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Obesity complicates kidney transplantation

The risk for delayed graft function in patients undergoing kidney transplant rises in line with their body mass index, say US researchers.

14 Jan 2013

Greater selectivity in GI bleeding prophylaxis needed

Researchers have developed a risk-scoring system to identify noncritically ill hospital patients most likely to benefit from prophylactic acid-suppressive medication.

14 Jan 2013

Nurses’ positivity can alleviate end-of-life suffering

The psychologic response to terminal illness can be summarized as the realization that life is short, say Spanish researchers.

14 Jan 2013

No link between gas cooking and asthma, allergies

Research suggests that exposure to gas cooking does not increase a child’s risk for asthma and other allergic conditions.

14 Jan 2013

Less than 45% of children are vaccinated against flu: Study

This year's flu season is in full swing with 41 states now reporting widespread illness. Unfortunately, not enough children are getting the flu shot even though health officials recommend that all children 6 months and older get the vaccine. According to a new study by researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, less than 45 percent of children were vaccinated against the flu during a five-year study period.

11 Jan 2013

Multidisciplinary team work on proactive approach to flu vaccine design

An internationally recognized expert in viruses, Robert W. Finberg, MD, the Richard M. Haidack Professor of Medicine and chair and professor of medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, is lead investigator on a $12 million project to develop new ways of predicting how the influenza virus changes and evolves in response to anti-viral drugs and the human immune system. This approach has promise for becoming a pivotal tool in creating a more effective vaccine against the virus.

11 Jan 2013

Placing peanut protein under a patient's tongue helps dampen allergic reactions

Of all foods, peanuts are the most frequent cause of life-threatening and fatal allergic reactions. New research at National Jewish Health provides additional support for a strategy to reduce the severity of reactions to peanut- repeatedly consuming small amounts of the very food that causes those reactions in the first place, a practice called immunotherapy.

11 Jan 2013

Taking early and repeated WBC is critical in determining infants at high risk of pertussis

A study released today from the upcoming issue of the Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (JPIDS) found that taking early and repeated white blood cell counts (WBC) is critical in determining whether infants have pertussis and which of those children are at highest risk of death from the disease.

11 Jan 2013

Link between environmental tobacco smoke and dementia syndromes

Passive smoking, also known as 'second-hand' smoke or environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), is known to cause serious cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, including coronary heart disease and lung cancer.

10 Jan 2013

Loyola uses FilmArray Respiratory Panel to screen infectious diseases

Cold, allergies, the flu or something else? Thanks to advanced technology, physicians at Loyola University Health System receive confirmation of their patient's respiratory illness within one hour. Loyola is one of only two hospitals in lllinois to use the FDA-approved FilmArray Respiratory Panel, which screens for 17 viral and 3 bacterial pathogens in about 60 minutes.

10 Jan 2013

Oxaliplatin and bevacizumab disappoint for rectal cancer

The addition of bevacizumab and oxaliplatin to standard neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy does not enhance clinical response rates in rectal cancer, show phase II study results.

9 Jan 2013

Risk factors for retinopathy of prematurity identified

Birthweight and gestational age are risk factors for retinopathy of prematurity and should be considered when screening infants for the condition, a study by Turkish researchers shows.

9 Jan 2013

Reducing air pollution from wood stoves may increase life expectancy

Reducing a person’s exposure to wood or biomass smoke can help increase their life expectancy, suggest findings from a study published in the BMJ.

9 Jan 2013

Prion filtration tested for red blood cell transfusions

Red blood cell prion filtration does not increase the risk for alloimmunization or transfusion reactions, suggest results from the largest safety study to date.

9 Jan 2013

Discussing patients’ end-of-life wishes ‘key’ in Huntington’s

Discussing end-of-life issues with patients suffering from Huntington’s disease is a key responsibility for physicians, say Dutch researchers.

9 Jan 2013

Up to 1M people need food aid in Philippines areas hit by typhoon

"A month after Typhoon Bopha hit the southern Philippines, up to one million people need food assistance and thousands of others could be displaced for a second time, the United Nations says," AlertNet reports.

9 Jan 2013

Postpartum depression could impact health of babies in Ghana

Postpartum depression not only affects mothers but it could mean higher health risks for the baby - especially in low-income countries like Ghana where the condition isn't well-recognized, University of Michigan Health System research shows.

9 Jan 2013