Age of Live Kidney Donor Makes Little Difference in Organ's Health

Clickbank Products Age of Live Kidney Donor Makes Little Difference in Organ's Health



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THURSDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- The age of a live kidney donor has little effect on the long-term health of a transplanted kidney in recipients older than age 39, a new study says.

The findings should encourage more people to participate in living donor paired-exchange programs ("kidney swaps"), said Dr. John Gill, of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, and colleagues.

In kidney-swap programs, a donor whose kidney isn't compatible with a loved one who needs a new kidney instead donates a kidney to a stranger. In return, the donor's loved one receives a kidney from someone else.

The researchers analyzed data from all adult kidney transplants from living donors that were performed in the United States between January 1988 and December 2003. Follow-ups continued through September 2007.

The age of the kidney donors, which ranged from 18 to 64 years, had minimal effect on the survival of transplanted kidneys in recipients older than age 39. Recipients ages 18 to 39 benefited the most when they received kidneys from donors in the same age group.

The study appears online March 22 in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

"This information should help increase participation and efficiency of living donor paired-exchange programs because it alleviates patient concerns about receiving a kidney from an older-aged living donor," Gill said in a journal news release.

Nearly 90,000 people in the United States are waiting for a kidney transplant, according to the release, and many will die before a suitable kidney becomes available. Kidney-swap programs help increase the donor pool.

-- Robert Preidt Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved. SOURCE: Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, news release, March 19, 2012

Kidney,Donor,Makes,Little,Difference,Organs,Health

At the risk of acting drug the children of mothers with

Clickbank Products At the risk of acting drug the children of mothers with



By Steven Reinberg
Per-minute reporter

Monday, March 19, 2008 (minutes News) – children develop methamphetamine in the womb face high risk of behavioral problems, suggests a new study on the surface.

These problems are depression, nervousness and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can be included in the report, the researchers.

"This is looked at children born in childhood, the only research based on methamphetamine," study author Linda LaGasse, Clinical Assistant Professor of medicine at Brown University medical school, said in Pediatrics.

Methamphetamine, "children and other bad things that is causing the problem with the above behavior," said the mother of the fetus using LaGasse.

Stimulants in the body of the drug because of the longer lasting is thought to be much more powerful than cocaine, she explained. "Methamphetamine enters and affects the brain on the right side of the placenta," she said.

Report online March 19, and the issue of Pediatrics in April.

Dr. James C. Garbutt, alcohol and drug abuse program at the University of North Carolina, medical director and Professor of "these data suggest that exposure in utero that methamphetamine may cause problems with the children, action and pointed out that this is the future for the research must be considered."

This information is another reason, men and women, in order to avoid, or methamphetamine, alcohol addiction, Garbutt to be., if

"Of course there are many reasons for different individuals, and their serious consequences for the physical and mental health, its use, such as the overall destructive methamphetamine," he said.

Lagasse's team 147 had not been exposed to similar children drugs, methamphetamine during pregnancy compared to test the mother's 166 children.

Do not use methamphetamine result OK other factors related to the calming, the researchers said, alcohol and marijuana cigarettes account for the mother's between the two groups.

The researchers also used their mother's methamphetamine, age and other environmental risk factors, saw a range of.

Children's guardians when the researchers used to evaluate action 3 is filled again, and 5 years old.

Two assessment from methamphetamine exposure and more emotionally unstable, that tension, and they responded as well as depressed, disturbed by the change, "LaGasse said.

ADHD children by age 5, and other acting-out behavior also trail of.

In addition, children had a mother with two heavy methamphetamine users two types of problem in reviews.

Dr. Bruce Goldman, Zucker hillside hospital, Glen Oaks, NY, North Shore-LIJ health system's Executive Director of substance abuse services in some research commented on.

"Looking overly surprising," he said. "It is a woman who would be any long-term effects on your baby through pregnancy and methamphetamine use is only commonsense."

That's another medication and in fact, he said.

"We are reaching out to women giving birth, age, and continued with the use of a scalpel during pregnancy, the long-term results of Ambassador Peter for help to educate them," Goldman said.

Drug abuse substance abuse of children-and a high lifetime risk by as much as four times higher, he added.

"The previous intervention, these children, these long term results can start to have a better chance of avoiding," Goldman said.

It was agreed that the study authors LaGasse.

"You coming into the household may be vulnerable and weak there kids look at [that] get off the normal behavior by age 3, is" LaGasse said.

"These actions are worthy of high risk families resolving, especially," he said. "If anything, and the other for those youth and drug problems are some of the children who end up. Parents and teachers need to pay attention to these children. "

Copyright © 2012 per minute. All rights reserved. Source: Linda L. LaGasse, Ph.d., Providence, R.I.; Brown University School of Medicine Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Bruce Goldman, MD, Director, substance abuse services, Zucker hillside hospital, North Shore-LIJ health system, Glen Oaks, New York; James C. Garbutt, m.d., Professor and Medical Director, alcohol and substance abuse program at the University of North Carolina; April 2012 Pediatrics

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Adult brain disease in the infant face trigger

Clickbank Products Adult brain disease in the infant face trigger

Tuesday, March 20, in the face of a baby-watching (per-minute news) adult brain exercise planning, appraisal, rewards of beverage can represent the response trigger, the researchers find the natural inclination to take care of an infant.

The researchers did not have children of their own baby and did not observe this pattern as an adult.

"These are adults, no children of their own: the image of the face of a baby yet and we are reaching out to kids that triggers their interest will be answered deeply embedded," study senior author Mark Kennedy Shriver National Institute of child and Eunice Bornstein, child health Research Institute and human development in Bethesda, Maryland, the head of the family research section at the press release said.

Published in the research journal Neuroimage in.

Infants and adults, puppies, and kittens bred dogs and cats face to face, the face and they saw the men and women of the brain activity of 7 to 9 MRI brain scan is used to record the United States, Germany, Italy, Japan Research Institute.

Infant face other than the image, the more activity in certain brain areas.

That includes the premotor cortex, supplementary motor area, the area of speech and movement; Plan to participate in a unique face recognition and participate in the fusiform; emotional excitement, empathy, attachments, and insula rewards associated with the outer cingulate.

Previous studies have reported a similar patterns in their early childhood parent.

What is infant brain activity can be a surge in that they need so they can receive treatment, researchers said.

However, this impulse to care for an infant child abuse occurs in adults who are able to shed from could not be found.

