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 Weekly Health News + Safety Alerts
Shildt Financial Services hopes that you find the following news items to be helpful and informative.
We specialize in NO FEE Employee Benefits Insurance: Health/Medical, Dental, Vision, Short Term Disability, Long Term Disability, Life, Legal, 401(k)/Pension and Long Term Care.
Please Select Your Choice Of News items from our
WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS IN REVIEW for each week dating back to May, 2008 that is located below the SAFETY ALERTS Links.
 SAFETY ALERTS: go to CPSC, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, to help keep your family and yourself safe by checking product recalls and safety news.
Or go to FDA, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, for recalls, market withdrawals and safety alerts.
 WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS
IN REVIEW:
Health News Back To May 2008
Health Highlights
**TB Vaccine May Be Fatal for Infants With HIV.
**Many Factors Contribute to AMD: Study.
**E. Coli Found in Nestlé Cookie Dough: FDA.
**Too Few Young Adults Treated for Alcohol, Drug Problems.
**Salmonella Fears Trigger Plainview Food Products Recall.
**Beef Products Recall Expanded.
**Nestle Refused to Give Cookie Dough Records to FDA.
**European Regulator Wants Painkiller Off Market.
**E. coli Scare Spurs Big Beef Recall.
**Gray Hair Might Indicate Reduced Cancer Risk.
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- FDA Panel Urges Ban on Vicodin, Percocet: Also recommends dosing limits for OTC painkillers that contain acetaminophen, like Tylenol or Excedrin, because of link to liver damage.
The popular prescription painkillers Vicodin and Percocet, which combine acetaminophen with an opiate narcotic, should be banned, and the maximum dose of over-the-counter painkillers with acetaminophen, like Tylenol or Excedrin, should be lowered, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel urged Tuesday. The panel's recommendations followed the release of an FDA report last month that found severe liver damage, and even death, can result from a lack of consumer awareness that acetaminophen -- which is easier on the stomach than such painkillers as aspirin and ibuprofen -- can cause such injury. The dangers from use or abuse of Vicodin and Percocet may be even more concerning, one key panelist said.
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- Anti-Smoking Drugs Get FDA 'Black-Box' Warning: Reports link Chantix and Zyban to risk of psychiatric side effects, including suicidal thoughts
The agency's review found that some people who used Chantix (varenicline) and Zyban (bupropion) experienced unusual changes in behavior, became depressed, or had their depression worsen and had thoughts of suicide or dying, the FDA said. Dr. Curt Rosebraugh said there were reports of 98 suicides and 188 suicide attempts involving Chantix, and 14 suicides and 17 attempts reported with Zyban. For many users, the problems started soon after they began taking the drugs and ended when they stopped taking them. Some users, however, continued to have symptoms even after stopping the drugs. In a few cases, the problems started after the drugs were stopped, Rosebraugh said.
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- The More Alcohol Men Drink, The More Time They Spend In A Hospital: Heavy drinkers were affected most, but link holds for even mild use, study finds
A unit of alcohol, or an average drink, was considered to be half a pint of beer (about a cup) or a 4-ounce glass of wine, for example, according to the study. Men who drank more than 22 units of alcohol a week had a 20 percent higher hospital admission rate than non-drinkers, the study found. Even relatively low levels of alcohol consumption were associated with a higher number of days spent in the hospital, the researchers found. Drinkers of eight or more units of alcohol a week were hospitalized more days than non-drinkers, and the length of stay increased as weekly consumption of alcohol went up. The heaviest drinkers spent 58 percent longer in a hospital than non-drinkers, according to the study.
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- Smoking May Trigger Brain Damage: Compound in tobacco causes attack on healthy cells, study finds
The scientists found that a compound in tobacco triggers white blood cells in the central nervous system to attack healthy cells, resulting in severe neurological damage. The compound, NNK, doesn't cause direct harm to brain cells, but appears to cause neuroinflammation that leads to disorders such as multiple sclerosis. This demonstrates that NNK triggers an exaggerated response from the brain's immune cells, called microglia. Normally, microglia cells attack damaged or unhealthy cells, but when provoked by NNK, they attack healthy brain cells, the researchers added. Since NNK is present in all tobacco products, it can also enter the body by chewing, the researchers noted. Secondhand smoke also contains high levels of NNK and can have a harmful effect on the brain, they said.
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- Low Blood Sugar in Hospital Tied to Higher Death Risk for Diabetics: Hypoglycemia likely a sign of additional illness, suggest experts
Being a diabetic and having just one episode of low blood sugar during a hospital stay was associated with a significantly increased risk of dying, both in the hospital and up to a year later, new research shows. Each additional day with a hypoglycemic episode was associated with an 85 percent increase in the risk of death while hospitalized. The study also found a 66 percent increased mortality risk for one year following discharge in patients who'd had hypoglycemia. "If patients develop low blood sugar, they should be closely monitored for clinical deterioration," said Dr. Alexander Turchin. "Keeping blood sugar high doesn't have a benefit, but being too aggressive in lowering it may not be such as a good idea either."
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- Eating Animal Fat May Lead to Pancreatic Cancer : Added risk is tied to red meat and dairy products, study finds
During an average of six years of follow-up, 1,337 people were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Men who consumed the most fat from animal sources had a 53 percent increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer and women had a 23 percent increased risk, compared with men and women who ate the least fat, the study found. In addition, it found that people who ate high amounts of saturated fats had 36 percent higher rates of pancreatic cancer than did those who ate low amounts. Being overweight in your 30s was associated with a 60 percent increased risk for pancreatic cancer, and being obese was associated with a twofold to threefold higher risk, the researchers found.
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- Air Traffic Patterns Predict Swine Flu Spread: H1N1 case rates associated with number of air passengers arriving from Mexico, analysis shows
Countries that received the most airline passengers from Mexico this spring were the most likely to see H1N1 swine flu infection, new research says. From Mexico, nearly 81 percent of air passengers flew to the United States or Canada. The United States received the bulk of passengers from Mexico, with about 1.74 million arrivals, followed by Canada with 149,137 arrivals. Cities receiving the most arrivals from Mexico were Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Miami, Houston and Minneapolis-St. Paul. "The traffic was so strongly correlated with the importation of this disease," Dr. Kamran Khan said. "Where people go, infectious diseases of people will follow."
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- Nonsurgical Treatment May Ease Rotator Cuff Injury: Minimally invasive procedure can significantly reduce pain and restore mobility of the shoulder
During the 20-minute procedure, a radiologist uses ultrasound guidance to inject a saline solution into the rotator cuff to wash the affected area and break up calcium deposits. Compared to patients in the control group, those who received treatment showed a considerable reduction in pain and improved mobility after one month, three months and one year. After five and 10 years, both groups of patients showed similar improvement, the researchers found. "With this treatment, we were able to establish a single inexpensive and effective treatment for calcific tendinitis of the rotator cuff. This has never happened before," said Dr. Luca M. Sconfienza. "This treatment could completely replace other treatments that are affected by several limitations and complications."
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- New Drug Shows Promise for Rheumatoid Arthriitis: Small, early study finds few long-term side effects
A new drug to treat rheumatoid arthritis reduces joint inflammation in severe cases while causing only mild to moderate side effects, according to a report from the first clinical trial of the drug on humans. Masitinib, which is being developed by AB Science pharmaceuticals, is supposed to halt the activity of mast cells, a part of the immune system believed to be involved in the start and progression of rheumatoid arthritis. "We are encouraged from this study that masitinib not only appears to be effective, but that within the first three months of treatment, the worst of its side effects were over, possibly making it suitable for long-term treatment regimens," said Olivier Hermine. The next step will be placebo-controlled trials, he added.
