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75% increase in cancer incidence predicted by 2030

The global cancer burden is set to surge more than 75% by 2030, according to new research published Online First in the Lancet Oncology. The rise is predicted to be even larger in the developing world, with the poorest countries experiencing a projected increase of more than 90%.

1 Jun 2012

Zinc supplementation in young children with serious infections significantly lowers risk of treatment failure

Treating young children with suspected serious bacterial infection with zinc in addition to standard antibiotics significantly reduces the likelihood of treatment failure, according to new research published Online First in The Lancet. In 2010, worldwide, infections were responsible for nearly two-thirds of deaths in children under 5, with around two-fifths of deaths occurring within the first month of life.

1 Jun 2012

Target of 25% reduction in premature mortality from NCDs by 2025 a 'rallying call' for global health community

Member states at the 65th session of the World Health Assembly, which concluded last week, "agreed to adopt a global target of a 25 percent reduction in premature mortality from non-communicable diseases [NCDs] such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases by 2025."

1 Jun 2012

Foreign-born populations in the U.S. are at increased risk for chronic HBV

The prevalence of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in the U.S. may be as high as 2.2 million cases according to a new study now available in Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

1 Jun 2012

Researchers identify new peptide that can block fibrosis of the skin and lungs

A member of the Scleroderma Foundation's Board of Directors has led a team of researchers who have identified a peptide that can block fibrosis of the skin and lungs, according to a report published today.

31 May 2012

Despite progress, more effort 'urgently' needed to prevent maternal mortality in Africa

Citing a U.N. report released in May, titled "Trends in Maternal Mortality: 1990 to 2010," which shows "the number of women worldwide dying of pregnancy and childbirth-related complications has almost halved in the last 20 years," Agnes Odhiambo, a researcher for women in Africa at Human Rights Watch, writes in this Inter Press Service opinion piece.

31 May 2012

BHD launches Statin Induced Myopathy Genotype test

Boston Heart Diagnostics (BHD) announced today the commercial launch of the Statin Induced Myopathy (SLCO1B1) Genotype test licensed from the University of Oxford's technology commercialization company Isis Innovation.

31 May 2012

Top-line results from Alnylam’s ALN-RSV01 Phase IIb trial on RSV infection

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading RNAi therapeutics company, announced today top-line results from a Phase IIb trial with ALN-RSV01 for the treatment of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in lung transplant patients.

31 May 2012

Pseudomonas infection signals poor outcome for COPD patients

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who are infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa have a worse clinical outcome and are more likely to be hospitalized than those without the infection, states recent research.

30 May 2012

Experimental drug shows promise for elderly chronic leukemia patients

The experimental drug ibrutinib is highly active and well tolerated in elderly, treatment-naive patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, US researchers report.

30 May 2012

Funding alone will not reduce maternal and child mortality rates

The statistics on maternal, newborn, and child mortality around the world are staggering: 265,000 maternal deaths, 880,000 stillbirths, 1.2 million neonatal deaths, and 3.2 million infant and child deaths annually, the vast majority occurring in low-income countries.

30 May 2012

Death prediction for patients with pneumonia and raised glucose levels

Raised blood sugar (glucose) levels on admission to hospital can predict deaths in patients with community acquired pneumonia but without pre-existing diabetes, finds a study published on bmj.com today.

30 May 2012

Better urban planning is key to improving health of 60% of global population that will be living in cities by 2030

The proportion of the world’s population that lives in cities has been steadily rising, so that 3 in 5 of all people globally will live in a city by 2030. The UCL (University College London)/Lancet Commission on Healthy Cities explores the many issues other than health services that contribute to population health in a city environment.

30 May 2012

CHOC Children's research project receives $5.5M CIRM grant

A CHOC Children's research project, under the direction of Philip H. Schwartz, Ph.D., senior scientist at the CHOC Children's Research Institute and managing director of the facility's National Human Neural Stem Cell Resource, has been awarded a $5.5 million grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine.

30 May 2012

Possible association between mortality and high levels of vitamin D

Scientists know that Vitamin D deficiency is not healthy. However, new research from the University of Copenhagen now indicates that too high a level of the essential vitamin is not good either. The study is based on blood samples from 247,574 Copenhageners. The results have just been published in the reputed scientific Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

30 May 2012

Mediterranean diet associated with mental and physical health

The study has been published in the 'European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.' For years the Mediterranean diet has been associated with a lesser chance of illness and increased well-being. A new study has now linked it to mental and physical health too.

29 May 2012

Including smokers in donor pool improves survival rates for patients on lung transplant waiting lists and should be continued

New research shows that lung transplant patients who receive the lungs of smokers have a better overall chance of survival than those who remain on waiting lists, despite the fact that they tend to survive for a shorter period after transplantation than those who receive the lungs of non-smokers.

29 May 2012

Intensive glucose control associated with reduced risk of albuminuria

A review of data from seven clinical trials suggests that intensive glucose control is associated with reduced risk of microalbuminuria and macroalbuminuria (conditions characterized by excessive levels of protein in the urine usually resulting from damage to the filtering units of the kidneys), according to a report published in the May 28 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, a JAMA Network publication.

29 May 2012

Sixty-fifth World Health Assembly covers some of the biggest challenges facing public health

The Sixty-fifth World Health Assembly concluded Saturday after adopting 21 resolutions and three decisions on a broad range of health issues. The six days of discussions involved nearly 3000 delegates, including health ministers and senior health officials from amongst the 194 WHO Member States, as well as representatives from civil society and other stakeholders.

28 May 2012

Preoperative opportunity to control blood glucoses

Patients with diabetes mellitus experience significantly higher rates of surgical and systemic complications, higher mortality and increased length of stay during hospitalization following 11 major elective procedures, according to research presented today at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) 21st Annual Meeting & Clinical Congress in Philadelphia.

28 May 2012