March 2012 Briefing - Internal Medicine

Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Internal Medicine for March 2012. 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.

Liver Cancer Patients Less Likely to Die on Transplant List

FRIDAY, March 30 (HealthDay News) -- Liver transplantation candidates with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have significantly lower 90-day odds of waitlist removal due to clinical deterioration or death compared to non-HCC candidates with similar Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) scores, according to a study published in the April issue of Liver Transplantation.

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Three Susceptibility Loci Confirmed for SLE

FRIDAY, March 30 (HealthDay News) -- A large genome-wide association study has replicated three systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) loci, according to research published online March 29 in the American Journal of Human Genetics.

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Room for Improvement in Ob-Gyn Communication About Sex

FRIDAY, March 30 (HealthDay News) -- About two-thirds of obstetrician/gynecologists (Ob-Gyns) ask patients about their sexual activities, but other aspects of sexuality, including satisfaction with sex and sexual identity, are not routinely discussed, according to a study published online March 22 in The Journal of Sexual Medicine.

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Swimming Improves Vascular Function, BP in Older Adults

FRIDAY, March 30 (HealthDay News) -- Swimming exercise is associated with a decrease in blood pressure (BP) and improvements in vascular function in older adults with early hypertension, according to a study published in the April 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.

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Lasers Remove Inches From Fat Trouble Spots

FRIDAY, March 30 (HealthDay News) -- Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) is effective for body slimming, according to a study published in the March issue of Lasers in Surgery and Medicine.

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Maternal and Child Health Inequalities Found Worldwide

FRIDAY, March 30 (HealthDay News) -- As part of Countdown to 2015, substantial variation has been identified between countries and interventions with respect to coverage levels of maternal, neonatal, and child health interventions, according to a study published in the March 31 issue of The Lancet.

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HIV Superinfection Broadens Immune Response in Women

FRIDAY, March 30 (HealthDay News) -- Sequential HIV infections lead to the development of a broad neutralizing antibody (NAb) response, according to a study published online March 29 in PLoS Pathogens.

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Cardiac Shock Wave Therapy Improves Angina Symptoms

FRIDAY, March 30 (HealthDay News) -- Cardiac shock wave therapy (CSWT) can significantly improve symptoms, ischemic threshold during exercise, and specific quality-of-life parameters for patients with chronic refractory angina pectoris, according to a study published online March 23 in Cardiovascular Therapeutics.

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Adherence to Cancer Surveillance Guidelines Varies

FRIDAY, March 30 (HealthDay News) -- Insured breast cancer survivors have high rates of guideline-recommended recurrence testing and non-recommended metastatic testing, while only about half of colorectal cancer survivors undergo recommended surveillance and two-thirds receive non-recommended metastatic testing, according to a study published online March 20 in Cancer.

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Similar Rates of Depression After Stroke and TIA

FRIDAY, March 30 (HealthDay News) -- The frequency of depression and newly identified depression rates are similar following a stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA), according to a study published online March 29 in Stroke.

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Poor Health-Related Function, Diabetes Combo Ups Death Risk

FRIDAY, March 30 (HealthDay News) -- The combination of type 2 diabetes and impaired health-related functioning (HRF) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality, according to a study published online March 23 in Diabetes Care.

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Better Short-Term Outcomes for Private Prostatectomies

FRIDAY, March 30 (HealthDay News) -- For men undergoing radical prostatectomies (RPs), private health insurance coverage is linked with fewer complications, less in-hospital recovery time, and decreased mortality, compared to public coverage, according to a study published in the April 1 issue of Cancer.

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Electrocorticographic Signals May Restore Arm Movement

THURSDAY, March 29 (HealthDay News) -- Electrocorticography (ECoG) signals from patients with chronic motor dysfunction represent motor information that may be useful for controlling prosthetic arms, according to a study published in the March issue of the Annals of Neurology.

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Stigma Affects Depression Among Lung Cancer Patients

THURSDAY, March 29 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with lung cancer, perceived stigma is significantly associated with depressive symptomatology, according to a study published in the March issue of Psycho-Oncology.

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Polymorphism in Opioid Gene Affects Breast Cancer Survival

THURSDAY, March 29 (HealthDay News) -- Genotype at the A118G polymorphism of the µ-opioid receptor gene is associated with breast cancer-specific mortality, according to a study published in the April issue of Anesthesiology.

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Statin Discontinuation Linked to Mortality in RA Patients

THURSDAY, March 29 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with rheumatoid arthritis are at higher risk of death from cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular causes if they discontinue statin treatment, according to a study published online March 29 in Arthritis Care & Research.

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Antibodies Effective Against Plaque Psoriasis

THURSDAY, March 29 (HealthDay News) -- Antibodies targeting interleukin-17 or its receptor are effective in treating moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, according to two studies published in the March 29 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Ratio of Amyloid Biomarkers Predicts Alzheimer's Risk

THURSDAY, March 29 (HealthDay News) -- The ratio of two plasma amyloid-β (Aβ) biomarkers is associated with the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and dementia, according to a review published online March 26 in the Archives of Neurology.

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Point-of-Care Genetic Testing Feasible After PCI

THURSDAY, March 29 (HealthDay News) -- For patients who undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), point-of-care genetic testing is feasible and identifies carriers of a CYP2C19*2 allele with high sensitivity and specificity, according to a proof-of-concept study published online March 29 in The Lancet.

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Chemo-Linked Factors May Impact Weight in Breast Cancer

THURSDAY, March 29 (HealthDay News) -- Adjuvant chemotherapy for early-stage breast cancer can induce weight gain and a variety of metabolic changes that may be associated with a poor prognosis for some patients, according to research published in the April issue of Obesity Reviews.

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Lifestyle Factors Linked to Slower Progression in MS

THURSDAY, March 29 (HealthDay News) -- There is an inverse association between the consumption of alcoholic beverages, coffee, and fish and time to disability progression in people with relapsing onset multiple sclerosis (MS), but not in those with progressive onset MS, according to research published in the April issue of the European Journal of Neurology.

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Study Finds Psoriasis Treatment Increases Skin Cancer Risk

THURSDAY, March 29 (HealthDay News) -- The long-term risk of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is significantly increased for patients with severe psoriasis who receive more than 350 psoralen and ultraviolet A (PUVA) treatments compared with those who receive fewer than 50 treatments, according to research published in the April issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

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Prophylaxis With Apixaban Feasible for Cancer Patients

THURSDAY, March 29 (HealthDay News) -- Primary venous thromboembolism prophylaxis with apixaban, an oral direct Factor Xa inhibitor, in ambulatory cancer patients undergoing first- or second-line chemotherapy for advanced or metastatic cancer, is safe and well tolerated, according to a phase II study published online March 12 in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis.

