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Health News
for 02/08/2010
(last updated 7:30am EST 02/08/2010)
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NYT: Obama, GOP set for TV health showdo... NYT: Obama, GOP set for TV health showdown
02/08/2010
The meeting would mark the first time in the long health care debate that leaders from both sides would be allowed to air their ideas publicly.
9/11 health lawsuits raise credibility c... 9/11 health lawsuits raise credibility concerns
02/07/2010
As the first cases in a massive battle over illnesses linked to 9/11 near trial, an Associated Press investigation has found that several of the initial 30 suits contain inconsistent or exaggerated claims about how the workers got sick or how much time they spent at ground zero.
Gene mutation speeds up the aging proces... Gene mutation speeds up the aging process
02/07/2010
Scientists have found specific genetic variants which may explain why some people age earlier than others and say their findings have important implications for understanding cancer and age-related diseases.
Major mumps outbreak spreads in New York Major mumps outbreak spreads in New York
02/07/2010
More than 300 people have been diagnosed with the mumps in suburban New York as America's largest outbreak of the disease in years spreads. Almost all the cases are among Orthodox Jews.
Ditch just one tempting food — and lose ... Ditch just one tempting food — and lose weight
02/07/2010
Certain foods can be a dieter's downfall. By cutting out just one vice, you can reshape your body.
NYT: FDA weighs update to serving sizes NYT: FDA weighs update to serving sizes
02/06/2010
The Food and Drug Administration may update serving sizes for foods like chips, cookies and ice cream to reflect how Americans really eat.
Eagles getting sick on food they eat Eagles getting sick on food they eat
02/06/2010
Bald eagles are being attacked by an emerging predator. It's in the food they eat.
Lower your heart rate, prevent a heart a... Lower your heart rate, prevent a heart attack
02/06/2010
The latest research shows a resting heart's numbers can signal more serious problems.
Love's language: Couples who say ‘we’ ha... Love's language: Couples who say ‘we’ happier
02/05/2010
Married couples who refer to themselves as "we" or "us" and describe possessions as "ours" are happier than those who use singular pronouns, a new study shows.
Man charged with operating on his own do... Man charged with operating on his own dog
02/05/2010
A Rhode Island man who says he couldn't afford medical care for his dog has been charged with illegally operating on the pet.
What’s the big deal with insuring across... What’s the big deal with insuring across states?
02/05/2010
With health care legislation stalled, Republicans are touting their own remedies, including allowing Americans to buy health coverage across state lines. Currently, consumers can buy policies only from insurers licensed by the states in which they live.
Alaska bars pet sloths, chimps; OK with ... Alaska bars pet sloths, chimps; OK with big cats
02/05/2010
Alaska is famous for wildlife: moose, bear, whales. Not capuchin monkeys and kinkajous. And the Alaska Board of Game wants it to stay that way.
FDA warns of brain risks with Tysabri us... FDA warns of brain risks with Tysabri use
02/05/2010
Federal health officials warned doctors Friday that the risk of a deadly brain inflammation linked to the multiple sclerosis treatment Tysabri increases with use of the drug.
Goodbye swine flu! Epidemic seems to be ... Goodbye swine flu! Epidemic seems to be over
02/05/2010
Is the U.S. swine flu epidemic over? Federal health officials won't go so far as to day that, but on Friday they reported for the fourth week in a row that no states had widespread flu activity.
Why do losers keep gambling? Brain to bl... Why do losers keep gambling? Brain to blame
02/05/2010
Whether you are betting on the Super Bowl, roulette or even online poker, winning and losing can have unexpected effects on the brain that keep people coming back for more.
Teen aggression tied to expectant mom’s ... Teen aggression tied to expectant mom’s blues
02/05/2010
Women who are depressed while pregnant may be more likely than other expecting moms to have kids who are physically aggressive as teens, a new study finds.
Test of ‘artificial pancreas’ offers dia... Test of ‘artificial pancreas’ offers diabetes hope
02/05/2010
Scientists have used an "artificial pancreas" system of pumps and monitors to improve blood sugar control in diabetes patients in the first study to show the new device works better than conventional treatment.
FDA: Dissolvable tobacco may appeal to k... FDA: Dissolvable tobacco may appeal to kids
02/05/2010
The Food and Drug Administration is saying in letters to two tobacco companies that flavored, dissolvable tobacco products — that the agency compares with candy and says contain a lot of nicotine — could be particularly appealing to kids and young adults.
