Category: news-perspectives

Transplants of their own stem cells may help people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a small new study suggests. The study included 21 people with MS. They were randomly divided into 2 groups. One group had stem cells removed from their own bone marrow. Then they received drugs that treat MS by suppressing the immune system. Finally, the stem cells were injected back into the body. The other group received immune-suppressing drugs, followed by another drug, mitoxantrone. These treatments were repeated every month for 6 months. During a 4-year follow-up, people who got the stem-cell treatment had 79% fewer new abnormal areas shown on a brain scan than those in the other group. The stem-cell group also developed no new MS-related inflammation in the brain, compared with 56% of the other group.

Taking iron pills can help restore hemoglobin and iron in the body faster after blood donation, a study has found. Hemoglobin is made up of iron and protein. It is the part of red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body. The new study included 215 blood donors. They were divided into 2 groups based on their iron levels before they gave blood. After giving blood, half of each group was randomly assigned to take a daily iron pill (ferrous gluconate). The other half did not take the pills. People in the lower-iron group who took the pills returned to 80% of their hemoglobin level before donation in about 5 weeks. Recovery time was shorter, about 4 weeks, for the pill takers who had higher iron levels before donation. Those who did not take iron pills took longer to recover hemoglobin levels — 23 weeks in the low-iron group and 11 weeks in the high-iron group.

Transplant centers and surgeons are accepting only 1 in 3 donated hearts for use in patients, a new study shows. Rejection also rates vary by region, the study found. The authors say this shows there are no clear standards for which organs can be used. Using more of the donated organs could reduce lengthy heart-transplant waiting lists. The study was based on data from transplant registries. Use of donor hearts for actual transplants fell from 44% in 1995 to 32% in 2010, the study found. New England states reported higher acceptance rates than other areas. States in the South, Mid-Atlantic and Pacific Northwest had much lower rates. Reasons for the lower overall use of donated hearts are unclear. But several changes may be factors. Compared with the ’90s, people who donate hearts are a bit older. They also are more likely to have high blood pressure or diabetes.

Treating high blood pressure quickly can make a big difference in people’s future health, a new study finds. Researchers looked at medical records of about 88,000 high blood pressure patients. They found that people benefited most from intense treatment when systolic blood pressure was at least 150 millimeters of mercury (mmHg). Once blood pressure reached this level, doctors needed to begin intensive drug treatment within about 6 weeks. If they waited longer, people faced an increased risk of heart attack, stroke or early death, the study found. Systolic blood pressure is the higher of the 2 numbers in a blood pressure reading. A level between 140 and 159 is considered to be Stage 1 high blood pressure. Some people may be getting drug treatment at a level below 150. Doctors can make treatment more intense by increasing the dose or adding a second drug.

Getting a vaccine to prevent human papillomavirus (HPV) does not make teenage girls more likely to get other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), a study finds. This vaccine helps prevent HPV strains that cause genital warts and cervical cancer. It is given to girls and boys as young as age 9. But vaccination rates remain low. Some parents worry that getting a vaccine against an STI might encourage teens to have sex. Researchers wanted to see if evidence supports that belief. The study used insurance data from 2005 through 2010. It included 21,610 females, ages 12 through 18, who had received the vaccine. They were compared with 186,501 otherwise similar females who had not been vaccinated. Those who got the HPV vaccine were more likely to have STIs in the year before and the year after getting the vaccine than those who did not get vaccinated.

When someone is having a stroke, every minute counts.

Pain, depression and other symptoms may be growing even more common in the last year of life, despite efforts to improve care, a study suggests. The study was based on a survey of older Americans that is done every 2 years. Researchers looked at surveys from 1998 through 2010. During that time, about 7,200 people who were surveyed died. Researchers asked their family members about symptoms their loved one had in the last year of life. Over time, family members were more likely to report symptoms such as pain, depression and confusion. They reported pain for about 61% of those who died, compared with 54% in the first survey. Reports of depression rose from 45% to 57% of those who died. Fatigue, severe weight loss and some other symptoms held steady. Researchers said it’s unclear why these increases occurred. Part of the reason could be an increase in awareness.

Delirium is common among older patients in hospitals, but simple methods can help prevent it, a new study concludes. Delirium is a sudden and usually short-term state of confusion. People may not be aware of where they are. Estimates suggest that one-third to two-thirds of elderly hospital patients develop delirium. This increases the risk of falls, which can lead to serious injury. The new study looked at prior research on non-drug methods used to prevent delirium in older hospital patients. They analyzed the combined results of 14 earlier studies. Different studies used one or more methods to help prevent delirium. Hospital staff reminded patients of where they were and the date and time. They tried to get them out of bed and walking as soon as possible. They made sure people had their glasses and hearing aids if needed. They tried to avoid waking patients at night.

Many foods for toddlers contain high amounts of salt or added sugars, a new study shows. Researchers looked at information on more than 1,000 infant and toddler foods. The foods were commonly found in U.S. grocery stores in 2012. All but 2 of the infant foods were low in sodium (mainly salt). This was defined as less than 140 milligrams (mg) per serving. Except for mixed grains and fruits, most infant foods were free of added sugars. Foods marketed for toddlers were much more likely to contain excess salt and sugar. More than 70% of the toddler dinners were high in salt. This was defined as more than 210 mg per serving. One-third of the dinners had added sugar. Most of the snacks, desserts and juices for toddlers contained added sugar. Dried-fruit snacks were particularly sugar-dense. Sugars made up more than one-third of the calories for nearly 90% of these snacks.

About 8% of Americans don’t take their medicines as prescribed because they can’t afford them, a new survey finds. Many also use other tactics to save on drugs, the survey found. About 15% have asked their doctors for a lower-cost alternative. Another 2% have bought prescription drugs from another country. The National Center for Health Statistics did the study. It was based on the 2013 National Health Interview. People under age 65 were almost twice as likely as older adults to skip their medicines for financial reasons (8.5% vs. 4.4%). More than 5% of those under 65 and less than 3% of older adults skipped doses or took less medicine to save money. About 7% of younger and 3% of older adults delayed filling prescriptions. Insurance coverage affected decisions. About 6% of adults under 65 who had private insurance skipped medicines to save money.