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Pay for Performance Does Not Improve Mortality Rates

WEDNESDAY, March 28 (HealthDay News) -- Participation in the Medicare Premier Hospital Quality Incentive Demonstration (Premier HQID) program does not lead to lower 30-day mortality rates, according to a study published online March 28 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Change in Health Insurance Status Linked to ER Use

WEDNESDAY, March 28 (HealthDay News) -- Recent changes in health insurance status are linked to greater emergency department use by newly insured and newly uninsured adults, according to a study published online March 26 in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

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Lifestyle Intervention Helps Overweight Diabetes Patients

WEDNESDAY, March 28 (HealthDay News) -- An intensive lifestyle intervention leads to a significant reduction in the risk of mobility-related disability in overweight type 2 diabetes patients, as compared with diabetes support and education, according to a study published in the March 29 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Antipsychotic Medications Increase Risk of Heart Attack

WEDNESDAY, March 28 (HealthDay News) -- For older patients treated with cholinesterase inhibitors, taking antipsychotic agents (APs) for dementia is associated with a modest and time-limited increased risk of myocardial infarction (MI), according to a study published online March 26 in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

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Genetic Variants Explain Podoconiosis

WEDNESDAY, March 28 (HealthDay News) -- Genetic variants in the HLA class II region are associated with podoconiosis, a tropical lymphedema resulting from long-term barefoot exposure to soil derived from volcanic rock, according to a study published in the March 29 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Vaccine Cuts Risk of Subsequent HPV-Related Disease

WEDNESDAY, March 28 (HealthDay News) -- Women surgically treated for human papillomavirus (HPV)-related disease who were previously vaccinated with the quadrivalent HPV vaccine have reduced incidence of subsequent HPV-related disease, according to a study published online March 27 in BMJ.

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National Survey Describes Cancer-Related Deaths in India

WEDNESDAY, March 28 (HealthDay News) -- Most cancer-related deaths in India occur in those aged 30 to 69 years, with tobacco-related cancers accounting for a considerable proportion of cancer-related deaths, according to a study published online March 28 in The Lancet.

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Moderate Drinking Cuts Mortality in MI Survivors

WEDNESDAY, March 28 (HealthDay News) -- Men who have survived a myocardial infarction (MI) benefit from moderate alcohol consumption, with long-term consumption inversely associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, according to a study published online March 27 in the European Heart Journal.

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Early Immunotherapy May Benefit Autoimmune Epilepsy

WEDNESDAY, March 28 (HealthDay News) -- Patients suspected of having autoimmune epilepsy that fails to respond to anti-epileptic drugs may benefit from early immunotherapy, according to a study published online March 26 in the Archives of Neurology.

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Invasive Strategy Ups Survival in Myotonic Dystrophy 1

WEDNESDAY, March 28 (HealthDay News) -- An invasive strategy, based on prophylactic permanent pacing, is associated with longer survival for patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1, according to a study published in the March 28 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Extended-Release Niacin Raises Fasting Glucose Levels

WEDNESDAY, March 28 (HealthDay News) -- The combination of extended-release niacin (N) with ezetimibe plus simvastatin (E/S) to treat hyperlipidemia is associated with increased fasting glucose (FG) levels compared with E/S alone, but these cases tend to be transient and remit without intervention, according to research published in the April issue of Diabetes Care.

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Early, Temporary HIV Treatment Reduces Viral Load

WEDNESDAY, March 28 (HealthDay News) -- Treating HIV patients with antiretroviral drugs temporarily when they are first infected reduces viral load and lengthens the time off treatment, according to a study published online March 27 in PLoS Medicine.

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Non-HDL Cholesterol Tied to Risk of Cardiovascular Event

TUESDAY, March 27 (HealthDay News) -- On-treatment levels of non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) and, to a lesser extent, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and apolipoprotein B (apoB) are each associated with risk of future major cardiovascular events for patients on statin therapy, according to a study published in the March 28 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Chocolate Consumption Tied to Lower Body Mass Index

TUESDAY, March 27 (HealthDay News) -- More frequent chocolate intake is linked to a lower body mass index (BMI), according to a research letter published in the March 26 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

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Review Compares Drug Options for Irritable Bowel Syndrome

TUESDAY, March 27 (HealthDay News) -- Tricyclic antidepressants and alosetron are associated with significant harm in treating irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) compared with rifaximin, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and lubiprostone appear to be safe, according to a meta-analysis published in the April issue of The American Journal of Medicine.

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Prolonged Sitting Increases All-Cause Mortality Risk

TUESDAY, March 27 (HealthDay News) -- People over the age of 45 years who sit for prolonged periods of time each day are at an increased risk of death due to all causes, compared with those who sit for less than four hours/day, according to research published in the March 26 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

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Insulin Resistance Increases Risk of Colorectal Adenomas

TUESDAY, March 27 (HealthDay News) -- Insulin resistance (IR) and central obesity, as measured by waist to hip ratio (WHR), are associated with a significantly increased risk of colorectal adenomas, especially in men, according to a study published in the April 1 issue of Cancer.

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Dual Mode Laser Therapy Effectively Treats Acne Vulgaris

TUESDAY, March 27 (HealthDay News) -- A series of Nd:YAG laser treatments effectively and rapidly reduces both inflammatory and noninflammatory acne vulgaris lesions, according to a study published in the April issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

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New Guidelines Issued for Red Blood Cell Transfusions

MONDAY, March 26 (HealthDay News) -- A restrictive red blood cell transfusion strategy should be employed for hemodynamically stable adults and children, according to a clinical practice guideline issued by the AABB (formerly the American Association of Blood Banks) and published online March 26 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

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Cervical Cancer Mortality Similar in U.S. and Netherlands

MONDAY, March 26 (HealthDay News) -- The cervical cancer screening program used by the Netherlands is as effective as the screening protocol used in the United States, producing similar cervical cancer mortality rates in spite of less screening, according to research published in the March issue of the Milbank Quarterly.

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Few Young Women With Cancer Pursue Fertility Preservation

MONDAY, March 26 (HealthDay News) -- Few women with cancer diagnosed before age 40 take steps to preserve their fertility during treatment, according to a study published online March 26 in Cancer.

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Common Blood Pressure Drugs Help Prevent Diabetes

FRIDAY, March 23 (HealthDay News) -- A common class of oral high blood pressure drugs is associated with improved survival of insulin-producing pancreatic β-cells and improved glucose homeostasis, according to a study published in the April issue of Diabetes.

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Transneuronal Spread Model Fits Neurodegenerative Disease

FRIDAY, March 23 (HealthDay News) -- Neurodegenerative diseases may be characterized by specific regions of the brain that are critical network epicenters, with disease-related vulnerability associated with shorter paths to the epicenter and greater total connectional flow, according to a study published in the March 22 issue of Neuron.

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Simple, Realistic Diet and Exercise Guidelines Needed

FRIDAY, March 23 (HealthDay News) -- Consumers need to be provided with simple, clearly written, realistic, and tailored guidelines for healthy eating, physical activity, and weight-related recommendations, according to research published online March 8 in Obesity Reviews.

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Fewer Mitochondria in Offspring of Parents With Diabetes

FRIDAY, March 23 (HealthDay News) -- Normal-weight, insulin-resistant individuals whose parents have type 2 diabetes have fewer mitochondria in their muscles due to lower expression of lipoprotein lipase (LPL), according to a study published in the April issue of Diabetes.

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New Device Approved for Lingering GERD

FRIDAY, March 23 (HealthDay News) -- The LINX Reflux Management System has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat people with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) who continue to have chronic symptoms, despite taking maximum medication and making recommended lifestyle changes.

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In Older Adults, Extra Fat Tied to Poor Cognitive Function

FRIDAY, March 23 (HealthDay News) -- In older adults (aged 60 to ≤70 years), obesity and high visceral adiposity are associated with poor cognitive function, according to a study published online March 22 in Age and Ageing.

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Drug-Eluting Stents Reduce Risk of Thrombosis

FRIDAY, March 23 (HealthDay News) -- Cobalt-chromium everolimus eluting stents (CoCr-EES) are associated with a significantly lower rate of stent thrombosis within two years of implantation, compared with other bare-metal and drug-eluting stents, according to a meta-analysis published online March 23 in The Lancet.

