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Clinical Times: August 2007

Children’s taste preferences linked to fast-food branding

Archives of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine | 31 August 2007 |

Preschool children preferred the taste of foods and drinks in McDonald’s packaging to the same foods and drinks in unbranded packaging, according to a new report. According to the report, researchers studied children aged three to five years who tasted... Read more

Smokers at greater risk of developing macular degeneration

Archives of Ophthalmology | 31 August 2007 | Eye, Ear, Nose & Throat

Current and past smokers appear to have a higher risk of developing late age-related macular degeneration (AMD) than those who have never smoked, according to a new report. The study examined 2,454 Australians aged over 49 to study the association... Read more

DNA-based vaccine for treatment of diabetes

Archives of Neurology | 31 August 2007 | Diabetes

A newly developed DNA-based vaccine appears safe and effective against multiple sclerosis, according to a new study. If the study’s results are confirmed in a follow-up clinical trial already under way, the study’s researchers believe that DNA-based vaccines can be... Read more

Diabetics with ACS at greater risk of dying

JAMA | 31 August 2007 | Cardiovascular, Diabetes

Individuals with diabetes and such acute coronary syndromes (ACS) as heart attack and unstable angina have an increased risk of death at 30 days and one year after ACS, compared with ACS patients without diabetes, according to a new study.... Read more

Chlamydia screening is shown as not good value for money

BMJ | 31 August 2007 | Genito-urinary, Men's Health, Women's Health

Proactive chlamydia screening for young adults does not represent good value for money, according to a study. Researchers noted that with proactive screening, doctors and nurses use population registers to invite people to be screened regularly, while opportunistic screening targets... Read more

Childhood leukaemia– medicine is now moving towards a total cure

Prof Owen Patrick Smith | 31 August 2007 | Cancer

Fifty years ago childhood leukaemia was fatal within six months in the majority of children. In 1957 less than one per cent of children with leukaemia were expected to be long-term survivors. Today approximately 85 per cent of children and... Read more

Exhaust fumes heighten asthma risk in children

Thorax | 31 August 2007 | Respiratory

Exhaust fumes heighten the risk of asthma in children who are already genetically susceptible to respiratory disease, new research has indicated. The researchers studied microsomal epoxide hydrolase (EPHX1) levels and genetic variations in gluathione S-transferase P1 (GSTP1) in more than... Read more

Coming to terms with Tourette's, part two

Dr Muhammad Arshad | 31 August 2007 | Mental Health & CNS

Ferenczi (1921) described a tic as libido connected with genital sensation, being displaced onto other body parts, resulting in increased pleasure in muscular movements. Abraham (1921) postulated a tic had an anal origin and was supported by Klein (1925) “tic... Read more

A highly innovative procedure for fractures

Dr J Van Meirhaeghe | 24 August 2007 | Musculoskeletal

Balloon Kyphoplasty (BKP) is a minimally invasive treatment option for painful vertebral compression fractures (VCF). After the creation of a void by means of two balloons, a viscous bone cement is injected to stabilise the fracture. Important advantages of Balloon... Read more

Obesity prior to a pregnancy associated with birth defects

Archives of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine | 24 August 2007 | Women's Health

Mothers of babies born with some structural birth defects-including missing limbs, malformed hearts and underdeveloped spinal cords appear more likely to be obese prior to becoming pregnant than mothers whose children are born without such defects, according to a new... Read more

What a diabolical way to die

David Sowby | 24 August 2007 | Gastro-intestinal, Mental Health & CNS

In recent months there has been considerable interest in polonium employed for homicidal purposes. Polonium isn’t normally a substance that the medical profession comes across, so it might be useful to explain some of the reasons that make it such... Read more

Coming to terms with Tourette's, part one

Dr Muhammad Arshad | 24 August 2007 | Mental Health & CNS

Tourette’s syndrome (TS) is not a rare condition. It affects up to one per cent of schoolchildren and is a chronic familial disorder with a fluctuating course as most of the patients show mild symptoms and live a normal successful... Read more

