Health News

CT Screening Reduces Lung Cancer Deaths

Date: May-07-2013
CT (computed tomography) screening can reduce lung cancer deaths among high-risk individuals, according to results from the National Lung Cancer Study. The research was conducted by the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) which issued guidelines recommending that people who are at significant risk of lung cancer, due to age and smoking history, should be offered annual low-dose CT (computed tomography) screening by their doctor...

New Antidepressants Should Target Stress Hormone Effect

Date: May-07-2013
A stress hormone undermines the production of new brain cells, contributing to the development of depression - blocking this effect should be the target of new antidepressant medications, researchers from King's College London wrote in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). The scientists say they successfully used a drug compound to block this harmful effect of stress on cells, and managed to restore the brain's ability to produce an adequate number of new cells (neurogenesis*)...

800 IU Of Vitamin D3 Per Day May Be Necessary For Preterm Infants

Date: May-07-2013
Preterm infants may need to be given 800 international units (IU) of vitamin D a day to ensure they develop strong bones, according to a study presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Washington, DC. Preemies are known to be at risk for vitamin D insufficiency. If levels of vitamin D are too low, infants and children can get rickets, which leads to softening and weakening of the bones. Recommendations from medical organizations on how much vitamin D should be given to preemies range from 400 IU to 1000 IU per day...

Exposure To Flame Retardants During Pregnancy May Damage Developing Fetus

Date: May-07-2013
Chemicals called polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been used for decades to reduce fires in everyday products such as baby strollers, carpeting and electronics. A new study presented on Monday, May 6, at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting shows that prenatal exposure to the flame retardants is associated with lower intelligence and hyperactivity in early childhood...

High School Females Who Run, Play Sports Are At Lower Risk Of Fighting, Being In A Gang

Date: May-07-2013
Regular exercise is touted as an antidote for many ills, including stress, depression and obesity. Physical activity also may help decrease violent behavior among adolescent girls, according to new research presented Monday, May 6, at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Washington, DC. Researchers from Columbia University analyzed results of a 2008 survey completed by 1,312 students at four inner-city high schools in New York to determine if there was an association between regular exercise and violence-related behaviors...

Survey Of High School Football Players Shows Many Would Not Report Concussion Symptoms To A Coach

Date: May-07-2013
Many high school football players say it's OK to play with a concussion even though they know they are at risk of serious injury, according to a study presented Monday, May 6, at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Washington, DC. The study of 120 high school football players in the Cincinnati area also found that one-quarter had suffered a concussion, and more than half acknowledged they would continue to play with symptoms of a concussion...

Fewer Deaths Among Youths After A Bicycle-Motor Vehicle Crash In States With Mandatory Helmet Laws

Date: May-07-2013
Bicycle helmets save lives, and their use should be required by law. That's the conclusion of a study presented Monday, May 6, at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Washington, DC. "This study highlights the importance of regulations in the promotion of safe exercise," said lead author William P. Meehan III, MD, FAAP, director of the Micheli Center for Sports Injury Prevention and the Sports Concussion Clinic at Boston Children's Hospital. About 900 people die each year in bicycle crashes, three-quarters of them from head injuries...

Child Passengers Often In Cars With Distracted Drivers; Many Youngsters Also Not In The Right Size Safety Seat

Date: May-07-2013
Many parents are putting their precious cargo at risk while driving, according to survey results that were presented May 5 and 6 at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Washington, DC. Researchers from the University of Michigan surveyed more than 600 parents to find out what distractions they face while driving with their children, whether they use age-appropriate child restraints and if they had ever been in a motor vehicle accident. "Lots of attention has been given to distracted teen drivers...

Mental Health Improvements Seen Among School-Age Children Placed In Foster Care

Date: May-07-2013
Newspaper articles, TV shows and books are filled with horror stories of children placed in foster care. A new study bucks that trend by showing out-of-home placements can improve the emotional health of some youths who have been maltreated by a parent. The study, led by Ann-Marie Conn, PhD, general pediatric academic fellow at University of Rochester Medical Center in New York, were presented Monday, May 6, at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Washington, DC. Dr...

Weekend Visits To ER May Lead To Greater Risk Of Mortality For Some Prostate Cancer Patients

Date: May-07-2013
Patients with prostate cancer that has metastasized, or spread, to other parts of the body face a significantly higher risk of dying when visiting a hospital emergency department on the weekend instead of on a weekday, according to researchers at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. The new study focused on metastatic prostate cancer in examining the so-called "weekend effect" of higher patient mortality, subject of numerous studies for about a decade. Results from the study were presented at the annual meeting of the American Urological Association in San Diego. Khurshid R. Ghani, M.D...