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Living Donor Age Has Little Impact on Kidney Survival

FRIDAY, March 23 (HealthDay News) -- Living donor age has minimal impact on the survival of a donated kidney, except for those recipients aged 18 to 39 years, according to research published online March 22 in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

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Aspirin Enhances Platelet Isoprostanes in Type 2 Diabetes

FRIDAY, March 23 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who are treated with aspirin, isoprostanes are overproduced, which is linked with enhanced platelet recruitment, according to a study published online March 16 in Diabetes.

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Anal HPV, Cancer Common in Men Having Sex With Men

FRIDAY, March 23 (HealthDay News) -- Men who have sex with men (MSM) are at increased risk for anal human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and anal intraepithelial neoplasia (AIN), according to a meta-analysis published online March 23 in The Lancet Oncology.

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Prostaglandin D2 Linked to Hair Loss in Androgenetic Alopecia

FRIDAY, March 23 (HealthDay News) -- Prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) plays a role in inhibition of hair growth in androgenetic alopecia (AGA), according to a study published in the March 21 issue of Science Translational Medicine.

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Thigh Fat Area, Muscle Density Linked to RA Indicators

FRIDAY, March 23 (HealthDay News) -- Thigh fat area and muscle density, but not muscle area, are indicators of disability and physical performance in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to a study published online March 5 in Arthritis & Rheumatism.

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Iron Overload Does Not Worsen Stem Cell Transplant Outcomes

FRIDAY, March 23 (HealthDay News) -- Although iron overload before hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is common, iron does not accumulate after transplantation and is not associated with adverse outcomes in patients with leukemia or myelodysplastic syndrome, according to a study published online March 12 in the American Journal of Hematology.

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Antidepressant Use Linked to Pregnancy-Induced HTN

THURSDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- Antidepressant use during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of pregnancy-induced hypertension, according to a study published online March 21 in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.

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New Guidelines Issued for Acute Bacterial Rhinosinusitis

THURSDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- As the majority of rhinosinusitis cases are viral, antimicrobial therapy should be initiated after establishment of a clinical diagnosis of bacterial rhinosinusitis, and β-lactam agents are recommended for initial therapy, according to the Infectious Diseases Society of America's first rhinosinusitis guidelines published online March 20 in Clinical Infectious Diseases.

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Ibuprofen Cuts Incidence, Severity of Altitude Sickness

THURSDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- For healthy adults ascending from low to high altitude, ibuprofen effectively reduces the incidence and severity of acute mountain sickness, compared with placebo, according to a study published online March 22 in the Annals of Emergency Medicine.

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State Wealth Linked to Markers of Cardiac Health in Women

THURSDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- State-level macro socioeconomic conditions are associated with biomarkers of inflammation, particularly high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), among healthy women, according to a study published online March 20 in BMC Public Health.

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Circulating Endothelial Cells Potential Biomarker for MI

THURSDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- Circulating endothelial cell (CEC) counts are elevated among patients with myocardial infarction (MI), and the cells have distinct morphological features, according to a study published in the March 21 issue of Science Translational Medicine.

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Health Care Team Members Key for Antimicrobial Stewardship

THURSDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) that use health care epidemiologists (HEs) and infection preventionists (IPs) have a crucial role to play in the effort to combat health care-associated infections (HAIs), including those caused by multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs), according to the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology and the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America position paper published in the March issue of the American Journal of Infection Control.

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Alternative Medicine Alleviates Symptoms of Rhinosinusitis

THURSDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- An integrative East-West medicine (IEWM) approach in addition to standard medical treatment improves symptoms and quality of life (QOL) for patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), according to a pilot study published in the March issue of the Archives of Otolaryngology -- Head & Neck Surgery.

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Post-Sleep Apnea Surgery Complications Examined

THURSDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- The overall complication rate of multilevel surgery for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is 7.1 percent, according to research published online March 19 in the Archives of Otolaryngology -- Head & Neck Surgery.

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Diet Soda Linked to Increase in Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Levels

THURSDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- Drinking a diet soda before a glucose load is associated with increased glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) secretion in individuals with type 1 diabetes and healthy controls, but not in those with type 2 diabetes, according to research published online March 12 in Diabetes Care.

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Optimal Prediabetes HbA1c Threshold is 5.7 Percent

THURSDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- Lowering the glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) cut-off threshold for prediabetes to 5.7 percent is cost-effective even in a high-cost intervention scenario, according to research published online March 13 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

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Cognitive Decline Seen in Elderly After Hospitalization

WEDNESDAY, March 21 (HealthDay News) -- Older people may have an increased risk of memory problems after being discharged from the hospital, according to a study published online March 21 in Neurology.

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REGN727 Monoclonal Antibody Lowers LDL Cholesterol

WEDNESDAY, March 21 (HealthDay News) -- Administration of REGN727, a monoclonal antibody to proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin 9 (PCSK9), significantly reduces low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels, according to the results of three phase 1 studies published in the March 22 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Chromosome 12 Mutation Linked to Familial Diarrhea

WEDNESDAY, March 21 (HealthDay News) -- An activating mutation in GUCY2C, encoding guanylate cyclase C (GC-C), is thought to cause a novel familial diarrhea syndrome seen in a Norwegian family, according to a study published online March 21 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Tenecteplase Superior to Alteplase for Stroke Treatment

WEDNESDAY, March 21 (HealthDay News) -- Tenecteplase is superior to alteplase for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke for select patients, according to a study published in the March 22 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Regular Aspirin Use Can Lower Cancer Risk, Studies Confirm

WEDNESDAY, March 21 (HealthDay News) -- Regular aspirin use is associated with a lower long-term risk of colorectal and other, particularly gastrointestinal, cancers as well as a reduced risk of distant metastasis, according to research published online March 21 in The Lancet Oncology.

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Dexmedetomidine Non Inferior for Maintaining Sedation

WEDNESDAY, March 21 (HealthDay News) -- The α2-agonist dexmedetomidine is not inferior to the standard sedatives midazolam or propofol in its ability to maintain light-to-moderate sedation during mechanical ventilation, according to research published in the March 21 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Alcohol Effects on Brain Activity Vary With Blackout History

WEDNESDAY, March 21 (HealthDay News) -- A neurobiological mechanism may be associated with alcohol-induced fragmentary blackouts (FBs), with alcohol exerting different effects on neural activity for individuals with or without FBs, according to research published online March 15 in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.

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Differences in Interarm BP Linked to Increased Mortality

WEDNESDAY, March 21 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with hypertension, an interarm difference in systolic blood pressure of 10 mm Hg or more or 15 mm Hg or more is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality over 10 years, according to a study published online March 20 in BMJ.

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Weight Gain Linked to Hot Flashes After Breast Cancer

WEDNESDAY, March 21 (HealthDay News) -- Early-stage breast cancer survivors who gain at least 10 percent of their pre-diagnosis weight are significantly more likely to report hot flashes than those who remain weight stable, according to a study published online March 19 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

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Tobacco Smoke Exposure in Childhood Ups COPD Risk

WEDNESDAY, March 21 (HealthDay News) -- Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) during childhood is associated with an increased risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) among adult women, and is a significant risk factor for respiratory symptoms in men, according to a study published online Jan. 16 in Respirology.

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Stem Cells Improve Kidney Transplant Outcomes

WEDNESDAY, March 21 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with end-stage renal disease receiving living-related kidney transplants with autologous mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) instead of antibody induction therapy have improved outcomes, according to a study published in the March 21 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Coffee, Caffeine Not Linked to Psoriasis in U.S. Women

WEDNESDAY, March 21 (HealthDay News) -- Coffee and caffeine are not associated with psoriasis incidence after adjustment for smoking, according to a research letter published in the March issue of the Archives of Dermatology.