"It is equally neglected or abused children, an investigation is taking place in the brain of people is important," Bornstein said. "Further research and understanding can help adults, parenting instinct appears to operate two fails when instinct features."

-Mary Elizabeth Dallas minute copyright © 2012. All rights reserved. Source: United States National Institute of child health and human development, press release, 15 March 2012

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Continue in the vein of long trousers all year long

Clickbank Products Continue in the vein of long trousers all year long

Sunday, March 18, 2009-per-minute news)-varicose veins for cosmetic issues for most people, but they are for others can be a sign of a serious medical problem, says expert.

"The Americans are 20-25% of the vein, and about 6 percent more advanced venous diseases such as skin changes, sometimes ulcerations," Dr. Peter Gloviczki, Rochester, Minn., the Mayo Clinic said in a press release from vascular surgery clinic.

"Evaluation of ultrasound and eliminating the need for intravenous therapy of simple and accurate method to evaluate. New minimally invasive treatment is effective and performed with outpatient treatment, "he said of possible today, and the United States who have vascular surgery vein Gloviczki forums for community treatment of a vein for the countries to help develop guidelines.

Varicose veins in the legs, ankles, feet and usually appears. The elderly, pregnant women, obese people who are more likely to include and develop their people sitting or standing for long periods of time, or have a family history of varicose veins.

Some people with varicose veins, ulcers, bleeding, blood clots and skin changes, such as the more serious problem may occur depending on the minor leg Gloviczki.

Exercise, weight loss and elevating the legs and reduce pain and prevent varicose veins from worsening, he said. Doctors medical procedures before you choose for stockings, compression and blood flow to the legs, squeeze often is recommended to improve.

--Robert Preidt minute copyright © 2012. All rights reserved. Source: United States Mayo Clinic, press release, 03/12/2012

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Analysts Debate Importance of the 'Individual Mandate' to Health-Reform Law

Clickbank Products Analysts Debate Importance of the 'Individual Mandate' to Health-Reform Law



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By Margaret Steele
HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- When the U.S. Supreme Court hears challenges to the national health-reform law starting Monday, it will then have to decide if the federal government has the authority to insist that people buy health insurance.

Striking down the so-called "individual mandate," the most controversial provision of the Affordable Care Act, should the top court do so, wouldn't deliver a death blow to the health-reform package. But, it would alter projected costs and consumer participation, health policy experts said.

"If the individual responsibility provision is struck down, it is important that mechanisms are in place to ensure there's a balance in insurance pools to make sure younger, healthier people participate so premiums don't escalate," said Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, a national advocacy group for health-care consumers.

Pollack, who supports the Affordable Care Act, said other methods of attaining broad participation exist to hold down insurance costs, but it's premature to discuss them. The individual mandate -- which imposes tax penalties on those who don't buy insurance -- is the most effective formula, he said.

"Massachusetts has the individual insurance provision, and the experience in Massachusetts shows it does work," Pollack said.

It's estimated that at least 30 million uninsured Americans would gain health insurance under the law, 16 million as a result of the individual mandate.

Pollack said that even without the individual mandate, the health-care legislation includes other provisions for extending coverage to millions of people currently without insurance.

For instance, Medicaid eligibility will expand to include citizens and legal residents with annual incomes up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level -- about $14,850 for a single adult and $30,650 for a family of four in 2012. And federal tax subsidies will enable certain other people to buy coverage, Pollack said. It's estimated that Medicaid expansion would add 16 million people to the rolls of the insured.

John Goodman, president of the National Center for Policy Analysis, which opposes the health-reform law, said he anticipates affordability problems with or without the individual mandate.

"The mandate itself is pretty weak to begin with," he said. "I think people are overestimating its importance."

While the provision calls for most American adults to obtain health insurance, people who don't earn enough to file federal income tax returns and many others are exempt, Goodman pointed out. "That's millions of people," he said.

Goodman also said the penalties for not buying insurance are small compared to the price of insurance. That might tempt some people to "game the system" -- waiting until they're sick to buy insurance and canceling it when they're well -- "which will make it very expensive," he said.

Enforcement of the individual mandate will be left to the Internal Revenue Service, Goodman said, adding he doubts the agency will pursue violators aggressively. Fines will be phased in until 2016, when individuals refusing to obtain insurance would pay $695 and families $2,085 or 2.5 percent of total taxable income, according to figures from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.

For many people, that's a lot less than the cost of insurance, Goodman said. Although it varies by region and age, typical insurance premiums in 2016 are expected to average about $5,800 for an individual and $15,200 for a family of four, according to Goodman's analysis of figures from the Congressional Budget Office.

"This whole approach is flawed," Goodman said. He suggested that the architects of the Affordable Care Act should have taken cues from Medicare. "If you look at Medicare Part B premiums and Medicare Part D premiums, provisions and methods are in place to prevent people from gaming the system."

Pollack remains unfazed by that argument. If the penalties aren't strong enough, he said, "that can be corrected."

The RAND Corporation, a nonprofit research organization, predicts that the cost of buying policies through new insurance exchanges would increase only slightly if the individual mandate provision were removed. (The exchanges will be created to help small businesses and individuals purchase insurance through a more organized and competitive market.)

However, because fewer people would buy insurance if the mandate were eliminated, costs borne by the federal government would rise, the researchers said.

Eliminating the individual mandate would cut the predicted number of Americans buying new health coverage in 2016 from 27 million to 15 million and increase an individual's cost of buying insurance by 2.4 percent, according to the RAND analysis.

But Christine Eibner, an economist at RAND, said government spending for each person newly enrolled in a health insurance plan would more than double, reaching nearly $7,500 a person.

"Without the individual mandate, the government would have to spend more overall to insure a lot fewer people," Eibner said in a RAND news release.

Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved. SOURCES: Ron Pollack, executive director, Families USA, Washington, D.C.; John Goodman, president, National Center for Policy Analysis, Washington, D.C.; Feb. 16, 2012, news release, RAND Corporation

Analysts,Debate,Importance,Individual,Mandate,HealthReform

Antioxidants May Not Help Alzheimer's Patients

Clickbank Products Antioxidants May Not Help Alzheimer's Patients



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By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, March 19 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers have suggested that antioxidants might help thwart Alzheimer's disease, but a new study finds that a "cocktail" of vitamins E, vitamin C and alpha-lipoic acid has no effect on certain indicators of the brain disorder.

The supplements may even have hastened mental decline, the researchers said.

"The benefit on oxidative stress in the brain was small and is of unclear significance," said lead researcher Dr. Douglas Galasko, a professor in residence in the department of neurosciences at the University of California, San Diego.