Husband’s dirty deeds a turn-off for wif... Husband’s dirty deeds a turn-off for wife
02/05/2010
Can straight talk convince a dirty man to change his ways? And will a woman judge a man if he has a crooked erection? Sexploration answers your most intimate queries.
Diabetes treatment trialled Diabetes treatment trialled
02/05/2010
“An 'artificial pancreas' can be used to regulate blood sugar in children with type 1 diabetes,” BBC News reported. This story is based on research on how to optimise devices that can sense glucose levels and adjust the amount of insulin a child with type 1 diabetes receives overnight. This is important in maintaining glucose levels while a child sleeps where standard glucose monitoring is not practical. This was a small but well-conducted study that showed promising results for this technology in keeping glucose levels within an acceptable range overnight. However, further research would be needed before a commercially available system were to be available.   Where did the story come from? This research was carried out in the UK by Dr Roman Hovorka and colleagues from the University of Cambridge. The study was published in the peer-reviewed medical journal The Lancet . The research was funded by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the European Foundation for the Study of Diabetes, the Medical Research Council and the National Institute for Health Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre. Generally, the press did not examine the science behind this story too deeply and the small size of this study should be highlighted as it means that further research may be needed to check how well the technology might work outside of a research institution. The media also said that the research was carried out over 54 days, suggesting that the child patients received this treatment for almost two months. However, the children received overnight treatment on one to four occasions only.   What kind of research was this? This randomised crossover study investigated whether a new system for delivering insulin could prevent nocturnal hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar at night) in both children and adolescents. Type 1 diabetes occurs because your body cannot produce any insulin, a hormone that is needed to control the amount of glucose (sugar) in your blood. When you eat, your digestive system breaks down food and passes its nutrients into your bloodstream. Normally, insulin is produced by your pancreas to take any glucose out of your blood and move it into your cells where it is broken down to produce energy. However, if you have type 1 diabetes, there is no insulin to move glucose out of your bloodstream and into your cells. If you have type 1 diabetes, you will need to take insulin injections for life. You must also make sure that your blood glucose levels stay balanced by eating a healthy diet and carrying out regular blood tests. Monitoring glucose levels and administering insulin is problematic while diabetic patients are asleep. One treatment is to continually infuse insulin overnight, but the infusion is given at a constant rate and it does not respond to changing glucose levels during sleep. Continuous glucose monitoring devices and insulin pumps have been developed and combined to form systems where the insulin is delivered as required based on measured glucose levels. As yet, these ‘closed loop systems’ have not managed to deliver optimal accuracy and reliability. These researchers wanted to assess whether the drawbacks of existing closed loop systems prototypes could be overcome by adjusting the control algorithms. In this type of crossover study, participants are given either a new treatment or the standard treatment in their first session, followed by the alternative in a second session. This allows the researchers to compare two treatments tested at different times in the same patient.   What did the research involve? Children aged between 5 and 18 years with type 1 diabetes were enrolled between April 2007 to September 2008. Sometimes it is difficult to assess children from how they are physically feeling on whether they are hypoglycaemic. The researchers excluded children who had, on several occasions in the past, severe hypoglycaemia but had not been aware of it. They also excluded children who had any type of nerve damage. The study had three parts, the first of which was a crossover study comparing the closed loop delivery system with continuous insulin delivery overnight. The second part looked at the closed loop system overnight when the participants had received a slowly or rapidly absorbed meal (high or low glycaemic index). The third looked at the closed loop system versus the continuous insulin infusion when the participants had exercised prior to sleeping. For the first part, 13 patients were treated with an overnight treatment or standard treatment on two occasions one to three weeks apart. The insulin pump delivery was optimised for each patient by analysing their glucose levels periodically over a 72-hour period two weeks before the first treatment. The second part involved seven patients from the first part of the study, who were aged between 12 and 18 years and were studied on two further occasions. These patients were asked to eat meals that had either a high or low glycaemic load. This relates to the amount of carbohydrate a food has and how quickly the food affects blood sugar levels. The patients were then put on the closed loop system overnight. On the second occasion, they received the alternative meal. The third part of the study involved 10 patients aged between 12 and 18 years. These patients did an exercise test so they could determine an appropriate level of exercise for the children who were of different ages and may have had different levels of fitness. The patients’ oxygen intake was measured both at rest and when they were exercising on a treadmill at 50% of their peak level for 15 minutes. The exercise test was performed before the patients were assigned to either the overnight treatment with continuous insulin infusion or the closed loop system. The glucose levels of the sleeping patients were continuously monitored during all treatments to check whether they were in the appropriate range. The researchers also compared different algorithms for working out how much insulin to give based on the glucose levels in the closed loop system.   