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Antioxidants Don't Impact Most CSF Biomarkers in Alzheimer's

TUESDAY, March 20 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease, antioxidant supplements do not affect cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers related to amyloid or tau pathology, according to a study published online March 19 in the Archives of Neurology.

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Anesthesia During Endoscopy, Colonoscopy on the Rise

TUESDAY, March 20 (HealthDay News) -- Use of gastroenterology anesthesia services increased considerably from 2003 to 2009 among both Medicare and commercially-insured patients, according to a study published in the March 21 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Survey Describes Docs' Online Professionalism Violations

TUESDAY, March 20 (HealthDay News) -- Most medical licensing authorities receive and act upon reports of physicians' online professionalism violations, according to a research letter published in the March 21 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Vitamin E Does Not Reduce Risk of Heart Failure in Women

TUESDAY, March 20 (HealthDay News) -- In a population of healthy women, long-term treatment with vitamin E is not associated with the risk of developing heart failure, according to a study published in the March issue of Circulation: Heart Failure.

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In Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest, Epi Use Linked to Outcomes

TUESDAY, March 20 (HealthDay News) -- Use of epinephrine for resuscitation in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is associated with increased odds of return of spontaneous circulation, but does not improve patient outcomes, according to a study published in the March 21 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Antimicrobial Stewardship Saves Millions of Dollars

TUESDAY, March 20 (HealthDay News) -- Antimicrobial stewardship programs save hospitals millions of dollars, according to a study published in the April issue of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology.

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Dapagliflozin Aids Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetes

TUESDAY, March 20 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with inadequately controlled type 2 diabetes, treatment with dapagliflozin is associated with improved glycemic control, stabilized insulin dosing, and weight reductions, according to research published in the March 20 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

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Trans Fat Intake Linked to Aggressive Behavior

TUESDAY, March 20 (HealthDay News) -- Consumption of trans fats is associated with greater aggression, according to a study published online March 5 in PLoS One.

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H. Pylori Associated With Impaired Glucose Tolerance

TUESDAY, March 20 (HealthDay News) -- Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) seropositivity is associated with glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels, an interaction which may be augmented by a high body mass index (BMI), according to a study published online March 13 in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.

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Walking Speed Is a Marker for Knee Osteoarthritis

TUESDAY, March 20 (HealthDay News) -- Slower walking speed may be a marker for identifying those at risk for knee osteoarthritis (OA), according to a study published online March 5 in Arthritis Care & Research.

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Bevacizumab Active in HIV-Linked Kaposi's Sarcoma

MONDAY, March 19 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with HIV-associated Kaposi's sarcoma (HIV-KS), bevacizumab is tolerated and induces a response in some patients, according to a study published online March 19 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

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Statin Use May Reduce Pneumonia Incidence

MONDAY, March 19 (HealthDay News) -- Treatment with statins, such as rosuvastatin, is associated with a modest reduction in the incidence of pneumonia, according to a study published online March 19 in CMAJ, the journal of the Canadian Medical Association.

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Orthostatic Hypotension Linked to Incident Heart Failure

MONDAY, March 19 (HealthDay News) -- Orthostatic hypotension is associated with incident heart failure, and the association is stronger for those aged 55 years or younger and is slightly reduced by exclusion of individuals with hypertension, according to a study published online March 19 in Hypertension.

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Generic Boniva Approved for Osteoporosis

MONDAY, March 19 (HealthDay News) -- The first generic versions of the once-monthly osteoporosis drug Boniva (ibandronate) have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

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Cardiovascular Health Metrics Reduce Total, Cardio Mortality

MONDAY, March 19 (HealthDay News) -- Meeting a greater number of the seven cardiovascular health metrics from the American Heart Association is associated with a lower risk of all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality, according to a study published online March 16 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Synthetic Cannabinoid Toxicity Among Teenagers on the Rise

MONDAY, March 19 (HealthDay News) -- Smoking synthetic versions of marijuana is landing some teens in the emergency room complaining of restlessness, agitation, and diaphoresis, according to a case report published online March 19 in Pediatrics.

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Study Validates Perimenopausal Memory Complaints

MONDAY, March 19 (HealthDay News) -- For perimenopausal women, memory complaints are associated with working memory and complex attention performance, according to a study published online March 12 in Menopause.

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Ischemic Heart Disease Risk Higher After Birth of Small Baby

MONDAY, March 19 (HealthDay News) -- Women who deliver a smaller than expected infant have a nearly two-fold higher risk of ischemic heart disease (IHD), according to a study published online March 14 in PLoS One.

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Web-Based Tool Ups Informed Choice in Rheumatoid Arthritis

MONDAY, March 19 (HealthDay News) -- A decision support tool effectively communicates the risks and benefits of biologic therapy to patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), increasing their likelihood of making an informed choice about treatment, according to a study published online March 5 in Arthritis Care & Research.

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National Estimate of Retention in HIV Care Is About 75 Percent

MONDAY, March 19 (HealthDay News) -- Between 71 and 75 percent of HIV-infected patients retain care consistently, according to a national study published online Feb. 29 in AIDS.

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Vets With MS Have Higher Prevalence of Chronic Diseases

FRIDAY, March 16 (HealthDay News) -- Male veterans with multiple sclerosis (MS) have an increased prevalence of chronic diseases compared with the general population and with veterans without MS, according to a study published online Feb. 9 in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Preventing Chronic Disease.

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Discrepancy Between Disease Activity, Disability in Early RA

FRIDAY, March 16 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with early rheumatoid arthritis, there is a discrepancy between disease activity and disability, with women experiencing more disability than men, according to a Swedish study published online March 5 in Arthritis Care & Research.

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Exercise Training Ups Post-Transplant Functional Recovery

FRIDAY, March 16 (HealthDay News) -- Participation in supervised exercise training for three months following hospital discharge for lung transplantation significantly improves physical functions and cardiovascular morbidity for patients during the first year of recovery, according to a study published online March 5 in the American Journal of Transplantation.

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Hip Fracture Surgery Type Impacts Future Fracture Risk

FRIDAY, March 16 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with a primary proximal femoral fracture who undergo closed reduction and percutaneous pinning have a significantly increased risk of subsequent contralateral hip fracture compared with those who undergo arthroplasty, according to a study published in the March 7 issue of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.

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Most California Hospitals Implementing Infection Control

FRIDAY, March 16 (HealthDay News) -- Most California hospitals implement some policies to improve infection control for multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO), primarily methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), but few policies are associated with lower MDRO rates, according to a study published in the March issue of the American Journal of Infection Control.

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Study Looks at Effect of Emotions on Pain and Itch Intensity

FRIDAY, March 16 (HealthDay News) -- Emotions influence the experience of somatosensory sensations of both pain and itch, with negative emotions eliciting higher levels of itch and pain compared to positive emotions, according to research published online March 8 in the British Journal of Dermatology.

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Bicycle Handlebar Position Affects Female Genital Sensation

FRIDAY, March 16 (HealthDay News) -- Low handlebar positioning relative to the bicycle saddle is associated with increased perineal saddle pressure and decreased sensation in critical pelvic floor structures, according to research published online March 5 in the Journal of Sexual Medicine.

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Communication Can Ease Mental Health Burden of Deaf

FRIDAY, March 16 (HealthDay News) -- There is a high prevalence of mental health problems among deaf individuals, with access to care compounded by communication difficulties, according to a review published in the March 17 issue of The Lancet.

