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

Weight-Loss Surgery May Not Lower Death Risk: Study

SUNDAY, June 12 (HealthDay News) -- Weight-loss surgery doesn't decrease the risk of death among severely obese middle-aged adults, a new study says.

U.S. researchers looked at 850 male patients at Veterans Affairs medical centers who had weight-loss (bariatric) surgery between January 2000 and December 2006. Their average age was 49.5 and their average body mass index was 47.4 (a body mass index, or BMI, over 40 is considered severely obese).

The death rate in this group of patients was compared to that of a control group of about 41,000 VA patients (average age 54.7, average BMI 42) who didn't have surgery.

Eleven of the 850 bariatric surgery patients (1.29 percent) died within one month after surgery. Unadjusted analysis of the death rates over a six-year period showed that the bariatric surgery patients had lower death rates than those in the control group, but further analysis showed that bariatric surgery was not significantly associated with reduced risk of death, said Matthew L. Maciejewski, of the Durham VA Medical Center in Durham, N.C., and colleagues.

The study, published online and in the June 15 print issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, was to be presented Sunday at an AcademyHealth research meeting in Seattle.

Even though bariatric surgery doesn't reduce the risk of death among middle-aged male patients, many of them still decide to undergo the procedure because there's strong evidence that it reduces body weight and obesity-related health problems, and improves quality of life, the researchers said.

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases has more about bariatric surgery.

SOURCE: Journal of the American Medical Association, news release, June 12, 2011Copyright

Heart Attack Victims Face Greater Risk of Dying When Ambulances Are Diverted

SUNDAY, June 12 (HealthDay News) -- Heart attack patients whose ambulances are diverted from the nearest ER to another one further away are at greater risk of dying -- not just soon after the heart attack, but for up to a year after the intervention, a new study finds.

Researchers examined data from 13,860 Medicare patients who were admitted to emergency departments for heart attack at hospitals in four California counties (Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara) between 2000 and 2005. Ambulance traffic was diverted from the nearest emergency department to another hospital on an average of 7.9 hours out of 24 hours.

Compared to patients who received care at the nearest hospital, those whose nearest emergency department were diverting ambulances for 12 hours or more had higher death rates after 30 days (19 percent vs. 15 percent), 90 days (26 percent vs. 22 percent), 9 months (33 percent vs. 28 percent), and one year (35 percent vs. 29 percent).

The researchers also found differences in treatment patterns once patients were admitted to the emergency department. Catheterization rates were 49 percent for patients who weren't diverted and 42 percent for those whose nearest emergency department was sending ambulances to a hospital further away for 12 hours or more.

Rates of percutaneous coronary interventions such as balloon angioplasty or stent placement was 31 percent for patients who weren't diverted and 24 percent for patients who were diverted during a 12-hour period or more.

The study appears online and in the June 15 print issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, and will be presented at an AcademyHealth meeting.

"These findings point to the need for more targeted interventions to appropriately distribute system-level resources in such a way to decrease crowding and diversion, so that patients with time-sensitive conditions such as

Scientists Identify Genes Linked to Migraines

SUNDAY, June 12 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers have identified three genes linked to migraine headache and found that people who inherit any one of these genes have a 10 to 15 percent greater risk for the condition.

Migraine headache -- an abnormality in the response of nerve cells to stimuli -- is characterized by recurring severe headaches, which often result in nausea as well as sensitivity to light and sound.

In examining genetic data from more than 23,000 women, including over 5,000 migraine sufferers, the researchers found an association between the headaches and variations in three genes: TRPM8 (which plays a role in sensitivity to cold and pain), LRP1 (a gene involved in the transmission of signals between neurons) and PRDM16.

"While migraine remains incompletely understood and its underlying causes difficult to pin down, identifying these three genetic variants helps shed light on the biological roots for this common and debilitating condition," the study's lead author, Dr. Daniel Chasman, assistant professor in the preventive medicine division at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, said in a hospital news release.

One migraine expert called the findings "very exciting."

"The thinking for a long time was that migraine is most commonly a multi-genetic condition with potentially many genetic variations that contribute," noted Dr. Audrey Halpern, clinical assistant professor in the department of neurology at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City. "We clearly understand now that migraine is a condition characterized by disordered sensory processing."

Although the study authors said the findings are encouraging, they noted that more research is needed to better understand exactly how each of these three genes is associated with migraine.

Halpern agreed that much more study lies ahead to unravel the genetics of migraine.

"This current research will help us more fully understand what happens during migraine, but there is also much more to learn," she said. "We've always known it's a genetic condition -- but the last 10 years we've learned it's a neurological condition. This study brings those two ideas together."

The report is published in the June 12 online edition of the journal Nature Genetics.

More information

The U.S. National Library of Medicine has more about migraines.

SOURCES: Audrey Halpern, M.D., clinical assistant professor, department of neurology, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York City; Brigham and Women's Hospital, news release, June 12, 2011Copyright

Meditation May Help Women Cope With Hot Flashes

FRIDAY, June 3 (HealthDay News) -- An easy-to-learn meditation technique can help ease the hot flashes, night sweats and insomnia of menopause, a new study says.

The University of Massachusetts research showed that mindfulness training, based on a Buddhist meditation concept, reduced the distress associated with hot flashes and improved physical, psychosocial and sexual functioning.

"The findings are important because hormone replacement therapy, used to treat menopause symptoms in the past, has been associated with health risks," said study author James Carmody, an associate professor of medicine in the division of preventive and behavioral medicine.

About 40 percent of menopausal women suffer from hot flashes and night sweats, which undermine their quality of life, the researchers noted. But since hormone replacement therapy has been linked with an increased risk of heart disease, breast cancer and stroke, Carmody observed that "not only are women looking for alternative treatments, it is an NIH (National Institutes of Health) priority to find behavioral treatments."

No other treatment has been found to substitute for hormone therapy, according to the study, but mindfulness training appears to allow women to be "less reactive" to menopausal symptoms.

Mindfulness therapy helps focus on the present. Practitioners avoid making judgments and simply accept whatever is passing through their mind while focusing on each breath. The technique is not difficult to learn, but requires some discipline in the beginning, experts noted.

The researchers aimed to influence women's reaction to their symptoms, "including psychological distress, social embarrassment and anxiety."

"We wanted to see if we could affect women's resilience in response to these symptoms," Carmody explained. "We were not trying to affect the symptoms themselves, although there was some effect on those as well."

The study divided 110 women between the ages of 47 and 69 into two groups, one receiving the training, the other "waitlisted" to learn the technique.

Participants filled out questionnaires to determine factors known to influence hot flashes, such as alcohol use, yoga and exercise.

Researchers also measured four dimensions of quality of life: physical, psychosocial, vasomotor (hot flashes), and sexual function. The women rated how much they were bothered by symptoms on a four-point scale ranging from "not at all" to "extremely" bothered. They kept diaries noting the number and intensity of hot flashes and night sweats. On average, the women had five or more moderate to severe hot flashes, or night sweats, a day when the study began.

After taking classes once a week for eight weeks, and a full day of training, the training group women had an average decrease of 15 percent in how much their symptoms bothered them vs. 7 percent for the control group. While hot flash intensity did not differ significantly, the training group reported better sleep, and less anxiety and perceived stress.

At the beginning of the study, which ran from November 2005 to September 2007, participants had "clinically significant" sleep problems. Improved sleep was an important outcome, the study found.

"The thing that surprised us the most was the effect on sleep," said Carmody, noting that mindfulness training was found to be as effective as hormone replacement therapy in reducing insomnia.

Another expert praised the study for using the "mind-body connection" to help women with serious menopause symptoms with "no side effects."

"We've known about the mind-body connection," said Dr. Jill M. Rabin. "We're just beginning to unlock the power of the mind to have an impact on our physiological selves."

