Month: February 2008

Obesity may increase the risk of developing many types of cancer, a study suggests. Weight gain has been suspected to increase the risk of a few cancers for some time. These include colon and breast cancer. But the new study adds other cancers to the list. They include cancers of the esophagus, thyroid, kidney, uterus and gall bladder. The study compiled data from 141 previous studies on four continents. Weight gain of about 30 pounds within 15 years was linked to the higher cancer risk. The Associated Press wrote about the study February 15. It was published in the journal Lancet.

Teenagers of parents who drink alcohol a lot are more likely to drink themselves. A new study suggests two reasons for this. Apparently, they copy their parents and also get away with more because the parents pay less attention. But the parents who drink a lot also punish their teens more. These findings are from a survey of 4,700 teens and their parents. They were asked about their own drinking. They also were asked about parenting styles. Reuters Health news service wrote about the study February 12. It was published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.

A cancer drug may help multiple sclerosis (MS), a study has found. Rituximab also is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. Both, like MS, are autoimmune diseases. In MS, the immune system inflames or destroys the covering of nerve cells. The 104 people in the study received two doses of rituximab or a placebo in a vein. Within four weeks, those who got the drug had fewer inflamed areas. Within 48 weeks, 1 in 5 people who got rituximab had a return of symptoms. This occurred for twice as many people who got the placebo. HealthDay News reported on the study. It was published February 14 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Americans are spending more on care of back and neck problems, surveys show. But they don’t seem to be getting better. A new study looked at health surveys from 1997 through 2005. People with back or neck problems had 73% higher medical costs than other people. These costs rose faster than overall health care costs. Yet more people said they had limits on their physical function because of their problems. This number rose from 20.7% in 1997 to 24.7% in 2005. USA Today wrote about the study February 13. It was in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Doctors should routinely ask patients about falls, new guidelines say. That’s because there’s a 1 in 2 chance that someone who has fallen will fall again. The guidelines are for neurologists. Many people they treat have a high risk of falls. These include people with dementia, Parkinson’s disease, a history of stroke, and weakness or nerve disorders in the legs. Problems with walking, balance or vision also increase risk. So do certain medicines. Doctors are urged to take steps to help prevent falls for these patients. The Associated Press reported on the guidelines February 11.

Acupuncture may help women get pregnant through in vitro fertilization, a study suggests. The analysis combined the results of seven studies. Women were randomly assigned to receive real or fake acupuncture, or none. This occurred within a day of when an embryo was placed in the womb. Study results were mixed. But when the numbers were combined they showed a clear benefit. The odds of getting pregnant were 65% higher for women who had acupuncture. The Associated Press reported on the study February 8. It was published in the British Medical Journal.

In a study, people who took one type of drug to lower blood pressure also were less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease. The study involved more than 7,000 people age 40 and older. Nearly half took blood pressure medicine. People who took a type of drug called a calcium channel blocker had a 23% lower risk of Parkinson’s disease. More research is needed to explain why. Other types of blood pressure drugs did not appear to affect the risk. The study appeared February 6 in the journal Neurology.

Pushing diabetics’ blood sugar down to normal levels may not save lives, a study suggests. In fact, there were actually more deaths in the study group with this “intensive” blood sugar control. The study was halted early. The National Institutes of Health announced the results February 6, the Associated Press reported. Keeping blood sugar low helps prevent kidney disease and some other health problems linked to diabetes. But the study found that it can harm people at high risk of heart problems. People in the group aiming for normal blood sugar did have fewer heart attacks. But they were more likely to be fatal.

Frequent use of marijuana may triple the risk of severe gum disease, a study suggests. Tobacco already was known to raise the risk of periodontal disease. This is an infection of the gums and other tissues that support the teeth. It can lead to tooth loss. Researchers in New Zealand wanted to know if marijuana had a similar effect. The study included 903 people. Some had smoked marijuana an average of almost once a week for about 15 years. They were three times as likely to have severe gum disease as nonsmokers of marijuana. Reuters Health news service reported on the study February 5. It was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.