Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Family Practice for December 2008. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Decision Aid May Benefit Breast Cancer Patients
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 31 (HealthDay News) -- In breast cancer patients who are eligible for either mastectomy or breast-conserving surgery, the use of a decision aid before the surgical consultation may promote informed, values-based treatment choices, according to a report published online Dec. 29 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Managed Care Not Beneficial for Some Medicare Patients
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 31 (HealthDay News) -- Among Medicare beneficiaries undergoing carotid endarterectomies, managed care plans do not have a positive impact on inappropriateness, referral patterns or outcomes, according to a report published in the November/December issue of the American Journal of Medical Quality.
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Children with Asthma, Sick Parent Miss More Days of School
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 31 (HealthDay News) -- Children with asthma may be absent from school more often if they have a parent with a chronic disease, researchers report in the January issue of Pediatrics.
Conditioning Program Benefits Lumbar Surgery Patients
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 31 (HealthDay News) -- In patients who undergo lumbar fusion and who are managed by workers' compensation, a sports performance-based work conditioning/hardening program can significantly increase strength determined by physical demand level job classification, according to research published in the January issue of The Spine Journal.
Common Gene Variants Linked to High Blood Pressure
TUESDAY, Dec. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Common variants in a serine/threonine kinase gene -- STK39 -- which regulates the kidneys' excretion of salt, may be associated with an increased risk of hypertension, according to a study published online Dec. 29 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Early Edition.
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Increased Heart Failure Risk Following Heart Attack
TUESDAY, Dec. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Newly diagnosed heart failure develops in approximately three-quarters of elderly patients within the first five years after their initial myocardial infarction, according to a report published in the Jan. 6 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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Higher Breast Cancer Risk from Hormone Therapy
TUESDAY, Dec. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Long-term use of certain types of hormone replacement therapy is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, according to two studies published in the January issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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Valve Prosthesis Mismatch Linked to Increased Mortality
TUESDAY, Dec. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Mismatches between valve prostheses and patients may lead to increased late overall mortality and cardiovascular mortality, according to research published in the Jan. 6 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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Virginity Pledge Does Not Deter Sexual Behavior
TUESDAY, Dec. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Adolescents who pledge virginity are just as likely to be sexually active as non-pledgers, but are less likely to use birth control or condoms, according to an article published in the January issue of Pediatrics.
Quality of Life May Predict Cystic Fibrosis Survival
TUESDAY, Dec. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Some elements of patient-reported health-related quality of life from patients with cystic fibrosis can help predict their survival, according to research published in the Jan. 1 issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
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Abnormal Sleep Predicts Later Neurodegeneration
TUESDAY, Dec. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Idiopathic REM sleep behavior disorder is a substantial risk factor for the development of neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia, according to study findings published online Dec. 24 in Neurology.
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Gastric Bypass Can Reverse Diabetes in Very Obese Teens
TUESDAY, Dec. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Roux-en-Y gastric bypass can improve insulin resistance, β-cell function and cardiovascular risk factors in extremely obese adolescents with type 2 diabetes mellitus, although the long-term efficacy is unknown, researchers report in the January issue of Pediatrics.
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Added Measurement Improves Carpel Tunnel Diagnosis
TUESDAY, Dec. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Accuracy of diagnosis of carpel tunnel syndrome is improved by calculating the difference between the carpel tunnel cross-sectional area and the proximal cross-sectional area, instead of just the carpel tunnel cross-sectional area alone, according to research published in the January issue of Radiology.
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Fewer Polyps Detected by Inexperienced Nurses
TUESDAY, Dec. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Colonoscopy procedures staffed by inexperienced nurses may be less likely to detect polyps, which may be explained by increased detection of hyperplastic lesions, according to research reported in the December issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
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Kidney Disease Predicts Cardiovascular Mortality
MONDAY, Dec. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Chronic kidney disease may be as important a risk factor for cardiovascular mortality as is diabetes mellitus or prior myocardial infarction in elderly patients, according to research published Dec. 15 in the American Journal of Cardiology.