The study authors were "self-critical regarding the limitations of the study," said Rabin, chief of the division of ambulatory care and head of urogynecology at the Long Island Jewish Medical Center. Among other things, the study lacked an active control group program, they wrote.

Noting that the women were mostly white and had a high level of education, Rabin said more study was needed to see if the results apply to the general population.

"It's not that the results don't apply, or will be different for a different population," she said. "We just don't know."

The research is published in the June issue of Menopause.

More information

To learn more about mindfulness training, visit University of Massachusetts Medical School.

SOURCES: James Carmody, Ph.D., associate professor, medicine, division of preventive and behavioral medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester; Jill M. Rabin, M.D. chief, Division of Ambulatory Care, head, Urogynecology, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, North Shore-LIJ Health System; June 2011 issue, Menopause: The Journal of the North American Menopause SocietyCopyright

Drifting Pesticides May Endanger People in Nearby Workplaces

FRIDAY, June 3 (HealthDay News) -- People who work near fields sprayed with pesticides face an increased risk for Parkinson's disease, a new study has found.

Not just agricultural workers but teachers, firefighters, clerks and others whose workplaces are near fields in California's Central Valley are at greater risk for the degenerative disorder of the central nervous system, according to researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles.

"This stuff drifts," the study's senior author, Dr. Beate Ritz, an epidemiology professor at the UCLA School of Public Health, said in a university news release. "It's borne by the wind and can wind up on plants and animals, float into open doorways or kitchen windows -- up to several hundred meters from the fields."

The study focused on three pesticides used on the fields: the fungicides maneb and ziram and the herbicide paraquat. The researchers estimated the exposure of 703 people who lived or worked in the area over a 25-year span, taking into account how far they were from the fields sprayed with the chemicals. About half of the people in the study had Parkinson's.

The risk for Parkinson's rose threefold for those who worked near fields sprayed with the three pesticides, the study found. Exposure to just ziram and paraquat raised risk by 80 percent. Earlier analysis by the researchers had found a 75 percent jump in risk for people who lived near fields where maneb and paraquat were sprayed.

The findings suggest that the chemicals act together in increasing the risk for Parkinson's, according to the study, published online in the European Journal of Epidemiology.

"Our estimates of risk for ambient exposure in the workplaces were actually greater than for exposure at residences," said Ritz. "And, of course, people who both live and work near these fields experience the greatest ... risk. These workplace results give us independent confirmation of our earlier work that focused only on residences, and of the damage these chemicals are doing."

More information

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency offers tips on reducing pesticide risk.

SOURCE: University of California, Los Angeles, news release, May 26, 2011Copyright

Mental Illness Linked to Greater Risk of Death After Heart Attack

FRIDAY, JUNE 3 (HealthDay News) -- People with mental illness are more likely to die following a heart attack or serious cardiac event, a new study finds.

One explanation for this increased risk is that people with mental illness are 14 percent less likely to receive lifesaving treatments for their heart condition, researchers found.

Those treatments included coronary artery bypass graft (bypass surgery) and angioplasty (a procedure to open blocked arteries using a stent), both of which have been shown to improve outcomes for heart patients, researchers said.

The study, published June 1 in the British Journal of Psychiatry, examined 22 published studies that compared the level of care given to those with and without serious mental disorders.

"In 10 studies that specifically addressed care for people with schizophrenia, those with the disease received only half the interventions offered to those without schizophrenia," lead researcher Alex J. Mitchell, of the University of Leicester and University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, said in a news release from the university.

Six studies involving more than 800,000 people found that the risk of death was 11 percent higher in the year after a cardiac event in people with a history of serious mental illness than those without.

"People with known mental health conditions have higher background rates of cardiovascular risk factors such as smoking, inactivity and obesity. We already know that this is reflected in a higher rate of heart disease, but what we demonstrate here is that mortality is greater even after patients come under health care," Mitchell said. "We don't yet know the reason for these poorer outcomes but it is worrying that we also find such patients may receive less frequent lifesaving interventions."

The study authors concluded more research is needed to determine whether patients with severe mental illness are declining treatment or whether physicians are not offering the same level of care to the mentally ill that they offer to their patients without mental disorders.

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Mental Health offers statistics on the prevalence, treatment and costs of mental illness.

SOURCE: University of Leicester, news release, June 1, 2011Copyright

Fit Doctors More Likely to Prescribe Exercise: Study

FRIDAY, June 3 (HealthDay News) -- Medical students who are physically fit are more likely to encourage their future patients to exercise, according to a new study.

Researchers found that medical students who had normal cholesterol levels and who met the current U.S. physical activity guidelines often felt strongly that being active themselves would set a better example for the people they were treating.

In analyzing certain markers of physical health -- such as cardiorespiratory fitness -- and attitudes on physical-activity counseling in 577 medical students over the course of five years, the investigators found that 80 percent of students believed physical-activity counseling would be highly relevant in their future clinical practice.

The study authors, led by Dr. Felipe Lobelo, health scientist with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pointed out that the students who said exercise counseling was important were in good shape themselves. In fact, they were 1.7 times more likely to exhibit healthy levels of cardiorespiratory fitness and 3.2 times more likely to have normal triglyceride (blood fat) levels than students who didn't believe exercise was as important.

"I'm a strong believer in doctors practicing what they preach, and I think this study illustrates the concept perfectly because it's based on doctors' objective markers of health," Lobelo said in a news release from the American College of Sports Medicine.

"Previous evidence indicates that nearly two-thirds of patients would be more willing to become physically active if their doctors advise it, and these patients find an active, healthy doctor's advice more credible and motivating. It is critical for current and future doctors to understand the public health importance of providing physical activity counseling to every patient," Lobelo concluded.

The findings were scheduled for presentation this week at the annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, held in conjunction with the World Congress on Exercise Is Medicine, in Denver. Because this study was presented at a medical meeting, the data and conclusions should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

More information

The U.S. National Library of Medicine has more on the link between exercise and health.

SOURCE: American College of Sports Medicine, news release, June 2, 2011Copyright

Hula-Hoop Might Help Shed Unwanted Pounds

FRIDAY, June 3 (HealthDay News) -- The Hula-Hoop, a large ring that can be gyrated around the waist, gained intense popularity in the 1950s and now it seems to be re-emerging as a hot trend in weight loss, a new study has found.

"Hooping" expends the same amount of energy as walking 4 to 4.5 miles per hour -- enough to help a person firm up and slim down, according to a news release from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). And "it's becoming a popular form of choreographed group exercise," study author John Porcari, of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, said in the news release.

The study examined 16 women, ranging in age from 16 to 59, who regularly attended choreographed hooping classes. The researchers measured the women's oxygen consumption, heart rate and rate of physical exertion as they completed a 30-minute video-led hooping class.

The researchers set out "to determine the effect of hooping on physical fitness and whether or not the intensity falls within ACSM guidelines for improving cardiovascular fitness," Porcari said.

The study found that the average heart rate for the 30-minute class was 151 beats per minute, and the average caloric expenditure was equivalent to 210 calories for 30 minutes of hooping. The total energy cost, the researchers revealed, was enough to help people control their body weight.

The findings were to be presented this week at the American College of Sports Medicine annual meeting, held in conjunction with the World Congress on Exercise Is Medicine, in Denver. Experts note that research presented at meetings isn't subjected to the same type of scrutiny given to research published in peer-reviewed journals.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on physical activity and weight control.

SOURCE: American College of Sports Medicine, news release, June 1, 2011Copyright

Having More Toys May Boost Exercise Levels in Kids

FRIDAY, June 3 (HealthDay News) -- Providing children with more toys to play with may improve their level of physical activity, researchers say.

The new study also found that having more active toys to choose from boosts the intensity of play among children, particularly girls.