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Gene Profile Correlates With Glycemia in Type 1 Diabetes

FRIDAY, March 16 (HealthDay News) -- A gene expression profile in peripheral blood correlates with glycemic control in the first year for patients recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, according to a study published online March 8 in Diabetes.

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Poorer Health Literacy Linked to Increased Mortality

FRIDAY, March 16 (HealthDay News) -- A considerable proportion of older adults in England have medium or low health literacy, which is associated with increased mortality, according to a study published online March 15 in BMJ.

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Eating White Rice Linked to Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

FRIDAY, March 16 (HealthDay News) -- Intake of white rice is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, particularly for Asians, according to a study published online March 15 in BMJ.

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Less Than Half of Potential Lung Cancer Deaths Averted

FRIDAY, March 16 (HealthDay News) -- Despite the positive impact of changes in smoking behavior on the number of lung cancer deaths in the United States, many additional cases could potentially have been averted by complete tobacco control, according to research published online March 14 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

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Hyperammonemia Disrupts Sleep in Patients With Cirrhosis

FRIDAY, March 16 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with cirrhosis, hyperammonemia induced by an amino acid challenge (AAC) leads to an increase in daytime subjective sleepiness and changes in sleep patterns, according to a study published in the March issue of Hepatology.

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FTY720 Shows Promise for Spinal Cord Injury Recovery

THURSDAY, March 15 (HealthDay News) -- A mouse model of spinal cord injury (SCI) suggests that the orally-administered sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptor agonist FTY720 has immune-independent functions which promote functional recovery, according to an experimental study published online March 15 in The American Journal of Pathology.

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Mutations in CIZ1 May Cause Adult-Onset Cervical Dystonia

THURSDAY, March 15 (HealthDay News) -- Mutations in CIZ1 may cause adult-onset primary cervical dystonia, according to a study published online Feb. 1 in the Annals of Neurology.

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Fast-Updosed Subcutaneous Immunotherapy Effective

THURSDAY, March 15 (HealthDay News) -- An immunologically-enhanced subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) formulation, with an optimized ratio of allergen to adjuvant, induces a significant immunologic response with acceptable safety when injected every three to four days compared with standard weekly injections, according to a study published online March 3 in Allergy.

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Dietary Cadmium May Increase Breast Cancer Risk

THURSDAY, March 15 (HealthDay News) -- In postmenopausal women, high dietary cadmium exposure is associated with an increased risk of developing breast cancer, after adjusting for other potential confounders, according to research published in the March 15 issue of Cancer Research.

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Statin Use Linked to Modest Reduction in Parkinson's Risk

THURSDAY, March 15 (HealthDay News) -- Regular use of statins may be associated with a small reduction in the risk of developing Parkinson's disease (PD), particularly among younger patients, according to a study published in the March issue of the Archives of Neurology.

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Analgesic Use After Surgery Linked to Long-Term Use

THURSDAY, March 15 (HealthDay News) -- Older patients prescribed opioids or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for pain relief after short-stay surgery appear to be at increased risk for becoming long-term analgesic users, according to a study published in the March 12 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

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HIV Burden High Among Female Sex Workers Globally

THURSDAY, March 15 (HealthDay News) -- Among female sex workers in low-income and middle-income countries, the burden of HIV is disproportionately high, compared with other similar-aged women, according to a study published online March 15 in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

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Repair of Patent Foramen Ovale Does Not Reduce Stroke Risk

THURSDAY, March 15 (HealthDay News) -- Closure of a patent foramen ovale does not reduce the risk of recurrent stroke compared with antiplatelet treatment alone in patients who present with a cryptogenic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA), according to a study published in the March 15 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Ingenol Mebutate Gel Effective for Actinic Keratoses

THURSDAY, March 15 (HealthDay News) -- Ingenol mebutate gel is an effective treatment for actinic keratoses on the head and body, according to a study published in the March 15 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Specific Mutations in AML Affect Response to Therapy

WEDNESDAY, March 14 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) harboring specific combinations of mutations benefit from high-dose daunorubicin; and the majority of bone marrow cells in myelodysplastic syndromes and secondary AML are clonal and harbor multiple mutations, according to two studies published online March 14 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Prostate Cancer Screening Does Not Reduce All-Cause Mortality

WEDNESDAY, March 14 (HealthDay News) -- Screening men for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels significantly reduces their risk of death from prostate cancer, but not their overall risk of death, according to a study in the March 15 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Men's Dietary Fat Intake Linked to Sperm Quality

WEDNESDAY, March 14 (HealthDay News) -- The type of fats men eat affects their sperm quality, according to a study published online March 13 in Human Reproduction.

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Laquinimod Reduces Relapse Rate in Relapsing-Remitting MS

WEDNESDAY, March 14 (HealthDay News) -- Oral laquinimod reduces the rate of relapse and slows the progression of disability in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, according to a phase 3 study published in the March 15 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Retinopathy Linked to Cognitive Impairment in Older Women

WEDNESDAY, March 14 (HealthDay News) -- The presence of retinopathy in older women is associated with cognitive decline and greater ischemic brain volumes, according to a study published online March 14 in Neurology.

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Causal Link for IL-6 Receptor, Coronary Heart Disease

WEDNESDAY, March 14 (HealthDay News) -- Genetic data indicate that the interleukin-6 receptor (IL6R) has a causal link with coronary heart disease, according to two studies published online March 14 in The Lancet.

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Vitamin D Stimulates Amyloid Clearance in Alzheimer's

WEDNESDAY, March 14 (HealthDay News) -- Vitamin D stimulates macrophages from patients with Alzheimer's disease to allow phagocytosis of amyloid beta (Aβ42) through genomic and non-genomic signaling, according to a study published in the March issue of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.

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Left Ventricular Changes Seen in Obstructive Sleep Apnea

WEDNESDAY, March 14 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have structural and functional changes in left ventricular (LV) function similar to those seen in patients with hypertension, which are resolved following continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, according to a study published online March 13 in Circulation: Heart Failure.

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Personal Mobile Computers Improve Resident Efficiency

WEDNESDAY, March 14 (HealthDay News) -- The use of personal mobile computers (Apple iPads) by internal medicine residents improves efficiency, according to a research letter published in the March 12 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

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Antibiotic Treatment of E. Coli Reduces Bacterial Shedding

WEDNESDAY, March 14 (HealthDay News) -- Treatment with azithromycin is associated with a lower frequency of long-term carriage of Escherichia coli (E. coli) and a shorter duration of shedding of the bacteria in stool specimens during the 2011 German Shiga toxin-producing enteroaggregative E. coli (STEC) O104:H4 outbreak, according to a study published in the March 14 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Daily Exercise Doesn't Further Improve Glycemic Control

WEDNESDAY, March 14 (HealthDay News) -- For individuals with type 2 diabetes, 30 minutes of moderate-intensity endurance exercise once a day or an hour every other day are equally effective for controlling hyperglycemia, according to a study published online March 7 in Diabetes Care.

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Most Hospital Errors in Developing Countries Preventable

WEDNESDAY, March 14 (HealthDay News) -- Nearly 10 percent of patients admitted to a hospital in a developing country experience at least one adverse event, most of which are preventable and are largely due to inadequate training and supervision rather than an absence of resources, according to a study published online March 13 in BMJ.

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Higher Red Meat Consumption Linked to Risk of Death

TUESDAY, March 13 (HealthDay News) -- Eating more red meat appears to be associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality and death from cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer specifically, according to research published online March 12 in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

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Higher Spending by Hospitals Improves Outcomes

TUESDAY, March 13 (HealthDay News) -- Hospitals that are part of the universal health care system in Canada that spend more on inpatient care have lower rates of deaths and hospital readmissions, according to a study published in the March 14 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Survival Up for Hispanics With Preserved Ejection Fraction

TUESDAY, March 13 (HealthDay News) -- Hispanic heart failure patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) have better survival than non-Hispanic whites, according to a study published online March 13 in Circulation: Heart Failure.

