Harvard Health Content API

Women who smoke tend to hit menopause a bit earlier than nonsmokers, a new research analysis finds. The study looked at 11 previous studies. They included about 6,000 women. On average, nonsmokers reached menopause between ages 46 and 51. In all but 2 of the studies, smokers hit menopause a bit earlier. The average age was 43 to 50. Researchers also looked at 5 other studies that included 43,000 women. They were grouped according to whether they had “early” or “late” menopause. The cutoff for “late” menopause was age 50 or 51. Women who smoked were 43% more likely to have early menopause. Early menopause has been linked with greater risk of several diseases, such as heart disease. But women with later menopause are thought to have a higher risk of breast cancer. The journal Menopause published the study online. Reuters Health news service wrote about it October 16.

The percentage of Americans with coronary artery disease has dropped in the last few years, a study suggests. This condition is the cause of heart attacks. Many people just call it heart disease. A person with coronary artery disease has a buildup of deposits inside the arteries near the heart. The new study used results from a major U.S. health survey that is done each year. Researchers compared numbers from two recent years. In 2010, 6% of adults said they had coronary artery disease. This was down from 6.7% in 2006. For men, the most recent rate was 7.8%, compared with 4.6% for women. Rates also varied by state, ethnic group and education. Highest rates were in Southern states and among Native Americans and those with less than a high school education. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did the study. HealthDay News wrote about it October 13.

A large study showed more deaths in a group of women who took daily vitamins, compared with a group of women who did not. The deaths were from cardiovascular disease and cancer. The study included more than 38,000 women. Their average age was about 61. They filled out questionnaires in 1986, 1997 and 2004. Results showed more deaths in women who took multivitamins, vitamin B₆, folic acid, iron, magnesium, zinc and copper. The link was strongest with iron. But the study also showed fewer deaths in women who took calcium supplements. The study was published Oct. 10 in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine. USA Today wrote about it Oct. 11.

Guidelines that recommend regular screening and monitoring for esophageal cancer may need to be re-evaluated, a new study says. Screening is done by inserting an endoscope (flexible tube) into the esophagus to examine the cells that line it. Danish researchers examined 11,028 patients from 1992 to 2009. They all had been diagnosed with Barrett’s esophagus. This condition is often caused by GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). It also is a risk factor for developing esophageal cancer. But researchers found that the risk is smaller than previously estimated. The risk of cancer is higher in those patients who have more severe cellular changes. Other factors, such as age, race, sex and weight, also play a part. The study appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine. HealthDay News reported on it Oct. 12.

Taking vitamin E pills, once thought to help prevent prostate cancer, appears to actually increase a man’s risk of the disease, a new study finds. The study included more than 35,000 men. They were healthy and at least age 50 when the study began. They were randomly divided into 4 groups. One group took a high-dose vitamin E pill each day. One group took selenium, another nutrient. One group took both. The fourth group took placebo (fake) pills. The study was halted after about 5 years because it was clear that the pills were providing no benefit. Early results also suggested a higher prostate cancer risk with vitamin E. But researchers still kept track of the men. The new follow-up study confirmed a 17% higher prostate cancer risk for the men who took vitamin E. In a 7-year period, there were 76 cases diagnosed per 1,000 men in this group.

More U.S. children are being treated in emergency rooms for head injuries, a new study finds. Between 2001 and 2009, the number rose 60%. For the most part, researchers think that’s because people are more aware of the need to treat concussions. The study found that most injuries were linked with sports and other active pursuits, such as bicycling. About 71% of those injured were boys. About 71% were age 10 or older. Football and bicycling were the most common activities linked to brain injuries in boys. For girls, soccer, basketball and cycling caused most injuries. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released the report October 6. During the period covered by the study, the CDC launched a campaign to increase awareness about concussions. The campaign stressed the need to see a doctor if you have certain symptoms after a blow to the head.

PSA blood tests to screen for prostate cancer do more harm than good, an influential panel of experts says. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force released the report. This group advises the government and doctors on preventive care. In the past, the task force had said there was not enough evidence to advise men to get PSA tests or not. The new statement specifically advises against the tests for routine cancer screening. A high PSA level sometimes indicates that a man has prostate cancer. But other things can cause a high level. Men need to get a biopsy — a type of surgery — to find out the cause. Task force members looked at all previous research on the subject. One study estimated that 2 out of 5 cancers found after a PSA test were too slow-growing to ever cause harm. The task force concluded that PSA testing does not reduce death rates. And it found that testing causes harm.

Women exposed in their mother’s womb to the drug DES face a doubled risk of early breast cancer, among other health problems, a new study finds. These women also are twice as likely as average to have problems getting pregnant. DES was used for 30 years to help prevent miscarriages. But doctors later found out that it didn’t work. It also was linked to a rare form of cancer in the vagina. The new study looked more closely at other health risks. It included about 4,600 “DES daughters.” They were compared with 1,900 similar women whose mothers had not used DES. Researchers used surveys and medical records to track their health. When last surveyed, their average age was 48. DES daughters were more than twice as likely as the other women to have early menopause. They were twice as likely to have a pre-cancer found during a Pap smear.