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Woman’s socioeconomic status impacts clinicians' decisions for contraception: Study

A woman's race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status impact whether health care providers recommend one of the most highly effective forms of contraception, a UCSF study confirms. The results also indicate that the interaction of both factors plays a role in clinicians' decisions.

12 Oct 2010

Global study finds new set of genes associated with body fat distribution and obesity

Two major international studies looking at data from a quarter of a million people around the globe have found a new set of genes associated with body fat distribution and obesity. Researchers at 280 institutions worldwide, including Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, conducted the studies. The research, published in the October 10 online edition of Nature Genetics, sheds light on the biological processes involved in body fat distribution, possibly leading to new ways of treating obesity.

12 Oct 2010

Abbott agrees to voluntarily withdraw obesity drug Meridia from U.S. market

Abbott Laboratories has agreed to voluntarily withdraw its obesity drug Meridia (sibutramine) from the U.S. market because of clinical trial data indicating an increased risk of heart attack and stroke, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today.

12 Oct 2010

Challenges in provision of high-quality health care at end of life

Health care in the last six months of life has become progressively more expensive for patients with heart failure both among Medicare beneficiaries in the United States and older adults in Canada, with a high rate of hospitalizations in the final six months of life in both countries, according to two reports posted online today that will be published in the February 14 print issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

12 Oct 2010

Helmets to prevent rising off-road bike crashes

According to a new study Australia's off-road motorbike riders need to wear helmets more often. Research has shown that off-road crashes resulting in death or serious injury was the only rising category among Victoria's motorcycle community from 2001 to 2008. The results showed that the death toll from all motorcycle crashes plateaued over the period and this masked an almost doubling of the death and injuries which occurred off-road.

12 Oct 2010

Afinitor-Sandostatin LAR Depot combination extends median PFS in patients with advanced carcinoid tumors

A Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation Phase III study of Afinitor® (everolimus) tablets in combination with Sandostatin® LAR Depot (octreotide acetate for injectable suspension) extended median progression-free survival (PFS), or time without tumor growth, in patients with advanced carcinoid tumors compared to taking octreotide LAR alone.

11 Oct 2010

Increased global attention, research needs to be given to stroke prevention: UEA

Increased global attention and research needs to be given to stroke prevention and the social and economic effects of the condition in developing countries, according to an academic at the University of East Anglia.

8 Oct 2010

Soy germ-based nutritional supplement helps to manage menopausal symptoms

A new women-s health, whole soy germ-based nutritional supplement containing Natural S-equol reduced the frequency of moderate to severe hot flashes and reduced muscle and joint pain in the first study of its kind among postmenopausal U.S. women, according to peer-reviewed data presented as a poster presentation at the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) Annual Meeting.

7 Oct 2010

ESH and ERS consent document to manage hypertension and OSA

Consensus document on the management of patients with obstructive sleep apnea and hypertension. Joint recommendations by The European COST Action B26, The European Society of Hypertension and The European Respiratory Society.

7 Oct 2010

DCIS patients with high mammographic density face subsequent breast cancer risk

Researchers at Kaiser Permanente have found that patients with a very early form of breast cancer (ductal carcinoma in situ or DCIS) who have higher mammographic density may be at increased risk for subsequent breast cancer, especially in the breast opposite to the one with the initial cancer.

7 Oct 2010

Raloxifene drug may be useful in treating kidney disease in women: Study

The osteoporosis drug raloxifene may be useful in treating kidney disease in women, suggests a new study led by Michal Melamed, M.D., M.H.S., assistant professor of medicine and epidemiology & population health at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University.

7 Oct 2010

Waist size can predict diabetes risk

A higher rate of diabetes seen among adult Americans when compared to peers in England is explained primarily by a larger waist size rather than conventional risk factors such as obesity, according to a new study by researchers from the RAND Corporation, University College London and the Institute for Fiscal Studies in London.

7 Oct 2010

What to eat and drink when pregnant: New studies

There is fresh debate over drinking during pregnancy. Researchers agree that the area is “highly politically and morally charged”. According to Government advice women who are trying to conceive or who are pregnant should avoid alcohol because it has proved impossible to establish a safe level of alcohol consumption in pregnancy. Excess alcohol consumption during pregnancy can cause fetal alcohol syndrome that can lead to mental retardation, behavioral problems and birth defects.

6 Oct 2010

Xeomin botulinum toxin for cervical dystonia now available in the U.S.

Merz Pharmaceuticals today announced that Xeomin (incobotulinumtoxinA), a new botulinum toxin type A for the treatment of adults with cervical dystonia (CD)or blepharospasm, is now commercially available in the U.S. XEOMIN was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on July 30, 2010.

6 Oct 2010

Researchers find exposure to air pollution increases severity of asthma symptoms

Exposure to dirty air is linked to decreased function of a gene that appears to increase the severity of asthma in children, according to a joint study by researchers at Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley.

6 Oct 2010

Race, ethnicity affect diagnostic delay more than insurance status for women with breast abnormalities

Race and ethnicity appeared to affect diagnostic delay more than insurance status for women with breast abnormalities, as revealed by data presented at the Third American Association for Cancer Research Conference on The Science of Cancer Health Disparities, being held Sept. 30-Oct. 3, 2010.

5 Oct 2010

X-rays increase risk of developing childhood leukemia

Diagnostic X-rays may increase the risk of developing childhood leukemia, according to a new study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley's School of Public Health.

4 Oct 2010

Puerto Rican's awarness of genetic testing high, but usage low

Awareness of genetic testing was higher among adults in Puerto Rico compared to previous U.S. population-based studies, while use of genetic testing was lower, according to data presented at the Third AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities, held Sept. 30 to Oct 3, 2010.

4 Oct 2010

Mind-body intervention effective in treating persistent fatigue in breast cancer survivors

A group-based, holistic, mind-body intervention was equally effective in treating persistent fatigue and improving quality of life for breast cancer survivors, regardless of their race.

4 Oct 2010

Saturated fat intake has limited impact on CVD risk: Research

For the past three decades, saturated fat has been considered a major culprit of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and as a result dietary advice persists in recommending reduced consumption of this macronutrient. However, new evidence shows that saturated fat intake has only a very limited impact on CVD risk causing many to rethink the "saturated fat is bad" paradigm.

4 Oct 2010