"Patients did not show cognitive improvement in this short-term study; in fact, there was a slight worsening on one test of cognition in patients who received the antioxidant combination," Galasko said.

Aging causes oxidative damage in the brain, which is extensive in people with Alzheimer's disease. Clinical trials looking at whether a diet rich in antioxidants could reduce that risk have had mixed results, the researchers said.

This study does not support using any of these antioxidants once a diagnosis is made of established Alzheimer's disease, Galasko said. "If antioxidants continue to be tested against Alzheimer's disease, newer approaches or drugs may be needed," he said.

This study, published in the March 19 online edition of the Archives of Neurology, does not address whether taking antioxidants could help to prevent Alzheimer's disease, he noted. Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia among older people.

For the study, Galasko's team gave antioxidant supplements to 78 patients with Alzheimer's disease who were part of a study funded by the U.S. National Institute on Aging. The patients were placed into three groups. One group received daily doses of vitamin E, vitamin C and alpha-lipoic acid. A second group was given coenzyme Q (a compound made naturally in the body to protect cells from damage) three times a day. The third group received a placebo. After 16 weeks, 66 patients had their cerebrospinal fluid analyzed.

Among the three groups, the researchers found no difference in markers related to Alzheimer's disease in the cerebrospinal fluid. These markers included the amyloid-beta protein and the proteins tau and P-tau.

Galasko's group did see lower levels of one marker called F2-isoprostane, which could indicate a reduction in oxidative stress in the brain. However, the use of vitamins might have increased the pace of the disease, causing faster decline in mental ability, they cautioned.

Greg Cole, associate director of the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at the University of California, Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine, said that vitamin E alone has shown some limited benefits in Alzheimer patients, but with no evidence that it really works to reduce oxidative damage, and that alpha lipoate -- a form of alpha-lipoic acid -- alone has also had some reported benefits, he said.

"Unfortunately, these researchers found no impact on pathological protein levels, and in their small group of patients, their cognitive function actually declined more than in the placebo group," Cole noted.

The increased cognitive decline might be due to random variation, he said, "or it may be a surprising but real adverse effect from something as seemingly innocuous as an antioxidant cocktail."

His research group has seen similar adverse effects from some, but not all, antioxidant mixes, he said.

"This should be a caution to the supplement manufacturers who typically sell products throwing in some mix of what seems like a great group of sensible antioxidants," he added. "Everyone assumes that they will work well together and are good for you, but they don't test them."

Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved. SOURCES: Douglas R. Galasko, M.D., professor in residence, Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego; Greg M. Cole, Ph.D., neuroscientist, Greater Los Angeles VA Healthcare System, and associate director, Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of California, Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine; March 19, 2012, Archives of Neurology, online

Antioxidants,Alzheimers,Patients

Breathing Smog in Pregnancy Linked to Child's Behavior Problems

Clickbank Products Breathing Smog in Pregnancy Linked to Child's Behavior Problems



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By Kathleen Doheny
HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- Women exposed to higher levels of certain air pollutants while pregnant are more likely to have children with anxiety, depression and attention problems by ages 6 and 7, new research suggests.

"This study provides new evidence that prenatal exposure to air pollution at levels encountered in New York City can adversely affect child behavior," said Frederica Perera, a professor of environmental health sciences and director of the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

She led the new study, published online March 22 in Environmental Health Perspectives.

The researchers looked at pollutants known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). They are created by the burning of fossil fuels and are common in urban environments. Traffic emissions are a major source of these pollutants.

The study is believed to be the first to link behavior problems in school-age children with two measures of prenatal PAH exposure: air concentrations and a PAH-specific marker found in mothers' blood samples and umbilical cord blood. The PAH, inhaled by the mom during pregnancy, can cross the placenta, experts know.

Perera's team followed the children of 253 inner-city women who gave birth between 1999 and 2006. None of the mothers smoked.

The researchers measured the concentrations of PAH in the environment of the mothers for 48 hours during trimester two or three. They also took blood samples from the mothers and the umbilical cords.

In addition, the women answered questions about their children's behavior, including describing any attention problems, anxiety or depression. The attention problems would not qualify as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, Perera noted.

The investigators found a link between higher PAH exposure levels and behavior problems. "Symptoms of anxiety and depression were 45 percent higher in the higher exposure group versus the lower," Perera said. Attention problems were 28 percent greater in the higher PAH exposure group.

When the researchers took into account other sources of pollutants such as tobacco smoke and diet, the link remained. However, although the study found an association between prenatal PAH exposure and childhood behavior problems, it did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.

The level of problems were those that could result in referral to a doctor for further evaluation, Perera noted.

Several mechanisms could explain the link, she said. Oxidative stress is one. Or, the chemicals may be "endocrine disrupters, which are capable of affecting the normal signaling that occurs in early brain development."

Perera plans to follow the children until they are age 12.

"The study by itself is not convincing to me," said Dr. Victor Klein, an obstetrician-gynecologist who specializes in high-risk pregnancies and is director of patient safety and risk reduction at North Shore-LIJ Health System in Great Neck, N.Y. He reviewed the study and said that "further research has to be done."

Meanwhile, Klein said, it's "common sense" to try to keep your environment as pollution-free as possible, especially when pregnant. However, that can be easier said than done. He tells women to exercise, watch their diet and get good prenatal care.

Another expert, Dr. Andrew Adesman, chief of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Children's Medical Center of New York in New Hyde Park, wondered if the study would apply to pregnant women living outside New York City. "On one hand, I don't think people will be surprised that pollution poses a potential risk," he said. "What is striking here is they have been able to document and quantify it."

The broader message, Adesman said, is the need for society to clean up the air and to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.

Perera said that to reduce exposure to pollutants, pregnant women should not smoke and should ask others not to smoke in their homes and offices. When cooking, she said, ventilate with a fan. Avoid other toxic chemicals such as pesticides. And, in addition, eat a healthy diet full of antioxidant-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables, she advised.

Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved. SOURCES: Frederica Perera, Dr.P.H., professor, environmental health sciences and director, Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York City; Andrew Adesman, M.D., chief, developmental and behavioral pediatrics, Steven & Alexandra Cohen Children's Medical Center of New York, New Hyde Park, N.Y.; Victor Klein, M.D., obstetrician-gynecologist, geneticist and director of patient safety and risk reduction, North Shore-LIJ Health System, Great Neck, N.Y.; March 22, 2012, Environmental Health Perspectives, online

Breathing,Pregnancy,Linked,Childs,Behavior,Problems

Brain Scans Suggest How Alzheimer's Spreads

Clickbank Products Brain Scans Suggest How Alzheimer's Spreads



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WEDNESDAY, March 21 (HealthDay News) -- Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia appear to spread through linked nerve cells in the brain, new research indicates.

