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Viewpoints: Republicans' 'temper tantrum' on health care; 'mixed message' on cancer

Last week House Republicans voted for the 40th time to repeal Obamacare. Like the previous 39 votes, this action will have no effect whatsoever. But it was a stand-in for what Republicans really want to do: repeal reality, and the laws of arithmetic in particular.

6 Aug 2013

Researchers identify precise method for determining bone marrow involvement in DLBCL patients

A more precise method for determining bone marrow involvement in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma-a key factor in tailoring patient management plans-has been identified by researchers in a study published in the August issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

2 Aug 2013

ATS releases clinical practice guidelines on management of childhood ILD in infants

The American Thoracic Society has released new clinical practice guidelines on the classification, evaluation and management of childhood interstitial lung disease in infants.

1 Aug 2013

Task force recommends annual CT scans for high-risk smokers

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has recommended that high-risk current and former smokers get an annual CT Scan to look for cancer. If the draft recommendation becomes final, insurers will likely have to cover the scan at no co-pay cost to consumers.

31 Jul 2013

Study shows good doctor-patient relationships facilitate discussions about health care costs

Strong relationships with physicians, particularly those that are long standing, are likely to increase patients' openness to talk about health care costs when decisions are being made about their treatment options.

24 Jul 2013

Research roundup: Eye care disparities; more complications for Medicaid patients after spine surgery; the cost to states opting against Medicaid expansion

After analyzing 2003-2004 data of patients who underwent spinal surgery at two medical institutions, they found that Medicaid beneficiaries were at much higher risk of experiencing any type of complication than patients who are privately insured. "The results of our study further support the growing body of literature that Medicaid patients have higher rates of complications," the authors write. When evaluating patients and considering the likelihood of complications, "Medicaid status should be considered as well," they concluded (Hacquebord et al., 7/15).

20 Jul 2013

Cost of emergency room visits for severe dizziness projected to reach $4.4 billion by 2015

A new Johns Hopkins research report says emergency room visits for severe dizziness have grown exponentially in recent years, with costs topping $3.9 billion in 2011 and projected to reach $4.4 billion by 2015.

18 Jul 2013

3D-printed airway splint saves life of infant born with severe tracheobronchomalacia

Half a millennium after Johannes Gutenberg printed the bible, researchers printed a 3D splint that saved the life of an infant born with severe tracheobronchomalacia, a birth defect that causes the airway to collapse.

12 Jul 2013

Study links vitamin D deficiency to accelerated aging of bones

Everyone knows that as we grow older our bones become more fragile. Now a team of U.S. and German scientists led by researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and the University of California (UC) Berkeley has shown that this bone-aging process can be significantly accelerated through deficiency of vitamin D - the sunshine vitamin.

11 Jul 2013

Research roundup: 'Welcome-mat' effect of Medicaid expansion; Setting up shops; California's transition to Medicaid managed care

The number of people eligible for Medicaid who remain uninsured varies from state to state, according to the authors. But the federal health law is likely to increase the rate of enrollment for this group. The potential impact of this increase in Medicaid enrollment, also known as the 'welcome-mat' effect, is unclear.

2 Jul 2013

Companies examine ways to cut health costs, deal with Obamacare

The New York Times explores how employers are wrestling with approaches to health costs, as well as the health law's new requirements.

25 Jun 2013

Hybrid molecular imaging technique helps doctors identify diabetic foot infection

Researchers are kick-starting better diabetic foot care and promoting reduced radiation dose with a new take on a hybrid molecular imaging technique. By targeting both bone cell activity and immune response and improving imaging data interpretation, doctors can better distinguish diabetic foot infection from another common foot condition that often requires an additional bone-marrow scan for definitive diagnosis, say researchers presenting a study at the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging's 2013 Annual Meeting.

12 Jun 2013

ACR urges parents not to forego needed medical imaging care for children

The American College of Radiology urges parents not to delay or forego needed medical imaging care for their children based solely on a study (Miglioretti et al) on radiation risk from pediatric computed tomography scans to be published online in JAMA Pediatrics.

11 Jun 2013

Bone tumor identified in the rib of 120,000-year-old Neandertal

The first-known definitive case of a benign bone tumor has been discovered in the rib of a young Neandertal who lived about 120,000 years ago in what is now present-day Croatia.

10 Jun 2013

Surgeon develops new way to perform deep brain stimulation

The surgeon who more than two decades ago pioneered deep brain stimulation surgery in the United States to treat people with Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders has now developed a new way to perform the surgery - which allows for more accurate placement of the brain electrodes and likely is safer for patients.

6 Jun 2013

Four lifestyle behaviors protect against coronary heart disease, say researchers

A large, multi-center study led by Johns Hopkins researchers has found a significant link between lifestyle factors and heart health, adding even more evidence in support of regular exercise, eating a Mediterranean-style diet, keeping a normal weight and, most importantly, not smoking.

3 Jun 2013

Mount Sinai researchers present landmark studies at ASCO meeting

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai researchers will present several landmark studies at the 2013 American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting May 31-June 4, 2013 in Chicago, including data on the likelihood of spousal human papillomavirus oral infection, new gene signatures in melanoma, and issues with high readmission rates after cancer surgery.

3 Jun 2013

Mayo Clinic experts provide some insight about radiation dose from CT imaging

Many misconceptions exist about the risks associated with radiation doses and CT scans. Experts at Mayo Clinic want patients to have the right information about radiation dose, including when to have procedures with radiation, such as a CT scan, versus when to have magnetic resonance imaging or other non-radiation tests.

31 May 2013

Cancer risk to increase following CT scans in younger patients, study reveals

Study leader, Professor John Mathews from the University of Melbourne said this small increase in cancer risk must be weighed against the undoubted benefits from CT scans in diagnosing and monitoring disease.

23 May 2013

A1-PI treatment slows progression of emphysema in patients with AATD

Treatment with an Alpha-1 proteinase inhibitor (A1-PI), a naturally occurring protein that protects lung tissue from breakdown and protects the lung's elasticity, is effective in slowing the progression of emphysema in patients with Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD), a life-threatening genetic disorder, according to a new study presented at the 2013 American Thoracic Society International Conference.

22 May 2013