Category: news-perspectives

A drug called tofacitinib may help people with ulcerative colitis. As many as 700,000 Americans have this condition. It causes abdominal pain and diarrhea. About 1 in 5 people do not respond to current treatments. A study of the drug included 194 people. They were randomly assigned to get a dose of tofacitinib or a placebo. After 8 weeks, people taking tofacitinib had fewer symptoms. They also were more likely than people taking placebo to have their symptoms disappear. The drug works by reducing inflammation. The study was published in the August 15 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. The Wall Street Journal wrote about it.

The number of swine flu cases is up this summer, according to an updated government report. Known as H3N2, the flu is a variant of the swine flu usually found only in pigs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 153 new cases between July 12 and August 9. All occurred in 4 states in children younger than 18. And just about everybody infected had direct contact with pigs or reported being at an agricultural fair where pigs were present. The infections have been mild, with only 2 people needing hospital care. Both were treated and released. The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published the report. The New York Times wrote about it Aug. 10.

Nearly 2 out of 3 U.S. adults now say that they walk at least 10 minutes per week, officials reported this week. But too few are getting enough exercise to make a difference in their health, officials said. The latest numbers come from a 2010 national survey. Almost 62% of adults surveyed said they walked for 10 minutes or more at least once in the last week. That’s up from 56% in 2005. People in the West walk the most. Those in the South walk least. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released the new numbers. Officials said the improvement is a first step toward getting more Americans active. The government recommends at least 150 minutes per week of walking or other moderate exercise. Research has shown that this amount of activity can improve health. Only about 48% of U.S. adults are getting this much exercise, the 2010 survey showed.

A top group of experts may soon recommend HIV tests for all U.S. adults, Reuters news service said August 20. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force now leaves the decision up to doctors. The task force is a group of experts on preventive care. It is appointed by the government but acts independently. The 2010 health care reform law requires that insurers cover preventive services that the task force recommends. Reuters said “health officials close to the panel” expect it to recommend routine HIV tests later this year. The task force’s job is to weigh the harm of tests and procedures against their benefits. It last updated its advice on HIV tests in 2005. At that time, it did not find enough evidence to support routine tests. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention already recommends one HIV test in a lifetime for people ages 13 to 64.

A new test could help emergency departments rule out (or rule in) heart attacks faster, according to a new study. The test is called high-sensitivity cardiac troponin. It detects cardiac enzymes called troponins. High troponin levels in the blood are a sign of damage or injury to the heart. And this could signal heart attack. The Swiss study took place from April 2006 to June 2009. It examined close to 900 patients who visited the ER with chest pain. Half of the patients were evaluated using the new testing method. That new method included gauging the troponin level when they arrived and then again an hour later. Using this method, the researchers ruled out heart attack in 60% of patients. They found evidence of heart attack in 17%. And the other 23% of patients were observed and monitored further.

A doctors’ group has revised its guidelines on thyroid treatments during and after pregnancy. The Endocrine Society produced the new guidelines. There are 52 of them, covering before, during and after pregnancy, as well as during breastfeeding. The guidelines say that women who are trying to get pregnant and have any history of thyroid problems should be tested for normal thyroid function. The society also said that pregnant women take prenatal vitamins containing 150 to 200 micrograms of iodine. And women who are breastfeeding should take 250 micrograms of iodine every day. These doses protect women and their babies from iodine deficiency. That can lead to an imbalance of thyroid hormone. This hormone is crucial for fetal brain development. The new guidelines update a 2007 version. They were published in the August issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

About 12% of people with type 2 diabetes are at a normal weight when diagnosed. A new study finds that these diabetics are more than twice as likely to die early as others who are overweight. The finding surprised researchers. But overweight diabetics in the study were more likely to develop other health problems linked with poor control of the disease. Researchers combined the numbers from 5 long-term studies of diabetics. They included 2,600 people, all over age 40. During follow-up, about 450 people died. Researchers adjusted the numbers to account for other factors, such as smoking, that affect death risk. They found that death rates were 2.32 times as high among those who were not overweight when diagnosed. Researchers said they didn’t know why this group had higher death rates. They said it may be related to genes.

Cigarette smoking continues to decline, says a new government report. However, the use of non-cigarette tobacco products has increased. These include roll-your-own tobacco, pipe tobacco and cigars. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found a 25% decrease in overall tobacco consumption from 2000 to 2011. But from 2010 to 2011, the decrease was less than 1%. That’s because smokers were turning to other forms of tobacco, according to study authors. They noted a 2009 increase in the federal tobacco excise tax. It taxed cigarettes more heavily. That made non-cigarette tobacco products less expensive. The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published the study. The New York Times wrote about it Aug. 3.

Avoiding violent TV or shows meant for older kids may improve sleep in preschoolers, a new study suggests. Nearly 600 families took part in the study. The children’s ages ranged from 3 to 5. Families were randomly divided into 2 groups. Both groups were asked questions about many things, including sleep and eating habits. One group received education about the best kinds of TV and other media for young children. They also got suggestions about suitable programs on channels available to them. Examples included Dora the Explorer and Sesame Street. They were encouraged to watch TV with their kids and talk about what they saw. The other group received education about healthy eating. Both groups kept sleep diaries for their children. They also received home visits and other follow-up. After a year, kids in the group who got education about TV had fewer sleep problems.

About 1% of U.S. adults have a gluten intolerance, also called celiac disease, a new study finds. That’s 4 times the level of 50 years ago. The study was based on blood samples taken in the 1950s and now. But gluten-free eating has grown into a fad far broader than the celiac population, the Associated Press (AP) reports. Americans will spend about $7 billion this year on gluten-free foods, the market research firm Mintel said. It’s estimated that about half of the customers do not have any sensitivity to gluten. Some eat gluten-free out of a belief that it will help them lose weight. Some say it makes them feel better. True gluten intolerance (celiac sprue) is diagnosed with blood tests and a biopsy. It causes bloating, diarrhea, pain and other symptoms. The new study suggests that there’s a true increase, not just more awareness and diagnosis. The cause is not known.