Health and Medical News Headlines for March 2, 2010

Scientists try to break fat-and-disease link (AP)

AP - What if you could be fat but avoid heart disease or diabetes? Scientists trying to break the fat-and-disease link increasingly say inflammation is the key.
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 2 Mar 2010 | 1:14 am

Screening May Save Athletes

Preventive EKGs for athletes are cost-effective, a study has suggested, but a screening program in the United States would be controversial.

Source: NYT > Health | 1 Mar 2010 | 11:07 pm

Vital Statistics: U.S. Births Rise in All Age Groups

An annual survey tallied 4,317,119 births and found that the rate rose in all age groups, including teenagers.

Source: NYT > Health | 1 Mar 2010 | 10:36 pm

Really?: The Claim: Fruit Juice Can Prevent Kidney Stones

Can drinking more citrus juices prevent kidney stones?

Source: NYT > Health | 1 Mar 2010 | 10:36 pm

Snacks mean U.S. kids moving toward "constant eating" (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. children eat an average three snacks a day on top of three regular meals, a finding that could explain why the childhood obesity rate has risen to more than 16 percent, researchers said on Tuesday.
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 1 Mar 2010 | 10:04 pm

BPA May Raise Risk of Asthma in Kids (HealthDay)

HealthDay - SUNDAY, Feb. 28 (HealthDay News) -- Mouse pups whose mothers were exposed to a common but controversial chemical developed allergic asthma, new research has found.
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 1 Mar 2010 | 9:51 pm

Risk of Childhood Obesity Higher Among Minorities (HealthDay)

HealthDay - MONDAY, March 1 (HealthDay News) -- Risk factors for childhood obesity begin before birth and affect blacks and Hispanics more than whites, U.S. researchers report.
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 1 Mar 2010 | 9:51 pm

Clinical Trials Update: Mar. 1, 2010 (HealthDay)

HealthDay - (HealthDay News) -- Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of ClinicalConnection.com:
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 1 Mar 2010 | 9:51 pm

Scans Might Monitor Success of Alzheimer's Drugs (HealthDay)

HealthDay - MONDAY, March 1 (HealthDay News) -- Noting that brain scans suggest that a new drug reduces plaque deposits in the brains of certain Alzheimer's patients by 25 percent compared to a placebo, researchers say the scans could become a useful tool to study treatments for the disease.
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 1 Mar 2010 | 9:51 pm

Future Heart Disease May Be in Store for Obese Kids (HealthDay)

HealthDay - MONDAY, March 1 (HealthDay News) -- Obese children as young as 3 could harbor a warning sign that they're at risk of heart disease in the future, new research suggests.
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 1 Mar 2010 | 9:51 pm

Hormone Outperforms Insulin in Diabetic Mice (HealthDay)

HealthDay - MONDAY, March 1 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers are reporting that treatment with a hormone linked to weight loss seems to control type 1 diabetes in mice better than insulin does, raising the prospect of a landmark new treatment for some human diabetics.
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 1 Mar 2010 | 9:51 pm

Personal Health: Even More Reasons to Get a Move On

What evidence will be enough to convince people to start exercising?

Source: NYT > Health | 1 Mar 2010 | 9:38 pm

Want a Better Listener? Protect Those Ears

Noise that creates problems for adults can be much harder on children.

Source: NYT > Health | 1 Mar 2010 | 9:36 pm

Vital Signs: Awareness: Report Calls for Spotlight on Hypertension

Though high blood pressure is prevalent in the United States, many Americans don’t know they have it and doctors are lax about treating it, a new report found.

Source: NYT > Health | 1 Mar 2010 | 9:35 pm

Global Update: Tuberculosis: North Korea Develops TB Laboratory With Help From American Doctors

A public health project is said to represent “an unprecedented level of cooperation” between doctors from the United States and North Korea.

Source: NYT > Health | 1 Mar 2010 | 9:35 pm

Vital Signs: Pregnancy: Some Depression Relief, Without Drugs

A study found that acupuncture designed specifically for depressive symptoms seemed to help pregnant women.

Source: NYT > Health | 1 Mar 2010 | 9:33 pm

Vital Signs: Prevention: Older Women Are Not Likely to Benefit From Cervical Cancer Vaccine

The vaccine for HPV, the virus that causes cervical cancer, is used to prevent new infections, but those occur less frequently in women over 40, a study found.

Source: NYT > Health | 1 Mar 2010 | 9:33 pm

Cases: Old Age, From Youth’s Narrow Prism

Often we imagine that life ends at the nursing home door, a myopic view that hurts the aging as well as ourselves.

Source: NYT > Health | 1 Mar 2010 | 9:25 pm

Cord blood stem cells help minorities

Diana Tirpak was so sure her leukemia was going to kill her, she bought a suit for her husband, Jake, to wear at her funeral.

