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October 2012

Tuesday October 9, 2012

• 'Mouth Feel' Makes Wine Go Well With Meat, Study Finds – Research suggests that 'balancing' opposite tastes makes food more palatable.
• Blood Test May Spot Serious Health Risks in Women – New biomarker reveals odds of heart disease, diabetes and breast cancer, study says.
• Clearer Prescription Drug Labels May Be on the Way – Safety-standards group wants to simplify confusing language that can lead to dosing mistakes.
• Gene Tied to Obesity, Depression, ADHD – Of more than 65,000 people screened in study, 5 had 'BDNF' deletion.
• Group Programs for Weight Loss May Work Best – Study found those who go to meetings shed more pounds, whether health pro or peer in charge.
• Health Highlights: Oct. 9, 2012
• Health Tip: All Fats Aren't Bad – Some are beneficial in limited amounts.
• Health Tip: Easing Teething Pain – Suggestions to soothe a fussy baby.
• Importance of Family Meals Questioned – Study finds shared breakfasts, dinners have no effect on kids' academics, behavior.
• Kids With Hemophilia Should Be Active, But Avoid Risky Sports: Study – Non-contact activities safest, allowing children to enjoy exercise, experts say.
• Marijuana Extract May Help Ease Muscle Stiffness in MS: Study – Pain, spasms and sleep quality also improved in those given drug vs. placebo.
• Meningitis Toll Now 11 Dead, 119 Sick: CDC – Up to 13,000 got steroid shots linked to the outbreak, agency says.
• New Gene Test Predicts Whose Mouth Lesions Might Be Cancerous – Developer says it eventually may allow earlier detection, treatment.
• New MRI Might Help Spot Heart Disease Early: Study – Technique uses multiple images to improve chances of diagnosing coronary artery disease.
• Patients Gain When Hospitals Work Together on Infection Control – Study found benefits when nearby facilities cooperate to control spread of MRSA.
• Scientists ID 'Genetic Signatures' for Aggressive Prostate Cancer – Findings may one day help tailor treatment, improve outcomes.
• Some 'Super Tasters' Might Be Less Prone to Sinus Woes – People with heightened sensitivity to bitter flavors better at warding off infections, study found.
• State Regulations Tied to Drop in Common Heart Procedure – Critics worry that the push for good outcomes may reduce access to care for sickest patients.
• Teens Want Voice in End-of-Life Decisions – New guide helps seriously ill teens and young adults talk about their needs.
• Up to 13,000 Got Steroid Shots at Center of Meningitis Outbreak: CDC – It's unclear how many are at risk for infection; death toll rises to 8, with 105 cases reported in nine states.
• Walking for Heart Health? Speed It Up, Study Suggests – Fast walking, jogging reduced disease warning signs, but daily stroll did not.

Monday October 8, 2012

• Alzheimer's Drug Shows Potential in Trials – Patients with mild disease who took solanezumab had slowing of mental decline.
• Antidepressants in Pregnancy May Affect Babies' Language Development – Study didn't look at long-term impact on children's speech milestones.
• Can Tomatoes Lower Stroke Risk? – Study found lycopene, the antioxidant found in tomatoes, seemed to guard against brain attack.
• Certain Eye Injuries in Kids May Indicate Child Abuse: Study – Retinal imaging could help doctors sort out accidents from purposeful injury.
• CT Scans of Kids in ER With Stomach Pain Skyrockets – Between 1998 and 2008, CT use ballooned from 1 percent to 15 percent of these cases, study shows.
• Experimental Drug May Limit Stroke Damage – Might even reduce brain lesions when given before stroke occurs, expert says, but findings are preliminary.
• Fresh Blood as Good as Older Blood for Preemie Transfusions: Study – Finding backs current blood bank policies, researchers note.
• Health Highlights: Oct. 8, 2012
• Health Tip: At Risk for High Cholesterol? – Risk factors include obesity.
• Health Tip: Starting Baby on Solid Foods – Make them easier to swallow.
• HIV Deaths Declining for Most, But Not All, Americans – Study found greatest improvement in whites, better-educated groups over 14-year period.
• Mouse Study Sheds New Light on How Memories Are Stored – Part of the brain keeps working through sleep and anesthesia to process information.
• Nearly Half of Children With Autism Wander From Safety: Survey – Advocates say a system such as Amber Alerts is needed for these kids.
• New Gene Mutations Tied to Schizophrenia – Researchers say the variations occur in fetal development and are not passed down by parents.
• Prenatal Mercury Exposure Tied to ADHD Symptoms in Kids – But mothers' fish consumption during pregnancy shows protective effect, researchers find.
• Scientists Link Gene to Lower Risk of Lung Cancer – Inflammation may be a disease factor, researcher says.
• Strict Moms Influence Kids' Friends: Study – Authoritative parenting can help teen friends cut drinking, smoking and drug use, researchers say.

