Screening Archives

Cardiac imaging exams have radiation risks

People Without Symptoms of Heart Disease Should Exercise Caution in Obtaining Cardiac Imaging Exams, says Expert Panel led by Mayo Clinic Cardiologist – At the radiation dose levels used in cardiac imaging exams, such as cardiac CT or nuclear medicine scans, the risk of potentially harmful effects from ionizing radiation are low. However, since the exact level of risk is not known, people without symptoms of heart disease should think twice about seeking, or agreeing to, these types of cardiac studies.

Vitamin use high in US kids

An estimated one-third of US children and teens take vitamin or mineral supplements. – A large number of U.S. children and teens age 2 to 17 appear to use vitamin and mineral supplements, although most may not need them, according to a report in the February issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Autism spectrum disorder linked to preterm birth

New study explores the relationship between preterm birth and autism spectrum disorder. – Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and Boston Medical Center (BMC), in collaboration with other medical centers, have found that children born more than three months premature, are at three times the risk for screening positive on the modified checklist for autism in toddlers (M-CHAT).

Heart disease mutation carried by 60 million

By 2010 India’s population will suffer approximately 60% of the world’s heart disease. – Heart disease is the number one killer in the world and India carries more than its share of this burden. Moreover, the problem is set to rise: it is predicted that by 2010 India’s population will suffer approximately 60% of the world’s heart disease.

Postnatal depression can be prevented

Clinical effectiveness of health visitor training in psychologically informed approaches for depression in postnatal women: pragmatic cluster randomised trial in primary care. – Health visitors can be trained to identify women with postnatal depression and offer effective treatment, while telephone peer support (mother to mother) may halve the risk of developing postnatal depression, suggests research published on bmj.com.

Smoking during pregnancy fosters aggression in children

Pregnant women who smoke are at a higher risk of delivering physically aggressive children. – Women who smoke during pregnancy risk delivering aggressive kids according to a new Canada-Netherlands study published in the journal Development and Psychopathology.

Scientists can now differentiate healthy cells, cancer cells, stem cells

Scientists can now differentiate between healthy cells and cancer cells and normal stem cells. – One of the current handicaps of cancer treatments is the difficulty of aiming these treatments at destroying malignant cells without killing healthy cells in the process.

MRSA screening effective in reducing surgical infection rates

MRSA pre-screening effective in reducing otolaryngic surgical infection rates, revealed by researchers in Otolaryngology ? Head and Neck Surgery. – Pre-operative screening of patients for methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) may be an effective way to reduce infection rates following otolaryngic surgeries, according to new research published in the January 2009 issue of Otolaryngology ? Head and Neck Surgery.

Asthma patients may get benefit from antifungal drug

Some patients with severe asthma who also have allergic sensitivity to certain fungi enjoy great improvements in their quality of life and on other measures after taking an antifungal drug. – Up to 150,000 people suffering from severe asthma in the UK could benefit from taking antifungal medication already available from pharmacists, new research has found.

Benefits from screening colonoscopy limited

Annals colonoscopy study underscores importance of quality standards. Cancer of the colon should be one of the easiest tumors to prevent. – Screening colonoscopy is associated with fewer deaths from colorectal cancer, and the association is primarily limited to deaths from cancer developing in the left side of the colon, revealed by researchers.

Income linked to prostate cancer grade

Low income men more likely to be diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer – Low-income men are more likely to present with advanced prostate cancers, most likely because they don’t receive screening services shown to reduce the diagnosis of later-stage cancers, a UCLA study found.

Smoking increases colorectal cancer risk

Colorectal cancer is the third most common form of cancer and the fourth most frequent cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Cigarette smoking is significantly associated with colorectal cancer incidence and mortality. – An analysis of previous studies indicates that smoking is significantly associated with an increased risk for colorectal cancer and death, according to an article in the December 17 issue of JAMA.