Misdiagnosis News and Research

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African malaria comes to town

First, the bad news: urban malaria in Africa is becoming a major health problem and looks set to get worse.

17 Mar 2005

Lack of clear definition for anaphylaxis puts millions at risk

A new report released today in The Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology sets the stage to clearly define a life-threatening medical condition that scientists characterized more than a century ago.

8 Mar 2005

Early ritalin may cause long-term effects on the brain

A new study conducted in rats by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School suggests that the misdiagnosis of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) combined with prescription drug use in children may lead to a higher risk of developing depressive symptoms in adulthood.

13 Dec 2004

MRI technique for measuring blood volume helps distinguish between abscesses and tumors in the brain

Dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) MRI allows physicians to differentiate between cerebral abscesses—inflamed areas in the brain caused by infection—and malignant brain tumors without surgery, says a new preliminary study by researchers from Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC.

8 Nov 2004

Crohn’s disease may be caused by same bacterium that causes Paratuberculosis or Johne’s disease in cattle, sheep, and goats

A study in this week’s issue of THE LANCET suggests that Crohn’s disease may be caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP), the same bacterium that causes a similar intestinal disorder (known as Paratuberculosis or Johne’s disease) in cattle, sheep, and goats.

17 Sep 2004

Chromosomal chaos in early embryonic development is linked to abnormalities in cytokinesis and spindle formation

Abnormalities in the spindles (the bi-polar thread like structures that link and pull the chromosomes during cell division) of human embryos before implantation may be the primary reason for many of the chromosome defects observed in early human development

29 Jun 2004

Gene chip technology can detect one of the commonest cystic fibrosis (CF) genetic mutations with 100% accuracy

A single genetic test that is capable of detecting all mutations involved in the development of cystic fibrosis could be just a few years away, the 20th annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology heard today (Monday 28 June).

28 Jun 2004

Expansion of Medicare coverage of positron emission tomography to include some Medicare beneficiaries with suspected Alzheimer’s disease

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced today that it intends to expand Medicare coverage of positron emission tomography (PET) to include some Medicare beneficiaries with suspected Alzheimer’s disease.

15 Jun 2004

Market research - European Electronic Medical Records

The overwhelming need for cost-effective and high-quality healthcare delivery is motivating the implementation of IT solutions such as the electronic medical records (EMR) system.

9 Jun 2004

Health care and cultural differences at centre of Australian study

Ever wondered how difficult it must be for patients from different cultural backgrounds to be hospitalised in Australia? RMIT researchers will investigate whether these patients are at risk in a predominantly white Anglo health system.

12 May 2004

Urgent need for increased awareness about lupus

The S.L.E. Lupus Foundation believes that significantly raising awareness about lupus, both among women who may be at risk, as well as physicians, whose accurate diagnosis could be a matter of life or death, is critical.

11 May 2004

New studies on the diagnosis of interstitial cystitis and the treatment of prostatitis

Antimicrobials Ineffective in Treating Chronic Prostatitis / Pelvic Pain Syndrome (CP/PPS): Though the traditional means of treating men with CP/PPS, use of antibiotics and alpha-adrenergic receptor blockers (tamsulosin and ciprofloxacin) did not lead to significant change after six and 12 weeks of treatment.

10 May 2004

Blood pressure testing in people under 35 often misdiagnosed

Doctors who routinely measure blood pressure in people under 35 are more likely to misdiagnose than to detect hypertension correctly, according to a study in this week's BMJ. This could lead to unnecessary lifelong treatment for many.

16 Apr 2004