Previous Medical News
2010/08/14
1. More U.S. girls starting puberty early (Pediatrics, 8/9/10)
Girls in the United States are entering puberty at earlier ages than they have in the past. The increase in earlier puberty is likely due to a combination of factors, including the childhood obesity epidemic and substances in the environment. Girls who start puberty earlier are more likely to develop breast and uterine cancer later in life. Early development in girls has been linked with poor self-esteem, eating disorders, and depression, as well as cigarette and alcohol use, earlier sexual activity, and lower academic performance. Excess body fat appears to affect the levels of hormones that trigger puberty. Chemicals in the environment -- most notably bisphenol-A (BPA), which is found in many hard plastic products -- may affect hormones as well. Mothers who had their first period before age 12, smoked during pregnancy, and were pregnant for the first time had daughters who entered puberty sooner than other girls. Above-average weight gain during infancy was also associated with earlier puberty.
2. FDA OKs new, five-day emergency contraceptive (FDA, 8/13/10)
The FDA has approved a new type of morning-after contraceptive that works longer than the current leading drug on the market. The pill ella from HRA Pharma reduces the chance of pregnancy up to five days after sex. Plan B, the most widely used emergency contraceptive pill, begins losing its ability to prevent pregnancy within three days of sex. Ella uses the hormone progesterone to delay ovulation, a key step in the fertilization process. The most common side effects with the drug included headache, nausea and abdominal pain.
3. China milk powder blamed for 'baby breasts' (China Daily, 8/9/10)
In central China, hormones in milk powder fed to infant girls have led the babies to prematurely develop breasts. The infants showed unusually high levels of the hormones estradiol and prolactin. Hormones could have entered the food chain when farmers reared the cattle. The formula is made by Synutra, a company based in the eastern city of Qingdao. Chinese dairy products were recalled worldwide in 2008 after it was revealed that melamine, a toxic chemical used to make plastics, was widely and illegally added to the products to give the appearance of higher protein.
4. Colder Weather Boosts Heart Attack Risk (British Medical Journal, 8/10/10)
Just a small drop in the outdoor temperature can translate into a heightened risk for heart attack in the following month. Just one degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) on a single day gives rise to a cumulative 2 percent rise in the number of heart attacks in the following weeks.
5. New Technique for Diagnosing Alzheimer's: Sample of spinal-fluid considered highly accurate (Archives of Neurology, 8/9/10)
Three biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid could be used to determine whether or not a clinically healthy person might suffer mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's disease. The new test on the cerebrospinal fluid itself is not a routine test. It requires a spinal tap. A profile or signature of the three biomarkers was found in 90 percent of those with Alzheimer's disease, in 72 percent of those with mild cognitive impairment and in 36 percent of those who had normal, cognitive functions. The model was tested in two other data sets to validate its prediction. In one study of 68 patients with autopsy-confirmed Alzheimer's disease, the sensitivity was 94 percent. In another study of 57 patients with mild cognitive impairment, the sensitivity was 100 percent among those whose condition progressed to develop Alzheimer's disease. Early diagnosis could lead to early treatment. In the future, cerebrospinal fluid analyses may be recommended as a screening test to identify clinically healthy (no symptoms) people at risk for mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. The three biomarkers are: CSF Aß1-42, total CSF tau protein and P-Tau181P.
What may help prevent Alzheimer's disease as well as other forms of dementia include green tea, curry, calorie restriction, grape seed extract, red wine, the so called Mediterranean diet, apple juice, high serum vitamin E, physical activity, omega-3 fatty acids, eating garlic, and a plant-based diet. Known risk factors of Alzheimer's disease include obesity, high blood pressure, vitamin D deficiency, depression, a fatty diet, concussions, high blood sugar, and potassium alum or potassium aluminum sulfate, both of which are contained in some popular national deodorants.
6. Poultry fingered as No. 1 food poisoning culprit (CDC, 8/12/10)
Poultry is still the leading culprit in food poisoning outbreaks. Chicken, turkey and other poultry accounted for 17 percent of the food-borne illness outbreaks. Beef and leafy vegetables were close behind, at 16 percent and 14 percent. Salmonella and other kinds of bacteria caused about half of the outbreaks. Viruses — like norovirus — caused about 40 percent, mushroom toxin or other chemical agents were blamed for 7 percent. Parasites accounted for 1 percent. Several things can cause an outbreak: An infected person might contaminate the food while handling it. A contaminated food may be left out a room temperature for hours, allowing bacteria to multiply. It may not be cooked enough to kill the bacteria.
