MedWorm.com provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest items from the 'NHS News Feed' source. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:51:17 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5668843&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F02February%2FPages%2Feconomy-class-syndrome-dvt-myth.aspx “Sitting in a window seat during a long flight can increase the risk of deep vein thrombosis,” according to The Daily Telegraph. It has long been known that flying is associated with an increased risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a type of serious blood clot in a major vein, but new US guidance has looked at a range of factors that could potentially raise the risk. Those of you thinking of booking your summer holiday might be interested to know that flying in cramped budget seats, while often annoying, presented no greater risk than flying in business class. And while overpriced booze available during a flight can prove wallet-damaging, the guidelines say there was no firm evidence that drinking it could bring on DVT. However, sitting by a window during a long-haul flight was associa... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5668843 Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:30:00 +0100 5668843 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5668844&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F02February%2FPages%2Fclostridium-difficile-transmission-method-unknown.aspx Conclusion This research is important because it suggests that the previous assumption that all C.difficile is spread on wards through contact with infected patients may not be entirely correct. As the authors point out, this means that transmission may not be adequately controlled by current strategies, which focus on preventing person-to-person spread. Further study is required to look at how the infection is transmitted. It’s worth noting that the research concentrated on established cases of Clostridium difficile and the potential transmission between infected patients. As such, it did not look at how far C. difficile may have been stopped from spreading in the wards by current hospital prevention strategies. Infection control measures in the NHS and private hospitals remain valid be... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5668844 Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:27:00 +0100 5668844 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5668845&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F02February%2FPages%2Fspoonfeeding-baby-led-weaning-obesity.aspx Conclusion While it was widely reported, this small cross-sectional study proves very little about the possible impact of different weaning methods on children’s food preferences, BMI or other health outcomes. Instead, because of its cross-sectional design, it can provide only a snapshot of all these factors (as reported by parents) at one point in time. It cannot show, for example, that babies who prefer carbohydrates do so because they were weaned on finger foods, as some news sources have reported. Many factors can affect a child’s food preferences and BMI, including genetic factors, exercise and social and demographic background (which was indicated to a degree by the fact that higher socioeconomic status was associated with higher vegetable intake). Though the study found differen... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5668845 Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:22:00 +0100 5668845 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5668846&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F02February%2FPages%2F3d-printing-jawbone-implant-created.aspx An 83-year-old woman has been implanted with the world’s first “3D printer-created jaw”. Using cutting-edge laser manufacturing techniques, doctors and metal experts were able to build up layers of titanium to form a custom metal jawbone to exactly fit her face. The metal jawbone was then inserted into her lower jaw, replacing a large section of bone that was destroyed by a chronic infection. The technique of 3D printing has been used to build prototype products for some time, but in recent years scientists have begun experimenting with the medical possibilities offered by the process. In this case, a specialist metalwork company called Layerwise was able to translate 3D bone scans into a custom jaw. The company had previously used the process to make bone-shaped prostheses and denta... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5668846 Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:00:00 +0100 5668846 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5668847&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F02February%2FPages%2Fpregnant-diabetes-birth-defects.aspx Conclusion This study supports the existence of an association between maternal diabetes and increased risk of birth abnormalities, and helps quantify the size of the association. The study’s strengths include its large size and ability to include the entire population in the study area. However, there are a number of points to note: The researchers took into account various factors that could influence the results. However, as with all studies of this type, it is possible that unknown or unmeasured factors, other than maternal diabetes, could have affected the risk of birth defects. From this study we cannot say what effect diabetes arising in pregnancy (gestational diabetes) might have on risk of birth defects, as these women were not included in this analysis. The study relie... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5668847 Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:00:00 +0100 5668847 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5668848&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F02February%2FPages%2Fstroke-risk-doubled-by-mutation.aspx Conclusion In this study, researchers have identified a genetic variant in the HDAC9 gene that is associated with a subtype of ischaemic stroke called a large vessel stroke. Large vessel strokes occur when one or more of the arteries supplying blood to the brain become blocked. In this type of study, the genetic variants identified as being associated with a condition are not necessarily the cause of the increase in risk. Instead, they may lie near another variant that is responsible for the effect. In order to unlock the role of the HDAC9 gene, researchers will now need to study it and the region surrounding it more closely, both to confirm whether the variation in this gene is responsible for the increase in stroke risk and, if so, how it has this effect. Genetic, medical and lifestyle f... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5668848 Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:45:00 +0100 5668848 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5660942&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F02February%2FPages%2Fweekend-hospital-death-risk.aspx Conclusion The main finding of this study was that being admitted to hospital at the weekend (Saturday or Sunday) is associated with a significant increased risk of death over the following 30-days. This study has strengths in that it has used an extremely large and reliable data set representative of almost all hospital admissions within the NHS in England during one financial year. The researchers’ model also accounted for a wide range of medical and sociodemographic factors and characteristics of admission that could have influenced the risk of death. While the researchers’ models adjusted for a variety of important confounders, it is difficult to see from the report how they did this, making it difficult to decide whether all relevant factors have been appropriately adjusted for. M... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5660942 Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:42:00 +0100 5660942 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5660941&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F02February%2FPages%2Fmalaria-deaths-underestimated.aspx Conclusion This study has looked at a lot of data and used systematic methods to examine trends in malaria mortality over the past 30 years. It shows that malaria in 2010 was the cause of death for 1.2 million individuals, including 714,000 deaths in children younger than five years and 524,000 in individuals aged five years or older. The results tend to show an increase in mortality from 1980 to peak levels in 2004, but since then a clear decline. The researchers say that the recent decrease in malaria mortality in Africa in particular is due to malaria control activities being increased, supported by international help. They say that support from international donors needs to increase further if malaria is to be eradicated. However, the primary aim of this study was to predict trends ove... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5660941 Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:42:00 +0100 5660941 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5650265&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F02February%2FPages%2Fairborne-flesh-eating-mrsa-superbug.aspx Conclusion This interesting study helps explain why healthcare-acquired MRSA infections are rarely found in healthy individuals. It found that expression of a gene that produces one of the proteins responsible for MRSA’s antibiotic resistance caused it to be less toxic. It also showed that typical community-acquired MRSA strains express less of this antibiotic-resistance protein, but are more toxic. However, this intriguing lab study did not investigate the transmission, effects or number of cases of community-acquired MRSA in the UK, discussion of which formed the majority of the news reports. On this basis, the research itself does not support the claims that we are under siege from an ‘airborne, bacteria-resistant, flesh-eating superbug’, as newspapers have today suggested. Links... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5650265 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:15:00 +0100 5650265 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5650266&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F02February%2FPages%2Fcall-for-tough-control-of-sugar.aspx This article will be of interest to food scientists, health policy makers and the public alike, but the use of strategies to restrict the consumption of added sugar is complicated and, indeed controversial. The implications of such moves would need to be considered in both medical and societal terms. They would need both medical evidence to support their effectiveness and assurance that the public would accept drastic changes, such as age limits on buying sweets. For example, in recent years, Denmark has imposed taxes on fatty foods, a move that has divided opinions greatly. It is generally accepted that added sugar or excessive sugar consumption is bad for health and dietitians advise restricting sugar intake to the occasional “treat”. However, to what extent sugar is directly to blam... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5650266 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:00:00 +0100 5650266 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5650267&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F02February%2FPages%2Fmind-reading-telephathy-inner-voice.aspx Conclusion This study of 15 people undergoing brain surgery has demonstrated a method of reconstructing the sound of a heard word using only the signals obtained from the brain. This study represents an important progression in the field of speech reconstruction, which has the potential to improve the lives of many who suffer from speech difficulties in the future. But the words, when reconstructed, were not of good enough quality to be recognised by a human listener when played. The words could only be identified when the original and reconstructed sound patterns were compared visually. The researchers suggest that improving the brain sensors detecting the STG brain activity may, in the future, improve the reconstructed sound to a level that could be understood by a person listening. The ... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5650267 Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:19:00 +0100 5650267 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5650268&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F02February%2FPages%2Fhip-fracture-risk-higher-heartburn-ppi.aspx Conclusion This large study had several strengths. Unlike some previous studies, it collected information on and took into account other key risk factors for fracture, including body weight, smoking, alcohol use and physical activity. It also looked at the women’s use of PPIs every two years (rather than just asking them once) and took into account variations in use during this time in their analysis.   However, as the authors note, it also had some limitations: It did not ask about the brands of PPI used, nor the doses of PPI the women took, both of which could affect risk of fracture. The information about hip fracture was self-reported and not confirmed by medical records (although a smaller study has found self-reporting of hip fracture to be reliable). Also, the study did ... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5650268 Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:19:00 +0100 5650268 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5650269&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Fmilk-helps-brain-cognitive-function.aspx Conclusion Contrary to the headlines, this study does not show that dairy food consumption has benefits for mental functioning. All it can do is provide a “snapshot” of a group of people’s dairy consumption and their mental functioning at one point in time. Some limitations are that: It relied on people self-reporting their dairy intake, which introduces the possibility of error. It is possible that many other factors (known as confounders) might have affected the results, including exercise habits, alcohol and stress levels, although researchers tried to adjust their findings for some of these. As the authors acknowledge, the dietary questionnaire did not specify size of portions or servings, which undermines the accuracy of estimated intakes. Dairy products contain many ... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5650269 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:15:00 +0100 5650269 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5650270&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Fvitamin-d-fertility.aspx Conclusion This systematic review looked for all available studies prior to October 2011 that had looked at fertility and vitamin D. Besides this very broad search the review included animal, laboratory and observational studies, which means that it is difficult to draw conclusions on the implications of this data for people. The researchers noted that there was a real lack of human controlled studies. As a result, it is not possible to say that fertility problems in men and women could be helped by vitamin D supplementation, increasing vitamin D through diet or spending time in the sun. Vitamin D and its human effects is currently a topic of immense interest to the public and to policy makers. This research looked at another angle, that of fertility, and is useful in giving a broad overvi... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5650270 Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:15:00 +0100 5650270 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5650271&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Fhip-implant-fears.aspx Many newspapers and TV stations have reported that medical regulators have launched an investigation into a type of hip replacement called a metal-on-metal (MoM) device (DePuy ASR hip replacement implant). The concern is that as the hip replacements wear down, metal particles can be released from the artificial hip, react with the soft tissue (such as muscle and ligaments) surrounding the joint and enter the bloodstream. In 2010, the UK regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) issued a product recall for DePuy ASR, a brand of MoM artificial hip. This meant that surgeons were told not to implant DePuy ASR hip replacements and return any unused implants to the manufacturer. The MHRA has urged surgeons to tell all patients that had received these DePuy ASR hip... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5650271 Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:16:00 +0100 5650271 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5650272&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Foral-cancer-bigger-risk-for-men.aspx Conclusion This was a relatively large cross-sectional study that estimated the number of oral HPV infections in the US among 14 to 69 year olds. These estimates cannot be directly generalised to the UK. The researchers say that their data provide evidence that oral HPV infection is mainly sexually transmitted. This is because infection was uncommon among participants with no previous sexual partners, but was up to eight times higher among those with previous partners, and increased significantly as the number of partners increased. The researchers do point out, however, that their study did not collect information on possible non-sexual transmission methods. While policy decisions regarding HPV infection generally focus on genital HPV among females, this research demonstrated that, at lea... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5650272 Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:57:00 +0100 5650272 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5639569&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Fmillions-missing-carers-assessments.aspx ‘More than a million cancer carers may be missing out on vital support,’ the Daily Mirror and other newspapers have reported today. The news reports are based on a survey carried out for Macmillan Cancer Support, which identified that among 386 people who provided five or more hours of care a week to someone with cancer, around half had no support of any kind.   There are more than 1 million carers of people with cancer in the UK, and more than 6 million carers of all kinds. The report detailed the impact of the apparent lack of support on carers’ mental health, relationships and finances, finding that just 5% say they have received a local authority carer’s assessment, which enables them to access practical, emotional and financial support.   What is the caring role for people s... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5639569 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:53:00 +0100 5639569 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5639568&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Fbrain-tests-detect-autism-in-babies.aspx Conclusion This small study highlights a potential method of identifying children who are likely to develop autism at 6-11 months, much earlier than the current method of diagnosis. The authors suggest this could potentially pave the way for more selective targeting of early intervention efforts and procedures to these children, increasing their life chances. While this study provides intriguing results it is important to bear in mind some practical limitations. For instance, while the average differences between the brain function of the infants that went on to develop autism compared to those that did not were significantly different, individual values from the two groups did overlap. This means that there is probably no useful clinical cut-off value to predict autism. Similarly, the res... