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Breast cancer death rates among black women

A new study from the American Cancer Society finds that while breast cancer death rates are decreasing for white women in every U.S. state, for African American women, death rates are either flat or rising in at least half the states.

28 Feb 2008

Stopping bird flu at the border

Several strains of the bird flu virus that raged across southern China were blocked from entering Thailand and Vietnam, UC Irvine researchers have discovered.

28 Feb 2008

Restricting insulin doses increases mortality risk in women with type 1 diabetes

A new study led by researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center has found that women with type 1 diabetes who reported taking less insulin than prescribed had a three-fold increased risk of death and higher rates of disease complications than those who did not skip needed insulin shots.

28 Feb 2008

Heart disease in Europe

New figures published by the European Society of Cardiology and the European Heart Network this month, highlighted the significant differences in cardiovascular disease across Europe.

27 Feb 2008

Growing US disparities in health not inevitable

In the public health field, there is an ongoing debate as to whether improvement in the overall health of the population is linked to increases or decreases in social inequities in health, that is, the inequities between higher-income and lower-income groups or people of different race/ethnicities.

27 Feb 2008

Adult stem cells may be beneficial for certain cardiovascular disorders and autoimmune diseases

A review of previously published research suggests that stem cells harvested from an adult's blood or marrow may provide treatment benefit to select patients for some autoimmune diseases and cardiovascular disorders, according to an article in the February 27 issue of JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association.

27 Feb 2008

Heart failure declining among the very elderly

Conventional wisdom holds that as the U.S. population ages, the incidence of heart failure will continue to rise.

26 Feb 2008

Unusual case of upper obstructive syndrome

Aorto-duodenal fistulae (ADF) are the most frequent aorto-enteric fistulae (80%) and the most frequent presenting sign of ADF is upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGI).

25 Feb 2008

Be healthy, wealthy and wise to avoid dementia

According to the latest research from the United States, the healthy, wealthy and well educated are less likely to suffer from memory loss and dementia as they age.

25 Feb 2008

Alternative treatment method offers effective way to treat Crohn's disease

An international research study, published in The Lancet, has thrown into question the current method of treating Crohn's disease - opening the door to a safer and more effective treatment option for sufferers of the chronic disease.

22 Feb 2008

Kidney donor age linked to aortic siffening

Transplantation of kidneys from older donors is followed by increased stiffening of the recipient's aorta - which may help to explain the higher rates of cardiovascular disease and death in patients receiving kidneys from "expanded criteria" donors, reports a study in the April Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

22 Feb 2008

Guidelines for evaluation of psychological side-effects of brain injury

In her PhD, defended at the University of the Basque Country, Maria Luisa de Francisco Maiz provided a clinical-forensic evaluation of brain injuries and also a study on the variables that influence the length of "legal time periods".

21 Feb 2008

Deficiency in the protein MBL2 linked to increased cystic fibrosis severity

Cystic fibrosis (CF), a hereditary disorder causing thick mucous production and frequent lung infections, is associated with a high mortality rate primarily due to lung failure.

21 Feb 2008

Smoking's effects on genes may play a role in lung cancer development and survival

Smoking plays a role in lung cancer development, and now scientists have shown that smoking also affects the way genes are expressed, leading to alterations in cell division and regulation of immune response.

21 Feb 2008

Annual cancer statistics show substantial declines in mortality rates

The American Cancer Society's annual cancer statistics report finds that death rates from cancer in the United States have decreased by 18.4 percent among men and by 10.5 percent among women since mortality rates began to decline in the early 1990s, which translates to the avoidance of more than half a million cancer deaths (534,500) in the United States.

21 Feb 2008

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided therapy safe for severe gastrointestinal bleeding patients

A new Mayo Clinic study found that endoscopic ultrasound-guided therapy appears to be a safe and effective treatment for patients with severe gastrointestinal bleeding for whom conventional therapies have failed.

21 Feb 2008

ICU nurses require training to spot delirium

ICU nurses are poor at spotting delirious patients in their care according to previous research, but a simple educational programme could soon remedy this serious failing.

21 Feb 2008

US advisory committee recommends approval of Rotarix

The US Advisory Committee on Vaccines and Related Biological Products issued a positive recommendation today on the use of rotavirus vaccines, potentially bringing greater protection to children in the US from this common and sometimes fatal cause of severe diarrhea.

21 Feb 2008

Poor women more likely to suffer from postpartum depression

Poor women in Iowa are much more likely to suffer from postpartum depression than their wealthier counterparts, a new University of Iowa study shows.

20 Feb 2008

More support needed for menopausal women in rural areas

Good social support and reliable information are essential for women who find menopause an intense and life-altering experience, especially if they live in rural areas where health services are patchy or inaccessible.

20 Feb 2008