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CT colonography not presently a viable option for colorectal cancer screening

Findings of a new multicenter study by Cotton et al. published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association comparing standard colonoscopy with CT colonography for the detection of colorectal cancer reveal that this technology, in the form used most often in the United States, while of significant interest, is not presently a viable option for routine colorectal cancer screening.

14 Apr 2004

Ultrasound therapy does nothing to help an injured skeletal muscle heal any faster

Although ultrasound is one of the most frequently prescribed treatments for one of the most common sport and athletic injuries – skeletal muscle contusions – there's really no good scientific evidence showing that it treats injured muscles effectively, said Steven Devor, the study's lead author and an assistant professor of sport and exercise sciences at Ohio State University.

14 Apr 2004

Differing views on virtual colonoscopy accuracy

Demonstrating clearly that not all virtual colonoscopies are equal, the study, published in the December 2003 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine and the American Journal of Roentgenology, found the results found using the Viatronix V3D-Colon system for primary 3D reading to be equal to or better than optical colonoscopy results.

14 Apr 2004

EU ethical, social and legal aspects of human genetic testing

On 6 and 7 May 2004, the European Commission is inviting all interested parties to attend a European citizens’ and stakeholders’ conference to discuss the ethical, social and legal aspects of human genetic testing in research and healthcare applications.

14 Apr 2004

Drug duo prevents life-threatening condition in children undergoing stem cell transplant

A drug duo appears to be a safe and effective way to prevent a serious condition called graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD) in youngsters undergoing a stem cell transplant

14 Apr 2004

Stong evidence for lower penicillin allergic reactions

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have concluded the world's largest analysis of penicillin allergy due to re-prescription of the popular antibiotic.

14 Apr 2004

Autism gene discovered

Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine are first to strongly link a specific gene with autism. While earlier studies have found rare genetic mutations in single families, a study published in the April issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry is the first to identify a gene that increases susceptibility to autism in a broad population.

14 Apr 2004

A new system of health and wellbeing

Hands up who goes to the doctor when they are feeling well? Hands up who goes to the doctor just to chat about how they can stay well? The fact is most of us drag ourselves off to the doctor only when there are signs of trouble, when we are feeling sick.

14 Apr 2004

The amount of female smokers rose by 600% in the 20th century

American women who smoke rose dramatically during the 20th century, resulting in a 600 percent increase by the year 2003 in the number of women who died of lung cancer. In the same period, the number of lung cancer deaths in men declined.

14 Apr 2004

Researchers examine community-based drinkers rather than abstinent alcoholics

Almost all knowledge about brain damage due to chronic alcohol consumption has been gathered from alcoholics, who have generally been studied toward the end of their institutionalized treatment program (several weeks after their last drink) or many months into abstinence.

13 Apr 2004

Growth hormones combat Crohn’s disease, cardiac disorders and improve fertility in invitro fertilisation

New treatments for breast cancer, skin and wound healing and obesity will be revealed at an international conference in Cairns, Australia next week.

13 Apr 2004

Lung cancer affects male and females differently

An article in the April 14 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reviews current information on the "epidemic" of lung cancer in U.S. women, and explores contributing factors and possible reasons for increased lung cancer deaths in women.

13 Apr 2004

Small uterine fibroids are associated with an increased risk of miscarriage

Early results from a pioneering study at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill indicate that small uterine fibroids are associated with an increased risk of miscarriage.

13 Apr 2004

$Hip fracture patients should be operated on within 24 hours to reduce pain$

Hip fracture patients should be operated on within 24 hours to reduce pain

Hip fracture patients should be operated on within 24 hours of hospital admission because it reduces pain, shortens hospital stays and may limit the probability of major complications occurring, such as pneumonia and arrhythmias, according to the authors of a new study supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

13 Apr 2004

NZ Research helps difficult pregnancies

Before the 1960's knowledge of the intrauterine environment was like a black box, limiting clinical understanding, and monitoring of the fetus during pregnancy. Little was known about the fetus until after birth happened. Now that has changed dramatically, and there have been revolutionary advances, particularly in the last 20 years enabling clinicians to diagnose and treat problems which develop in the womb.

13 Apr 2004

Iowa Senate passes $250,000 limit on medical liability damages

On April 12, the Iowa Senate passed H.F. 2440, which caps non-economic damages in medical liability cases at $250,000. Following debate, the measure passed by a vote of 27 to 21. It had been narrowly defeated a week earlier, but Senate leadership secured a motion to reconsider it before the April 12 vote.

13 Apr 2004

CT colonography lacks the sensitivity of conventional colonoscopy

A new study published in JAMA on CT colonography or 'virtual' colonoscopy using 2-D imaging finds that this test lacks the sensitivity and specificity of conventional colonoscopy for colorectal cancer screening. Study co-author and American College of Gastroenterology President Douglas K. Rex, M.D. is available for interviews.

13 Apr 2004

Spike TV launches men's health campaign with National Medical Association

As part of Spike TV's mission to make a difference in men's lives, the network announces the launch of "Check Up or Check Out," a national pro-social campaign directed at improving men's health. The campaign was launched today with Spike TV's "Check Up or Check Out" campaign with Randall W. Maxey, M.D., Ph.D,. President of the National Medical Association.

13 Apr 2004

Extended lymph node dissection fails to increase survival among gastric cancer patients

Extended lymph node dissection – a treatment for gastric cancer involving the surgical removal of lymph nodes near the tumor, in distant areas of the stomach, and in some cases, in combination with the removal of the spleen and pancreas tail – has shown no long-term survival benefit for gastric cancer patients, according to the largest randomized trial of limited and extended lymph node dissection among this population.

13 Apr 2004