 WASHINGTON: Healthy women over 30 who test negative for human papilloma viruses (HPV) may be able to safely extend the period between gynecological exams from every year to three years, said a US study Wednesday."Our results are a formal confirmation that the three-year follow-up is appropriate and safe for women who have a negative HPV and normal test result," said lead study author Hormuzd Katki. The study followed 331,818 women who enrolled in a northern California testing program by Kaiser Permanente between 2003 and 2005, and followed them for five years. Among women who had a normal Pap smear and tested negative for HPV, which can cause cervical cancer, the five-year cancer risk was "very low: 2.3 per 100,000 women per year," it said. During a Pap smear, which all women should get annually, a doctor collects a sample of tissue from the woman's cervix and sends it to a lab for examination and to check for any abnormal cells. A separate test for HPV is also done during a woman's annual gynecological appointment. It often uses the same cell sample but looks specifically for signs of the virus. HPV is sexually transmitted and most of the time the body can clear it on its own. However, in some cases the infection remains and can eventually lead to cervical cancer. Women over 30 who test positive for HPV are usually retested in six months to see if the infection has cleared. The researchers said that when comparing the two tests, the HPV test alone "identified more women at high risk for cervical cancer than Pap tests." "These results also suggest that an HPV-negative test result alone could be enough to give a high level of security for extending the testing interval to every three years," said Katki. More study is needed however to determine whether such recommendations should extend to the general population, the researchers noted. "But we'll need additional evidence from routine clinical practice, and formal recommendations from guideline panels before that can be routinely recommended." The Pap smear, invented in 1943, has reduced the number of cervical cancer cases but has not eliminated them -- some 11,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year. (AFP) |
Showing posts with label Medical Researches. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Medical Researches. Show all posts
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Study urges three-year gap in cervical cancer test
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Pepsi-cola and Coca-Cola are found to contain carcinogens 2-methylimidazole and 4-methylimidazole
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An ingredient used in Coca-Cola and Pepsi is a cancer risk and should be banned, an influential lobby group has claimed. The concerns relate to an artificial brown colouring agent that the researchers say could be causing thousands of cancers.
‘The caramel colouring used in Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and other foods is contaminated with two cancer-causing chemicals and should be banned,’ said the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a health lobby group based in Washington, DC.
‘In contrast to the caramel one might make at home by melting sugar in a saucepan, the artificial brown colouring in colas and some other products is made by reacting sugars with ammonia and sulphites under high pressure and temperatures.
‘Chemical reactions result in the formation of two substances known as 2-MI and 4-MI which in government-conducted studies caused lung, liver, or thyroid cancer or leukaemia in laboratory mice or rats.’ America’s National Toxicology Program says that there is ‘clear evidence’ that both 2-MI and 4-MI are animal carcinogens, and therefore likely to pose a risk to humans.
The executive director of the CSPI, Michael F Jacobson, has petitioned America’s food regulator, the Food & Drug Administration, to take action.He said: ‘Carcinogenic colourings have no place in the food supply, especially considering that their only function is a cosmetic one.’
Mr Jacobson said the name ‘caramel colouring’ does not accurately describe the additives, explaining: ‘It’s a concentrated dark brown mixture of chemicals that simply does not occur in nature.
He added that while regular caramel could not be described as healthy, ‘at least it is not tainted with carcinogens’.
U.S. regulations distinguish between four types of caramel colouring, two of which are produced with ammonia and two without it. The CSPI wants the two made with ammonia to be banned and has received backing from five prominent cancer experts, including several who have worked at the National Toxicology Program.
The type used in colas and other dark soft drinks is known as Caramel IV, or ammonia sulphite process caramel. Caramel III, which is produced with ammonia but not sulphites, is sometimes used in beer, soy sauce, and other foods.
The CSPI admitted that any risk associated with consumption of the chemicals would be extremely small. It said the ten teaspoons of sugar found in a can of regular cola would be more of a health problem.
However, it argued the levels of 4-MI in the tested colas still may be causing thousands of cancers in the U.S. population alone.
An ingredient used in Coca-Cola and Pepsi is a cancer risk and should be banned, an influential lobby group has claimed. The concerns relate to an artificial brown colouring agent that the researchers say could be causing thousands of cancers.
‘The caramel colouring used in Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and other foods is contaminated with two cancer-causing chemicals and should be banned,’ said the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a health lobby group based in Washington, DC.
‘In contrast to the caramel one might make at home by melting sugar in a saucepan, the artificial brown colouring in colas and some other products is made by reacting sugars with ammonia and sulphites under high pressure and temperatures.
