Month: June 2011

Lung cancer screening with CT scans can save lives, but with a vast number of false alarms, detailed results of a major study show. The new data were published June 30 in the New England Journal of Medicine. Initial study results were announced in November. The study was stopped early then because CT scans reduced death rates from lung cancer 20% compared with X-rays. The study included 53,000 current or former heavy smokers. They were 55 to 74 years old and had no signs or history of lung cancer. Researchers randomly divided them into 2 groups. One group received 3 annual low-dose CT scans. The other group received 3 annual X-rays. About 40% had at least 1 suspicious finding on a test. But more than 95% of those did not have cancer. Researchers kept track of people for another 5 years.

A drug for rheumatoid arthritis might help to slow down the loss of pancreas function in type 1 diabetes, a study finds. Both of these are autoimmune diseases. They occur when the immune system attacks the body. In type 1 diabetes, it attacks beta cells in the pancreas. These cells make insulin. After they are destroyed, people must inject insulin to allow the body to burn sugar (glucose) for energy. The new study included 112 people recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Their ages ranged from 6 to 45. They were randomly divided into 2 groups. One group received abatacept (Orencia) in a vein (intravenously). The other group received placebo (fake) medicine. Every 6 months, researchers measured levels of C-peptide in the blood. The level of this compound reflects how many beta cells are still active.

Blood pressure measured at home may show more about your health than readings taken in your doctor’s office, a study finds. The study included 436 people who had long-term (chronic) kidney disease. They were not on dialysis, however. People’s blood pressure was measured several times during 2 days at a clinic. Then they were sent home for 24 hours with a device that took their blood pressure automatically. It recorded pressure every 15 minutes during the day and every 30 minutes at night. Researchers kept track of people for about 4 years. In this time, 86 developed kidney failure and 69 died. There were also 63 heart attacks or related events, and 52 people died from these events. These health problems and deaths were more likely to occur in people who had high blood pressure readings at home.

People with type 1 diabetes live almost as long as other Americans, a new study finds. In this disease, the immune system attacks the body. It destroys cells in the pancreas that make insulin. People need to replace this insulin by injection multiple times a day. The study included 390 people who were diagnosed with type 1 between 1950 and 1964. They were compared with a younger group. This group was diagnosed between 1965 and 1980. Researchers kept track of both groups for several decades. For the first group, the average life expectancy was 53.4. But this has improved for the group diagnosed later. Their average life expectancy is now 68.8, the study found. That’s less than 4 years below average. U.S. life expectancy is 72.4 for people born between 1965 and 1980. Better diabetes care has narrowed the gap, researchers said.

Potatoes, especially chips, are the biggest cause of gradual middle-age weight gain, researchers said based on a new study. Their analysis included more than 120,000 people from 3 long-running studies of health professionals. They were asked regularly about what they ate and how much they weighed. In 20 years, the average person gained nearly 17 pounds. Researchers said food choices contributed most of that. Potato chips did the most damage. People gained about 1.7 pounds every 4 years for each ounce of potato chips they consumed daily. Non-chip potatoes added 1.3 pounds in 4 years for someone who ate a daily serving. French fries were the biggest culprit within this group. The weight gain was about 1 pound for someone who drank a soda daily and 0.4 pounds for sweets or alcohol. The New England Journal of Medicine published the study.

People taking certain drugs for rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis may also reduce their risk of diabetes, a new study suggests. The study was based on insurance data. It included 13,905 people. All of them had rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis. They were taking one or more medicines for their illness. None of them had diabetes at the start of the study. Researchers tracked their health for 12 years. They found that people taking certain drugs were less likely than others to develop diabetes. Risk of diabetes was reduced for those taking hydroxychloroquine or a type of drug called a TNF inhibitor. The study appeared in the journal Neurology. HealthDay News wrote about it June 21.