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An antibiotic may help some people with irritable bowel syndrome, new research finds. Researchers did two studies with the same design. They included a total of 1,260 people. Everyone had mild to moderate irritable bowel syndrome. They did not have constipation. This is the most common form of the disease. People were randomly divided into two groups. One group took rifaximin (Xifaxan) for two weeks. The other group took placebo (fake) pills. Unlike most antibiotics, rifaximin does not enter the bloodstream. It stays in the gut. About 41% of those on rifaximin had “adequate relief” of symptoms. This compares with 32% of those on placebo. Relief lasted for the 10 weeks that researchers kept track of them. The New England Journal of Medicine published the research. The Associated Press wrote about it January 6.

President Obama has signed the first major expansion of the U.S. food safety system since the 1930s. The bill gives the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) more money. It calls for more food inspections. It also gives the FDA power to require recall of tainted products. The FDA will write new rules to protect the highest-risk fruits and vegetables. Farms and processors will have to keep more detailed records. This could help the FDA track disease outbreaks faster. The changes will cost $1.4 billion, but Congress has not yet passed the funding. The Associated Press wrote about the bill.

A new test can find one cancer cell among a billion blood cells, researchers say. The blood test may be able to show doctors quickly whether cancer treatments are working. Someday, it may even be used to test for cancer in the overall population. The test was developed by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital. They are joining with Johnson & Johnson to market it, the Associated Press reported January 3. The test uses a microchip covered in tiny bristles. The bristles are coated with antibodies. Tumor cells stick to the bristles. With today’s cancer treatments, doctors start a treatment, then do a CT scan a couple of months later. This shows whether a tumor has shrunk. The new test will show whether the number of tumor cells in blood is going down. This may be a quicker way to find out if treatments are working.

People with a medical disease and depression often have poorer health than people who are not depressed. But a small study finds that treating both conditions together can improve results. The study included 214 people with depression. They also had heart disease, diabetes or both. People were randomly divided into two groups. One group got regular care. People in the other group worked with a nurse coach to manage their care. The study lasted 12 months. By the end, people who worked with the nurse had better health than people who got regular care. They were in better control of blood sugar, LDL (“bad cholesterol”) and blood pressure. They also were less depressed than people who got regular care. The New England Journal of Medicine published the study. The Los Angeles Times wrote about it December 30.

Statin drugs do lower cholesterol. But experts say that only taking a pill is not enough. Lifestyle changes are important, such as eating more nutritious foods and increasing physical activity. These changes help with weight loss and increase overall fitness. By relying only on medicine, many people leave them vulnerable to other health problems. These include diabetes, arthritis and high blood pressure. HealthDay News wrote about the issue December 28.

Children in Puerto Rico have the highest asthma rates in the world. In 2010 the asthma rate increased, compared with previous years. Experts say that heavy rains might have released plant spores that could cause asthma attacks. Puerto Ricans also do not respond as well as other ethnic groups do to albuterol. This is the stand-by medicine for asthma. The Associated Press wrote about the issue on December 27.

Electronic medical records may improve the quality of health care in hospitals, but more research is needed, a study says. The study looked at 2,021 U.S. hospitals. In 2003, 23% used at least a basic electronic medical record, or EMR. By 2007, 38% of hospitals used one. Quality of care for heart attack, heart failure and pneumonia improved at all hospitals between 2004 and 2007. The largest increase in quality was seen for patients with heart failure at hospitals with EMRs. But hospitals that adopted EMRs during the study did not see better quality over time, compared with hospitals that continued using paper records. The study was published online in the American Journal of Managed Care. CBC News wrote about it December 24.