Friday October 5, 2012

• Clenched Hand May Prevent 'Choking' Under Pressure – For right-handed athletes, squeezing left hand might cause automatic motor skills to kick in, study says.
• For People With Lung Disease, Colds Are Worse With School Kids Around – Study found sore throat, runny nose, cough were all more likely.
• Health Highlights: Oct. 5, 2012
• Health Tip: Manage Your Child's Allergy – Limit exposure to potential triggers.
• Health Tip: Reduce Your Risk of Falling – Seniors should keep at least one hand free.
• Heavy Smokers, Drinkers May Face Pancreatic Cancer Earlier in Life – Study found diagnoses came almost a decade sooner than for people without those habits.
• Humanitarian Work May Raise Risk of Anxiety, Depression – Researchers offer recommendations to improve mental health of aid workers.
• Late-Preterm Babies Needing ICU Catch Up With Other Preemies: Study – By age 3, both groups show similar developmental progress.
• New Survey Examines States' Investments in Dealing With Diabetes – Report showed dip in federal grants to prevent, treat condition.
• Officials Seeking Patients Who May Have Received Contaminated Steroid – The drug has been linked to rare form of meningitis tied to 5 deaths and at least 47 illnesses in 7 states.
• One-Third of Men With Anal Cancer Have HIV, Study Finds – Gay males among those at higher risk of the rare cancer, U.S. government researchers say.
• Rare Breast Cancer Poses New Set of Challenges – Experts say standard diagnostic and treatment methods don't work for inflammatory breast cancer.
• Same Part of Brain Recognizes Faces and Objects, Study Finds – Fusiform face area 'lit up' identically on MRI whether auto lovers looked at cars or people.
• Severely Obese Americans on the Rise – Study shows a decade of growth among those with 100 pounds excess weight, but trend is slowing.
• Shootings at Hospitals a Rarity, Study Finds – People known to assailant are usually intended targets, researchers say.
• Study Links Low Vitamin D Levels to Worse MS Symptoms – But it's too soon to recommend supplements for multiple sclerosis patients, researcher says.
• Survivor of Aggressive Breast Cancer Stresses Need for Quick Action – 'Listen to your body,' woman urges, to fight off inflammatory breast cancer.
• U.S. Sees a Run on New Knees Since 1990s – Over $9 billion spent annually on the operation, researchers say.

