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Hospice cancer patients adhere well to pain meds

Study results from the midwest USA indicate that hospice-treated older individuals with cancer are highly adherent to pain medication, but that as they become more comfortable, adherence wanes.

8 Aug 2012

High BMI linked to poor outcomes after prostatectomy and ADT

Men initiating androgen deprivation therapy after radical prostatectomy are more likely to experience poor outcomes if they are overweight or obese, report researchers.

8 Aug 2012

‘Green’ disinfectant shows promise against hospital-acquired infections

Research shows that the polyhexamethylene-guanidine hydrochloride-based disinfectant Akwaton effectively destroys Bacillus subtilis spores even at low concentrations.

8 Aug 2012

Children with negative TB skin test at high risk for mortality

Children with clinical signs of tuberculosis but with a negative tuberculin skin test result should not have treatment delayed, suggest study findings showing that false-negatives are common and associated with high mortality.

7 Aug 2012

Taking the heat out of tonsillectomy

Cooling of the spaces in which the tonsils are lodged during tonsillectomy, reduces post-operative pain and accelerates healing, report researchers.

7 Aug 2012

Back pain sufferers show quick response to chiropractic therapy

Patients with low back pain undergoing chiropractic treatment who respond to treatment are likely to improve very quickly, study findings show.

7 Aug 2012

Patient-centered model of healthcare could improve ethics of medicine

The patient-centered medical home model of healthcare includes principles of medical ethics and professionalism that could reinvigorate the patient‑physician relationship and enhance the ethical practice of medicine, suggest members of the American College of Physicians.

7 Aug 2012

Time to carotid stenosis treatment ‘can be shortened’

Researchers say it is possible to surgically treat carotid stenosis patients within 2 weeks of their index symptom.

7 Aug 2012

Pets may trigger ‘prosocial’ behavior in autistic children

Autistic children show improvements in certain aspects of prosocial behavior after the introduction of pets into the family home, researchers report.

7 Aug 2012

Surprise result in caffeine trial for Parkinson’s patients

Caffeine treatment may improve motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson’s disease, research suggests.

7 Aug 2012

Diagnostic imaging in stage IV cancer on the rise

Diagnostic imaging in elderly patients with stage IV cancer has increased significantly in recent years, while its use among those with early-stage disease has decreased, suggest study findings.

6 Aug 2012

Congenital anomaly clusters may be going undetected in UK

A lack of national surveillance of congenital anomalies in England and Wales may lead to clusters of congenital conditions going unnoticed, say UK researchers.

6 Aug 2012

Exercise improves mood in heart failure patients

Structured exercise achieves modest reductions in depressive symptoms relative to usual care among patients with heart failure, the results of a randomized-controlled trial show.

6 Aug 2012

Cardiovascular risk present across chronic rheumatic diseases

Patients across the spectrum of rheumatic diseases, not just those with rheumatoid arthritis, have a significantly increased prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors compared with the general population, the results of a Dutch study indicate.

6 Aug 2012

Vorinostat drives HIV from hiding

The addition of vorinostat to current antiretroviral therapy regimens can potentially help to eradicate hidden pockets of dormant human immunodeficiency virus, according to study results published in Nature.

6 Aug 2012

Mild mental health problems increase risk for death

Even mild psychologic distress increases the risk for death, the results of a large meta-analysis show, raising questions about the treatment of subclinical depression and anxiety.

3 Aug 2012

Skin cell spray key to venous leg ulcer treatment

A spray consisting of a mixture of keratinocyte and fibroblast skin cells holds promise for treatment of venous leg ulcers, show results from a phase II randomized controlled trial published in The Lancet.

3 Aug 2012

Child abuse has repercussions for menarche

Researchers have found an association between childhood abuse and age at menarche onset, they report in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

3 Aug 2012

$Cataract surgery reduces hip fracture, as well as improving eye sight$

Cataract surgery reduces hip fracture, as well as improving eye sight

Surgery for cataract removal significantly reduces the rate of hip fracture in the year after the procedure compared with no surgery, show study results involving over a million Medicare beneficiaries aged over 65 years.

3 Aug 2012

Diabetes impairs women’s sex life

Women with diabetes are less likely to find sex satisfying than those without the condition, despite having similar levels of interest and engagement in sexual activity, show study findings.

3 Aug 2012