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Medicaid Coverage Affects Male Circumcision Rates
MONDAY, Dec. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Children born in families covered by Medicaid may be at higher risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections because there are lower rates of male circumcision among Medicaid recipients, according to a report published in the January issue of the American Journal of Public Health.
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Family Rejection Predicts Poor Mental, Physical Health
MONDAY, Dec. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) young adults who experience family rejection are more likely to exhibit poor health outcomes, including suicide, depression and illegal drug use, researchers report in the January issue of Pediatrics.
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Antibiotics Benefit Women with Premature Membrane Rupture
MONDAY, Dec. 29 (HealthDay News) -- In women with preterm premature rupture of membranes, antibiotics may prolong pregnancy and reduce neonatal morbidity. But antibiotic use in women with preterm labor who have intact membranes does not appear to have the same benefits, according to the results of a study published in the December issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Masseteric Muscle Hypertrophy Treated with Botulinum Toxin
MONDAY, Dec. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Botulinum toxin (BoNT) type A is a new, safe and effective non-invasive therapy for treatment of masseteric muscle hypertrophy to obtain lower facial contouring, according to research published in the November issue of the Journal of Craniofacial Surgery.
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Some Alcohol May Preserve Cognition in Older Women
MONDAY, Dec. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Older women who drink low or moderate amounts of alcohol may have better cognitive performance and a slower rate of cognitive decline compared to those who don't drink, according to research published in the December issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
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Woman and Dog Infected with Bovine Tuberculosis
MONDAY, Dec. 29 (HealthDay News) -- A woman and her dog were infected with bovine tuberculosis, demonstrating that human infection with the bacterium can still occur, according to a case report in the January issue of Thorax.
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HIV Therapy May Affect Human Papillomavirus
MONDAY, Dec. 29 (HealthDay News) -- In HIV-infected women with pre-existing abnormal cervical cytology, highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) may enhance clearance of human papillomavirus (HPV) in those who already have cervical disease, according to research published in the January issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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Forced Coughing Reduces Discomfort of Cervical Biopsy
MONDAY, Dec. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Forced coughing can reduce the discomfort of a cervical biopsy as much as local anesthesia can, but the method gives physicians much less time for examination, according to a report published in the December issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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UK Pediatric Admission Higher in Deprived and South Asians
MONDAY, Dec. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Admission rates to pediatric intensive care units and mortality are higher in more-deprived children and in south Asian children in the United Kingdom, though less-deprived south Asian children have higher mortality, according to study findings published online Dec. 23 in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.
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Cervarix Vaccine Is Safe and Effective in Adolescent Boys
MONDAY, Dec. 29 (HealthDay News) -- In boys aged 10 to 18, Cervarix -- a human papillomavirus (HPV)-16/18 AS04-adjuvanted vaccine -- is immunogenic and well tolerated, researchers report in the January issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health.
Inorganic Phosphate Linked to Lung Cancer
MONDAY, Dec. 29 (HealthDay News) -- High dietary levels of inorganic phosphate promotes lung tumorigenesis and altered activation of the pro-survival signaling pathway controlled by the Akt protein, according to research published in the January issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
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Drug-Eluting Stents Found to Have Benefits in Grafts
MONDAY, Dec. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Compared with bare-metal stents, the use of paclitaxel-eluting stents in saphenous vein graft lesions is associated with less angiographic restenosis and target vessel failure, according to research published online Dec. 23 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Racial Differences in Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease
MONDAY, Dec. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is more likely to present as Crohn's disease and at an older age in black children compared with other children and adolescents, according to a report published in the December issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
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Recurrence of Non-Specific Low Back Pain Not Likely
FRIDAY, Dec. 26 (HealthDay News) -- About one in four patients will have a recurrence of low back pain within one year following an acute episode, a much lower incidence than previously estimated, according to research published in the Dec. 15 issue of Spine.
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Socioeconomic Status Predicts Post-Heart Attack Lifestyle
FRIDAY, Dec. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Heart attack survivors with lower socioeconomic status are significantly less likely than those with higher socioeconomic status to make healthy lifestyle changes during the early convalescent period, according to study findings published in the Dec. 15 issue of the American Journal of Cardiology.