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Health Highlights
**FDA Warns About Salmonella-Tainted Pistachios.
**Undiagnosed Condition Increases Women's Osteoporosis Risk.
**Bayer Threatened With Lawsuit Over Men's Vitamin Claims.
**Trainers Urge Halt to Two-a-Day Football Practices in August.
**Undiagnosed Condition Increases Women's Osteoporosis Risk.
**Bayer Threatened With Lawsuit Over Men's Vitamin Claims.
**Trainers Urge Halt to Two-a-Day Football Practices in August.
**Swine Flu Infections, Deaths Surge In Recent Days.
**Nutrient May Protect Babies' Brains From Alcohol.
**Only Four Shots Needed for Rabies Protection.
**Study Offers Surprise Discovery About Muscle Stem Cells.
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- Nestlé Recalls Cookie Dough Products: Move comes after FDA reports 66 cases of E. coli infection in 28 states
U.S. health officials are warning consumers not to eat any Nestlé Toll House refrigerated cookie dough products because of the risk of E. coli contamination. "Whether eaten or handled (causing cross-contamination), the dough is a danger, especially to the elderly, anyone with a suppressed immune system or pregnant women and should be discarded,"Dr. Philip M. Tierno said. Twenty-five people have been hospitalized, seven with a severe complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome, which can result in kidney damage and even death. The recall includes refrigerated cookie and brownie dough bar, cookie dough tub, cookie dough tubes, seasonal cookie and brownie dough, and Ultimates cookie bar dough. It does not include any other Toll House products, the company said in a news release.
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- Electrocardiogram Blip Signals Heart Trouble: Greater risk of atrial fibrillation, need for pacemaker, early death, study shows
A slight abnormality in an electrocardiogram (EKG), until now thought to be insignificant, can be a warning sign of future cardiac problems and an increased risk of early death, a new study indicates. Lengthening of what is called the PR interval, the right-hand portion of the jagged blip that records electrical activity as the heart contracts and expands, was associated with a doubled risk of developing the abnormal heartbeat called atrial fibrillation, three times the risk of needing a pacemaker, and one-and-a-half times the risk of early death. "Historically, this has been viewed as benign," said study senior author Dr. Thomas Wang.
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- Quick Angioplasty Best After Heart Attacks: Canadian study shows better survival when compared to those who got clot-busting treatment
A new Canadian study adds compelling support for current recommendations that people who first get clot-dissolving treatment for heart attacks should have artery-opening angioplasty as soon as possible afterward. "The original recommendation was based on a limited number of trials. This is the largest trial done to date looking at the strategy of doing angioplasty routinely after fibrinolysis [clot-dissolving therapy]. It confirms that it is a safe approach with no increase in major bleeding, and that patients do better when they undergo angioplasty," said Dr. Warren J. Cantor. The study shows that angioplasty should be done within six hours, Cantor said.
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- New Cancer Drug Fights Tumors in Those With BRCA Mutations: Olaparib prevents malignant cells from repairing themselves, researchers say
A new cancer drug called olaparib worked well in an early clinical trial against breast, ovarian and prostate cancers in individuals who were genetically vulnerable to developing these malignancies. Olaparib works differently than other cancer drugs in that it blocks Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), a protein involved in DNA repair. Healthy cells use PARP to repair themselves, but cancer cells do the same, the scientists explained. "This is an entirely new class of drugs," said Dr. J. Dirk Iglehart. When you disable PARP, you prevent the cell from repairing itself, he said, and cancer cells that are deficient in BRCA are much more sensitive to this effect. "When you inhibit PARP, they can't stand it," Iglehart explained.
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- Chemicals in Marijuana Smoke May Harm DNA: Lab tests find cannabis even more toxic than tobacco
The smoke from cannabis, the plant from which marijuana is derived, contains compounds that can damage DNA and increase the risk of cancer just like tobacco smoke, says a new study. In laboratory tests, Rajinder Singh from the University of Leicester and colleagues found certain carcinogens in cannabis smoke in amounts 50 percent greater than those found in tobacco smoke. They noted that light cannabis use could possibly prove to be even more damaging because cannabis smokers usually inhale more deeply than cigarette smokers. "The smoking of three to four cannabis cigarettes a day is associated with the same degree of damage to bronchial mucus membranes as 20 or more tobacco cigarettes a day," the researchers noted.
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Health Highlights
**Medtronic Recalls 21,000 Pacemakers.
**Frozen Chicken Has Undeclared Allergens.
**Maker Pushed Zyprexa for Dementia, Without Evidence.
**Injected Ibuprofen Gets FDA Approval.
**Weight Loss Surgery Increases Fracture Risk.
**Breast-Feeding May Improve Academic Achievement.
**FDA Experts Recommend Gout Drug's Approval Despite Serious Adverse Effects.
**No Proof Anti-Aging Hormones Effective: AMA.
**FDA Targets Bogus Treatments for H1N1 Swine Flu.
**Experts Challenge Benefits of Moderate Alcohol Consumption.
**Chopping Before Cooking Cuts Carrot's Cancer-Fighting Power.
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- ADHD Drugs Linked to Sudden Death in Kids: But these unexplained events are exceedingly rare, study finds
"What we found -- to our surprise -- is that even if you take out confounding factors, the association between stimulant use and sudden death was still significant," said Madelyn Gould. "I'm confident the association is real and significant, but it's very rare. I don't want our findings to change prescribing patterns or for a parent to change their willingness to use stimulant medications if they're called for, but physicians should monitor patients with any new medication they give a young person." If your child has been on stimulants for awhile, there's probably no need for concern, Gould said. Parents should not abruptly stop their child's medications, the three experts agreed. If you are worried, call the prescribing doctor and discuss the potential risks and benefits of the medications, because often the benefits will outweigh the risks.
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- Asthma Drugs Get 'Precaution' Labeling for Possible Psychiatric Side Effects: FDA says users of Singulair and similar meds should watch for such problems
The drugs in question include the blockbuster medication Singulair (montelukast), as well as Accolate (zafirlukast). Zyflo and Zyflo CR (zileuton), drugs in a class known as leukotriene synthesis inhibitors, are also included in the labeling change. "The reported neuropsychiatric events include post market cases of agitation, aggression, anxiousness, dream abnormalities and hallucinations, depression, insomnia, irritability, restlessness, suicidal thinking and behavior [including suicide], and tremor," the agency said. In its advice to patients, the FDA said that patients taking these medications should be aware of the potential hazard and talk to their doctor if some sort of neuropsychiatric problem occurs. Doctors may then decide to discontinue the medication, the agency said.
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- FDA Issues Warning for Over-the-Counter Cold Remedy: Zicam nasal products can cause loss of smell, officials stress
The specific products contained in the warning include Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Gel, Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Swabs, and Zicam Cold Remedy Swabs Kids' Size. "The loss of the sense of smell is potentially life-threatening and may be permanent," Dr. Charles E. Lee said. "People without the sense may not be able to detect dangerous situations such as gas leaks, something burning in the house, or if food is spoiled before eating it. It also has a life-limiting effect, and can affect the livelihood of people in occupations where the sense of smell or taste is a crucial component."
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- Sepsis Treatment Offers Lifesaving Potential: Blood-cleansing therapy used in Japan warrants further study: researchers
A device designed to filter bacteria-produced toxins from the blood of patients with severe sepsis or septic shock appears to improve blood circulation and organ function and lower the risk of death, a preliminary study suggests. Italian researchers tested whether using a polymyxin B fiber column -- an antibiotic-based hemoperfusion device -- with conventional therapy would improve patient outcomes. Polymyxin B is an antibiotic, and hemoperfusion is blood filtering to remove toxins. After 28 days, the death rate was 32 percent in the polymyxin B hemoperfusion group and 53 percent in the group that received conventional therapy alone. The therapy used in this study is common in Japan, but not in the United States.
