery disease (PAD) may not be receiving secondary prevention therapies, despite the fact that treatment with multiple agents is significantly correlated with lower all-cause mortality, according to a study published online June 20 in Circulation.
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Guideline-Concordance High for Surgical Cancer Patients
TUESDAY, June 21 (HealthDay News) -- The guideline-concordance levels are mainly high in surgical oncology care, but are lower in certain areas, including nodal management, according to a study published online June 20 in the Archives of Surgery.
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Averaging BP Measurements May Help Control Classification
TUESDAY, June 21 (HealthDay News) -- An average of several blood pressure (BP) measurements should be used to classify patients' BP control, as a single clinic recording is not a meaningful quality metric, according to a study published online June 20 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Cancer Survivors Have Increased Medical Expenses
TUESDAY, June 21 (HealthDay News) -- The increased expenditure attributable to cancer applies to all cancer survivors, including longer-term survivors, according to a study published in the June 15 issue of Cancer.
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Early Statin Therapy May Reduce Unstable Angina
TUESDAY, June 21 (HealthDay News) -- Early statin therapy following acute coronary syndromes (ACS) may reduce the risk of unstable angina at four months, but does not significantly reduce the risk of all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction (MI), or stroke, according to a review published in the June issue of the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
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Safe Weight Loss Guidelines Issued for Athletes
TUESDAY, June 21 (HealthDay News) -- Weight loss and weight maintenance for athletes and active individuals should be encouraged in a safe way, based on scientific evidence and with advice from appropriately trained health care personnel and athletic trainers, according to recommendations published in the May-June issue of the Journal of Athletic Training.
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Etanercept May Be a Treatment Option for Dermatomyositis
TUESDAY, June 21 (HealthDay News) -- Etanercept appears safe with a steroid sparing effect in the treatment of dermatomyositis, according to a study published online June 17 in the Annals of Neurology.
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Generic Versions of Levofloxacin Approved
MONDAY, June 20 (HealthDay News) -- The first generic versions of levofloxacin, prescribed under the brand name Levaquin, have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
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Abuse-Resistant Oxycodone Approved
MONDAY, June 20 (HealthDay News) -- Oxecta, an abuse-resistant form of the top-selling painkiller oxycodone, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
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No Conclusive Evidence for Use of Psychosis Interventions
MONDAY, June 20 (HealthDay News) -- There is emerging but inconclusive evidence that individuals with prodromal symptoms or first-episode psychosis may benefit from specialized early intervention services and phase-specific treatment, according to a review published in the June issue of the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
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Updated Performance Measures May Improve Patient Care
MONDAY, June 20 (HealthDay News) -- A series of 10 performance measures for adults may help improve the care of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and hypertension by providing treatment and controlling risk factors; the measures were published online June 13 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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Medication at Bedtime Gives Better BP Control in Diabetes
MONDAY, June 20 (HealthDay News) -- In patients with diabetes, taking one or more hypertension medications at bedtime gives better blood pressure control and major cardiovascular event risk reduction compared to morning medication, according to a study published in the June issue of Diabetes Care.
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Anonymized Information May Decrease Violence Injuries
FRIDAY, June 17 (HealthDay News) -- Combining police intelligence with anonymized information from patients injured in violence can be used to prevent violence causing wounding, but not for more minor violence, according to a study published online June 16 in BMJ.
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Physical Therapy Post Lumbar Discectomy May Be Ineffective
FRIDAY, June 17 (HealthDay News) -- The effectiveness of outpatient physical therapy after first single-level lumbar discectomy is unclear, due to a lack of conclusive evidence, according to a review published in the June 15 issue of Spine.
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Many Primary Care Physicians Not Addressing Weight Issues
FRIDAY, June 17 (HealthDay News) -- A large number of primary care physicians (PCPs) do not offer adequate counseling for weight status for adults or children, according to two studies published in the July issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
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Reduction in Cancer Mortality Not Evenly Distributed
FRIDAY, June 17 (HealthDay News) -- There has been a steady decline in overall cancer death rates in the United States from 1990 to 2007, but this decline has not affected all segments of the population, according to the American Cancer Society Cancer Statistics 2011 report published online June 17 in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
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Caregiver Support May Reduce Psychological Distress
FRIDAY, June 17 (HealthDay News) -- The psychological distress of caring for a friend or relative with a terminal disease may be reduced if informal caregivers receive direct support, although the quality of evidence is low, according to a review published in the June issue of the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
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FDA: Smoking Cessation Drug Tied to Cardiac Issues
FRIDAY, June 17 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned consumers and health care professionals that varenicline (Chantix) may be associated with a small but increased risk of cardiovascular adverse events in individuals with cardiovascular disease.