Thursday October 4, 2012

• Aspirin May Help Preserve Brain Function in Older Women With Heart Disease – Swedish study found less decline in thinking ability for those on daily dose.
• Botox Injections: Option for Urge Incontinence? – The drug worked as well as standard pills in head-to-head study, but is not fully approved for that use.
• BPA Exposure Impacts Pregnant Women's Thyroids, Study Suggests – Widely used chemical linked to lower levels of hormone in newborn boys, but not girls.
• Coffee Might Raise Glaucoma Risk: Study – Increased risk for those who drink 3 cups a day could be 66 percent, researchers say, but others are skeptical.
• Couples Trying to Conceive Might Need Help Sooner, Study Says – New mathematical method predicts women's odds of becoming pregnant at various ages.
• Diabetes Screening May Not Lower Overall Death Rates – 10-year British study found no survival benefit for population at large.
• Electronic Health Records Aid Diabetes Control – Researchers found that the records can help doctors better target treatment, testing.
• Free Birth Control May Curb Abortions: Study – Access to IUDs, implants helped reduce unintended pregnancies, researchers say.
• Health Highlights: Oct. 4, 2012
• Health Tip: Protect Yourself From Flu – Get the annual vaccine.
• Health Tip: What's Behind Epilepsy? – Here are some common causes.
• Home Dialysis an Option for Some With Chronic Kidney Disease – But doctors, patients slow to embrace this timesaver, study finds.
• Hormone Therapy in Early Menopause May Benefit Some Women: Study – Small trial found no harm to heart, memory; some experts remain unconvinced.
• Juggling a Hospital Job and Family Can Be Painful – Administrators should assess job conditions, researchers say.
• Little U.S. Flu Activity So Far, CDC Says – Most people 6 months of age and older are urged to get vaccinated.
• Lung Function Recovery Seen in People Exposed to World Trade Center Site – Breathing tests improved more for 9/11 rescue crews than nearby workers.
• Meningitis Outbreak Not Over Yet: Experts – 5 dead, at least 30 sickened across U.S. by suspected contamination in steroid used for back pain.
• Postoperative Program Prevents Respiratory Complications: Study – Simple steps counter common side effects of surgery, researchers say.
• Researchers Map Vision in Brain – Study of brain structure may boost efforts to find ways to restore sight.
• Scientists Uncover Genetic Link for Uterine Fibroids – The tumors affect three-fourths of women of childbearing age.
• Severe Anemia Linked to Higher Death Risk After Heart Surgery – Condition should be treated before elective procedures if possible, researcher says.

Wednesday October 3, 2012

• 'Junk Food' May Significantly Hike Risk of Stroke, Researchers Say – Western diet tied to health problems in young rats after just 2 months, study finds.
• Could Hypertension in Pregnancy Harm Child's Thinking Skills for Decades? – Study found those whose mothers experienced high blood pressure scored lower on tests in their 70s.
• Doctors Speak Out on Health Care Waste in U.S. – Unneeded screening, unproven technology among culprits driving costs up by billions, report says.
• Early Humans Commonly Consumed Meat, Researchers Say – Lesions on skull fragment indicate that meat was regular part of diet more than a million years ago.
• Exercise Improves Effects of Stroke: Study – The most significant gains involved attention, concentration, planning and organizing.
• Genes Linked to Retardation Not Inherited, Study Suggests – Testing found new mutations only in people with the condition, not their parents.
• Genetic Disorder Test for Newborns May Speed Up Diagnoses – Not yet ready for hospital use, it might allow doctors to confirm and treat conditions sooner.
• Health Highlights: Oct. 3, 2012
• Health Tip: Caring for an Older Person's Teeth – Regular brushing and flossing are key.
• Health Tip: Considering Counseling? – Therapy may help you deal with depression, loss or anger.
• Indoor Tanning Causes Common Skin Cancers, Study Finds – While less deadly than melanoma, basal cell and squamous cell cancers can be disfiguring.
• Missing Data May Skew Clinical Trials – Expert panel recommends steps to prevent or account for incomplete information.
• Rural Colon Cancer Patients Fare Worse – Study shows they are diagnosed later and get fewer treatments than urban patients.
• Sitting for Hours Daily Might Boost Your Kidney Disease Risk: Study – Exercise reduced effect in men, but not women.
• Skinny Genes: Could Heredity Raise Your Vulnerability to 'Be-Thin' Pressure? – Study found female identical twins had similar levels of 'thin idealization.'
• Stem Cell Transplant May Spur Heart Disease Risk: Study – Chemotherapy, radiation before transplant linked to elevated threat.
• Study: Blood Tests for Inflammation Could Help Prevent Heart Attack, Stroke – But the tests would uncover risk in relatively few people, evidence review finds.
• West Nile Cases Continue to Climb, CDC Says – Number of deaths now stands at 163, up from 147 last week.