In the study, led by Denise Feda, postdoctoral associate at the University of Buffalo in New York, researchers offered three different quantities of toys to 36 children ranging in age from 8 to 12 years. After being given one, three or five toys to play with, the children's behaviors, heart rates and activity counts were monitored for one hour.

The investigators found that overall playtime jumped by 95 percent among the children who had three or five toys. Gender also came into play. The heart rate data collected by the researchers revealed that girls given more toys played with greater intensity than boys with the same number of choices.

The report did not specify what types of toys were used.

Children and adolescents should participate in at least one hour of physical activity each day, according to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. The study authors pointed out that their findings could help children reach this goal.

"The results of this study are significant, considering the epidemic of childhood obesity plaguing this country," Feda said in an ACSM news release. "Adults looking for effective ways to increase their child's exercise time should take a look at toy variety. Adding an active toy or two could help, especially for girls. Girls can be motivated to engage in equal physical activity as boys by simply providing them with a greater choice of active toys," she concluded.

The findings were to be presented this week at the American College of Sports Medicine annual meeting, held in conjunction with the World Congress on Exercise Is Medicine, in Denver. Experts note that research presented at meetings isn't subjected to the same type of scrutiny given to research published in peer-reviewed journals.

More information

Visit the American Academy of Pediatrics for more about the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity.

SOURCE: American College of Sports Medicine, news release, June 2, 2011Copyright

Concussions Tied to Verbal Memory Loss in Young Athletes

FRIDAY, June 3 (HealthDay News) -- College athletes who suffer a concussion may experience poor verbal memory, researchers have found.

A concussion is a head injury that can cause headache, dizziness, irritability, mood changes, vomiting, changes in vision and hearing, as well as difficulty following instructions.

"This study corroborates the effect of concussion on brain functioning in student-athletes," study author Robert Gardner, a student at Elon University in North Carolina, said in a news release.

In examining 100 female and male college athletes who played football and soccer, the study authors found multiple signs of decreased brain function, or cognitive processing, among those who had sustained a concussion. Specifically, verbal memory was worse in those who suffered the head injury than those who did not.

More than 20 states have already passed legislation to ensure the safety of young athletes, and educate players, parents and coaches about the dangers of concussions. The researchers concluded, however, that even more research is needed to determine the full extent of a concussion's effects on cognition, particularly in the developing brains of children and teens.

The findings were scheduled for presentation this week at the annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, held in conjunction with the World Congress on Exercise Is Medicine, in Denver. Experts note that research presented at meetings isn't subjected to the same type of scrutiny given to research published in peer-reviewed journals.

More information

The National Collegiate Athletic Association offers more information on concussion in sports.

SOURCE: American College of Sports Medicine, news release, June 2, 2011Copyright

Bone Drug Reduces Odds for Breast Cancer's Return: Study

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Officials: U.S. Not Affected by European E. Coli Outbreak

FRIDAY, June 3 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. health officials sought Friday to reassure Americans that there is little chance the deadly new strain of E. coli bacteria affecting Germany and other European countries will have any significant impact here.

"This outbreak has not affected the U.S.," David Elder, director of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Regional Operations, said during a Friday afternoon news conference.

The source of the outbreak in Europe -- which has been blamed for 18 deaths -- remains unknown, but produce is a likely suspect, health officials said.

"Produce remains safe and there is no reason for Americans to alter where they shop, what they buy, what they eat," he added. "The U.S. food supply is not in jeopardy."

As a precaution, the FDA has taken the step of detaining any shipments of tomatoes, lettuce and cucumbers arriving from Germany and Spain. Samples from these shipments will be tested for E. coli before being released into the U.S. market, Elder said.

"Any products found to be contaminated will be refused admission into the U.S. and any future shipments will be detained upon entry," he said.

Elder noted that produce from Europe makes up less than 0.2 percent of all produce imported into the United States, and very little of that European produce comes into the country this time of the year.

Chris Braden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Foodborne Waterborne and Environmental Diseases division, said that "the strain of E. coli causing illness in Europe is very rare, and

Help Your Children Eat Well During Summer Vacation

TUESDAY, May 31 (HealthDay News) -- With summer vacation fast-approaching, parents should take an active role in promoting routine healthy eating among their kids, advises the American Dietetic Association (ADA).

To that end, the ADA is offering some practical tips to help parents whip up healthy meals that kids will enjoy, all the while promoting a learning environment that encourages a youthful appreciation for eating well.

"For many families, the summer break can lead to a disruption of the normal routine and a diversion from the eating habits established during the school year," registered dietitian Katie Brown, the ADA Foundation's national education director, noted in an association news release.

It's important to ensure everyone "is eating the foods they need when they need them," she explained.

To help parents achieve that goal, the ADA has fashioned a website entitled "Kids Eat Right." It is designed as a one-stop shop for weekly nutritional updates (in the form of articles, videos, recipes, eating tips) to promote the fundamentals of healthy eating.

One of the best ways to help your kids eat right is to involve them in every step of the process, registered dietitian and American Dietetic Association spokesperson Amy Jamieson-Petonic said in the news release.

This includes involving children in both the shopping and cooking process leading to a communal family dinner. Parents should also encourage -- and, if necessary, organize -- daily physical activity and outdoor fun, according to the association.

"Your kids should be getting at least 60 minutes of physical activity most days of the week," noted Jamieson-Petonic. "So don't let them spend the summer sitting on the couch."

More information

For more on the American Dietetic Association's tips, visit Kids Eat Right.

SOURCE: American Dietetic Association, news release, May 24, 2011Copyright

Violent Video Games Linked to Increased Aggression

TUESDAY, May 31 (HealthDay News) -- Violent video games trigger aggression among those who play them, according to a new University of Missouri study.

Such players showed more hostility because their brains had become less responsive, or desensitized, to violence -- a response that the researchers linked to increased aggression.

"From a psychological perspective, video games are excellent teaching tools because they reward players for engaging in certain types of behavior. Unfortunately, in many popular video games, the behavior is violence," study co-author Bruce Bartholow, an associate professor of psychology at UM College of Arts and Sciences, said in a university news release.

Although other studies have linked gamers' desensitization to violence with increased aggression, the study is the first to demonstrate cause-and-effect, the researchers said.

The study is published in the current issue of the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.

In the study, researchers instructed 70 young adults to play either a nonviolent or a violent video game for 25 minutes. Afterwards, their brain responses were measured as they viewed two groups of photos -- one neutral (such as a man riding a bike), the other violent (such as a man sticking a gun in another man's mouth).

The study found that participants assigned to play a violent video game had a reduced response to the violent photos -- an indication their brains had become desensitized to the violence.

Researchers pointed out, however, that participants who had experience with the violent video games prior to the study showed small brain responses to the violent photos, regardless of which type of game they were assigned to play.

"It could be that those individuals are already so desensitized to violence from habitually playing violent video games that an additional exposure in the lab has very little effect on their brain responses," said Bartholow, adding that there were additional factors to consider.

Researchers also discovered that a reduced brain response to violence predicted the gamers' levels of aggression: The weaker the brain response to violent photos, the more aggressive the participants were.

In this portion of the study, players were assigned a competitive task that allowed them to use a controllable blast of noise against their opponent. How loud the players made the noise for their rival was the measure researchers used to determine how aggressive they were.

The study found those who played one of several popular violent games, such as "Call of Duty," "Hitman," "Killzone" and "Grand Theft Auto," set louder noise blasts for their opponents during the competitive task than those who played nonviolent games.

The researchers concluded that future research should also focus on ways to control the effects of media violence, especially among children whose developing brains could become accustomed to violent behavior.

More information

The American Psychological Association provides more information on the adverse effects of violent video games.

