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Clinical Times: May 2008
Small proportion of low-risk prostate cancers become life-threatening
31 May 2008 | Cancer
The disparity between reported incidence and mortality rates leads to the probable conclusion that only a small proportion of diagnosed low-risk prostate cancers will progress to life-threatening disease during the lifetime of the patient, according to leading experts. The experts,... Read more
Obese population uses 18 per cent more food energy
The Lancet 2008; 371:1661 | 30 May 2008 | Nutrition
Promotion of healthy urban transport policies, such as walking and cycling, would help reduce both world oil demand and global food insecurity — not only through less car use overall, but by reducing the excess demands on food and car... Read more
Citalopram may prevent depression in patients with head and neck cancer
Archives of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery 2008;134:528-535 | 29 May 2008 | Mental Health & CNS
Taking the antidepressant citalopram before beginning treatment for head and neck cancer may help prevent depression during therapy, according to results of a new pilot study. In the study, doctors conducted a randomised clinical trial involving patients with head and... Read more
Easing the pain of rotator cuff tears
Mr John Lunn | 23 May 2008 | Musculoskeletal
Mr John Lunn, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at the Hermitage Medical Clinic, looks at rotator cuff tears and how treatment can be tailored according to the patient's profile. Rotator cuff tears are a problem more often seen in older individuals. They... Read more
Coarse air pollution not linked to hospital admission for respiratory diseases
23 May 2008 | Respiratory
Exposure to coarse particulate matter air pollution such as from agricultural activities, windblown dust and mechanical grinding is not statistically significantly associated with emergency hospital admissions for respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, according to a new study. Although the health risks... Read more
Youth in smoke-free towns in US
Archives of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine 2008;162:477-483 | 23 May 2008 | Respiratory
Young people who live in American towns where regulations ban smoking in restaurants may be less likely to become established smokers, according to a new report. According to the report, doctors studied 3,834 youths who were aged 12 to 17... Read more
Breastfeeding improves kids' IQ
Archives of General Psychiatry 2008;65:578-584 | 22 May 2008 | Nutrition
Long-term, exclusive breastfeeding appears to improve children’s cognitive development, according to a new report. In the study, doctors conducted a randomised trial of a breastfeeding promotion programme involving patients at 31 maternity hospitals and affiliated clinics in Belarus. Between June... Read more
Prevention, screening and diagnosis of lung cancer
Dr Roisin O Cearbhaill | 22 May 2008 | Respiratory
Dr Roisín O Cearbhaill, a registrar in medical oncology at Beaumont Hospital was runner-up in the 2007 Roche/Irish Medical Times Lung Cancer Medical Bursary award. This is her entry on the prevention, screening and diagnosis of lung cancer in Ireland... Read more
Anxiety disorders: a modern problem
21 May 2008 | Mental Health & CNS
Prof Patricia Casey and Dr Divina Pillay look at the rising rates of panic and anxiety disorders in the first of a four-part Irish Medical Times series on panic disorders. Anxiety is an emotion experienced by everyone at some stage... Read more
Statins may help to reduce blood pressure
Archives of Internal Medicine 2008;168:721-727 | 20 May 2008 | Cardiovascular
Statins may modestly reduce a person’s blood pressure, according to a new report. Several previous studies have suggested that statins may have an effect on blood pressure, particularly in patients with hypertension. Doctors conducted a randomised, double-blind trial comparing statins... Read more
Low levels of vitamin D linked to depression in older adults
Archives of General Psychiatry 2008;65:508-512 | 20 May 2008 | Mental Health & CNS, Nutrition
Older adults with low blood levels of vitamin D and high blood levels of parathyroid hormone have a higher risk of depression, according to a new report. The report followed a study by Dutch doctors of the connection between blood... Read more
Physical activity more likely to prevent breast cancer in certain groups
First British Journal of Sports Medicine | 20 May 2008 | Cancer, Women's Health
Physically active women are 25 per cent less likely to get breast cancer, but certain groups are more likely to see these benefits than others, new research has found. The type of activity undertaken, at what time in life, and... Read more
Who's afraid of the 'medical model'?
