Men Urged to Lead by Example and See a Doctor Regularly

FRIDAY, June 10 (HealthDay News) -- Men may be far less likely than women to see a doctor, but there are many reasons why they should make the effort, a Loyola University physician says.

Men generally die younger than women and have higher death rates for heart disease, cancer, stroke and AIDS. But a U.S. survey found that women are three times more likely than men to see a doctor on a regular basis.

For many men, seeing a doctor just isn't a priority, said Dr. Timothy Vavra, a Loyola University Health System physician and an associate professor of internal medicine at Loyola's Stritch School of Medicine.

"They're not willing to make a lifestyle change so they think it's a waste of time listening to a doctor tell them to change the way they eat, to start exercising and stop smoking if they're not going to do it anyway," Vavra explained in a university news release.

But the longer a man delays seeing a doctor, he said, the more likely he'll end up having to see one on a regular basis.

"Prevention isn't 100 percent, but we can address issues and keep an eye out for warning signs," Vavra explained. "I have patients that, if they would've seen me more regularly, we could have made little changes that would have helped prevent them from having a medical crisis that resulted in a complete lifestyle change."

A medical crisis can also cause financial problems because of the costs of seeing specialists, paying for procedures and having to take medications.

Vavra also said that seeing a doctor is one of the best things a man can do for his family.

"A man may feel selfish or weak going to the doctor or caring for his health, but it makes a positive impact on the whole family," he noted. "Kids look to their parents for examples of how to live. So lead by example. If you live a healthy life, so will your kids."

More information

The U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has more about men's health.

SOURCE: Loyola University Health System, news release, June 8, 2011Copyright

Emotional Abuse in Childhood May Disrupt Sleep Decades Later

FRIDAY, June 10 (HealthDay News) -- Emotional abuse in childhood can lead to sleep disruption in old age, a new study finds.

In analyzing nearly 900 adults ageD 60 and older, researchers found that seniors who were emotionally abused by their parents decades earlier were at greater risk for poor sleep quality years later.

"A negative early attachment continues to exert an influence on our well-being decades later through an accumulation of stressful interpersonal experiences across our lives," study author Cecilia Y. M. Poon, said in a news release from the Gerontological Society of America. "The impact of abuse stays in the system. Emotional trauma may limit a person's ability to fend for themselves emotionally and successfully navigate the social world."

The study included 877 adults who answered questions about their childhood in a 1995 midlife development survey. A decade later, these participants were re-questioned about their relationships, emotional distress and quality of sleep, including how often within the past month they had trouble falling or remaining asleep or felt tired regardless of how much sleep they got.

Researchers found those who endured early emotional abuse (not physical abuse or emotional neglect) by their parents reported a higher number of problems sleeping in old age.

Emotional abuse included insults, swearing, silent treatment, intimidation, or threats of violence or physical abuse.

The study, published in the Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological and Social Sciences, pointed out that emotional abuse during childhood also took a toll on adult relationships.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides more information on the emotional abuse of children.

SOURCE: Gerontological Society of America, news release, June 8, 2011Copyright

Heavy Cell Phone Use Might Raise Risk of Brain Tumors

FRIDAY, June 10 (HealthDay News) -- The debate over whether or not cell phones might cause brain tumors continues, as a new international study finds a small risk among people who are heavy cell phone users or who have used them for a long time.

Dr. Otis Brawley, chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society, was not involved with the latest research, but said that "the study is not conclusive that cell phones cause brain tumors."

The study shows a correlation between cell phone use and the risk of brain tumors, Brawley said. "But this is a suggestion, it is by no means definitive," he said.

Brawley noted there is an ongoing study bombarding the brains of mice with radio frequency radiation to see if brain tumors develop. "If that study is positive, that's going to really tell us that cell phones are not good. If that study is negative, the debate will continue," he said.

The latest report was published in the June 10 online edition of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) added cell phones to its list of things that might cause cancer. WHO said cell phones are "possibly carcinogenic to humans" and placed them in the same category as the pesticide DDT and gasoline engine exhaust.

For the new study, a research team led by Elisabeth Cardis, from the Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology at the Hospital del Mar Research Institute in Barcelona, Spain, collected data on 1,229 people with brain tumors and 3,673 people without brain tumors.

People in the study were asked about how much they used their cell phones, and what phones they used.

These data are part of the Interphone Study, which is an international study of the risk of cancerous brain tumors with cell phone use that was largely funded by the Mobile Manufacturers' Forum and the Global System for Mobile Communications, two industry groups.

The researchers found that a higher risk of developing a glioma among those who used their cell phones for 10 years or more. They also had a much smaller risk of developing a meningioma, or benign tumor.