SOURCE: University of Missouri, news release, May 25, 2011.Copyright

Psychotherapy Linked to Healthier Stress Hormone Levels

TUESDAY, May 31 (HealthDay News) -- As a component of depression treatment, psychotherapy not only reduces anxiety, but also improves patients' stress hormone levels, new research shows.

The study, published in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, found that when pharmacotherapy is combined with psychotherapy in treating depressed patients, there is an improvement in their levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

Researchers examined 63 people diagnosed with major depressive disorder. Participants were divided into two groups: 29 received combined therapy, which included psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy, and 34 had monotherapy, which included only pharmacotherapy. The patients' depressive symptoms were tested at regular daily intervals over the course of eight months.

The study found that although decreases in symptoms were similar between both groups, by the eighth month, reductions in anxiety were greater among those in the combined therapy than in the patients who underwent monotherapy. Moreover, a steeper daytime cortisol pattern was more likely among those who had the combined therapy, compared to those who were treated with drugs alone.

Researchers concluded that the improved outcomes of the combined therapy group suggests the addition of psychotherapy helped reduce anxiety and produced long-term positive effects on stress hormone levels.

More information

The U.S. National Institutes of Health has more information on cortisol.

SOURCE: Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, news release, May 25, 2011Copyright

U.S. Makes It Easier to Get Insurance With Pre-Existing Conditions

TUESDAY, May 31 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. health officials announced Tuesday that a reduction in premiums and an easing of standards for the federally administered Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan will allow more Americans to get health insurance.

Premiums under the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan, which is part of the Affordable Care Act, will drop as much as 40 percent in 18 states. And standards for eligibility will be eased in 23 states and Washington, D.C., said officials from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

"Before the law, too many people were turned away or shut out of the insurance market," HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said during a morning press conference.

"You could be denied coverage if you were a breast cancer survivor or if you had a pre-existing health condition like diabetes or asthma. This forced people to skip care or medication and it has bankrupted way too many families and left people's health at risk," she added.

The reduction in premiums will offer real savings for people, Sebelius explained. "For example, consumers in Virginia will save almost $1,200 a year thanks to the premium reduction," she said.

The Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan was designed to help people with pre-existing health conditions get health insurance until 2014 when insurance companies can no longer deny coverage to people with pre-existing conditions.

In 23 states the federal government administers the program, while the other states use federal funds to operate their own program.

It's in 18 states where the federal government operates the program that premiums will drop. Decreasing premiums in these states will bring the premiums in line with rates already established in these states, which is mandated by the Affordable Care Act, HHS officials said.

In the remaining states, premiums were already at state levels and will not change.

"We are not just lowering premiums, we are making it easier for people to become eligible for the program," Sebelius said.

Beginning in July, anyone applying for health insurance coverage only needs to show a letter dated in the last year from a doctor, a physician's assistant or nurse practitioner stating that he or she has a pre-existing condition.

Applicants will no longer need to have a letter from an insurance company denying coverage, Sebelius said.

In February, children under 19 were given this option, which is now being extended to all ages. To take advantage of this program you must be a U.S. citizen and have had no insurance coverage for six months.

Starting this fall, the federal government will begin paying insurance agents and brokers to help enroll people in the program. The goal is to get more eligible people to take advantage of the program.

From November 2010 through March 2011, enrollment in all Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan programs increased 129 percent, with more than 18,000 people now enrolled, officials said.

The Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan is a comprehensive health plan that includes primary and specialty care, hospital care, prescription drugs, home health and hospice care, skilled nursing care and preventive health and maternity care.

According to HHS officials, the program limits out-of-pocket costs. Eligibility is not based on income and those who enroll do not pay a higher premium because of a pre-existing medical condition.

More information

For more on the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan, visit the HealthCare.gov.

SOURCE: May 31, 2011, teleconference with Kathleen Sebelius, secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human ServicesCopyright

Cell Phones May Cause Brain Cancer, WHO Experts Say

indicate it is a possible, not a probable source," he said. "But they still cannot come out with a positive conclusion."

Elsayyad advises using an ear piece or speaker when talking on a cell phone.

"If you hold the phone away from your brain that ought to decrease the risk tremendously," he said.

More information

To learn more about brain cancer, visit the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

SOURCES: Nagy Elsayyad, M.D., assistant professor, Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Miami Sylvester Cancer Center and Miller School of Medicine; Otis Brawley, M.D., chief medical officer for the American Cancer Society; World Health Organization, news release, May 31, 2011; CTIA-The Wireless Association, news release, May 31, 2011; CNNCopyright

Transplant Surgery No Riskier at Night: Study

TUESDAY, May 31 (HealthDay News) -- Surgeon fatigue has been blamed for adverse outcomes among patients operated on at night, but new research finds that time of day has no effect on the survival rates of patients undergoing heart and lung transplants.

"We aren't suggesting that fatigue is good," said the study's lead author, Dr. Ashish S. Shah, an assistant professor of surgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, in a university news release. "But what is important is that, at least in this specialty, it seems we're able to deal with it without subjecting the patient to risk."

The study, published June 1 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, compiled data on a decade of transplants across the United States involving a total of 27,118 patients. Researchers found survival rates up to one year after surgery were similar regardless of when the organ transplants were performed -- day or night.

Although researchers noted there was a slightly higher rate of airway dehiscence (a surgical complication) associated with nighttime lung transplants, total hospital length of stay was similar no matter what time of day surgeons operated.

The study's authors concluded that experienced transplant teams have probably found effective ways to cope with and overcome fatigue and emotional stress in order to do their jobs well. "It is likely that because urgent nighttime operations are common in all types of transplant surgery, health care personnel involved in the transplant have developed various systems to prevent errors and directly cope with the limitations associated with nighttime medical care," they wrote in the news release.

The researchers also argued that surgeons from other specialties could reduce adverse patient outcomes by copying the strategies and coping techniques used by heart and lung transplant teams.

"The authors provide us with firm evidence that even highly complex procedures can be performed safely and with good results at any time during the day," said Dr. Ernesto P. Molmenti, vice chairman of surgery and director of the transplant program at the North Shore-LIJ Health System in Manhasset, N.Y., who was not involved in the study.

"We should consider the performance quality guidelines of cardiothoracic transplant centers as a way to improve other medical and surgical outcomes," Molmenti concluded.

More information

The U.S. National Institutes of Health provides more information on heart transplant survival rates.

SOURCE: Ernesto P. Molmenti, M.D.,vice chairman of surgery and director, transplant program, North Shore-LIJ Health System in Manhasset, N.Y.; Johns Hopkins Medicine, news release, May 31, 2011.Copyright

Flu Shot May Lower Odds for Preemie Delivery

TUESDAY, May 31 (HealthDay News) -- Getting a flu shot during pregnancy appears to offer some protection from premature births and low birth weight babies, a new study finds.

U.S. researchers looked at data on nearly 4,200 births between June 2004 and September 2006 in the state of Georgia. About 15 percent of the women received a flu shot during pregnancy.

Pregnant women who received the vaccine and who gave birth during the assumed flu season (from October through May) were 40 percent less likely to have a baby born prematurely, that is, before 37 weeks' gestation, the study found.

"The effect is significant during the flu period, and it goes up along with the intensity of flu circulation," said lead study author Saad B. Omer, an assistant professor of global health, epidemiology and pediatrics at Emory University Schools of Public Health & Medicine.

Women who gave birth when there were some, but not widespread, reports of flu were 56 percent less likely to have a premature baby than unvaccinated women. During peak flu season, generally January and February, pregnant women who got the flu shot were 72 percent less likely to deliver prematurely.

The study, published May 31 in PLoS Medicine, also found a slight association between flu vaccine and protection from "small for gestational age" babies (a birth weight, head circumference or length in the bottom 9 percent) during peak flu season, but not at other times.

Babies born during peak flu season to mothers who were vaccinated against flu were 69 percent less likely to be small for their gestational age, the researchers found.

