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Fudged cancer patient waiting times reports, says AMAQ

The Australian Medical Association of Queensland (AMAQ) recently revealed that the state’s health authorities are keeping the truth about waiting time for cancer patients under wraps.

4 May 2010

Author of new study calls for responsible media coverage of public health emergencies

A study of emergency department activity before and during the H1N1 influenza pandemic highlights the role public fear can play in unnecessarily straining medical facilities and will aid in ongoing preparations for public health emergencies, according to the authors.

4 May 2010

Study finds standard heel-stick test ineffective in identifying CMV infection in babies

A national study involving a UT Southwestern Medical Center neonatologist and pediatric infectious diseases specialist suggests that a screening test routinely performed in newborns is not very good at identifying cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, a leading cause of hearing loss in children.

4 May 2010

tPA drug effective in treating stroke symptoms

When Ruth Mitchell arrived at Loyola University Hospital's emergency room, her face was drooping, her left arm was weak, she couldn't walk and she was slurring her words.

4 May 2010

New data on salt-sensitive hypertension to be presented at ASH 2010 conference

With governmental authorities, academicians, healthcare providers and industry grappling with the level of salt in the diet in an effort to reduce its impact on high blood pressure, new data evaluating a potential genetic component to salt-sensitive hypertension will be presented at the American Society of Hypertension, Inc.'s 25th Annual Scientific Meeting and Exposition (ASH 2010).

4 May 2010

Only about half of obese adults advised by doctors to cut down on fatty foods: AHRQ

Only about half of obese adult Americans were advised by their doctors to cut down on fatty foods in 2006, and the rate had not significantly changed since 2002, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

4 May 2010

Conservative therapies need to be recommended over routine use of OTC cough/cold products in children

Despite their widespread use by parents and caregivers, over-the-counter (OTC) cold and cough medicines have carried a warning by the FDA since 2008, and still have the potential to cause serious adverse events in infants and children. Conservative therapies, including nasal suctioning, humidification, and nasal saline, should be recommended over routine use of OTC cough/cold products in infants and children, according to a new commentary published in the May 2010 issue of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery.

4 May 2010

Tart cherries reduce osteoarthritis pain

Arthritis affects about one-quarter of Americans and has been called "the coming epidemic" by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 67 million adults are expected to be afflicted by 2030. May is National Arthritis Month and experts like registered dietitian Dave Grotto want Americans to take a food-first approach to managing arthritis pain.

4 May 2010

Non-daily use of tobacco can trigger nicotine dependency among adolescents

Kids who have just started smoking, but not on a daily basis, don't seem to recognize the early symptoms of dependence, according to a new study.

4 May 2010

Physical activity when young reduces risk of developing osteoporosis

The positive effects of exercise while growing up seem to last longer than previously believed. New findings suggest that physical activity when young increases bone density and size, which may mean a reduced risk of osteoporosis later in life, reveals a thesis from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

4 May 2010

Natural plant extract could help treat COPD and inflammatory disorders

A widely and safely used plant extract acts as a novel anti-inflammatory agent that may one day be used for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, as well as other inflammatory conditions.

4 May 2010

Accessible guide titled Healthcare, Heal Thyself released for healthcare providers

In the midst of a national healthcare overhaul, John Rittenhouse, CEO and chairman of Cavallino Consulting, LLC, candidly addresses main issues in the healthcare arena, and offers cures for the operational inefficiencies breaking the current system in his new, accessible guide titled Healthcare, Heal Thyself.

4 May 2010

BioMarker Strategies receives $1M NCI grant funding to develop SnapPath live tumor cell testing system

BioMarker Strategies announced today that the National Cancer Institute (NCI) has approved the first $1 million in Phase II funding for the company's Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) contract to develop the SnapPath™ live tumor cell testing system. The company is developing the SnapPath™ system to better enable drug companies to stratify patients in clinical trials, as well as assist oncologists in determining the most effective targeted drug treatment for their cancer patients.

4 May 2010

H1N1 positivity highest among children

More than 99 percent of specimens tested for influenza were positive for H1N1 over approximately the past 11 months, according to a report released today from Quest Diagnostics Incorporated ( DGX). The Quest Diagnostics Health Trends™ Report suggests that H1N1 "crowded out" other influenza viruses to be the dominant flu virus of the 2009-2010 flu season.

4 May 2010

ACAAI, AGA Institute announce innovative initiative to raise awareness of HAE

The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology and the American Gastroenterological Association Institute today announced an innovative initiative called "HAE: Learn About It, Talk About It," at Digestive Disease Week® 2010.

4 May 2010

Kidneys of healthy adults show signs of chronic injury, says study

Mayo Clinic researchers have found that the kidneys of healthy adults show signs of chronic mild injury that increase with age. This damage is present even though the adults showed no clinical signs of kidney disease.

4 May 2010

ZENPEP CF Cycle for Life to be launched to support research and cure for cystic fibrosis

Thousands of cyclists will take to the streets this summer and fall as the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation launches a new cycling tour in 18 cities across the country to support research to find new therapies and a cure for cystic fibrosis. The tour series, known as ZENPEP CF Cycle for Life, begins in San Francisco on June 26.

4 May 2010

Neural stem cell transplantation promising for Batten disease

Neuronal Ceroid Liposfuscinosis (NCL), often referred to as Batten disease, is a rare and fatal neurodegenerative disorder that afflicts infants and young children. NCL is caused by a deficiency of a lysosomal enzyme, and is a relatively rare disease, affecting an estimated 2 to 4 of every 100,000 babies born in the U.S. Although NCLs are classified as rare diseases, they often affect more than one child in families that carry the defective gene, and tragically, are always fatal.

4 May 2010

Darwin/Wedgwood dynasty exhibits a link between inbreeding and child mortality

Charles Darwin's worries about possible adverse effects of inbreeding in his family seem to have been justified, according to a study described in the May 2010 issue of BioScience. Darwin married his first cousin, Emma Wedgwood, and his mother, Susannah Wedgwood, was the daughter of third cousins. The study, which extended to 25 families including 176 children, found a statistical association between child mortality and the inbreeding coefficient of individuals in the Darwin/Wedgwood dynasty.

4 May 2010

CA-BSI can be reduced in children through quality improvement efforts: Study

Bloodstream infections associated with catheters can be significantly reduced through quality improvement efforts, possibly leading to better health outcomes and lives saved, decreased stays at the hospital and related costs, according to a new study.

4 May 2010