Even with these potential increased risks, the incidence of brain tumors is fairly rare. "Brain tumor incidence rates have been flat to slightly declining over the last 20 years," Brawley said. "That's not consistent with brain tumors being caused by cell phones."

"We know that cell phones kill people through accidents at a far higher rate than they would ever kill people due to brain tumors," he added.

"There were suggestions of an increased risk of glioma in long-term mobile phone users with high radio frequency exposure and of similar, but apparently much smaller, increases in meningioma risk. The uncertainty of these results requires that they be replicated before a causal interpretation can be made," the study authors concluded.

John Walls, vice president for public affairs for CTIA-The Wireless Association, said that "the peer-reviewed scientific evidence has overwhelmingly indicated that wireless devices, within the limits established by the FCC

Chemical Found in Foam Cups a Possible Carcinogen

FRIDAY, June 10 (HealthDay News) -- The chemical styrene, ubiquitous in foam coffee cups and take-out containers, has been added to the list of chemicals considered possible human carcinogens, according to a new U.S. government report.

On Friday, experts at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services added styrene, along with five other chemicals -- captafol, cobalt-tungsten carbide (in powder or hard metal form), certain inhalable glass wool fibers, o-nitrotoluene and riddelliine -- to its list of 240 substances that are "reasonably anticipated" to be carcinogenic.

But before you toss those white plastic take-out containers, keep this in mind: the government report says that by far the greatest exposure to styrene comes from cigarette smoke. In fact, one study cited in the report estimates that exposure from smoking cigarettes was roughly 10 times that from all other sources, including indoor and outdoor air, drinking water, soil and food combined.

Styrene is a widely used chemical. Products that contain it include insulation, fiberglass, plastic pipes, automobile parts, drinking cups and other food containers and carpet backing, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry.

Studies in the lab, animals and humans -- particularly workers in industries such as reinforced plastic that expose them to higher than normal levels of the chemical -- suggest that exposure to styrene causes damage in white blood cells, or lymphocytes and may raise the risk of lymphohematopoietic cancer, such as leukemia and lymphoma.

There is also evidence exposure may raise the risk of esophageal and pancreatic cancer among styrene-exposed workers, according to the Report on Carcinogens, prepared by the National Toxicology Program, part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

The report also issued its strongest warning about two other chemicals, formaldehyde (widely used as a preservative) and a botanical known as aristolochic acids, adding both to the list of "known" carcinogens.

"The strength of this report lies in the rigorous scientific review process," said Ruth Lunn, director of the National Toxicology Program Office of the Report on Carcinogens, in a news release.

Aristolochic acids have been shown to cause high rates of bladder or upper urinary tract cancer in people with kidney or renal disease who consumed botanical products containing aristolochic acids, according to the report. Despite a U.S. Food and Drug Administration warning against the use of products containing aristolochic acids, it can still be purchased on the Internet and abroad, particularly in herbal products used to treat arthritis, gout and inflammation.

Formaldehyde has long been listed as a substance "reasonable anticipated" to cause cancer after animal studies showed it increased the risk of nasal cancer. Since then, additional studies in humans have shown exposure increases the risk for certain types of rare cancers, including nasopharyngeal (the nasopharnyx is the upper part of the throat behind the nose), sinonasal and myeloid leukemia, a cancer of the white blood cells, prompting federal officials to strengthen its warning.

Formaldehyde is a colorless, flammable, strong-smelling chemical that is widely used to make resins for household items, such as composite wood products, paper product coatings, plastics, synthetic fibers, and textile finishes. Formaldehyde is also used as a preservative in medical laboratories, mortuaries, and in some hair straightening products.

Representatives of industry took issue with the addition of both formadelhyde and styrene to the NTP's list.

"It will unfairly scare workers, plant neighbors and could have a chilling effect on the development of new products," Tom Dobbins, a spokesman for the American Composites Manufacturers Association, told The New York Times. "Our companies are primarily small businesses, and this could hurt jobs and local economies."

The federal panelists were quick to stress that the public shouldn't panic over the inclusion of any one substance in the Report on Carcinogens.

"A listing in the report does not by itself mean that a substance will cause cancer," John Bucher, associate director of the NTP, told Bloomberg News in a conference call with reporters. Many factors, including the amount and duration of exposure, as well as an individual's susceptibility can affect whether a person will develop cancer.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry has more on styrene.

SOURCE: June 10, 2011, news release, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health; Bloomberg News; The New York TimesCopyright

Study May Dispel Worries About High Levels of Folic Acid

FRIDAY, June 10 (HealthDay News) -- Consuming high amounts of folate -- through supplements and foods fortified with folic acid -- does not disrupt a healthy body's use of vitamin B12, according to new research.