The findings from MRI brain scans of dementia patients suggest that it may be possible to use MRI to predict the progression of dementias and to monitor the impact of treatments, the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) researchers said.

They found that Alzheimer's disease and four other common types of dementia appear to move between connected neurons in similar ways, even though they affect different brain networks.

The study appears in the March 22 issue of the journal Neuron.

"Our next goal is to further develop methods to predict disease progression, using these models to create a template for how disease will progress in the brain of an affected individual," study co-leader and neurologist Dr. William Seeley said in a UCSF news release.

"Already this work suggests that if we know the wiring diagram in a healthy brain, we can predict where the disease is going to go next. Once we can predict how the network will change over time, we can predict how the patient's behavior will change over time and we can monitor whether a potential therapy is working," he noted.

In another study published in the same issue of Neuron, a Cornell University team also used MRI to examine brain networks affected by dementia and reported results similar to the UCSF researchers' findings.

-- Robert Preidt Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved. SOURCE: University of California, San Francisco, news release, March 21, 2012

Brain,Scans,Suggest,Alzheimers,Spreads

Acne-ADHD Link?

Clickbank Products Acne-ADHD Link?



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Study: People With Acne More Likely to Have ADHD, Compared to People With Other Skin Conditions

By Charlene Laino
WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

March 22, 2012 (San Diego) -- Could acne be a sign of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)?

Yes, says a Canadian psychiatrist whose study shows that people with acne are substantially more likely to have ADHD than people with other skin problems.

"Acne patients should be screened for ADHD, especially if they complain about [classic symptoms such as] trouble paying attention and impulsivity," says Madhulika A. Gupta, MD, of the University of Western Ontario in London.

"The child or teen with acne that has ADHD will not look any different than the child or teen with acne that doesn't have ADHD. But if you ask them if they have trouble concentrating at school, the answer will be a definite yes," she tells WebMD.

The findings were presented here at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Previous studies have linked acne to a number of psychiatric problems, including depression and eating disorders. But no one had examined a possible association between acne and ADHD, Gupta says.

So she and her colleagues examined data on nearly 950 million doctor visits for skin conditions between 1995 and 2008, looking to see if any of the visits also involved a visit for ADHD. More than 100 million visits involved a diagnosis of acne and nearly 175 million involved atopic eczema, a condition characterized by red, itchy, dry skin.

Gupta says they chose atopic eczema as a comparison group because it and acne both typically start in childhood. The average age of the patients with ADHD and acne studied was 15 years, and the average age of the patients with ADHD and atopic eczema was 11 years.

Results showed visits involving a diagnosis of acne were 6.3 times more likely to also involve a diagnosis of ADHD than visits involving diagnoses of other skin problems. They were 5.6 times more likely to involve a diagnosis of ADHD than visits involving atopic eczema.

But another researcher says the finding is probably just coincidence.

"It just shows that common diseases in teens occur commonly," says Zoe D. Draelos, MD, consulting professor of dermatology at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, N.C. "Acne and ADHD are both common in teens."

That said, "acne can be disabling psychologically to teens," Draelos tells WebMD. "It sometimes gets taken too lightly," she says.

These findings were presented at a medical conference. They should be considered preliminary as they have not yet undergone the "peer review" process, in which outside experts scrutinize the data prior to publication in a medical journal.

SOURCES: American Academy of Dermatology's 70th Annual Meeting, San Diego, March 16-20, 2012. Madhulika A. Gupta, MD, psychiatry department, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada. Zoe D. Draelos, MD, consulting professor, dermatology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, N.C.Garfield, C. Academic Pediatrics, March/April, 2012.

©2012 WebMD, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

AcneADHD

Common Respiratory Virus Affecting Many Young Children

Clickbank Products Common Respiratory Virus Affecting Many Young Children



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THURSDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- Many pediatric hospital admissions involve a common virus that infects the lungs and airways and can lead to serious illness in young children and people with weakened immune systems, an expert says.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of bronchiolitis -- an inflammation of the small airways in the lungs -- in infants younger than a year old, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"This is an extremely contagious virus, so it can easily be spread from one child to another in a school or home setting. We continue to see a large amount of kids being admitted to the hospital this year due to RSV. Though it often peaks in winter, the virus may continue to affect communities through early spring," Dr. Rahul Bhatia, a pediatric intensive care unit physician at Loyola University Health System, said in a Loyola news release.

"Though younger children have a greater chance of being hospitalized due to the virus, any age group can be affected," Bhatia said.

There is no vaccine to protect against the virus. "RSV is easily spread by touching infected people and surfaces, so washing your child's and your own hands often is the best way to prevent it from being spread," Bhatia stated in the news release.

The symptoms of RSV may appear to be similar to those of the common cold, and may vary with age. Parents should call a doctor if a child with an apparent cold has the following symptoms: difficulty breathing, nasal flaring, decreased appetite or decreased urine output. Parents should go to the emergency room if their child has trouble breathing or is a dusky color, Bhatia advised.

"There are numerous viruses that can cause respiratory infections. The only way to know if it is RSV is to have testing done," Bhatia said. "RSV has been around for a while. It's nothing new, just every once in a while we see a spike in cases and this happens to be one of those years."

-- Robert Preidt Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved. SOURCE: Loyola University Health System, news release, March 16, 2012

Common,Respiratory,Virus,Affecting,Young,Children

Bulking Agent May Help Fecal Incontinence

Clickbank Products Bulking Agent May Help Fecal Incontinence



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Study Shows Patients Treated With Injections Have a Reduction in Symptoms

By Salynn Boyles
WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

March 16, 2011 -- It is a common, life-altering medical condition, but you aren't likely to see a celebrity taking up the cause or a telethon devoted to finding a cure.

More than 5 million Americans have some degree of fecal incontinence. And many suffer in silence because they are too embarrassed to seek medical help.

As is the case with urinary incontinence, injections of a bulking agent are sometimes used to treat patients with moderate to severe bowel leakage, but the benefits of this therapy have not been proven.

Now a new study, to be published Friday in The Lancet, does appear to show a benefit for the therapy when compared to sham treatment.

But an expert who spoke to WebMD is not so certain.

