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AAO-HNSF to issue the first guideline for helping physicians manage dysphonia

The American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) will issue the first--and only--national clinical practice guideline to help healthcare practitioners identify and manage patients with hoarseness, also known as dysphonia. The guideline emphasizes evidence-based management of hoarseness by clinicians, and educates patients on the prevalence of this common vocal health issue.

1 Sep 2009

Gates Foundation appoints new HIV program head

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation recently announced that Stefano Bertozzi will head up its HIV programs starting August 31, the Puget Sound Business Journal reports (8/27).

1 Sep 2009

Psychological therapy for breast cancer patients reduces blood inflammation levels

A psychological intervention for newly diagnosed breast cancer patients with symptoms of depression not only relieves patients' depression but also lowers indicators of inflammation in the blood.

1 Sep 2009

Research study to identify the appropriate amount of DHA required for promoting optimal heart health

A team of French scientists have found the dose of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) that is "just right" for preventing cardiovascular disease in healthy men. In a research report appearing in the September 2009 print issue of The FASEB Journal, the scientists show that a 200 mg dose of DHA per day is enough to affect biochemical markers that reliably predict cardiovascular problems, such as those related to aging, atherosclerosis, and diabetes. This study is the first to identify how much DHA is necessary to promote optimal heart health.

1 Sep 2009

Also in Global Health news: Flu, cholera in PNG; improving life awards; HIV/AIDS in Rwanda; men and maternal/child health; MDR-TB in India

"Twin outbreaks of a flu-like illness and dysentery in a remote region of Papua New Guinea have killed 47 people and infected another 2,000 villagers, a senior medical official said Monday," Agence France-Presse reports. According to provincial health adviser Doctor Theo Likei, the WHO has collected and is testing samples of the virus from the "stricken villages" (8/31). Additionally, the country is experiencing a cholera outbreak - "the first time the disease has officially been confirmed in the country," the BBC reports (Mercer, 8/31).

1 Sep 2009

Chemotherapy affects sleep-wake activity rhythms of breast cancer patients

A study in the Sept.1 issue of the journal Sleep shows that the sleep-wake activity rhythms of breast cancer patients are impaired during the administration of chemotherapy. Results indicate that the first cycle of chemotherapy is associated with a temporary disruption of these rhythms, while repeated administration of chemotherapy results in progressively worse and more enduring impairments.

1 Sep 2009

Low level exposure to carbon dioxide leads to increased risk of hospitalization in older people

Exposure to carbon monoxide, even at levels well below national limits, is associated with an increased risk of hospitalization for the elderly with heart problems, according to a study published today in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

1 Sep 2009

Burger chain invests in health care insurance, sees gains

A burger chain pays more for employees' health care insurance and, in turn, has reaped significant gains. The Wall Street Journal reports: "Four years ago, executives of Burgerville, a regional restaurant chain, agreed to pay at least 90% of health-care premiums for hourly employees who work at least 20 hours a week."

1 Sep 2009

OHSU study reveals that fluoroquinolones may cause double vision

Highlights of September's Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (Academy), include a 2009 review by the Academy of the safety and efficacy of a widely used corneal transplant procedure and a warning about an unusual but serious reaction to systemic fluroquinolones, a class of antibiotics used to treat a variety of bacterial infections.

1 Sep 2009

Mitoxantrone is highly efficient in suppressing multiple sclerosis

According to data supplied by the German Multiple Sclerosis Society's national MS register (DMSG - Deutsche Multiple Sklerose Gesellschaft), up to 10% of German MS patients have been treated with mitoxantrone in the past few years.

1 Sep 2009

Mistrust in health care system could impact patients' health and health care costs

Mistrust among patients, providers and insurers could harm patients' health and raise overall health care costs, reports a new study.

1 Sep 2009

Granulation tissue formed under gauze-based NPWT produces less scarring

At the 5th Joint Meeting of the European Tissue Repair Society and The Wound Healing Society in Limoges, France, Associate Professor Malin Malmsjo, MD, PhD of Lund University in Sweden presented never before seen ground-breaking research revealing that granulation tissue formed under gauze-based Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) is more organized and contains fewer leukocytes than the granulation tissue formed under foam.

1 Sep 2009

Senior citizens in Nevada to be affected by the recent House bill

A new American Health Care Association analysis of the pending House health reform bill, combined with the impact of a recently-enacted Medicare regulation cutting Medicare-funded nursing home care by $12 billion over 10 years, finds seniors in Nevada requiring nursing and rehabilitative care will face total funding cuts of $186 million over that same time period. Nationally, the study finds, seniors' Medicare cuts will total $44 billion over 10 years, prompting Nevada’s long term care community to warn that seniors' care needs are endangered by the House bill, as are the jobs of almost 200 caregivers in Nevada alone.

31 Aug 2009

Cordis enrolls first patient in the CYPRESS clinical study

Cordis Corporation, a worldwide leader in the development and manufacture of interventional vascular technology, announced today that the first patient has been enrolled in the CYPRESS study, which will assess clinical outcomes in a broad range of patients with coronary artery disease who take dual anti-platelet therapy after receiving a CYPHER Sirolimus-eluting Coronary Stent. The procedure was performed by Patrick Flaherty, D.O., Arkansas Heart Hospital in Little Rock, AK.

31 Aug 2009

Family and friends play a significant role in breast cancer surgery decision

About three-quarters of women newly diagnosed with breast cancer have a friend or family member with them at their first visit with a surgeon. And that person plays a significant role in the patient's decision of what type of surgery to have, according to a new study from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center.

31 Aug 2009

PrimeSuite provides physicians with access to lab results, radiology reports and transcribed documents from their community health system

Physicians using Greenway Medical Technologies’ electronic health record (EHR) solution, PrimeSuite, now have access to lab results, radiology reports and transcribed documents from their community health system through RelayHealth’s Virtual Information Exchange platform.

31 Aug 2009

MD Buyline introduces integrated capital planning and budgeting program

MD Buyline introduces Buyline BUDGET, an integrated capital planning and budgeting program for researching, selecting, budgeting, and purchasing capital equipment.

31 Aug 2009

MRRI research study to investigate how zolpidem might restore consciousness for patients in the vegetative state

Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute (MRRI), the research arm of MossRehab, one of the world’s leading clinical rehabilitation centers, has launched an ambitious research study to investigate how the sleep drug zolpidem might restore consciousness for patients in the vegetative state.

31 Aug 2009

New chief strategy officer for Merkle

Merkle (www.merkleinc.com), one of the nation’s largest and fastest growing database marketing agencies, announced the appointment of Vice President Pete Mehr, Ph.D., as chief strategy officer to its growing healthcare marketing practice, which launched earlier this year to provide data-driven marketing insight and strategy to leading healthcare and pharmaceutical clients.

31 Aug 2009

MabCure featured in the August edition of Biotechnology Focus magazine

MabCure, Inc. (“MabCure”), a biotechnology company using its proprietary technology to create highly specific monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) for the early detection of cancer, has been featured in the August edition of Biotechnology Focus, Canada's oldest and most successful magazine serving the Canadian life science industry.

31 Aug 2009