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- Heart Damage After Vascular Surgery Raises Death Risks:
Screening is urged because many people have no symptoms, researchers say
People who suffer heart damage after vascular surgery face a higher risk of dying within the next few years, even if they show no symptoms of heart problems, a new study has found. Lack of symptoms is common, according to the researchers. "It is estimated that one out of five patients undergoing major vascular surgery suffers cardiac damage around the time of the operation if patients are appropriately screened in the first week after surgery," Dr. Olaf Schouten added. After adjusting for the type of surgery and known risk factors such as diabetes, heart failure and heart attacks, people with cardiac damage had more than twice the risk of dying in the years shortly after surgery.
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- Psoriasis Raises Risk of Heart Attack, Stroke, Death: Inflammation looks like common thread, researcher says
The research found a 78 percent higher incidence of heart disease, a 70 percent higher incidence of stroke and a 98 percent higher incidence of peripheral arterial disease (blockage of arteries in the legs) in the psoriasis group. The overall death rate for those with psoriasis was 86 percent higher than for those without the disease. The risk appears to stem from the chronic inflammation associated with psoriasis, said Dr. Robert S. Kirsner. "This systemic inflammation causes damage to blood vessels, leading to increased risk," he said. The medical lesson of the study is that "it is critical for people who have psoriasis to understand their increased risk and have their other risk factors addressed," he said.
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- New Anticoagulant Pill Works Well in Trial: Lower doses safe and effective after heart attack and stroke
The new anti-clotting pill rivaroxaban (Xarelto) lowers the risk of stroke, heart attack and death in patients who have had a heart attack or suffer from unstable angina, a new trial shows. There was an increase in bleeding episodes with rivaroxaban. Over six months, the researchers found that risk increased with dosage. However, patients receiving rivaroxaban had a 21 percent reduction in heart attacks, strokes, ischemic events and deaths compared with patients taking placebo. For heart attack, stroke and death alone, the risk was reduced by 31 percent compared with placebo, the researchers found. Dr. Richard C. Becker said this study is another step in the search for an anti-clotting drug to replace warfarin for many patients.
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- Cornflakes, White Bread Could Boost Heart Risk: 'High-glycemic' carbs like these hamper blood vessel function, study shows
Eating a diet rich in carbohydrates that boost blood sugar levels -- foods such as cornflakes or white bread -- may hamper the functioning of your blood vessels and raise your risk of developing cardiovascular disease, a new study suggests. Low-glycemic index foods include oatmeal, most fruits and vegetables, legumes and nuts. White bread, cornflakes and instant potatoes are high-glycemic indexes. The higher the glycemic index, the more that food raises blood sugar levels. "The main take-home message is that high-glycemic index carbs are dangerous since they reduce or inhibit endothelial function, which is the 'risk of the risk factors,' leading to atherosclerosis and potentially leading to heart disease," Dr. Michael Shechter said.
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- Torn Surgical Gloves Put Patients at Risk for Infection: Giving antibiotics before operation might improve safety, study finds
Sterile gloves worn by surgical staff can be perforated by needles, bone fragments and sharp surgical instruments. In surgeries where antibiotics were used, glove perforation wasn't associated with surgical site infection. Among patients who didn't receive antibiotics, surgical site infection rates were 12.7 percent when glove perforation occurred and 2.9 percent when there was no glove perforation. "The advantages of this surgical site infection prevention strategy, however, must be balanced against the costs and adverse effects of the prophylactic antimicrobials, such as drug reactions or increased bacterial resistance," Dr. Heidi Misteli and colleagues concluded. The study authors noted that procedures to reduce the risk of glove perforation -- such as double gloving and replacing gloves more frequently --are effective and safe and should be encouraged.
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Health Highlights
**FDA: Don't Use Clarcon Skin Products.
**Controversial Chelation Study Enrolling New Participants.
**Diabetes Screenings Could Lower Medical Costs.
**Infection-Control Programs Suffering, Hospitals Report.
**Cancer Patients Still Taking Antioxidant Supplements Despite Concerns.
**Kids and Concussions: Guidelines Stir Controversy.
**Gum Disease Care Helps Arthritis.
**Puerto Rico Has High HIV Infection Rate.
**Big Differences Among States in Drug Abuse, Mental Illness.
**EPA Investigating Safety of Rubber Playgrounds, Sports Fields.
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- Some OTC Sleep, Cold Meds Could Harm Aging Brain: Drugs containing benadryl linked to slowed thinking, delirium, and risk of developing Alzheimer's Disease in elderly
These drugs include Benadryl, Dramamine, Excedrin PM, Nytol, Sominex, Tylenol PM and Unisom. All of these over-the-counter (OTC) drugs contain benadryl (diphenhydramine), a molecule that blocks the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. "Any OTC medication with the term 'PM' will indicate the presence of benadryl, which is bad for the brain," Dr. Malaz Boustani concluded. He noted that the effects of benadryl can add up, so the more medications you take that contain benadryl the worse it may be for cognition. "There is a relationship with the number of medications and the burden on your aging brain," the researcher said. In addition, taking these medications for 90 days or more may triple your risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, Boustani said.
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- Studies Report More Harmful Effects From BPA: Chemical in plastics may hurt heart and fertility, researchers say
More potentially harmful health effects have been discovered for the chemical bisphenol A, found in clear plastic bottles and other everyday items, according to several new animal studies. Not only are humans probably being exposed to generally unsafe levels of BPA, as the chemical is commonly called, but it could be causing arrhythmias, or irregular heartbeats, research shows. That could be especially problematic for women, who may be at higher risk for this type of cardiac threat. In addition, other researchers say that they have found the mechanism by which BPA, a synthetic hormone with estrogen-like properties, might affect later fertility of babies whose mothers were exposed to the chemical.
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- WHO Readies to Declare Swine Flu Pandemic: Emergency meeting on Thursday may be last step, health officials say
The World Health Organization was set on Thursday to declare the first influenza pandemic since 1968, due to the H1N1 virus' rapid spread in North America, Australia, South America, Europe and regions beyond, health officials said. According to the latest WHO data, there are now 27,737 reported cases of swine flu infection across 74 countries, including 141 deaths. That includes 13,217 cases and 27 deaths reported as of last Friday in the United States by officials at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While the vast majority of infections and deaths have occurred in Mexico (the source of the outbreak) and the United States, person-to-person transmission in now being reported in Australia and Chile, as well as Great Britain, Spain and Japan, according to published reports.
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- Longer Hormone Treatment May Improve Prostate Cancer Outlook: European and U.S. studies find similar results
Men with moderately advanced prostate cancer who get hormone-blocking drugs after radiation therapy do better when the drug treatment is continued for two or more years after an initial six-month regimen, a European study has found. The results pretty much mirror those of a similar American trial reported in May, said Dr. Eric M. Horwitz. "We have long believed that longer-term hormone therapy is the standard of care," Horwitz said. "These studies support that belief." The results apply to men whose cancer shows signs of growth but has not spread beyond the prostate gland -- perhaps a quarter of all cases of prostate cancer, Horwitz said.
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- New Diabetes Drug Shows Promise in Trial: Liraglutide mimics effects of a natural hormone, researchers say
In the new phase III trial -- usually the last kind done before marketing approval is sought -- injecting liraglutide once daily showed greater benefits in terms of blood sugar control and appeared to be easier on patients than Byetta, which is injected twice a day. Patients taking liraglutide also lost more weight during the 26-week trial than those taking Byetta. "The results suggest that liraglutide might be a treatment option for type 2 diabetes, especially when weight loss and risk of hypoglycemia are major considerations," wrote a team led by Dr. John Buse.
