http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. Elderly patients who receive anesthesia are no more likely to develop long-term dementia or Alzheimer's disease than other seniors, according to new Mayo Clinic research. The study analyzed thousands of patients using the Rochester Epidemiology Project—which allows researchers access to medical records of nearly all residents of Olmsted County, Minn.—and found that receiving general anesthesia for procedures after age 45 is not a risk factor for developing dementia. The findings were published Wednesday, May 1, online in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-link-anesthesia-dementia-elderly.html Alzheimer's disease & dementia Wed, 01 May 2013 00:10:01 EST news286564133 In a commentary published in the May issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, UC Davis bioethicist Mark Yarborough proposes that more information about the social value of individual research studies be made available to prospective research participants during the informed consent process so they are more aware of the degree to which a study has the potential to improve health for all. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-commentary-greater-transparency-highlighting-social.html Other Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:06 EST news286564097 There is worldwide concern in the biomedical research community that enrollment in clinical trials is lagging, putting clinical research and consequent benefits to society in jeopardy. Experts explore ways to embed patient voices and values in clinical research in the current issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-experts-discuss-ways-embed-patient.html Other Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:25:07 EST news286543496 Unethical behavior among physicians-in-training threatens to erode public trust and confidence in the medical profession, say two academic physicians in the current issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Reacting to CNN reports last year about the widespread use of "recalls" and "airplane notes" by radiology and dermatology residents, Gregory W. Ruhnke, MD, MS, MPH, of the Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, and David J. Doukas, MD, of the Department of Family and Geriatric Medicine, University of Louisville, call on leaders in medical education to establish guidelines and change the culture of medical school and training programs. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-threatens-medical.html Other Mon, 29 Apr 2013 13:31:09 EST news286461049 Using a one-of-a-kind computer-aided program, Mayo Clinic has developed and implemented a Mayo-wide electronic warning system to identify patients at risk of QT-related deaths from an abnormality in the heart's electrical system. The system informs all physicians, regardless of their specialty or QT awareness, if their patient's ECG activated the QT alarm. In addition, the researchers discovered that the death rate of patients whose 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) activated the QT alert was nearly four times greater than all other patients who had an ECG. The findings are published in the current issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-mayo-clinic-institution-wide-electronic-prolonged.html Cardiology Thu, 25 Apr 2013 13:04:43 EST news286113833 L-carnitine significantly improves cardiac health in patients after a heart attack, say a multicenter team of investigators in a study published today in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Their findings, based on analysis of key controlled trials, associate L-carnitine with significant reduction in death from all causes and a highly significant reduction in ventricular arrhythmias and anginal attacks following a heart attack, compared with placebo or control. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-l-carnitine-significantly-patient-outcomes-heart.html Cardiology Fri, 12 Apr 2013 12:42:36 EST news284989259 A retrospective study of patients who had in-hospital electroencephalography (EEG) has established that EEG is a valuable tool that could be deployed more widely to identify treatable causes of impaired consciousness in the hospital setting. The study is published in the April issue of the Mayo Clinic Proceedings. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-electroencephalography-underused-tool-hospitals.html Neuroscience Mon, 01 Apr 2013 12:24:08 EST news284037840 Researchers at Mayo Clinic Cancer Center have developed new guidelines to treat recently diagnosed multiple myeloma patients who are not participating in clinical trials. The guidelines give physicians practical, easy to follow recommendations for providing initial therapy, stem cell transplant and maintenance therapy. The guidelines are published in the current issue of the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings and represent a consensus opinion of hematologists at Mayo Clinic Cancer Center sites in Minnesota, Florida and Arizona. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-multiple-myeloma-treatment-guidelines-personalize.html Cancer Mon, 01 Apr 2013 12:23:08 EST news284037777 It appears that the majority of spouses/partners of physicians in the United States are happy with their relationships, according to Mayo Clinic research. Of the about 900 spouses/partners of physicians who responded to a national survey, 85 percent said that they were satisfied in their relationship and 80 percent said they would choose a physician spouse/partner again if they could revisit their choice. These values are similar to those of married adults in the U.S. overall. The study appears in the March edition of Mayo Clinic Proceedings. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-physician-spouses-relationships.html Other Thu, 28 Mar 2013 12:04:29 EST news283691050 Electroencephalogram (EEG), which measures and records electrical activity in the brain, is a quick and efficient way of determining whether seizures are the cause of altered mental status (AMS) and spells, according to a study by scientists at the University of California, San Francisco. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-eeg-seizures-hospital-patients.html Neuroscience Wed, 27 Mar 2013 00:00:02 EST news283541870 A regular walking routine significantly reduces the risk of Metabolic Syndrome, a condition which affects one in four people in the UK and can cause heart disease, strokes and cancer. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-regular-major-illness.html Health Wed, 06 Feb 2013 08:20:34 EST news279361221 A new Mayo Clinic Proceedings study shows that people most often visit their health care providers because of skin issues, joint disorders and back pain. Findings may help researchers focus efforts to determine better ways to prevent and treat these conditions in large groups of people. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-skin-problems-joint-disorders-people.html Health Wed, 16 Jan 2013 15:39:05 EST news277573133 (HealthDay)—A Hematuria Risk Index could identify cancer risk among patients with asymptomatic microscopic hematuria, according to a study published online Jan. 11 in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-hematuria-index-ids-patients-cancer.html Cancer Mon, 14 Jan 2013 13:30:01 EST news277390560 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 (Medical Xpress)—It appears that long, arduous hours in the hospital are causing more than stress and fatigue among doctors-in-training—they're crashing, or nearly crashing, their cars after work, according to new Mayo Clinic research. Nearly half of the roughly 300 Mayo Clinic residents polled during the course of their residencies reported nearly getting into a motor vehicle crash during their training, and about 11 percent were actually involved in a traffic accident. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-resident-fatigue-stress-trigger-motor.html Other Mon, 17 Dec 2012 11:03:58 EST news274964630 It's the medical resource behind discoveries that have affected patients around the globe, treasured by researchers and funded by the National Institutes of Health for nearly 50 years: the Rochester Epidemiology Project. This comprehensive medical records pool makes Olmsted County, Minn., one of the few places in the world where scientists can study virtually an entire geographic population to identify trends in disease, evaluate treatments and find factors that put people at risk for illness—or protect them. And, as it nears the half-century mark, the project is still growing. Health care providers in seven southeastern Minnesota counties are adding patients' records, including Dodge, Fillmore, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Wabasha and Winona, more than doubling the number of area residents included. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-greatest-medical-resource-youve-heard.html Other Mon, 10 Dec 2012 12:40:08 EST news274365566 It's one of the toughest questions patients and their loved ones can discuss with physicians: When is further medical treatment futile? The conversation can become even more difficult if patients or their families disagree with health care providers' recommendations on end-of-life care. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-conflicts-end-of-life-mayo-experts.html Health Tue, 27 Nov 2012 15:28:33 EST news273252503 Axillary lymph node dissection is done in conjunction with lumpectomy or mastectomy to determine if breast cancer has spread to the adjoining lymph nodes. The conventional surgical approach leaves a surgical scar that is unattractive and can restrict range of motion in the shoulder joint. Also, squeezing and pulling the tumor during the breast operation can stimulate tumor cell metastases. A new study in the December issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings reports that an endoscopic technique, mastoscopic axillary lymph node dissection (MALND), can reduce these complications. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-minimally-invasive-lymph-node-breast.html Cancer Fri, 09 Nov 2012 00:00:01 EST news271614186 Melanoma is on the rise nationally, and transplant recipients and lymphoma patients are far likelier than the average person to get that form of skin cancer and to die from it, a Mayo Clinic review has found. That is because their immune systems tend to be significantly depressed, making early detection of melanoma even more important, says co-author Jerry Brewer, M.D., a Mayo dermatologist. The findings are published in the October issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-melanoma-likelier-transplant-lymphoma-patients.html Cancer Wed, 03 Oct 2012 13:18:36 EST news268489082 A virtual monopoly held by some drug manufacturers in part because of the way treatment protocols work is among the reasons cancer drugs cost so much in the United States, according to a commentary by two Mayo Clinic physicians in the October issue of the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Value-based pricing is one potential solution, they write. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-mayo-clinic-physicians-id-high.html Cancer Mon, 01 Oct 2012 02:52:04 EST news268278685 The suicide rate in the U.S. Army now exceeds the rate in the general population, and psychiatric admission is now the most common reason for hospitalization in the Army. These concerning trends are described by Timothy Lineberry, M.D., a Mayo Clinic psychiatrist and suicide expert for the Army, in the September edition of Mayo Clinic Proceedings. In the article, he also outlines steps to assess and address military suicide—an issue he calls a major public health concern. Dr. Lineberry proposes greater use of gun locks, improving primary care for depression, and better monitoring for sleep disturbances, among other steps. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-mayo-clinic-suicide-expert-outlines.html Psychology & Psychiatry Mon, 10 Sep 2012 12:32:02 EST news266499114 In a recent survey of palliative care medicine practitioners, nearly three quarters of the sample reported having been "humorously" accused of promoting death; for example, being called "Dr. Death." Most of the remarks came from fellow physicians and other health care professionals. At the same time, the survey found that a third of investigations into accusations of murder or euthanasia against physicians are instigated by fellow members of the health care team. A commentary in the September issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings suggests that whether real or in jest, such accusations are grounded in the same societal beliefs. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-gallows-humor-physicians-accusations-euthanasia.html Health Tue, 04 Sep 2012 00:00:05 EST news265893498 Many people have probably heard of off-label drug use, but they may not know when that applies to prescriptions they are taking, a Mayo Clinic analysis found. Off-label drug use occurs when a physician prescribes medication to treat a condition before that use has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. In a newly published article in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, researchers pose and answer 10 questions about off-label drug use. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-off-label-drug-common-patients-theyre.html Medications Mon, 06 Aug 2012 12:04:10 EST news263473443 Many health care systems across the US have declined to participate in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) Accountable Care Organization (ACO) program, developed under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), to improve efficiency and quality of health care delivery. In a groundbreaking collection of commentaries in the current issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, representatives of six leading health care organizations write about the challenges of reducing health care costs while improving health care quality. They further explain why they did or did not choose to participate in one of the two models now operational at CMS. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-hcos-opportunities-quest-quality.html Health Thu, 02 Aug 2012 00:00:02 EST news263057500 Mayo Clinic researchers have found a novel way to monitor real-time chemical changes in the brains of patients undergoing deep brain stimulation (DBS). The groundbreaking insight will help physicians more effectively use DBS to treat brain disorders such as Parkinson's disease, depression and Tourette syndrome. The findings are published in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-tool-track-real-time-chemical-brain.html Neuroscience Mon, 16 Jul 2012 00:00:02 EST news261573831 In the realm of deadly and disabling diseases, conditions such as cancer and Alzheimer's seem to attract the most media attention. But there are others that take a similarly high toll, and rheumatoid arthritis is one of them, Mayo Clinic researchers say. It is a common cause of disability: 1 of every 5 rheumatoid arthritis patients is unable to work two years after diagnosis, and within five years, that rises to one-third. Life expectancy drops by up to five years, they write in the July issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings in an article taking stock of current diagnosis and treatment approaches. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-rheumatoid-arthritis-high-toll-unemployment.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Mon, 02 Jul 2012 04:30:01 EST news260420969 Mayo Clinic researchers have discovered an association between a commonly prescribed blood pressure drug, Olmesartan, and severe gastrointestinal issues such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss and electrolyte abnormalities -- symptoms common among those who have celiac disease. The findings are published online today in the medical journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-common-blood-pressure-drug-linked.html Medications Thu, 21 Jun 2012 13:25:04 EST news259503892 Mayo Clinic researchers have identified an immune system deficiency whose presence shows someone is up to four times likelier to die than a person without it. The glitch involves an antibody molecule called a free light chain; people whose immune systems produce too much of the molecule are far more likely to die of a life-threatening illness such as cancer, diabetes and cardiac and respiratory disease than those whose bodies make normal levels. The study is published in the June issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-ids-immune-glitch-tied-fourfold.html Immunology Mon, 04 Jun 2012 00:20:03 EST news257925809 Micah True, legendary ultra-marathoner, died suddenly while on a routine 12-mile training run March 27, 2012. The mythic Caballo Blanco in the best-selling book, Born to Run, True would run as far as 100 miles in a day. On autopsy his heart was enlarged and scarred; he died of a lethal arrhythmia (irregularity of the heart rhythm). Although speculative, the pathologic changes in the heart of this 58 year-old veteran extreme endurance athlete may have been manifestations of "Phidippides cardiomyopathy," a condition caused by chronic excessive endurance exercise. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-excessive-good.html Health Mon, 04 Jun 2012 00:00:01 EST news257925025 In the United States, one person dies of melanoma every hour. More than 60,000 new cases of this potentially fatal form of skin cancer will be diagnosed this year, and this number is growing at an alarming rate. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-05-medical-minute-safe-tan.html Cancer Mon, 28 May 2012 10:20:05 EST news257400714