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Infectious Patients on Flights May Raise Influenza Risk
THURSDAY, June 16 (HealthDay News) -- Influenza-like illness (ILI) may be transmitted during a flight, with disease incidence being clustered closely around a passenger who was symptomatic or infectious during the flight, according to a study published online June 16 in Emerging Infectious Diseases.
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Flecainide Treatment Linked to Sudden Cardiac Death
THURSDAY, June 16 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) treated with flecainide develop an increased risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) or proarrhythmic events, according to a study published online June 2 in the Journal of Internal Medicine.
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Multifactorial Causes Linked to Increasing Opioid Deaths
THURSDAY, June 16 (HealthDay News) -- Opioid-related deaths occur due to multifactorial causes, and solutions are required to address all the causes, according to a review published online June 13 in a supplement of Pain Medicine.
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Vitamin D Supplementation Widely Recommended
THURSDAY, June 16 (HealthDay News) -- Depending on age and clinic circumstances, vitamin D supplementation at suggested daily-intake and tolerable upper-limit levels is widely recommended, particularly for those individuals at risk of deficiency, according to the Endocrine Society's guidelines published online June 6 in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
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High Olive Oil Consumption May Prevent Stroke in Elderly
THURSDAY, June 16 (HealthDay News) -- High olive oil consumption is associated with a decreased risk of stroke in older people, according to a study published online June 15 in Neurology.
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New Meningococcal A Conjugate Vaccine Is Effective
WEDNESDAY, June 15 (HealthDay News) -- A new meningococcal A (MenA) conjugate vaccine (PsA-TT) has been found to have a stronger antibody response to group A meningococci than a quadrivalent polysaccharide reference vaccine (PsACWY), according to a study published in the June 16 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Immunodeficient Patients May Be at Risk for Polio
WEDNESDAY, June 15 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with long-standing immunodeficiency are susceptible to chronic infection with poliovirus, which may develop into poliomyelitis, according to a case report published in the June 16 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Increased Mortality Risk Linked to Use of Mist Inhaler
WEDNESDAY, June 15 (HealthDay News) - Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who use a tiotropium mist inhaler may have an increased risk of mortality, according to a review published online June 14 in BMJ.
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Life Expectancy in U.S. Counties Below Many Nations
WEDNESDAY, June 15 (HealthDay News) -- Most counties within the United States fall behind the international frontier with the best life expectancies in the world, according to a study published online June 15 in Population Health Metrics.
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FGF-23 Linked to End-Stage Renal Disease and Death
WEDNESDAY, June 15 (HealthDay News) -- In patients with chronic kidney disease, elevated fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF-23) is associated with end-stage renal disease and death, according to a study published in the June 15 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Inappropriate Medicines Tied to Serious Avoidable Adverse Events
WEDNESDAY, June 15 (HealthDay News) -- Use of the Screening Tool of Older Persons' potentially inappropriate prescriptions (STOPP) criteria has identified an association between potentially inappropriate medicine (PIM) prescriptions and the likelihood of a serious adverse drug event (ADE) in older people; and, when hospitalized, older people are at risk of being prescribed PIMs and actually inappropriate medicines (AIMs), especially in intensive care units (ICUs), according to a study and research letter published in the June 13 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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Psychiatric, Substance Abuse Disorders Common in Homeless
WEDNESDAY, June 15 (HealthDay News) -- A high proportion of homeless people in Denmark have psychiatric disorders and/or a substance abuse diagnosis, which is associated with increased mortality, according to a study published online June 14 in The Lancet.