Dr John Wallace | 20 May 2008 | Mental Health & CNS
The expression ‘medical model’ is often used as a term of disparagement. This particular phrase is thrown about with abandon and is sometimes used as a professional attack, with the aim appearing to be to discount an approach to patients... Read more
Listen to gut feelings about nocturnal GORD
Prof Fergus Gleeson | 19 May 2008 | Gastro-intestinal
Prof Fergus Gleeson on the importance of managing nocturnal GORD, a condition which can have serious complications if left untreated. Gastro-oesophage-al reflux disease (GORD) is the most common chronic disorder of the oesophagus. Population studies in the USA estimate that... Read more
Challenges of imaging the obese patient
Dr Orla Buckley | 18 May 2008 | Gastro-intestinal
Dr Orla Buckley explains the problems faced by radiologists when it comes to imaging patients who are obese - and outlines ways to minimse the risks involved. It is estimated that at least 30 per cent of the population of... Read more
The disgrace of Ireland's blood pressure statistics
Prof Eoin O'Brien | 16 May 2008 | Cardiovascular
The ‘SLÁN 2007 Survey of Lifestyle, Attitudes and Nutrition in Ireland’ has just been published (www.slan07.ie). This is the most comprehensive survey of the state of Ireland’s health, involving face-to-face interviews with over 10,000 adults, along with a sub-study on... Read more
Education on diet and smoking could improve indigenous cancer rates
The Lancet Oncology 2008;9:473-484 | 16 May 2008 | Cancer, Nutrition
Education on screening programmes, diet and smoking could tackle higher mortality rates among indigenous peoples, researchers have claimed. That claim follows revelations that native residents of Hawaii and New Zealand have much higher mortality rates for many cancers than the... Read more
Risk of death from smoking reduces within several years after quitting
JAMA 2008;299:2037-2047 | 16 May 2008 | Cancer, Women's Health
Women who quit smoking have about a 20 per cent lower risk of death from smoking-related cancers within five years of quitting, according to a new study. In the study, American researchers assessed the relationship between cigarette smoking and smoking... Read more
7 in 10 girls to get cervical cancer shot
BMJ Online First: http://press.psprings.co.uk/bmj/april/HPV.pdf | 15 May 2008 | Cancer, Women's Health
Seven in ten girls are likely to be vaccinated against the human papillomavirus (HPV) when the UK’s vaccination programme comes into effect in the autumn, according to researchers there. The Manchester-based pilot study is the first to look at whether... Read more
Patients with homozygosity may have a greater predisposition to cancer
JAMA 2008;299:1437-1445 | 09 May 2008 | Cancer
Persons with a certain type of homozygosity may have a greater predisposition to cancer, according to a new study. In the study, doctors investigated the frequency of germline homozygosity in a large series of patients with three different types of... Read more
Limited benefit from adding gemcitabine
JAMA 2008;299:1019-1026 | 09 May 2008 | Cancer
The addition of the drug gemcitabine with chemoradiation for the treatment of patients who had surgery for pancreatic cancer was associated with a survival benefit, although this improvement was not statistically significant, according to a new study. Doctors investigated if... Read more
Limited benefit from adding gemcitabine
JAMA 2008;299:1019-1026 | 09 May 2008 | Cancer
The addition of the drug gemcitabine with chemoradiation for the treatment of patients who had surgery for pancreatic cancer was associated with a survival benefit, although this improvement was not statistically significant, according to a new study. Doctors investigated if... Read more
Non-polypoid colon neoplasms linked to colorectal cancer
JAMA 2008;299:1027-1035 | 09 May 2008 | Cancer
Flat, non-polypoid colorectal neoplasms (NP-CRNs), which may be difficult to detect, appear to be relatively common and may have a greater association with cancer compared with the more routinely diagnosed type of colorectal polyps, according to a new study. In... Read more
Survival rates appear lower for scalp and neck melanoma than other sites
Archives of Dermatology 2008;144:515-521 | 09 May 2008 | Cancer