7. Medical tourists bring home new superbug (Lancet, 8/10)
Medical tourists seeking treatment in Asia are bringing home a dangerous type of bacterial infection that’s resistant to nearly all known antibiotics. The bacteria has acquired a gene making them resistant to all but one or two known drugs. The bacteria produces an enzyme that destroys antibiotics. The CDC has warned doctors to be alert to the possibility of resistant infections in any patients who have received medical care in Pakistan or India.
8. Statins, Painkillers, Diuretics May Upset PSA Test Results (Journal of Clinical Oncology, 8/2/1)
Common drugs, including cholesterol-lowering statins, NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), and thiazide diuretics may lower serum PSA levels. It is possible that these drugs may actually have a protective effect against cancer but more research is needed.
9. Cholesterol Levels Fluctuate With Menstrual Cycle (Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 8/1)
Women's cholesterol levels vary throughout their menstrual cycle as their levels of estrogen rise and fall. To get a clear picture of a woman's cholesterol levels, doctors may need to take readings over several months before deciding whether the patient needs to have her levels lowered. On follow-up, readings should be done at the same time in woman's cycle.
10. Fruit Smoothies Linked to Outbreak of Typhoid Fevera: Fruit pulp linked to rare US typhoid cases (CDC, 8/12/10)
A rare U.S. outbreak of typhoid fever has been linked to a frozen tropical fruit product used to make smoothies. Seven cases have been confirmed — three in California and four in Nevada. Two more California cases are being investigated. Five people were hospitalized. The victims drank milkshakes or smoothies made with frozen mamey fruit pulp. Four of them used pulp sold by Goya Foods Inc. of Secaucus, N.J. Mamey is a sweet, reddish tropical fruit grown mainly in Central and South America. It is also known as zapote or sapote. It is peeled and mashed to make pulp. The company has recalled packages of the pulp. A sample from one package found in Las Vegas tested positive for the bacteria that causes typhoid.
11. Menstrual Cramps May Affect the Brain (Pain, 8/10)
Menstrual cramps may actually change the structure of women's brains. Primary dysmenorrhea (PDM) -- menstrual pain in otherwise healthy women -- affects between 20% to 90% of adolescent girls. It is marked by cramps in the lower abdomen that start with menstruation and can last up to 72 hours. Using magnetic resonance imaging scans, it was discovered that there are decreases of gray matter in areas of the brain involved in pain transmission and mood regulation and increases in areas of the brain that are involved in pain sensations and in regulating certain hormones. The brain's gray matter comprises the bulk of nerve cells or neurons within the brain.
12. Competing For a Mate May Shorten Men's Lives (Demography, 8/10)
Growing up in environments where males outnumber females is linked to 3 months less life span. When men reach sexual maturity in settings where they far outnumber women, they live an average of three months less than males from areas with a more equitable gender ratio.
13. New Secret to Building Muscle Revealed: Pump Less Iron (Public Library of Science (PLoS), 8/9/10)
A similar degree of muscle-building can be achieved by using lighter weights as with bulkier ones, suggesting the secret to building muscle mass is to pump iron until you reach muscle fatigue.
14. FDA warns of brain problem with Glaxo seizure drug: Lamictal 'can cause meningitis' (FDA, 8/12/10)
The FDA is warning doctors and patients that the anti-seizure drug Lamictal can cause rare inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. The FDA is working with the drug maker to add new warnings and labeling information. The agency said it has received reports of 40 cases of aseptic meningitis between 1994, when Lamictal was approved, and last November. Thirty-five patients needed to be hospitalized. The symptoms usually emerged within the first month and a half of treatment. Aseptic meningitis is a dangerous inflammation of the brain and spinal cord that can cause headache, fever, chills and vomiting. The problem can be caused by viruses, toxins and certain medications. Treatment for the illness, which usually resolves itself in two weeks, generally involves pain medications.
15. Bond With Dad May Play Role in Whether Men 'Stress Out' (American Psychological Association, annual convention, 8/12/10)
How a man handles everyday stressors may depend, in part, on how he felt about his dad while growing up.
16. Got a Tattoo? Get a Hepatitis C Test (International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 8/10)
People with tattoos were almost three times as likely to have hepatitis C as those without tattoos. Since tattoo instruments come in contact with blood and bodily fluids, infection is possible if instruments are used on more than one person without being sterilized or without proper hygiene. Additionally, tattoo dyes are not kept in sterile containers and may also transmit infections.