What were the basic results? In the first part of the study, the patients’ glucose levels were in the target range for longer in the closed loop group compared with the continuous infusion, but this was not statistically significant. There was no difference between continuous infusion and the closed loop system in preventing hypoglycaemia. On average, the closed loop system and the continuous infusion system administered the same insulin dose. The patients’ blood glucose levels were the same using the closed loop system following high or low glyceamic load meals. Patients who had been given the closed loop delivery system after evening exercise spent more time within the optimum glucose range, but this was not statistically significant. No significant differences between the two systems were found from the individual parts of the study. However, when the data from all three parts was pooled, it showed that patients who had closed loop treatment spent longer within the target glucose range than those who had the continuous infusion. They also spent less time with levels of glucose that were lower than the target range. This was also the case when patients had initial high or low glucose levels.   How did the researchers interpret the results? The researchers conclude that overnight manual closed loop insulin delivery can improve glucose control and reduce the risk of hypoglycaemia in young patients with type 1 diabetes. They say that sensing errors are perceived to be the main obstacle for safe and effective closed loop glucose control. However, in their study the glucose sensors on the closed loop system and the blood glucose sensors were the same. The researchers suggest that advances in glucose sensing can further improve the performance of closed loop systems.   Conclusion This study found some evidence that closed loop systems are better at maintaining appropriate glucose levels overnight than continuous insulin infusion in children and adolescents. Further larger studies would be useful in assessing and optimising the technology. If the same study were to be carried out in a larger sample of patients, important differences between the two systems might become more apparent. This small but well-conducted study is a step forward in managing blood glucose levels overnight, with the potential for improving the quality of life for young patients with type 1 diabetes. Further research would be needed before a commercially available system were made available. Links To The Headlines 'Artificial' pancreas offers hope for type 1 diabetes.   The Daily Telegraph , February 5 2010 Artificial pancreas hope for children with diabetes.  BBC News, February 5 2010   Links To Science Hovorka R, Allen JM, Elleri D et al .  Manual closed-loop insulin delivery in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes: a phase 2 randomised crossover trial. The Lancet , [Early Online Publication], February 5 2010
Football for fighting fat Football for fighting fat
02/05/2010
“Playing football is better for your health ‘than going for a run or lifting weights,’” according to The Daily Telegraph. The news is based on research that compared how football and running affected the health of people with slightly raised blood pressure. The study followed men for 12 weeks as they either played football or ran on a treadmill. The results show that regular sessions of either exercise were beneficial for fitness, weight loss and building muscle. This research adds yet further weight to the large amount of evidence supporting the numerous benefits of regular exercise. However, while the study has confirmed benefits of both activities, it has the drawback of being too small to assess whether football is better for you than running.   Where did the story come from? This research was carried out by Dr Knoepfli-Lenzin and colleagues from the University of Zurich, Switzerland. The study was funded by the FIFA Medical Assessment and Research Centre. The study was published in the peer-reviewed medical journal The Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports.   What kind of research was this? This was a controlled trial that looked at how playing football affected blood pressure, fitness levels and weight. It compared the effect of regularly playing football to running regularly and sedentary behaviour (no exercise). The researchers say previous studies have shown that running and football can reduce blood pressure, increase lung function and reduce fat. They add that playing football can also build muscle mass and lower cholesterol. The researchers wanted to compare the effects of either playing football, running or no exercise in men with mild hypertension (high blood pressure) or with risk factors, such as high body mass index, that may contribute to the condition. This was a very small study, with only 15 to 17 people in each group. Ideally, a study of this type should follow a larger number of participants in order to ensure that any differences in the groups’ results were not down to chance.   