Uninsured face higher death risk from aorta problems
...m the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center finds that a patient's insurance status makes a huge difference in how well they fare if they have a potentially lethal aortic aneurysm. Not only are uninsured people with the condition more likely to be diagnosed only after their aorta bursts, but they'r...Stress makes MS symptoms worse
...ful life events seem to make their symptoms worse, finds a study in this week's BMJ. Dutch researchers followed 73 patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Regular visits were scheduled every eight weeks and additional visits were arranged when patients reported symptoms of infection or exacer...School PE lessons don't reflect kids' activity levels
... school because children compensate out of school, finds a study in this week's BMJ. Over seven days, researchers measured the physical activity of 215 children from three schools with different sporting facilities and opportunity for physical education in the curriculum. School 1, a private school, had ex...Many oncologists unaware of cancer clot risk
...g effects and preventive measures are rarely used, finds a study in this week's BMJ. Researchers in Manchester surveyed 106 oncologists in northern England. The most common treatment was chemotherapy, used by 39% of oncologists, 9% used hormone therapy, and 42% used radiotherapy. A total of 29 (27%) though...Organ transplant recipients face serious kidney-failure risk, study finds
...th an organ transplant weren't enough, a new study finds that people who get a second chance at life from new hearts, lungs, livers or intestines are very likely to have their lives cut short by failing kidneys. In fact, 16.5 percent of all non-kidney transplant recipients develop chronic kidney failure, ...High cost of life-saving childrens vaccine may be keeping some doctors from giving it
... practitioner's office, Davis notes. The new study finds that, overall, 87 percent of the physicians surveyed were recommending Prevnar for children under age 2, the optimal age for completing the four-dose series. And nearly all -- 98 percent -- said they would administer the vaccine at their own practice...Treating older adults for flu is cost-effective, but preventing it with a yearly flu shot is better
PHILADELPHIA -- (September 2, 2003) A new study finds that treating older adults who have the flu with one of two available classes of drugs is cost-effective. Treating younger adults with anti-flu drugs is cost-effective because it cuts lost work time, but until now it was not known if the treatment wo...New model predicts likelihood of prostate cancer prior to biopsy
...is clinic next to the ultrasound machine, where he finds it most useful....Clinical study of Penn State Hershey technology begins in South Africa
...void mechanical ventilation. "We hope this study finds that the chest splint is a simple, inexpensive alternative that can be used in a low intensive care neonatal nursery to help babies," he said. Palmer is a founding member of the Pediatric Innovation Program, a unique collaboration of Penn State Chil...New Alzheimer projections add urgency to search for prevention, cure
...% by 2030, and nearly 300% by 2050, unless science finds a way to slow the progression of the disease or prevent it. According to the study's authors, current and future estimates of Alzheimer's disease are essential for public health planning. But because Alzheimer's can progress slowly and is often not ...Taking painkillers during pregnancy increases risk of miscarriage
...increase their risk of miscarriage by 80 per cent, finds a study in this week's BMJ. Researchers in California interviewed 1,055 pregnant women immediately after their pregnancy was confirmed. They asked the women about their drug use since they became pregnant, their reproductive history, known or potenti...Medicare+Choice enrollees face continued cost increases in 2003, costs have doubled since 1999
...naged care program, a new Commonwealth Fund report finds that enrollees' average annual plan premiums and other out-of-pocket costs rose ten percent in 2003 to $1,964, more than double what they were in 1999. The report, Average Out-of-Pocket Health Care Costs for Medicare+Choice Enrollees Increase Ten Pe...Sun exposure seems to reduce risk of multiple sclerosis
...ociated with a reduced risk of multiple sclerosis, finds a study in this week's BMJ. Multiple sclerosis is more common at higher latitudes, which generally have lower levels of ultraviolet radiation. The study was carried out in Tasmania, which is located at high latitude and has a high prevalence of multi...University of Iowa examines role of faith-based groups in helping ex-offenders
...lping people released from prison. The report also finds that improved communication with formal rehabilitation services, such as probation programs and substance abuse groups, could help the faith-based groups be even more effective. In addition, these groups overall would rather government do more to sup...Annals of Internal Medicine, tip sheet, August 5, 2003
...nalysis of data on 31,742 men aged 53 to 90, found finds that erectile dysfunction (ED) is common among older men and increases with age (Article, p. 161). Overall, one-third of the men reported erectile dysfunction in the previous three months. Seventy-four percent of men younger than 59 reported "good" o...Banning smoking at home protects infants
...moke, whereas less strict measures have no effect, finds a study in this week's BMJ. Parents from 314 households with young infants took part in the study. Parents were interviewed at home about their knowledge and use of harm reduction strategies, tobacco consumption, and details of the home environment. ...Why do patients choose not to donate tissue?
...to commercial research is not a contentious issue, finds a study in this week's BMJ. At Peterborough District Hospital, a trained nurse interviews patients before their operation and, with consent, surplus tissue is collected and supplied for commercial research. Researchers reviewed 3,140 interviews and r...Rheumatoid arthritis patients caught in middle of doctors' disagreement over hand surgery
...d a new University of Michigan Health System study finds that entrenched attitudes and lack of communication among rheumatologists and hand surgeons, and a dearth of data comparing the two strategies, are keeping the controversy going. Only large studies evaluating the effectiveness of various hand operat...Families cope better after euthanasia than natural death
...omparable cancer patients who die a natural death, finds a study in this week's BMJ. Researchers from the Netherlands assessed 189 bereaved family members and close friends of terminally ill cancer patients who died by euthanasia and 316 bereaved family members and close friends of comparable cancer patien...... become more accurate closer to the date of death, finds a study in this week's BMJ. Accurate prognoses are important so patients can plan for death. Researchers reviewed eight studies involving more than 1,500 patients over 30 years to assess the accuracy of doctors' survival predictions. They found that...