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Syphilis on the rise in L.A. County

Following a level off in 2004, early syphilis cases (infections contracted within the past year) in L.A. County climbed steeply in 2005.

9 Jun 2006

Patients not receiving follow-up tests after positive screening for colon cancer

Study shows that more than 40 percent of patients who initially had received a positive result on a fecal occult blood test (FOBT) did not receive appropriate diagnostic follow-up tests such as a colonoscopy or barium enema in 2002.

6 Jun 2006

Control your diabetes for life

The prevalence of diagnosed diabetes in U.S. adults age 20 and older has risen from about 5.1 percent to 6.5 percent.

31 May 2006

Genetic testing helps diagnose Long QT syndrome

Long QT syndrome is an uncommon, and sometimes fatal, heart rhythm disorder that is often present from birth. It gets its name from the peculiar pattern of the electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) seen in people with the disease. It affects one in every 3,000 people in the United States.

16 Apr 2006

Genetic variants in estrogen-related genes linked to Parkinson's disease in women

Mayo Clinic researchers have discovered a possible connection between increased risk for Parkinson's disease and variants in three genes that control estrogen production and activity in the body.

11 Apr 2006

Discovery of new human retrovirus

Howard Hughes Medical Institute researchers and their colleagues have discovered a new retrovirus in humans that is closely related to a cancer-causing virus found in mice. Their findings describe the first documented cases of human infection with a retrovirus that is native to rodents.

10 Apr 2006

Protein in urine may point to more sensitive screening tests for women with ovarian cancer

According to the National Cancer Institute, ovarian cancer causes more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system. An estimated 20,180 new cases of ovarian cancer are expected in the United States this year.

4 Apr 2006

Responding to AIDS, TB, Malaria and emerging infectious diseases in Burma

Government policies in Burma that restrict public health and humanitarian aid have created an environment where AIDS, drug-resistant tuberculosis, malaria and bird flu (H5N1) are spreading unchecked, according to a report by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

4 Apr 2006

AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and bird flu spread unchecked in Burma

28 Mar 2006

Low PSA score after radiation can predict prostate cancer return

A consortium of prostate cancer experts have discovered, through a clinical investigation, that prostate cancer patients who have a lower prostate specific antigen (PSA) score after radiation therapy to treat their cancer are less likely to have their prostate cancer return or spread to other parts of their body than patients with a higher PSA score.

15 Mar 2006

One stent may be as good as two

Cardiologists increasingly use non-invasive methods to treat patients with diseased arteries that previously required open-heart surgery.

15 Mar 2006

Test for LDH enzyme may help determine risk factors in sickle cell disease

Researchers have found that a simple test for an enzyme called LDH may have significant importance for determining major risk factors in adults with sickle cell disease.

9 Mar 2006

Cat in the clear - but experts argue over "fire blanket" pandemic plan

At the conclusion of a meeting in Geneva on how to limit the effects of a future flu pandemic, experts remain divided on the chance of success.

8 Mar 2006

New test from Biomarker Technologies assists in early detection for Breast Cancer

Phoenix-based Biomarker Technologies announced the launch of a clinical study for its revolutionary blood test that detects breast cancer. Previous clinical studies have shown the test to significantly exceed the accuracy of mammograms.

6 Mar 2006

The incidence, distribution, and control of tuberculosis

A reduction in tuberculosis (TB) incidence, prevalence and death rate can be achieved by 2015 in most parts of the world, with the greatest challenges occurring in Africa and Eastern Europe, according to a projection by the Stop TB Department of the World Health Organization.

1 Mar 2006

Study questions whether treatment is necessary for mild thyroid problems

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have found that leaving a mildly underactive thyroid gland (subclinical hypothyroidism) untreated does not lead to increased cardiovascular risk.

1 Mar 2006

Study shows survival advantage for men treated with radical prostatectomy or radiation therapy compared to observation

A new study shows older men with early stage prostate cancer survive longer if they are treated versus not being treated in favor of the "watchful waiting" approach advocated by many physicians for older men with other health problems.

27 Feb 2006

Doctors fail to recommend colon cancer tests for low-income patients

Fewer than nine out of 10 low-income, medically underserved minority patients at risk for colorectal cancer receive a recommendation for colorectal cancer screening by physicians at government-supported community health centers

24 Feb 2006

Tetrabenazine cuts down involuntary movements in Huntington's disease

The medication tetrabenazine cut down involuntary movement in patients with Huntington's disease on average by about 25 percent, with many patients experiencing a greater improvement, according to a study in the February 14 issue of the journal Neurology.

17 Feb 2006

Measuring levels of NT-proBNP protein predicts long-term risk in patients with shortness of breath

Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have shown that a blood test previously found useful for diagnosing heart failure and determining prognosis in several cardiovascular conditions can also predict the risk of death among patients coming to hospital emergency departments with shortness of breath.

14 Feb 2006