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Superbug strains have spread to nursing homes and into the community

Hospital superbugs that can break down antibiotics are so widespread throughout Europe that doctors increasingly have to use the few remaining drugs that they reserve for emergencies.

27 Nov 2007

The association of registered nurse staffing levels and patient outcomes

If hospitals added one more full-time registered nurse on staff to care for patients, the number of hospital-related deaths in the United States could decrease significantly, according to a new review.

27 Nov 2007

Fast way of spotting multidrug resistant bacteria could help stop outbreaks in hospitals

A type of bacterium widely found on our skin and in the environment has now become a major threat in hospitals where it can cause serious infections, such as pneumonia in severely ill patients.

27 Nov 2007

Alcohol and tobacco use doesn't boost HPV-related cancer risk

Heavy smoking and drinking are known to cause head and neck cancer. Infection with human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16), a common strain of the sexually-transmitted HPV virus, is another known risk factor for head and neck cancer, which affects about 500,000 people each year worldwide.

27 Nov 2007

Gastric bypass complications

Obese patients who suffer complications after gastric bypass surgery may face further health risks because their weight exceeds the limits of diagnostic imaging equipment, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

27 Nov 2007

More youth with diabetes hospitalized, costing billions

Obesity is taking a hefty toll on the health of children and young adults, leaving more Americans facing the burden of a lifetime of diabetes care and management.

27 Nov 2007

Red blood cell transfusions under scrutiny - research reveals potential harm

Bristol scientists have found that red blood cell transfusions given to people having heart surgery could increase the risk of heart attack or stroke.

27 Nov 2007

Pregnant women may be having too many high-tech scans

A new study has found that pregnant women are having more high-tech imaging examinations and are thereby exposing their babies to higher doses of radiation than a decade ago.

27 Nov 2007

Special scans reveal the deadly effects of second hand smoke

Any doubts harboured about the damage second hand smoke can inflict on the health may be resolved in the minds of skeptics by the results of a new study.

27 Nov 2007

City life raises a woman's risk of breast cancer

According to a new study city living increases a woman's risk for breast cancer.

27 Nov 2007

Many people mistrust Britain's NHS even though it is improving, research shows

Research carried out by Professor Peter Taylor-Gooby and Dr Andrew Wallace at the Department of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research, University of Kent, shows that many people mistrust the NHS even though spending has increased hugely, waiting lists have fallen rapidly and death rates in the priority areas (heart disease and cancer) have improved sharply.

27 Nov 2007

Transcranial magnetic stimulation effective in treating major depression

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and other study sites have found that transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) – a non-invasive technique that excites neurons in the brain via magnetic pulses passed through the scalp – is a safe and effective, non-drug treatment with minimal side effects for patients with major depression who have tried other treatment options without benefit.

27 Nov 2007

Secondhand smoke does damage lungs

It's not a smoking gun, but it's smoking-related, and it's there in bright medical images: evidence of microscopic structural damage deep in the lungs, caused by secondhand cigarette smoke.

27 Nov 2007

Researchers transfer immune response to myeloma patient

Researchers at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) have for the first time transferred an immune response in a healthy individual to a patient with multiple myeloma, a cancer of the bone marrow, showing promise for cancer vaccination.

27 Nov 2007

Children with bipolar disorder respond differently to facial expressions

Children with bipolar disorder respond differently to facial expressions than children without psychiatric disorders, according to a new study led by a Bradley Hospital researcher.

27 Nov 2007

Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons prior to pregnancy could limit offspring's fertility

A study by a research team at the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute of Mount Sinai Hospital suggests that mothers who are exposed to certain toxic environmental compounds prior to pregnancy could limit their offspring's fertility.

27 Nov 2007

Dirty ambulances could help the spread of MRSA

Dirty ambulances could help the spread of MRSA and other superbugs, UNISON warned.

27 Nov 2007

Electronic patient tracking technologies versus manual whiteboards

Proper design of computational tools is critical if they are to be used with success in patient-care settings, particularly in hospital emergency rooms, a field study conducted by researchers at the University at Buffalo and other institutions recently revealed.

27 Nov 2007

Computed tomography angiography accurate in detecting coronary artery disease

Computed tomography (CT) angiography is as accurate as an invasive angiogram in detecting coronary artery disease, according to the findings of the first two prospective multicenter 64-slice scanner trials presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

27 Nov 2007

City women have denser breasts, making them more likely to develop breast cancer

Breast tissue in women may be fatty or glandular or a mixture of both. Women with more glandular breasts show denser tissue on a mammogram and are known to have nearly four times the risk of developing breast cancer than women with fatty breasts.

27 Nov 2007