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Increasing HDL Level Linked to Lower Heart Disease Risk
FRIDAY, Dec. 26 (HealthDay News) -- In apparently healthy men, an increasing level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is associated with a significantly decreased risk of coronary heart disease, according to study findings published in the Dec. 15 issue of the American Journal of Cardiology.
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Caregivers May Benefit, Not Suffer from Their Role
THURSDAY, Dec. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Although caring for an ailing spouse has been associated with both negative and positive effects on the health of the caregiver, the process of helping may not in itself pose a health risk and may reduce the risk of mortality for the caregiver, according to a report to be published in Psychological Science.
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Internet Searching Increases Brain Function in Elderly
THURSDAY, Dec. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Searching the Internet results in greater brain activation in older adults already experienced in using the Internet, activating brain areas associated with decision making and complex reasoning not observed in less-experienced users, according to an article to be published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.
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Maintenance Drugs Similarly Safe for Vasculitides
THURSDAY, Dec. 25 (HealthDay News) -- In patients with systemic vasculitides such as Wegener's granulomatosis, azathioprine or methotrexate appear to be similarly safe in maintaining remission, according to a report in the Dec. 25 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Pathway Inhibited in Myeloproliferative Disorders
THURSDAY, Dec. 25 (HealthDay News) -- In patients with myeloproliferative disorders, inhibition of the Bcl-xL deamidation pathway may increase DNA damage and the risk of progression to acute leukemia, according to study findings published in the Dec. 25 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Emergency Doctors See Cases of Excessive Force by Police
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 24 (HealthDay News) -- Nearly all emergency department physicians have seen cases of excessive force by law enforcement, and although most do not report the incidents, most feel that they should, according to an article in the Jan. 1 issue of the Emergency Medicine Journal.
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Pre-Hospital Delays Still Common for Heart Attack Patients
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 24 (HealthDay News) -- In patients with acute myocardial infarction, delay times in seeking medical care have not changed during the past 20 years, according to research published in the Dec. 15 issue of the American Journal of Cardiology.
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Pros, Cons to Making the Pill Available Over the Counter
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 24 (HealthDay News) -- Two Head to Head articles published online Dec. 23 in BMJ highlight the pros and cons of making oral contraception available over the counter (OTC) rather than as a prescription drug.
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Fish Oil May Reduce Death from Cardiac Causes
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 24 (HealthDay News) -- Fish oil supplementation is associated with a reduction in deaths from cardiac causes, but does not have an impact on arrhythmias or sudden cardiac death, according to a report published online Dec. 23 in BMJ.
Needle and Syringe Programs Reduce HIV in Prisons
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 24 (HealthDay News) -- Reducing injection drug use in prison to reduce HIV transmission is most effectively done by needle and syringe programs and methadone treatment, according to a review in the January issue of The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
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Sleep Duration Linked to Coronary Artery Calcification
TUESDAY, Dec. 23 (HealthDay News) -- In middle-aged adults, longer sleep duration is independently associated with a decreased risk of coronary artery calcification, according to the results of a study published in the Dec. 24/31 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Medicare Parity Plans Benefit Psychiatric Patients
TUESDAY, Dec. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Following a psychiatric hospitalization, Medicare enrollees in health plans with insurance parity for mental health and primary care are significantly more likely to receive timely outpatient care than those enrolled in plans without parity, researchers report in the Dec. 24/31 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Low Birth Weight Associated with Higher Risk of Diabetes
TUESDAY, Dec. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Low birth weight is associated with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes in adulthood, according to research published in the Dec. 24/31 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Concurrent Drug Use Common in Elderly
TUESDAY, Dec. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Nearly half of older U.S. adults surveyed reported that they combine prescription and over-the-counter medications, a practice that may significantly increase their risk of major adverse drug reactions, researchers report in the Dec. 24/31 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Genetic Factors, Alcohol Use Linked to Colorectal Tumors
TUESDAY, Dec. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Heavy users of alcohol who are homozygous for the alcohol dehydrogenase 1C (ADH1C*1) allele appear to be more likely to develop high-risk adenomas and colorectal cancer, according to research published in the January issue of Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.