Tuesday October 2, 2012

• Common Heart Medicine May Not Be Effective for Some: Study – One expert, however, says beta blockers have proven benefits.
• Diabetes Patients Should Have More Voice in Treatment: Experts – New guidelines say individual, doctor and evidence must all contribute to decisions.
• Drinking, Driving Drops by Half Among Teens: CDC – But almost 1 million a month still do, agency says.
• Gout Management Is Focus of New Guidelines – Key practices for doctors, patients outlined by American College of Rheumatology.
• Health Tip: If You're Lactose Intolerant – You may not have to give up dairy entirely.
• Health Tip: Kids Need to Stop Sucking Their Thumbs – Or their oral health may suffer.
• Hip Resurfacing More Likely to Fail Than Hip Replacement: Study – Women in particular did worse with alternative procedure, U.K. researchers found.
• Impact Tests Show Bike Helmets Protect Kids in Crashes – Acceleration forces, effects of crush accidents were reduced.
• Many Pedestrians Hit By Cars Are Distracted By Mobile Devices – The problem is much more common among children, teens.
• New Autism Criteria Will Have Minor Impact: Study – Most children should still be eligible for care, researchers say.
• Poor Sleep in Teen Years Linked to Heart Risks in Adulthood – But association seen in study doesn't prove that sleep problems cause cardiovascular disease.
• Rheumatoid Arthritis May Be Linked to More Blood Clots – But overall risk remains small, study finds.
• Seniors Who Fell Recently May Fare Worse After Surgery – Study found more disability, complications and longer hospital stays for these patients.
• Statins Tied to Reduced Glaucoma Risk – Large study found possible preventive effect against blindness-causing eye condition.
• Study: Digital Beats Film Mammography at Spotting Breast Cancer – Dutch research finds digital screening better at detecting life-threatening tumors.
• Use of Medicare Skilled Nursing Benefit Is High at End of Life: Study – Financial concerns may deter many from using hospice provision, researchers say.
• Vitamin D Won't Save You From Common Cold, Latest Study Says – Healthy adults who took supplements did no better than those on placebos.

Monday October 1, 2012

• Child Abuse Injuries Have Risen, Study Finds – Child protective agencies reported decline, but hospital data tell a different story.
• Children Underrepresented in Clinical Drug Trials: Study – When drugs are tested only in adults, kids and their doctors are at a disadvantage, researchers say.
• Health Highlights: Oct. 1, 2012
• Health Tip: Gear Up for Safe Soccer – Stay in shape to help prevent injury.
• Health Tip: Warm Up Before You Work Out – Get your muscles ready for exercise.
• HPV Vaccine Found Safe in Large Study – Fainting, skin infections most common side effects seen in girls, young women.
• Might Smallpox Virus Help Fight a Lethal Breast Cancer? – Promising results for triple-negative form of disease seen in tests with mice.
• Moderate Drinking May Increase Risk of Heart Rhythm Disorder: Study – Older adults with heart disease, advanced diabetes were more apt to develop atrial fibrillation than peers who drank less.
• New Guidelines for Doctors Treating Low Back Pain – Evidence-based approach should improve care, experts say.
• New Melanoma Treatment Might Delay Cancer Progression – Experimental drug combo postponed resistance to therapy by 4 months, study showed.
• Novel Drug Approach Shows Promise Against Breast Cancer – 3-pronged payload targets cancerous cells, reducing side effects and prolonging life, study says.
• Psychiatric Disorders Often Persist in Juvenile Offenders – Alcohol, drug use common even 5 years after kids left detention center, researchers found.
• Researchers Discover Gene Defect Linked to Deafness – Genetic mutation associated with hearing loss in Usher syndrome type 1 and other cases, study says.
• Researchers Tackle Age-Related Decline in Immune Response – Blocking single harmful protein might work, early lab study suggests.
• Retina's Thickness May Be Tied to Severity of MS, Study Suggests – If true, it might be a useful tool to measure the effectiveness of treatments.
• Scientists Probe How Some HIV Patients Resist AIDS – Understanding immune response in these 'elite controllers' might help pave way to vaccine.
• Sharing Notes With Patients Empowers Them: Study – Reading doctor's remarks online also boosts treatment compliance, researchers find.
• Study Links Insomnia to $31 Billion in U.S. Workplace Errors – Research was based on interviews with more than 10,000 people.
• Teens Don't Really Like Taking Risks, Study Finds – But they're more comfortable with uncertain outcomes than adults are, researchers say.
• U.S. Kids Exposed to 4 Hours of Background TV Daily: Study – Excessive exposure hinders ability to learn, doctors warn.

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Content last updated October 10, 2012.

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