Month: March 2015

Training parents to care for their children with ADHD may lead to improved behavior, a new study suggests. The study included 156 low-income children, ages 6 to 12. Their doctors had referred them to specialists to find out if they had attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Children were randomly divided into 2 groups. Both groups received care management that offered parents help in making decisions. One group also received “enhanced care.” These parents learned how to be involved in their child’s treatment, manage behavior challenges and address their own mental-health needs. Care managers provided the training. They were not health-care professionals but had been trained to teach this program. They served as go-betweens for the parents and the medical team. Parents completed questionnaires about symptoms in the middle of the 1-year study and at the end.

People with sudden (acute) liver failure do just as well if they receive a partial liver from a live donor as they do with a traditional transplant, a study finds. The donors seem to do well, too. The study found they had no serious problems after the procedure. People with sudden liver failure often can’t wait for a transplant from a live donor. About 80% of those who can’t get a transplant die. The new study compared results from transplants at a large hospital in a 7-year period. In that time, 26 people got liver transplants from recently deceased donors. Another 7 people got transplants from live donors. Risks and results were similar for both procedures. About 31% of those who got live-donor transplants had infections, bleeding or other problems afterward. These problems occurred in 43% of those with traditional transplants.

In Mexican-Americans, problems with cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure are better predictors of artery disease than excess weight, a new study finds. Researchers measured all of these factors, and others, among 503 Mexican-American adults. Their average age was about 50. They also gave everyone carotid ultrasound tests. This test can detect atherosclerosis (plaque) in the arteries of the neck. Usually that means someone has plaque inside other arteries as well. This can lead to heart attack and stroke. About 78% of those in the study were found to be metabolically unhealthy. This means they had at least 2 of the following problems: insulin resistance (which can lead to high blood sugar) or already high levels of blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, triglycerides or C-reactive protein. About half of those in the study were obese.

Early imaging tests don’t help older adults with new back pain feel better any faster, a new study finds. But the tests do lead to higher costs. The study included 5,200 people over age 65. All of them went to see doctors for new pain in the lower back. More than 1,500 of them received an X-ray, CT scan, MRI or other imaging within 6 weeks of the first doctor’s visit. Everyone in the study filled out questionnaires about back pain and their overall function. Results were similar for people who did and did not get the early imaging tests. Researchers also reviewed medical records to see what back-related services people got in the year after their doctor’s visit. Costs were an average of $1,400 higher for those who got the early tests. The Journal of the American Medical Association published the study. HealthDay News wrote about it March 17.

Raising the legal age to buy cigarettes to 21 would reduce smoking rates 12% by the time today’s teenagers are adults, a new report estimates. The report comes from the Institute of Medicine. It studied the issue on behalf of the Food and Drug Administration, which regulates tobacco. The report says raising the age to buy tobacco to 25 would cut smoking rates by even more, about 16%. But raising the age to 19 would reduce smoking rates by only 3%. Many 19-year-olds are in the same social circles as younger teenagers. So they could buy cigarettes for their younger friends, the report says. But most teens don’t have friends who are 21. Nearly every smoker starts before age 25. About 90% begin in their teens. Raising the legal age to buy tobacco would have the biggest effect on reducing smoking rates for youth ages 15 to 17, the report says.