Medical Xpress: Kaiser Permanente in the news http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress provides the latest news from Kaiser Permanente Whole-cell vaccine was more effective than acellular vaccine during CA pertussis outbreak Whole-cell pertussis vaccines were more effective at protecting against pertussis than acellular pertussis vaccines during a large recent outbreak, according to a new Kaiser Permanente study published in Pediatrics. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-whole-cell-vaccine-effective-acellular-ca.html Pediatrics Mon, 20 May 2013 02:55:50 EST news288237336 Long-term use of prescription painkillers for back pain linked to erectile dysfunction in men Regularly taking prescription painkillers, also known as opioids, is associated with a higher risk of erectile dysfunction (ED) in men, according to a study published online today in the journal Spine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-long-term-prescription-painkillers-pain-linked.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Wed, 15 May 2013 11:31:17 EST news287836268 Fun and friends help ease the pain of breast cancer Breast cancer patients who say they have people with whom they have a good time, or have "positive social interactions" with, are better able to deal with pain and other physical symptoms, according to a new Kaiser Permanente study published today in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-fun-friends-ease-pain-breast.html Cancer Thu, 09 May 2013 04:11:33 EST news287291423 Nearly 30 percent of women fail to pick up new prescriptions for osteoporosis, study finds Nearly 30 percent of women failed to pick up their bisphosphonate prescriptions, a medication that is most commonly used to treat osteoporosis and similar bone diseases, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published this week in the journal Osteoporosis International. The failure to pick up these newly prescribed medications, called primary nonadherence, can lead to an increased risk of fractures for these patients. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-percent-women-prescriptions-osteoporosis.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Thu, 18 Apr 2013 09:56:27 EST news285497769 Varicella vaccine has long-term effectiveness against chicken pox Chicken pox, the childhood affliction of earlier generations, has been largely neutralized by the varicella vaccine, according to a new study by the Kaiser Permanente Vaccine Study Center, which appears in the current online issue of Pediatrics. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-varicella-vaccine-long-term-effectiveness-chicken.html Pediatrics Mon, 01 Apr 2013 00:10:03 EST news283955824 High-fat dairy products linked to poorer breast cancer survival Patients who consume high-fat dairy products following breast cancer diagnosis increase their chances of dying from the disease years later, according to a study by Kaiser Permanente researchers. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-high-fat-dairy-products-linked-poorer.html Cancer Thu, 14 Mar 2013 16:26:01 EST news282497152 Study finds diabetes does not increase risk of total knee surgical complications Patients with diabetes who undergo total knee replacement surgery do not have increased risk of surgical complications compared to those patients without diabetes, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published today in The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-diabetes-total-knee-surgical-complications.html Surgery Thu, 28 Feb 2013 12:09:07 EST news281275741 Analysis finds vitamin D potency varies widely in dietary supplements Vitamin D supplement potency varies widely, and the amount of vitamin D in over-the counter and compounded supplements does not necessarily match the amount listed on the label, according to a research letter published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-analysis-vitamin-d-potency-varies.html Health Mon, 11 Feb 2013 16:00:04 EST news279805594 Kaiser Permanente's anti-obesity interventions in schools show signs of success Community-based efforts to change the environment are proving to be an effective way of encouraging more physical activity and nutrition among school-age children, according to findings announced today from Kaiser Permanente. Researchers examined a series of Kaiser Permanente community-based obesity prevention interventions in adults and children and found that the more effective obesity prevention interventions were those that were "high dose" – reaching large populations with greater strength – and those that focused specifically on changing child behaviors within the school environment. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-kaiser-permanente-anti-obesity-interventions-schools.html Overweight and Obesity Tue, 05 Feb 2013 10:37:01 EST news279283014 Men taking long-acting chronic pain meds five times more likely to have low testosterone levels Low testosterone levels occur five times more often among men who take long-acting instead of short-acting opioids for chronic pain, according to a new Kaiser Permanente study published in The Clinical Journal of Pain. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-men-long-acting-chronic-pain-meds.html Medications Thu, 31 Jan 2013 16:21:57 EST news278871590 Study reveals two-fold higher incidence of non-melanoma skin cancers for HIV patients HIV-positive patients have a higher incidence of non-melanoma skin cancers, according to a Kaiser Permanente study that appears in the current online issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Specifically, basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas occur more than twice as often among HIV-positive individuals compared to those who are HIV-negative. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-reveals-two-fold-higher-incidence-non-melanoma.html Cancer Tue, 29 Jan 2013 10:28:30 EST news278677701 Blood pressure, cholesterol most important indicators of heart disease risk in diabetics For people with diabetes, meeting the recommended guidelines for blood pressure and cholesterol is even more important than meeting the guidelines for blood sugar control in reducing the risk of heart attack or stroke, according to a new Kaiser Permanente study published today in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-blood-pressure-cholesterol-important-indicators.html Diabetes Mon, 28 Jan 2013 09:29:57 EST news278587787 Nearly half of children under two years of age receive some vaccinations late In a new study published today in JAMA Pediatrics (formerly Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine), Kaiser Permanente researchers found that 49 percent of children ages 2-24 months did not receive all recommended vaccinations or did not get vaccinated according to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices schedule. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-children-years-age-vaccinations-late.html Health Mon, 21 Jan 2013 16:00:01 EST news277987127 Change in PSA levels over time can help predict aggressive prostate cancer Measurements taken over time of prostate specific antigen, the most commonly used screening test for prostate cancer in men, improve the accuracy of aggressive prostate cancer detection when compared to a single measurement of PSA, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published today in the British Journal of Urology International. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-psa-aggressive-prostate-cancer.html Cancer Tue, 15 Jan 2013 11:00:02 EST news277452788 Study finds routine tests done on patients with microscopic blood in urine can be avoided The presence of microscopic hematuria – blood found in urine that can't be seen by the naked eye – does not necessarily indicate the presence of cancer, according to a Kaiser Permanente Southern California study published in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings. The study suggests that tests routinely done on patients with this condition could be avoided and has led to the creation of a screening tool to better diagnose certain types of cancers. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-routine-patients-microscopic-blood-urine.html Cancer Wed, 09 Jan 2013 12:00:05 EST news276953774