http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. heralded for its low complication rates—actually results in more complications than whole-breast radiation one year after treatment, Yale School of Medicine researchers report in the October issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-older-breast-cancer-patients-complications.html Cancer Mon, 22 Oct 2012 16:00:04 EST news270136740 Older adults who get the shingles vaccine have a nearly 50 percent reduced risk of developing the often debilitating disease, finds a new evidence review from The Cochrane Library. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-shingles-vaccine-painful-disease-older.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Wed, 17 Oct 2012 08:10:01 EST news269678263 Collaborative care, a model that involves multiple clinicians working with a patient, significantly improves depression and anxiety outcomes compared to standard primary care treatment for up to two years, finds a new review by The Cochrane Library. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-collaborative-teams-mental-health-outcomes.html Health Wed, 17 Oct 2012 08:00:01 EST news269678056 Combined folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 supplements had no statistically significant effect on the risk of colorectal adenoma among women who were at high risk for cardiovascular disease, according to a study published October 12 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-folic-acid-vitamins-b6-affect.html Cancer Fri, 12 Oct 2012 16:00:01 EST news269257108 (HealthDay)—A large and unselected community-based study has confirmed the results of randomized controlled trials that have found persistent statin use to be beneficial for the primary prevention of acute cardiac events; the study was published online Sept. 27 in The American Journal of Cardiology. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-larger-statins-role-cardiac-events.html Cardiology Fri, 05 Oct 2012 14:10:01 EST news268660433 Manipulating or "adjusting" the spine is a popular way to treat occasional or acute lower back pain and is covered by many health insurance plans, but a recent review by The Cochrane Library finds no evidence to suggest it is more effective than other therapy options. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-evidence-spinal-acute-pain.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Fri, 21 Sep 2012 09:36:53 EST news267438995 "Rooming in," keeping mother and her newborn in the same room 24/7 to encourage breastfeeding has been a popular initiative of The WHO/UNICEF Baby Friendly Hospital. A new review from The Cochrane Library finds some evidence that it does support breastfeeding, at least in the short term. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-evidence-rooming-mother-baby-birth.html Health Fri, 14 Sep 2012 08:00:01 EST news266826984 Press releases and news stories reporting the results of randomized controlled trials often contain "spin"—specific reporting strategies (intentional or unintentional) emphasizing the beneficial effect of the experimental treatment—but such "spin" frequently comes from the abstract (summary) of the actual study published in a scientific journal, rather than being related to misinterpretation by the media, according to French researchers writing in this week's PLOS Medicine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-media-scientific-articles.html Other Tue, 11 Sep 2012 17:00:02 EST news266597717 An analysis of patient data from 29 randomized controlled trials suggests that acupuncture may be better than no acupuncture or sham acupuncture for the treatment of some chronic pain, according to a report published Online First by Archives of Internal Medicine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-acupuncture-sham-chronic-pain.html Other Mon, 10 Sep 2012 16:00:02 EST news266501332 Although there are concerns regarding the potential development of malignancies in patients with rheumatoid arthritis who are receiving treatment with biologic response modifiers (BRMs), pooled results from more than 60 randomized controlled trials did not find a statistically significant increased risk of any type of cancer with use of BRMs for at least 6 months compared with traditional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs or with placebo, according to the results of a meta-analysis published in the September 5 issue of JAMA. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-biologic-therapy-rheumatoid-arthritis-significantly.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Tue, 04 Sep 2012 16:00:14 EST news265963819 The use of newer drugs, a greater number of effective drugs, and a longer treatment regimen may be associated with improved survival of patients with multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TR), according to a large study by a team of international researchers published in this week's PLOS Medicine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-treatment-options-multidrug-resistant-tb.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Tue, 28 Aug 2012 17:00:02 EST news265374341 Major randomized controlled trials of new therapies for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are conducted on patients who are not typical of those who physicians see in day-to-day practice, according to a new study in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the official clinical practice journal of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-typical-ibd-patients.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Wed, 22 Aug 2012 13:40:28 EST news264861620 Among intermediate- to high-risk patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery, administration of the agent acadesine to regulate adenosine (a naturally occurring chemical that dilates blood flow and can improve coronary blood flow and perfusion) did not reduce all-cause death, nonfatal stroke, or need for mechanical support for ventricular dysfunction, for approximately a month after surgery, according to a study in the July 11 issue of JAMA. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-administration-agent-prior-cabg-surgery.html Cardiology Tue, 10 Jul 2012 16:13:27 EST news261155589 (Medical Xpress) -- A new study has found that although there has been an explosion in the scientific underpinning of modern medicine, gaps still remain in our knowledge when it comes to clinicians looking after patients' well being, especially for older people. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-modern-medicine-patients.html Health Fri, 06 Jul 2012 09:17:54 EST news260785062 An increased risk of bladder cancer is linked to the use of pioglitazone, a medication commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes, according to a new study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-diabetes-drugs-bladder-cancer.html Cancer Tue, 03 Jul 2012 12:00:01 EST news260534741 Among nearly 200,000 individuals, daily use of low-dose aspirin was associated with an increased risk of major gastrointestinal or cerebral bleeding, according to a study in the June 6 issue of JAMA. The authors also found that patients with diabetes had a high rate of major bleeding, irrespective of aspirin use. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-major-low-dose-aspirin-patients-diabetes.html Medical research Tue, 05 Jun 2012 16:00:01 EST news258113949 While immediate postexposure treatment for suspected HIV is critical, pre-exposure preventive treatment is a newer method that may be effective for people in high-risk groups, states a review of evidence published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-05-antiretroviral-treatment-hiv-infection-evidence.html HIV & AIDS Mon, 28 May 2012 12:00:01 EST news257414615 Large randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are critical for determining effectiveness of medical therapies, tests and procedures. Yet Canada provides scant support for these studies compared with other western countries, states an analysis in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-05-canada-significantly-funding-randomized-clinical.html Other Tue, 22 May 2012 12:00:02 EST news256904505 Peter B. Bach, M.D., of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, and colleagues conducted a systematic review to examine the evidence regarding the benefits and harms of low-dose computerized tomography (LDCT) screening for lung cancer, which is the leading cause of cancer death. "Most patients are diagnosed with advanced disease, resulting in a very low 5-year survival rate," the authors write. "Renewed enthusiasm for lung screening arose with the advent of LDCT imaging, which is able to identify smaller nodules than can chest radiographs." http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-05-low-dose-ct-screening-benefit-individuals.html Cancer Sun, 20 May 2012 11:00:03 EST news256713347 The Endocrine Society's new scientific statement published online today represents the first comprehensive evaluation of both the basic and clinical evidence related to the non-skeletal effects of vitamin D. The statement addresses current research regarding the associations of vitamin D with immune function, hypertension, stroke, skin conditions and maternal/fetal health. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-05-experts-clinical-trials-non-skeletal-benefits.html Health Fri, 18 May 2012 03:44:10 EST news256531438 Physical activity is associated with reduced breast and colon cancer mortality, but there is insufficient evidence on the association for other cancer types, according to a study published May 8 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-05-physical-linked-mortality-breast-colon.html Cancer Tue, 08 May 2012 16:00:15 EST news255696645 Consumption of probiotics (live microorganisms, which may occur naturally in foods such as yogurt, intended to confer a health benefit when consumed) is associated with a reduced risk of antibiotic-associated diarrhea, a common adverse effect of antibiotic use, according to a review and meta-analysis of previous studies published in the May 9 issue of JAMA. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-05-probiotics-diarrhea-antibiotic.html Medications Tue, 08 May 2012 16:00:07 EST news255710407 Oral zinc treatments may shorten the duration of symptoms of the common cold in adults, although adverse effects are common, according to a study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-05-oral-zinc-lessen-common-cold.html Medications Mon, 07 May 2012 12:00:01 EST news255605369 More expensive biologic treatments for psoriasis were only marginally more effective than standard treatments, according to a new study led by researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Researchers found that previously reported response rates from randomized controlled trials were higher than results in a clinical, real-world setting. The research was published in the Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives Journals. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-expensive-psoriasis-drugs-slightly-effective.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Mon, 30 Apr 2012 04:00:01 EST news254976504 An analysis of individual data from prospective studies assessing the risks of thyroid dysfunction suggests that subclinical hyperthyroidism may be associated with increased risk of total mortality, coronary heart disease (CHD) death and incident atrial fibrillation (AF), although the risk of CHD mortality and AF is higher when thyrotropin levels are below 0.10 mIU/L, according to a report published Online First in Archives of Internal Medicine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-subclinical-hyperthyroidism-coronary-heart-disease.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Mon, 23 Apr 2012 16:00:02 EST news254398098 (HealthDay) -- At least one in 10 U.S. adults is estimated to have chronic kidney disease, but whether screening and monitoring people in the earlier stages of the disease provides a benefit just isn't clear, a new review of the available clinical trials revealed. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-role-screening-early-kidney-disease.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Tue, 17 Apr 2012 12:00:01 EST news253881510 Suffering from a chronic illness can drain a person's quality of life, but add in depression, and the results are debilitating. A new study from University of Georgia researchers shows that exercise training can reduce depression symptoms in patients with a chronic illness. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-chronic-illness.html Health Wed, 04 Apr 2012 06:02:58 EST news252738169 (HealthDay) -- There is limited evidence that the school environment impacts adolescent mental health, according to a review published online April 2 in Pediatrics. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-school-environment-effect-teen-mental.html Psychology & Psychiatry Tue, 03 Apr 2012 04:40:01 EST news252644612 A new report published online today in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics systematically reviews and updates the evidence underlying the recommendation in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 to consume a diet low in energy density (ED). The report addresses the growing body of evidence linking ED, or the number of calories in a given amount of food, and body weight in adults as well as children and adolescents. The systematic review concluded that there is strong and consistent evidence in adults showing that consuming a diet higher in ED is associated with increased body weight, while consuming a diet that is relatively low in ED improves weight loss and weight maintenance. In children and adolescents, moderately strong evidence shows a relationship between higher ED diets and increased weight. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-strong-evidence-low-energy-density-diets-weight.html Health Tue, 03 Apr 2012 03:46:52 EST news252643604 A review of clinical trials comparing warfarin with other medications for stroke prevention suggests that warfarin was associated with a low risk of stroke or non-central nervous system embolism in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (rapid, irregular heart beat), according to a study published Online First by Archives of Internal Medicine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-warfarin-residual-patients-atrial-fibrillation.html Cardiology Mon, 26 Mar 2012 16:00:02 EST news251986175