Harvard Health Content API

A blood test may help show who needs antibiotics for lung infections. In a study, the test reduced the use of antibiotics. The test looks for a chemical called procalcitonin in the blood. Infections caused by bacteria lead to higher levels of this chemical than virus infections do. The study included nearly 1,400 people. All came to hospital emergency rooms with lower respiratory infections. They were divided randomly into two groups. One group was given antibiotics, or not, based on standard guidelines. Decisions for the other group were based on their blood levels of procalcitonin. Overall, people in the blood-test group took antibiotics for fewer days than people in the other group. The study was in the Journal of the American Medical Association. HealthDay News wrote about it September 9.

Treatments that reduce anemia in people with cancer also may increase deaths, a new study finds. The study combined the numbers from 53 cancer studies. They included nearly 14,000 people. Some people were given a synthetic hormone called erythropoietin (EPO). This hormone stimulates the body to make more red blood cells. Some people with cancer don’t have enough red cells. This is a form of anemia. Taking EPO can reduce anemia. People may feel less tired and need fewer blood transfusions. But the new study found that people taking EPO had a 17% increased risk of death during the study. This means that 117 people taking EPO died for every 100 deaths among people who didn’t take it.

Coffee and tea — even decaf — may help to prevent diabetes, a review of research suggests. Researchers used data from 18 studies that included 457,922 people. They found that people who drank 3 to 4 cups of coffee daily had a 25% lower risk of diabetes. Every cup reduced the risk by about 7%. Six studies included people who drank decaffeinated coffee. Seven studies included tea drinkers. Diabetes risk was one-third lower in people who drank three to four cups of decaf daily. Risk was about one-fifth lower in people who drank that amount of tea. The study appeared in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine. HealthDay News wrote about it December 14.

Soy-based formula has few advantages for babies, new medical guidelines say. The guidelines come from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Its members are doctors who specialize in caring for children. Breast milk is best, the report notes. But for those who use formula, the guidelines advise soy milk for only three groups of babies. These are babies who cannot tolerate the lactose in milk, come from strict vegan families, or have a rare condition called galactosemia. There’s no proof that soy soothes fussy or colicky babies, the report says. And babies with a milk allergy should get hydrolyzed protein formula. That’s because many of them also may be allergic to soy. The guidelines were released May 5. They were published in the journal Pediatrics.

A study that was testing ways to improve the treatment of sudden cardiac arrest has found no benefit to the methods studied. As a result, no one new will be added to the study. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute announced the decision November 6. The institute was the lead sponsor of the study. In one part of the study, responders did cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for different amounts of time before assessing whether to use a defibrillator. This is a machine that can restart the heart. Another part of the study tried out a device to maintain pressure in the chest while doing CPR. The study included more than 11,500 people. None of the methods studied caused a change in survival rates.

The U.S. government, doctors and patients need to do more to prevent and treat high blood pressure, an expert group says. The call for action came from the Institute of Medicine. This independent group advises the government on health matters. Nearly 1 out of 3 adults has high blood pressure. The condition is also called hypertension. It increases the risk of heart attack, stroke and kidney disease. But doctors often don’t treat it aggressively, the institute said. And the U.S. government has not made it a priority. The institute had several recommendations. It said doctors should be sure to treat both types of high blood pressure, diastolic and systolic. People should eat less sodium and more potassium. Exercise and weight loss also would help. The institute urged the government to work with food makers to reduce sodium in foods.

Women who take tamoxifen to prevent the return of breast cancer probably should not take paroxetine (Paxil) for depression, a study suggests. In the study, women who took both drugs were more likely than average to die of breast cancer. That’s because paroxetine is thought to interfere with the action of tamoxifen, researchers said. There was no increase in deaths for women who took other antidepressants. The study looked at records for 2,430 women. All of them took tamoxifen to prevent a return of breast cancer. They also took a drug for depression. About 1 out of 4 took paroxetine. On average, there was an overlap of the two drugs for 41% of the time the women took tamoxifen. Researchers estimated that this led to 1 extra death from breast cancer for every 20 women. The study appeared in the British Medical Journal. Canadian Press wrote about it February 9.

Experts fear that people trying to spend less on food may end up gaining weight, Reuters news service reports. That’s because many healthy foods, such as fruits and vegetables, can be costly. Fats, sugars and refined grains offer cheaper sources of calories. Many studies have shown that excess weight and poor eating habits are more common in low-income groups. The McDonald’s fast-food chain is thriving despite the economic downturn. But sales growth has fallen at the upscale Whole Foods markets, which focus on organic and natural foods. With planning, people can eat healthy foods on a budget, experts said.

Overweight men may be at increased risk for prostate cancer, a study says. The study looked at information on 84,000 men. All were between 45 and 75 years old when the study began. White and African-American men who gained weight throughout adulthood had an increased risk for prostate cancer, while Japanese men actually had a decreased risk. The study was published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. U.S. News and World Report wrote about it September 2.

Pre-hospital electrocardiograms (EKG) could mean quicker life-saving treatment for heart attack patients. Yet fewer than 10% of people with a common and dangerous type of heart attack get an EKG before reaching the hospital. The American Heart Association wants to change this. In a new statement, they say all emergency medical teams should do EKGs on patients when they suspect a heart attack. They should send it ahead to the hospital to save time. The statement was published in the journal Circulation.