Source: CNN.com - Health | 1 Mar 2010 | 8:09 pm

Parents say doctors hastened death for dying kids (AP)

AP - It's a situation too agonizing to contemplate — a child dying and in pain. Now a small but provocative study suggests that doctors may be giving fatal morphine doses to a few children dying of cancer, to end their suffering at their parents' request.
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 1 Mar 2010 | 7:12 pm

Diets 'can help blocked arteries'

Three diets - low-carbohydrate, low-fat diet and Mediterranean - are equally effective in helping reverse blocked arteries, say Israeli researchers.
Source: BBC News | Health | World Edition | 1 Mar 2010 | 6:42 pm

New Obama health strategy expected

President Obama is likely to lay out a political road map Wednesday for passage of sweeping health care legislation, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Monday.

Source: CNN.com - Health | 1 Mar 2010 | 5:58 pm

UPDATE 2-Qualcomm raises div, to buy back more shares

* Shares rise more than 2 percent (Adds background on Qualcomm's outlook)
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 1 Mar 2010 | 4:36 pm

UPDATE 2-U.S. FDA panel backs Bristol transplant drug

* Final FDA decision expected by May 1 (Adds company comment, panelist quotes, background)
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 1 Mar 2010 | 4:35 pm

US Salt-Reduction Policy Would Save Billions of Dollars

Adding more weight to the argument for a populationwide approach to reduce dietary sodium levels in the US is a new study suggesting such a move would save $32 billion in medical costs.
Heartwire
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 1 Mar 2010 | 4:09 pm

COX-2 Inhibitors Blunt "Preconditioning" Effect of Statin

The COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib completely abolished the beneficial preconditioning effect of rosuvastatin in a small mechanistic study in human volunteers.
Heartwire
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 1 Mar 2010 | 4:09 pm

Infants Do Not Appear To Learn Words From Educational DVDs

Among 12- to 24-month old children who view educational baby videos, there does not appear to be evidence that overall general language learning improves or that words featured in the programming are learned, according to a report posted online today that will appear in the May print issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals...

Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 1 Mar 2010 | 4:00 pm

Children And Teens Less Likely Than Young Adults To Die Of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Young adults diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma appear to have a higher risk of dying from the disease than do children and teens. Eric Tai, M.D., and colleagues at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, assessed survival information from cancer registries from 1992 to 2001 for 2,442 cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (one of the most common cancers among young adults, affecting the white blood cells). This included 987 children and teens age 19 or younger and 1,455 young adults age 20 to 29...

Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 1 Mar 2010 | 4:00 pm

Parents Whose Children Are Dying Of Cancer May Consider Hastening The Process

In a study of 141 parents whose children have died of cancer, more than 10 percent reported that they considered hastening their child's death, especially if the child was in pain, according to a report in the March issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. The article is one of several in the issue focusing on childhood cancers, and is being published in conjunction with a JAMA theme issue on cancer...

Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 1 Mar 2010 | 4:00 pm

Having Greater Purpose In Life Associated With A Reduced Risk Of Alzheimer's Disease

Individuals who report having greater purpose in their lives appear less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease or its precursor, mild cognitive impairment, according to a report in the March issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals...

Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 1 Mar 2010 | 4:00 pm

Teens With More Screen Time Have Lower-Quality Relationships

Teens who spend more time watching television or using computers appear to have poorer relationships with their parents and peers, according to a report in the March issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Over the past 20 years, teens have used an ever-expanding array of screen-based tools for communication and entertainment, according to background information in the article...

Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 1 Mar 2010 | 4:00 pm

Offspring Of Parent Couples Who Both Have Psychiatric Illness Have Increased Risk Of Developing Mental Disorders

Offspring of two parents with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder appear more likely to develop the same illness or another psychiatric condition than those with only one parent with psychiatric illness, according to a report in the March issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. The offspring of two parents with psychiatric illness represent an extremely high-risk group, according to background information in the article...

Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 1 Mar 2010 | 4:00 pm

Obesity Associated With Depression And Vice Versa

Obesity appears to be associated with an increased risk of depression, and depression also appears associated with an increased risk of developing obesity, according to a meta-analysis of previously published studies in the March issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. "Both depression and obesity are widely spread problems with major public health implications," the authors write as background information in the article...

Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 1 Mar 2010 | 4:00 pm

Clinical Trial Participation Alone May Not Be Associated With Improved Outcomes For Childhood Cancer Patients

Children with the most common childhood cancer did not experience improved outcomes from participating in a clinical trial between 1997 and 2005. Carl Koschmann, M.D., and colleagues at the University of Washington and Seattle Children's Hospital studied 322 patients with newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukemia (a cancer involving the white blood cells), approximately half of whom participated in one of several available clinical trial protocols for the disease...

Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 1 Mar 2010 | 4:00 pm

Long-Time Cannabis Use Associated With Psychosis

Young adults who have used cannabis or marijuana for a longer period of time appear more likely to have hallucinations or delusions or to meet criteria for psychosis, according to a report posted online today that will appear in the May print issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Previous studies have identified an association between cannabis use and psychosis, according to background information in the article. However, concerns remain that this research has not adequately accounted for confounding variables. John McGrath, M.D., Ph.D., F.R.A...

Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 1 Mar 2010 | 4:00 pm

Study Explores End-of-Life Experiences Of Children With Brain Tumors

Parents and clinicians caring for children with brain tumors may experience significant challenges near the end of life due to the neurologic deterioration that often occurs in these patients. Shayna Zelcer, M.D., F.R.C.P.C., of Children's Hospital, London Health Sciences Center, Ontario, Canada, and colleagues conducted a qualitative analysis of focus group interviews involving 25 parents of 17 children who had died of brain tumors. The analysis identified three primary themes...

Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 1 Mar 2010 | 4:00 pm

UPDATE 2-Intel's Maloney, possible CEO heir, suffers stroke

* Intel shares steady (Adds details from statement, further comment, stock move)
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 1 Mar 2010 | 3:51 pm

UPDATE 1-PDL BioPharma posts lower Q4 profit

March 1 (Reuters) - Drug developer PDL BioPharma Inc posted a lower quarterly profit, hurt by a 15 percent drop in revenue.
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 1 Mar 2010 | 3:44 pm

UPDATE 1-MedCath to consider strategic options, including sale

* Says options include sale of co, individual hospitals
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 1 Mar 2010 | 3:43 pm

Lifestyle Intervention Shows Promise for Panic Disorder

A lifestyle intervention may help a large proportion of patients with panic disorder, new research suggests.
Medscape Medical News
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 1 Mar 2010 | 3:42 pm

Industry crackdown on salt could save U.S. billions

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Working with the food industry to cut salt intake by nearly 10 percent could prevent hundreds of thousands of heart attacks and strokes over several decades and save the
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 1 Mar 2010 | 3:41 pm

UPDATE 1-ATS Medical posts wider-than-expected Q4 loss

March 1 (Reuters) - Cardiac device maker ATS Medical Inc reported a wider-than-expected quarterly loss and forecast 2010 revenue below Wall Street estimates.
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 1 Mar 2010 | 3:16 pm

Racial and Geographic Disparities Seen in Stroke Incidence and Racial Differences in AF Treatment

Blacks are more likely than whites to have a stroke and less likely to be treated for atrial fibrillation, a new study shows.
Medscape Medical News
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 1 Mar 2010 | 3:09 pm

Air Pollution Slows Down Women Marathoners

Dirty air could hinder the performance of women in marathons.
Source: Livescience.com - Health | 1 Mar 2010 | 3:06 pm

Teens glued to TV, games screens less close to family: study

The more time teens spend watching television or playing on a computer or games console, the less likely they are to be close to their family and friends, a study published Monday shows.
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 1 Mar 2010 | 3:04 pm

UPDATE 1-Allos posts wider-than-expected Q4 loss

March 1 (Reuters) - Allos Therapeutics Inc posted a wider-than-expected quarterly loss, hurt by expenses related to the launch of its cancer drug, Folotyn.
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 1 Mar 2010 | 2:35 pm

UPDATE 2-Mexico's Slim happy with current NY Times stake

* NYT declines comment * Slim rumor propels NYT stock (Adds background on NYT stake, byline, updates prices)
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 1 Mar 2010 | 2:33 pm

Helping autism's kids find a voice

Their kids' inability to speak is often a chief source of pain for autism parents. Researchers are testing programs to help those parents find the most effective ways to help

Source: CNN.com - Health | 1 Mar 2010 | 2:27 pm

High-Intensity, Repetitive Rehabilitation Improves Function, Quality of Life in Chronic Stroke Patients

One of the few randomized clinical rehabilitation trials shows that high-intensity exercise can help severely disabled chronic stroke patients improve function and quality of life.
Medscape Medical News
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 1 Mar 2010 | 12:23 pm

What's Hot at NCCN 2010

The annual meeting of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) offers clinicians a chance to meet with experts and review the latest research and clinical recommendations.
Medscape Medical News
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 1 Mar 2010 | 12:20 pm

Guidelines Issued for Diagnosis and Classification of Hyperglycemia in Pregnancy

The International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups issued recommendations on the diagnosis and classification of hyperglycemia in pregnancy.
Medscape Medical News
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 1 Mar 2010 | 11:35 am

Climate change may extend allergy season: study (Reuters)

Reuters - Sneezing, congestion, and runny noses from hay fever may be lasting longer because climate change may be extending pollen seasons, doctors in Italy said on Monday.

Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 1 Mar 2010 | 11:08 am

New Scoring System Predicts Progression of Atrial Fibrillation: Study

Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) often progresses to persistent AF within 1 year, researchers from the Netherlands report, and now they have a new scoring system to identify the patients at highest risk.
Reuters Health Information
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 1 Mar 2010 | 10:49 am

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