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Endoscopic Necrosectomy Tied to Better Pancreatitis Outcomes

TUESDAY, March 13 (HealthDay News) -- A less invasive procedure, endoscopic transgastric necrosectomy, reduces the proinflammatory response and significant complications in patients with infected necrotizing pancreatitis, compared with surgical necrosectomy, according to a study published in the March 14 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Practical Strategies Can Ease Death Notification in the ER

TUESDAY, March 13 (HealthDay News) -- By using practical strategies based on available literature, notifying survivors of a death in the emergency department can be less traumatic for both the survivor and the physician, nurse, or other health care provider tasked with delivering the news, according to an article published in the March issue of the Journal of Emergency Nursing.

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Poor Survival of Metal-on-Metal Total Hip Replacement

TUESDAY, March 13 (HealthDay News) -- For total hip replacement (THR), metal-on-metal stemmed articulations have poor survival rates compared with alternatives, such as metal-on-polyethylene and ceramic-on-ceramic, according to a review published online March 13 in The Lancet.

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Web-Based Program Helps Manage Cancer-Related Fatigue

TUESDAY, March 13 (HealthDay News) -- An Internet-based educational program helps disease-free cancer survivors better manage their cancer-related fatigue (CRF), according to research published online March 12 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

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Financial Hardship Common Among Colon Cancer Patients

TUESDAY, March 13 (HealthDay News) -- Nearly 40 percent of patients undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy for stage III colon cancer experience financial hardship, even if they have health insurance coverage, according to research published online March 12 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

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Inflammation, Fatigue Tied to Omega-3 Intake After Breast CA

TUESDAY, March 13 (HealthDay News) -- For breast cancer survivors there may be an association between inflammation, intake of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), and fatigue, with increased intake linked to decreased inflammation and fatigue, according to research published online March 12 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

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Five New Biomarkers for Crohn's Identified in Ashkenazi Jews

TUESDAY, March 13 (HealthDay News) -- Five new biomarkers for Crohn's disease (CD) have been identified in the Ashkenazi Jewish (AJ) population, according to research published online March 8 in PLoS Genetics.

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Novel Neurologic Approach to Glaucoma Therapy Described

TUESDAY, March 13 (HealthDay News) -- Neurologic-based therapies may represent a more successful strategy for managing glaucoma versus intraocular pressure (IOP)-lowering therapies, according to a review published online Feb. 20 in Ophthalmology.

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Routine Glaucoma Screening May Benefit African-Americans

TUESDAY, March 13 (HealthDay News) -- Although the overall impact of routine glaucoma screening of middle-aged African-Americans may be modest, it would likely reduce the lifetime prevalence of glaucoma and glaucoma-related visual impairment and blindness, according to research published in the March issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology.

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U.S. Mortality Rates Dropped 60 Percent From 1935 to 2010

TUESDAY, March 13 (HealthDay News) -- From 1935 to 2010, the death rate in the United States decreased considerably, although the single-year improvements in mortality were often small, according to a March data brief issued by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).

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Behavioral Program Successful in High-Risk Obese Population

MONDAY, March 12 (HealthDay News) -- A two-year behavioral intervention program is associated with modest weight loss and improved blood pressure control in a high-risk, socioeconomically disadvantaged group of obese patients, according to research published online March 12 in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

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Sugary Beverages Linked to Higher Heart Disease Risk

MONDAY, March 12 (HealthDay News) -- For men, increased consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with an increased risk of developing coronary heart disease, while artificially-sweetened beverages do not increase heart disease risk, according to a study published online March 13 in Circulation.

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Improved Prognosis for Women With Heart Failure

MONDAY, March 12 (HealthDay News) -- Women with heart failure have a better prognosis than men, with the benefit more pronounced in non-ischemic heart failure and reduced by diabetes, according to a meta-analysis published online March 8 in the European Journal of Heart Failure.

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Asymptomatic Often Sent for Lung Cancer Screening Tests

MONDAY, March 12 (HealthDay News) -- A majority of primary care physicians report ordering lung cancer screening tests for asymptomatic patients, according to research published in the March/April issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.

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Circumcision Reduces Risk of Prostate Cancer

MONDAY, March 12 (HealthDay News) -- Circumcision prior to first sexual intercourse correlates with a reduced risk of prostate cancer (PCa), according to a study published online March 12 in Cancer.

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Calcium, Vitamin D Modulate Human Energy Metabolism

MONDAY, March 12 (HealthDay News) -- There is considerable evidence that calcium and vitamin D intake are influential in modulating energy metabolism in humans, according to a study published online March 2 in Obesity Reviews.

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Aggressive Care Improves QoL in Traumatic Brain Injury

MONDAY, March 12 (HealthDay News) -- Compared with routine care, an aggressive-care approach to the treatment of patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), which follows the Brain Trauma Foundation guidelines, is estimated to improve quality of life and significantly lower associated costs, regardless of patient age, according to research published online March 6 in the Journal of Neurosurgery.

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MRI Use Increasing for Evaluating Stroke Patients

MONDAY, March 12 (HealthDay News) -- The use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the evaluation of hospitalized stroke patients has dramatically increased over the past decade, according to an article published in the February issue of the Annals of Neurology.

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Hepatitis E Virus May Cause Acute Liver Dysfunction in HIV

MONDAY, March 12 (HealthDay News) -- For HIV-infected individuals, hepatitis E virus (HEV) is one cause of acute liver dysfunction, accounting for 4 percent of acute liver abnormalities, according to a study published in the March issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

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Use of Head CT Varies Between Emergency Physicians

MONDAY, March 12 (HealthDay News) -- In the emergency department, there is wide interphysician variation in the use of head computed tomography (CT) overall, and for patients diagnosed with atraumatic headache, according to a study published online Feb. 13 in the American Journal of Medicine.

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Common Products May Contain Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals

FRIDAY, March 9 (HealthDay News) -- Many common products, including sunscreen and fragranced products, contain multiple endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) or asthma-related chemicals, which are often not listed on the label, according to a study published online March 8 in Environmental Health Perspectives.

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Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Guidelines Updated

FRIDAY, March 9 (HealthDay News) -- The Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) guidelines have been updated to reflect the latest evidence in support of the expanded use of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) for patients with mild heart failure symptoms; the updated guidelines have been published in the February issue of the Journal of Cardiac Failure.

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Suicide Rates for U.S. Army Soldiers Increasing

FRIDAY, March 9 (HealthDay News) -- The number of U.S. army soldiers committing suicide has increased as the number of clinically treated mental disorders has increased, making these soldiers good targets for suicide prevention interventions, according to study published online March 7 in Injury Prevention.

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Flu Vaccine Up Among Medical Staff When They Believe It Works

FRIDAY, March 9 (HealthDay News) -- Hospital health care workers (HCWs) are more likely to receive the seasonal influenza vaccination if they believe it works and are committed to preventing this highly contagious virus, according to research published in the April issue of Occupational & Environmental Medicine.

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Von Willebrand Factor Linked to Bleeding Complications

FRIDAY, March 9 (HealthDay News) -- Oral anticoagulation (OAC)-treated patients with high levels of von Willebrand factor (VWF) have elevated risks of bleeding complications and cardiovascular and all-cause mortality, according to a study published in the March issue of the Journal of Internal Medicine.

