Health News

Hospitalized children more likely to die after cardiac arrest during night shift

Date: Nov-19-2013
Hospitalized children are more likely to die after a cardiac arrest if it occurs during the night shift, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2013.Adults who suffer a cardiac arrest while hospitalized are already known to fare worse if resuscitation is needed during the night shift.This AHA Get With The Guidelines-Resuscitation Registry study is the first documentation of a similar effect in children.

Environmental manipulation should be considered as part of overall management of dry eye syndrome

Date: Nov-19-2013
Residents of major cities with high levels of air pollution have an increased risk of dry eye syndrome, according to a study presented at the world's largest ophthalmic conference, the 117th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, in New Orleans. Study subjects in and around Chicago and New York City were found to be three to four times more likely to be diagnosed with dry eye syndrome compared to less urban areas with relatively little air pollution.

Autism screening rate improved by CHICA, automated system

Date: Nov-19-2013
An automated system developed by researchers from the Regenstrief Institute and Indiana University to help pediatricians focus on the specific health needs of each patient in the short time allotted for preventive care improves autism screening rates by identifying at-risk children at the 24-month visit. Nationwide children typically are not diagnosed with autism until age 4½ or 5 years."Computer Decision Support to Improve Autism Screening and Care in Community Pediatric Clinics" appears in the October-December issue of the journal Infants & Young Children.

Survivors of childhood cancer at increased risk for heart disease

Date: Nov-19-2013
Cancer treatment takes a toll on the hearts of child survivors, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2013.Cancer is the leading cause of disease-related death among U.S. children, but the rate of survival has increased significantly from a 5-year survival rate of 58.1 percent in 1975-77 to 83.1 percent in 2003-09."Research has shown childhood cancer survivors face heart and other health problems decades after treatment," said Donald R. Dengel, Ph.D.

Fighting high blood pressure requires team-based approaches

Date: Nov-19-2013
Uncontrolled high blood pressure rates continue to grow despite the availability of proven treatments, but collaborative approaches can be effective in fighting this deadly disease, according to a science advisory from the American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Research shows the superiority of whey protein

Date: Nov-19-2013
As science continues to support the role of protein in building and maintaining lean muscle, maintaining weight and aging healthy, consumers are embracing the important role of protein in the diet. But not all proteins are created equal and it turns out that protein quality really does matter.The latest on the topic of protein quality will be presented at SupplySide West, the leading destination for the exploration, discovery, innovation and market strategy that fuels the healthier marketplace.

Inappropriate lab testing found throughout medicine

Date: Nov-19-2013
Laboratory testing is health care's single highest volume activity, with over 5 billion tests performed each year in the U.S.Now a new study examining 15 years' worth of published research reveals some surprising findings about the humble blood test. Led by investigators at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and reported on-line in the journal PLOS ONE, the large-scale analysis of 1.6 million results from 46 of medicine's 50 most commonly ordered lab tests finds that, on average, 30 percent of all tests are probably unnecessary.

Food choice not influenced by mandatory calorie postings at fast-food chains

Date: Nov-19-2013
Posting the calorie content of menu items at major fast-food chains in Philadelphia, per federal law, does not change purchasing habits or decrease the number of calories that those customers consume, researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center reported at the Obesity Society's annual scientific meeting, held in Atlanta, Georgia. The results echo those conducted by the same researchers among low-income neighborhoods in New York City before and after calorie-labels were mandated there in July 2008.

Donor age not a factor in most corneal transplants

Date: Nov-19-2013
Ten years after a transplant, a cornea from a 71-year-old donor is likely to remain as healthy as a cornea from a donor half that age, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. Corneas from donors over age 71 perform slightly less well, but still remain healthy for the majority of transplant recipients after 10 years, the study found.The Cornea Donor Study, funded by NIH's National Eye Institute (NEI), found that 10-year success rates remained steady at 75 percent for corneal transplants from donors 34-71 years old.

A uniform approach to the treatment of bladder cancer needed

Date: Nov-19-2013
New study, involving eight Italian research centres, concluded that an aligned approach to the treatment of advanced bladder cancer is much needed, while confirming previously published results on survival estimates of associated salvage therapies.According to the lead author, Dr. Francesco Atzori, progress in developing new effective drugs in bladder cancer has been stagnant in the last decades."In patients who recur or who are refractory to first-line therapy, response rates and outcomes are grim, and to date, no second-line therapy has been clearly established," he explained.