Thursday, March 15, 2012

Medical News

Medical News


Chemoradiation benefits for HSCC do not outweigh adverse QoL impact

Posted: 15 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Study findings suggest that the benefits of chemoradiation for advanced hypopharyngeal squamous cell cancer do not outweigh the associated adverse impact on quality of life and long-term preservation of function.

Demyelination risk increased during TNF antagonist treatment

Posted: 15 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Central nervous system demyelination risk may be higher than previously believed in psoriasis and other inflammatory disease patients taking tumor necrosis factor α antagonists, suggest findings from a review of cases in the literature.

Cyclothymic temperament linked to depression recurrence in BD

Posted: 15 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Patients with bipolar disorder who have a cyclothymic temperament are more likely to experience depressive episode recurrences than their counterparts with other affective temperament types, results suggest.

‘Mind-pop’ frequency increased in schizophrenia patients

Posted: 15 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Schizophrenia patients experience significantly more frequent involuntary semantic memories than depression patients and mentally healthy individuals, UK research shows.

Exposure to uranium may increase CVD mortality

Posted: 14 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Results from a preliminary study suggest that workers who are exposed to uranium over long periods of time may be at increased risk for dying from cardiovascular disease compared with the general population.

CPAP could help prevent heart failure in sleep apnea patients

Posted: 14 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Nightly treatment with a continuous positive air pressure device in obstructive sleep apnea patients could prevent cardiac changes that lead to heart failure, research shows.

<i>H. pylori</i> infection could increase diabetes risk

Posted: 14 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Study results suggest that Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with higher levels of glycated hemoglobin, which could lead to an increased risk for Type 2 diabetes in infected individuals.

Incidence of severe hypoglycemia rises in German diabetes population

Posted: 14 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

The incidence of severe hypoglycemia in patients with Type 2 diabetes has increased considerably over the last 10 years, show results of a study of German diabetic patients.

Moderate drinking, maintaining healthy weight improves HDL cholesterol

Posted: 14 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Men who consume moderate amounts of alcohol and maintain a healthy body mass index could safely raise their high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, especially if they are under 68 years of age, report researchers.

Drinking sugar-sweetened beverages raises CHD risk in men

Posted: 14 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Men who drink sugar-sweetened drinks, including sodas and noncarbonated fruit drinks, may be increasing their risk for developing coronary heart disease, show results of a US study.

Disparities in prostate cancer care exist by healthcare provider

Posted: 14 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Patients diagnosed with prostate cancer at private hospitals in the UK have an earlier disease stage at diagnosis, are more likely to be treated with surgery, and less likely to receive radiotherapy than those diagnosed at National Health Service hospitals, study findings indicate.

Disparities in prostate cancer care exist by healthcare provider

Posted: 14 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Patients diagnosed with prostate cancer at private hospitals in the UK have an earlier disease stage at diagnosis, are more likely to be treated with surgery, and less likely to receive radiotherapy than those diagnosed at National Health Service hospitals, study findings indicate.

Circumcision may protect against prostate cancer

Posted: 13 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Men who are circumcised prior to their first experience of sexual intercourse may have a reduced risk for prostate cancer, show findings from a US study.

Core stability exercises, myofascial massage improve fatigue in breast cancer survivors

Posted: 12 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

A multimodal exercise program focusing on core stability exercises and myofascial release massage can significantly reduce cancer-related fatigue in breast cancer survivors, show results of a randomized controlled trial.

Tubular damage important, but not predictive in diabetic nephropathy

Posted: 12 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Increased levels of tubular damage markers are associated with a faster decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate in patients with diabetic nephropathy, report researchers.

Postoperative breast hematoma uncommon, not dependent on implant type

Posted: 11 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Study findings suggest that postoperative breast hematoma after prosthetic implant placement occurs in less than 2% of patients, and is not associated with surgical technique, implant size, indication, or reoperation.

Birefringent sperm selection aids conception in infertile couples

Posted: 11 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Researchers have developed a light-refraction technique for sperm selection prior to intracytoplasmic sperm injection that improves pregnancy rates for infertile couples in which the male partner has asthenozoospermia, report researchers.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Medical News

Medical News


Anesthesiologists need time out after perioperative catastrophe

Posted: 14 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

US anesthesiologists believe their ability to provide good patient care is compromised in the immediate aftermath of a perioperative catastrophe, yet very few are given time off to recover, show survey results published in Anesthesia and Analgesia.

Azithromycin clears Shiga toxin-producing entergoaggregative <i>E. coli </i>infection

Posted: 14 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Patients with Shiga toxin-producing enteroaggregative Escherichia coli infection should be treated with azithromycin, say German researchers who believe the antibiotic reduces the duration of bacterial shedding.

US veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan with mental health disorders show risky opioid use

Posted: 14 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

US veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan with mental health disorders are more likely to be prescribed opioids and to misuse their prescription than veterans with no such disorder, shows research published in JAMA.

Three-fold increased risk for obesity in BD, schizophrenia patients

Posted: 14 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Patients with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia are over three times more likely to be overweight or obese than the general population, results from a Spanish study show.

Homocysteine not linked to cognitive impairments in schizophrenia

Posted: 14 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Homocysteine levels are increased in patients with schizophrenia, but are not associated with cognitive impairments, results from a Spanish study show.

Trans fat consumption linked with increased aggression

Posted: 14 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

A high consumption of dietary trans fats is linked to increased irritability and aggression in humans, show study findings.