Christine Norton, PhD, RN, who founded the UK Continence Foundation, was the lead author of a recent analysis concluding that there is not enough clinical evidence to recommend bulking agent injections for the treatment of fecal leakage.

She says the new study, while well done, does not tip the balance in favor of the treatment.

Fecal incontinence can range from occasional leakage of a small amount of stool while passing gas to a complete loss of bowel control.

Damage to the anal sphincter muscles as a result of childbirth, anal surgery, or other issues is a common cause of fecal incontinence, as are pelvic floor muscle weakness, constipation, and diarrhea, Norton says.

"Fecal incontinence really is the last taboo subject," she tells WebMD. "Most people are just too embarrassed to talk about it, and many never discuss it with their doctors."

As many as 15% of people in their 70s and older and 3% of people in their 20s have occasional to frequent fecal incontinence.

In the newly published study, 136 patients received four anal injections of the bulking compound dextranomer in stabilized hyaluronic acid (NASHA Dx), which is also used to treat urinary incontinence, while 70 patients got sham injections that did not include the compound.

The study was funded by medical device company Q-Med AB, which markets NASHA Dx for urinary incontinence.

Six months later, 52% of study participants treated with the bulking agent who completed the trial had a 50% or more reduction in incontinence episodes, compared to 31% of participants who got the sham treatment.

The median number of incontinence episodes over a two-week period declined by more than half in the active treatment group over a year of follow up -- from 15 before treatment to six after treatment.

The adverse event rate was higher in the active treatment group, and two serious abscess-related events were reported in these patients. Fourteen percent of patients in the active treatment group reported painful rectal spasms, compared to 3% of people in the sham treatment group.

Study researcher Wilhelm Graf, PhD, of Sweden's Uppsala University Hospital tells WebMD that the findings prove that bulking agent injections can be an effective treatment for patients with moderate fecal incontinence.

In an editorial published with the study, Norton points out that Graf and colleagues offer no explanation for why NASHA Dx appeared to be more effective than other bulking agents used for fecal incontinence.

She also faulted the study for not including data on patient satisfaction.

"Patients who are leaking twice a day and have a 50% improvement may not feel their quality of life has improved all that much," Norton says. "They are still wearing a diaper and still worried about where the toilets are when they go out. In my experience with these patients, anything short of a cure is a disappointment."

SOURCES: Graf, W. The Lancet, March 19, 2011; vol 377: pp 997-1003.Wilhelm Graf, PhD, department of surgery, Akademiska Sjukhuset, Uppsala, Sweden.Christine Norton, PhD, RN, professor of clinical nursing innovations, Imperial College Healthcare and Bucks New University, London; founder and director, UK Continence Foundation.American College of Gastroenterology: "Fecal Incontinence."Luo, C. Colorectal Disease, 2010; vol 12.

©2011 WebMD, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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Could Statins Help Prevent Pneumonia?

Clickbank Products Could Statins Help Prevent Pneumonia?



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By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, March 19 (HealthDay News) -- Statin drugs, which are used to lower cholesterol, might reduce a bit the risk of developing pneumonia, a new study suggests.

Researchers analyzed data from a large international study that looked at the efficacy of rosuvastatin (Crestor) in preventing heart disease. The trial included almost 18,000 adults aged 50 or older who had no history of heart disease or diabetes. Participants were randomly selected to receive Crestor or an inactive placebo.

"These data from a major randomized trial support the hypothesis that statin treatment may be associated with a modest protective effect against some infections," said lead researcher Dr. Victor Novack, head of the Clinical Research Center at Soroka University Medical Center in Israel.

"We consider this analysis to be an additional step toward a definite trial that will specifically investigate the statin effect on infection," he said.

The researchers also found a decrease in some other types of infections such as soft tissue infections, gynecologic infections and fungal infections, Novack said.

In the past, statins such as Lipitor and others have been touted by some researchers for protecting brain function and lowering the risk for multiple sclerosis. However, they have also been linked to memory loss, depression and an increased risk for developing diabetes.

The new study was published March 19 in the CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

Novack's group found that during roughly two years of follow-up, 214 of those taking the statin developed pneumonia, compared with 257 of those receiving the placebo.

While the study uncovered an association between statin use and a decrease in pneumonia, it did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.

One problem with the finding may be that people taking statins take better care of themselves, the so-called "healthy user effect."

However, Novack discounts this explanation. "The randomized nature of our trial of more than 17,000 men and women -- study participants were not aware whether they are treated with statin or placebo -- excludes this possibility," he said.

"The effect observed in our trial is modest as compared to the observational studies, but appears to be robust," he added. "These results can be used as a basis for the further investigations."

Dr. Len Horovitz, a pulmonary specialist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, said that "this study shows a very modest, maybe minimal decrease in pneumonia in people who use statins. It's hard to say this is significant."

Horovitz added, "I don't think you would start somebody on statins just because it might reduce their possibility of pneumonia. You would give them a vaccine against pneumococcal pneumonia. But you don't put them on a statin if you want to reduce pneumonia."

And Horovitz noted, the study doesn't take into account whether or not any of the participants had been vaccinated, which could throw the figures off.

"If somebody is on a statin and they have a slightly less chance of getting pneumonia that's great, but it wouldn't be a reason to initiate statins," he stressed.

Another expert, Dr. David Friedman, a cardiologist at North Shore-LIJ Health System in New Hyde Park, N.Y., commented that "there has been some thought that statins act as an anti-inflammatory above and beyond cholesterol lowering."

However, statins aren't benign -- they do have some side effects. "So it's premature for anyone to start taking statins to prevent pneumonia," Friedman said.

Two study co-authors have received consultation fees and funding from AstraZeneca, the makers of Crestor.

Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved. SOURCES: Victor Novack, M.D., Ph.D., head, Clinical Research Center, Soroka University Medical Center, Israel; Len Horovitz, M.D., pulmonary specialist, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City; David A. Friedman, M.D., cardiologist, North Shore-LIJ Health System, New Hyde Park, N.Y.; March 19, 2012, CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal), online

Could,Statins,Prevent,Pneumonia

Corner stores stock healthy food aid programs after the change

Clickbank Products Corner stores stock healthy food aid programs after the change

Tuesday, March 20, 2008 (minutes News)-two low-income areas of Philadelphia North Korea little shop popular United States Government food aid programs after the change begins, a new study found that healthy foods stockings.

