Category: news-perspectives

People take statins to lower cholesterol. But a study suggests the drugs also may help preserve the mind. The study included 1,674 Mexican-Americans over age 60. None had dementia. During the next five years, about 1 out of 4 people took a statin drug. A total of 130 people developed dementia. This occurred only half as often in people who took statins. Reuters Health news service wrote about the study July 29. It was published in the journal Neurology.

Two abnormal genes may have a role in bipolar disorder, a new study finds. Researchers pooled genetic data from several sources. They included a total of 10,596 people. Of these, 4,387 had bipolar disorder. Variant forms of two genes were most likely to be found in people with bipolar disorder. These genes build parts of channels that manage the flow of sodium and calcium to and from nerve cells. Drugs now used to treat bipolar disorder are believed to target these channels. The study was published online August 17 by the journal Nature Genetics.

Many people with chronic lung disease don’t know they have it, new research suggests. The study included 1,000 people 40 and over. All had smoked an average of a pack a day for at least 20 years. During doctor visits, they were asked to blow into a device called a spirometer. This is a test of lung function. The tests showed that about 1 out of 5 people had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). And a large majority of these people had not been diagnosed with COPD before. COPD is a severe lung disease. It includes emphysema and chronic (long-term) bronchitis. Researchers said diagnosis would give people an extra incentive to quit smoking. They also can get treatment, which may improve symptoms. The study was published online by the Canadian Medical Association Journal. Canadian Press wrote about it April 6.

Two new research reviews take opposite points of view on circumcision for baby boys. One review looks at three African studies. They found that men circumcised as adults were less likely to become infected with HIV than those not circumcised. The review says this is a good reason to circumcise baby boys. It was published in the Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine. But a study in the journal Annals of Family Medicine disagrees. The authors looked at eight previous studies. They said there’s little evidence of lower HIV risk with circumcision in places other than Africa. They also found little evidence of other health benefits. Circumcision can cause problems for some boys, the authors said. Psychological effects may include feeling incomplete or violated, they said. HealthDay News wrote about both studies January 11.

The National Institutes of Health is taking steps to keep track of radiation exposure at its hospital. The NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, Md., announced the change August 17. The hospital will adopt new standards for buying computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography (PET)/CT machines. New machines will record how much radiation people get from scans. This will go into each person’s electronic record at the hospital. People will be urged to add it to their own personal health record, too. People get seven times as much radiation from medical tests now as they did in the 1980s. Scientists don’t know how much risk this causes. But exposure does build up over time. High doses of radiation can cause cancer.

One type of online psychotherapy can help people with depression, a new study concludes. The study included nearly 300 British patients. They were randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group received standard care from a general practitioner. The other also received online cognitive behavioral therapy. This is a form of psychotherapy. The therapist and patient “talked” through instant messaging in real time. There were 10 weekly sessions. Each lasted 55 minutes. After eight months, 42% of the online therapy group had recovered. About 26% of the other group recovered. The authors said the convenience of this approach could encourage treatment. They said it also could help in areas with little access to in-person psychotherapy. The study appeared in the journal Lancet. HealthDay News wrote about it August 20.

Pregnant women and new parents should be vaccinated against H1N1 (swine) flu as soon as the vaccine is available. A federal health agency made the recommendation August 27, the Associated Press reported. During the spring outbreak of H1N1 flu, many pregnant women were severely affected. The vaccine is expected to be available in October. A thimerosal-free version also will be available, said a government official.

In a new survey, almost half of women who had breast cancer surgery reported long-term pain afterward. For many, the pain lasted two or three years. The study was based on a survey of 3,253 Danish women. Women under 40 and women who had radiation or had more lymph nodes removed were more likely to report lasting pain. About half of those with pain said it was mild. Most of the rest had moderate pain. Symptoms of nerve damage, such as numbness or tenderness, also were common. Nearly 6 out of 10 women reported such problems. The study appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association. USA Today wrote about it November 11.

Girls who are physically active and boys who are fit also have higher grades, a study from Sweden suggests. The study included 232 students. Their average age was 16. They wore devices to track their activity for four days, including one weekend day. On average, the girls spent 69 minutes a day in moderate or vigorous activity. Moderate exercise included hiking and skateboarding. Vigorous exercise included soccer and running. Boys were active about 81 minutes a day. Researchers looked at exercise in relationship to grades. They adjusted for several other factors that can affect grades. They found that girls who were more active also had higher grades. Researchers also tested fitness. This did not affect girls’ grades, but boys who were more fit had higher grades. The amount of exercise was not linked with boys’ grades. The study was in the Journal of Pediatrics.

Global warming is the biggest health threat of this century, a group of experts has warned. The group said malaria and other diseases spread by insects could become more widespread as the earth gets warmer. Heat waves could kill more people. Crop yields could decline and cause hunger. Climate change also could cause flooding that overwhelms sewage systems, the experts said. They called for laws to restrict carbon emissions. They said health professionals should get involved in the fight against global warming. The experts issued their warning in a news conference. Their report was published in the journal Lancet. HealthDay News wrote about it May 13.