Category: news-perspectives

Exercise can aid in recovery from breast cancer. But many women actually exercise less after their diagnosis, a new study finds. Regular exercise has been linked with longer and better quality of life after breast cancer treatment. The new study included 1,735 women recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Researchers asked them about their exercise habits. They asked again 6 months later. About 59% reported doing less physical activity than they did before diagnosis. Only 35% met current national guidelines for exercise 6 months after diagnosis. African-American women were 38% less likely to meet those guidelines than white women. They also had larger declines in exercise. The journal Cancer published the study online. HealthDay News wrote about it June 9.

Use of the rotavirus vaccine has dramatically reduced hospital stays for severe diarrhea among young children, a new study says. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) did the study. The first rotavirus vaccine was approved in 2006. Before that, the CDC said, this virus caused 55,000 to 70,000 hospital stays each year among U.S. children under age 5. About 20 to 60 children died each year. But those numbers dropped off rapidly. By the 2009-2010 season, hospital stays for rotavirus were down 94%, the CDC study found. Visits to the emergency room and doctors’ offices for diarrhea also plummeted. Even children who had not been vaccinated were less likely to have rotavirus illness. That’s because less of the virus was circulating, the study noted. Two rotavirus vaccines are now in use. Both are given by mouth.

Although some pills for depression can spur weight gain, a new study finds that the long-term amount gained is small. Most prior studies have lasted only a few months. The new study was based on electronic records for more than 19,000 adults with depression. They had been treated with at least 1 of 11 different antidepressants. After 12 months, they had gained an average of 1 to 2 pounds. Weight gain was smallest for those who took bupropion (Wellbutrin and generics), amitriptyline and nortriptyline. But differences between average weight gains for different drugs were small. The journal JAMA Psychiatry published the study. HealthDay News wrote about it June 5.

Two new drugs offer a possible treatment option for skin infections that increasingly are able to resist current antibiotics. The New England Journal of Medicine published study results June 4. One study looked at dalbavancin, which recently was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. More than 1,300 people with bacterial skin infections were randomly divided into 2 groups. One group received dalbavancin intravenously (in a vein). It was given once a week for 2 weeks. The other group received a standard antibiotic, vancomycin. This was given in a vein twice a day for 3 days. Doctors then could prescribe antibiotic pills for the next 10 to 14 days. For about 80% of each group, treatment halted fever and the spread of infection within 3 days. The second study focused on oritavancin. This drug is not yet approved.

Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) are used to help people with advanced heart failure. But new research suggests that they may also help those with moderate heart failure live longer. Moderate heart failure is defined as having ejection fractions of between 30% and 35%. An ejection fraction is the percent of blood the heart can pump out of its main chamber with each heartbeat. Ejection fractions below 30% indicate advanced heart failure. Researchers looked at 2 groups over the course of 3 years. The first group, of 3,120 people, had moderate heart failure. The second group, of 4,578 people, had advanced heart failure. In each group, researchers compared survival rates between those who had an ICD and those who did not. For those with an ICD, survival rates improved in both groups. The Journal of the American Medical Association published the study.

Current guidelines suggest halting colon-cancer screening at age 75 for people who have been screened regularly. But a new study finds that it may be worthwhile, even as late as 86, for those who have never been tested before. The study was based on a computer model. It looked at risks and benefits of screening for a simulated group of people. The model projected what would happen if they were screened for colon cancer for the first time at different ages, from 76 to 90. Researchers concluded that screening would be worthwhile and cost-effective up to age 83 for colonoscopy, 84 for sigmoidoscopy and 86 for fecal occult blood tests. These conclusions apply to healthy seniors. Those with moderate or severe health conditions would benefit only into their late 70s or early 80s. The gains of life from screening would be small, however.

The risk of future health problems for people with high blood pressure depends on which type they have, a new study shows. Systolic pressure is the top number in a blood pressure reading. Diastolic is the bottom number. In the study, high systolic pressure (140 or more) was linked with the most problems. Researchers looked at health records for more than 1 million people. They were at least 30 years old and did not have heart disease when the study began. Researchers kept track of them for about 5 years. People with high systolic blood pressure were more likely to have bleeding strokes, stable angina (chest pain) and narrowed arteries in the legs. High diastolic pressure (90 or more) was linked only with abdominal aortic aneurysm. This is a swelling of the body’s largest artery in the belly area.

Many people don’t start taking prescribed blood thinners right away after getting a stent inserted in an artery near the heart. And those who delay are more likely to have heart attacks and die, a new study shows. Stents are tiny metal mesh tubes. They are placed inside narrowed arteries that are opened with balloon angioplasty. The stents help keep the arteries open. People need to take blood thinners for a month to a year after receiving a stent. This helps to prevent heart attacks during healing. Researchers looked at records for more than 15,600 people who had stents placed. About 30% did not fill their prescriptions for the blood thinner clopidogrel (Plavix or generics) within 3 days of hospital discharge. In the 30 days after discharge, they were 3 times as likely to have heart attacks as people who started taking the medicines right away.

A structured exercise program can help older adults remain able to walk on their own, a new study finds. The study included more than 1,600 adults in their 70s and 80s. They did little or no regular exercise before the study started. All were able to walk one-quarter mile without help. But they were considered at high risk of becoming disabled. People were randomly divided into 2 groups. One group went to a clinic twice a week for group exercises sessions. They also exercised at home 3 to 4 times a week. The program included brisk walking and exercises for strengthening, flexibility and balance. People worked up to a total of 150 minutes each week. The other group went to workshops on healthy aging. They occurred twice a week for 26 weeks and monthly after that. The study lasted an average of 2.6 years.

Many pregnant women don’t get enough iodine, which is important for babies’ brain development, a group of children’s doctors says. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published the statement. It recommends that pregnant and breastfeeding women take supplements that contain potassium iodide. The thyroid uses iodine when it makes thyroid hormone. Among other functions, this hormone is critical for normal brain development. About one-third of pregnant U.S. women have at least a mild iodine deficiency, the policy statement says. Only about 15% of pregnant and breastfeeding women take supplements. The AAP recommends that they take a daily pill containing at least 150 micrograms of iodide. They also should use iodized table salt, the statement says. Total intake should be 290 to 1,100 micrograms a day.