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Bariatric surgery can remit or prevent diabetic nephropathy in obese patients

In many obese diabetic patients, one of the most dreaded complications of Type 2 diabetes can be put into remission or prevented entirely with bariatric surgery, according to a new study from the Cleveland Clinic presented here at the 29th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery.

21 Jun 2012

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy safer than bariatric and metabolic surgery

Studies from Stanford University, Cleveland Clinic Florida and the Naval Medical Center in San Diego show laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, an increasingly popular surgical procedure where the stomach is reduced by 85 percent, is as safe as or safer than laparoscopic gastric bypass or gastric banding. The studies* were presented here at the 29th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).

21 Jun 2012

Children exposed to HIV before birth may be more likely to experience hearing loss

Children exposed to HIV in the womb may be more likely to experience hearing loss by age 16 than are their unexposed peers, according to scientists in a National Institutes of Health research network.

21 Jun 2012

FDA approves CDC DENV-1-4 Real Time RT PCR Assay to treat dengue

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has developed a new diagnostic test to detect the presence of dengue virus in people with symptoms of dengue fever or dengue hemorrhagic fever. The test, called the CDC DENV-1-4 Real Time RT PCR Assay, has been authorized by the Food and Drug Administration for use in the United States and can be performed using equipment and supplies many public health laboratories already use to diagnose influenza.

21 Jun 2012

Lack of time, training among top barriers to counseling in primary care setting

Lack of time, knowledge and training in health promotion and lack of success with changing patient behavior were among the top barriers to including effective physical activity counseling in the primary care setting, according to research by The University of Texas School of Public Health, part of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

20 Jun 2012

Bariatric surgery improves kidney function in severely obese patients with CKD

Severely obese patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) saw significant improvements in kidney function within one year of bariatric surgery, according to a new study presented here at the 29th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).

20 Jun 2012

Bariatric procedure increases risk of alcohol use disorders two years after surgery

Adults who had a common bariatric surgery to lose weight had a significantly higher risk of alcohol use disorders (AUD) two years after surgery, according to a study by a National Institutes of Health research consortium.

20 Jun 2012

Young men with HIV more likely to experience low bone mass

Young men being treated for HIV are more likely to experience low bone mass than are other men their age, according to results from a research network supported by the National Institutes of Health. The findings indicate that physicians who care for these patients should monitor them regularly for signs of bone thinning, which could foretell a risk for fractures. The young men in the study did not have HIV at birth and had been diagnosed with HIV an average of two years earlier.

20 Jun 2012

Report: 3.1M young adults gain insurance due to new health care law

A new report released today by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) shows that 3.1 million young adults have gained health insurance because of the health care law. Without the health care law - the Affordable Care Act - these 3.1 million young adults would not have health insurance.

20 Jun 2012

In Calif. and Mass., reforms proceeding even as court causes uncertainty

News reports offer updates on California's health exchange as well as the important signal sent by Massachusetts' major health insurers.

19 Jun 2012

High Court uncertainty raises stakes in health law guessing game

News outlets offer scene setters exploring the dynamics at play at the high court and the importance of the pending ruling on the constitutionality of the health law. They also look at how the decision will impact different parts of the health care sector, ranging from safety-net providers and investors to patient safety advocates and employers.

19 Jun 2012

National conference examines Affordable Care Act

Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) will host a national conference on June 19, 2012 examining the Affordable Care Act (ACA) as it relates to translational science and its impact on health.

19 Jun 2012

State roundup: Calif. budget cuts; Texas hospitals cry foul over funding plan

Spending on welfare, child care and home care for the elderly and disabled would be reduced but not by as much as Brown wanted. CalWORKs, the state welfare program, is facing the biggest hit at $428 million. … In-Home Supportive Services, which allow some elderly residents to avoid being moved into nursing homes, would be reduced by about $90 million. The cut means 3.6 percent fewer hours of care for beneficiaries.

19 Jun 2012

movin' mania, a community wide effort to address childhood obesity

Bon Secours Virginia Health System has launched movin' mania, a community wide effort to address childhood obesity, the leading health concern for children today. The health system gathered community partners and hundreds of area school children for a kickoff rally Thursday at the Science Museum of Virginia.

18 Jun 2012

Novel strategy for neutralizing unwanted molecules and clearing them from the body

Researchers have unveiled a novel strategy for neutralizing unwanted molecules and clearing them from the body.

18 Jun 2012

Abortion, contraception controversies create political divisions

In some states, even some Republican legislators are not endorsing anti-abortion rules as a group of Catholic hospitals, which had supported the Obama administration's contraception compromise, revoked that approval.

18 Jun 2012

Key health law official leaving post for UnitedHealth VP job

Steve Larsen, director of the federal Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight, is leaving his post to join UnitedHealth as an executive vice president, sparking speculation on the move.

18 Jun 2012

First Edition: June 18, 2012

Today's headlines include reports on the upcoming Supreme Court health law decision and the politics of health policy.

18 Jun 2012

High court ruling's possible effect on state Medicaid programs

The expansion of Medicaid - if it is upheld by the Supreme Court - is among the most significant parts of the law, as it will provide coverage to people with the greatest financial needs. Many health care advocates support the expansion, saying it will allow poor people to receive needed care, while many state officials, especially Republicans, worry that it will bring budget-breaking new costs.

18 Jun 2012

In reversal, Catholic hospitals reject support for contraception compromise

In an unexpected blow to the Obama administration and a major boon for America's Catholic bishops, the influential Catholic Health Association on Friday rejected White House proposals aimed at easing faith-based objections to the contraception mandate. ... The mandate requires that all employee health insurance plans must provide no-cost birth control coverage to employees, and it grants what many consider an unacceptably narrow exemption for religious groups.

18 Jun 2012