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Obese women more likely to have pregnancy complications and caesarean sections than women of average weight

The controlled study is one of the largest ever to look at obesity in pregnancy, following more than 16,000 pregnant women at 14 medical centers across the country.

20 May 2004

New study of tumor genetics may help to treat patients with head and neck cancer

Head and neck tumors account for more than 40,000 new cancers annually in the United States. The most common of these is squamous cell carcinoma. Prognosis is based largely on location and size of the tumor, and if the cancer has spread, or metastasized, to lymph nodes and distant sites in the body.

19 May 2004

Closer to understanding the function of a protein linked to an inherited form of the movement disorder dystonia

The protein, torsinA, is defective in patients with DYT1 dystonia, an inherited condition that causes uncontrollable movements in the limbs and torso. Learning what torsinA does could be an important step toward developing a treatment for the disorder.

19 May 2004

Variability in weight and drug content of split tablet may put patients at risk of receiving wrong dosage

Back and neck pain sufferers who divide the most frequently prescribed muscle relaxant may be getting anywhere from half to one-and-a-half times the amount of medicine they believe they are taking, suggests a new study examining the practice of tablet splitting.

19 May 2004

Study examines impact of cochlear implants

Cochlear implants are small electronic devices that are surgically implanted in the ear, aiding those deaf people not helped by traditional hearing aids. Approximately 90 percent of parents who have deaf children are not deaf, and generally have had little, if any, experience with deaf persons or understanding of deafness. However, perceptions may be changing, partially due to new research on the implants, the article states.

17 May 2004

Risk of artery plaques increased by use of HIV drugs

An Italian study has provided evidence that HIV drugs called protease inhibitors may increase the risk of artery "plaques."

15 May 2004

West Nile virus found in Illinois mosquitoes

A dead crow and two pools of mosquitoes collected in DuPage County have been identified with West Nile virus, the first positive test results in Illinois this year for the mosquito-borne disease, Dr. Eric E. Whitaker, state public health director, today announced.

13 May 2004

Women are three times more likely than men to develop carpal tunnel syndrome

It occurs when a large nerve in the palm of your hand becomes compressed. Though doctors aren’t sure why, women are three times more likely than men to develop carpal tunnel syndrome. Early diagnosis and treatment can relieve the pain and numbness and usually prevent permanent damage.

12 May 2004

Illinois spends $2.3 million to fight West Nile virus and other mosquito-borne diseases

Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich today announced the state has awarded grants to local health departments totaling $2.3 million as part of this year's efforts to detect and control mosquitoes that carry the West Nile virus or other mosquito-borne diseases.

12 May 2004

Illinois, Iowa, Ohio and Wisconsin warned of Giant African Snails

School superintendents and principals, pet store operators and the public are being warned of the potential health risks associated with exposure to giant African snails (Achatina fulica) that have been discovered in Illinois and at least three other states, Dr. Eric E. Whitaker, state public health director, today announced.

6 May 2004

A second-generation targetted antibody for potential cancer therapy

The overproduction, or 'overexpression', of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is one of the most common aberrations in cancer, and subsequently agents that inhibit EGFR are among the most hotly-pursued potential products in the pharmaceutical industry.

6 May 2004

West Nile Virus returns to United States for another season

The winter cold and flu season is barely over, and the new mosquito season won't really get rolling for a few more weeks, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) already is reporting the presence of West Nile Virus in mosquitoes, birds and other animals in nine states.

5 May 2004

New screening helps to determine risk for having a baby with Down syndrome

Obstetricians at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, are offering a new, quicker, option for pregnant women who choose to undergo first trimester screening. The screening helps to determine whether the woman is at increased risk for having a baby with Down syndrome.

5 May 2004

World's first gene therapy trial aimed at preventing cancer

The concept seems straightforward. If, at its heart, cancer is a disease of genes, then giving patients new genes should disarm cancer. Such treatment would replace missing or faulty genes that keep cell growth in check, or would flush the body with "super genes" that could attack and destroy cancer.

5 May 2004

IMRT controls head and neck cancer reducing radiation side effects

Intensity modulated radiation therapy, also known as IMRT, when used alone or combined with surgery, has been shown to greatly increase the chance for survival for patients with head and neck cancer while greatly reducing painful side effects, according to a new study.

3 May 2004

New figures suggest Scotland is in the middle of a mumps epidemic

New figures raise public fears of a mumps epidemic by showing there were 370 confirmed cases of mumps in the first four months of 2001. This figure is almost an 800% increase on the total of recorded mumps cases for the whole of 2003.

3 May 2004

New practice guidelines for treating fluid in the ears

Most toddlers and preschoolers will be diagnosed with fluid in their middle ears--or otitis media with effusion (OME)--at some time before school age.

3 May 2004

Treatment for sleep apnea could save 980 lives and $11.1 billion each year

Each year, potentially 980 lives could be saved and $11.1 billion in automobile-accident costs could be avoided if drivers who suffer from a disorder called obstructive sleep apnea were successfully treated with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP).

1 May 2004

Elderly black male cancer patients stay in hospital longer than white

The risk of death from cancer increases sharply after 50 years of age and most cancers occur in middle-aged and older persons. The incidence of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and thyroid cancer are increasing along with the nation’s population of elderly Americans.

30 Apr 2004

Pediatric thyroid cancer is most common amongs teenage girls

Thyroid carcinoma is the third most common tumor malignancy in children. This pediatric cancer shares several characteristics with adult thyroid cancer patients including common cellular subtypes that are papillary, follicular and medullary; a female to male ratio is approximately 6:1; and a cervical nodal disease that can be observed at the time of presentation in 30-60 percent in both papillary and follicular malignancies.

29 Apr 2004