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Hospice Eligibility Criteria Should Be Reconsidered
TUESDAY, Dec. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Criteria that require cancer patients to end curative treatment before entering hospice care play a role in racial disparities in hospice use, and these criteria may prevent those with the greatest need from receiving hospice services, according to research published online Dec. 23 in Cancer.
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Gene Variant Linked to Clopidogrel Susceptibility
TUESDAY, Dec. 23 (HealthDay News) -- In younger patients who have had a heart attack and are taking the anti-platelet drug Plavix (clopidogrel), a variant of a liver enzyme responsible for converting the drug to its active form is an independent predictor of cardiovascular events, according to research published online Dec. 22 in the New England Journal of Medicine and Dec. 23 in The Lancet.
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Report Lauds 2008's Important Cancer Discoveries
TUESDAY, Dec. 23 (HealthDay News) -- The past year saw many advances in cancer research in areas including hard-to-treat cancers, new drug approvals, personalized medicine and reducing recurrence, according to a report published online Dec. 22 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Weight Status Linked to Preterm Birth Among Those at Risk
TUESDAY, Dec. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Obese and overweight women at risk for spontaneous preterm birth are significantly less likely than their normal weight and underweight counterparts to give birth before 35 weeks' gestation, according to study findings published in the January issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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Colonoscopy Carries Risks of Bleeding, Perforation, Death
TUESDAY, Dec. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Factors associated with bleeding and perforation from colonoscopy include older age, undergoing a polypectomy, and using a low-volume endoscopist, according to research published in the December issue of Gastroenterology.
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Hospital Discharge Data Best Explains Reason for Caesarean
TUESDAY, Dec. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Information taken from birth certificates alone indicates that more than half of Caesarean deliveries are performed among women with no indicated risk, but when hospital discharge data is used in combination with birth certificates the number drops to low single digits, according to a report published in the January issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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Semiannual Ultrasound Improves Liver Cancer Outcome
TUESDAY, Dec. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Semiannual surveillance for hepatocellular carcinoma using ultrasound in patients with liver cirrhosis leads to improved clinical outcomes, researchers report in the December issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
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Elevated Body Mass Index Raises Heart Failure Risk in Men
TUESDAY, Dec. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Overweight as well as obese men are at higher risk of heart failure than lean men, while vigorous exercise reduces this risk, according to a report published online Dec. 22 in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
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Lung Pathway Protects Against Cigarette Damage
TUESDAY, Dec. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Activating a pathway that protects against oxidative damage in the lungs protects the lungs of mice chronically exposed to cigarette smoke, and may be important in preventing emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a study published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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Inflammatory Bowel Disease Carries Heavy Financial Burden
MONDAY, Dec. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which affects roughly a million Americans, represents a costly burden both at the individual and national levels, according to research published in the December issue of Gastroenterology.
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Non-Surgical Treatment of Some Spine Fractures Effective
MONDAY, Dec. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Most elderly patients with cervical spine fractures can be effectively treated non-operatively in cervical collars or halothoracic braces, according to a report in the Dec. 15 issue of Spine.
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Community Mental Health Services May Lower Suicide Rates
MONDAY, Dec. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Multifaceted, community-based and specialized mental health services can greatly improve population mental health and lead to lower suicide rates, according to a nationwide analysis in Finland published online Dec. 22 in The Lancet.
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UK Implements New Global Health Strategy
MONDAY, Dec. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Health is global is a new global health strategy launched by the U.K. government in September, and it is described in an article published online Dec. 22 in The Lancet.
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Respiratory Syncytial Virus Season Varies Year by Year
MONDAY, Dec. 22 (HealthDay News) -- During 2007-2008, the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) season lasted for 22 weeks from October to March in the United States, although there were regional variations, according to a report published in the Dec. 19 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Glycemic Control Goals in Diabetes Unchanged
MONDAY, Dec. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with diabetes should continue to maintain glycemic control with a target hemoglobin A1C less than 7 percent despite the results of recent clinical trials, according to a position statement published online Dec. 17 in Diabetes Care.