‘Chemical reactions result in the formation of two substances known as 2-MI and 4-MI which in government-conducted studies caused lung, liver, or thyroid cancer or leukaemia in laboratory mice or rats.’ America’s National Toxicology Program says that there is ‘clear evidence’ that both 2-MI and 4-MI are animal carcinogens, and therefore likely to pose a risk to humans.
The executive director of the CSPI, Michael F Jacobson, has petitioned America’s food regulator, the Food & Drug Administration, to take action.He said: ‘Carcinogenic colourings have no place in the food supply, especially considering that their only function is a cosmetic one.’
Mr Jacobson said the name ‘caramel colouring’ does not accurately describe the additives, explaining: ‘It’s a concentrated dark brown mixture of chemicals that simply does not occur in nature.
He added that while regular caramel could not be described as healthy, ‘at least it is not tainted with carcinogens’.
U.S. regulations distinguish between four types of caramel colouring, two of which are produced with ammonia and two without it. The CSPI wants the two made with ammonia to be banned and has received backing from five prominent cancer experts, including several who have worked at the National Toxicology Program.
The type used in colas and other dark soft drinks is known as Caramel IV, or ammonia sulphite process caramel. Caramel III, which is produced with ammonia but not sulphites, is sometimes used in beer, soy sauce, and other foods.
The CSPI admitted that any risk associated with consumption of the chemicals would be extremely small. It said the ten teaspoons of sugar found in a can of regular cola would be more of a health problem.
However, it argued the levels of 4-MI in the tested colas still may be causing thousands of cancers in the U.S. population alone.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Irregular heart beats risk of stroke
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 LONDON: Thousand of people who suffer from irregular heartbeats or conditions termed as arrhythmias are unaware they are at high risk of suffering a stroke. A new survey found that two of three people do not know the warning signs of shortness of breath and palpitations. Experts estimate that more than 4,000 strokes a year could be prevented by better awareness among the general public and doctors of the heart condition atrial fibrillation (AF) this manifests as palpitations and irregular heart beat. Steve Benveniste, campaigns officer at The Stroke Association said, “Atrial fibrillation is a major risk factor for stroke. It accounts for 14 per cent of all strokes and 12,500 strokes a year are thought to be directly linked to the condition… The majority of people recognize factors such as smoking and high blood pressure as risk factors for stroke, yet, as this research highlights public awareness of AF as a risk factor is incredibly low… Many people may not recognize the symptoms of AF as a serious health problem, resulting in them not being diagnosed and leaving them at risk of stroke.” |
Sunday, January 30, 2011
World's top blood pressure drug gets failing mark
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 NEW YORK: The world's most popular blood pressure medicine is much less effective than comparable drugs and gives patients a false sense of security, researchers said Monday.In a review of earlier studies, they found the drug, a diuretic, or "water pill," called hydrochlorothiazide, lowered blood pressure by only about half as much as common alternatives such as beta blockers and ACE inhibitors. High blood pressure affects about a third of US adults, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), and ups the risk of heart attack and stroke when left unchecked. "By giving hydrochlorothiazide we give patients and physicians a false sense of security," said study researcher Dr. Franz Messerli, who heads the hypertension program at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital in New York. "Hydrochlorothiazide should no longer be used alone," he urged, adding that he has been prescribing it to patients himself for the past 25 years. The drug belongs to an older group of water pills called thiazides, which are sold as generics for a few dollars per month. It is also sold as Aquazide H and HydroDIURIL, among other brand names. The NHLBI currently recommends thiazides as first-line treatment to rein in high blood pressure, after a large government-funded study failed to find additional benefits from newer, more expensive medicines. The problem is that hydrochlorothiazide, which wasn't tested in that study, remains the go-to water pill, said Messerli. According to his report, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, American doctors wrote 134 million prescriptions for the drug in 2008 alone, landing it far ahead of the beta-blocker atenolol, the second-most commonly used blood pressure medicine. "You cannot just recommend a thiazide as the NHLBI does, knowing that for physicians that translates into hydrochlorothiazide," Messerli told Reuters Health. Neither the NHLBI nor the American Heart Association could be reached for comments. For the new study, Messerli and colleagues reviewed 19 studies that compared hydrochlorothiazide to other drugs in randomized trials. Measured over 24 hours, the low doses of hydrochlorothiazide commonly used reduced systolic or "top" blood pressure by 6.5 points. A top reading of more than 140 is considered high blood pressure. In contrast, angiotensin-converting enzyme, or ACE, inhibitors cut the top number by 12.9 points, beta blockers by 11.2 points, and calcium-channel blockers by 11 points. While higher doses of hydrochlorothiazide were more effective, Messerli said they were rarely used because of an increase in side effects such as blood sugar and insulin problems. He added that office-based blood pressure measurements could be deceiving, because hydrochlorothiazide appears to be particularly weak during the night. "We know that nighttime blood pressure and early-morning blood pressure are very important risk factors for strokes and heart attacks," Messerli said, although he added that how hydrochlorothiazide affects those risks has never been studied. The new findings don't concern other thiazides such as chlorthalidone or indapamide. Apart from drug treatment, lifestyle modifications also help rein in blood pressure. Doctors often recommend eating a healthy diet with a low sodium content as well as exercising more and not smoking. |