17. ED supplement causes 'worrisome' heartbeat changes: Enzyte (Archives of Internal Medicine, Aug. 9/23, 2010)
Enzyte, a popular dietary supplement marketed for "male enhancement," causes electrical abnormalities in the heart that could be potentially fatal in some people. Because Enzyte is regulated as a dietary supplement, the company is not required to provide data to back up claims of its effectiveness. After being given the supplement, men in the study showed a prolongation of a section of the heart's electrical cycle known as the QT interval. For people with a condition called long QT syndrome, which may occur in as many as one in 2,000 people, further prolongation like that seen in the current study could lead to severe heart arrhythmia and sudden death. Enzyte's ingredients include niacin, copper, zinc, ginseng, Ginkgo biloba, "horny goat weed standardized extract," and several other herbal components.
18. Big Waist Increases Death Risk (Archives of Internal Medicine, 8/9/10)
Men and women with the biggest waistlines have twice the risk of dying over a decade compared to those with the smallest tummies. This is true even for those who aren't overweight or obese by other measures. Even if you haven't had a noticeable weight gain, if you notice your waist size increasing, it’s time to eat better and start exercising more. Men should have a waist circumference of no larger than 40 inches. For women, the limit is 35 inches. People with bigger waists had a higher risk of death from causes including respiratory illnesses, heart disease and cancer. Belly fat secretes proteins and hormones that contribute to inflammation, interfere with how the body processes insulin and raise cholesterol levels.
19. Stress May Affect Chances of Getting Pregnant (Fertility and Sterility, 9/10)
There is now scientific evidence to back up the belief that stress can interfere with fertility. Women were less likely to conceive when they exhibited higher levels of a stress-related enzyme known as alpha-amylase. Stress can reduce a woman's chances of becoming pregnant. Alpha-amylase is secreted when the nervous system produces compounds known as catecholamines in response to the "fight or flight" stress reactions. Reducing stress may be difficult, but meditation, yoga or other relaxation techniques might help.
20. Adult kids' problems still affect parents' mental health (American Psychological Association's annual meeting, 8/13/10)
Even after they grow up, some kids don't stop giving their parents grief. An adult child with problems has a negative impact on a parent's mental health, even if the family's other kids are successful.
21. Tylenol (acetaminophen) tied to childhood wheezing and allergies: May double asthma risk in kids (American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 8/13/10)
Acetaminophen, more commonly known as Tylenol in the USA has been linked to the development of asthma and eczema among adolescents. Even monthly use of acetaminophen can more than double the risk, while yearly use may increase the risk by 50%.
22. Fido's food could be making kids sick (Pediatrics, 8/9/10)
This is the first known salmonella outbreak in humans, mostly young children, linked to tainted dry pet food. Almost half of the victims were children aged 2 and younger. There have been no known cases of human salmonella linked with wet pet food. The children probably became infected by touching affected animals or dirty pet food dishes, and then putting their hands in their mouths. Symptoms include bloody diarrhea and fever. To reduce infection risks at home: wash hands after contact with pets, pet food and pet bowls; routinely clean pet food bowls and feeding areas; keep children younger than age 5 away from pet food and feeding are cleaning pets' food and water dishes in a separate sink or tub, not in the kitchen or bathtub; and avoid bathing infants in the kitchen sink.
23. Our personalities may be set as early as 1st grade (Social Psychological and Personality Science, 9/10)
Our personalities stay pretty much the same throughout our lives. Personality traits observed in children as young as first graders are a strong predictor of adult behavior. Using data from a 1960s study of approximately 2,400 ethnically diverse schoolchildren (grades 1 – 6) in Hawaii, researchers compared teacher personality ratings of the students with videotaped interviews of 144 of those individuals 40 years later. They examined four personality attributes — talkativeness (called verbal fluency), adaptability (cope well with new situations), impulsiveness and self-minimizing behavior (essentially being humble to the point of minimizing one's importance.
24. Recall: Ground Beef Recall from Valley Meat Products of Modesto, Cal.: 1M Pounds Pulled After E. Coli Outbreak in California (U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, 8/6/10)
The Modesto California-based meat processor Valley Meat Company is voluntarily recalling approximately one million pounds of ground beef. The beef may contain a rare strain of the bacterium E. coli O157:H7.
25. Recall: Fresh Express recalling some salad products (FDA, 8/11/10)
Fresh Express is voluntarily recalling some of its salad products because of a possible health risk from Listeria monocytogenes.