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Coronary Artery Spasms Rare During Dobutamine Stress Echo

FRIDAY, March 9 (HealthDay News) -- The occurrence of coronary artery spasm (CAS) during dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) is rare, with a prevalence of 0.4 percent, according to a study published in the March 15 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.

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Race and Socioeconomic Status Linked to Chronic Pain

FRIDAY, March 9 (HealthDay News) -- Chronic pain is worse for black patients and for those living in a neighborhood with low socioeconomic status (SES), according to research published in the February issue of The Journal of Pain.

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Surrogates Tend to Misinterpret Poor Prognosis Information

FRIDAY, March 9 (HealthDay News) -- Surrogate decision makers for critically ill patients interpret prognostic statements expressing a low risk of death accurately, but interpret statements conveying poor prognosis optimistically, according to a study published in the March 6 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

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One in Four Tuberculosis Cases Due to Recent Transmission

FRIDAY, March 9 (HealthDay News) -- About one in four cases of tuberculosis in the United States can be attributed to recent transmission, with groups such as men and persons born in the United States at higher risk, according to a study published in the March issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

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Occult Positive Axillary Nodes in Breast CA Don't Worsen Survival

FRIDAY, March 9 (HealthDay News) -- Occult axillary lymph node metastases do not appear to affect overall or recurrence-free survival in patients with early-stage breast cancer, according to research published in the March 15 issue of Cancer.

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Menopausal Symptoms Negatively Affect Work Ability

FRIDAY, March 9 (HealthDay News) -- Menopausal symptoms negatively affect work ability, according to research published in the March issue of Menopause.

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Rheumatoid Arthritis Linked to Increased Risk of A-Fib, Stroke

FRIDAY, March 9 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with rheumatoid arthritis have a significantly increased risk of atrial fibrillation and stroke, according to a study published online March 8 in BMJ.

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Vitamin D Analogs Modulate Immunity in Psoriasis

FRIDAY, March 9 (HealthDay News) -- Vitamin D3 analogs modulate immunity in human psoriasis, inducing thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) and cathelicidin, according to a study published online March 2 in the British Journal of Dermatology.

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Tibial Trabecular Bone Texture Predicts OA Progression

THURSDAY, March 8 (HealthDay News) -- Changes in medial and lateral trabecular bone texture can predict joint space narrowing (JSN) and progression of knee osteoarthritis (OA), according to research published in the March issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.

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Obesity Not Linked to Mortality in Elderly People Over 85

THURSDAY, March 8 (HealthDay News) -- Obesity does not increase mortality in elderly adults aged 85 years and older, according to an article published in the Journal of Aging Research.

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Buprenorphine Maintenance Therapy Not Recommended

THURSDAY, March 8 (HealthDay News) -- Opioid substitution therapy with buprenorphine is not recommended for opioid-addicted health care professionals (HCPs), according to research published in the March issue of the Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

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Use of Stem Cells, Conditioning Induces Immune Tolerance

THURSDAY, March 8 (HealthDay News) -- A novel approach using a bioengineered mobilized cellular product enriched with hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and tolerogenic graft facilitating cells (FCs) in combination with nonmyeloablative conditioning is safe and practical for inducing immune tolerance after transplantation, according to a study published in the March 7 issue of Science Translational Medicine.

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Four or More PMDD Symptoms Linked With Impairment

THURSDAY, March 8 (HealthDay News) -- Women with four or more symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) are likely to experience impairment, according to research published in the March issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry.

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Lung Adenocarcinoma Architecture Predicts Survival

THURSDAY, March 8 (HealthDay News) -- A new method of classifying invasive pulmonary adenocarcinomas, based on the predominant architecture developed by the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC)/American Thoracic Society (ATS)/European Respiratory Society (ERS), is a stage-independent predictor of survival, according to research published online March 5 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

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Eating Fruits and Vegetables Improves Skin Color

THURSDAY, March 8 (HealthDay News) -- Increasing fruit and vegetable consumption is associated with a beneficial effect on skin coloration and perceived attractiveness, according to a study published online March 7 in PLoS One.

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Cognitive Benefits With Continued Donepezil in Alzheimer's

WEDNESDAY, March 7 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with moderate-to-severe Alzheimer's disease, continuation of treatment with donepezil is linked to significant cognitive benefits, according to a study published in the March 8 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Pasireotide Reduces Cortisol Levels in Cushing's Disease

WEDNESDAY, March 7 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with Cushing's disease, treatment with pasireotide is associated with reduced cortisol levels, according to a phase 3 study published in the March 8 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

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For Women, Offspring Number, Parity Linked to Lower MS Risk

WEDNESDAY, March 7 (HealthDay News) -- For women, higher offspring number and higher parity are associated with a reduced risk of first clinical demyelinating event (FCD), according to a study published online March 7 in Neurology.

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Smoking Is an Independent Risk Factor for Psoriasis

WEDNESDAY, March 7 (HealthDay News) -- Smoking is an independent risk factor for psoriasis, with particularly strong associations for heavy smokers and those who have smoked for many years, according to research published in the March 1 issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology.

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Interrupting Sitting Lowers Glucose, Insulin Levels in Obese

WEDNESDAY, March 7 (HealthDay News) -- Interrupting long periods of sitting with light- or moderate-intensity activity is associated with significant reductions in postprandial glucose and insulin levels among overweight and obese individuals, according to a study published online Feb. 28 in Diabetes Care.

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Bevacizumab Tied to Improved Telangiectasia Cardiac Output

WEDNESDAY, March 7 (HealthDay News) -- Bevacizumab is associated with improved cardiac output and reduced duration and number of nose bleeds in patients with severe hepatic forms of hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), according to a phase 2 study published in the March 7 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Classification Criteria Help ID Polymyalgia Rheumatica

WEDNESDAY, March 7 (HealthDay News) -- Provisional classification criteria have been established to discriminate polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) from conditions which mimic PMR, according to a study published in the April issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.

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Financial Burden of Medical Care Affects One in Three

WEDNESDAY, March 7 (HealthDay News) -- In the first half of 2011, one in three individuals was in a family that experienced the financial burden of medical care in the United States, according to the results of the National Health Interview Survey published March 7 by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).

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Estrogen-Only HRT Lowers Breast CA in Women With Hysterectomy

WEDNESDAY, March 7 (HealthDay News) -- The use of estrogen-only after hysterectomy lowers the risk of breast cancer, but largely in groups already at low risk of breast cancer, according to a study published online March 7 in The Lancet Oncology.

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In Suspected PE, A-fib Doesn't Raise Odds of the Diagnosis

WEDNESDAY, March 7 (HealthDay News) -- In general, the presence of atrial fibrillation (AF) does not increase the likelihood of pulmonary embolism (PE), according to a study published in the March issue of the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis.

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Long-Term Cardiac Effects for Childhood Cancer Survivors

WEDNESDAY, March 7 (HealthDay News) -- Regardless of exposure to cardiotoxic cancer therapies, survivors of childhood cancers display cardiovascular abnormalities and have markers of increased systemic inflammation and atherosclerotic disease, according to research published online March 5 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

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Economic Stagnation May Have Increased Mortality Rate

WEDNESDAY, March 7 (HealthDay News) -- From the late 1990s through 2005, mortality rates for Japanese men who worked as professionals or managers began to increase, coinciding with the country's period of economic stagnation, according to research published online March 6 in BMJ.

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Software Monitoring System Could Warn of ICD Malfunction

TUESDAY, March 6 (HealthDay News) -- A software monitoring program that tracks implantable cardioverter-defibrillator lead function could detect problems with the devices earlier than current monitoring processes, according to a study published online March 6 in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.