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Health Highlights
**FDA to Review BPA-Safety Decision.
**Where Eating Will Kill Your Diet: Restaurant Awards.
**Curry May Protect Against Alzheimer's.
**FDA Approves First Cancer Drug for Dogs.
**FDA to Warn of Antidepressants' Impact on Tamoxifen.
**Experts Concerned About Popularity of Electronic Cigarettes.
**FDA Approves Reclast Use Once Every Two Years.
**Low Glycogen Linked to Drinking-Related Violence.
**Malaria Showing Signs of Drug Resistance.
**Deadly New Virus Identified in Africa.
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- Sedatives Greatly Increase Suicide Risk Among Elderly: Doctors should carefully screen older patients before prescribing, researcher says
In their study, hypnotic medication also was linked with a greater likelihood of suicides in older people. "Sedative treatment was associated with an almost 14-fold increase of suicide risk in the crude analysis and remained an independent risk factor for suicide even after adjustment for the presence of mental disorders," wrote Anders Carlsten. The drugs may increase suicide risk in the elderly by triggering aggressive or impulsive behavior, or by providing the means to take an overdose, the researchers said. It's also possible that sedatives may merely be markers for other factors related to suicide. However, given the extremely high prescription rates for these drugs, a careful evaluation of the suicide risk should always precede prescribing a sedative or hypnotic to an elderly individual," Carlsten said.
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- Mini-Stroke Can Mean Major One Within Hours: If full-blown stroke occurs, it often comes within a day, study shows
About half the people who have a major stroke soon after a less serious brain event, such as a transient ischemic attack or "mini-stroke," do so within 24 hours of the minor event. The message here for people who have a TIA is to "seek medical attention immediately, particularly if you have either weakness or speech disturbance that lasts more than 10 minutes," said Dr. Peter M. Rothwell. "Don't wait until the next day -- it may be too late," he said. "For the emergency department, TIA patients should not be sent right home but should be kept for observation and tested,"Dr. Howard S. Kirshner said. "They can be sent home if the tests are negative and they already are started on a secondary stroke prevention regimen."
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- Window for Stroke Treatment Opens Wider: Clot-busting drug found effective 4.5 hours after symptoms begin
A new analysis showing that a potent clot-dissolving drug can safely be used to treat strokes four-and-a-half hours after symptoms begin has prompted a change in a current recommendation, which set a three-hour deadline for the medication's use. The review of 1,622 cases of people treated with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) in four separate studies finds that the benefit in keeping brain cells alive outweighs the risk of brain-damaging bleeding when the drug is given up to 4.5 hours after first symptoms. But tPA should not be used beyond the three-hour limit in a number of cases, the advisory committee said -- people aged 80 and older, those having a severe stroke, those with a history of stroke and diabetes and those taking clot-preventing drugs such as Coumadin. "Time lost is brain lost," Dr. Jeffrey L. Saver said. "Every minute, 2 million neurons die.
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- FDA Report Urges Tougher Acetaminophen Warning: The risk of overdose, and potential liver damage, is still too high, agency says
A new agency report that calls for stronger warnings, better consumer education, and limits on doses for both prescription acetaminophen and over-the-counter acetaminophen, best known as Tylenol. Part of the problem is that severe liver damage can result from a lack of consumer awareness that acetaminophen can cause such injury. Also, many people may take more than the recommended dose of over-the-counter pain relievers in the mistaken belief that taking more will be more effective against pain without posing health risks. And consumers may not know that acetaminophen is present in many over-the-counter products, including remedies for colds, headaches and fevers, making it possible to exceed the recommended acetaminophen dose.
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- Stimulant Chewing Gum Can Be Dangerous for Kids: Case report details how two packs sent 13-year-old to hospital
Stimulant chewing gum can be dangerous if used excessively by children and teens, warn doctors who wrote a case report about a teenage boy who was hospitalized after chewing a large amount of the caffeine-containing gum. The use of stimulant chewing gum should be considered in cases of caffeine intoxication. The risk of intoxication is high in children and teenagers in view of general caffeine-naivety, and the unrestricted sale of these substances," the authors concluded.
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- Chemo Alone Is Best for Advanced Colon Cancer: Better drugs have rendered surgery unnecessary in most cases, study finds
Surgery is no longer the best treatment option for most patients with advanced colorectal cancer that has spread to other organs, a new study suggests. Immediate colon resection (surgical removal) following diagnosis of stage IV metastatic colorectal cancer had previously been the standard procedure, followed by chemotherapy several weeks after the operation. However, "if the colon tumor is not causing obstruction, perforation or bleeding, we've found these patients are best treated with chemotherapy. By moving straight to chemotherapy, patients can avoid the risk of surgical complications and can start treatment for all sites of disease without delay," said study author Philip Paty. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States.
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- Drug Combo Proves Powerful Against Lung Cancer: Study finds better outcome for advanced non-small cell malignancies
A two-drug combination treatment proved successful in safely slowing advanced non-small cell lung cancer in a recent clinical trial. In the study, a phase 3 trial involving 768 people with the disease, those who had erlotinib (Tarceva) added to their dose of the bevacizumab (Avastin) saw the progression of the disease slow more than if on bevacizumab alone. People on the combo therapy tolerated the drugs well and survived an average of 4.8 months before the disease grew worse, compared with 3.7 months for those on bevacizumab alone. Knowing which patients will get the greatest benefit from this combination, based on the identification of biomarkers, will be an important next step in this research," said Dr. Vincent Miller.
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- Two Drugs Safe for Rare Forms of Kidney Cancer: Early trial suggests efficacy against malignancies that don't respond to other drugs
Using a combination of the drugs temsirolimus (Torisel) and Bryostatin appears to be safe in patients with metastatic kidney cancer, according to early data from 25 patients in a phase 1 trial. The early data suggests the drugs may be active in patients with rare forms of renal cell cancer that are less likely to respond to other therapies. "Patients with non-clear cell renal cell cancer, including papillary renal cancer, don't respond as well to tyrosine kinase inhibitors, such as sunitinib [Sutent] and sorafenib [Nexavar], as patients with clear cell renal cell. So there is an unmet need for therapy for these patients. We've seen that this combination may be active to some degree for them," Dr. Elizabeth Plimack said.
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- Heart Drug Combos Raise Risk of Gastrointestinal Bleeding: Specialists should consider risks vs. benefits, researcher says
The combinations include anticoagulant-antiplatelet (ACAP), aspirin-antiplatelet (ASAP), aspirin-anticoagulant (ASAC) or TRIP (aspirin-anticoagulant-antiplatelet). Patients prescribed ASAP and ASAC drug combinations were two and a half times more likely to suffer an upper gastrointestinal event than those not taking the drugs. The fewest upper GI problems occurred among people taking ACAP. The greatest risk came from TRIP, which correlated with a fourfold increased risk of an upper GI event. Younger patients -- those between 60 and 69 years old -- were at the highest risk. That age group was most likely to take the TRIP drug-combo because of a likelier history of ischemic heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and peripheral artery disease.
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- Two Drugs Better Than One for Crohn's Patients: Remission rates higher with combination therapy, study finds
Crohn's disease patients who received a combination of the drugs infliximab (Remicade) and azathioprine (Azasan) were more likely to have the disease go into steroid-free remission than those who received only one of the drugs, researchers say. After 50 weeks, 72.2 percent of patients who'd received the infliximab/azathioprine drug combination were in steroid-free remission, compared to 60.8 percent who'd received infliximab alone and 54.7 percent who had taken azathioprine alone.
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- TV Interferes With Infants' Language Development: More time watching the tube means less time learning to speak, researchers say
Television reduces verbal interaction between parents and infants, which could delay children's language development, says a U.S. study that challenges claims that certain infant-targeted DVDs actually benefit youngsters. "Given the critical role that adult caregivers play in children's linguistic development, whether they talk to their child while the screen is on may be critical and explain the effects that are attributed to content or even amount of television watched," the team wrote. "That is, whether parents talk less (or not at all) during some types of programs or at some times of the day may be as important in this age group as what is being watched."
