Previous Medical News
2009/05/23
1. Faith, medicine at odds in chemo refusal (Various sources)
Daniel Hauser is a 13-year-old boy with Hodgkin’s lymphoma cancer. Dr. Bruce Bostrom, a pediatric oncologist at Children's Hospital in Minneapolis diagnosed Daniel's Hodgkin's lymphoma in January, treated it once in February, and called Brown County child protection workers in April when the Hausers refused to resume chemotherapy treatments. There is a 90 percent chance of recovery or better with treatment but Daniel has "very little'' chance of recovering without conventional treatment.
2. Natalie Cole Recovering After Kidney Transplant (Nataliecole.com, 5/21/09)
Singer Natalie Cole is "resting comfortably" at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after undergoing a KIDNEY transplant operation on May 18. Natalie Cole was diagnosed with Hepatitis C in 2/08, a liver disease caused by infection with a virus. She began on Interferon in 5/08 and the Hepatitis C virus is now gone. Less than 5% of hepatitis C patients develop kidney problems related to their hepatitis. Most common causes of kidney disease are uncontrolled high blood pressure and diabetes. Cole will need to take immune-suppressing medication for the rest of her life to reduce the risk that her body will reject the new kidney, and drugs to lessen the likelihood of infection.
3. Swine Flu Fatality Rate 'Little Bit' Higher Than That of Seasonal Flu (CDC, 5/18/09)
While most cases of swine flu continue to be no worse than seasonal flu, the death rate from the new H1N1 virus is slightly higher than that seen with seasonal flu.
4. Swine flu vaccine to take months to produce (WHO, 5/19/09)
Drug manufacturers won't be able to start making a swine flu vaccine until mid-July at the earliest, months later than previous predictions.
5. J&J unit's bipolar drug gets FDA approval: Risperdal Consta (FDA, 5/18/09)
Johnson & Johnson's unit Janssen Pharmaceuticals said U.S. health regulators broadened the approval of its antipsychotic agent, Risperdal Consta, for the treatment of bipolar disorder. The drug, which has already been approved as a treatment for schizophrenia and bipolar mania, was approved as a stand-alone therapy and in addition to lithium or valproate, the current standard of care.
6. FDA OKs Cimzia for Rheumatoid Arthritis (FDA, 5/19/09)
The FDA has approved a new prescription drug called Cimzia to treat Crohn's disease in adults who haven't responded to other conventional therapies. Cimzia, given by injection, targets an inflammatory chemical called tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha. Patients would get a shot of the drug once every two weeks at first, and then get a monthly injection if the first three shots are beneficial.
7. A Genetic Clue to Why Autism Affects Boys More (Molecular Psychiatry, 5/21/09)
Autism affects boys four times more often than girls. Researchers have found a genetic clue that may help explain the disparity. The newly discovered autism-risk gene, CACNA1G, is more common in boys than in girls.
8. Deadly pneumonia caused by super-bugs on rise (Lancet Infectious Diseases, 5/09)
Deadly pneumonia caused by so-called superbugs are spreading outside hospitals and represent a growing threat to the public. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections can range from boils to more severe infections of the blood, lungs and the sites of surgery. Such infections can often be treated only with expensive intravenous antibiotics. Most cases are associated with hospitals, nursing homes or other health care facilities but infections acquired in the wider community are increasing.
9. Obama's US FDA pick wins Senate clearance: Dr. Margaret Hamburg (Washington, 5/19/09)
The U.S. Senate voted on 5/18/09 to confirm Dr. Margaret Hamburg to run the Food and Drug Administration, the agency that oversees a vast array of products from foods to prescription drugs and medical devices. Dr. Hamburg is a former New York City health commissioner.
10. Hospitals brace for shortage of medical isotopes (Society of Nuclear Medicine, 5/21/09)
Makers of medical isotopes used in scores of diagnostic imaging tests are scrambling to find new suppliers after Canadian health officials temporarily closed a nuclear reactor that produces a third of the world's supply. Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd shut down its 50-year-old reactor at Chalk River, Ontario, after a small leak of heavy water, used as part of the nuclear reaction.
