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Treatment-resistant insomnia exacerbates major depression

Reports from a case series study indicate that patients with major depression have high rates of treatment-resistant, residual insomnia, and that insomnia during the early remission phase could lead to recurrence of depressive episodes.

13 Jul 2012

Cranberry benefits not an old wives’ tale

Consuming cranberry products can reduce the risk for urinary tract infections, particularly in women, a meta-analysis shows.

13 Jul 2012

Early surgery best for infective endocarditis

Compared with conventional treatment, early surgery for patients with infective endocarditis and large vegetations significantly reduces the risk for death or embolic events by reducing the risk for systemic embolism, show results from a randomized trial.

12 Jul 2012

High-risk HPV may increase chances of second malignancy in oral cancer

The proportion of oral squamous cell carcinoma patients infected with the human papillomavirus could be around a third, with high-risk versions of the virus accounting for almost three-quarters of those affected, indicate Taiwanese study results.

12 Jul 2012

Disappointing result for acadesine

The adenosine-regulating agent acadesine does not reduce the occurrence of adverse outcomes in patients undergoing on-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery, researchers say.

12 Jul 2012

Opioids for chronic noncancer pain discouraged

US experts have called for more selective and cautious opioid prescribing for chronic noncancer pain, because of concerns over misuse of the drugs and continued uncertainty over when and for how long they should be prescribed.

12 Jul 2012

Altered immune function in relatives of schizophrenia patients

Schizophrenia patients and their unaffected first-degree relatives exhibit immune system alterations compared with mentally healthy individuals, researchers report.

12 Jul 2012

$Ankle fracture severity linked to obesity$

Ankle fracture severity linked to obesity

Obese patients experience more severe ankle fractures than individuals with a healthy body mass index, research suggests.

12 Jul 2012

Potassium channel KIR4.1 clue to multiple sclerosis

The potassium channel KIR4.1 is a potential immune target in certain patients with multiple sclerosis, report researchers in TheNew England Journal of Medicine.

12 Jul 2012

US hospitals fail to meet critical esophagectomy benchmark

A study has shown that most US hospitals fail to ensure that surgeons examine at least 15 lymph nodes during esophagectomy for cancer, and are therefore failing to meet guideline recommendations for detecting metastases.

12 Jul 2012

Abused children may become obese adults

Severity of abuse in childhood or adolescence is associated with an increased risk for overall and central obesity in adulthood, report researchers.

12 Jul 2012

Eosinophil count predicts mortality risk following heart procedure

Study findings suggest that eosinophil count predicts mortality risk in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

12 Jul 2012

Family physicians’ continuity of care pivotal in depressed terminally ill patients

The long-standing relationship between a family physician and his/her terminally ill patient is pivotal in the management of depression during palliative care, show Dutch study results.

12 Jul 2012

Daily temperature linked to bipolar admissions

Results from a Taiwanese study suggest that high daily temperatures are associated with increased hospitalization rates for mood symptoms among patients with bipolar disorder, particularly women.

11 Jul 2012

Ambulance crews failing to flag stroke arrivals

Two studies from the Get With The Guidelines–Stroke initiative show that the emergency medical services often fail to notify hospitals of an incoming stroke patient, despite the clear positive effect on acute stroke treatment.

11 Jul 2012

Cochlear implants work well for Waardenburg children

Children with Waardenburg syndrome respond well to cochlear implantation and achieve equally good speech and hearing outcomes as nonsyndromic children undergoing the same procedure, report researchers.

11 Jul 2012

More selective colon cancer screening urged

Updated guidance from a US task force stresses the need for targeted, high-quality follow-up screening in patients who have undergone colonoscopy or polyp removal, in an effort to cut down on unnecessary repeat procedures

11 Jul 2012

Health risks associated with H1N1 vaccine investigated

Results from two studies published in JAMA show that the H1N1 vaccination is associated with a small, but significant, increase in risk for Guillain-Barré syndrome in adults, but does not increase the risk for birth defects or problems when given to pregnant women.

11 Jul 2012

Thrombopoietin mimetic offers aplastic anemia hope

Eltrombopag significantly improves blood counts in some patients with refractory severe aplastic anemia, suggests research published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

11 Jul 2012

Symptom relief at the core of prostate patient management

More focus should be placed on relieving the most bothersome or “core” symptom for patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia, report Korean researchers.

11 Jul 2012