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Health Highlights
**No Decline in Pregnant Women's Alcohol Use: CDC.
**Japanese Women Have Longest Life Expectancy: WHO.
**Costly Hospital Care Doesn't Guarantee Better-Quality Care: Study.
**Court Rules 'Light' Cigarettes Duped Smokers.
**BPA From Bottles Shows Up in Urine: Study.
**Illinois Company Recalls Ground Beef.
**FDA Issues TV Drug Ad Guidelines.
**Test for Early Alzheimer's Moving Forward.
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- Advanced Prostate Cancer Deadlier in Younger Men: Patients under 44 were three times more likely to die, study finds
"Overall, young men with prostate cancer do quite well, although the young men that have more advanced prostate cancers did substantially worse than old men with similar forms of the disease," said Dr. Daniel W. Lin. "Really young men, those 35 to 44, have worse cancers," Freedland said. "This is not a group of men where we typically screen for prostate cancer. The percentage of metastatic disease is higher than for any other group. This is a failure of early diagnosis." So for physicians treating prostate cancer, "our message is that younger men with high-grade cancers do very poorly, and when you find one, be aware that it should be treated aggressively and with experimental methods if necessary," Lin said.
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- Drug May Lessen Amputation Risk for Diabetics: Researchers suggest that findings could alter treatment methods
The risk of a first amputation was 36 percent lower among people taking fenofibrate than those taking the placebo. The study also found that people in the fenofibrate group had a 47 percent lower risk of amputations below the ankle and without large-vessel disease in the amputated limb. Height was found to be a major predictor of amputations, with a 1.6-fold increase for every additional 10 centimeters in height. "These findings could lead to a change in standard treatment for the prevention of diabetes-related lower-limb amputations," they concluded, adding that the results "showed a reduction in amputation rates that seemed to emerge after just 1.5 years of fenofibrate use."
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- Strict Blood Sugar Control Lowers Heart Risks in Diabetics: It prevents many complications of chronic disease, experts say
Diabetics who strictly control their blood sugar levels also reduce their risk of heart attack and cardiovascular disease, British researchers report. The implications are enormous, Dr. Kausik Ray said. "There have been claims recently by doctors that lowering glucose to less than 7 percent could be harmful. We disprove that in the largest study to date," he said. Those whose blood sugar was strictly controlled saw a 17 percent reduction in non-fatal heart attacks, and a 15 percent reduction in events associated with heart disease, the researchers found. Another report found that pregnant women who develop gestational diabetes have a seven-and-a-half times increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes after giving birth.
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- Low Vitamin D Levels May Initiate Cancer Development: Study suggests loss of communication among cells tied to this nutritional deficit
"The first event in cancer is loss of communication among cells due to, among other things, low vitamin D and calcium levels," said Cedric Garland. Garland and colleagues developed a scientific model that suggests "this loss may play a key role in cancer by disrupting the communication between cells that is essential to healthy cell turnover, allowing more aggressive cancer cells to take over." Maintaining adequate levels of vitamin D may help stop cancer development, Garland suggested. He noted that appropriate vitamin D levels can be restored and maintained through diet and supplements. Garland recommended that people get their vitamin D levels tested during annual check-ups.
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- Vitamin D May Help Keep Aging at Bay: Researchers speculate that brain might benefit from supplements
The study authors found that high circulating vitamin D levels were associated with high scores on memory and information-processing tests, while low vitamin D levels were associated with poor scores. The exact link between circulating vitamin D levels and mental agility isn't clear, but it's possible that vitamin D increases certain hormonal activity or protects neurons and chemical-signaling pathways, according to the researchers. If vitamin D supplements can help reduce the effects of aging on the brain, the health implications could be significant because many people, particularly the elderly, are vitamin D-deficient, the researchers pointed out.
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- Statins Can Help Prevent Second Stroke: New study strengthens prior research on the cholesterol-lowering drugs
The 10-year study of nearly 800 people who had strokes found a 35 percent lower incidence of second strokes and a 57 percent lower death rate among those who took statins compared to those who didn't. But Dr. Sotirios Giannopolous stressed that the cholesterol-lowering activity of a statin may not be the prime cause of related reductions in stroke. "Statins have anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects," he said, "and [they] also prevent blood clotting and stabilize plaque in the arteries. So, one of these mechanisms may help to prevent recurrent stroke."
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Health Highlights
**Green Tea Chemical Thwarts HIV Transmission.
**New MRSA Strain Can Be Lethal to Flu Patients.
**Federal, State Governments Join Lawsuits Against Wyeth.
**Little Progress Made in Preventing Medical Errors.
**More Americans Pro-Life: Survey.
**Injectable Risperdal Approved for Bipolar Disorder.
**Later Retirement May Delay Dementia.
**Lower-Tar Cigarettes May Increase Risk of Type of Lung Cancer.
**U.S. Prescription Drug Use Falls for 1st Time in Decade.
**CDC Offers Tips to Prevent Summer Pool Chemical Injuries.
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- Immune Therapy May Aid Kids With Neuroblastoma: Researchers praise new treatment for deadly cancer
The new immune-based treatment -- called chimeric anti-GD2 antibody ch14.18 -- targets a key sugar-and-fat molecule lying on neuroblastoma cells called GD2. Left alone, the molecule inhibits the immune system from attacking the cancer cells. But the new antibody binds to GD2, encouraging such attacks, the researchers explained. After two years, the number of participants who had survived without a relapse reached 66 percent in the immunotherapy groups, compared with 46 percent among those who did not get the new treatment. Overall survival after two years reached 86 percent in the immunotherapy cohort and 75 percent among those who got standard treatment.
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- Study Reiterates Eye Risks Linked to Flomax: Men should be aware of dangers if taking prostate drug, experts say
Men taking Flomax to treat an enlarged prostate face more than double the risk for serious complications should they need cataract surgery. The problems were not found to the same extent among men taking other alpha-blockers, said the lead researcher, Dr. Chaim M. Bell. Whether stopping the drug before cataract surgery would reduce the risk of complications is not clear, he said. But before taking Flomax, people should be made aware of the risks, including the risk associated with cataract surgery, Dr. Chaim M. Bell said. In addition, he said, surgeons need to know if a patient is taking Flomax so that the procedure can be adjusted to take the risks into account. "A better system needs to be in place to better identify patients taking Flomax so that surgeons can best prepare during the operation," he said.
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- Risk to Baby Rises With Repeat C-Sections: Procedure doubles odds for intensive care compared to vaginal birth newborns, researchers say
Babies delivered by elective, repeat cesarean section delivery are nearly twice as likely to be admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) than those born vaginally after the mother has previously had a c-section, a new study finds. These c-section babies are also more likely to have breathing problems requiring supplemental oxygen, the researchers say. "The decision to have your first c-section is very important," he said. "There should be a clear medical indication [because] your first may dictate subsequent [delivery methods]," said Dr. Alan Fleischman. Women also need to know that vaginal delivery is possible for many women who have already undergone a c-section, Fleischman said. Some hospitals do not allow vaginal delivery after a prior c-section, so he suggested finding out early what a hospital's policy is.
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- Drug Combo Keeps Kidney Artery-Vein Grafts Viable: Aspirin plus anti-clotting therapy boosts dialysis patients' quality of life, study says
A combination of aspirin and the anti-clotting drug dipyridamole reduces blockages and extends the useful life of new artery-vein access grafts used for kidney dialysis, new research has found. "Our trial results show that we now have a drug therapy that significantly prolongs the viability of AV grafts. This is an important step forward as we proceed to develop therapies to improve dialysis patients' quality of life," said lead author Dr. Bradley S. Dixon. The researchers found that the combination treatment decreased the rate of loss of primary unassisted graft patency (the useful life of a graft before it's blocked for the first time) by 18 percent and the rate of developing significant stenosis by 28 percent.