Connective Tissue Disease Affects Pregnancy
MONDAY, Dec. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Pregnant women with undifferentiated connective tissue disease have an increased risk of pregnancy complications, according to research published in the December issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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Pneumococcal Resistance to Penicillin Redefined
MONDAY, Dec. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers have reviewed the prevalence of penicillin resistance in the light of changes to the definition of pneumococcus resistance to the drug, which distinguish between meningitis and other infections, as well as intravenous versus oral administration, according to a report published in the Dec. 19 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Restricting Snacks at School May Improve Students' Diets
FRIDAY, Dec. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Children attending schools where snacks are restricted report modestly higher fruit and vegetable consumption, according to research published online Dec. 3 in the Journal of Nutrition.
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Teen Smoking Linked to Subsequent Abdominal Obesity
FRIDAY, Dec. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Adolescents who smoke -- especially women -- may have an increased risk of abdominal obesity as young adults, according to a report published online Dec. 4 in the American Journal of Public Health.
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High-Risk Prostate Cancer Seen in Many Low-Income Men
FRIDAY, Dec. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Underdetection and undertreatment of prostate cancer may be a particular problem in men with low incomes, and these men may be more likely to present with incurable disease, according to research released online Dec. 16 in advance of publication in the February issue of the Journal of Urology.
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Blood Pressure Changes May Affect Thinking Ability
FRIDAY, Dec. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Individuals with prehypertension or hypertension may have poorer cognitive performance at times when their blood pressure is higher than average, according to research published in the December issue of the Journals of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences.
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Computer-Aided Mammography Has Pros, Cons
FRIDAY, Dec. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Computer-aided detection (CAD) mammography can detect breast cancers that single-read mammography might miss, but drawbacks may include false-positive findings and overtreatment of slow-growing cancers, according to an evidence report released by the ECRI Institute, a non-profit organization, in December.
Updated Guidelines Issued for Irritable Bowel Syndrome
FRIDAY, Dec. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Variable evidence exists on the effectiveness of treatments for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and the disease should be diagnosed as a symptom complex, according to updated guidelines published online Dec. 18 and as a supplement to the January issue of the American Journal of Gastroenterology.
Testosterone Undecanoate Benefits Hypogonadal Men
FRIDAY, Dec. 19 (HealthDay News) -- In men with hypogonadism, intramuscular injection of long-acting testosterone undecanoate results in a sustained, consistent serum testosterone in the normal range, researchers report in the December issue of the Journal of Urology.
Low Doses of Melamine Do Not Cause Kidney Damage
FRIDAY, Dec. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Low-dose exposure to melamine does not result in severe renal damage in children, according to a Fast Track article published online Dec. 18 in BMJ.
Imaging Reveals Age-Related Memory Differences
FRIDAY, Dec. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Activity in the amygdala linked to subsequent memory of negative images was preserved in older adults, but older individuals had less subsequent-memory activity for negative pictures in visual cortices, according to research published in the January issue of Psychological Science.
Prenatal Corticosteroids Don't Improve Outcomes in Preemies
FRIDAY, Dec. 19 (HealthDay News) -- The outcome of preterm birth is not improved by multiple prenatal courses of corticosteroids, and the treatment is associated with reduced weight, length and head circumference, according to a report published in the Dec. 20 issue of The Lancet.
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Adverse Long-Term Consequences Follow Stroke
FRIDAY, Dec. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Caregivers of stroke patients experience reduced psychosocial functioning in the years after the stroke, and stroke patients experience long-term reductions in emotional and social function, according to two studies published online Dec. 18 in Stroke.
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Vitamin D Status Is Low in Youths with Type 1 Diabetes
FRIDAY, Dec. 19 (HealthDay News) -- More than 75 percent of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes do not have sufficient levels of vitamin D, according to study findings published in the January issue of the Journal of Pediatrics.
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Depression in Parkinson's Responds to Treatment
THURSDAY, Dec. 18 (HealthDay News) -- Depression in patients with Parkinson's disease responds to nortriptyline but not paroxetine CR, according to the results of a placebo-controlled trial showing Parkinson's-associated depression can be treated with antidepressant therapy, published online Dec. 17 in the journal Neurology.