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Dutasteride Doesn't Alter Anabolic Effects of Testosterone

TUESDAY, March 6 (HealthDay News) -- Men receiving testosterone supplementation who also receive dutasteride, which blocks the conversion of testosterone to its potent metabolite 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), do not experience a significant difference in changes in muscle-related measures or sexual function compared to men receiving testosterone without dutasteride, according to a study published in the March 7 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Veterans With Mental Health Issues Receive More Opioids

TUESDAY, March 6 (HealthDay News) -- Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans with mental health diagnoses, particularly posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), are more likely to receive prescription opioid medications for pain-related conditions, have higher-risk opioid use patterns, and have increased adverse clinical outcomes associated with opioid use, compared to veterans with no mental health diagnoses, according to a study published in the March 7 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Surgery Helps Reduce Epileptic Seizures When Drugs Fail

TUESDAY, March 6 (HealthDay News) -- Temporal resection surgery reduces the probability of seizures in patients with treatment-resistant epilepsy, compared with continued antiepileptic drug (AED) treatment, according to a study published in the March 7 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Positive Whole-Body CT Can Detect but Not Eliminate Trauma

TUESDAY, March 6 (HealthDay News) -- For assessing severe trauma, single-pass whole-body computed tomography (CT), or pan-scanning, can detect, but not definitively exclude, the presence of injuries, according to a study published online March 5 in CMAJ, the journal of the Canadian Medical Association.

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ACP Issues Guidance on Colorectal Cancer Screening

MONDAY, March 5 (HealthDay News) -- Screening of average-risk individuals for colorectal cancer (CRC) should begin at age 50 with a stool-based test, flexible sigmoidoscopy, or colonoscopy, according to a guidance statement from the American College of Physicians (ACP) published in the March 6 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

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AHA Supports Shared Decision Making in Heart Failure

MONDAY, March 5 (HealthDay News) -- Shared decision making in advanced heart failure has become more challenging and more important, with increased disease duration and available treatment options, according to a scientific statement from the American Heart Association (AHA) published online March 5 in Circulation.

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Drug Relieves Opioid-Induced Constipation in Critically Ill

MONDAY, March 5 (HealthDay News) -- For critically ill patients with opioid-induced constipation, treatment with methylnaltrexone (MNTX) is associated with improved bowel function compared with standard rescue therapy, according to a study published in the March issue of the Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

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Ultrasound IDs Post-Transplant Recurrent Hep C Cirrhosis

MONDAY, March 5 (HealthDay News) -- Ultrasound-based transient elastography (TE) provides diagnostic accuracy for detecting cirrhosis due to recurrent hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection following liver transplantation, according to a meta-analysis published in the March issue of Liver Transplantation.

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Fecal Transplant Feasible for Recurrent C. difficile Infection

FRIDAY, March 2 (HealthDay News) -- Recurrent Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) infection (CDI) can successfully be treated in the vast majority of patients through a fecal transplantation procedure via colonoscopy, according to research published in the March issue of Gastroenterology.

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Diabetic Polyneuropathy Not Up With Impaired Glycemia

FRIDAY, March 2 (HealthDay News) -- Although significantly increased in subjects with new diabetes, the rates of typical diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN), retinopathy, and nephropathy are not significantly different between subjects with and without impaired glycemia (IG), according to research published in the March issue of Diabetes Care.

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Enhancing Cardiac FAK Reduces Ischemia/Reperfusion Damage

FRIDAY, March 2 (HealthDay News) -- Mice that overproduce focal adhesion kinase (FAK) experience less ischemia/reperfusion-induced apoptosis, according to a study published online March 1 in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology.

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Biomarkers Gauge Kidney Injury After Heart Surgery

FRIDAY, March 2 (HealthDay News) -- Measuring biomarkers found in blood and urine after heart surgery can help predict which patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) will experience AKI progression, according to a study published online March 1 in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

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Bariatric Surgery Risks Up in Patients With Kidney Disease

FRIDAY, March 2 (HealthDay News) -- Higher rates of bariatric surgery complications are seen in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), with advancing disease stage correlating with increasing complication rates, according to research published online March 1 in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

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Increasing Shift From Islet Antibody Positivity to Diabetes

FRIDAY, March 2 (HealthDay News) -- There is an increase in both the prevalence and levels of islet antigen-2 and zinc transporter 8, as well as in autoantibodies, in newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes patients during a period of rising disease incidence, according to a study published in the March issue of Diabetes.

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Cardiovascular Event Risk Not Up for Living Kidney Donors

FRIDAY, March 2 (HealthDay News) -- For living kidney donors, there is no increase in the risk of major cardiovascular events or death in the first decade following donation, compared with a representative sample of the healthiest segment of the general population, according to a study published online March 1 in BMJ.

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Device Stratifies Sickle Cell Disease Severity

FRIDAY, March 2 (HealthDay News) -- A device that measures the resistance of blood flow after deoxygenation can differentiate patients with benign or severe sickle cell disease, according to a study published in the Feb. 29 issue of Science Translational Medicine.

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Risk of Stroke Increases With Each Year of Having Diabetes

THURSDAY, March 1 (HealthDay News) -- The risk of stroke increases with the length of time a patient has diabetes, according to a study published online March 1 in Stroke.

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Sleep Quality Found to Actually Improve With Age

THURSDAY, March 1 (HealthDay News) -- Contrary to popular belief, sleep quality, as measured by sleep disturbances and daytime fatigue, actually improves with age, according to a study published in the March issue of SLEEP.

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Phone Counseling Doesn't Up Osteoporosis Meds Adherence

THURSDAY, March 1 (HealthDay News) -- Use of a telephone-based motivational interviewing intervention does not improve adherence to an osteoporosis medication regimen, according to research published online Feb. 27 in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

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No Benefit for Stent Versus Medical Therapy in Stable CAD

THURSDAY, March 1 (HealthDay News) -- A meta-analysis of more than 7,000 patients suggests that there is no benefit to initial stent implantation over medical therapy in the treatment of patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD), according to research published in the Feb. 27 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

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Thalidomide Induces Complete Response in Cutaneous Lupus

THURSDAY, March 1 (HealthDay News) -- Low-dose thalidomide successfully induces complete response in a majority of patients with refractory cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE), according to research published in the March issue of the British Journal of Dermatology.

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Hypoferremia Predicts Treatment Response to IFN-α

THURSDAY, March 1 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepcidin, a regulator of iron homeostasis, is induced following a single dose of pegylated interferon-α (PEG-IFNα), and may be a surrogate marker of immediate efficacy of IFN-α, according to a study published online Feb. 15 in Hepatology.

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Incidence, Risk Factors ID'd for Proximal Junctional Kyphosis

THURSDAY, March 1 (HealthDay News) -- Pre-existing and perioperative factors may trigger proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) in about 22 percent of patients with adult idiopathic scoliosis who undergo long instrumented spinal fusion surgery, according to a study published online Feb. 21 in Spine.

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Secondhand Smoke Shortens Transplant Survival in Mice

THURSDAY, March 1 (HealthDay News) -- The immunologic mechanisms behind smoke-related graft rejection have been elucidated, according to a study published in the March issue of the American Journal of Transplantation.

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Reduced Lung Function Linked to Heart Failure Risk

THURSDAY, March 1 (HealthDay News) -- Lung function and obstructive airway diseases are strongly and independently associated with an increased risk of heart failure, according to a study published online Feb. 25 in the European Journal of Heart Failure.

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