11. Low stomach acid may weaken bones (Nature Medicine, 5/17/09)
By interfering with calcium availability, low levels of stomach acid may lead to weaker bones, making them more prone to fractures. Use of calcium supplements can prevent this problem, though. One of the most common causes of reduced stomach acid is taking heartburn medications, such as Prilosec and Prevacid.
12. Air conditioning in cars cuts down on microbes (European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, 5/17/09)
Air conditioning in cars cuts out more than 80 percent of germs, fungal spores and particles from outside air, providing a boon for people with respiratory problems or allergies.
13. Overweight Moms More Likely to Have Asthmatic Kids (American Thoracic Society's annual meeting, 5/19/09)
Children with asthmatic parents are at an increased risk of asthma if the mother is overweight before pregnancy. The risk of asthma is 65 percent higher among the offspring of overweight mothers if one or both of the child's parents have a history of the disease.
14. Lose Weight With a Good Night's Sleep? (American Thoracic Society’s International Conference, 5/15/09)
Sleepers getting less than 6 Hours of sleep a night tended to be heavier than longer sleepers.
15. Flomax linked to cataract surgery complications (Journal of the American Medical Association, 5/20/09)
Older men who take tamsulosin -- better known by the brand name Flomax -- for BPH or benign prostate enlargement within 14 days of cataract surgery have a somewhat increased risk for complications, such as lens loss, retinal detachment, and inflammation.
16. Bone Marrow Cell Therapy Improves Blood Flow, Heart Health (Journal of the American Medical Association, 5/20/09)
Injecting bone marrow cells into the heart, can help restore blood flow, improving overall heart health. Those who received bone marrow cell injections in this study saw their heart function improve more than those who did not receive the injections. Researchers feel this could be used to help treat those who have long-term reduced blood flow to areas of the heart.
17. Vitamin D for Quicker Thinking? Sunshine vitamin may make you brighter (Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 5/20/09)
Vitamin D is produced by the body when the skin is exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D is also found in certain foods such as oily fish and fortified milk. It helps cells absorb calcium and is important for bone health. Men 60 and older may think faster if they have adequate blood levels of vitamin D. The men took three tests of their visual memory, visual scanning, and speed at processing visual information.
18. Almonds may boost immune function (annual meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, 5/19/09)
Almonds have the potential to boost immune health and reduce inflammation.
19. Pills Plus Psychotherapy Can Beat Insomnia (Journal of the American Medical Association. 5/20/09)
If you've been having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep the short-term use of sleep medications plus behavioral changes may be the best combination for getting a good night sleep. This study demonstrated the benefit of providing 6 weeks of ambien and 6 months of psychotherapy.
20. Hot flashes signal thinner bones for menopausal women (Menopause, March/April 2009)
Women who have hot flashes as they enter menopause may have more fragile bones.
21. Irregular Heartbeat Tied to Alzheimer's Disease (Heart Rhythm Society's annual meeting, 5/15/09)
The abnormal heartbeat called atrial fibrillation is associated with later development of Alzheimer's disease. There are three possible explanations for the relationship, each of which could lead to early treatment aimed at preventing the dementia: high blood pressure, increased inflammation, and clots causing mini-strokes. Treatment involves controlling blood pressure, statins and Coumadin, respectively.
22. LASIK ads must warn consumers of risks (FDA, 5/22/09)
Doctors, clinics and others promoting corrective eye surgery known as LASIK need to make sure their advertisements tell consumers about possible risks including blurriness, double-vision, and depression.
23. Recall: L&M Companies, Inc. Recalls Whole Cantaloupes Because Of Possible Health Risk: Salmonella (FDA, 5/15/09)
24. Recall: Ground beef recalled for E. coli contamination: Valley Meats LLC (U. S. Department of Agriculture, 5/22/09)
A northwestern Illinois meatpacker is recalling nearly 96,000 pounds of its ground beef products because they may be contaminated with E. coli.