Women, infants, and children (WIC program) special supplemental nutrition program for low-income pregnant women and new mothers, as well as 5 years of age in infants and children's nutritional needs are met, the suit. In 2009, a participant in the program start, introduced changes in the fruit and vegetables, whole grain foods, such as a gift certificate to pay for brown rice and wheat bread and tofu. other changes include reduced-fat milk switch from full fat.

Research on change of country corner and whole grains, vegetables, fruits, milk and other products, reduced-fat, healthy food products have a neighborhood convenience store.

The researchers also changes the nutritious food family or Government programs increased costs without increasing availability.

Funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation study that was published in the journal of nutrition education and behavior.

"Changes in WIC food packages to help both poor neighbourhoods increased access to healthy foods," said lead author is already in the University of Pennsylvania, said in a press release: Hillier Foundation "Even a small corner stores start stocking fruits and vegetables, low-fat milk and food that can help residents stay healthy and reduce the risk of obesity."

The researchers two 115 stores in most Hispanic and African American neighborhood of Philadelphia North Korea evaluating. Full-service chain supermarkets had nutritious food the highest availability deals and enrolled in the WIC program changes after major convenience stores improved.

WIC is not involved in health food stores and stock research found even

Researchers have increased access to nutritious food actually means and whether or not the neighborhood people healthy diet did not investigate.

"We are a frequent these stores but people eat healthy foods we think additional research is necessary to determine," Hillier said.

--Robert Preidt minute copyright © 2012. All rights reserved. Source: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, press release, 03-08-2012

Corner,stores,stock,healthy,programs,after,change

Adults Seem to Have Most Impact on Teens' School Success

Clickbank Products Adults Seem to Have Most Impact on Teens' School Success



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THURSDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- Teachers and parents play a greater role than peers in keeping teens engaged in school, researchers have found.

The findings challenge the widely held belief that peers have the greatest impact on the lives of adolescents, according to a report from the University of Michigan.

For the study, the investigators analyzed data from nearly 1,500 students from 23 schools in the Washington, D.C., area who were interviewed when they were in 7th, 9th and 11th grades. The questions asked by the researchers focused on four indicators of student engagement: compliance with school rules, participation in extracurricular activities, identification with their school and the value placed on education.

The students also were asked about the support they received from teachers, parents and peers.

As expected, the students' school engagement decreased over the years and the decline was more steep among boys than among girls, according to the report, which is published in the current issue of the journal Child Development.

The researchers also found, however, that students' school engagement was just as likely to be positively affected as negatively affected by their peers.

In addition, the results indicated that any negative influences from peers could be counteracted by social support from adults, and from teachers in particular. This support included encouraging student engagement, stressing the importance of obtaining an education, and making it easier for students to take part in extracurricular activities.

"We were surprised to find that most adolescents continue to be influenced greatly by their teachers and parents when it comes to school engagement," study author Ming-Te Wang, a faculty research fellow at the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research, said in a university news release.

"Even though this is a stage when young people are moving toward establishing autonomy and independence, teachers and parents remain important in helping them stay involved in school, and in extracurricular activities," Wang said. "And this is true for all ethnic groups and races, and across all the economic groups we studied."

"Adolescence is a period when relationships with adults who aren't your parents become increasingly important," Wang added. "Our results suggest that supportive teachers play a particularly important role in keeping teens engaged in school."

-- Robert Preidt Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved. SOURCE: University of Michigan, news release, March 20, 2012

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Allergies Ahead of Schedule in Eastern United States

Clickbank Products Allergies Ahead of Schedule in Eastern United States



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THURSDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- The unusually warm spring weather in New York and other parts of the eastern United States has trees and other plants blooming much earlier than normal, which could mean a long and intense allergy season.

Donald Leopold, chair of the environmental and forest biology department at State University of New York's College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, said maples, willows, aspens, poplars and other woody plant species that bloom in early spring are major contributors of wind-dispersed pollen that causes allergic reactions.

Leopold is an expert in woody and herbaceous native and non-native plants.

On SUNY's campus recently, Leopold saw that an American elm was already producing pollen, a red maple was covered with male and female flowers, a row of spicebush shrubs had flowers of various sizes, and a native willow had bloomed early.

This is the first time in his 27 years at the college that he has seen these species bloom on campus before April 1, Leopold said in a university news release.

In short, all the signs point to an extended and severe allergy season.

With temperatures expected to reach the 80s in Syracuse, "things are really going to pop this week," he said.

-- Robert Preidt Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved. SOURCE: State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, news release, March 19, 2012

Allergies,Ahead,Schedule,Eastern,United,States

Common Cause of Dizziness May Spell Heart Trouble

Clickbank Products Common Cause of Dizziness May Spell Heart Trouble



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Blood Pressure That Falls When You Stand May Be a Clue to Coming Heart Failure

By Brenda Goodman, MA
WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

March 19, 2012 -- Blood pressure that drops when a person stands up may signal a higher risk for heart failure, a new study shows.

If further research supports the study's findings, a simple test that measures blood pressure change as a person gets to their feet may one day help doctors spot heart failure early, when it is most manageable.

The study followed more than 12,000 middle-aged adults for nearly two decades.

At the start of the study, researchers measured blood pressure while people were lying down and then several times over a two-minute period after they stood.

"If the top number, the systolic number, fell by 20 or more points, or the bottom number, the diastolic blood pressure, fell by 10 or more points, then it was defined as orthostatic hypotension," says Christine D. Jones, MD, an internist and resident in preventive medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

In orthostatic hypotension, the blood pressure drops when the body is in an upright standing position, as compared to a reclining position. Sometimes the sudden dip causes a brief dizzy spell or head rush. In severe cases it may cause a person to faint.

"Sometimes people can have it and not feel a thing," Jones says.

About 600 people had the telltale blood pressure shift at the start of the study.

Researchers found that those with orthostatic hypotension were about 50% more likely than those who didn't experience the changes to go on to develop heart failure.

Some of that extra risk appeared to be explained by high blood pressure.

People with orthostatic hypotension were also more likely to have high blood pressure, which is known to contribute to heart failure.

But when researchers excluded people with high blood pressure from their analysis, those whose blood pressure dropped when they stood were still 34% more likely to develop heart failure.

In heart failure, the heart loses its ability to pump blood effectively to the rest of the body. Medications and lifestyle changes can help control the condition if it's spotted early.

The risk appeared to be highest for younger adults. Those who were younger than 55 when they were diagnosed with the positional change in blood pressure were nearly twice as likely as those with steady blood pressure to go on to develop heart failure.

