The association between tobacco smoke and cancer deaths - beyond lung cancer deaths - has been strengthened by a recent study from a UC Davis researcher, suggesting that increased tobacco control efforts could save more lives than previously estimated.
The epidemiological analysis, published online in BMC Cancer, linked (more…)

eResearchTechnology, Inc. (ERT), (Nasdaq: ERES), and Integrium, LLC announced their alliance to provide integrated Cardiac Safety and Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring centralized core laboratory services to clinical trial sponsors and managers worldwide.
eResearchTechnology is a leading provider of centralized electrocardiographic (ECG), eClinical technology, ePRO, and other services to the (more…)

In 2006-2007, more than 54,000 babies across Canada were born preterm or small for their gestational age (SGA), according to new analysis from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI). This represents one in seven Canadian births.
During the year studied, the Canadian preterm birth rate (born before 37 weeks gestation) was 8.1%, or almost 29,000 births, up from around 6.6%i in the early 1990s. The rate of small for gestational age births (babies (more…)

Some overweight teenagers are more likely than normal weight teens to show symptoms of depression or anxiety, though there are differences by race and ethnicity, according to a study published in the February issue of Pediatrics, Reuters Health reports. The study, by Rhonda BeLue of Pennsylvania State University and (more…)

Materialistic people tend to form strong connections to particular product brands when their level of anxiety about death is high, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research.
Authors Aric Rindfleisch (University of Wisconsin-Madison and Korea University), James E. Burroughs (University of Virginia), and (more…)

Stressful experiences in early childhood can have long-lasting impacts on kids’ health that persist well beyond the resolution of the situation.
The conclusion comes from a study revealing impaired immune function in adolescents who, as youngsters, experienced either physical abuse or time in an orphanage, when compared to peers who never experienced such difficult circumstances. The report from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (more…)

Bright white light therapy has been used to treat seasonal affective disorder (SAD) for more than 20 years. Although it remains a mainstay of treatment, in the past few years researchers have investigated ways to improve and refine light therapy, reports the November 2008 issue of the Harvard Mental Health Letter.
Improvements are necessary for (more…)

A recent study published in the Archives of Disease
in Childhood finds that although most people consider rice to
be a "hypoallergenic" food with stomach-settling capabilities,
the cereal actually can cause a severe allergic reaction.
Researchers from Australia studied 31 infants, less than 12 months of
age, who presented with food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome
(FPIES) - an allergic disorder that causes (more…)

Men’s Health News
A new study shows that men are more likely to lose vision as a result of a particular cause of intracranial hypertension, or increased pressure in the brain, than women with the condition. The research is published in the October 15, 2008, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the (more…)

Teen suicide gets plenty of airtime, but a new U.S. study finds that middle-aged whites are an emerging high-risk group.
Before 1999, white middle-aged men were the least likely to kill themselves. However, for the period from 1999 to 2005, the rate for African-Americans, Asian-Americans and Native Americans declined or stayed stable even as middle-aged whites experienced a significant increase (more…)

Decision Resources, one of the
world’s leading research and advisory firms focusing on pharmaceutical and
healthcare issues, finds that in the U.S., the prevalence of major
depression is closely correlated with ethnic status — Whites have a higher
rate of depression, whereas Hispanics generally (more…)

Patients in Japan stand to benefit from the approval of four innovative medicines - Tasigna® for the treatment of a life-threatening form of leukemia, Xolair® for severe asthma, Co-Dio® for high blood pressure, and Lucentis® for wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), an eye disease that is a major cause of blindness in people over (more…)

Medication and psychotherapy may be beneficial for patients suffering from body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). But a new Cochrane Review found that much more research is required to determine the most effective treatment and whether both approaches should be used in combination.
Body dysmorphic disorder affects as many as one in 20 (more…)

An early proof-of-concept study presented shows promising results for imatinib in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), a severe, incurable blood vessel disorder.
Preliminary findings from a 59-patient, multi-center Phase II clinical trial suggest imatinib provides a treatment benefit, as demonstrated by a significant improvement in pulmonary vascular resistance and (more…)

A landmark study indicating that angioplasty may not be cost effective for some stable heart disease patients and research indicating individualized consent forms may help patients make better decisions are among topics reported in the debut issue of Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.
The bi-monthly journal will focus on content that can influence medical practice and health policy, (more…)

A French study reported in the 12th January issue of Archives of Internal Medicine has found a strong correlation between blood pressure and outdoor temperature in a large sample of the elderly.(1) As a result, the investigators advise that, during periods of extreme temperatures, careful monitoring of blood (more…)