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Similar Number for Outpatient, Inpatient Malpractice Claims
TUESDAY, June 14 (HealthDay News) -- The number of paid malpractice claims is similar in both inpatient and outpatient settings, according to a study published in the June 15 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Lengthy TV Viewing Tied to Increased Morbidity, Mortality
TUESDAY, June 14 (HealthDay News) -- Prolonged television viewing is associated with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, fatal or nonfatal cardiovascular disease, and all-cause mortality, according to a meta-analysis published in the June 15 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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FDA Announces Sunscreen Label Changes
TUESDAY, June 14 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced that sunscreen products that meet modern standards of effectiveness may be labeled with new information to help consumers reduce the risk of skin cancer, prevent sunburn, and lower the risk of early skin aging.
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Gender Disparity Observed in Myocardial Perfusion Imaging
TUESDAY, June 14 (HealthDay News) -- The majority of inappropriate and uncertain studies for myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) are ordered for women by primary care physicians (PCPs), according to a study published online April 23 in the Journal of Nuclear Cardiology.
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High Folate Levels Don't Worsen B12 Deficiency Effects
TUESDAY, June 14 (HealthDay News) -- Biochemical abnormalities related to B12 deficiency may not be exacerbated by high folate concentrations, according to a study published online June 8 in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
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Ethnicity Not Linked to Screening for Diabetes
TUESDAY, June 14 (HealthDay News) -- In an insured population presenting for routine care, minority status has not been found to be an independent factor for diabetes screening, despite being recommended by the American Diabetes Association (ADA), according to a study published in the June issue of Diabetes Care.
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Low Fat, Glycemic Index Diet May Reduce Alzheimer's Risk
TUESDAY, June 14 (HealthDay News) -- Following a diet low in saturated fat and with a low glycemic index may positively impact biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease for healthy individuals and those with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), according to a study published in the June issue of the Archives of Neurology.
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Women Soldiers As Resilient As Men to Combat Stress
MONDAY, June 13 (HealthDay News) -- Women may have levels of resilience to combat-related stressors that are comparable to that of men, according to a study published online May 30 in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology.
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Mobile Phone Users May Have Increased Glioma Risk
MONDAY, June 13 (HealthDay News) -- The mobile phone radio frequency (RF) energy dose absorbed at a tumor location depends on tumor location, phone type, network properties, and conditions of use, and individuals with high mobile phone use may have an increased risk of gliomas in the most exposed areas of the brain, according to two studies published online June 9 in Occupational & Environmental Medicine.
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Multidisciplinary Therapy May Improve Systemic Sclerosis
MONDAY, June 13 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc), a multidisciplinary program offers better improvement of grip strength, maximal mouth opening (MMO), six-minute walk distance (6MWD), and SSc Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) score than regular outpatient care, according to a study published in the June issue of Arthritis Care & Research.
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HbA1c Testing Can Be Used for Diabetes Diagnosis
MONDAY, June 13 (HealthDay News) -- Diabetes can be diagnosed and managed by measuring blood concentrations of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), according to evidence-based guidelines approved by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and published in the June issue of Diabetes Care.
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New Device Performs PET, MRI Scans Simultaneously
FRIDAY, June 10 (HealthDay News) -- The first device to perform simultaneous position emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scans has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the agency said Friday.
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Cancer Survival Rates Lower in U.K. Than Other Countries
FRIDAY, June 10 (HealthDay News) -- Lower cancer survival rates found in the United Kingdom are not misleading, according to a study published June 9 in BMJ.
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Splints May Reduce Hand Pain in Hand Osteoarthritis
FRIDAY, June 10 (HealthDay News) -- Use of splints may reduce hand pain in patients with hand osteoarthritis, according to a review published online May 31 in Arthritis Care & Research.
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New Diagnostic Strategy for Patients With Suspected PE
FRIDAY, June 10 (HealthDay News) -- A proposed diagnostic strategy combines clinical assessment, D-dimer testing, ultrasonography, and lung scan to give a noninvasive diagnosis for the majority of outpatients with suspected pulmonary embolism (PE), according to a study published in the June issue of Chest.
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Large Increase in Knee Arthroscopies From '96 to '06
FRIDAY, June 10 (HealthDay News) -- The number of arthroscopic procedures performed for knee injuries increased by nearly 50 percent between 1996 and 2006, according to a study published in the June 1 issue of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.