Outside flu season, researchers said the study found no association between premature births and flu vaccination. This was expected and lends support to their hypothesis that the effect they're seeing is actually due to the flu vaccine and not some other factor.

However, they emphasized that their findings merely show an "association" between the vaccine and reduced risk of prematurity, not a direct cause and effect.

Infections during pregnancy can affect fetal growth and development, according to background information in the article. Respiratory infections, particularly pneumonia, are associated with low birth weight and increased risk of pre-term birth.

Influenza is particularly dangerous for pregnant women, who have a greater risk of serious illness and death. "There is a lot of evidence that flu is much more severe in pregnant women than in women of a similar age who are not pregnant," Saad said.

Toward the end of pregnancy, women's lung capacity decreases, and the heart must work harder to pump blood to support the fetus, which taxes the body. Pregnancy may also make it more difficult for the immune system to mount a response to the flu.

Prior research conducted in women in Bangladesh found that getting the flu vaccine during pregnancy can even help protect the infant from flu after birth.

Taken together, the evidence is clear that women who are pregnant during flu season should get the flu vaccine, said Dr. Siobhan Dolan, a consultant to the March of Dimes and an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

"This study adds to the body of evidence of how beneficial the flu vaccine is, both in decreasing the risk of pre-term birth and slightly decreasing the risk of low birth weight," Dolan said.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Gynecologists and Obstetricians and the March of Dimes all recommend women get vaccinated against the flu during pregnancy.

Despite that recommendation, only about 15 percent of pregnant women get the seasonal flu vaccine annually, experts said, although that rose to nearly 50 percent during the 2009-2010 H1N1 crisis.

"It's good for you, and it's good for your baby," Dolan added. "It's the right thing to do, and the data is clear."

More information

The March of Dimes has more on vaccines and pregnancy.

SOURCES: Saad B. Omer, M.B.B.S., M.P.H., Ph.D, assistant professor of global health, epidemiology and pediatrics, Emory University Schools of Public Health & Medicine, Atlanta, Ga.; Siobhan Dolan, M.D., M.P.H., consultant to March of Dimes, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, N.Y.; May 2011, PLoS MedicineCopyright

Corticosteroids May Speed Pneumonia Recovery in Some

TUESDAY, May 31 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with an inflammatory lung condition known as community-acquired pneumonia appear to recover faster when treated with corticosteroids in addition to the standard regimen of antibiotics, Dutch researchers say.

Those treated with a combination of corticosteroids and antibiotics also required a shorter hospital stay than patients treated with antibiotics alone, the study authors found.

The observations stem from what is believed to be the largest study to date focused on the potential of corticosteroids for the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia, or CAP.

Dr. Sabine Meijvis, from the St. Antonius Hospital in Nieuwegein, the Netherlands, and colleagues reported their findings in the May 31 online edition of The Lancet.

Meijvis and her team noted that, currently, CAP is typically treated with antibiotics following an early diagnosis.

To explore whether corticosteroids might reduce the risk for complications and fatalities, the team focused on just over 300 Dutch CAP patients. Half of the patients were placed on a standard antibiotic protocol coupled with 5 milligrams a day of the corticosteroid dexamethasone. The other half were given antibiotics plus a placebo (an inactive treatment).

After four days, the research team found that those given the corticosteroid experienced less lung inflammation, and recovered more quickly than those who were just given antibiotics.

The corticosteroid group also required one less day of hospitalization than the antibiotic group (6.5 days versus 7.5 days). In addition, by the end of one month, the corticosteroid group had experienced better "social functioning" relative to the antibiotic group, the investigators found.

"Serious adverse events were rare" among the corticosteroid group, the study team noted in a journal news release, while at the same time cautioning that "the benefits of corticosteroids should be weighed against the potential disadvantages of these drugs, such as superinfections and gastric disturbances."

Dr. Len Horovitz, a pulmonary specialist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, said the findings were in line with what he might expect.

"It doesn't surprise me because corticosteroids are used as nuclear anti-inflammatories," he said, noting they might suppress an otherwise lingering fever within 24 hours. "And they would mask a lot of symptoms and make a patient feel generally better whether they're asthmatics or have some inflammatory disease."

"But the downside," he cautioned, "is that we know that corticosteroids are immune-suppressive. And so the possibility exists that when you use them, you could be prolonging the actual recovery time even as you are masking the symptoms, although this study doesn't say that."

This is a potential danger for otherwise healthy people and especially so for those who have high blood pressure or diabetes, he said. "So any medication is a double-edged sword," he added. "And the use of corticosteroids in this case has to be weighed against possible complications."

More information

For more on pneumonia, visit the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

SOURCE: Len Horovitz, M.D., pulmonary specialist, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City, and Northshore-LIJ Health System; The Lancet, news release, May 31, 2011Copyright

Childhood Cancer Therapies Tied to Gastrointestinal Issues

WEDNESDAY, May 25 (HealthDay News) -- Children who are successfully treated for cancer are at greater risk of developing mild to severe gastrointestinal problems down the road, a new study finds.

Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco analyzed the self-reported gastrointestinal (GI) problems of 14,358 patients who survived at least five years following treatment for cancers such as lymphoma, leukemia, brain tumors or bone tumors.

More than 40 percent experienced some type of GI problem -- including ulcers, esophageal disease, indigestion, polyps, chronic diarrhea, colitis, gallstones and jaundice -- within two decades of their treatment, the investigators found.

Moreover, people diagnosed with cancer at an older age and who had to undergo more rigorous therapy (chemotherapy, radiation, surgery) were more likely to experience long-term GI issues, according to the study in the May issue of Gastroenterology.

About one in 500 young adults in the United States is a survivor of childhood cancer, the study authors noted in a UCSF news release.

"While physicians continue to learn about the long-term consequences of pediatric cancer and its therapy, it is essential that we provide comprehensive follow-up care that appropriately addresses the complications cancer survivors may experience," lead study author Dr. Robert Goldsby, pediatric cancer specialist at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital and director of the UCSF Survivors of Childhood Cancer Program, said in the news release.

"These are serious issues that can have a real impact on a person's quality of life," Goldsby added.

More information

The U.S. National Cancer Institute has more on childhood cancers.

SOURCE: University of California, San Francisco, news release, May 19, 2011Copyright

Scientists Find Molecular Similarities in Brains of Those With Autism

WEDNESDAY, May 25 (HealthDay News) -- The symptoms and severity of autism vary widely, but new research shows remarkable similarities at the molecular level in the brains of people with the disorder.

Researchers from Los Angeles, Toronto and London analyzed post-mortem brain tissue samples from 19 people with autism and 17 without.

In the healthy brains, researchers saw distinct differences in the gene expression in the frontal lobe vs. the temporal lobe of the cerebral cortex -- differences that help determine the structure and function of the two brain regions.

Specifically, between the frontal and temporal lobes in the healthy brains, more than 500 genes were expressed at different levels. Gene expression is the process by which a gene's DNA sequence is copied into RNA to produce proteins, which perform specific tasks within the cell.

But researchers didn't find those same patterns in autistic brains. Instead, researchers found only eight differences in the gene expression in the frontal and temporal lobes.

"In a healthy brain, the frontal and temporal lobes can be differentiated," said principal investigator Dr. Daniel Geschwind, a distinguished professor of neurology, psychiatry and human genetics at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. "But in autism we didn't see that. Instead, the frontal lobe closely resembles the temporal lobe."

Many of those regional differences in the cerebral cortex are established during fetal development, researchers added.

The study is published in the May 25 online issue of Nature.

Over the past decade, researchers have discovered lots of gene variants that seem to play a role in some cases of autism, but none of the mutations were present in a large percentage of people with the disorder.