Folic acid -- the synthetic form of the vitamin folate -- is added to grain products in the United States to reduce women's risk of conceiving a child with a neural tube birth defect. But some worry that folic acid levels in these foods may be too high for other people. Their concerns stem from studies that found that people with low B12 levels and high folate levels were more likely to have anemia than those with low B12 levels and normal folate levels.

B12 is needed to make red blood cells, and people with low levels of B12 can develop anemia, as well as numbness and tingling in the hands and feet.

The new study found, however, that anemia and other problems related to low levels of vitamin B12 were not likely to get worse with higher intake of folic acid.

It included more than 2,500 university students who reported the amount and type of folic acid-fortified foods and folic acid supplements they consumed in the previous week and in an average month. Blood samples collected from the participants showed that about 5 percent were B12 deficient. Of the students with low B12 levels, there was no significant difference in rates of anemia between those with high and those with low folate levels.

The study, conducted by researchers at the U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and five other institutions in the United States, Ireland and Norway, was published online June 8 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

"Our findings are reassuring for people who have low vitamin B12 levels," Dr. James L. Mills, the study's first author, said in a U.S. National Institutes of Health news release. "We found no evidence that folate could worsen their health problems."

Natural sources of folate include leafy green vegetables, citrus fruits and beans.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about folic acid.

SOURCE: U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, news release, June 8, 2011Copyright

Insect Stings Hold Deadly Risk for Some

SATURDAY, June 11 (HealthDay News) -- For most people, insect stings are a painful annoyance, but they can be deadly for those who are allergic to them, researchers warn.

Each year in the United States, more than half a million people have to go to emergency departments after suffering insect stings, and at least 50 die, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, which recently released updated guidelines for diagnosing and treating people with hypersensitivity to insect stings.

Its three key recommendations for people who are allergic to stings:

Consider allergy shotsAvoid all stinging insects, including bumblebeesBe aware of factors that increase the chances of a serious reaction

Research indicates that allergy shots are effective in preventing allergic reactions to stings. The shots work like a vaccine, exposing recipients to increasing amounts of the stinging insect allergen in order to boost the immune system's tolerance of it.

And although bumblebees are considered less aggressive than hornets and wasps, a growing number of severe allergic reactions are being caused by bumblebees, particularly among greenhouse workers. Because of this, people should try to avoid bumblebees as much as other stinging insects, the group advises.

In addition, the allergy experts noted, certain people are at increased risk for serious allergic reactions to insect stings. Factors associated with a higher risk include: a history of severe or near-fatal reactions to insect stings; heart disease, high blood pressure or pulmonary disease in those who have had a reaction beyond the site of a sting; asthma; taking certain medications, including beta blockers or ACE inhibitors; and frequent exposure to stinging insects, such as among gardeners and beekeepers.

Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction to stings include:

Hives, itching and swelling in areas other than the sting siteTightness in the chest and difficulty breathingSwelling of the nose, lips, tongue and throatDizziness, fainting or loss of consciousness

Medical experts stress that anyone who has any of these symptoms should seek immediate medical attention at the nearest emergency department.

More information

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has more about bug bites and stings.

SOURCE: American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, news release, June 8, 2011Copyright

Validity of Baseline Concussion Tests Questioned

SATURDAY, June 11 (HealthDay News) -- Baseline concussion tests for athletes may do more harm than good in some cases, an expert warns.

Baseline concussion testing provides a baseline score of an athlete's cognitive abilities, such as reaction time, working memory and attention span. Athletes who suffer a concussion retake the test, and if there is a large decrease in the score, they are typically banned from play until their score improves.

But the tests, which are mandatory for hundreds of thousands of amateur and professional athletes in the United States, have a high "false negative" rate, according to Christopher Randolph, a neuropsychologist at Loyola University Health System.

A false negative result means the test shows an athlete has recovered from a concussion when they're actually still experiencing effects from the injury. As a result, an athlete might be allowed to return to play before it's safe.

Randolph analyzed the scientific literature and could not find a prospective, controlled study of the current version of the most common baseline concussion test, called ImPACT (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing). Athletes take the 20-minute test on a computer.

"There is no evidence to suggest that the use of baseline testing alters any risk from sport-related concussion, nor is there even a good rationale as to how such tests might influence outcome," Randolph wrote in an article published in a recent issue of the journal Current Sports Medicine Reports.

Instead of relying on baseline concussion tests, medical staff on sports teams "may be better advised to rely upon their own clinical judgment, in conjunction with a validated symptom checklist, in making return-to-play decisions," for athletes who have suffered a concussion, Randolph suggested.

More information

The American Association of Neurological Surgeons has more about concussion.

SOURCE: Loyola University Health System, news release, June 10, 2011Copyright