Effectiveness of VAC therapy questioned

24 August 2007 | Skin

Researchers have questioned the effectiveness and value of an increasingly popular treatment used in the treatment of long-term wounds– topical negative pressure. Topical negative pressure, also known as ‘VAC’ Therapy, involves first placing a foam dressing, cut to shape, into... Read more

ADHD could cause lower dopamine functioning

Archives of General Psychiatry | 24 August 2007 | Mental Health & CNS

Adults with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) show a blunted response to the drug methylphenidate (Ritalin), which increases brain dopamine levels, according to a new study. This finding suggests that dopamine dysfunction may be involved with ADHD symptoms and may contribute... Read more

Hyperparathyroidism a further risk for CKD patients

24 August 2007 | Genito-urinary

For patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), the risk of elevated levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH), or hyperparathyroidism- a significant complication that increases the risk of cardiovascular problems and death- increases along with body weight, reports a study in the... Read more

Doctors are prescribing too many antibiotics to children

BMJ | 10 August 2007 |

UK researchers found that the level of prescribing of antibiotics to children there is high enough to cause drug resistance. The researchers referred to a 1999 study which found that 55 per cent of children aged up to five years... Read more

Diabetes takes profound toll on quality of life

BMC Public Health | 10 August 2007 | Diabetes

A new Greek study has found that diabetes and its complications can take a profound toll on quality of life in the elderly. Greek doctors attempted to assess health-related quality of life of Type 2 diabetes patients and to identify... Read more

Farmers unhappiest of all self-employed

Occupational and Environmental Medicine | 10 August 2007 | Mental Health & CNS

Although self employment may be good for productivity, farmers score badly on every measure of health and quality of life, a Finnish study has revealed. Researchers assessed factors affecting productivity, as well as perceived health and quality of life among... Read more

Obesity is greater likelihood if friends or family are obese

New England Journal of Medicine | 10 August 2007 |

Obese friends and family members are at risk for obesity, a new study has found. US researchers performed a quantitative analysis of the nature and extent of the person-to-person spread of obesity as a possible factor contributing to the obesity... Read more

Healthcare workers should set standards on influenza vaccine

Dr Alan Smith | 10 August 2007 | Infections & Immunology

In 2005, the World Health Assembly (WHA) issued a resolution for the prevention and control of influenza pandemics and annual epidemics. It urged European Union member states to establish and implement strategies to increase vaccination coverage with the goal of... Read more

Fragile X syndrome is both treatable and highly manageable

Dr Muhammad Arshad & Prof Michael Fitzgerald | 10 August 2007 | Mental Health & CNS

“Our wealth of research strategies and technologies may soon lead to new forms of therapy and medication. Someday we may be able to prevent the mental retardation and other symptoms of Fragile X.” Dr James Watson (Noble prize winner). Fragile... Read more

Obesity increase in Ireland is driving type 2 diabetes

Dr Mary Ryan | 03 August 2007 | Diabetes

Obese children and adolescents are at increased risk for the development of insulin resistance and the subsequent development of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease and other disorders. For most of the 20th century cardiovascular disease was... Read more

Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators appear to be extremely effective

JAMA | 03 August 2007 | Cardiovascular

High-risk patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy appear to have reduced risk of sudden cardiac death with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator. In a new study, doctors examined the risk profile and incidence and effectiveness of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) intervention in patients with hypertrophic... Read more

New study on babies and sudden death

Archives of Disease in Childhood | 03 August 2007 |

Very young babies are vulnerable to sudden death when seated, a new study has warned. The researchers based their findings on an analysis of all sudden unexpected deaths occurring among babies up to 12 months of age in the Canadian... Read more

Hip protector does not reduce the risk of hip fracture for elderly

JAMA | 03 August 2007 | Musculoskeletal

Use of an energy-absorbing hip protector does not provide a protective effect against hip fracture for nursing home residents, according to a new study. In the study, doctors conducted a randomised controlled trial to test the effectiveness of an energy-absorbing... Read more

Medications may provide diabetes treatment option

JAMA | 03 August 2007 | Diabetes

A review of previous studies indicates that use of so-called “incretin-based therapy,” which acts via certain pathways that affect glucose metabolism, may provide modest effectiveness and favourable weight change outcomes for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and may represent... Read more