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5639568 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:53:00 +0100 5639568 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5630657&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Fovertime-work-hours-depression.aspx Conclusion This was a large cohort study that examined the association between the number of hours worked a day and the risk of subsequent major depressive disorder. It found that, after an adjusted analysis, those who worked three to four hours of overtime a day at the start of the study had a 2.5 fold increase in the chance they would go on to experience MDE. The size and prospective nature of this cohort study mean that we can be quite confident in the results. There are, however, several limitations to the study that should be considered before insisting that our work hours are cut back. These include: The participants in this study were a specific subgroup of an already specific cohort group. Generalising these results to non-urban, non-civil service workers may not be appropriate.... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5630657 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:15:00 +0100 5630657 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5630658&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Fheart-attack-death-rate-reduction.aspx Conclusion The strengths of this study lie in its very large size and its complete national coverage. One possible limitation is its reliance on the accuracy of routine data and diagnosis codes used from English hospitals, although, as the authors point out, research has shown high accuracy rates for this type of hospital data. It should be noted that although the study shows a fall in heart attacks and also in death rates among heart attack patients, it does not tell us the precise causes of either. The fall in heart attacks is likely to be linked to healthier lifestyles, earlier detection and a better management of risk factors such as high blood pressure in people at risk. Also, the study only examined deaths from heart attacks and the definition of this has changed over the years, so t... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5630658 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:50:00 +0100 5630658 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5630659&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Fvitamin-d-medical-advice-and-supplements.aspx Vitamin D was in the headlines today, with many papers reporting that a quarter of all toddlers are deficient in the nutrient and that childhood rickets is on the rise. The vitamin plays several important roles in the body, including regulating the balance of nutrients needed for strong, healthy bones. The vitamin has fallen under the spotlight as Chief Medical Officer for England, Professor Dame Sally Davies, is reportedly contacting health professionals to highlight the need to prescribe vitamin D supplements to at-risk groups. There are already extensive guidelines on circumstances where people should take vitamin D supplements, but the move seems designed to increase use of the pills, which are available on prescription, or even free to individuals with a raised risk of deficiency. An ... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5630659 Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:00:00 +0100 5630659 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5630660&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Ffried-food-mediterranean-diet.aspx Conclusion This study found no association between how often people ate fried food and their risk of coronary heart disease or death from any cause in a large Spanish cohort. This study has strengths, including using a valid method of assessing diet, a large sample size and long follow-up time, but also has significant limitations. The following limitations should be considered when interpreting the findings of this study: The study looked at frying using olive oil or sunflower oil in the context of a Mediterranean diet. The authors make the important point that frying with other types of fats or reusing oils several times may still be harmful. Reusing oils is common in fast food preparation in the UK, and so this study does not show that consuming this type of food is not linked to hea... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5630660 Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:00:00 +0100 5630660 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5630661&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Fembyonic-stem-cell-trial-macular-degeneration.aspx Conclusion This was a small clinical trial that assessed the safety of using stem cell technology to treat one person with Stargardt’s macular dystrophy and one person with dry age-related macular degeneration. Specifically, it looked at the use of retinal cells that had been made from human embryonic stem cells. The primary focus of this research was to see whether this procedure would be safe, not whether it was effective. The researchers found that neither of the patients had problems with abnormal cell growth, tumour formation, graft rejection or any other pathological reaction or safety issues, all of which are potential problems in this type of treatment. The researchers followed the patients over four months but say that further follow-up is needed to observe the long-term effec... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5630661 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:55:00 +0100 5630661 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5630662&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Fpsilocybin-mushroom-brain-scans.aspx Conclusion This experimental study took functional MRI scans of 30 volunteers and looked at the differences in brain activity when they received the hallucinogenic magic mushroom extract psilocybin and when they received a placebo. They found that brain blood flow was reduced in various brain areas and that the greater the decrease in blood flow, the greater the intensity of the subjective experience of the volunteer when they received the hallucinogen. Although one of the brain areas that showed decreased blood flow also tends to show higher than normal activity in the brains of people with depression, this study did not directly look at the effect or possibility of using psilocybin in people with depression. Furthermore, this study recruited people who had taken hallucinogens before, so ... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5630662 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0100 5630662 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5621344&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Fluteolin-flavonoid-cancer-prevention.aspx Conclusion This research studied luteolin, which is a plant compound that can reduce growth and induce death of bowel cancer cells in the laboratory. The research seems to have pinpointed the specific signalling pathway through which this occurs. It did not, however, examine the impact of luteolin-rich diets on bowel cancer in people, and based on these results it cannot be assumed that eating vegetables containing this compound can prevent or slow cancer. Laboratory-based studies carried out in cells are a necessary first step in identifying a potential new disease treatment. The mechanism through which luteolin may prevent cancer cell growth has been identified, and the next step would be further studies in animals. If these animal studies suggest that luteolin is safe and beneficial, li... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5621344 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:15:00 +0100 5621344 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5621345&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Fnanoparticle-mast-cell-vaccine-adjuvent.aspx Conclusion In this study, scientists developed tiny particles modelled on those released by a type of immune cell, called a mast cell. When the synthetic particles made by the scientists were given to mice in combination with the flu vaccine, the particles enhanced the number and variety of antibodies made compared to when the flu vaccine was given alone. When the mice were then exposed to flu, more of the mice who received the particles in combination with vaccine survived. This exciting technology may have the potential to boost the effectiveness of vaccinations. However, so far, experiments have only been performed on mice. Further laboratory research would need to be conducted before considering any trials in humans to see whether it would be safe and effective to add synthetic particl... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5621345 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:55:00 +0100 5621345 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5611293&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Fstatins-may-fight-cancer-cells.aspx Conclusion This was an early stage laboratory study that demonstrated that a specific mutation in a gene called p53 has a role in the generation of cancerous cells. It identified a potentially valuable target for drug treatments in the form of statins. The researchers say that normal p53 genes act to suppress tumours, but when mutated, they can lead to the growth and progression of many cancers. They add that their study has identified the pathway through which this works. This pathway has been shown to be involved in cancerous cells’ growth, survival, spread and invasiveness into surrounding tissue. An existing drug, a cholesterol-lowering statin, was found to interfere with the effects of this mutation in both cells in the laboratory and in mice. The fact that this drug is already used... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5611293 Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:30:00 +0100 5611293 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5611294&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Fis-the-g-spot-a-myth.aspx Conclusion This narrative review searched for medical literature that might verify whether the G-spot actually exists. Overall, it found that results have been conflicting; in surveys many women believe in the existence of a highly sensitive area of the vaginal wall, which related to the experience of orgasm and fluid ejaculation in some. Other radiological studies and lab analyses of tissue samples have demonstrated separate nerve supply to the clitoris and vagina, with some suggesting a dense network of nerves within the front vaginal wall where the G-spot is meant to be situated. However, other studies conclude that it is not possible to find evidence of a distinct structure, other than the clitoris, whose direct stimulation leads to vaginal orgasm. With a topic such as this, where much... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5611294 Fri, 20 Jan 2012 10:28:00 +0100 5611294 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5611295&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Fintelligence-genetics-vs-environment.aspx Conclusion This study tried to calculate how strongly genetic variations are associated with changes in intelligence over a lifetime. However, none of the study’s results proved statistically significant and therefore it’s not possible to say for certain where the balance of genetic and environmental influences lies. Despite the lack of statistically significant results, the researchers said that the strengths of this study are that it had an extremely long follow-up and measured intelligence at two points in time, providing an estimate of cognitive change and stability over time, and providing estimates of the relative roles of genetics and the environment in this change. The researchers also said that further studies are needed to validate their findings, as their cohort was too smal... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5611295 Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:00:00 +0100 5611295 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5611296&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Fhumans-may-have-animal-fear-response.aspx Conclusion This small study is of interest to specialists in the field of psychology, but doesn’t contribute much to possible treatments of conditions such as phobias and panic attacks. While the results are certainly intriguing from an academic perspective, the context of electric shocks in a laboratory is arguably quite different to what occurs when a person has problematic fears and phobias, which can often be treated. Phobias, for example, can be treated using talking therapies such as psychotherapy, cognitive behavioural therapy and counselling. There are also medications that can be prescribed in cases where talking therapy has not proved successful. Links To The Headlines Eeek! Human response to fear is more like animals - and can overrule what we think. Daily Mail, January 19 20... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5611296 Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:30:00 +0100 5611296 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5611297&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Ftamiflu-ineffective-claim.aspx Conclusion This systematic review aimed to assess comprehensively the effect of NIs including Tamiflu and Relenza on the prevention and treatment of flu in healthy adults and children by including results known to have been missed in previous reviews. In this sense, the review failed to meet its aims but for two distinct reasons. The evidence review of Relenza was suspended because new information about its effects on individual patients became available. The results of this are eagerly awaited. The review of Tamiflu was incomplete because of difficulties in obtaining sufficiently detailed information from the manufacturer. The systematic review included 25 studies in its final analysis, but had to exclude 42 relevant studies. By excluding these relevant studies, important information tha... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5611297 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:35:00 +0100 5611297 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5611298&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Fpill-eases-period-pain.aspx Conclusion This study does not show that the pill reduces period pain. All it shows is that at two points in time, overall, women on the pill self-assessed their period pain as being slightly less than non-pill users. It is possible that many other factors played a part in these women’s experience of pain. The study also relied on women self-reporting their pain in a postal questionnaire. Subjective experiences of pain vary and are influenced by many factors. This makes the results less reliable. To find out if the pill reduced pain, the study compared each woman’s experience of pain and use of contraception at different ages, using each woman in the study as her own control. However, this is not considered a reliable way to measure the effectiveness of any treatment. The pill is widel... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5611298 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:11:00 +0100 5611298 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5599571&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Fvitamin-d-may-boost-eyesight.aspx Conclusion This small animal study showed that injections of vitamin D over six weeks decreased the accumulation of one age-related protein and decreased inflammation in the retina of seven mice compared to seven control mice. The response of the eye to light stimuli differed between the two groups of mice. The newspapers and the research article itself said that this research suggests that vitamin D supplementation may represent a beneficial route for those at risk of a type of vision loss called age-related macular degeneration (AMD). However, the aim of this animal study was not to see whether vitamin D treatment prevented AMD (or a mouse model version it). It is far too early to say whether this vitamin D could prevent AMD as there have not yet been trials in humans. The study had look... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5599571 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:46:00 +0100 5599571 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5599570&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2FHRT-breast-cancer-link-was-wrong.aspx Conclusion Researchers have reanalysed the design and data from three studies that had suggested that HRT is associated with an increased risk that breast cancer would develop. They wanted to determine whether HRT caused breast cancer to develop (that the link was “causal”). The researchers looked at a pooled analysis study called the Collaborative Reanalysis, the Women’s Health Initiative randomised controlled trials and the Million Women Study, which was a large prospective cohort study including 800,000 post-menopausal women. The researchers found that these studies each failed to meet the majority of nine criteria which would be need to be met in order to say whether the studies could establish causality. These criteria included whether the women in the studies took HRT before th... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5599570 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:46:00 +0100 5599570 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5599572&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Fthroat-spray-to-detect-oesphageal-cancer.aspx Conclusion This small study has developed a fluorescently tagged molecule that can help identify areas of Barrett’s oesophagus that have progressed towards becoming cancerous. This is an early study with limitations, including the following: This was a small study, which only tested the technique in sections of oesophagus from four patients. The study only looked at oesophageal samples that had been removed from the body, although the researchers did try to replicate how the oesophagus would be examined in real life. The fluorescent molecule binds more strongly to normal tissue and less strongly to abnormal tissue. The researchers note that an ideal marker for cancerous tissue would usually work in the opposite way: binding to abnormal tissue but not normal tissue. This study... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5599572 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 08:30:00 +0100 5599572 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5599573&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Fveins-blood-vessels-grown-from-skin.aspx Conclusion In this study, researchers developed methods for generating vascular smooth muscle cells, which form the walls of blood vessels, from pluripotent stem cells via three different intermediate stages. The cells they produced were in functional, working order and could help to form blood vessels when injected into mice. It’s already well known that the body uses different types of vascular smooth muscle cell to make up the walls of different blood vessels, and that these cells are themselves formed from different precursor cells during development. This latest advance in knowledge will allow different blood vessels to be modelled for research purposes, particularly to see why some of them are more susceptible to disease than others and to test new drugs. In future, it may also be... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5599573 Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:30:00 +0100 5599573 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5584842&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Fgovernment-review-advises-on-french-pip-breast-implants.aspx Women concerned about French-made PIP breast implants can find all the latest NHS information about the issue on this page. Worries about the implants have emerged since news of a major investigation into them in France was widely covered in the media in December 2011. It is thought that around 40,000 women in the UK have the implants, with about 95% of them having been provided privately for purely cosmetic reasons.   