Prior research has also implicated regions of the cerebral cortex, which is highly developed in humans, in autism. The frontal lobe is involved with judgment, language, planning, social cognition and personality, while the temporal lobe is important for language and emotions, Geschwind said.

But this is the first study to show differences in the patterns of gene expression between brain regions. It's those patterns of gene expression that enable the brain to function normally and to communicate properly with other regions of the brain, explained Robert Ring, vice president for translational research for Autism Speaks.

"This study allows us to look at the complexity of what's going on at a molecular level in the brain, a step up from the gene," Ring said. "Here we have the opportunity to really see that the development of normal brain physiology requires differences in the regional activity of gene networks. This report provides evidence that the expected pattern of these differences is absent in autism."

Researchers say the findings may help in the development of medications that target the pathways. "The fact that it's shared says there is some hope of beginning to unwind this and develop some treatments that would target those pathways," Geschwind said.

Compared to the healthy brains, autistic brains had less activity in the genes responsible for neuron function and communication, and a heightened level of gene expression in genes involved in immune function and inflammatory response.

Some of those genes have also previously been implicated in autism, researchers noted.

An estimated one in 110 U.S. children -- including one in 70 boys -- has an autism spectrum disorder, according to background information in the study. Autism affects behavior and impairs the ability to communicate and establish social relationships. Diagnoses have increased tenfold in the past decade.

More information

The U.S. National Institutes of Health has more on autism.

SOURCES: Daniel Geschwind, M.D., Ph.D., distinguished professor, neurology, psychology and human genetics, University of California, Los Angeles; Robert Ring, Ph.D., vice president, translational research, Autism Speaks, New York City; May 25, 2011, online, NatureCopyright

Skin Cancer Foes Declare May 27 'Don't Fry Day'

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Study Finds Almost 1 in 5 Young Adults Has High Blood Pressure

WEDNESDAY, May 25 (HealthDay News) -- About 19 percent of U.S. adults aged 24 to 32 have high blood pressure, but many of them are unaware that they have the potentially life-threatening condition, new research reveals.

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is associated with a slew of health problems, including coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke and kidney failure. The study, funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), found the risk for this condition among young adults is actually greater than previously thought.

Researchers analyzed the blood pressure readings of more than 14,000 young adults who took part in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health).

The findings, published in the current online edition of the journal Epidemiology, are a departure from previous study findings. In the recent U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), only 4 percent of young adults were found to be hypertensive.

"This fivefold increase in the incidence of high blood pressure in a younger, healthier population is the start of a trend of 'un-health' that we are about to see in our youth," said Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, a preventive cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. She was not involved in the study.

"As 30 percent of people are overweight or obese, there is a rise in other issues associated with that, such as diabetes and, now high blood pressure," Steinbaum added. "With high blood pressure happening at this younger age, the chances that we will see heart developing earlier is likely."

The reasons for the difference between the new study findings and those from NHANES is unclear.

"We explored several possible explanations for the difference between this study and NHANES, including participant characteristics, where they were examined and the types of devices for measuring their blood pressure," Kathleen Mullan Harris, principal investigator of the new study, said in an NIH news release. "None of these factors could account for the differences in estimates between the two surveys."

The investigators also pointed out that the proportion of young people who had been previously diagnosed with high blood pressure was similar in both studies: 9 percent for NHANES respondents and 11 percent for Add Health respondents.

Whatever the reason for the disparity, the new data "are a call to action," Steinbaum said. "We need to remind our younger population the critical nature of the role of diet and exercise in staying healthy, and that it must begin as early in their lives as possible or it will have negative effects on their health."

More information

The American Heart Association has more on the prevention and treatment of high blood pressure.

SOURCE: Suzanne Steinbaum, M.D., preventive cardiologist, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City; U.S. National Institutes of Health, news release, May 25, 2011Copyright

Stroke Patients May Regain Function Just as Easily at Home

WEDNESDAY, May 25 (HealthDay News) -- Home-based exercise managed by a physical therapist is just as effective at restoring stroke patients' walking ability as a formal rehabilitation program using a specialized treadmill, a new study indicates.

The results also defy conventional wisdom that stroke recovery peaks at six months, demonstrating that patients who began rehabilitation even six months after their stroke continued to improve their walking for up to a year.

"It's a fantastic study, rigorously done," said Dr. Richard B. Libman, chief of vascular neurology at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park, N.Y. "It's incredibly important . . . not to write patients off after a certain period of time has elapsed. Patients have the potential to improve way after the point where we thought they couldn't."

Researchers, calling it the largest stroke rehabilitation study ever done in the United States, randomly assigned more than 400 stroke patients with moderate or severe walking impairments to one of three study groups, two involving "locomotor" training and one involving home exercise. The patients were recruited from inpatient rehab facilities in California and Florida and had an average age of 62. Slightly more than half were men.

All received 36 supervised, 90-minute sessions over a period of 12 to 16 weeks, in addition to usual care.

Those in "locomotor" training attended a formal rehabilitation program where they used a treadmill while wearing a harness that offered partial body-weight support. Following treadmill training, they practiced walking. The early locomotor group started training two months post-stroke; the other locomotor participants began six months after their stroke. For the home-exercise group, a physical therapist focused on enhancing patients' flexibility, range of motion, strength and balance to improve walking ability, starting two months post-stroke.

Study author Pamela Woods Duncan, a professor of community and family medicine at Duke University School of Medicine, said she and her team were surprised to find that patients in the home exercise group did as well as those in locomotor training, which they thought would produce superior results.

Indeed, at the end of one year, more than half (52 percent) of all study participants had improved their walking ability, with similar gains among all three groups. No differences were found among those who had started treadmill training two months or six months after their stroke.

"I think it's an extremely important study," Duncan said. "Those at home had equal outcomes . . . and fewer minor adverse events," such as dizziness and falls.

She and the other researchers also noted that the progressive home exercise program involved less expensive equipment, less training for physical therapists, fewer clinical staff members and better patient compliance.

"Collectively, our results suggest that home exercise is a more pragmatic form of therapy with fewer risks," they wrote.

Libman called the study, published May 26 in the New England Journal of Medicine, "practically revolutionary" for its potential to change standard stroke rehabilitation care.

"I think it's going to change the management of stroke, and third-party payers are going to be extremely interested in the results of the study," he said. "I think it will save a huge amount of money for the healthcare system and be psychologically and emotionally beneficial for patients."

Participants' improvement measurements were based on how well they could walk independently by the end of the study. Severely impaired patients were considered improved if they were able to walk around the inside of a house, while patients already mobile at home were considered improved if they progressed to walking independently in the community.

Not only did the physical therapy patients recover walking ability as well as the locomotor group, they were also less likely to drop out of treatment -- 3 percent vs. 13 percent of the locomotor group.

Minor adverse events, mostly falls, were reported by about 56 percent of participants, with no significant differences among groups. Patients who started locomotor therapy at two months and were severely impaired, however, were more likely to report multiple falls.

Dr. Walter Koroshetz, deputy director of the U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), said few studies have compared stroke therapies and provided evidence "in such very rigorous fashion."

"So this is probably the tip of the iceberg," he said. "It's precedent-setting . . . with very practical results."

Funding for the study was provided by NINDS and the National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research.

More information

To learn more about strokes, visit the U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

SOURCES: Pamela Woods Duncan, Ph.D., professor, community and family medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, N.C.; Richard B. Libman, M.D., chief, division of vascular neurology, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, N.Y.; Walter Koroshetz, M.D., deputy director, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, Md.; May 26, 2011 New England Journal of MedicineCopyright

CDC Report Shows Bacterial Meningitis Cases on the Decline

WEDNESDAY, May 25 (HealthDay News) -- The incidence of bacterial meningitis dropped by 31 percent between 1998 and 2007, new government research shows.