What did the research involve? The study enrolled 57 male non-smokers aged between 20 and 45 years. The researchers took measurements of diastolic blood pressure (when the heart is at rest) and systolic blood pressure (while the heart contracts or beats). Participants had a systolic blood pressure of 120-150 mmHg and a diastolic blood pressure of 80-95 mmHg, meaning it was higher than a normal value of 120 over 80 but not extremely high. They all had blood glucose concentration of < 7mmol/L indicating that none had diabetes. The participants were not taking any medication and showed no heart rhythm abnormalities. Participants were then allocated to three different study groups: 15 to the football group, 15 to the running group and 17 to the ‘control group’ who did no exercise. The football group were asked to train for one hour three times a week for 12 weeks on a small-sized football pitch. The running group we asked to train for one hour, three times a week for 12 weeks of constant running at 80% maximal (peak) heart rate. The control group made no changes to their sedentary lifestyle. Before starting their training all 47 participants performed incremental exercise tests to assess their fitness, such as running on a treadmill, exercise bike sessions and ‘Yo-Yo’ running, which assessed how well they could perform short bursts of running with a brief rest in between. The researchers also performed a Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan to assess fat and muscle distribution in the body. The researchers also measured the participants’ resting heart rate. The set of measurements was repeated at the end of the training period.   What were the basic results? The researchers found that after the intervention period systolic and diastolic blood pressures had reduced in all groups, including the control group. They found: In the football group systolic pressure reduced by 7.5% and diastolic pressure by 10.3%, in the running group systolic pressure reduced by 5.9% and diastolic pressure by 6.9%, and in the control group systolic pressure reduced by 6.0% and diastolic pressure by 4.7%. The researchers say that these before and after measures were all statistically significant (p<0.01). However, most comparisons between the groups were not significant except where the difference in diastolic blood pressure in the football group was compared with the diastolic blood pressure difference in the control group (p<0.05).  The difference between football and running on blood pressure was not statistically significant. The participants’ heart rates were measured when they were lying down and while they were standing up. Heart rates while lying down were lower at the end of the study for each group. In the standing position, the heart rate was only reduced in the football and running groups. Both training groups showed a reduction in body mass and total fat mass during training. In the football group, the participants had a smaller waist and waist-to-hip ratio after training. Both training groups had also lost fat from their hips and thighs. The control group showed no differences in fat mass. Cholesterol was lowered in the football and control groups after the training period. However, both of these groups had higher starting levels of cholesterol than the running group, and the cholesterol levels did not appear to vary greatly between the groups. When they repeated the exercise tests, the researchers found that the footballers and runners performed better on the cycling test than people in the control group. They showed better lung function and performance in the treadmill and Yo-Yo running test after training.   How did the researchers interpret the results? The researchers concluded that mildly hypertensive people receive at least the same cardiovascular and metabolic health benefits from playing football as they would through endurance exercise such as running.   Conclusion This was a very small study that showed that both football and running improved fitness over a 12-week period, by reducing body fat and improving lung function. However, while The Daily Telegraph suggested that the footballers saw their blood pressure fall by an average of twice as much as the runners, this is misleading. The researchers did not find a statistically significant difference in the blood pressure reduction seen between the groups. Other points to note: Although it was possible to compare the before and after effects for each type of exercise, and some of the differences found were statistically significant, the numbers in the study were too small to compare which type of exercise is better for you. The cholesterol levels in the three study groups varied prior to the activity period, meaning the changes seen in the football and control groups may have been due to differences between the recruits. There was a decrease in resting heart rate over the study period in all groups when they were lying down. As the researchers acknowledge, this may be due to the participants being more relaxed about the tests once they were were familiar with them. When judged in isolation this small study shows that both running and football can have benefits for your health, but it is too small to provide evidence of which has greater health benefits. However, the study adds to the very large body of evidence on the benefits of regular exercise and shows that team activities are a healthy alternative to solo sports. Links To The Headlines Playing football better for your health 'than going for a run or lifting weights' . The Daily Telegraph , February 5 2010. Links To Science Knoepfli-Lenzin C, Sennhauser C, Toigo M et al. Effects of a 12-week intervention period with football and running for habitually active men with mild hypertension . Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports. [Published online] February 2 2010
Swine flu latest from the NHS Swine flu latest from the NHS
02/05/2010