What’s the problem? The French implants caused global concern after it was revealed they contained industrial silicone rather than medical-grade fillers and that they may be more prone to rupture and leakage. Initially reports also linked the implants to a rare form of cancer known as ALCL. This cancer link has been now been firmly discounted by medical experts here and i... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5584842 Fri, 13 Jan 2012 22:00:00 +0100 5584842 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5584843&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Fpancreas-cancer-risk-processed-meat.aspx Conclusion This systematic review combined the results of 11 studies that looked at associations between red and processed meat consumption and the risk of pancreatic cancer. It has strength in its large size (featuring over 2 million participants) and the fact that all studies assessed the participants’ food consumption and looking at whether this was linked to later development of cancer. Systematic reviews often have inherent limitations because they must combine studies that may have very different methods, follow-up and observation of outcomes. However, in this case, we can have some confidence in that the individual studies generally gave similar types of results. However, there are some important points to note when drawing any conclusions from this study: The individual studie... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5584843 Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:00:00 +0100 5584843 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5584844&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Fparabens-in-breast-cancer-tissue-studied.aspx Conclusion This laboratory study has furthered our understanding of whether chemicals called parabens are deposited in human tissue. It is one of the first studies to have investigated the distribution of parabens at different parts of the breast, and has done so in a reasonably large sample of women who had received a mastectomy due to breast cancer. Nevertheless, this is an analysis of tissue taken from only 40 women with breast cancer. It certainly does not prove that parabens caused these cancers. Also, as the researchers did not look at samples of tissue from women who had not had breast cancer, the study cannot suggest that parabens have any association with breast cancer development at all. That parabens are present in the breast tissue of all breast cancer patients is a statement ... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5584844 Fri, 13 Jan 2012 10:25:00 +0100 5584844 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5584845&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Fglp-1-hormone-satisfies-diet-hunger.aspx Conclusion This was a large, well-conducted systematic review that combined the results of trials investigating whether glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists produce weight loss in overweight or obese people with or without type 2 diabetes. As the researchers described, a particular strength of their review was that they were able to obtain additional data on weight loss and other outcomes that had not been included in the original trial publications. They say that since outcomes are less likely to be described if they are less significant, this reduces the risk of reporting bias. The review found that GLP-1R agonists were associated with weight loss in both people with and without diabetes. However, it is most important to note that these drugs are currently licensed only for... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5584845 Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:00:00 +0100 5584845 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5584846&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Finternet-addiction-brain-scan-changes-iad.aspx Conclusion This was a small study that examined the association between brain structure and the diagnosis of internet addiction disorder. The results of the study should be interpreted cautiously, as the small number of participants increases the likelihood that the findings were due to chance. Additionally, the study cannot tell us anything about whether obsessive internet use causes changes to the brain, as some headlines have suggested. From this study we cannot rule out the possibility that the participants’ brains were structured this way before their heavy internet usage. If this were the case it would raise the possibility that their brain structure was responsible for their actions rather than their actions altering their brain structure. Of course, there is also the question of ... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5584846 Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:40:00 +0100 5584846 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5584848&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Fmiddle-aged-surgeons-safest.aspx Conclusion This research suggests that rates of hypoparathyroidism complications after thyroidectomy surgery are lowest when surgeons are aged 35–50 years old compared with younger and older colleagues. However, the surgeons’ age was not related to the complication of laryngeal nerve palsy. This study raises the question of whether complication rates after thyroid surgery may be related to surgeon experience or age. However, significant limitations mean that these research findings may not be applicable to all surgeons or surgical procedures. There are many issues to consider when interpreting the results. The study looked at just one surgical procedure – thyroidectomy. This study does not provide information on the many thousands of other surgical procedures carried out or those ... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5584848 Wed, 11 Jan 2012 09:57:00 +0100 5584848 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5584847&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Fbreastfed-babies-cry-more.aspx Conclusion This cross sectional assessment, taken within part of a large cohort, asked mothers of three-month-old babies to report how their babies were fed and to complete a questionnaire which assessed their babies’ temperament. Most importantly, this assessment cannot prove causation, and does not mean that breastfeeding results in unhappier babies or that formula feeding is better. There are several additional points to make: The researchers did not take into account other wider issues that might affect the chosen feeding method, mother/baby interactions and babies’ temperaments, such as whether the mothers were working, time spent with babies and feeding schedules. The study relied on mothers to subjectively rate their babies’ temperaments. Such self-completed ratings cou... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5584847 Wed, 11 Jan 2012 09:57:00 +0100 5584847 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5584849&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Fnicotine-replacement-patches-for-dementia-alzheimers.aspx Conclusion This small randomised controlled trial showed that six-month nicotine replacement for non-smoking older people with mild cognitive impairment was safe and improved scores on some memory tests compared to people who had a placebo treatment. The treatment did not improve scores on all the memory tests and an overall clinical assessment stated that there was no difference between the two groups. The study had some limitations: The main limitation of this study was the small sample size. The study did not follow the participants over a long enough time to see whether there was a difference in the number of people who progressed to having more severe cognitive impairment (i.e. whether nicotine reduced progression of MCI). As this study was in people with mild cognitive impai... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5584849 Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:10:00 +0100 5584849 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5584850&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Fheart-attack-risk-from-death-grief.aspx Conclusion This study looked at whether there was an association between a recent bereavement and risk of a heart attack in 1,985 older people. The study had an unusual design. Researchers asked individuals about their bereavement status shortly before a heart attack, and compared this to their status several months before. The researchers calculated that in the 24 hours after a bereavement, the participants had a 21-fold increase in the risk of having a heart attack. The risk then steadily declined after this time. A key point to consider when viewing these results is that the study looked at the circumstances of people who had had a heart attack, and not the absolute risk of having a heart attack in a group of people who had been bereaved. Therefore, it cannot directly tell us how likely... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5584850 Tue, 10 Jan 2012 17:30:00 +0100 5584850 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5584851&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Fmaternal-diet-diabetes-risk.aspx Conclusion In this study, researchers found that a specific molecule (miRNA-483-3p) is present at increased levels in the fat of both the offspring of rats fed a low-protein diet and in men with a low birth weight. The researchers found that when fat cell precursors were exposed to increased levels of miRNA-483-3p in the laboratory, they showed a reduced ability to form fat cells and to store fats. The researchers demonstrated that at least part of this effect was due to reduced levels of the protein GDF3. A healthy diet in pregnancy is sensible, and there is increasing evidence that exposure in early life to environmental factors such as poor nutrition has long-term effects. This study has proposed a mechanism for how poor nutrition in early life may affect fat tissue and lead to increase... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5584851 Mon, 09 Jan 2012 18:30:00 +0100 5584851 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5573145&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Fgovernment-review-advises-on-french-pip-breast-implants.aspx There is not enough evidence to recommend the routine removal of PIP breast implants, a government expert committee has concluded. However, the committee said the NHS would remove and replace the implants without charge if patients it had operated on remained concerned. The government said it expected the private sector to follow suit and not to charge for corrective procedures. The French implants caused global concern after it was revealed they contained industrial silicone rather than medical-grade fillers and that they may be more prone to rupture and leakage. Some 40,000 women in the UK are believed to have had the implants, with 95% of operations done for cosmetic reasons through private clinics. The expert group recommended that any worried woman should speak to her surgeon or GP. N... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5573145 Fri, 06 Jan 2012 18:47:00 +0100 5573145 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5573146&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Fdementia-brain-decline-may-begin-45.aspx Conclusion This study following a large group of people aged 45-70 at the start of the study suggests that cognitive ability declines over 10 years in all age categories, even the youngest, although there is a greater rate of decline in older age groups. This study lends support to the theory that cognitive decline may begin prior to the age of 60. However, the study does have limitations: Though it included a large sample size, all the participants were British civil servants and hence results may only be applicable to this population group. For example, they may differ from people working in different environments. Also, the assessments included only about 70% of the original Whitehall II cohort, and there were differences in educational ability, and possibly other medical and life... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5573146 Fri, 06 Jan 2012 17:25:00 +0100 5573146 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5562145&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Fhepatitis-c-vaccine-being-developed.aspx Conclusion This was a small, early-stage human study into a new vaccine against the hepatitis C virus. While such research is required to determine the safety profile of a new therapy, little information on the effectiveness of the vaccine can be gleaned from the study. Phase I clinical trials are designed to determine the optimal dose of a new therapy, and to assess the safety and tolerability of treatments. This study shows that the developed vaccine is well tolerated and safe to use, and the preliminary results indicate that the immune response may be similar to that of people with a natural immunity to the virus. In addition to the small study size and the focus on safety and not effectiveness, there are other practical limitations to the study that should be considered before it is co... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5562145 Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:15:00 +0100 5562145 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5562144&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Fsex-drive-of-older-women-studied.aspx Conclusion The findings of this study are interesting, if a little confusing. It had a number of limitations: It only asked women about recent sexual activity in the preceding month. It is possible some sexually active women did not have sex in this period, so the findings may be inaccurate. Most of the women were upper-middle class women and in good health, so the findings cannot be generalised to other groups. The study relied on women responding to questions about their recent sexual activity in a postal questionnaire. Sex is an emotive and complex subject and there is always a risk that some respondents were not entirely frank. Many questions asked respondents to rate aspects of their sex life using descriptive, objective scales that are open to interpretation. For example,... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5562144 Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:15:00 +0100 5562144 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5562146&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Fscientists-grow-mature-sperm-in-lab.aspx Conclusion This study has shown that, under the right environmental conditions, it is possible to grow normal-looking mouse sperm from immature testes cells in the lab. There are some limitations to note; in particular, the researchers point out that they were unable to isolate the live sperm produced using this method and therefore could not test whether they were able to fertilise eggs. In addition, although these sperm cells looked normal, the researchers could not assess their movement and did not carry out an in-depth assessment of whether the cells were genetically normal. Although this development is of interest, a lot more research will be needed to determine whether this method provides a viable way of producing functioning, normal sperm in the laboratory. It will need to be perfe... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5562146 Wed, 04 Jan 2012 18:00:00 +0100 5562146 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5562147&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Ffgf20-gene-cochlear-deteriation-deafness.aspx Conclusion This research provides important new information about the role that the FGF20 protein plays in the development of the outer hair cells in the ears of mice. As the majority of age-related deafness is caused by damage or loss to these cells, the findings may provide a new target for future research focused on improving our understanding of this type of deafness in humans. While this is a useful scientific development, there are limitations. We cannot be certain, for instance, that FGF20 plays exactly the same role in the development of the human hair cells as it does in mice. Ideally, further research would look into FGF20 using human cells to see if similar results are found. It might also be worth examining the genetics of people who are born deaf in order to understand furth... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5562147 Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:45:00 +0100 5562147 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5562149&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Fwcrf-energy-dense-foods-humous.aspx It is the time of year when research about diet and exercise makes a big splash in the headlines, but today the Daily Mail warned that dieters should steer clear of seemingly healthy dips and spreads that are actually high in calories. The newspaper highlighted warnings that hummus, which is widely thought to be healthy, has a surprisingly high calorie content. Despite its high fat and energy content, a recent survey of Britons showed that two-thirds of people underestimate the number of calories in the chickpea dip. The survey was commissioned by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), which says that people can still be confused about the calorie content of everyday foods, which can affect weight and therefore cancer risk. The WCRF says that the situation is not helped by the application ... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5562149 Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:30:00 +0100 5562149 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5562148&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2012%2F01January%2FPages%2Factive-children-better-school-grades.aspx Conclusion This systematic review of prospective studies has found evidence of an association between physical activity and academic performance through examining the results of 14 previous studies. The strength of this association was not quantified. The researchers acknowledge that the 14 studies they included were largely not of high methodological quality and had various limitations: The studies did not include an objective measure of how much physical activity the students did. Rather, they relied on the students to self-report activity or assessments by parents or teachers, which may not fully reflect the amount of exercise the children did. The included studies were very different in their design and it was not possible to perform a meta-analysis combining their results. Inste... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5562148 Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:30:00 +0100 5562148 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5553391&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2Fquiz-of-the-year-2011.aspx It's been a year in which great scientific minds have addressed many burning questions, asking – among many, many other things – should nuns take the Pill, is watching television bad for your heart, do hammocks aid sleep, and can a shed make a man healthy. In 2011 Behind the Headlines has covered more than 500 health stories that made it into the mainstream media. Just for fun, test your knowledge of the year with our month-by-month quiz. Answers are at the foot of the page. January Researchers in the US and Taiwan claimed faulty stem cells caused what? a) Vitamin B deficiency b) Baldness c) Memory loss February A systematic review of studies with more than a million participants concluded that heart disease risk was reduced by moderate intake of what? a) Aspirin b) Vitamin D c) Al... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5553391 Fri, 30 Dec 2011 15:59:00 +0100 5553391 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5553392&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2F2011-best-health-stories.aspx Although Behind the Headlines often spends time explaining mistaken or misguided news reports, the joy of this service is when there are genuinely exciting medical advances to report. Over the past year there have been many important and fascinating stories, and it is a credit to the national press that so many of them have been so well understood and so well reported. Here’s our pick of some of the best stories from the many brilliant health articles and impressive studies published in 2011.   