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- New Spray Could Benefit Cystic Fibrosis Patients: Airways remained clear and moist in studies, researcher says
A new aerosol spray may help keep the airways of cystic fibrosis patients moist and clear, researchers say. In cystic fibrosis, a genetic defect causes the airway to absorb sodium, and therefore moisture, too quickly. When the airway is too dry, the body can't clear mucus, a key defense mechanism of the respiratory system, Andrew Hirsh said. This deficiency can cause cystic fibrosis patients to have chronic respiratory infection and impaired lung function, he explained. "The potency and the length of time that the drug was effective in cells and in animal studies was an outstanding feature that distinguishes this compound from other agents," he said.
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- An Aid to Tailoring Prostate Cancer Treatment: Study identifies factors to help decide how aggressive therapy should be
Four risk factors that can help predict how long men could survive with metastatic prostate cancer have been identified by researchers from the Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center, who say such information would help doctors individualize treatments. "There is a need for identification of accurate and simple-to-use prognostic factors for men with prostate cancer that has spread beyond the prostate," said Andrew Armstrong. The researchers found four risk factors that predicted how well someone would respond to treatment: The presence of cancer-related pain; Anemia; How extensively the cancer has spread to other organs; and The progression of cancer in bone.
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- Glucose Control Pays Long-Term Benefits for Diabetics: Analysis shows even small improvements may prevent eye, kidney and nerve damage
For diabetics, the key to managing their disease is keeping their blood glucose levels at a normal, low level. But new studies show just how important this is when it comes to avoiding the complications of the disease, which can include eye, kidney and nerve damage. "Our results show that the risk of complications 10 to 15 years after the start of treatment probably decreases significantly following even small improvements in blood glucose control," said physician Marcus Lind. "If the treatment of all Swedish diabetes patients could be even slightly improved, we believe that tens of thousands of cases of injuries to the eyes, kidneys, heart, nerves and brain could be prevented."
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- New Insights Show Ginseng Fights Inflammation
Scientists spot anti-inflammatory components in the traditional remedy
Ginseng has been used in medicine for centuries, and now its reputation for improving health is expanding: A new study has found that the herb, which is used in traditional Chinese and other Asian medicine, fights inflammation. The NIH notes that traditional and modern uses of ginseng include: Improving the health of people who are recovering from an illness; Increasing a person's sense of well-being and stamina, and improving both mental and physical performance; Treating erectile dysfunction, hepatitis C and symptoms related to menopause; and Lowering blood glucose and controlling blood pressure.
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Health Highlights
**Kids' Face Paint Product May Be Contaminated, FDA Warns.
**Medicare Says It Won't Pay for Virtual Colonoscopies.
**Many Americans Struggling to Control Diabetes.
**Lawsuit Challenges Practice of Gene Patenting.
**FDA Probes 2 Delaware Deaths That May Be Linked to Heparin.
**FDA Challenges Cheerios Health Claims: General Mills quick to respond that the science of its claims is not in question.
**Cervarix Induces Stronger Immune Response Than Gardasil.
**West Nile Test Produced False-Positive Results.
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- FDA Orders Label Warning for Testosterone Gels: Men who use the medications must be sure none rubs off on children, agency says
Accidental pediatric exposures to the gels can occur when the "consumer forgets to wash their hands or forgets to cover a treated area, and then has close contact with the child, or may have not waited for their skin to dry and then picks up a child," said Dr. Dianne Murphy. Over time, these exposures can lead to premature and/or abnormal development of male characteristics in both boys and girls, the FDA said. The two affected prescription medications are AndroGel 1%, made by Solvay Pharmaceuticals, and Testim 1%, made by Auxilium Pharmaceuticals. These are currently the only topical gel drugs approved by the FDA to address an insufficient or total lack of testosterone production among men. And they added that women should not use either gel even though about 25,000 of the AndroGel prescriptions in 2007 were dispensed to women.
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- Older Women With Early-Stage Breast Cancer Do Better After Standard Chemotherapy Than They Do With The Oral Drug Capecitabine (Xeloda)
Women taking capecitabine were roughly twice as likely to have a relapse of their cancer or die, the researchers found. Three years after treatment, 85 percent of women who received standard chemotherapy were alive and cancer-free compared with 68 percent of the women who received capecitabine, the team found. "This is a critical trial for two reasons," Dr. Nancy Davidson said. "It demonstrates that properly selected older women, who comprise the vast majority of patients with breast cancer, can benefit from state of the art chemotherapy just as younger women do. Thus, age alone should not be a reason to withhold chemotherapy," she said. "It also demonstrates, yet again, that multi-agent chemotherapy gives better results than single agent chemotherapy for early breast cancer," Davidson said.
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- Too-Low Blood Pressure Can Also Bring Danger: What's OK for the kidney and brain may not be best for the heart, expert says
While too-high blood pressure is a clear hazard for most people, too-low pressure can apparently be a threat in some cases as well. When the results were in, the lowest rate of deaths and major coronary problems such as heart disease was seen not in the participants with the lowest blood pressure but in those slightly to the right on the curve, with a reading of 139.9 for systolic pressure (the reading when the heart contracts) and 79.2 for diastolic pressure. "If you treat people with coronary artery disease for hypertension, you don't want to go too low, to diastolic pressure below about 70," said Dr. Alan H. Gradman. "That's the take-home message here."
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- New Guidelines Recommend Opioids for Seniors' Pain: NSAID use for persistent aches needs to be curbed, Geriatrics Society says
The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or cox-2 inhibitors to treat persistent pain in seniors should be drastically reduced. The original guidelines recommended the use of over-the-counter or prescription NSAIDs and cox-2 inhibitors such as aspirin or ibuprofen before seniors were prescribed an opioid drug to treat persistent pain. But this is a risky strategy in older patients, because the cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and other risks posed by the drugs often outweigh the benefits, the authors of the new guidelines said. They said NSAIDs and cox-2 inhibitors should be used rarely, and with extreme caution, in highly selected patients.
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- Early Exercise Boosts Outcomes for ICU Patients: Interrupting sedation for daily physiotherapy led to better post-discharge function, study finds
The team tracked patients after discharge for signs of "independent functional status" -- the ability to walk unaided and carry out six tasks of daily living. According to the Chicago researchers, 59 percent of those who got the early exercise achieved that functional milestone over four weeks of follow-up, compared to 35 percent in the standard care group. Early physical therapy also cut the rate of delirium episodes in half and reduced the number of days in which patients required a ventilator. Weakness and neuropsychiatric disease are often complications of the immobilization caused by long-term sedation in the ICU.
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- 3-Drug Combo Reduces Nausea After Chemo: Study finds adding casopitant mesylate to regimen cuts side effects
The addition of the drug casopitant mesylate (CM) to the conventional two-drug regimen of dexamethasone and ondansetron greatly reduces chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) in patients undergoing highly emetogenic chemotherapy (HEC), a new study concludes. HEC is used to treat many types of solid tumor cancers, including colorectal and pancreatic cancer. The study found that 86 percent of patients in the single oral CM group and 80 percent of those in the intravenous plus oral CM group achieved a complete response (no vomiting, retching or use of rescue medications) for the first 120 hours after their first cycle of HEC treatment, compared with 66 percent of patients in the placebo group.
