Blood News and Research

RSS

Longer looks: People with mental disabilities have a vote; Genome sequencing raises hope - also anxiety

I may get Alzheimer's disease, I was told after getting my DNA analyzed. I could suffer the consequences of an abnormal blood clot in my heart or my brain. Or perhaps I'll suffer from a disease called primary myelofibrosis that's caused by an overactive bone marrow. All of these were possible outcomes, based on my genetic profile. In each case, the test only gives an increased risk for disease, not a definitive diagnosis.

9 Nov 2012

Lone star tick causes alpha-gal meat sensitivity in regional population

Meat lovers living in the central and southern regions of the country might be opting for a vegetarian lifestyle if meat comes with an unwanted side of a life-threatening allergic reaction. According to a study presented at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI), the lone star tick inhabiting these regions is the primary reason for what's known as a meat induced alpha-gal allergic reaction.

9 Nov 2012

Patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis tend to have high suPAR levels

Patients with a disease that is a leading cause of kidney failure tend to have high levels of a particular factor circulating in their blood, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN).

9 Nov 2012

Elevated ST2 biomarker levels strongly indicate heart failure and mortality in HIV patients

Critical Diagnostics, makers of the Presage ST2 Assay, announced today that during a presentation at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in Los Angeles, the results of a study demonstrated that elevated levels of the biomarker ST2 in HIV patients was strongly indicative of the development of heart failure and mortality.

9 Nov 2012

Mastoscopic axillary lymph node dissection can reduce breast cancer complications

Axillary lymph node dissection is done in conjunction with lumpectomy or mastectomy to determine if breast cancer has spread to the adjoining lymph nodes. The conventional surgical approach leaves a surgical scar that is unattractive and can restrict range of motion in the shoulder joint. Also, squeezing and pulling the tumor during the breast operation can stimulate tumor cell metastases.

9 Nov 2012

SCCA to raise awareness about importance of lung cancer screening

Lung cancer is the No. 1 cause of cancer deaths in the United States, despite the fact it is largely preventable. For people at high risk of developing lung cancer, such as current or former longtime smokers, screening for the disease with low-dose CT scans is now a viable option that has been shown to significantly reduce mortality rates. In conjunction with National Lung Cancer Awareness Month, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA) wants to raise awareness about the importance of prevention and early detection for at-risk populations.

9 Nov 2012

Positive results from Palatin’s bremelanotide Phase 2B trial on female sexual dysfunction

Palatin Technologies, Inc. today reported positive top-line results, including the successful achievement of statistical significance for the primary endpoint and key secondary endpoints in its Phase 2B clinical trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of bremelanotide for the treatment of female sexual dysfunction (FSD).

9 Nov 2012

New England Journal of Medicine publishes BMC's capnography training video

Physicians at Boston Medical Center (BMC) have developed a training video for health care providers about how to effectively use capnography to monitor ventilation and carbon dioxide levels for patients under anesthesia or conscious sedation. This is the sixth video published in the New England Journal of Medicine's Videos in Clinical Medicine section produced by BMC. It highlights the importance of using capnography to increase patient safety.

9 Nov 2012

Avinger receives FDA clearance for Ocelot System

Avinger, Inc., a medical device manufacturer of innovative, multi-functional catheters for crossing chronic total occlusions (CTOs) in patients with Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), announces its Ocelot System has been cleared for sale in the U.S. by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

9 Nov 2012

HCT 1026 may help stem debilitating effects of muscular dystrophy

Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute researchers have found that an experimental compound may help stem the debilitating effects of muscular dystrophy by restoring normal blood flow to muscles affected by the genetic disorder.

9 Nov 2012

Mayo Clinic receives FDA approval for Choline C 11 Injection to help detect prostate cancer

Mayo Clinic has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval to produce and administer Choline C 11 Injection, an imaging agent used during a positron emission tomography (PET) scan to help detect sites of recurrent prostate cancer. Mayo Clinic is the first, and currently only, institution in North America approved to produce this imaging agent.

9 Nov 2012

Lack of vitamin D2 associated with Alzheimer's

Scientists at London's Kingston University have uncovered evidence that lack of a particular form of vitamin D is associated with Alzheimer's disease.

8 Nov 2012

Low antioxidant levels contribute to increased blood pressure during exercise for people with PAD

Low antioxidant levels contribute to increased blood pressure during exercise for people with peripheral arterial disease, according to researchers at Penn State Hershey Heart and Vascular Institute.

8 Nov 2012

Sulfonylureas risk vs metformin points to clear first-line diabetes choice

Using sulfonylureas as a first-line treatment for diabetes is associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease events or death compared with the use of metformin, research shows.

8 Nov 2012

Antibiotic choices critical for elderly with bloodstream infections

Failure to treat patients with bacteremia with an appropriate antibiotic is particularly harmful in elderly patients, report researchers.

8 Nov 2012

Key areas of disease neglected by UK funding for infectious diseases

UK funding for infectious diseases research is neglecting some of the diseases that result in the highest rates of death and disability, according to an Article published Online First in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

8 Nov 2012

Trauma transfusion ratios linked to survival

Transfusion practices significantly predict early inhospital mortality among adult trauma patients, suggests a report published in the Archives of Surgery.

8 Nov 2012

FREEDOM results announced

Results from the FREEDOM trial show that coronary artery bypass graft surgery significantly reduces the risk for adverse outcomes compared with percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with diabetes and coronary artery disease.

8 Nov 2012

Band counts in infection diagnosis

Even when patients have normal white blood cell counts, elevated band counts may diagnose infection and prompt earlier initiation of antibiotics, report researchers.

8 Nov 2012

Better understanding of clotting dynamics in atherosclerosis could lead to more effective drugs

The disease atherosclerosis involves the build up of fatty tissue within arterial walls, creating unstable structures known as plaques. These plaques grow until they burst, rupturing the wall and causing the formation of a blood clot within the artery. These clots also grow until they block blood flow; in the case of the coronary artery, this can cause a heart attack.

8 Nov 2012