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Mentally Ill Get Fewer Coronary Revascularizations
FRIDAY, June 10 (HealthDay News) -- Following cardiac events, patients with mental illness receive fewer invasive coronary procedures and have higher mortality rates than those without mental illness, according to a meta-analysis published in the June issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry.
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Childhood ADHD Tied to Substance Use Issues in Adults
FRIDAY, June 10 (HealthDay News) -- Childhood attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a significant risk factor for the development of substance use disorder (SUD) in adulthood, irrespective of gender, according to a study published in the June issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.
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IMS: New Recommendations on HRT Use Released
FRIDAY, June 10 (HealthDay News) -- Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) should be given according to the needs of individual menopausal women, after assessing the benefits and risks, severity of symptoms, age, and family history; this is according to the recommendations of the International Menopause Society (IMS), published online June 10 in Climacteric to coincide with presentation at the 13th World Congress on Menopause, held from June 8 to 11 in Rome.
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Prostate Drugs Undergo Label Revision Due to Cancer Risk
THURSDAY, June 9 (HealthDay News) -- Drugs in the class of 5-alpha reductase inhibitors (5-ARIs), which includes finasteride and dutasteride, have undergone a label change to reflect current safety information concerning an increased risk of high-grade prostate cancer, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced.
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Simvastatin Plus Ezetimibe Effective in Kidney Disease
THURSDAY, June 9 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with chronic kidney disease, lowering of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol with simvastatin and ezetimibe may reduce the risk of major atherosclerotic events, according to a study published online June 9 in The Lancet.
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Higher Cognitive Decline Risk for Stroke Belt Residents
THURSDAY, June 9 (HealthDay News) -- Regional differences seen for stroke mortality in the United States are also seen for cognitive decline, according to a study published online May 26 in the Annals of Neurology.
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Reduction in Body Mass May Improve Hypothalamic Activity
THURSDAY, June 9 (HealthDay News) -- Massive reduction in the body mass of obese individuals may improve hypothalamic dysfunctional activity, as detected by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and may increase anti-inflammatory activity in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), according to a study published in the June issue of Diabetes.
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Fibromyalgia Syndrome May Be Linked to Abuse
THURSDAY, June 9 (HealthDay News) -- Significant correlations may exist between fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and self-reported sexual and physical abuse in childhood and/or adulthood, according to a meta-analysis published in the June issue of Arthritis Care & Research.
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Physical Activity May Reduce Risk of Silent Brain Infarct
THURSDAY, June 9 (HealthDay News) -- Increased physical activity is independently associated with a lower risk of developing silent brain infarcts (SBI), but it is not associated with white matter hyperintesity volume (WMHV), according to a study published online June 8 in Neurology.
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Diagnosis of Secondary DVTs Increased From 1989 to 2006
THURSDAY, June 9 (HealthDay News) -- The incidence of secondary deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in hospitalized patients increased significantly from 1989 to 2006 in the United States, according to a study published in the June issue of Chest.
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Gene Mutation Links Hormone Resistance, Acrodysostosis
WEDNESDAY, June 8 (HealthDay News) -- A germ-line mutation found within the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling pathway may explain the association between congenital bone dysplasia and resistance to several hormones in patients with acrodysostosis, according to a study published online June 9 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Simvastatin Safety Recommendations Announced
WEDNESDAY, June 8 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has notified consumers and health care providers of safety label changes to simvastatin (Zocor), as the highest approved dose of the drug (80 mg) has been associated with an elevated risk of muscle injury or myopathy, particularly during the first 12 months of use.
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ICU Care by Nonphysician Staff Is Safe and Effective
WEDNESDAY, June 8 (HealthDay News) -- An acute care team comprised of nonphysicians can provide critical care to severely ill patients in a medical intensive care unit (MICU) with no significant difference in clinical outcomes when compared with a traditional, house staff-based team, according to a study published in the June issue of Chest.
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Gynecologic Cancer Recurrence Surveillance Lacking
WEDNESDAY, June 8 (HealthDay News) -- There is no evidence-based surveillance technique to detect recurrence of gynecologic cancer, but a combination of taking a detailed history, completing a physical examination, and educating patients about symptoms is the most effective current method, according to the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists recommendations published in the June issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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NSAID Use Linked to Increased Venous Thromboembolism Risk
WEDNESDAY, June 8 (HealthDay News) -- The use of nonselective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or cyclooxygenase-2-selective inhibitors (COX2Is) is associated with an increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), according to a study published online May 18 in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis.