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Health Highlights
**Once-Weekly Diabetes Drug Submitted for FDA Approval.
**Zinc/Copper Supplements May Not Curb Diarrhea: Study.
**Secondhand Smoke Lowers Kids' Antioxidant Levels: Study.
**Ranbaxy Announces U.S. Recall of Antibiotic.
**FDA OKs Avastin as Brain Cancer Tumor Treatment.
**FDA Backs Drug That Controls Blood Sugar Via the Brain.
**Workouts Benefit Lung Cancer Patients: Study.
**Seattle Company Recalls Salads.
**Jardine Cribs Recalled Due to Breaking Slats.
**Teen Smokers Have Low Quit Rates: Study.
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- Anemia Drugs May Raise Death Risk in Cancer Patients: Latest findings support recent label warnings for Procrit, Aranesp, experts say
Two new studies provide more evidence that drugs such as Procrit and Aranesp, often used by cancer patients to fight anemia-linked fatigue, may boost the risk of death and serious adverse events such as blood clots. These drugs, called erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs), have also been associated in prior studies with increased risk of heart attack, stroke and tumor growth. Dr. Anthony Reiman said his team is "supporting other groups that are recommending great caution in using these drugs for cancer patients, and in routine circumstances they may not be indicated. We hope the drugs would still be made available for people for whom transfusion isn't a good option -- but those are very limited circumstances." "The message is clear: There is a safety concern that's real and significant," Dr. Charles Bennett said.
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- Irregular Heartbeat During Angioplasty Could Raise Death Risk:
It tripled the 3-month odds among heart attack patients, study found
People treated for heart attack who experience abnormal heart rhythms during artery-opening procedures such as angioplasty may be at increased risk of death. Patients who experienced these cardiac arrhythmias during the procedure had about triple the odds of dying within 90 days as those whose hearts beat normally. Another important finding of the study was that "most deaths occur very early in this population," Dr. Rajendra H. Mehta said. "Most deaths occur in the first 30 days. Most cardiologists now believe that episodes of abnormal heart rhythm during PCI are not important, he added. The new findings could change that attitude.
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- Cholesterol Drugs May Help in Cardiac Emergency: A dose of a statin in time of crisis improved long-term outcomes, study found
The one-year risk of death or major heart problems was more than halved for people suffering life-threatening episodes of acute coronary syndrome who received the drugs, compared to those who didn't, cardiologists at the Na Homolce Hospital in Prague reported. After one year, 10 of the 78 people (about 13 percent) who took the statin had died or suffered a major coronary problem, such as a heart attack or recurrent angina, compared to just under 27 percent (21 of 78) of those who didn't receive the drug. Only about 18 percent of those who received statins had problems requiring hospitalization during the follow-up period, compared to nearly 44 percent of those not taking the medication. The major benefit noted in the Czech study was a nearly two-thirds reduction in angina.
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- Delivering Chemo Directly Into Brain Tumors Shows Promise: Survival times for those with malignant gliomas increased, study found
With the new method, researchers inserted catheters carrying the chemotherapy drug Topotecan (Hycamtin) directly into the tumors of 16 patients with recurrent malignant gliomas. The patients who received the Topotecan had a median survival of 59 weeks, although a few patients lived much longer. The median time to tumor progression was 20 weeks, and 77 percent of patients survived for at least six months. "Those numbers are better than any treatment for recurrent gliomas we have now," said study author Dr. Jeffrey Bruce. The next step will be multi-center Phase 2 clinical trial, which will begin in the next two to three months, Bruce said.
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- Urine Test Predicts Vein Clot Risk: Those with elevated albumin levels were more likely to get DVT, pulmonary embolisms
A higher-than-normal level of the protein albumin in urine indicates an increased risk of dangerous blood clots in the deep veins of the lungs and legs, a Dutch study finds. These venous thromboembolisms (VTEs) include deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a clotting in the lower extremities which gained recent notoriety when it occurred in passengers on long-haul flights. These clots can become dangerous if they travel to the lungs to produce a pulmonary embolism. The incidence of such clots was 40 percent higher for people with slightly elevated urine levels of albumin and more than twice as high for people with more elevated levels than for those with normal levels, after adjustment for known risk factors such as diabetes, the researchers found.
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- Younger Age of More Severe Swine Flu Cases Worries Experts: Average age of those hospitalized in U.S. is 15, CDC says
"We are seeing the same distribution in hospitalized patients as we are in milder cases in the community, and that's younger than what you would see in seasonal flu," Dr. Richard Besser said. "In seasonal flu you tend to see a predominance of burden of disease in the elderly and in the very young, and here we are seeing it more in the younger population." Why the more severe cases are skewing young remains unclear, he said, but it could be that younger people are getting sicker sooner, or older people may have some kind of built-in immunity. What health experts don't know is whether the never-before-seen virus will return, perhaps in a more dangerous form, when the regular flu season begins again late this year. Because the pathogen is a genetic mix of pig, bird and human flu strains, health officials are worried that humans may have no natural immunity to it.
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- Swine Flu: A Primer
Dr. Charles Ericsson, head of clinical infectious disease at the University of Texas Medical School in Houston, spoke to HealthDay about what scientists know right now about the swine flu outbreak.
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Health Highlights
**Smoking, Secondhand Smoke Increase Breast Cancer Risk: Experts.
**Morning Sickness Linked to Smarter Babies: Study.
**Team IDs Bacteria That Use Toxins to Cause Infections.
**Specialized Immune Cells Linked to Malaria: Study.
**Group Wants New Term for Shaken Baby Syndrome.
**Alfalfa Sprouts Linked to Salmonella Outbreak: FDA.
**Taking Aspirin May Reduce Adults' Cancer Risk: Study.
**Heart Rate Predicts Heart Attack Risk: Study.
**FDA Says Recalled Nail Polish Can Cause Chemical Burns.
**Libimax Sexual Supplements Recalled.
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- WHO Raises Swine Flu Alert Signifying that a Pandemic is Imminent, and Urged Countries to Implement Their Pandemic Plans
An estimated 170 deaths in Mexico are believed to have been caused by the never-before-seen virus, according to published reports. The new flu strain is a combination of pig, bird and human viruses, prompting worries from health officials that humans may have no natural immunity to the pathogen. Dr. Richard Besser, acting director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said there were 91 confirmed cases of infection with the swine flu virus in 10 states, with the one death. Sixty-four percent of the cases involve people under age 18, but patients range in age from 8 to 81, he said.
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- Drug May Help Against Inflammatory Breast Cancer: Study shows those who respond to lapatinib survive longer
For patients resistant to conventional anthracycline or taxane and trastuzumab, treatment options are limited. Lapatinib inhibits HER2, a protein that's expressed much more in inflammatory breast cancer than in other, less aggressive breast cancers. "Patients who responded to treatment with lapatinib had a longer median overall survival than did those patients who did not respond, irrespective of previous exposure to trastuzumab," the researchers wrote. "Patients exposed to previous trastuzumab treatment who experienced a response to lapatinib had the longest median overall survival. This finding confirms the clinical benefit of targeted therapy in these patients." "Lapatinib monotherapy is potentially clinically effective in heavily pretreated patients with inflammatory breast cancer with HER2+ tumors," they said.
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- New Treatment Combo Better Against Hepatitis C: Adding antiviral telaprevir increases cure rate, studies show
The results show that, by using a triple combination of telaprevir, pegylated interferon and ribavirin for 12 weeks, followed by 12 weeks of pegylated interferon and ribavirin, a sustained viral eradication can be achieved in 69 percent of cases, whereas only 46 percent of patients receiving standard of care for 48 weeks achieve a cure, Pawlotsky said. "This is a breakthrough in HCV therapy," Dr. Jean-Michel Pawlotsky said. "For the very first time, almost 70 percent cure rates are reached." These findings open the way to an ongoing phase 3 trial, which could lead to the approval of this combination within the next two years, he said. "The triple combination could become the new standard of care," he noted.
