Stenting is a procedure in which a cylindrical structure (stent) is placed into a hollow tubular organ to provide artificial support and maintain the patency of the opening. Although it is most often used for cardiovascular functioning, it is also utilized to manage obstructions in cancer patients.
New CDC Report Includes Autism Findings in New Jersey – New statistics issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders found among 8-year-old children in a sample area of New Jersey is significantly higher than in most other states surveyed.
Statin Use Appears Associated with Modest Reduction in Parkinson Disease Risk – Regular use of cholesterol-lowering statin drugs may be associated with a modest reduction in risk for developing Parkinson disease, particularly among younger patients. Statins are one of the most prescribed classes of drugs in the United States.
Family preferences strongly influence decision making in very premature deliveries — Wide variation in practices and counseling reported in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology – When making decisions and counseling about risk and management options for deliveries between 22 and 26 weeks (periviable deliveries), obstetricians are heavily influenced by family preferences, particularly by the impression that parents consistently prefer to have everything possible done to prolong a pregnancy or “save the baby” through interventions such as cesarean section.
Sleep gets better with age, not worse — Defying expectations: Survey of 150,000 adults shows the fewest complaints come from people in their 80s – Aging does not appear to be a factor in poor sleep, a new survey of more than 150,000 Americans shows. In fact, subjective sleep quality seems to improve over a lifetime, with the fewest complaints coming from people in their 80s.
First large study to evaluate impact of EHR on childhood obesity evaluation — Computer-assisted tools alert pediatricians to obese patients – Electronic health records and embedded tools can alert and direct pediatricians so they can better manage the weight of children and teenagers. Researchers analyzed visits for nearly 740,000 children and adolescents ages 2 to 17 to evaluate the impact of computer-assisted decision tools.
Expectant mothers on antidepressants risk newborns with high blood pressure – Use of anti-depressants during pregnancy is risky for new borns to have persistent pulmonary hypertension – high blood pressure in the lungs, revealed by researchers.
Dabigatran associated with increased risk of acute coronary events – The anticoagulant dabigatran is associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack) or acute coronary syndrome in a broad spectrum of patients when tested against some other medicines.
Study links quality of mother-toddler relationship to teen obesity – Obesity linked to poor mother-toddler bond – The quality of the emotional relationship between a mother and her young child could affect the potential for that child to be obese during adolescence, a new study suggests. Researchers analyzed national data detailing relationship characteristics between mothers and their children during their toddler years. The lower the quality of the relationship in terms of the child’s emotional security and the mother’s sensitivity, the higher the risk that a child would be obese at age 15 years, according to the analysis.
Knee pain common complaint in middle-aged and mature women — Study finds pain patterns vary over a 12-year period – 63% of women age 50 and older reported persistent, incident, or intermittent knee pain during a 12-year study period, revealed by researchers. Predictors for persistent pain included higher body mass index (BMI), previous knee injury, and radiographic osteoarthritis (OA).
American Cancer Society revises cancer screening guideline process — New effort prioritizes transparency, consistency and rigor – The American Cancer Society has revised its guideline formation process to achieve greater transparency, consistency, and rigor in creating guidance about cancer screening. The new methods align with new principles from the Institutes of Medicine (IOM).
New gene study of ADHD points to defects in brain signaling pathways — Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia research suggests that interventions at the glutamate transmission level might treat ADHD disorder – Pediatric researchers analyzing genetic influences in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have found alterations in specific genes involved in important brain signaling pathways.
Restricted calorie diet improves heart function in obese patients with diabetes – A low-calorie diet eliminates insulin dependence and leads to improved heart function in obese patients with type 2 diabetes. It is striking to see how a relatively simple intervention of a very low calorie diet effectively cures type 2 diabetes mellitus. Moreover, these effects are long term.
