Category: news-perspectives

Caffeine might help to improve movement for people with Parkinson’s disease, a small new study suggests. But, despite caffeine’s reputation as a stimulant, the study did not show a clear reduction in daytime sleepiness. The study included 61 people with Parkinson’s disease. Before the study, all of them consumed less than 200 milligrams of caffeine daily. That’s equal to about 2 cups of coffee. People were randomly divided into 2 groups. One group took pills containing caffeine twice a day — after they got up and at lunchtime. The pills contained 100 milligrams of caffeine each – similar to a cup of coffee. The other group received look-alike placebo pills that contained no caffeine. After 3 weeks, the dose was doubled, to 200 milligrams twice a day. Tests showed greater speed of movement and less stiffness in those who received the real caffeine pills.

A new study highlights another possible benefit of cataract surgery — fewer hip fractures. Removing cataracts that cloud vision usually is a safe and quick operation. Success rates are high. Normally, it doesn’t require a hospital stay. The new study focused on a group of 1.1 million Medicare patients who were diagnosed with cataracts. Researchers compared people who had surgery with those who did not. They looked at the rate of hip fractures in the year after surgery. People who had surgery were 16% less likely to have a hip fracture. Benefit was greater for people who had severe cataracts, were at least 75 years old or had many medical problems. The reduction of hip fracture risk was 22% to 28% in these groups. The Journal of the American Medical Association published the study. The New York Times wrote about it August 1.

The United States already has fewer doctors than needed. Health care reform, by insuring more people, will only widen the gap, the New York Times reported July 28. The Association of American Medical Colleges estimates that the country will have 62,900 fewer doctors than needed by 2015. That shortage is expected to double by 2025. One major reason is the aging of baby boomers. Older adults tend to need more care. The Affordable Care Act is expected to add 30 million more people to the insured population by 2014. That will further drive up demand for care. The shortage of doctors has several causes, the Times said. Medical school enrollments are not increasing as much as the population. One-third of current doctors are at least 55 years old. Many will retire soon. Younger doctors are working fewer hours. And fewer are choosing primary care.

Yoga may help stroke survivors recover and become more active, a small study suggests. The study included 47 people who had a stroke more than 6 months in the past. They were randomly divided into 3 groups. Two of the groups did yoga twice a week. One of the yoga groups also listened to a relaxation recording 3 times a week. The third group received usual care. The program lasted 8 weeks. Yoga classes were taught by a registered yoga therapist. Yoga poses were modified for people’s needs, but became more challenging each week. People in the yoga groups had greater improvement in balance than those who received usual care. They were less afraid of falling. They also scored higher on measurements of independent living and quality of life. Most stroke rehab programs end after 6 months. But researchers said yoga could be an affordable way to help stroke survivors keep improving.

Mental abuse can harm a child as much as physical or sexual abuse, a new report says. The American Academy of Pediatrics, a group of children’s doctors, issued the report. Psychological maltreatment (abuse) includes ridiculing or humiliating a child. It also includes ignoring a child or withholding affection. Placing him or her in a dangerous situation is another form of abuse. So is cutting the child off from other human contacts. Such abuse has been linked with problems related to brain development and physical growth. It can harm a child’s social interactions, education and behavior. The report says doctors should be alert to signs of psychological abuse. But it admits that this is much harder to spot than physical abuse. Psychological abuse must be a pattern of actions. It’s not just a parent having a bad day. It is more common in families that are under stress.

If you have chest pain, but aren’t having a heart attack, an advanced CT scan can help get you out of the emergency room sooner, a study finds. But it might not be worth the extra radiation and later tests. The study included 1,000 people with chest pain. All had electrocardiograms and blood tests that suggested a heart attack was unlikely. Then they were randomly divided into 2 groups. People in one group got standard tests, such as a stress test. The others got a type of CT scan that gives a detailed view of arteries around the heart. People spent an average of 23 hours in the hospital with the CT scans and 30 hours with standard tests. About 47% were sent home after the CT scans, compared with 12% who had standard tests. The others were admitted. But those in the CT group received 3 times as much radiation as the standard-care group.

Recently revised guidelines say that women don’t need to get Pap tests every year anymore. But a group of doctors says that women do need an annual exam. The advice comes from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. These doctors are often called ob-gyns. A committee of the college says that women should have an annual “well-woman” visit with their ob-gyn. After age 21, the group says, this visit should include a pelvic exam. This is an internal and external exam of female organs. Pap tests may be included in some years, depending on age and risk level. For women 40 and older, the visit should include a breast exam, the group says. These exams may be done every 1 to 3 years for younger women. Tests for sexually transmitted diseases may be done.

People newly diagnosed as HIV positive should start drug treatment right away, says a group of experts. The International Antiviral Society presented the guidelines July 22 at the International AIDS Conference in Washington, D.C. They will be published in the July 25 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. The guidelines say that even HIV-positive people with healthy immune systems should take antiviral drugs. The drugs are now stronger, easier to take and safer, the guidelines say. The drugs don’t get rid of the virus, but they can keep it from replicating. This keeps people healthier for longer periods. It also reduces the risk that HIV-positive people will transmit the virus to others.

Some children with egg allergies can build a tolerance for this food over time by eating carefully controlled daily doses, a new study concludes. The study included 55 children, ages 5 through 18. Forty were given very small doses of powdered egg white each day. The other 15 received cornstarch powder. The amount was increased slowly, every 2 weeks, to a maximum of 2 grams (about one-third of an egg). After 10 months, the 35 children who were still receiving egg doses took a “challenge” test in the doctor’s office. This involved eating a larger amount of egg white powder, about 5 grams. Of this group, 22 passed the test. The others had allergic reactions. After 22 months, 30 passed a second challenge. They ate no egg for the next 4 to 6 weeks. Then they were given another challenge with egg white powder and cooked egg white. Eleven passed.

Frail older adults may live longer if they have high blood pressure, a new study suggests. The study included 2,340 people who took part in 2 national health surveys. All were age 65 and older. They were given a simple test to see how fast they could walk 20 feet. Those who took more than 8 seconds were considered “slow walkers.” Faster walkers had lower rates of diabetes, heart disease and other conditions. People in a third group were unable to complete the walk. They were classified as frail. In the next 7 years, 589 people in the study died. Among faster walkers, those with high blood pressure were 35 percent more likely to die than those with normal blood pressure. But among the frail group, the death rate was 62% lower for those with high blood pressure. Researchers said blood pressure goals may need to be adjusted for frail elderly people.