Ethnicity differentially impacts heart failure survival

Posted: 13 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Hispanic and non-Hispanic White heart failure patients have different odds for survival depending on their level of heart function, a study shows.

Gene studies show anti-inflammatory drugs could prevent CHD

Posted: 13 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Two international meta-analyses published in The Lancet provide new evidence to show that interleukin-6 receptor has a causal role in the development of coronary heart disease.

Women who quit smoking may increase their diabetes risk

Posted: 13 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Women who quit smoking are at an increased risk for developing diabetes, possibly due to the accompanying weight gain often associated with quitting, report researchers.

Endoscopic procedure may improve severe pancreatitis patient outcomes

Posted: 13 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Endoscopic transgastric necrosectomy achieves better outcomes than surgical necrosectomy for patients with severe pancreatitis, suggest preliminary trial data.

<i>H. pylori</i> infection could increase diabetes risk

Posted: 13 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Study results suggest that Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with higher levels of glycated hemoglobin, which could lead to an increased risk for Type 2 diabetes in infected individuals.

Statin prescribing following ACS can still be improved

Posted: 13 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

The majority of patients in the UK with an acute coronary syndrome event are discharged on a statin, but duration and dosage is often shorter and lower than recommended by guidelines, report researchers.

No increase in ambulance use by stroke patients

Posted: 13 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

US residents are no more likely to call an ambulance at the onset of stroke symptoms than they were 10 years ago, shows a nationwide study.

Neutralizable dual-action anticoagulant ‘shows great promise’

Posted: 13 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

A novel dual-action anticoagulant rapidly inhibits thrombin and factor Xa with high affinity and selectivity, study findings indicate.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Medical News

Medical News


Increasing colonoscopy demand alters endoscopy practices

Posted: 13 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Survey results reveal the impact of production pressure on US physicians conducting colonoscopies, with almost 70% of respondents reporting that increasing requirement to perform a large volume of procedures has affected their practice patterns.

Treatment dropout rates high in bipolar disorder patients

Posted: 13 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Around one-third of patients with bipolar disorder stop taking their medications against doctors' advice within 1 year of starting treatment, study results suggest.

Epilepsy linked to increased risk for psychosis

Posted: 13 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

People with epilepsy are significantly more likely to experience psychosis than the general population, research confirms.

Prophylactic transfusions reduce perioperative needs

Posted: 12 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Giving blood transfusions to anemic patients before rather than during cardiac surgery may reduce their need for perioperative transfusion, with its associated harmful effects, a pilot study suggests.

Osteoprotegrin may be biomarker of cardiovascular mortality

Posted: 12 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

The biomarker osteoprotegrin is independently associated with adverse outcomes at 30 days and 1 year in patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome, research shows.

Sitagliptin, pioglitazone combination of lasting benefit to drug naïve patients

Posted: 12 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Starting patients with Type 2 diabetes on a combination of sitagliptin and pioglitazone provides a substantial and lasting reduction in glycated hemoglobin over 54 weeks of treatment, show study findings.

Tubular damage important, but not predictive in diabetic nephropathy

Posted: 12 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Increased levels of tubular damage markers are associated with a faster decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate in patients with diabetic nephropathy, report researchers.

Preterm birth associated with adverse body composition, favorable lipid profile

Posted: 12 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Young adults who were born preterm have a more favorable lipid profile than those who were born term, although their body composition seems to be disadvantageous, research shows.

Pharmacist care ‘important’ in dyslipidemia management

Posted: 12 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Results of a systematic review published in Pharmacotherapy suggest that engaging pharmacists in the care of patients with dyslipidemia could have an important effect on public health.

Monday, March 12, 2012

Medical News

Medical News


Core stability exercises, myofascial massage improve fatigue in breast cancer survivors

Posted: 12 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

A multimodal exercise program focusing on core stability exercises and myofascial release massage can significantly reduce cancer-related fatigue in breast cancer survivors, show results of a randomized controlled trial.

Core stability exercises, myofascial massage improve fatigue in breast cancer survivors

Posted: 12 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

A multimodal exercise program focusing on core stability exercises and myofascial release massage can significantly reduce cancer-related fatigue in breast cancer survivors, show results of a randomized controlled trial.

Brain volume differences may help predict bipolar disorder

Posted: 12 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Patients at ultra-high risk for psychosis who go on to develop the bipolar disorder show greater amygdala and insula volume reductions than ultra-high risk patients who remain well, say researchers.

Common early signs of emerging psychosis identified

Posted: 12 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Loss of energy, difficulty concentrating, depression, and social isolation are the most frequently recalled early signs and symptoms of emerging psychosis, study results suggest.

Molecular mechanisms of chronic stress unraveled

Posted: 12 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

The adverse effects of chronic stress on memory are underpinned by increased turnover of glutamate receptors in the prefrontal cortex, report researchers.

One in 50 hypertensive patients develops resistant hypertension within 18 months

Posted: 11 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

One in 50 patients who are newly diagnosed with hypertension goes on to develop resistant hypertension within 18 months, research suggests.

One in 50 hypertensive patients develops resistant hypertension within 18 months

Posted: 11 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

One in 50 patients who are newly diagnosed with hypertension goes on to develop resistant hypertension within 18 months, research suggests.

Women with decreased HDL cholesterol at high risk for CHD

Posted: 11 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Women, but not men, with decreased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol have a high risk for developing coronary heart disease, show study findings.

Young stroke patients reap greatest thrombolysis benefits

Posted: 11 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Patients derive larger benefits from stroke thrombolysis if they are younger rather than older than 50 years at the time of treatment, show data from SITS–ISTR.