Researchers caution that their study can only show associations. It doesn't prove that falling blood pressures cause heart failure or even explain how the two problems may be linked.

What's most likely, they think, is that a common disease process, like atherosclerosis, which causes arteries to become hard and stiff, may be behind both.

When arteries harden, they can't contract as easily to raise blood pressure. Stiff arteries around the heart muscle can weaken its ability to pump.

"Maybe this is an [indicator] of early atherosclerotic disease," Jones says.

The study is published in the journal Hypertension.

Experts who were not involved in the research say the findings were interesting but preliminary.

"I don't think that everybody who gets lightheaded or dizzy occasionally in their life should be concerned that they are going to get heart failure," says David Frid, MD, a cardiologist at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.

Rather, he says people who feel dizzy frequently or nearly every time they stand might want to mention the problem to their doctors.

"Maybe if they have a lot of risk factors for [heart] disease, but haven't shown any true disease, maybe this is a sign that we need to evaluate it further and be more aggressive in managing their risk factors," Frid says.

Those risk factors might include high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, or a family history of heart disease.

SOURCES: Jones, C. Hypertension, March 19, 2012.News release, American Heart Association. Christine D. Jones, MD, internist and resident in preventive medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. David Frid, MD, staff cardiologist, Cleveland Clinic, Ohio.

©2012 WebMD, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Common,Cause,Dizziness,Spell,Heart,Trouble

African-American Women Have Specific Hair Issues

Clickbank Products African-American Women Have Specific Hair Issues



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What African-American Women Need to Know to Keep Their Hair Healthy

By Kathleen Doheny
WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

March 21, 2012 (San Diego) -- If you are a woman of color, you may already know: Your hair can be an issue.

No, it's not your imagination or vanity working overtime, says Amy McMichael, MD, professor and interim chair of dermatology at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

"There is some sort of innate fragility," McMichael says, referring to the hair of African-American women.

That fragility can result in breakage and hair loss, what doctors call alopecia, she says. She presented an update on hair loss and other issues in people of color at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology held here.

There is much you can do, however, to boost your hair health, she says. Here, she shares her healthy hair tips with WebMD.

Hair loss is a common reason that women of color see a dermatologist, says McMichael.

She and her colleagues discovered that when they looked at a national database, the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, to find the top reasons for visits to dermatologists by African-Americans.

"Alopecia was right up there in the top 10," she says. It was reason No. 7 to see a dermatologist.

By looking at where the hair loss occurs, doctors can sometimes decide how it occurs and what kind of hair loss it is.

For instance, braiding too tightly can lead to alopecia, McMichael says. "It is usually a clinical diagnosis made by physical exam," she says. Hair loss usually occurs on the front, temples, and back of the scalp.

Your doctor may take a biopsy to help get the diagnosis correct.

Another type of hair loss is called CCCA -- short for central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia. It can cause scarring on the front and crown of the scalp, McMichael says. It can be inflamed and the scars can be severe, she says.

The exact cause of CCCA is not known, but some experts believe it may be linked with long-term use of chemical hair treatments, such as chemical hair straighteners.

Dermatologists have found that the hair shaft of African-American women is structurally different than the hair shaft of women of other races, McMichael says.

The hair shaft is flatter, she says, compared to that of Asian or white women.

In another study, McMichael surveyed 30 African-American women and 30 white women. While 60% of African-American women said their hair was too dry, 67% of Caucasian women said their hair had normal moisture.

That dryness can result in breakage, she says. African-American women are more than three times as likely as white women to have hair shaft breakage, she says.

When McMichael sees a patient with hair loss or breakage, she first rules out other potential problems, such as thyroid disorders. Hair loss is linked to problems with thyroid function.

Often, she says, no underlying medical reason is found. "This is very disturbing to patients, I find. They wish there was some underlying disease and they could take a pill."

Women can take several steps to improve their hair, McMichael says.

If you have breakage of your hair, McMichael suggests this hair care regimen:

Shampoo with a gentle, cleansing shampoo.Use a gentle hair conditioner, ideally a leave-in product.Use a silicone-coating product. (Look for an ingredient such as dimethicone.)Use also an everyday, leave-in conditioner.

This regimen can be good for everyone, even without breakage, she says.

When your hair is especially fragile, she suggests taking a holiday from relaxers, color, or both.

Relaxers aren't the enemy, she says. But a holiday might make all the difference. (For children, relaxers should not be started until after puberty, if possible, she says.)

If your hair is fragile, decrease the use of heat, she says. Take a break from flat irons if there is breakage, McMichael says.

Watch the tightness of braids, she says, as that can hurt hair. "If your hair is braided so tightly it hurts when you chew," she says, "it's probably too tight."

McMichael reports serving as an investigator for Allergan, Intendis, Procter & Gamble, and Abbott. She is a consultant for Procter & Gamble, Johnson and Johnson, Stiefel, Allergan, Galderma, and Guthy-Renker.

SOURCES: Amy McMichael, MD, professor and interim chair of dermatology, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, N.C. Annual meeting, American Academy of Dermatology, San Diego, March 16-20, 2012.

©2012 WebMD, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

AfricanAmerican,Women,Specific,Issues

Broccoli May Help Fight Cancer Growth

Clickbank Products Broccoli May Help Fight Cancer Growth



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Study Shows Compound in Broccoli May Block Defective Gene Linked to Tumor Growth

By Jennifer Warner
WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

March 11, 2011 -- Broccoli may help fight cancer by blocking a defective gene associated with tumor growth, according to new research.

Previous studies have heralded the potential cancer-fighting ability of broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower and watercress. But researchers say until now they didn't know the secret behind the vegetables' anticancer attributes.

In a new study, researchers found compounds in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables called isothiocyanates (ITCs) appear to target and block mutant p53 genes associated with cancer growth.

Gene p53 is known as a tumor suppressor gene and appears to play a critical role in keeping cells healthy and protecting them from cancer. When this gene is damaged or mutated, it stops offering this protection. Researchers say these mutations are found in about half of all human cancers.

In a report published in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, researcher Xiantao Wang of Georgetown University and colleagues analyzed the effects of ITCs on gene p53 in a variety of human cancer cells, including lung, breast, and colon cancer, in the lab.

The results showed that ITCs were capable of removing the defective p53 gene while leaving healthy versions of the gene alone.

Researchers say if further studies confirm these findings, it could lead to new therapies for preventing and treating cancer.

SOURCES: Wang, X. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, March 9, 2011; vol 54: pp 809-816.News release, American Chemical Society.

