Mortality News and Research

RSS

Convalescent plasma therapy may reduce mortality rate in patients with H1N1 infection: Study

A study published in the February 15 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases suggests that convalescent plasma may reduce the death rate in patients severely ill with this type of influenza.

19 Jan 2011

New study provides insight into developing therapeutics for airway disease

Researchers from Duke University Medical Center have identified how nanoparticles from diesel exhaust damage lung airway cells, a finding that could lead to new therapies for people susceptible to airway disease.

19 Jan 2011

Positive preliminary results from Soligenix's SGX202 in GARS model

Soligenix, Inc., a late-stage biopharmaceutical company, announced today promising preliminary results from a preclinical study of SGX202 in a canine gastrointestinal acute radiation syndrome model.

19 Jan 2011

Higher fruit and vegetable intake lowers risk of dying from ischaemic heart disease

A European study investigating the links between diet and disease has found that people who consume more fruit and vegetables have a lower risk of dying from ischaemic heart disease - the most common form of heart disease and one of the leading causes of death in Europe.

19 Jan 2011

Magnetic maneuverable capsule safe and well-tolerated in the stomach

A study from researchers in Germany showed that magnetic maneuvering of a modified capsule endoscope in the stomach of healthy volunteers under clinical conditions is safe, well-tolerated, and technically feasible. Maneuverability of the capsule within the stomach was excellent and visualization of the gastric mucosa, the inner lining of the stomach, was satisfactory in the majority of subjects.

19 Jan 2011

First successful transcatheter implantation of 27mm transapical aortic valve prosthesis

JenaValve™ Technology, Inc., a medical device company specializing in developing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) systems, announced today a significant clinical milestone: the first-ever successful transcatheter implantation of a 27mm transapical aortic valve prosthesis.

19 Jan 2011

Researchers look at potential benefits, risks of exclusive breastfeeding during first 6 months of life

A review of existing studies on breastfeeding, published Thursday online in BMJ (British Medical Journal), suggests some findings that contradict the WHO's 2001 recommendation that mothers "exclusively breastfeed for the first six months of their infants' lives," Nature News reports (Gilbert, 1/14). Researchers who conducted the most recent review "said babies fed only breast milk could suffer iron deficiency and may be more prone to allergies" and they said mothers could stop breastfeeding as early as four months, Agence France-Presse writes.

19 Jan 2011

Guardian online series explores global health worker issues

The Guardian reports, as part of an online feature about health care workforces worldwide done in association with the Global Health Workforce Alliance (GHWA), that "Africa is desperately short of doctors and nurses. So is much of Asia. In 57 countries, the situation is deemed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to be at crisis point ... But in contrast to some other developing world problems, this is an issue that really does affect all of us. The world needs an estimated 4.2 million more health workers."

19 Jan 2011

Diabetes increases risk of death in breast cancer patients

Breast cancer patients are nearly 50 percent more likely to die of any cause if they also have diabetes, according to a comprehensive review of research conducted by Johns Hopkins physicians.

18 Jan 2011

Soy protein lowers total cholesterol and non-HDL: New study

Soy protein's ability to lower total and LDL cholesterol has been extensively studied, but the mechanism whereby soy protein lowers cholesterol remains unresolved. A new study published in the Journal of Clinical Lipidology last month shows that soy protein lowers total cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol significantly more than milk protein in patients with moderately high cholesterol levels.

18 Jan 2011

Time constraints, patient embarrassment prevent full-body skin cancer examinations

Time constraints, other illnesses and patient embarrassment may prevent dermatologists, internists and family practitioners from conducting full-body skin examinations, according to a report in the January issue of Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. However, dermatologists are significantly more likely than internists and family practitioners to conduct such screenings.

18 Jan 2011

Scientists create GM chicken that does not spread bird flu to other chickens

"Scientists have developed genetically modified [GM] chickens that don't transmit bird flu [H5N1] to other chickens," HealthDay News/Bloomberg Businessweek reports.

18 Jan 2011

New way to halt lung inflammation

Acute inflammation of the lung is a poorly recognized human disease that develops in surprising and unexpected ways. The acute lung injury (ALI) or adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a vital new concern for soldiers, but it can develop in anyone during a systemic infection, after severe trauma, as a result of bone fracture, following severe burns and in many other ways as well-- the initial cause may have nothing apparent to do with the lung itself.

18 Jan 2011

New study finds nurses' work schedule can impact patient outcomes

A new study has found that patient deaths from pneumonia and acute myocardial infarction were significantly more likely in hospitals where nurses reported schedules with long work hours.

18 Jan 2011

Study reports warfarin users may face risk of death after traumatic injuries

Warfarin use may be associated with a significant increase in the risk of death after traumatic injuries, according to a report posted online today that will appear in the May print issue of Archives of Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

18 Jan 2011

Infant macrosomia is a risk factor for postneonatal death among First Nations

High birth weight in First Nations babies are linked to a higher risk of postneonatal death, according to a study published in CMAJ.

18 Jan 2011

Research roundup: Racial disparities in cancer and other care, nursing home closures, extending drugmakers' exclusivity

Journal of the National Cancer Institute: Projections Of The Cost Of Cancer Care In The United States: 2010-2020 - "By combining cancer prevalence with average annual costs of cancer care by phase of care and tumor site for 13 cancers in men and 16 cancers in women" and "all cancer sites combined," the authors project there will be just over 18 million cancer survivors in 2020 compared to 13.8 million survivors in 2010.

14 Jan 2011

Living at higher altitudes may increase risk for suicide

Twenty years of mortality data from counties across the United States led to the striking discovery that living at higher altitudes may be a risk factor for suicide, according to a provocative study published online ahead of print in High Altitude Medicine & Biology, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. The article is attached.

14 Jan 2011

Study finds racial disparities in weight-related counseling

When it comes to advising obese patients, blacks receive less weight reduction and exercise counseling from physicians than their white counterparts. This is according to a recent study conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health who examined the impact of patient and doctor race concordance on weight-related counseling.

14 Jan 2011

Banned chemicals found in pregnant women

The bodies of virtually all U.S. pregnant women carry multiple chemicals, including some banned since the 1970s and others used in common products such as non-stick cookware, processed foods and personal care products, according to a new study from UCSF. The study marks the first time that the number of chemicals to which pregnant women are exposed has been counted.

14 Jan 2011