Health Archives

Myopia or nearsightedness more common in Americans

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the 66.4 percent increase in myopia in Americans since the 1970s, as reported in the recent National Eye Institute (NEI) study, is significant and will impact healthcare costs as well as vision quality. – Myopia (nearsightedness) may have been more common in Americans from 1999 to 2004 than it was 30 years ago, according to a report in the December issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Antidepressants may raise stroke risk in postmenopausal women

Study finds increased risk of death, stroke in postmenopausal women taking antidepressants — Findings signal need for individual risk assessment, additional study – Women participating in the Women’s Health Initiative study who reported taking an antidepressant drug had a small but statistically significant increase in the risk of stroke and of death compared with participants not taking antidepressants.

New genes for lung disease discovered

NIH-funded study unveils potential genetic links to lung disease risk — New genes for lung disease discovered, New genetics study by consortium led by universities of Leicester and Nottingham – Scientists have discovered five genetic variants that are associated with the health of the human lung. The research by an international consortium of 96 scientists from 63 centres in Europe and Australia sheds new light on the molecular basis of lung diseases.

Human Genome Sequencing decoded in India

CSIR completes first ever Human Genome Sequencing in India – The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has achieved completion of first ever Human Genome Sequencing in India. Scientist of CSIR at the Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), Delhi have sequenced the Human Genome of an anonymous healthy Indian citizen.

Fast, accurate urine test for pneumonia

Toward a fast, accurate urine test for pneumonia – Scientists are reporting a discovery of the potential basis for a urine test to diagnose community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), a difficult-to-diagnose disease that is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.

Stem cell transplant may reverse sickle cell disease

‘Mini’ stem cell transplantation may reverse severe sickle cell disease – Results of a preliminary study by scientists at the National Institutes of Health and Johns Hopkins show that “mini” stem cell transplantation may safely reverse severe sickle cell disease in adults.

Stem cells may recover lost vision in cloudy cornea

Umbilical stem cells may help recover lost vision for those with corneal disease – New research from the University of Cincinnati (UC) may help in the recovery of lost vision for patients with corneal scarring.

Oxygen appears effective in treating cluster headache

Treatment of patients with cluster headache at symptom onset using inhaled high-flow oxygen compared with placebo was more likely to result in being pain-free at 15 minutes. – Patients with a cluster headache, which is characterized by bouts of excruciating pain usually near the eye or temple, were more likely to report being pain-free within 15 minutes of treatment with high-flow oxygen than patients who received a placebo treatment.

New 3 drug combination for multiple myeloma patients

Multiple myeloma patients experience high response rate with new 3-drug combination – A new three-drug combination has shown in a phase 1/2 clinical trial that it is a “highly effective regimen” in the treatment of patients newly diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a cancer of white blood cells in bone marrow, say researchers from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Vitamin D supplements might help lymphoma patients

Mayo Clinic and collaborators find vitamin D levels associated with survival in lymphoma patients – A new study has found that the amount of vitamin D in patients being treated for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma was strongly associated with cancer progression and overall survival.

Green tea may help brain disorder patients

Green tea chemical combined with another may hold promise for treatment of brain disorders – Researchers have found that combining two chemicals, one of which is the green tea component EGCG, can prevent and destroy a variety of protein structures known as amyloids. Amyloids are the primary culprits in fatal brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, and Parkinson’s diseases.

Kalbitor, ecallantide, approved for treating hereditary angioedema

FDA Approves Kalbitor for Treating Potentially Life-Threatening Attacks of Hereditary Angioedema – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Kalbitor (ecallantide) to treat sudden and potentially life-threatening fluid buildup that can occur in people with a rare genetic condition known as hereditary angioedema (HAE).