Health News

Children Living In Towns More Likely To Have Food Allergies Than Those Living In The Country

Date: Jun-11-2012
Children living in urban centers have a much higher prevalence of food allergies than those living in rural areas, according to a new study, which is the first to map children's food allergies by geographical location in the United States. In particular, kids in big cities are more than twice as likely to have peanut and shellfish allergies compared to rural communities. The study will be published in the July issue of Clinical Pediatrics...

In Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis, Smoking Negatively Affects Response To Anti-TNF Treatment

Date: Jun-11-2012
A new study presented at EULAR 2012, the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism, reinforces current thinking that smoking negatively affects treatment response in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients treated with anti-tumour necrosis factor (anti-TNF) drugs. This American study, the largest of its kind, followed 2,811 treatment naïve patients initiated onto anti-TNF therapy. Of the study group, 19% (n=521) were smokers and 81% (n=2,290) were non-smokers...

Changes Identified In Cholesterol Metabolic Pathways

Date: Jun-11-2012
A new study from the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine has identified molecular changes responsible for abnormal cholesterol production and metabolism in the livers of patients with a common liver condition, and these changes may explain the severity of a patient's liver disease and risks to their heart health. It is estimated that a third of Americans have a fatty liver. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is a very common liver condition...

In Psoriatic Arthritis, Obesity Negatively Predicts Minimal Disease Activity Achievement

Date: Jun-11-2012
According to a study presented at EULAR 2012, the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism, patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) who are starting anti-tumour necrosis factor (anti-TNF) treatment and adhere to a hypocaloric diet have a significantly greater chance of achieving minimal disease activity (MDA, an important measure of disease activity) at six months compared to those on a standard diet...

Worrying Rates Of HIV Superinfection

Date: Jun-11-2012
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) superinfection may be as common as initial HIV infection and is not limited to high risk-populations, according to a new study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). In the first large-scale study of HIV superinfection in a general heterosexual population, researchers examined the rate of superinfection among a community of sub-Saharan adults...

Psoriatic Arthritis Patients Benefit From Ustekinumab

Date: Jun-11-2012
A new Phase III study presented at EULAR 2012, the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism, shows that patients with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) treated with Ustekinumab (UST) 90mg were more than twice as likely to achieve the study's primary endpoint, ACR20* at 24 weeks, than those treated with placebo (49.5% vs 22.8%). 42.4% of patients treated with UST 45mg were also more likely to achieve ACR20 at 24 weeks compared to placebo. Significant improvements were also seen with UST 45mg and 90mg in ACR50* (24.9% and 27.9% respectively vs 8.7%), in ACR70* (12.2% and 14...

In Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lung Changes Are Present In Nearly Half Of ACPA Positive Patients At Disease Onset

Date: Jun-11-2012
A new study presented at EULAR 2012, the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism, shows that lung changes in association with anti-citrullinated protein autoantibody (ACPA) status are a primary manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Study findings show that 51% of RA patients (n=105) had identifiable lung changes (as measured by high resolution computer tomography [HRCT]) as compared to 28% of healthy controls (n=43). In addition, ACPA presence - but not smoking status - was associated with HRCT changes...

What To Eat During Pregnancy

Date: Jun-11-2012
A pregnant woman needs to ensure that her diet provides enough nutrients and energy for her baby to develop and grow properly, and also to make sure that her body is healthy enough to deal with the changes that are occurring. For a healthy pregnancy, the mother's diet needs to be balanced and nutritious - this involves the right balance of proteins, carbohydrates and fats, and consuming a wide variety of vegetables and fruits. If you are pregnant and your diet may be impacted by ethical beliefs, religious requirements, or health conditions, you should check with your doctor...

What Is Marijuana? What Is Cannabis?

Date: Jun-11-2012
When talking about the drug, marijuana and cannabis both have the same meaning. When talking botanically - talking about the plant genus - we use the word Cannabis. Cannabis is a flowering plant genus that includes three acknowledged varieties: Cannabis sativa Cannabis indica Cannabis ruderalis The three types originally come from South and Central Asia. Cannabis has been used for hundreds of years by humans, for fiber (hemp), seed oils, seed, medical treatment and recreationally. This article focuses on cannabis' medicinal and recreational aspects...

Same-Sex Parenting: The Effect On Children Raised By Gay Or Lesbian Parents

Date: Jun-11-2012
Despite considerable research showing that children of same-sex parents fare just as well as children with heterosexual parents, two papers - a review of existing studies and a new study - published in Elsevier's Social Science Research, find insufficient data to draw any definitive conclusions. The review by Dr. Loren Marks from Louisiana State University finds that much of the science that forms the basis for the highly regarded 2005 official brief on same-sex parenting by the American Psychological Association (APA) does not stand up to scrutiny...