©2011 WebMD, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Broccoli,Fight,Cancer,Growth

Antidepressants May Raise Risk for Pregnancy Complication

Clickbank Products Antidepressants May Raise Risk for Pregnancy Complication



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By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) -- Pregnant women taking the antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) face a slightly increased risk of developing dangerously high blood pressure, Canadian researchers report.

This condition, known as preeclampsia, can harm both mothers and their unborn infants, the researchers noted. However, this association may not be cause-and-effect, so women should not just stop taking these medications but should consult with their doctor if they are concerned, they stressed. Two of the most commonly prescribed SSRIs are Paxil (paroxetine) and Prozac (fluoxetine).

"We know that antidepressants should be used during pregnancy, but they should be used with caution," said lead researcher Anick Berard, director of the research unit of medications and pregnancy at CHU Ste-Justine's Research Center and a professor with the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Montreal.

The association between SSRIs and hypertension is a new finding, she added.

The report was published in the March 22 issue of the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.

For the study, Berard and her colleague, Mary De Vera, collected data on women in the Quebec Pregnancy Registry. They looked at more than 1,200 women who had high blood pressure during pregnancy that did or did not result in preeclampsia and who had no history of high blood pressure before pregnancy, and compared them with more than 12,000 healthy women.

They found women taking SSRIs had a 60 percent higher risk of developing high blood pressure. In absolute terms, the risk went up from 2 percent to 3.2 percent.

It appears that all SSRIs are not equal when it comes to risk, however. For instance, for women taking Paxil the risk was increased 81 percent, or to 3.6 percent in absolute terms.

"It's a big relative increase, but if you look at absolute risk it is 1 percent," Berard said.

These findings are important because SSRIs are the most common drugs used to treat depression, and of the estimated 20 percent of women who suffer from depression during pregnancy, between 4 percent and 14 percent take antidepressants, the researchers said.

Commenting on the study, Dr. Gene Burkett, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, said that "this study has severe limitations. There are a lot of factors in preeclampsia they do not account for, so they don't show a cause-and-effect relationship."

However, pregnant women should be concerned about SSRIs for a lot of other reasons, he said. The medications have been linked to lower birth weights, he noted.

"Every physician has to measure the risk of taking an SSRI vs. the risk of not taking it in patients who really need it," Burkett said.

"If the patient is really in need of it, then you have to give it to them, because the consequences, especially after delivery, of those patients who are depressed can be anything up to suicide or killing their infant; these are the extremes," he said.

"We do see cases of women whose depression gets worse after delivery and wind up killing their babies," he said. "Those patients benefit from SSRIs, and the benefits may be greater than the risks of not taking them."

However, many women with mild depression may be able to cope without SSRIs, Burkett said. "But if you do take a woman off an SSRI during pregnancy, they need to be followed closely," he noted.

"In some cases you cannot take women off SSRIs; in other cases you can; you have to evaluate each woman individually," Burkett said.

Research published earlier this month also found risks associated with SSRI use during pregnancy. Dutch doctors reported that the medications were associated with delayed head growth of the fetus.

"Fetal body growth is a marker of fetal health, and fetal head growth is a marker for brain development," said lead researcher Hanan El Marroun, a postdoctorate fellow in the department of child and adolescent psychiatry at Sophia Children's Hospital and Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam. "We found prenatal exposure to SSRIs was associated with decreased growth of the head, but not decreased growth of the body."

Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved. SOURCES: Anick Berard, Ph.D., director, research unit of medications and pregnancy, CHU Ste-Justine Research Center, and professor, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Gene Burkett, M.D., professor, obstetrics and gynecology University of Miami Miller School of Medicine; March 22, 2012, British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology

Antidepressants,Raise,Pregnancy,Complication

Chagas disease in the United States behind the insects feeding on humans

Clickbank Products Chagas disease in the United States behind the insects feeding on humans

Tuesday, March 20, Chagas disease (per-minute news)-bug submission is part of the suite, and new research findings is an insect in the United States in a specific region, feeding on human blood.

What remains a mystery, however, Chagas disease, etc. are some of the insects, the United States has been documented in the still life-threatening digestive and heart problems, a serious condition that can lead to infection and the millions of Central and South America is the reason.

Until now, researchers in the United States, the only documented 7. Chagas

"The main message is that bugs feed on humans, out there than previously thought, the disease in the United States for humans can be a great potential, so it carries the parasite," Lori Stevens, said in a press release from the University of Vermont College of biological sciences. "It is very likely to move further north, and climate change, they expand the scope of some species."

The study was published online in the journal emerging infectious diseases on March 14, a researcher at Arizona, California insect Reduviid collects a sample from the family.

Also known as a black, winged insects of approximately 38%, "kissing bug" because they include a human bite human blood mouth now. The researchers were found in 11 species of Gettysburg is the United States feed on people who do not have known there was an unexpected finding was because it said.

Trypanosoma cruzi Chagas, including over half of the insects, parasites due to illness.

Researchers speculate the disease incidence is greater than previously thought.

Collaborative research "we make the actual transport 7, is higher than if we think" Patricia Dorn, Loyola University New Orleans in Chagas disease experts said in a press release. "But these results with even our Chagas-T. Cruzi parasites-the transmission of thought from the United States is very low, "still

Chagas disease's initial symptoms are fever, swelling around the eyes and on the site of an insect bite can be vague. The disease can go into sin, then a more serious disease, digestive and reemerge, heart problems and potentially deadly consequences.

The bug's saliva also can lead to severe allergic reactions.

The researchers state that most home concrete basement construction of screened door and window, and strict, as in the United States because the bug has become more widespread theory. Thatched-roof mud sticks, on the other hand, kissing bugs thrive between construction and dirt floor poor rural of Central and South America and is found in the area.

Another theory is that unlike other countries kissing bugs that are found in the United States do not have the species found in the shit while feeding on the host. As a result, the bloodstream enter the Chagas parasite due to illness and fewer opportunities for.

Chagas disease is one way to prevent the spread of the night, you will want to use Windows to close the screen. You must close their tents or sleeping bags for camping.

The author of this study in more areas in the United States a large sample of Gettysburg to examine.

"Don't try to spread quickly, but it was Chagas can spread," Steven said. "How widely it is now would be a good idea to find out."

-Mary Elizabeth Dallas minute copyright © 2012. All rights reserved. Source: University of Vermont, press release, 15 March 2012

Chagas,disease,United,States,behind,insects,feeding,humans