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- Statins Guard Against Prostate Cancer: Other studies found they also reduced chances of erectile dysfunction
One study found that men who were taking statins before undergoing surgical removal of their prostate had a lower risk of having the cancer return. Another study found that men who were using statins prior to surgery had a significantly lower risk for inflammation within their prostate tumor," Dr. Lionel L. Banez said. In a third report, researchers led by Dr. Stacy Loeb, found statins may help in reducing the aggressiveness of prostate cancer. In a fourth report, researchers led by Dr. Rodney H. Breau, found that statins were associated with a lower risk of developing prostate cancer. In a fifth study, Mayo Clinic researchers found that statins and/or with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) resulted in fewer lower urinary tract symptoms related to an enlarged prostate.
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- Drug Combo May Relieve MS Symptoms: Adding steroid drug methylprednisolone to multiple sclerosis treatment shows promise in study
During the three-year study, the patients were assessed every three months. Those who took the steroid/interferon drug combination had 38 percent fewer relapses (episodes when the disease is active) than those who took the placebo and interferon, the study found. The patients in the steroid/interferon group also showed slight improvement on a test of MS disability, while those in the placebo/interferon group showed a slight decline. The Biogen Idec-supported study also found that MS-related brain lesions stayed the same size or shrank in the steroid/interferon group but grew larger in the placebo/interferon group. "This is a promising finding, as the benefit from interferon is only moderate, and not everyone responds fully to the treatment, so anything we can do to boost those results is positive," said study author Dr. Mads Ravnborg.
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- Abnormal Heartbeat After Bypass a Bad Sign: Atrial fibrillation ups long-term risk of dying, researchers report
People who develop the heartbeat abnormality called atrial fibrillation after heart bypass surgery are at increased long-term risk of dying. The report sounds a warning bell for doctors about an issue that has not been a matter of major concern, said Giovanni Filardo. "After this surgery, almost 50 percent of patients develop atrial fibrillation," Filardo said. "Historically, it has been regarded as a transient problem, and therefore surgeons have not paid too much attention to it." But data revealed a 29 percent higher death rate among those who did not have atrial fibrillation before the bypass but developed it after the procedure, he said. The 10-year mortality rate was 47.7 percent for those who developed postoperative atrial fibrillation, compared to 30.6 percent for those who did not.
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- Too Few Screened for Abdominal Aneurysm, Study Says: Potentially life-threatening condition often goes undetected until rupture
An abdominal aortic aneurysm is a weak area in the main blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body. As blood passes through, the weakened area can bulge. Most abdominal aortic aneurysms initially have no symptoms but can be deadly if they rupture. Symptoms of a rupture include sudden and increasing back and abdominal pain. An estimated 1.5 million to 2 million Americans have this condition, but most are unaware of its potential threat to their lives, the researchers noted. In the study, the researchers found that only two of 43 people -- or 4.6 percent -- identified as being at risk of abdominal aortic aneurysm had received the proper screening. Guidelines recommend one-time screening of men 65 to 70 years old who have ever smoked.
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Health Highlights
**Suicide Claims One Million Lives a Year: Study.
**Surgical Gel May Mimic Signs of Early Breast Cancer: Study.
**U.S. Waters Hold Millions of Pounds of Drug Ingredients: Analysis.
**Vegan Women Have Healthy Bones: Study.
**Cheap Vaccine Will Help Control Cholera.
**Softball Windmill Pitch Linked to Shoulder Pain: Study.
**Suicide Is A Major Threat Among U.S. College Students Who Report High Levels of Binge Drinking.
**California Swine Flu Cases Investigated by CDC.
**Avastin Has Little Impact in Colon Cancer Recurrence: Trial.
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- Drug May Be Dangerous for Kids With Graves' Disease: Medication known as PTU can cause liver disease, experts say
A recommendation to restrict the use of the antithyroid drug (PTU) in children has been endorsed by the Endocrine Society. Two experts wrote that PTU can cause severe liver disease in children and should no longer be used as a first-line treatment for children with Graves' disease. An estimated 40,000 children are treated for Graves' disease each year in the United States. If 40 percent of those children are treated with PTU, then as many as one to two of those children could develop severe liver disease that could lead to a liver transplant or death. "Even one excess death is too many if it can be prevented," the society said. It suggested that until more study was done, methimazole ought to be considered the preferred treatment for children.
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- Binge Drinking May Damage Teens' Brains: 'White matter' impairment could mean a 10% decline in information recall, scientists say
When teens go on a binge drinking episode, they may be doing serious damage to the sensitive "white matter" in their brain, a new MRI-based study suggests. This means that damage caused to the developing brain by bouts of heavy drinking could affect thinking and memory, even lowering school performance. "This is further evidence of the deleterious effects of heavy drinking on the developing adolescent brain," Dr. John R. Knight said. "There is a growing body of scientific evidence on alcohol-related neurotoxicity, as well as evidence that brain development continues well into the third decade of life," he said. "We strongly recommend not lowering the legal drinking age, as some well-intentioned -- but very misguided -- college presidents have recently advocated. We do not strive to deprive teens and young adults, only to protect their futures," he said.
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- Breast-feeding a Boon to Mom's Heart: Nursing baby brings cardiovascular benefits decades later, study suggests
"We found that the longer women breast-feed, the lower their risk of heart attacks, strokes or heart disease," said Dr. Eleanor Bimla Schwarz. It's well-established that breast-feeding can benefit infant health, yet just 11 percent of American mothers breast-feed exclusively for the first six months of their babies' lives. In addition to benefiting babies, breast-feeding can help women lose pregnancy weight, since breast-feeding helps women burn almost 500 extra calories a day. According to Schwarz, the reason breast-feeding may benefit women even many years later is because it "resets the body after pregnancy. There are certain hormonal and physiologic changes the body expects to go through after pregnancy and when those changes don't happen, that leaves certain body systems in a precarious way."
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- Chemo Combo Shows Promise Against Ovarian Cancer: Lab-based study focused on certain types of malignancies
Adding the drug dasatinib to a standard, two-drug chemotherapy regimen for treating ovarian cancer boosted the effectiveness of the drugs in laboratory tests, new research shows. Researchers at the Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center added dasatinib, along with carboplatin and paclitaxel, to four types of ovarian cancer cells. "These findings indicate that we may be able to direct the use of a targeted therapy like dasatinib based on gene expression pathways in select ovarian cancers," said Dr. Deanna Teoh.
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- Having Psoriasis Raises Risk of Diabetes, Hypertension: Researchers suspect chronic inflammation is common thread among all 3 conditions
A new study lends more credence to a long-suspected connection between psoriasis, diabetes and hypertension. Researchers suspect the link may have to do with the chronic inflammation that is associated with all three conditions. Women with psoriasis turned out to have a 63 percent increased risk of developing diabetes and a 17 percent increased risk of developing high blood pressure, compared to women without psoriasis. Importantly, the connection between psoriasis and the other two conditions was independent of body-mass index, ruling out the possibility that obesity or metabolic syndrome might explain the phenomenon.
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- Secondhand Cigarette Smoke, Wood Smoke and Cooking Oil Smoke Quickly Affect Blood Vessels: As little as 10 minutes of exposure changes cardiovascular function
Cardiovascular function can be affected by as little as 10 minutes exposure to secondhand cigarette smoke and other air pollutants such as wood smoke and smoke from cooking oil, say U.S. researchers. The study confirmed previous research that has shown that smoke harms cardiovascular function and extended those findings by showing that this harm can occur with lower levels of smoke and shorter exposure times. "I was surprised we got statistically significant results with this low level of exposure. If we can detect these effects with smaller exposures, then the public health hazard from cigarettes and other particulate exposures may have been underestimated," study author Joyce McClendon Evans said.
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