The drop was led by reductions in infections by two powerful germs -- Neisseria meningitidis and Streptococcus pneumoniae -- that are covered by available immunizations. With fewer infections among young children, the burden of the disease is now mainly borne by older adults, the study authors found.

"The good news is that fewer people are getting bacterial meningitis. The bad news is that if you get it, it's still a very serious infection," said study co-author Dr. Cynthia Whitney, chief of the bacterial respiratory diseases branch at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

"There are still at least 4,000 cases a year, including about 500 that are fatal," she noted.

Results of the study are published in the May 26 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Bacterial meningitis is a dangerous bacterial infection that causes inflammation of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord, according to the CDC.

Signs of meningitis in people over the age of 2 include fever, headache and stiff neck, according to the CDC, while symptoms in newborns and infants can include fever, seizures, constant crying, a bulge in the soft spot on the head and stiffness in the body and neck. Bacterial meningitis can be contagious.

The five types of bacteria that were most responsible for bacterial meningitis in the 1970s and 1980s were Haemophilus influenzae, N. meningitidis, S. pneumoniae, group B streptococcus and Listeria monocytogenes, according to the study.

In the late 80s and early 90s, the incidence of bacterial meningitis dropped by 55 percent, likely because an infant vaccine was introduced in 1990 for H. influenzae type B (Hib).

Since that time, other vaccines have been introduced for strains of N. meningitidis and S. pneumoniae that appear responsible for the shrinking infection rate caused by those germs. The rate of one type of S. pneumoniae decreased by 92 percent during the study period, and the incidence of N. meningitidis dropped by 58 percent.

The findings were based on information from the CDC's Emerging Infections Programs Network, which included eight surveillance sites across the United States. These sites include data on about 17.4 million people.

During the surveillance period between 1998 and 2007, the incidence of bacterial meningitis dropped from two cases per 100,000 people to 1.38 cases per 100,000 people. The average age of those affected increased from 30.3 years to 41.9 years.

The incidence of meningitis was highest among blacks and children under 2 months old throughout the study period, the CDC reported.

In addition, rates of death caused by bacterial meningitis didn't change significantly over the study period. Among adults, those aged 65 or older were most likely to die from the illness.

The youngest and oldest people are typically more susceptible to infections from a variety of causes, but Whitney said that the CDC researchers aren't sure why blacks have significantly higher rates of bacterial meningitis.

Kenneth Bromberg, director of the Vaccine Study Center at the Brooklyn Hospital Center, said it can be difficult to tease out the reasons why certain groups have higher rates of some infections: Is it an inherent susceptibility? Is it an access-to-care issue? In this case, he said he thinks that black people may have a genetic susceptibility to certain bacteria that cause meningitis.

There are three different types of vaccines available for bacterial meningitis. These vaccines don't cover every strain that can cause meningitis, but they do offer protection against many of the common strains. The Hib vaccine, which covers H. influenzae, is part of routine childhood immunizations.

The meningoccocal vaccine (MCV4), which protects against N. meningitidis, covers against a form of bacterial meningitis that is often passed from person-to-person when many people are living in close quarters, such as a college dormitory or military barracks. The CDC recommends the first dose of this vaccine be given at 11 to 12 years old, and then a booster at 16 years old; it's also recommended for certain high-risk children aged 2 through 10. If you're over 16 when you first receive this vaccine, the CDC says only one dose is needed.

The pneumococcal vaccine (called PCV-13 for children and PPSV in adults) is part of routine childhood immunizations. People who are at higher risk of developing bacterial meningitis may receive a booster dose. In addition, people who are over 65, or younger people who have chronic health conditions or a compromised immune system, should also receive this vaccination, as should anyone who smokes or has asthma, despite their age, according to the CDC.

"Public health surveillance like this is exceedingly important in evaluating our public health strategies. It's good to see that the rates of bacterial meningitis are going down, but the death rate has not gone down for those who do have it," noted Bromberg.

"The good news is that we're doing something to prevent bacterial meningitis, and we've made a lot of strides in the past decade. But, physicians and patients need to know that bacterial meningitis still occurs and it is still a deadly serious infection," Whitney said.

Besides getting immunized, Whitney noted that staying healthy and not smoking can help keep your immune system primed to fight off these infections. She said it's also important to note that Listeria is a significant cause of meningitis, and that pregnant women need to be especially careful about the foods that they eat to avoid this infection.

More information

To learn more about bacterial meningitis, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

SOURCES: Cynthia Whitney, M.D., M.P.H., chief, bacterial respiratory diseases branch, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta; Kenneth Bromberg, M.D., chairman, pediatrics, and director, the Vaccine Research Center, The Brooklyn Hospital Center, New York City; May 26, 2011, New England Journal of MedicineCopyright

Daily Four-Drug Combo Pill Halves Heart Disease Risk: Study

WEDNESDAY, May 25 (HealthDay News) -- A cheap, once-daily, four-drugs-in-one medication, dubbed a "polypill," appears to cut users' odds for heart disease and stroke by 50 percent, a new international study finds.

The pill combines two blood pressure-lowering medications with aspirin and a cholesterol-lowering statin and is designed to make all these heart-protecting drugs easy to take, researchers say. That, along with its expected cheap cost, might improve compliance with medication regimens, experts suggest.

"We think the role for the polypill is among those at risk of heart disease, in preventing heart attacks and strokes," said lead researcher Dr. Anthony Rodgers, a professor of global health at The George Institute in Sydney, Australia.

The study was funded by public health agencies in Australia, Brazil, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. India-based drug maker Dr. Reddy's Laboratories supplied the pill but did not play a role in funding.

Rodgers stressed that there are still unanswered questions about the pros and cons of using this type of combination pill versus prescribing several pills, where doses and medications are tailored to individual patients. A trial is ongoing to look at that question, he said.

However, tailoring medications in this area is not as important as it once seemed, Rodgers believes. "We realize now the importance of treating the overall risk. And this

Study Suggests Supplement May Protect Against Preeclampsia

FRIDAY, May 20 (HealthDay News) -- Though a new study suggests that a dietary supplement could lower the likelihood that high-risk pregnant women will develop preeclampsia, the jury is still out over whether it actually works and a specialist recommends that women not try it yet.

Preeclampsia is a pregnancy complication that can boost blood pressure to abnormally high levels, causing hypertension. It affects about 5 percent of first pregnancies.

"Women die of uncontrolled hypertension through stroke or multi-organ failure," said Dr. David Williams, an obstetrician and consultant in maternal medicine at University College London Hospitals, who co-wrote a commentary accompanying the study, which was published online May 19 in BMJ.

"Comprehensive prenatal care and modern medical practice in developed countries makes maternal mortality from preeclampsia a rare event, but it accounts for 20 percent of maternal mortality in many developing countries," Williams explained.

Scientists suspect that low levels of an amino acid called L-arginine could play a role in the development of the disease, and some have wondered whether antioxidant vitamins could lower the risk of the condition.

For the study, researchers in Mexico assigned high-risk pregnant women to one of three groups: 228 ate food bars containing L-arginine and antioxidant vitamins; 222 ate bars with vitamins only; and 222 ate bars that didn't contain the amino acid or the vitamins, considered the placebo group.

After eating the food bars daily from 20 weeks into their pregnancy through delivery, only 13 percent of the women who ate bars with L-arginine plus antioxidants developed preeclampsia; they also were less likely to give birth prematurely. In the vitamins-only group, 23 percent developed preeclampsia, as did 30 percent of women in the placebo group.

"This relatively simple and low-cost intervention may have value in reducing the risk of preeclampsia and associated preterm birth," the study concluded.

But the authors of the accompanying commentary raise questions about possible harmful effects and suggest there needs to be more research to understand "the numerous inconsistent strands of evidence relating to L-arginine and its possible effects on preeclampsia."