Last updated: 11.00 BST The National Pandemic Flu Service, set up to offer online and telephone assessments for people worried that they might have swine flu, is to close next week, Gillian Merron, the public health minister, said today. The number of new swine flu cases has fallen to a point where the service is no longer needed. It will stop offering assessments from February 11. The service, to assess patients and enable them to get antiviral medicine if needed, was set up in the first wave of the pandemic to ease pressure on GPs and the NHS. Over the Christmas period, new cases of swine flu in England fell to their lowest level since the early stages of the outbreak. The Department of Health said today: "Our priority remains to vaccinate those most at risk from swine flu, as people are still in hospital from the virus and sadly some have died. "This is the first time we have had a vaccine to protect people while a pandemic virus has been circulating, so it has undoubtedly helped us save lives. People who are being vaccinated now may also be protected against swine flu next winter. "However, given the current welcome reduction in the number of cases, and the need to make sure our response to the pandemic remains proportionate, we have decided to close the National Pandemic Flu Service, including the online and phone self-care service, at 1am on February 11 2010. "If required we can have the NPFS back up and running in seven days." If after the service closes you think you have swine flu symptoms, you should stay at home and contact your GP who will be able to assess you and authorise antivirals if you need them. Your GP will also be able to advise you on vaccination. Swine flu cases The latest available figures show that: In England, the rate of GP consultations for flu like illness was 12.5 per 100,000 population for the week ending January 31 2010. There were then 124 patients in hospital with swine flu in England, 29 of whom were in critical care. The Health Protection Agency's overall estimate of the number of cases was below 5,000, where it had been for six weeks. Vaccination programme By the end of January: The total estimated number of front-line health and social care workers vaccinated in England was 393,000. The total number of vaccine doses administered to the priority groups in England was 4.25 million. This figure includes 140,000 pregnant women and 404,000 healthy children aged six months to under 5 years. Commenting on the decline in swine flu cases, Sir Liam Donaldson, chief medical officer for England, said: “Levels of pandemic ‘flu are currently very low virtually concluding the second wave of the infection in this country. “Although throughout it has not been a severe illness for most people, children and younger adults have developed serious complications, been admitted to hospital and some have died. “I strongly advise that those eligible for the vaccine who have not yet had it, get the jab and protect themselves." Vaccinations Vaccination of people in clinical risk groups is still ongoing, with an estimated 4.25 million doses of vaccine administered so far. NHS hospitals and GPs are continuing to vaccinate young children and adults facing the greatest risk of complications. Patients will be contacted by their GPs if they fall into one of the at-risk categories. Healthcare staff dealing with the public are also being vaccinated to help keep medical services running smoothly and to prevent them from passing the virus to patients.   Who is a priority for vaccination? People who are most at risk from swine flu need to be vaccinated first. These groups are, in order of priority: People aged between six months and 65 years in the seasonal flu vaccine at-risk groups. All pregnant women. The European Medicines Agency has indicated the vaccine can be given to pregnant women regardless of their stage of pregnancy. People who live with those whose immune systems are compromised, such as cancer patients or people with HIV/AIDS. People aged 65 and over in the seasonal flu vaccine at-risk groups. Healthy children aged over six months and under five years old. Frontline health and social care workers have also been offered the vaccine at the same time as the first clinical at-risk groups. Health and social care workers are both at an increased risk of catching swine flu and of spreading it to other at-risk patients.   What are the seasonal flu vaccine at-risk groups? These are people with: chronic respiratory disease, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic heart disease, such as heart failure, chronic kidney disease, such as kidney failure, chronic liver disease, such as chronic hepatitis, chronic neurological disease, such as Parkinson's disease, diabetes requiring insulin or oral hypoglycaemic drugs, and immunosuppression (a suppressed immune system), due to disease or treatment.   Who is at greatest risk of serious complications from swine flu? Some people are more at risk of complications if they catch swine flu, and need to start taking antivirals as soon as it is confirmed that they have the illness. Doctors may advise some high-risk patients to take antivirals before they have symptoms, if someone close to them has swine flu. It is already known that people are particularly vulnerable if they have: chronic (long-term) lung disease, chronic heart disease, chronic kidney disease, chronic liver disease, chronic neurological disease (neurological disorders include motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease), immunosuppression (whether caused by disease or treatment), or diabetes mellitus. Also at risk are: patients who have had drug treatment for asthma in the past three years, pregnant women, people aged 65 and over, and children under five.
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