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VHA System in United States Provides Better Cancer Care
WEDNESDAY, June 8 (HealthDay News) -- The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) system in the United States provides similar or better care for older men with cancer than fee-for-service Medicare, although some new technologies are less available, according to a study published in the June 7 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Parkinson's Disease Linked to Higher Melanoma Occurrence
WEDNESDAY, June 8 (HealthDay News) -- Parkinson's disease (PD) is associated with a moderately higher occurrence of melanoma, according to a review published in the June 7 issue of Neurology.
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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy May Ease Depression Symptoms
WEDNESDAY, June 8 (HealthDay News) -- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for patients with depression who are receiving residential substance abuse treatment may improve depression and reduce substance abuse, according to a study published in the June issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry.
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CDC: Incidence of Several Foodborne Infections Declines
TUESDAY, June 7 (HealthDay News) -- Although the incidence of several foodborne infections -- including Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157 -- has declined over the past several years, the incidence of Salmonella infection has not decreased, according to a Vital Signs report in the June 7 early-release issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Smoking Linked to Peripheral Artery Disease in Women
TUESDAY, June 7 (HealthDay News) -- Smoking increases the risk of symptomatic peripheral artery disease (PAD) in women with no cardiovascular disease, according to a study published in the June 7 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Aortic-Valve Replacement Procedures Similarly Effective
TUESDAY, June 7 (HealthDay News) -- The use of transcatheter aortic-valve replacement in high-risk patients with severe aortic stenosis is associated with similar rates of survival at one year as surgical replacement, though there are differences in periprocedural risks, according to a study published online June 5 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Patients' Mobile Phones Carry Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria
TUESDAY, June 7 (HealthDay News) -- Mobile phones of patients carry more multidrug-resistant pathogenic bacteria than mobile phones of health care workers, according to a study published in the June issue of the American Journal of Infection Control.
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Paroxetine With Pravastatin Raises Blood Glucose Levels
MONDAY, June 6 (HealthDay News) -- Co-administration of paroxetine and pravastatin is associated with an increase in blood glucose levels, especially in patients with diabetes, according to a study published online May 25 in Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics.
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Disability Pension Not Affected by Family Background
MONDAY, June 6 (HealthDay News) -- The incidence of disability pension (DP) due to low back disorders (LBD) is affected by sociodemographic and health-related factors independent of familial background, according to a study published in the May issue of the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
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Late-Onset GI Complications Tied to Childhood Cancers
MONDAY, June 6 (HealthDay News) -- Survivors of childhood cancer have an increased risk of developing gastrointestinal (GI) complications later in life, according to a study published in the May issue of Gastroenterology.
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Appendectomy, Tonsillectomy May Increase AMI Risk
FRIDAY, June 3 (HealthDay News) -- Youth who undergo appendectomy or tonsillectomy before age 20 may have an increased risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) later in life, according to a study published online June 1 in the European Heart Journal.
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REMIT Useful for Evaluating Depression Remission
FRIDAY, June 3 (HealthDay News) -- The Remission Evaluation and Mood Inventory Tool (REMIT) 5 is an effective self-report method which may improve the assessment of depression remission by measuring nondepressive symptoms, according to a study published in the May issue of General Hospital Psychiatry.
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New MRSA Strain Detected in Cow's Milk
FRIDAY, June 3 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers have identified a novel methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strain in cow's milk that is genetically different from existing MRSA strains; their research has been published online June 3 in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
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ADHD and Deficient Emotional Control Run in Families
FRIDAY, June 3 (HealthDay News) -- The inheritance pattern of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and deficient emotional self-regulation (DESR) suggests that DESR may be a familial subtype of ADHD, according to a study published online April 15 in The American Journal of Psychiatry.
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CDC: More Than One Million Living With HIV in U.S. in 2008
FRIDAY, June 3 (HealthDay News) -- Despite declines in AIDS diagnoses and deaths with the advent of antiretroviral therapy, more than one million people in the United States were living with HIV in 2008, according to a report in the June 3 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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More Strokes Treated With Thrombolytics in the U.S.