Williams said: "We still do not understand the complex, interacting ways in which preeclampsia develops, and it is likely to be different in different women. More work needs to be done to understand the potential of L-arginine with antioxidant vitamins, and at this stage, we do not recommend that this supplementation should be given to women at risk of preeclampsia."

More information

For more about preeclampsia, visit the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

SOURCES: David Williams, M.D., consultant in maternal medicine, University College London Hospitals, London; BMJ, news release, May 19, 2011Copyright

Experts Say Cholesterol Screenings Should Start in Childhood

FRIDAY, May 20 (HealthDay News) -- All children should be screened for high cholesterol when they're 9 to 11 years old, according to new guidelines from the National Lipid Association.

The group also urges that children with a family history of premature cardiovascular disease or elevated cholesterol be screened for cholesterol with a simple blood test as early as age 2.

"It's important that people know if a history of high cholesterol runs in their family," Dr. Patrick M. Moriarty, professor of medicine at the University of Kansas Medical Center and an author of the guidelines, said in a news release from the association. "Family discussions can lead to early diagnosis, which is critical because changes in diet and eating habits at a young age can help reduce the impact . . . later in life. Plus, treatment is more effective when started early, before cholesterol deposits in blood vessels become too advanced."

The recommendations are part of new guidelines for the screening, diagnosis and treatment of inherited high cholesterol, or familial hypercholesterolemia, a condition marked by high LDL cholesterol, the "bad" type of cholesterol that blocks arteries. The hereditary condition affects more than 600,000 Americans, according to the association.

"Some estimates suggest that only about 20 percent of patients with

Straight or Gay? Vowels in Speech May Give it Away

FRIDAY, May 20 (HealthDay News) -- For the average listener, the vowel sounds in an unfamiliar voice quickly give away the speaker's sexual orientation, a new study finds.

"I'm not sure what exactly the listeners are responding to in the vowel," study lead author Erik C. Tracy, a cognitive psychologist at Ohio State University, said in a news release from the American Institute of Physics. "Other researchers have done various acoustic analyses to understand why gay and heterosexual men produce vowels differently. Whatever this difference is, it seems that listeners are using it to make this sexual orientation decision."

When hearing an unfamiliar voice at the other end of the phone line, most people instantly judge the stranger's characteristics based on how they speak, and the new study suggests listeners are usually pretty accurate in their determination.

"This is a phenomenon that occurs every day," Tracy said. "We are constantly speaking with people we don't know on our phones, and just from this conversation, we might be able to identify personal characteristics about that person, such as their gender, age, race or sexual orientation."

In order to understand how this process works, Tracy and a colleague focused on one characteristic -- sexual orientation. They asked seven gay and seven heterosexual males to record single-syllable words (including "mass," "food" and "sell") and then played the recordings for listeners. The study participants were then asked to identify the sexual orientation of the speakers when hearing only the first letter sound of those words, the first two letter sounds, or the entire words.

The listeners were unable to determine the sexual orientation after hearing the sound of the first letter in the spoken word, for example, just the "m" sound in the word "mass." But, "when presented with the first two letter sounds

Sleep Disorder Linked to Heart Rhythm Problems

FRIDAY, May 20 (HealthDay News) -- People with an implantable cardiac defibrillator and a breathing disorder that occurs during sleep are at greater risk for potentially deadly heart problems during the night, new research suggests.

An implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD) is a device that monitors heart rhythm and corrects an abnormal heartbeat with an electrical shock. The new study revealed a significant increase in cases of ventricular tachycardia (a dangerous rapid heartbeat) and ventricular fibrillation (a severely abnormal heart rhythm) among patients with ICDs who also were diagnosed with sleep-disordered breathing.

In the study, published in the May issue of the journal HeartRhythm, researchers in Israel analyzed 45 patients with ICDs in an overnight sleep study and followed them over the course of one year.

Twenty-six of the study participants (57.8 percent) had sleep-disordered breathing, and these patients were more likely to receive what the researchers call "appropriate ICD therapy" -- a shock to correct the heart rhythm.

The risk for ventricular arrhythmias was higher between midnight and 6 a.m. among patients with sleep-disordered breathing, the results showed. The researchers concluded that patients with an ICD who experience nighttime arrhythmias should undergo screening for sleep-disordered breathing.

"Currently, there is limited data available with regard to the predictors of fatal arrhythmias in patients with an ICD," study author Dr. Tawfig Zeidan-Shwiri, of Ramban Medical Center in Haifa, Israel, said in a news release from the Heart Rhythm Society.

"Our study sought to find specific clinical data to help improve the safety and quality of life of patients living with an ICD, and the results indicate that the presence of sleep-disordered breathing should be considered in all patients with appropriate ICD therapy," Zeidan-Shwiri added. "However, more studies are needed to assess whether treatment of sleep-disordered breathing reduces the risk of appropriate ICD therapy."

More information

The U.S. National Institutes of Health has more information on sleep-disordered breathing.

SOURCE: Heart Rhythm Society, news release, May 18, 2011Copyright

Treating Back Pain May Reverse Its Impact on Brain

FRIDAY, May 20 (HealthDay News) -- Treating chronic lower back pain can reverse pain-related changes in brain activity and function, according to a new study.

Prior research has shown that people with chronic pain may experience cognitive problems and reduced gray matter in brain areas that play a role in pain processing and the emotional aspects of pain, such as anxiety and depression. But it wasn't clear if treating chronic pain could reverse those brain changes.

This study included patients who had lower back pain for more than six months and underwent either spinal injections or spinal surgery to treat the pain. MRI scans of the patients' brains were conducted before and six months after their procedures.

"When they came back in, we wanted to know whether their pain had lessened and whether their daily lives had improved. We wanted to see if any of the pain-related abnormalities found initially in the brain had at least slowed down or been partially reversed," study senior author Laura S. Stone, of the Alan Edwards Center for Research on Pain at McGill University in Montreal, said in a university news release.

Brain activity and function did show signs of recovery in the patients after treatment, the researchers found.

The study was published May 17 in the Journal of Neuroscience.

"If you can make the pain go away with effective treatment, you can reverse these abnormal changes in the brain," she said.

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke has more about chronic pain.

SOURCE: McGill University, news release, May 17, 2011Copyright

Football Players Urged to Beat the Heat

SATURDAY, May 21 (HealthDay News) -- Football players need to acclimate to hot weather workouts long before they hit the training field in August, an expert advises.

Doing so will help prevent cramps, dehydration and other potentially serious heat-related injuries, according to Dr. David Lintner, chief of the Methodist Center for Sports Medicine in Houston.

Heat-related illnesses have claimed the lives of nearly 40 U.S. football players since 1995. The majority of serious heat illness cases occur during the first four days of summer football practice, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. This is because most players aren't used to the heat, are unprepared for the intensity of practice, and are not used to exerting themselves while wearing equipment.

"If your first introduction to the heat is when you put on your pads and start hitting, you're not going to have the endurance, the strength or the concentration you need to succeed," Lintner said in a Methodist Hospital news release. "Not properly preparing for the heat could set you back three weeks."

He stressed, "Spending all summer indoors is not a good idea," even if players are taking steps to get stronger, such as lifting weights.

"A big part of the summer conditioning process has to take place outside. Whether it's basketball, running or working outside, the body needs time to get accustomed to the heat. If players don't get used to the heat, they open themselves up to serious heat illness and, in more serious cases, death," added Lintner, team physician for the Houston Texans and Houston Astros.

"You can get acclimated to the heat by starting off with 20 minutes a day and gradually work up to an hour. Taking a little time every day will make preparing for the upcoming season much more enjoyable and successful," he said.

More information

The National Athletic Trainers' Association has more about heat illness.

SOURCE: The Methodist Hospital, news release, May 4, 2011Copyright