Heartwarming gene therapy By far the most heartwarming breakthrough in medical science involves the story of seven-year-old Jack Crick (presumably no relation to the co-discoverer of the DNA double helix). Jack was born with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) – an inherited genetic mutati... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5553392 Thu, 29 Dec 2011 12:43:00 +0100 5553392 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5545722&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2Fstrangest-health-stories-of-2011.aspx In this study, genetically engineered mice were fed a chemical produced from tangerines. No tangerines – or humans – were involved and the researchers simply found that mice fed the chemical produced and secreted less ‘bad fats’ from their livers. Beans and lentils. Although this claim used strong science that examined the effect of a vegetarian diet on bowel cancer, it did not directly link beans and lentils with bowel cancer. The study also drew its participants from Californian Seventh Day Adventists, who tend to avoid alcohol and smoking, and often limit their meat intake. This is likely to have contributed to their reduced risk compared to the general population. Crocuses. Hailed as a ‘smart bomb’ for cancer, these common-or-garden flowers were used to make a chemica... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5545722 Wed, 28 Dec 2011 09:44:00 +0100 5545722 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5545723&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2Fbrain-size-scans-alzheimer-risk.aspx Conclusion The main limitations of this study are the relatively small numbers of participants and its short follow-up period.  Also, only 21% - or three out of 14 - of those classified as high risk by the MRI biomarker being tested went on to develop symptoms of cognitive decline. Although this is a higher proportion than those in the average or low risk groups, it seems to indicate that this particular biomarker is not a sensitive measure of the development of cognitive problems, although as the researchers point out, this may be related to the short follow-up period. It should also be noted that symptoms of cognitive decline are not the same as, and do not necessarily predict, Alzheimer’s disease. Many people experience some decline in mental function as they get older but this does ... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5545723 Fri, 23 Dec 2011 16:30:00 +0100 5545723 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5539414&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2Fcmr-spect-angiography-heart-scans.aspx Conclusion This research has demonstrated the diagnostic accuracy of CMR in diagnosing coronary heart disease. CMR also has the advantage that it is a non-invasive technique that does not expose patients to ionising radiation. However, CMR will not be suitable for all patients, as due to the high magnetic fields involved, patients with some medical implants will not be able to use it. Due to the confined nature of many scanners it is also not suitable for patients who suffer from claustrophobia (although this is also the case with many SPECT scanners). Some points to note: The tests were done in a group of patients at relatively high risk of coronary heart disease, with almost 40% having the disease. The accuracy of the test in a community sample of lower-risk patients will need to be t... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5539414 Fri, 23 Dec 2011 16:30:00 +0100 5539414 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5539415&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2Fheartburn-acid-reflux-fatty-diet.aspx Conclusion This was a well-conducted study and its size reduces the risk of findings being due to chance. While it does suggest that the incidence of GORD may be rising, it does have some important limitations: It relied on people self-reporting their symptoms of acid reflux and also recalling how often symptoms had occurred over the last 12 months, rather than, for example, using medical records. Relying on self-reporting, particularly when people have to remember symptoms over a period of months, can make the results less accurate. The first two surveys used did not ask people specifically how many attacks of reflux they had, although the researchers say they conducted a smaller study to validate the results. There was a sharp drop in participants between the two surveys, which ... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5539415 Thu, 22 Dec 2011 18:00:00 +0100 5539415 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5539416&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2Fbrain-tumour-risk-from-high-blood-pressure.aspx Conclusion This large prospective cohort study comprising more than 500,000 people from Austria, Norway and Sweden suggested an association between high blood pressure and some types of brain tumour. It should be noted, however, that even among the group of people with highest blood pressure the overall incidence of brain cancers was low. Furthermore, there were several limitations to this study: Data was only available for the three types of tumour: meningioma and high- and low-grade glioma. Other types of tumour accounted for around 32% of the tumours in the study population. The researchers did not collect information on whether the participants had used medication, particularly on whether they were taking medication for lowering their blood pressure. These may have had an impact ... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5539416 Thu, 22 Dec 2011 17:30:00 +0100 5539416 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5527167&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2Fpip-breast-implants-france-cancer-case.aspx Many newspapers today reported details of a possible link between breast implants and a rare form of cancer. It is thought that up to 50,000 British women have had the French brand of implants concerned, which is subject to a major investigation in France. The brand of implants, Poly Implant Prothese (PIP), was withdrawn from the market last year and investigated by health regulators after it was found to contain non-medical types of silicone. After examining a range of data, the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) found that there is “insufficient evidence” of any association between PIP implants and cancer. However, the implants have remained under scrutiny, particularly since a French woman with the implants died of a rare form of cancer known as ALCL.... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5527167 Wed, 21 Dec 2011 18:05:00 +0100 5527167 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5527168&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2Fswallowed-pen-and-other-foreign-bodies.aspx There has been a flurry of internet news over the bizarre case of a woman who had a pen removed from her stomach, 25 years after she swallowed it. Amazingly, the plastic pen still worked after over two decades lodged inside her. The case has been described in the British Medical Journal Case Reports, which explains in detail how the 76-year-old woman was referred for urgent investigation after she developed sudden weight loss and diarrhoea. While performing a CT scan to look at her abdomen, doctors found the startling sight of the felt-tip pen, which they then surgically removed. Apparently, years earlier the woman had been looking at her tonsils in the mirror but slipped and accidentally swallowed the pen. Both her husband and GP had dismissed her claim at the time as the pen failed to sh... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5527168 Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:00:00 +0100 5527168 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5527169&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2Fcvd-risk-linked-to-blood-pressure-at-55.aspx Conclusion This research is said to be the first study to examine how changes in blood pressure throughout middle age (taken as the average change from the age of 41 to 55) can affect subsequent lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease, including events such as coronary heart disease and strokes. It looked at a large, multi-ethnic US population and found that individuals who maintained or reduced their blood pressure to normal levels by the age of 55 had the lowest risk of cardiovascular disease in their remaining lifetime, at around 22-41%. Those who had or developed high blood pressure between these ages had the higher cardiovascular risk, at 42-69%. In some ways, the findings are not surprising: cardiovascular diseases have various risk factors, some that can’t be changed (such as age,... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5527169 Wed, 21 Dec 2011 11:00:00 +0100 5527169 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5527170&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2Fhomeless-people-die-early.aspx On a sobering note during the festive period, the BBC today reported that homeless people “die 30 years younger” than the national average. The Daily Telegraph said that “homeless women die ‘by age 43’” while The Guardian said that homeless people have a “life expectancy of just 47”. These headlines are based on initial findings of research into the age of death in homeless people carried out by the University of Sheffield and funded by the homeless charity Crisis. This research updated research carried out 15 years ago. The new research found that the average homeless person has a life expectancy of 47, compared to 77 for the rest of the population: a startling difference of 30 years. The life expectancy for women was even lower, at just 43 years. Crisis has called on the ... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5527170 Wed, 21 Dec 2011 10:56:00 +0100 5527170 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5527171&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2Fdhea-hormone-hot-flushes-sex-drive-menopause.aspx Conclusion This small, randomised controlled trial found that both menopause symptoms and measures of sexual function could be improved by three types of hormone therapy. The study compared a form of HRT, tibolone (a unique drug with oestrogen, progestogen and male hormone activity) and another type of hormone therapy called DHEA, which is not currently licensed for use in the UK. One group of women received vitamin D but no hormone therapies. The study was small, including 48 women in total and 12 in each group. This means there is a higher likelihood the findings are due to chance. Additionally, although the women saw improvements in sexual function, they had normal sexual function at the start of the study and did not have a clinical diagnosis of sexual dysfunction. It is not known whet... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5527171 Tue, 20 Dec 2011 18:00:00 +0100 5527171 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5527172&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2Fsun-stops-chickenpox.aspx Conclusion In this research article, one researcher presents his explanation for the patterns of chickenpox cases worldwide and for the distribution of different types of the virus. He suggests that ultraviolet radiation could reduce the spread of the virus. He also proposes a number of ways that this hypothesis could be tested. However, these experiments have not been performed yet, and positive results would be required to support his explanation. In addition, this hypothesis does not have support from all experts on chickenpox, and in an accompanying article, other experts explain why they disagree with it. Links To The Headlines Sun 'stops chickenpox spreading'. BBC News, December 19 2011, Science Links To Science Rice PS. Ultra-violet radiation is responsible for the differences in ... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5527172 Tue, 20 Dec 2011 17:30:00 +0100 5527172 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5527173&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2Fcall-to-boost-penicillin-dose-in-children.aspx Conclusion This was a narrative review of an important area of medicine: the appropriate prescription of antibiotics for children. The authors’ call for an evidence-based update of prescribing guidelines appears to be well founded, particularly as dosing guidelines for adult penicillin and related antibiotics have been updated several times over the last 50 years. During this time, adult doses have increased substantially. The authors say it is time for the same type of review to be applied to children’s dosage guidelines, and this would be likely to support increasing the doses given to children. While this narrative review has highlighted the evidence behind the current guidelines for prescribing penicillins to children, and suggested ways these can be updated and improved, it is not... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5527173 Mon, 19 Dec 2011 17:00:00 +0100 5527173 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5527174&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2Fnorovirus-shuts-hospital-wards.aspx "Dozens of hospital wards closed over fears of norovirus outbreak," The Daily Telegraph has reported today. The paper said that health officials have issued a warning about the serious threat posed by the winter diarrhoea and vomiting bug, norovirus, after wards had to be closed at eight UK hospitals. Reports of closed wards have also hit the headlines of many local newspapers. Norovirus is a highly contagious virus and the most common infectious cause of diarrhoea and vomiting in the UK. It is often called the ‘winter vomiting bug’ as its peak season is over the winter months. It is easily spread between people, usually by an infected person not washing their hands properly after using the toilet. The most effective prevention is thorough hand washing. Outbreaks occur every ... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5527174 Mon, 19 Dec 2011 11:08:00 +0100 5527174 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5527175&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2Fkids-christmas-toys-a-danger-to-hearing.aspx “Noisy Christmas toys risk damaging toddlers' hearing,” says The Daily Telegraph. The paper warned that certain popular Christmas toys “can be as loud as a chainsaw and risk permanently damaging toddlers’ hearing”. This warning comes from researchers at the Department of Otolaryngology, University of California, Irvine, which measured how noisy a range of popular children’s toys is. It found that some toys could make noise at a level similar to a power saw.   How did the researchers find this out? Who says science is dull? This research involved researchers going down to local toy shops and playing with Christmas 2011’s popular children’s toys and measuring their noise levels. This is likely to have involved pressing buttons on dinosaurs, shooting toy guns and generally pr... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5527175 Mon, 19 Dec 2011 11:02:00 +0100 5527175 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5516402&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2Fhairy-limbs-stop-bedbugs-biting.aspx Conclusion This laboratory based study helps us understand why humans have retained fine body hair, by testing whether the fine hair aids our detection of bed bugs. They found that people were more likely to detect bed bugs on their hairy arms, which could act as an early warning system for parasites. The bugs took longer to select a site to bite on hairy arms. The results may explain why parasites choose relatively hairless parts of host bodies to feed from. The study does have limitations in that it was small and may not have recreated the behaviour of bed bugs outside of the laboratory. As bed bugs tend to have more than five minutes in which to bite people in real life, having arm hair probably won’t stop them biting. Links To The Headlines Hairy limbs keep bedbugs at bay. BBC News... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5516402 Fri, 16 Dec 2011 10:00:00 +0100 5516402 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5516401&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2Fdementia-care-lacking-report-finds.aspx “Hospital staff 'lack skills to cope with dementia patients',” The Guardian has today reported. The newspaper says that the National Audit of Dementia has found that the care dementia patients receive is “impersonal” and that they “suffer boredom”. There are currently 750,000 people reported to have dementia in the UK, and it is estimated that there will be more than a million people with dementia in the UK by 2021. The report says that at any one time, up to a quarter of acute hospital beds are occupied by people over the age of 65 with dementia. The report says that people with dementia in hospital are more likely to belong to older age groups and more likely to need other mental and physical care.   What is the basis for these current reports? The news stories have been pro... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5516401 Fri, 16 Dec 2011 10:00:00 +0100 5516401 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5506896&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2Floud-music-makes-alcohol-taste-sweeter.aspx Conclusion This was a small study, carried out over 45 minutes in laboratory conditions rather than in the “real world”. It used a specific population – young and mainly female – and tested one specific type of drink, that being cranberry juice and vodka. The study has also rated highly subjective perceptions in response to stimuli that are likely to have influenced their perception, given that participants knew the purpose of the study. For example, participants may have been expecting alcohol to taste better when they were listening to music rather than having to concentrate on a news story, so unknowingly bias their response. It is also perhaps not that surprising that those who were asked to listen to loud music with one ear while simultaneously listening to a news story with t... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5506896 Thu, 15 Dec 2011 18:00:00 +0100 5506896 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5506897&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2Fnew-smear-test-cervical-cancer.aspx Conclusion This was a large study that compared two methods of screening for cervical cancer. It compared the standard method of examining cells after smear tests to a programme combining smear tests and a DNA test to detect HPV. The screening techniques used were similar to those of the NHS cervical screening programme and the participants comparable with those who would normally undergo NHS cervical screening. As such, it is likely that these results can be generalised to a UK population. The current cervical smear screening programme is able to detect these early pre-cancerous changes (with abnormal screening results later confirmed by biopsy), but this research analysis indicates that adding HPV DNA testing to the current screening programme could be effective in increasing the number ... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5506897 Thu, 15 Dec 2011 17:30:00 +0100 5506897 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5506898&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2Fhospital-drug-administration-errors-analysed.aspx Conclusion This study provides new information on the error rate during the preparation and administration of oral medicines to patients with and without dysphagia on stroke and care-of-elderly wards at four acute general hospitals in the east of England. This study suggests that drug administration errors may affect more people with swallowing difficulties than those without. While this study provides a useful assessment of oral medicine practices in these specific hospital wards, the following limitations should be taken into account when considering the implications of the results: The most common error was a “time error”, which accounted for the majority of the “40% of hospital drugs administered incorrectly” as quoted in the news headlines. It is not clear how much, if any... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5506898 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 10:05:00 +0100 5506898 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5506899&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2F24000-excess-deaths-from-diabetes.aspx This report was prepared in partnership with various trusts, including The Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP), which promotes quality in healthcare, and the NHS Information Centre, the official source of health and social care data and information for England. The NDA covered four key components of the government’s National Service Framework (NSF) for Diabetes: checking whether everyone with diabetes was diagnosed and recorded on a practice diabetes register looking at whether those registered are receiving key elements of diabetes care (such as regular checks of blood glucose levels, or for protein in the urine) looking at the proportion of people registered to have diabetes who achieve the treatment targets for glucose control, blood pressure and blood cholester... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5506899 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 09:59:00 +0100 5506899 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5506900&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2Fdrinking-alcohol-unprotected-sex-sti.aspx Conclusion This systematic review and meta-analysis pooled the results from 12 randomised controlled studies that looked at whether there was an association between blood alcohol content (manipulated by the trial researchers) and self-reported intention to use condoms. The analysis found that for a 0.1mg/ml increase in blood alcohol content there was a 2.9% increased likelihood of participants reporting that they would be willing to engage in unprotected sex compared with participants who had consumed no alcohol. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials is a good way to assess the available evidence. This particular review used established criteria for conducting a good-quality systematic review, which is a strength of the study. The researchers were also very ... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5506900 Tue, 13 Dec 2011 18:00:00 +0100 5506900 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5506901&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2Fme-cfs-cause-of-school-absence.aspx Conclusion This research assessed the number of children that had chronic fatigue syndrome out of nearly 3,000 children attending secondary school and the feasibility of identifying them using a school-based clinic. The researchers identified potential new cases by assessing children who had missed more than a fifth of school days, and whose absence could not be attributed to other medical reasons or other reasons such as truancy. This study had several strengths, including the fact that the frequently absent children who reported unexplained fatigue were screened for medical and emotional causes of fatigue other than CFS. Another strength was that well-validated procedures were used to look for other conditions. However, there are inherent limitations to this type of study, which mean fur... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5506901 Tue, 13 Dec 2011 17:25:00 +0100 5506901 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5496079&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2Fhaemophilia-b-christmas-disease-gene-therapy.aspx Conclusion Patients with haemophilia B have defects in the gene normally used to produce the important blood-clotting protein FIX. Patients with severe haemophilia B have less than 1% of normal levels of functional FIX protein. The exciting finding of this study suggests that gene therapy might be a safe and effective way to increase the level of FIX in haemophilia B patients’ bodies, in some cases removing the need for FIX injections altogether. In this study, prolonged production of functional FIX protein was observed after injection with a single dose of virus carrying a normal version of the FIX gene, and few side effects occurred. However, this was an early-stage, relatively short, small study with only six participants and no comparison group. As the researchers themselves conclude... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5496079 Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:50:00 +0100 5496079 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5496080&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2Fcancer-treatment-cost-may-increase.aspx “Cancer survival rates could fall because of a rise in the cost of diagnosis and treatment over the next 10 years,” the Daily Express warns today. Other papers, including the Daily Mail claim that treating patients at home instead of in hospital could stop cancer treatments from “bankrupting” the UK’s healthcare system. The papers have each chosen to make stark warnings based on different aspects of the same report. The report, which projects the UK’s cancer treatment costs in 2021, was published by the private healthcare insurance company, Bupa. The report calculates that last year 318,000 people in the UK were diagnosed with cancer, with an overall cost for cancer care of £9.4 billion across NHS, private and voluntary sectors. By 2021 the number of new cancer cases is predic... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5496080 Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:45:00 +0100 5496080 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5488630&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2Fsystematic-review-terminations-mental-health.aspx Conclusion This is a thorough review that highlights that women with an unwanted pregnancy are at risk of adverse mental health effects, but that the decision to have an abortion or keep the pregnancy itself makes little difference to the risk of developing new mental health issues. The authors acknowledge several important limitations to their review; principally that the included studies and reviews varied in design and quality. These included differences in terms of: the mental health outcomes examined and how these were assessed variations in the way adjustments were made to account for important confounding factors that might affect results (e.g. the presence of previous mental health problems, partner violence and abuse, etc.) the comparison groups they used; for example, so... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5488630 Fri, 09 Dec 2011 18:00:00 +0100 5488630 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5488631&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2Fbreast-cancer-screening-benefits-questioned.aspx Conclusion This study has updated the analyses of the Forrest report, the 1986 report that led to the introduction of screening in the UK. The updated model includes more recent estimates of the effect of mammographic screening on breast cancer deaths, and has added data on some of the potential harms of screening, (effects on quality of life of false positives and surgery). Unsurprisingly, the inclusion of additional harms in the model reduced the estimated benefits for the screening programme. Overall, the updated model including harms suggested that the screening programme may not have yielded a net benefit until about 10 years into the programme, although the balance did tip in favour of screening after this point. Balancing the benefits and harms of screening programmes is complex. Mo... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5488631 Fri, 09 Dec 2011 17:15:00 +0100 5488631 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5488632&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2Fnuns-contraceptive-pill-to-cut-cancer-risk.aspx Conclusion This opinion piece, which linked together different pieces of research, raises a serious issue: the increased risk of reproductive cancers among nuns and other women who do not bear children. It argued that nuns should be offered the pill because it has been shown to reduce the risk of two of these cancers and has also been shown to reduce mortality rates overall. However, the research cited by the authors as showing that the pill reduces mortality rates was an epidemiological study that cannot show any causal effect between the pill and reduced mortality. It is quite possible that women taking the pill lived longer because of other factors. Furthermore, the pill has side effects including headaches, weight changes and breast tenderness. It also carries a small increase in the r... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5488632 Thu, 08 Dec 2011 18:00:00 +0100 5488632 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5488633&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2Fbowel-cancer-testing-programme-examined.aspx Conclusion This analysis of a relatively new screening programme demonstrates that the programme has been effective in detecting bowel cancers at an early stage. This is extremely important in this disease, as in the absence of an effective screening programme most cases would not be diagnosed until they have progressed considerably. At this point treatment becomes more difficult, and survival is less likely than those cases diagnosed at an early stage. The researchers say that uptake of the programme outside of London was very good, and high by international standards. The study also revealed unexpected variations in participation across regions and socioeconomic levels. Knowledge of such variation is essential, as it allows programme administrators to alter their recruitment and invitat... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5488633 Thu, 08 Dec 2011 17:30:00 +0100 5488633 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5488634&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2Fendurance-exercise-short-term-heart-damage.aspx Conclusion This study assessed the heart function of 40 healthy endurance athletes and showed that a small dysfunction in the right ventricle was present immediately after an endurance race. In approximately 9 out of 10 of these athletes this dysfunction was temporary, disappearing after one week. In a minority of cases the results showed some dysfunction in the right ventricle may last longer than a week. The study suggested the longer-term effects may be particularly likely in people who have been competing in endurance events for many years. When interpreting the results, the following limitations should be taken into account: The research was done using only 40 individuals and so these may not be typical of all endurance athletes. Studies with larger numbers of athletes would be nee... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5488634 Wed, 07 Dec 2011 17:54:00 +0100 5488634 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5488635&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2Flifestyle-factors-as-causes-of-cancer.aspx This study indicates the relative importance of certain lifestyle factors in increasing the risk of cancer. Factors such as a poor diet, smoking, being overweight and drinking too much are already known to increase the risk not only of cancer but also of a range of serious chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and kidney and liver problems. This study provides another good reason for people to live a healthy lifestyle. It’s important to note, however, that the individual risk of different cancers depends not only on lifestyle but on other factors including genetic make-up, family history and getting older. Leading a healthy lifestyle is not a cast-iron guarantee against cancer, but it does reduce the risk of getting it. Links To The Headlines Lifestyle and work ch... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5488635 Wed, 07 Dec 2011 16:23:00 +0100 5488635 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5478116&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2Fsitting-makes-bum-bigger-fat.aspx Conclusion In this study, researchers found that mouse precursor fat cells are stimulated to form fat cells that produce fat at a faster rate when they are grown on elastic, which is then stretched. This stretching was supposed to mimic the stress experienced by fat cells when people sit or lie down, although it was applied continuously for three to four weeks. The scientists said their findings suggest that the weight pressure placed on fat cells in the bottom when we sit down could contribute to increased bottom fat. The findings support the message that exercise is key to good health, in particular to maintaining a healthy body weight. But this study has many limitations, as it was performed on mouse cells grown in a laboratory. It’s not clear if the stretching stress that the mouse c... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5478116 Tue, 06 Dec 2011 17:00:00 +0100 5478116 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5478117&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2Fmorning-after-pill-by-post-for-christmas.aspx “Morning after pill given out free over the phone,” said The Daily Telegraph in a report carried by most newspapers. The Daily Express reported that a scheme now makes getting the morning after pill “as easy as ordering a pizza”, while the Daily Star reports this as a “Pill plea to party girls”. The story is based on the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) launching a campaign to offer the morning after pill (also known as the emergency contraceptive pill) free to women aged over 16 throughout December, as a precautionary measure. BPAS is a charity that provides counselling and support to women who have an unplanned pregnancy or who have decided to end their pregnancy. Its services include providing emergency contraception and abortion treatments. BPAS staff report that... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5478117 Tue, 06 Dec 2011 10:31:00 +0100 5478117 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5478118&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2Flow-fat-substitutes-and-weight-gain.aspx Conclusion In this study, it was found that rats receiving crisps with varying fat content ate more, gained more weight and were fatter than rats that only consumed full-fat crisps when given alongside a high-fat diet. An effect on food intake, weight and fat was also observed if rats were switched to high-fat feed from normal feed after the rats stopping receiving reduced-fat crisps containing olestra. These findings, like many findings from rat trials, cannot be directly applied to humans. Among other factors, the rats were not trying to lose weight. Anyone’s attempts to lose weight are likely to involve a complex mix of willpower, knowledge of the calories in food, the ability to realise that certain foods will not make you feel full and active choices over what to eat. However, diet... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5478118 Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:30:00 +0100 5478118 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5478119&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2FPulse-checks-could-prevent-strokes.aspx The Daily Mail reports that, if doctors checked the pulse of every patient they see, this measure could “prevent 12,000 strokes a year”. The aim of the pulse checks would be to pick up cases of atrial fibrillation, a common heart rhythm disorder that increases the risk of a stroke. The figure comes from a report released by the Atrial Fibrillation Association (AFA) and Anticoagulation Europe (ACE), which warn that there is a “silent epidemic” of atrial fibrillation and that this will worsen in the UK as the population ages. The report also sets out a number of ways that might improve the diagnosis and treatment of atrial fibrillation, including campaigns to raise awareness, further training for GPs and improved access to heart monitoring when a case is suspected.   What is atrial... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5478119 Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:00:00 +0100 5478119 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5478120&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2Fwifi-laptop-signals-sperm-fertility-damage.aspx Conclusion This small laboratory study found that the movement and DNA of sperm outside of the human body may be affected by close exposure to a laptop connected to the internet by wi-fi. While the findings of this lab-based study suggest that the effects of wi-fi on sperm may be worth investigating further, its findings should be interpreted in context: It did not directly examine the way wi-fi affected the testes, sperm while still inside the testes or male fertility. On this basis it cannot show that any of these factors are directly affected by laptop use. As one expert has pointed out, the tissues and fluids of the body protect the sperm, and sperm stored and tested outside the human body do not have this protection. The sperm examined in this study might therefore be more vulne... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5478120 Fri, 02 Dec 2011 17:10:00 +0100 5478120 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5470336&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2Fwifi-laptop-signals-sperm-fertility-damage.aspx Conclusion This small laboratory study has found that the movement and DNA of sperm outside of the human body may be affected by close exposure to a laptop connected to the internet by wi-fi. While the findings of this lab-based study suggest that the effects of wi-fi on sperm may be worth investigating further, its findings should be interpreted in context: It did not directly examine the way wi-fi affected the testicles, sperm while still inside the testicles, or male fertility. On this basis it cannot show that any of these factors are directly affected by laptop use. As one expert has pointed out, the tissues and fluids of the body protect the sperm, and sperm stored and tested outside the human body do not have this protection. The sperm examined in this study might therefore be... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5470336 Fri, 02 Dec 2011 17:10:00 +0100 5470336 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5470337&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2Fpet-scans-detect-conns-syndrome-hypertension.aspx Conclusion This assessment of a new diagnostic test may provide a non-invasive alternative for diagnosing an adenoma as the cause of excessive levels of the hormone aldosterone. This is likely to increase the successful treatment of the condition as more patients are able to undergo the surgical removal of the affected adrenal gland. Currently, diagnosis of Conn’s Syndrome occurs in two stages. The first involves detecting elevated levels of the hormone aldosterone (using hospital blood tests), and the second involves determining the size and location of the benign tumour, usually through other forms of imaging scan. This new test would be part of the second stage, and patients would only be eligible for it if excessive levels of aldosterone had already been confirmed through blood test... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5470337 Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:45:00 +0100 5470337 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5459711&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fclaim-sheds-make-men-healthy-and-happy.aspx The Daily Mail has claimed that sheds “could help men live longer.” The Mail adds that the “therapeutic effects of pottering around relieves stress, which lowers blood pressure and even boosts self-esteem”. This shed story has shaky foundations. It is loosely based on an article in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) about the need for policy, practice and research aimed specifically at men’s health in Europe. Sheds are only briefly mentioned in this article, and not in this particular context. The references to “Men’s sheds” relate to an Australian skills and wellbeing programme that provides a place for male-focused activities outside work, not just a small building at the end of the garden. The BMJ article does not discuss the potential health benefits of sheds, but instea... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5459711 Thu, 01 Dec 2011 11:52:00 +0100 5459711 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5470338&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F12December%2FPages%2Fhigh-caffeine-health-risk-cafe-coffee.aspx Conclusion This analysis provides a useful snapshot of the caffeine content in a range of espresso coffees bought on the high street. Although the study was carried out in only one city, its finding that there is a wide variation in caffeine content is likely to apply to coffee bought in other UK cafes. It found that the caffeine content of most products was higher than normally expected and it is possible that some coffee drinkers may unknowingly consume large amounts of caffeine. In some cases, a single serving may place people who are more susceptible to the toxic effects of caffeine at risk. The researchers only looked at caffeine levels in espresso coffee, which may not be standard preference in the UK. Although they point out that other types of coffee drinks are based on espresso s... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5470338 Thu, 01 Dec 2011 11:19:00 +0100 5470338 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5459712&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fhiv-tests-for-all-proposed.aspx “UK experts call for universal HIV testing in a bid to reduce infections,” BBC News has said. This widely reported news is based on recommendations in the Health Protection Agency’s (HPA) annual report on HIV in the UK. The HPA says that the number of people living with HIV has reached an estimated 91,500, but more than 21,000 of these people may not know that they have the infection. It wants everyone who attends a sexual health clinic to be tested to reduce the number of people who are unaware that they have HIV. In areas where rates of HIV infection are high, the HPA also wants tests for everyone who registers with a new GP or is admitted to hospital. The HPA recommends that people most at risk of HIV infection (such as men who have sex with men, black Africans and people who in... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5459712 Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:53:00 +0100 5459712 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5459713&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2FFish-and-alzheimers-prevention.aspx Conclusion This research has examined the association between eating fish and brain structures and the subsequent risk of cognitive decline. It is not possible as yet to fully appraise this study and draw firm conclusions as so far it has only been presented at a conference and not in a peer-reviewed publication. This means that little information has been presented on the methods and results of the study. Before drawing conclusions on the link between consumption of fish and risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, it is important to note that: The conference abstract focused on cognitive decline as the outcome of interest. It is unclear from the abstract how this was measured, and whether or not the researchers specifically examined the development of Alzheimer’s. Information o... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5459713 Wed, 30 Nov 2011 16:59:00 +0100 5459713 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5459714&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fbone-marrow-cancer-gene-clues-found.aspx Conclusion The causes of multiple myeloma are not known. However, they are thought to include genetic factors because family members of people with the disease have an increased risk of developing it themselves. This study has identified variations in two regions of DNA that are more common in people with multiple myeloma. These variations were each associated with about a 30% increase in the overall odds of developing multiple myeloma. However, other variations are likely to contribute to the risk as the two variations identified were estimated to account for about only 4% of the increase in risk in family members of people with multiple myeloma. This is reportedly the first study to identify genetic variations linked to the disease. However, how these genetic variations might increase th... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5459714 Tue, 29 Nov 2011 17:55:00 +0100 5459714 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5459715&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fwinter-vomiting-bug-found-in-most-oysters.aspx Tests have found that three-quarters of British-grown oysters contain norovirus, BBC News has reported. Norovirus, also known as “winter vomiting bug”, is thought to affect up to 1 million people each year in the UK. The news is based on a two-year examination of UK oyster production sites by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), including the first large-scale analysis of the levels of norovirus they contain. However, although testing showed that most samples contained norovirus, the results have not revealed any new risk from eating oysters, and the FSA’s advice remains unchanged: people should be aware that eating raw oysters carries a risk of food poisoning. The agency also continues to advise that certain groups – such as older people, pregnant women, very young children and people... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5459715 Tue, 29 Nov 2011 17:35:00 +0100 5459715 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5459716&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Ftimothy-syndrome-brain-cell-autism-clue.aspx Conclusion This study has furthered researchers’ understanding of the effects of the Timothy syndrome mutation on nerve cells in the laboratory. This type of research has been made possible because of recent scientific advances that allow researchers to produce different types of cell, including nerves, from stem cells derived from adult skin cells. This has granted them a supply of nerve cells that do not need to be sourced from people’s brains or from animals. The results may be more representative of what happens in humans than if the researchers only studied cells from mice that were genetically engineered to carry the Timothy syndrome mutation. Studying these individual skin-derived nerve cells is unlikely to be fully representative of the complexities of the developing human brai... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5459716 Mon, 28 Nov 2011 16:30:00 +0100 5459716 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5450366&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2F2011-hospital-performance-data-analysed.aspx The Daily Telegraph has today revealed the findings of the latest Dr Foster Hospital Guide. The guide, published annually, closely scrutinises a range of healthcare data to measure hospital performance and detect trends that could save lives. As well as listing the hospital trusts in England that score above and below average on a range of different mortality measures, this year’s guide also found that: The rate of patient deaths in England is 20% lower than it was 10 years ago, in part because of improved hospital care. For certain conditions, patients admitted to hospital at the weekend are less likely to get treated quickly and have a higher chance of dying. Hospitals that perform certain operations infrequently pose a significantly greater risk to patients than those which c... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5450366 Mon, 28 Nov 2011 00:15:00 +0100 5450366 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5459717&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fhospital-births-home-births-compared.aspx This report will no doubt be of interest to parents who are planning where to have their baby and wish to discuss their options with their midwife or GP.   What did the study look at? This large English study was designed to take a detailed look at the risks associated with different settings where women with low-risk pregnancies planned to give birth. A low-risk pregnancy is one where the mother and baby are not affected by conditions or circumstances that can complicate the birth (see What is a low-risk pregnancy? for further details). The study compared home births, midwifery units run outside of a hospital setting, obstetric unit births in hospitals and births in ‘alongside midwifery units’, which are midwife-led units on a hospital site that also have an obstetric unit. Its anal... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5459717 Fri, 25 Nov 2011 17:55:00 +0100 5459717 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5450367&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fhospital-births-home-births-compared.aspx This report will no doubt be of interest to parents who are planning where to have their baby and wish to discuss their options with their midwife or GP.   What did the study look at? This large English study was designed to take a detailed look at risk associated with different birth settings for women with low-risk pregnancies. A low-risk pregnancy is one where the mother and baby are not affected by conditions or circumstances that can complicate the birth (see What is a low-risk pregnancy? for further details). The study compared home births, midwifery units run outside of a hospital setting, obstetric unit births in hospitals and births in ‘alongside midwifery units’, which are midwife-led units on a hospital site that also have an obstetric unit. Its analysis featured data on al... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5450367 Fri, 25 Nov 2011 17:55:00 +0100 5450367 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5459718&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fbrain-electric-shock-therapy-for-alzheimers.aspx Conclusion This was a small, early-stage clinical study that tested the safety of using deep brain stimulation to treat Alzheimer’s disease. Due to the preliminary nature of this research and the fact it did not compare DBS patients against a control group, the results can’t be universally applied to all patients with Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers have since started a larger-scale study (involving 50 people) to assess the benefits and effectiveness of the treatment. Potential issues with this sort of study are: Without a control group it isn’t possible to say that any slowing of the deterioration expected in people with Alzheimer’s was due to the treatment. It isn’t valid to compare the results from so few people with an “expected” rate of decline. The patients... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5459718 Fri, 25 Nov 2011 13:30:00 +0100 5459718 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5443118&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fbrain-electric-shock-therapy-for-alzheimers.aspx Conclusion This was a small, early-stage clinical study that tested the safety of using deep brain stimulation to treat Alzheimer’s disease. Due to the preliminary nature of this research and the fact it did not compare DBS patients against a control group, the results can’t be universally applied to all patients with Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers have since started a larger-scale study (involving 50 people) to assess the benefits and effectiveness of the treatment. Potential issues with this sort of study are: Without a control group it isn’t possible to say that any slowing of the deterioration expected in people with Alzheimer’s was due to the treatment. It isn’t valid to compare the results from so few people with an “expected” rate of decline. The patients... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5443118 Fri, 25 Nov 2011 13:30:00 +0100 5443118 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5443119&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fdreams-can-ease-painful-memories.aspx Conclusion This small study puts forward some interesting theories as to why sleep may promote emotional wellbeing. It seems to support the commonly held and commonsense idea that a good night’s sleep can help people get their worries and emotional reactions in perspective. A regular healthy sleep pattern may also help those with anxiety and other disorders. However, it should be noted that the study only involved 34 participants, that it only looked at the possible effects of sleep on specific emotional stimuli and that it was conducted over a 12-hour period. It would therefore be unwise to draw any firm conclusions from its findings. Although its findings are of interest to scientists in the field of sleep disorders, it is not possible to draw any conclusions about sleep as therapy. In... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5443119 Thu, 24 Nov 2011 17:30:00 +0100 5443119 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5443120&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fgender-bending-chemical-in-soup-claims.aspx Conclusion This small, short-term study has found that eating canned soup for a week seems to be associated with a fairly dramatic ‘peak’ in BPA levels in the urine. Although this is of interest, it should be noted that the study did not look at whether a regular diet of canned soup or other canned goods would result in high long-term levels of BPA in the urine or whether they would have any long-term health effects. Some points to consider about this study: It only looked at one brand of soup so it is uncertain if the results apply to other brands and other tinned foods. The authors say they expect other canned goods with high levels of BPA to produce the same results. It involved a selected population of staff and students at one school, so it is unclear if the results could be... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5443120 Thu, 24 Nov 2011 17:00:00 +0100 5443120 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5443121&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fehrc-launches-elderly-home-care-report.aspx A number of elderly people are being let down by home care services, an inquiry by the Equality and Human Rights Commission has found. The commission reported that around half of the older people and relatives interviewed were highly satisfied with their standard of care. However, in a minority of cases there were significant lapses in the care some received. Among the problems reported were older people being left unwashed, denied assistance with eating and without a say in the way they were treated. In a few isolated cases, elderly patients reported physical abuse and having money systematically stolen. The report is one of a series of damning examinations into elderly care to be published in recent months. Investigations by the Patients’ Association and Care Quality Commission (CQC) ... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5443121 Wed, 23 Nov 2011 18:00:00 +0100 5443121 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5443122&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fstaggered-overdose-paracetamol-research.aspx Conclusion This study of 938 patients admitted to a liver transplant clinic in Scotland shows that taking a staggered overdose of paracetamol may have a greater adverse effect on survival compared to patients who experience a single point overdose, even though they have ingested less paracetamol overall. However, while these are certainly valuable results they do not change the fact that paracetamol is a safe an effective painkiller when taken correctly. Instead, the research provides important insight into the outcomes that might occur when paracetamol is not taken in the correct manner, and how different patterns of overuse can affect the body differently. The study also highlighted the need for people to ensure they take the correct amount, which is always stated on the drug packaging ... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5443122 Wed, 23 Nov 2011 17:45:00 +0100 5443122 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5443123&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fon-demand-caesarean-claims.aspx Any pregnant woman can now ‘demand’ a caesarean section regardless of medical need, much of the media has reported. Many of the reports focused on mothers who fear birth trauma now having the right to request a caesarean. The reports are based on new full guidance on caesarean sections from the National Institute for Health Clinical Excellence (PDF, 228kb). NICE says this guidance may actually reduce the proportion of caesareans because new guidelines insist women should be given better advice about their options at childbirth. Currently around one in four UK babies is delivered by caesarean. Some papers have linked NICE’s recommendations to a shortage of midwives. These reports are based on a claim by the Royal College of Midwives, in September, that an extra 4,700 midwives are need... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5443123 Wed, 23 Nov 2011 11:46:00 +0100 5443123 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5443124&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fcancer-survival-rates-still-vary-greatly.aspx Survival rates have risen dramatically for many types of cancer but have hardly improved for others, BBC News reported. Citing new figures released by the cancer charity Macmillan, the BBC said that the average estimated survival time for people diagnosed with cancer has risen from one year to nearly six years in the last four decades. Macmillan’s new report highlights the massive improvements that have been made in some areas. For example, people diagnosed with colon cancer might typically live beyond a decade, compared to just seven months if they had been diagnosed 40 years ago. However, it appears there is a major need to boost survival rates for lung cancer, pancreatic cancer and stomach cancers, which have hardly improved despite 40 years of medical advances.   What did the rep... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5443124 Tue, 22 Nov 2011 18:30:00 +0100 5443124 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5443125&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Funaids-2011-report-on-global-hiv-fight.aspx Global rates of HIV infection and AIDS-related death have both fallen dramatically, the UN has today announced. According to the widely reported figures from the UN’s UNAIDS division, both have fallen by 21% since their peaks at the turn of the millennium. Measures such as improved medical treatment were estimated to have prevented 700,000 AIDS-related deaths in 2010 alone. The global statistics have been published ahead of World AIDS day on December 1, and to mark a decade since a groundbreaking summit that led to a global strategy for tackling HIV. The report investigated the rates of new HIV infections, people living with HIV worldwide and AIDS-related deaths, to see how far we are currently from the UNAIDS’ ambitious vision: zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AI... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5443125 Tue, 22 Nov 2011 17:20:00 +0100 5443125 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5432929&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fcancer-research-uk-genetic-treatment-tests.aspx A new initiative to develop ‘personalised cancer treatment’ has today been launched. The experimental project has been designed to develop a screening program to test tumours for key genetic changes. It is hoped that in the future the results of such tests would influence treatment programmes, helping doctors choose the best drug for each person. The new initiative, called the Stratified Medicine Programme, is being led by Cancer Research UK, the UK Technology Strategy Board and the pharmaceutical companies AstraZeneca and Pfizer. It is hoped that the work will lay the foundations for genetic testing of both patients and tumours to become standard practice, allowing the use of specialised drugs that target specific genes and mutations that can cause or influence the development of canc... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5432929 Mon, 21 Nov 2011 17:10:00 +0100 5432929 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5432930&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fnew-child-calpol-paracetamol-doses.aspx The UK’s drug regulator has issued new dosage guidelines for children’s liquid medicines such as Calpol and Disprol. The new, age-specific guidance stipulates exact doses of liquid paracetamol medicines that should be given to children, doing away with the ranged doses currently in use. The guidelines also introduce seven narrower age bands covering children from 3 months to 12 years. The new guidelines, issued by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), will be introduced to medicine instructions and labels by the end of the year. The MHRA says that parents should follow the dosing instructions included with the medicine, and add that continuing to follow the older dosing guidelines (if these accompany the product) will not harm their child. The doses have been ... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5432930 Mon, 21 Nov 2011 16:30:00 +0100 5432930 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5423828&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fstem-cells-report.aspx Stem cells are often portrayed in the media as a miracle cure for many serious conditions and disabilities. Hugely positive headlines have led significant and understandable public interest in this fascinating cutting-edge science. But are all the claims for stem cells justified? Can stem cell treatments pose dangers to unwary patients? And who has control over this often controversial, pioneering branch of medicine? In this special report, Behind the Headlines analyses media coverage of stem cell research, gives an easy-to-understand insight into the science and checks the claims made against what researchers have found to date. Hope and hype: An analysis of stem cells in the media (PDF, 2.7Mb) will help you sort the spectacular results from the speculative headlines. (Source: NHS News Fe... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5423828 Fri, 18 Nov 2011 06:00:00 +0100 5423828 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5423827&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fegg-wakefulness-claim-facts-scrambled.aspx Conclusion This controlled animal study is unlikely to mimic human behaviour. The researchers note that the experimental procedures that were necessary for this study may in themselves stimulate the brain cells under investigation. While the researchers made efforts to control for confounding factors such as this, it is important to be cautious before applying the results of animal studies to humans. The research shows that the types of nutrients present in a diet have an effect on the activity of brain cells that play a key role in controlling energy and wakefulness. The researchers say that the timing and composition of meals is important for achieving a healthy body weight and controlling sleep-wake cycles, and that their study shows that a common mixture of amino acids can play a role ... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5423827 Fri, 18 Nov 2011 06:00:00 +0100 5423827 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5423829&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fdukan-diet-celebrity-diets-unproven-dangerous.aspx The popular Dukan diet has been slammed as “ineffective and without scientific basis”, The Daily Telegraph has today reported. The newspaper says that the British Dietetic Association has criticised a range of celebrity diets, including the Dukan diet rumoured to be used by Kate Middleton. Anticipating the huge surge in dieting around Christmas and New Year, the association has drawn up a list of five 'fad diets' that slimmers may be considering after reading about celebrities using them to stay trim. According to the British Dietetic Association (BDA), the top diets to avoid are: The Dukan diet: this restrictive, complicated diet includes phases of eating only protein and avoiding a number of foods. Kate Middleton, Jennifer Lopez and Gisele Bundchen are reported to be fans. However... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5423829 Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:30:00 +0100 5423829 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5423830&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fstudy-looks-at-self-harm-in-young-people.aspx Conclusion This carefully conducted study focuses on the important issue of self-harm during adolescence and its association with mental health problems such as depression and anxiety. Even if, as this study suggests, most adolescent self-harm may naturally resolve itself, untreated mental health problems may contribute to an increased risk of continuing self-harm or even suicide. It should be noted that the study was conducted in Australia, where patterns of self-harm may be different from those in the UK. That said, the figure agrees with the estimates from UK organisations such as the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, which calculates that around one in 12 15-16 year olds self-harms. The Mental Health Foundation places the figure at between one in 12 and one in 15 y... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5423830 Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:18:00 +0100 5423830 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5423831&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fteen-video-game-brain-change.aspx Conclusion This small study analysed a part of the brain associated with rewards and decision-making and showed that the grey matter of this area was larger in frequent video game players compared to infrequent players. This study did not compare the brain structures of gamblers with those of frequent video game players. The theory that there were similarities between the brains or reward systems of frequent gamers and gamblers was made by the researchers when discussing the possible implications of their findings. These unproven theories brought the story to the news headlines. The most important limitation of this study is that it cannot establish cause and effect. Therefore, it cannot prove whether the brains of frequent gamers are different because they play games, or whether their bra... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5423831 Wed, 16 Nov 2011 10:20:00 +0100 5423831 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5410674&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fteen-video-game-brain-change.aspx Conclusion This small study analysed a part of the brain associated with rewards and decision making and showed that the grey matter of this area was larger in frequent video game players compared to infrequent players. This study did not compare the brain structures of gamblers with those of frequent video game players. The theory that there were similarities between the brains or reward systems of frequent gamers and gamblers was made by the researchers when discussing the possible implications of their findings. These unproven theories brought the story to the news headlines. The most important limitation of this study is that it cannot establish cause and effect. Therefore, it cannot prove whether the brains of frequent gamers are different because they play games, or whether their bra... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5410674 Wed, 16 Nov 2011 10:20:00 +0100 5410674 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5410675&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fdoctors-want-car-smoke-ban.aspx “Doctors want to ban smoking in cars… even if you’re on your own,” the Daily Mail has reported. The Mail and most other newspapers and news broadcasters covered the call from the British Medical Association (BMA) for a government ban on drivers and passengers smoking in private vehicles. In a briefing paper from its board of science, the BMA argues that there is strong evidence that smoking in cars exposes non-smokers to high levels of secondhand smoke (SHS), with about 23 times more toxins than in a smoky bar. A blanket ban on smoking in cars, it argues, would protect vulnerable groups such as children and the elderly, who often have no choice about taking a journey in a smoky vehicle. The BMA’s report also highlighted the risk of injury and death from road traffic accidents as ... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5410675 Wed, 16 Nov 2011 10:08:00 +0100 5410675 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5410676&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fintelligent-children-illegal-drug-use.aspx Conclusion This longitudinal prospective cohort study that followed individuals born in 1970 to the age of 30 years found that a higher IQ during childhood was associated with an increased risk of trying drugs by age 16 and 30. In particular, they found that the risk of taking cannabis or cocaine by the age of 30 was particularly great in the third of women with the highest childhood IQs compared to women who had IQs in the lowest third at that time. This study had several strengths. It was large, in that it contained data from almost 8,000 people – although the initial study group contained over 16,000 participants but many were lost during the long-term (30 year) follow-up. It is not clear what caused this high proportion to not participate in the follow-up assessments. Another strengt... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5410676 Tue, 15 Nov 2011 18:20:00 +0100 5410676 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5410677&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fstem-cell-therapy-heart-repair-trial.aspx Conclusion This was a small, initial study designed to focus on the short-term safety of using a person’s own stem cells to treat heart failure caused by damage to their heart tissue. Rather than looking at how effective the treatment was, the study was set up to examine the short-term safety of using stem cells in this way. It has demonstrated the technique to be safe (at least over one year), and no treatment-related side effects were reported. As a secondary outcome the research found that, compared with prior to treatment, the treatment improved some aspects of heart function, partially reduced heart tissue scarring and improved quality of life one year after treatment. The control group did not show these improvements over an equivalent length of time. The study group was small, wit... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5410677 Tue, 15 Nov 2011 17:45:00 +0100 5410677 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5410678&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fvegetative-state-patients-may-be-aware.aspx Conclusion This research provides some evidence that a relatively inexpensive and easily accessible technology could have a role in diagnosing and assessing patients in a vegetative state. At present, diagnosing a person as being in the vegetative state is normally a complex process involving various investigations and clinical assessments by expert doctors. These results suggest that EEG could potentially be used as a complementary technique performed at the bedside not only to aid in an initial diagnosis, but also to reassess whether existing patients still have some level of mental function and consciousness. While the existing technique of EEG could potentially be used quite easily to assess patients in a vegetative state, these genuinely interesting results must still be viewed in con... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5410678 Tue, 15 Nov 2011 09:42:00 +0100 5410678 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5410679&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fallergy-uk-says-home-allergies-affect-millions.aspx At least 12 million Britons now suffer from allergies caused by dust mites, The Independent has today reported. The newspaper says that a report by the charity Allergy UK has revealed an epidemic of “home fever”, a range of symptoms caused by dust mites and other triggers around the home. The report has been published as part of Indoor Allergy Week, which is intended to raise awareness of the kind of steps that can be taken to remove allergy triggers, or ‘allergens’, from the home. A survey in the report suggests that, currently, around two-thirds of people with allergies experience symptoms such as sneezing and itchy eyes caused by allergens including dust mites, chemicals, pets and mould. This new report raises lots of questions, such as whether its small survey of symptoms in 1... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5410679 Mon, 14 Nov 2011 18:22:00 +0100 5410679 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5410680&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Floyd-grossman-curry-sauce-botulism-recall.aspx A batch of Loyd Grossman Korma sauce has been recalled after two cases of botulism in Scotland. The two family members were hospitalised after they had eaten from a jar that was later found to contain botulism-causing bacteria. Both are reportedly recovering well. Only one jar from the batch is known to have been contaminated, but as a precautionary measure the the Health Protection Agency is advising the public to immediately dispose of any products from the batch. The recall applies to all 350g jars of Loyd Grossman Korma sauce with a best before date of February 2013 and a batch code of: 1218R 07:21. The matter is currently being investigated and medical professionals across the UK have been advised to look out for people with possible symptoms. Supermarkets are also removing any produ... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5410680 Mon, 14 Nov 2011 17:17:00 +0100 5410680 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5401732&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fbaby-brain-clue-to-causes-of-autism.aspx Conclusion This small, preliminary study looked at the anatomical features in brains of children who had autism and compared them to post-mortem brains from children without autism. In the small range of samples tested the researchers found that children with autism had around two-thirds more neurone brain cells in the front region of their brain than children without autism. They also found that when they compared the weight of their brains to age-adjusted norms, the children with autism had heavier brain weights than expected. These results will no doubt be of great interest to both researchers and the parents of children with autism. However, they must take into account a major limitation to this study: the availability of brain samples for research from children who have died is, under... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5401732 Fri, 11 Nov 2011 16:45:00 +0100 5401732 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5401733&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fhigh-fibre-diet-reduces-colon-cancer-risk.aspx Conclusion A higher intake of fibre has long been thought to decrease risk of colorectal cancer, and this large and valuable review has helped to assess and analyse the existing body of evidence on the matter. It has found that higher intakes of total fibre, cereal fibre and whole grains are all linked to a decrease in the risk of colorectal cancer, a disease which currently kills around 16,000 people in England each year. The review has several strengths, including that it has searched for all available literature on the subject, and looked only at prospective studies that analysed intake prior to cancer development. Also, as the researchers say, they found no evidence of publication bias (where only studies finding a positive association had been published). There are some inherent limit... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5401733 Fri, 11 Nov 2011 11:45:00 +0100 5401733 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5401734&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fcochrane-review-salt-blood-pressure.aspx Conclusion This review raises questions about the potential health effects of low-sodium diets, and therefore it will be studied with interest by those involved with dietary strategies for preventing ill health. However, many of the studies included in the review lasted only a few weeks and none were designed to look at effect of salt reduction on longer-term health outcomes such as heart disease and stroke. This makes it harder to assess the impact of salt reduction in the long-term for someone with chronic high blood pressure. Also, assessing levels of various chemical markers rather than events such as strokes or heart attacks means we cannot directly tell whether salt reduction affects the risk of debilitating or potentially fatal outcomes; a very important factor in whether salt red... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5401734 Thu, 10 Nov 2011 18:06:00 +0100 5401734 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5401735&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fmalaria-parasite-research-could-bring-cure.aspx Conclusion The researchers appear to have identified a human protein that is key to malaria parasites’ ability to infect red blood cells. This could prove to be an extremely important discovery in the global fight against malaria, a disease that affects hundreds of millions of people and kills around one million people every year. The knowledge gained from this research could be put towards future anti-malaria therapies, or even vaccines. However, it is important to put this research into context, as it is still at an early stage: the study has identified a mechanism used by the malaria parasite, but researchers will still need to design and optimise possible therapies based around these findings. These would then need testing in people to ensure that they are safe to use in a real-world... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5401735 Thu, 10 Nov 2011 17:30:00 +0100 5401735 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5390116&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fpatients-association-care-report.aspx The Patients Association has today published a report highlighting poor cases of NHS care. The charity’s report provides detailed accounts of patients’ negative experiences, which include elderly patients not being given pain relief, assistance when eating or access to toilet facilities. The report has been given high-profile press coverage. The report itself does not provide statistics on the overall standard of care in England’s hospitals or on how common such experiences are. However, nearly all of the NHS trusts involved have provided responses to these accounts and, in many cases, they have acknowledged failings and suggested ways to prevent these failings happening in the future. In response to the publication, the Department of Health said: “Wherever there is poor performanc... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5390116 Wed, 09 Nov 2011 17:30:00 +0100 5390116 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5390117&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fmobile-phones-risk-discussed.aspx “Mobile phones could be a 'health time bomb', say experts who are urging ministers to warn the public,” the Daily Mail reported. The newspaper said that a leading group of scientists have published a report looking at research into the health risks of using mobiles, in which they state that “the government is underplaying the potentially 'enormous' health risks – especially for children, whose smaller, thinner skulls are more susceptible to radiation”. This news report is based on a report by MobileWise, a UK charity aimed at raising awareness of mobile phone health issues. The report includes a narrative review of evidence into the risks of mobile phones to date. However, this review was not systematic and therefore may not show the complete picture. Furthermore, the researchers... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5390117 Wed, 09 Nov 2011 16:58:00 +0100 5390117 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5390118&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Flight-activated-drugs-to-target-cancer.aspx Conclusion While the current generation of chemotherapy drugs can be extremely powerful for fighting cancer, their power means many also carry the risk of causing side effects and damaging healthy body tissue. This new “proof of principle” animal research has identified a method that might be able to confine the toxic effects of future chemotherapy drugs to cancer cells, thereby limiting the harmful effects they can have on the rest of the body. To achieve this result, the scientists took the novel approach of attaching light-sensitive chemicals to antibodies that target proteins often found in high levels on cancer cells. Effectively, this method combined targeted delivery of drugs with targeted activation using light, which resulted in the death of the cancerous cells that they were ... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5390118 Tue, 08 Nov 2011 17:37:00 +0100 5390118 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5390119&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fcan-stem-cells-replace-parkinsons-brain-cells.aspx Conclusion In this study, researchers managed to create dopamine neurons from human stem cells. These neurons were very similar to the neurons found in the midbrain, and therefore were very similar to the neurons lost in Parkinson’s disease. The cells they created were able to survive when introduced into the brains of mice, rats and monkeys with Parkinson’s-like lesions, and reversed the movement problems seen in mice and rats. No problems with neural overgrowth were seen. The results of this study are extremely promising, but much more work is required before stem cell-based therapy can be used to treat Parkinson’s disease in humans. For example, although the animals regained movement, the complexity of the human brain is greater than that seen in the animals tested. It would need... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5390119 Tue, 08 Nov 2011 17:30:00 +0100 5390119 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5390120&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fbaby-fat-obesity-in-childhood.aspx Conclusion This study, using a large amount of data collected over many decades, highlights an important association between weight gain in the first 24 months and the subsequent risk of obesity at five and 10 years. It also confirms that children who are larger than their peers in infancy are more likely to continue to be overweight or obese into later childhood. A strength of this study is that it used standard growth charts and gender-specific percentiles to measure change in body weight relative to height. These growth charts are already used in standard medical practice to compare a child’s measurements with others of their same age and gender to identify potential growth and weight problems. A limitation of the study is that it did not adjust for other factors that can influence we... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5390120 Tue, 08 Nov 2011 16:12:00 +0100 5390120 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5390121&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fgovernment-dementia-campaign-learn-symptoms.aspx The government has today launched a campaign urging the public to learn the early signs of dementia. Several news sources have reported on the new initiative, designed to help boost early diagnosis by encouraging people to speak to their doctor if they detect the signs. Many news sources have focused on the estimate that 6 in 10 people with dementia go undiagnosed, and that there may be up to 400,000 people in the UK who have not had their condition formally assessed. The Department of Health campaign also highlights how the fear of dementia can put people off seeing their GP, which can stop them receiving the medical support that is most effective when started in the early stages of the disease. While dementia is not curable, getting an early diagnosis is essential, because there are ... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5390121 Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:35:00 +0100 5390121 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5390122&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fovercooked-meat-cancer-risk.aspx Conclusion In this study, mice were genetically modified to produce human versions of enzymes called sulphotransferases. The researchers found that the production of human sulphotransferases in mice that were predisposed to developing tumours increased the number and incidence of colon tumours after they were treated with a substance called PhIP. PhIP is formed when meat and fish are fried or grilled at high temperatures. The International Agency for Research on Cancer lists PhIP as a class 2B carcinogen (“possibly carcinogenic to humans”). The newspapers interpreted the results to mean that overcooked or burnt meat could increase your risk of cancer. However, as the researchers point out, there are many differences between mice and humans. It is not clear how relevant the findings are... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5390122 Fri, 04 Nov 2011 17:20:00 +0100 5390122 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5390123&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fcharity-altruistic-kidney-transplants-to-strangers.aspx Increasing the number of kidneys that are donated to strangers could save both lives and money, says a new charity. Several media sources have highlighted the campaign by Give a Kidney – One’s Enough, which aims to increase the number of “altruistic” kidney donations, where people offer one of their kidneys to help a stranger. The charity has highlighted the severe shortage of kidneys available for transplants, and that thousands of people are currently waiting for a transplant. Each year, around 300 people die while waiting for a donor. The charity argues that if more people considered altruistic donation, the waiting list would shrink and thousands of people currently on dialysis would regain their health and independence. It also points out that the costs of a transplant are muc... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5390123 Fri, 04 Nov 2011 17:00:00 +0100 5390123 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5390124&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fpapers-claim-swine-flu-and-seasonal-flu-may-cross.aspx Conclusion These findings present a cluster of five people who developed influenza-like illness in central Cambodia in 2009. The first case was affected with swine flu; two with seasonal flu; and two with both seasonal and swine flu. The researchers say that finding of co-infections has rarely been reported, and that prior study of more than 2,000 clinical samples had found no dual infection. However, they say that other isolated cases of co-infection with swine flu (pH1N1) and seasonal flu A/H3N2 have been reported in individuals from Singapore, China and New Zealand. This new evidence that co-infections are possible is a valuable discovery There is the possibility that when two viruses infect an individual, they might have the ability to combine their genetic material and produce a new m... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5390124 Thu, 03 Nov 2011 17:35:00 +0100 5390124 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5365712&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fpapers-claim-swine-flu-and-seasonal-flu-may-cross.aspx Conclusion These findings present a cluster of five people who developed influenza-like illness in central Cambodia in 2009. The first case was affected with swine flu; two with seasonal flu; and two with both seasonal and swine flu. The researchers say that finding of co-infections has rarely been reported, and that prior study of more than 2,000 clinical samples had found no dual infection. However, they say that other isolated cases of co-infection with swine flu (pH1N1) and seasonal flu A/H3N2 have been reported in individuals from Singapore, China and New Zealand. This new evidence that co-infections are possible is a valuable discovery There is the possibility that when two viruses infect an individual, they might have the ability to combine their genetic material and produce a new m... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5365712 Thu, 03 Nov 2011 17:35:00 +0100 5365712 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5390125&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fenglish-diet-health-compared-uk.aspx Conclusion This study suggests that improving the average diet in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland could reduce variations in disease mortality rates across the UK. This modelling study was based on observational data, so the results should be interpreted cautiously and considered as theoretical estimates only. The study had several limitations, stemming from weaknesses in modelling as well as limitations to the underlying observational research: Models rely on theoretical scenarios, and can only estimate how diseases occur and progress in the real world. Multiple factors contribute to the development of the illnesses examined here, and diet is only one of them. Smoking, drinking alcohol, exercise habits and genetics are all risk factors for cardiovascular disease, strokes and certa... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5390125 Thu, 03 Nov 2011 17:25:00 +0100 5390125 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5365713&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fbreast-cancer-link-alcohol-studied.aspx Conclusion In this large, well-conducted study, women were followed over a long time and their alcohol intake was assessed during different age periods. This gives a comprehensive evaluation of the effects of alcohol throughout a woman’s life. The observed link between breast cancer and alcohol is not new, and alcohol is already an established risk factor for breast cancer. This study provides valuable, in-depth data on the effects of a woman’s average lifetime alcohol intake and the risks associated with different levels of consumption. One unavoidable limitation of this study is its reliance on women remembering and reporting their alcohol use over the past 12 months. There is a risk that average alcohol intake may have been categorise wrongly, particularly as the cumulative intake w... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5365713 Wed, 02 Nov 2011 15:54:00 +0100 5365713 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5365714&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fcommon-drug-may-slow-progeria.aspx Conclusion This laboratory-based study of isolated human cells provides interesting new evidence on how reactive oxygen species (ROS) potentially causes DNA damage in the accelerated ageing condition Hutchinson Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS). It also highlights that N-acetylcysteine might be of use in treating patients with HGPS. While this study provides interesting new findings, the following limitations should be considered: This study experimented on isolated human cells in a laboratory, and it is not known what the effect of N-acetylcysteine would be if it was given to children with the illness. This is early-stage research, the results of which will need to be confirmed in future studies. The effectiveness and safety of N-acetylcysteine is likely to need to be tested in anima... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5365714 Wed, 02 Nov 2011 15:52:00 +0100 5365714 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5365715&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fhypertension-linked-to-kidney-gene-expression.aspx Conclusion The researchers conclude that their study provides novel insights into the causes of high blood pressure, but do not extend their conclusions any further than that. They certainly do not say that they have found a definite or single cause of high blood pressure, or make any suggestion that their findings could have implications for new or existing treatments. As the researchers acknowledge, the limited availability of kidney tissue meant that their study sample size was small. Results are also limited to only white males. The researchers said they included only men to limit further genetic variability that would come through comparing men and women. It is worth noting that all tissue samples came from people who had kidney cancer. Though participants with high blood pressure wer... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5365715 Tue, 01 Nov 2011 17:30:00 +0100 5365715 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5365716&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F11November%2FPages%2Fyoga-improves-back-pain-says-research.aspx Conclusion This well-conducted randomised controlled trial enrolled a reasonably large sample of people with low back pain, analysed them over one year with validated back pain questionnaires, and used a carefully designed yoga programme provided by qualified yoga practitioners. The trial found that yoga led to a clear improvement in back function compared to usual care. However, there are some important points to note: Though this was a randomised controlled trial, participants were aware of the trial’s purpose. Those who chose to take part in the trial may have been more likely to believe that yoga could work for them than people who declined to participate. This means that the trial population may not have been fully representative of all back pain sufferers. Participants were n... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5365716 Tue, 01 Nov 2011 12:25:00 +0100 5365716 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5365717&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F10October%2FPages%2Fdraft-nice-guidelines-elective-caesareans.aspx Several newspapers have reported that all pregnant women will “get the right to a caesarean”, regardless of whether there is a medical reason for having one. Currently, around one in four UK babies is delivered by caesarean. The reports are based on new draft guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), the national body that evaluates which treatments should be available for specific conditions. The proposed guidelines are the first major update from NICE on caesarean sections since 2004, and take into account the latest research on the procedure.   What do the guidelines recommend? Although newspapers focused on caesareans potentially being available to a wider range of women, the draft guidelines cover all aspects of caesarean sections, includin... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5365717 Mon, 31 Oct 2011 17:00:00 +0100 5365717 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5365718&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F10October%2FPages%2Fstatins-lower-breast-cancer-risk.aspx Conclusion In this cohort study, use of a lipophilic statin (including simvastatin, the most commonly prescribed of the statins) was associated with a reduced risk of recurrent breast cancer in women with invasive breast cancer. The researchers also investigated the association between the exclusive use of simvastatin and the risk of recurrent breast cancer, and found that use of simvastatin reduced the risk of recurrent breast cancer compared to no statin treatment or treatment with a hydrophilic statin. Use of a hydrophilic (water-soluble) statin, including atorvastatin, pravastatin or rosuvastatin, was not found to be associated with reduced risk, though the strength of this result is limited by the small proportion of statin users (only 6%) who used this type of statin. The trial also... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5365718 Mon, 31 Oct 2011 10:31:00 +0100 5365718 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5365719&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F10October%2FPages%2Faspirin-cuts-lynch-syndrome-bowel-cancer-risk.aspx Conclusion This was a well-designed long-term trial. It examined the effect of regular aspirin consumption on bowel cancer rates in a specific group of patients with a raised risk of developing bowel and other cancers. The results indicate that regular treatment with aspirin is an effective method of preventing bowel cancer in this group of high-risk patients. The study had several strengths, particularly related to design of the trial. For example, even at the end of the study neither the participants nor investigators were made aware of which individuals had received aspirin and which had received placebo. This helps ensure an unbiased analysis of long-term follow-up data, increasing the confidence we can have in the results. There are, however, several things to consider when interpreti... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5365719 Fri, 28 Oct 2011 17:45:00 +0100 5365719 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5365720&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F10October%2FPages%2Falzheimers-disease-genes-yeast.aspx Conclusion In this study, the researchers used yeast, worms and cultured rat brain cells to model the effect of amyloid beta, the peptide (small protein) implicated in Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers aimed to understand further what happens during Alzheimer’s disease, and why the amyloid beta peptide is toxic. They created a yeast model of amyloid beta toxicity. Using this model, they identified genes that altered the effect of the amyloid beta peptide. Many of these genes had clear human equivalents, which have already been linked to Alzheimer’s disease susceptibility. The researchers then confirmed their findings by investigating the effect of amyloid beta and the modifier genes on worm neurons. They further investigated PICALM, a highly probable human Alzheimer’s disease ri... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5365720 Fri, 28 Oct 2011 17:20:00 +0100 5365720 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5365721&cid=s_23300_26_f&fid=23300&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nhs.uk%2Fnews%2F2011%2F10October%2FPages%2Fovarian-cancer-risk-ivf.aspx Conclusion This was a large, long-term cohort study that examined the association between ovarian stimulation during fertility treatment and the subsequent risk of developing ovarian cancer. The study was well designed, especially in terms of its selection of an appropriate comparator group and its attempts to account for potential confounders. In their attempt to control potential confounders the researchers collected information on baseline ovarian cancer risk through a mailed questionnaire, and on treatment factors through medical record examination. However, data on factors such as family history of cancer, number of pregnancies, use of birth control and lifestyle characteristics were available in only 65.2% of the total cohort. This may bias the results, as there is no way of telling... NHS News Feed news http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5365721 Thu, 27 Oct 2011 18:05:00 +0100 5365721