FRIDAY, June 3 (HealthDay News) -- The use of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) to treat acute ischemic stroke (AIS) increased significantly between 2005 and 2009 in the United States, according to a study published online June 2 in Stroke.
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Placebo or No Treatment Effective for Headache
FRIDAY, June 3 (HealthDay News) -- Individuals with headaches have an average recovery rate of 35.7 percent when they are in the placebo or no-treatment group of a trial, according to a review published online May 20 in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics.
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FDA: Blood Pressure Drugs Not Tied to Cancer Risk
THURSDAY, June 2 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has notified consumers and health care providers that angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) are not associated with an increased risk of developing cancer.
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Sleep Apnea Improvement Maintained After Weight Loss
THURSDAY, June 2 (HealthDay News) -- Obese men with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea who followed a very low energy diet may maintain their initial improvements one year later, according to a study published online June 1 in BMJ.
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Fear of Dying Tied to TNFα Levels in Cardiac Injury
THURSDAY, June 2 (HealthDay News) -- Fear of dying is seen in most patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and is correlated with inflammatory responses, according to a study published online June 1 in the European Heart Journal.
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Maternal and Placental Size Linked to Men's Heart Disease
THURSDAY, June 2 (HealthDay News) -- Three combinations of maternal body size and placental size can predict coronary heart disease in men, according to a study published online June 1 in the European Heart Journal.
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Primary Care Providers Can Treat HCV Effectively
THURSDAY, June 2 (HealthDay News) -- Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection can be effectively treated by primary care providers trained in the Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) program, according to a study published online June 1 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Timing of Ezetimibe Relative to Statin Affects Plaque Regression
THURSDAY, June 2 (HealthDay News) -- Ezetimibe may be beneficial for regressing atherosclerosis in statin-naive patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD), but when added to existing statin therapy, it may lead to atherosclerosis progression, according to a study published online May 16 in Atherosclerosis.
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Murine Viruses Not Linked to Human Infection
WEDNESDAY, June 1 (HealthDay News) -- Murine-like gammaretroviruses (MLVs), including xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV), are unlikely to cause either prostate cancer or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) in humans, and their detection in human beings is likely due to sample contamination, according to two studies published online May 31 in Science.
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Clinical Correlates Found for Steatohepatosis Progression
WEDNESDAY, June 1 (HealthDay News) -- Most patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatosis (NASH) who develop hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are male and have high rates of obesity, diabetes, and hypertension, according to a study published in the May issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
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Fibroblast Growth Factor Not Effective in Limb Ischemia
WEDNESDAY, June 1 (HealthDay News) -- Treatment with non-viral 1 fibroblast growth factor (NV1FGF) does not reduce the risk of amputation or death in patients with critical limb ischemia, according to a study published online May 31 in The Lancet.
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Corticosteroids May Shorten Pneumonia Hospital Stay
WEDNESDAY, June 1 (HealthDay News) -- Non-immunocompromised patients with community-acquired pneumonia treated with intravenous dexamethasone in addition to antibiotic therapy may have a shorter hospital stay, according to a study published online June 1 in The Lancet.
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Omental Adipocyte Hypertrophy Tied to Lipid Profile
WEDNESDAY, June 1 (HealthDay News) -- In women, omental, but not subcutaneous, adipocyte hypertrophy is correlated with an altered lipid profile, including hypertriglyceridemia, according to a study published in the May issue of Diabetes.
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Sleep-Disordered Breathing Tied to Nocturnal Arrhythmia
WEDNESDAY, June 1 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) who suffer from sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) may have an increased risk of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmia during sleep hours, according to a study published in the May issue of Heart Rhythm.
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Late Sleeping Tied to Dietary Habits and Time of Eating
WEDNESDAY, June 1 (HealthDay News) -- Sleep timing is associated with poor health behaviors and increased calorie intake after 8:00 pm, according to a study published online April 28 in Obesity.
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Beta Blockers May Benefit Breast Cancer Patients
WEDNESDAY, June 1 (HealthDay News) -- In patients with breast cancer, beta-blockers may reduce disease progression and mortality as well as improve relapse-free survival, according to two studies published online May 31 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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