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Oral liquid Hydroxyurea promising for long-term use in babies with sickle cell disease

Treating babies who have sickle cell disease (SCD) with oral liquid hydroxyurea appears to prevent the onset of long-term complications triggered by this disease, according to results of a preliminary study by investigators at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

15 Jun 2005

Walking more slowly, obese individuals can burn more calories per mile and may reduce the risk of arthritis or joint injury

Leisurely walking for distance combined with low-impact cardiovascular activity appears to be the best formula for obese people seeking to get into shape and stay healthy, according to a University of Colorado at Boulder study.

15 Jun 2005

Acute coronary syndrome patients at increased risk of stroke

Patients hospitalized with chest pain or heart attack symptoms are at an increased risk of stroke even after being discharged, according to a study published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

15 Jun 2005

Abstinence education programs increased youth's support for abstinence

The initial findings from a one-year followup of 2,310 students participating in an evaluation of four abstinence-only education programs show that the programs increased support for abstinence.

15 Jun 2005

Key milestone in study of the antifungal treatment of asthma

University of Manchester researchers announced today that they have reached a key milestone in their study of the antifungal treatment of asthma.

From The University of Manchester 15 Jun 2005

Brain surgery for epilepsy means patients still free of fits 30 years later

A study has shown that thirty years after undergoing temporal lobectomy for epilepsy, half of patients are still free from seizures.

15 Jun 2005

Too much red meat could lead to bowel cancer

The World Health Organisation's (WHO) International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) is recommending that everybody should eat more fish and less meat.

15 Jun 2005

Heavy drinkers at risk of lasting brain damage sooner rather than later

Researchers at Saint Louis University have shown, in a new animal study, that chronic alcohol consumption produces memory loss and learning problems in very heavy drinkers much sooner than previously thought.

15 Jun 2005

Fish oil not a good idea for heart defibrillator patients

For heart patients who have surgically implanted defibrillators to shock their weakened hearts back into rhythm, fish oil supplements are not a good idea and in fact appear to do more harm than good.

15 Jun 2005

Poor mental health services in the UK in need of complete rethink

A new study, by the Institute for Public Policy Research in Britain, is calling for a complete rethink regarding the nation's mental health.

15 Jun 2005

Exposure to sunlight may decrease the risk of prostate cancer

In the largest such study to date, a research team from three cancer centers measured sunlight exposure in men and found that increased exposure to sunlight may decrease the risk of prostate cancer.

15 Jun 2005

Medicare's investment in quality improvement may not be paying off

Medicare's quality improvement organizations are charged with improving the medical care of Medicare beneficiaries.

14 Jun 2005

Study examines biomarkers for response to erlotinib in glioma

Researchers have found two biomarkers that, in patients with a malignant type of brain tumor called glioblastoma multiforme, were associated with response to the cancer drug erlotinib (Tarceva).

14 Jun 2005

Orlistat, a drug that decreases fat absorption, appears helpful for improving weight management in obese adolescents

When combined with diet, exercise and behavioral therapy, orlistat, a drug that decreases fat absorption, appears helpful for improving weight management in obese adolescents, compared with placebo, according to an article in the June 15 issue of JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association.

14 Jun 2005

Incorporating human papillomavirus testing into cervical cancer screening will provide health benefits at a reasonable cost

Incorporating testing for human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA into cervical cancer screening has the potential for improving health benefits at a reasonable cost in France, Italy, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, according to a new study in the June 15 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

14 Jun 2005

Continuous drinking for as little as eight weeks affects learning and memory up to 12 weeks later

Rodent studies, for example, have shown that chronic alcohol consumption for six months or more can produce permanent deficits and neural damage. A rodent study in the June issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research is the first to show that continuous drinking for as little as eight weeks can produce deficits in learning and memory that last up to 12 weeks after drinking stopped.

14 Jun 2005

Drinking during pregnancy can increase the risk of infection in newborns

Despite public-information campaigns and physician advice about alcohol consumption during pregnancy, between 15 and 25 percent of pregnant women continue to drink each month, and five to 10 out of 1,000 pregnant women drink an average of seven or more drinks per week.

14 Jun 2005

Two common gene variations are associated with the risk for developing chronic kidney disease

Two common gene variations are associated with the risk for developing chronic kidney disease, according to a study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and other institutions. One variant increases risk and the other decreases risk with a similar effect in whites, African-Americans, diabetic and non-diabetic individuals.

14 Jun 2005

Fish oil does not lower risk of serious heart rhythm abnormalities for patients with implantable defibrillators

Even though previous research has shown that fatty acids from fish oil reduce the risk of sudden cardiac death, patients with implantable defibrillators who took fish oil supplements did not see a reduction in serious heart rhythm abnormalities, according to a study in the June 15 issue of JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association.

14 Jun 2005

Study reveals benefits of using insulin earlier

Results of an all-Canadian study announced June 13 at an international diabetes congress demonstrate that patients with type 2 diabetes can safely achieve target blood sugar (glycemic) levels faster and more frequently when insulin glargine (a basal, long-acting insulin) is added to therapy, versus using oral agents alone.

14 Jun 2005