Individuals with melanoma on their scalp or neck appear less likely to survive for five or 10 years than those with melanoma at other sites, according to a new report. In the study, doctors analysed data from US cancer registries... Read more
Lung cancer: the role of the nurse
Ms Rita Luddy | 09 May 2008 | Cancer
Ms Rita Luddy, winner of the 2007 Roche/Irish Medical Times Lung Cancer Bursary (nurse or other healthcare professional category), on the challenges facing clinical nurse specialists Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer related deaths worldwide (Silvestri GA, 2002).... Read more
Lung cancer: the role of the nurse
Ms Rita Luddy | 09 May 2008 | Cancer
Ms Rita Luddy, winner of the 2007 Roche/Irish Medical Times Lung Cancer Bursary (nurse or other healthcare professional category), on the challenges facing clinical nurse specialists Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer related deaths worldwide (Silvestri GA, 2002).... Read more
A head start on child protection
Natalya Anderson | 09 May 2008 | Mental Health & CNS
Natalya Anderson reports from a UK conference, where the need for healthcare professionals to be able to identify non-accidental head injuries was stressed Multi-disciplinary assessment and training is essential in the identification of non-accidental head injury (NAHI) in very young... Read more
Targeting cardiovascular benefits
Prof John Feely | 09 May 2008 | Cardiovascular
Prof John Feely reports from the 2008 American College of Cardiology meeting, where new developments were highlighted for the treatment of cardiovascular disease One might question why we need more studies in cardiovascular (CV) disease. In reality, it still remains... Read more
Women found positive for human papilloma virus despite clear pap tests
Annals of Internal Medicine, April 1, 2008 | 09 May 2008 | Women's Health
A new study has found that almost one-quarter of women screened by DNA tested positive for the human papilloma virus (HPV). The findings, from nearly 10,000 women screened with pap tests for cervical cancer and with DNA tests for HPV,... Read more
New surgical treatments for back pain
Mr Stephen Young | 09 May 2008 | Musculoskeletal
Mr Steven Young, Consultant Neurosurgeon at the Hermitage Medical Clinic, on a new surgical procedure using interspinous implants which eases the suffering caused by chronic back pain There is a growing interest in the use of interspinous implants to stabilise... Read more
Anaemia treatments can cause blood clots
JAMA 2008;299:914-924 | 09 May 2008 | Cancer
Treating anaemia with such erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) as erythropoietin and darbepoetin is associated with an increased risk of venous thromboembolism and death among patients with cancer, according to a new study.... Read more
Time to consider lung cancer care
Dr Lizzy Smith | 04 May 2008 | Cancer
Dr Lizzy Smyth, winner of the 2007 Roche/Irish Medical Times Lung Cancer Medical Bursary, examines lung cancer care in Ireland today and future treatment options. Lung cancer is not the most common cancer Ireland, but it is responsible for the... Read more
Taking on board the risks of cruise travel
Dr Nicholas O'Keefe | 03 May 2008 | Infections & Immunology
Dr Nicholas O'Keeffe on the unique health challenges associated with cruise ships, where the confined space and a compact community mean that infectious diseases can spread rapidly. The emergence of air travel in the 1960s replaced large ocean liners as... Read more
Panic disorder treatment and diagnosing the patient
Dr John Wallace | 01 May 2008 | Mental Health & CNS
Dr John Wallace writes on how to diagnose panic disorder in patients, the different treatments available for treating the condition and their long-term effectiveness. Anxiety is a normal emotion that is experienced by everyone at some time. Intervention is required,... Read more
Follow-up unnecessary for all child survivors
01 May 2008 | Cancer
Many child cancer patients will benefit from ongoing follow-up, but others should be allowed to move on and put the experience of cancer behind them, according to leading UK-based experts in paediatric oncology. Most adults who survive cancer are discharged... Read more