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Gene linked to lupus might explain gender difference in disease risk

In an international human genetic study, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have identified a gene linked to the autoimmune disease lupus, and its location on the X chromosome might help explain why females are 10 times more susceptible to the disease than males.

30 Mar 2009

Increased awareness and diagnosis of celiac disease would bring health care costs savings

A study published in Journal of Insurance Medicine by members of the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University Medical Center has demonstrated an economic benefit to the diagnosis of celiac disease in a national managed-care population in the United States.

30 Mar 2009

Fragrance ingredients used in shampoos, conditioners and soap are frequent causes of eczema

Considerably more people than previously believed are allergic to the most common fragrance ingredient used in shampoos, conditioners and soap.

29 Mar 2009

Preferences, beliefs and self-management of diabetes

People with diabetes who feel they have better control over life events are more likely to take good care of themselves and to believe they have the condition under control, but these factors do not translate to improved blood sugar levels, according to a new study of 1,034 adults.

29 Mar 2009

Autism skews developing brain with synchronous motion and sound

Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) tend to stare at people's mouths rather than their eyes.

29 Mar 2009

Concern over inappropriate diagnosis and treatment of primary hypothyroidism

More and more people are being inappropriately diagnosed and treated for underactivity of the thyroid gland (known as primary hypothyroidism), warn doctors in an editorial published on bmj.com today.

29 Mar 2009

Exercise program reduces migraine suffering

While physical exercise has been shown to trigger migraine headaches among sufferers, a new study describes an exercise program that is well tolerated by patients.

29 Mar 2009

Sexual reversal in men and women with schizophrenia in terms of neuronal circuit

The brain of a schizophrenic woman possesses masculine qualities while that of a man with the same disease has feminine attributes, according to a recent study by Dr. Adrianna Mendrek from Fernand-Seguin Research Centre of Louis-H. Lafontaine Hospital.

29 Mar 2009

Study offers closer look at Takotsubo cardiomyopathy

"Broken heart syndrome" is still a mystery to many in the medical community, but new data from researchers at The Miriam Hospital may shed some light on the clinical characteristics and outcomes of this relatively rare, life-threatening condition.

29 Mar 2009

Retired NFL linemen have high incidence of sleep apnea

Sleep disordered breathing, also known as sleep apnea, is highly prevalent among retired National Football League (NFL) players, and particularly in linemen, according to Mayo Clinic research.

29 Mar 2009

External focus improves postural stability in patients with Parkinson's disease

Patients with Parkinson disease may be able to improve their postural stability by directing their attention to the external effects of their movements rather than to the movements of their own body, according to a study published in the February 2009 issue of Physical Therapy, the scientific journal of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA).

29 Mar 2009

Eating disorders should be recognized as serious mental illnesses

In the U.S. and abroad, the failure of insurers and other gatekeepers to treatment to consistently recognize eating disorders as serious mental illnesses has resulted in an ongoing heath care crisis for sufferers and their families.

29 Mar 2009

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease-related problems hard to swallow

Patients with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exhibit a disordered breathing-swallowing pattern that may account for their higher risk of aspiration pneumonia, according to new research from the University of Pittsburgh.

29 Mar 2009

Updated heart failure guidelines focus on key research findings, clinical advances

Updated guidelines on the diagnosis and management of heart failure will help physicians incorporate the latest research findings into the treatment of patients with this complex and disabling disease.

29 Mar 2009

Psychiatric disorders common in adults who have had anorexia

Many adults who were diagnosed as teenagers to be suffering from anorexia nervosa cannot work due to psychiatric disorders. A follow-up 18 years after the onset of anorexia has shown that one in four are on disability benefit or have been signed off sick. The long-term follow-up by the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, does, however, show some encouraging results.

26 Mar 2009

Number of Alzheimer's cases growing annually, increasing costs, report finds

The number of U.S. residents with Alzheimer's disease is increasing annually, putting more pressure on the health care system, according to a report issued on Tuesday by the Alzheimer's Association, USA Today reports (Brophy Marcus, USA Today, 3/24).

25 Mar 2009

Collaborative care intervention helps improve management of chronic pain

Patients with chronic pain who took part in a collaborative care intervention that included patient and clinician education and symptom monitoring and feedback to the primary care physician had improvements in pain-related disability and intensity, compared to usual care, according to a study in the March 25 issue of JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association.

24 Mar 2009

Diabetics on high-fiber diets might need extra calcium

The amount of calcium your body absorbs might depend, in part, on the amount of dietary fiber you consume.

24 Mar 2009

Ethnic minorities more likely than whites to develop type 2 diabetes regardless of weight

Native Hawaiians, Hispanics, blacks and Japanese-Americans are significantly more likely than whites to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes regardless of weight, even though the disease is closely linked with obesity, according to a recent study in Ethnicity and Disease, Reuters Health reports. The findings suggest that genetics might play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes.

24 Mar 2009