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Run-of-Mill Natural Hazards Kill More Than Special Events
THURSDAY, Dec. 18 (HealthDay News) -- Day-to-day natural hazards such as heat and winter weather have killed far more Americans in recent decades than discrete events like earthquakes and hurricanes, according to research published online Dec. 17 in the International Journal of Health Geographics.
Diet Impacts Prognosis in Some Breast Cancer Survivors
THURSDAY, Dec. 18 (HealthDay News) -- A reduced-fat diet high in vegetables, fruit and fiber may reduce the risk of additional cancer events in breast cancer survivors who do not experience hot flashes, according to a report published online Dec. 15 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Ureteroscopy Safe for Stone Removal in Pregnancy
THURSDAY, Dec. 18 (HealthDay News) -- In pregnant women with obstructing ureteral calculi refractory to conservative treatment, ureteroscopy is a safe and reasonable treatment, researchers report in the January issue of the Journal of Urology.
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Desmoteplase Not Effective to Treat Stroke Patients
THURSDAY, Dec. 18 (HealthDay News) -- Stroke patients treated with the plasminogen activator desmoteplase are at increased risk of mortality and intracranial hemorrhage, according to an article published online Dec. 18 in The Lancet Neurology.
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Automated Counseling System Benefits Overweight Children
THURSDAY, Dec. 18 (HealthDay News) -- An automated telephone counseling system can help parents improve eating and activity behaviors in overweight or at-risk children, and may lead to modest reductions in body mass index (BMI) z-scores, researchers report in the January issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
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Oncologist Role in Cancer Prevention Important
THURSDAY, Dec. 18 (HealthDay News) -- Oncologists have an important role in cancer prevention, risk assessment and recommending preventative interventions such as behavior modification, surgery or drugs, according to a statement published online Dec. 15 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Hepatitis C Reinfection More Likely Than First Infection
THURSDAY, Dec. 18 (HealthDay News) -- Reinfection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) following a prior HCV infection and clearance is more likely to occur than a primary HCV infection amongst injection drug users, according to the results of a study published in the December issue of Hepatology.
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Effect of Dialysis Method on Survival Variable
THURSDAY, Dec. 18 (HealthDay News) -- The potential survival benefit of peritoneal dialysis over hemodialysis depends on time since starting dialysis, age and presence of comorbidities, according to a report published online Dec. 17 in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
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Holidays Are A Time for Medical Myths
THURSDAY, Dec. 18 (HealthDay News) -- There are a number of medical myths associated with the holiday season that do not stand up to scientific examination, according to an article published online Dec. 17 in BMJ.
Appointment Date Affects Colorectal Cancer Screening
THURSDAY, Dec. 18 (HealthDay News) -- Adults are more likely to be screened for colorectal cancer if the appointment is scheduled in December or near their birthday, according to research published online Dec. 17 in BMJ.
Blood Pressure Linked to Melanocortin Pathway
THURSDAY, Dec. 18 (HealthDay News) -- Central melanocortinergic tone significantly effects blood pressure, and may contribute to the impact of weight loss and obesity on blood pressure, according to data published online Dec. 17 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Benefits of Tighter Glucose Control in Diabetics Studied
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 17 (HealthDay News) -- Tighter control of glucose levels in veterans with type 2 diabetes did not improve their rates of cardiovascular events, death or microvascular complications, according to the results of a study published online Dec. 17 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Enzymes Predict Survival in Ovarian Cancer
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 17 (HealthDay News) -- The levels of two enzymes that process microRNAs (miRNAs), which regulate gene expression, can predict survival in women with ovarian cancer, researchers report in the Dec. 18 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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No Benefit of Thrombolysis During Resuscitation
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 17 (HealthDay News) -- Thrombolytic treatment with tenecteplase during cardiopulmonary resuscitation does not improve survival or other outcomes compared with placebo, researchers report in the Dec. 18 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Psoriasis Associated with Higher Risk of Hyperleptinemia
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 17 (HealthDay News) -- Psoriasis has been linked to hyperleptinemia, which in turn is associated with a higher risk of developing metabolic syndrome, according to research published in the December issue of the Archives of Dermatology.
Home Rehab Works for Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 17 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who undergo rehabilitation at home receive the same benefits that would be provided to them in an outpatient setting, according to a report published in the Dec. 16 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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