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Almonds curb diabetes, heart disease: study
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 NEW JERSEY: A new study conducted at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey has suggested that eating almonds could help prevent diabetes and heart disease.Scientists discovered that including the nuts into our diets could help treat type 2 diabetes. As well as combating the condition, linked to obesity and physical inactivity, it could tackle cardiovascular disease, they said. Diabetics have a shortage of insulin or a decreased ability to use the hormone that allows glucose to enter cells and be converted to energy. When diabetes is not controlled, glucose and fats remain in the blood and over time, damage vital organs. The latest study showed that a diet rich in almonds may help improve insulin sensitivity and decrease LDL-cholesterol levels in those with pre-diabetes, a condition in which people have blood glucose levels higher than normal but not high enough to be classified as diabetes. |
Friday, January 28, 2011
Do Cellular Phones Lead To Bone Weakening?
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Wearing a cell phone on your belt may lead to decreased bone density in an area of the pelvis that is commonly used for bone grafts, according to a study in the September issue of The Journal of Craniofacial Surgery, under the editorship of Mutaz B. Habal, MD, FRCSC. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading provider of information and business intelligence for students, professionals, and institutions in medicine, nursing, allied health, pharmacy and the pharmaceutical industry.
With long-term exposure, electromagnetic fields from cell phones could weaken the bone, potentially affecting the outcomes of surgical procedures using bone grafts, according to the new study by Dr. Tolga Atay and colleagues of Suleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey.
Bone Density Slightly Reduced on Side Where Cell Phone Is Worn
The researchers measured bone density at the upper rims of the pelvis (iliac wings) in 150 men who were cell phone users and carried their phones on their belts. The measurements were performed using a technique called dual x-ray absorptiometry the same test used to measure bone density in patients with osteoporosis and other bone diseases.
Bone density was compared on the side where the men wore their phones (the right side in 122 men and the left side in 28) versus the opposite side. The men carried their phones for an average of 15 hours per day, and had used cell phones for an average of 6 years.
The results showed a slight reduction in iliac wing bone density on the side where the men carried their phones. The difference was not statistically significant, and did not approach the reductions seen in osteoporosis. However, the researchers point out that the men were relatively young average 32 years and that further bone weakening may occur with longer follow-up.
The results raise the possibility that bone density could be adversely affected by electromagnetic fields emitted by cell phones. Studies are evaluating the use of electromagnetic fields as a treatment to increase bone density in osteoporosis. However, those studies have used very low frequencies of 15 to 52 MHz. In contrast, the men in the new study carried cell phones with frequencies of 900 to 1,800 MHz.
The ilac wings are a widely used source of bone for bone grafting, so any reduction in bone density may be of special importance to reconstructive surgery. At least in procedures where bone density is important for good outcomes, surgeons may want to consider the possible effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields from cell phones.
The researchers emphasize that their findings are preliminary. Coming generations of mobile technology may lead to the development of new cell phones with lower exposure to electromagnetic fields. Meanwhile, Dr. Atay and colleagues conclude, "It would be better to keep mobile phones as far as possible from our body during our daily lives."
Wearing a cell phone on your belt may lead to decreased bone density in an area of the pelvis that is commonly used for bone grafts, according to a study in the September issue of The Journal of Craniofacial Surgery, under the editorship of Mutaz B. Habal, MD, FRCSC. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading provider of information and business intelligence for students, professionals, and institutions in medicine, nursing, allied health, pharmacy and the pharmaceutical industry.
With long-term exposure, electromagnetic fields from cell phones could weaken the bone, potentially affecting the outcomes of surgical procedures using bone grafts, according to the new study by Dr. Tolga Atay and colleagues of Suleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey.
Bone Density Slightly Reduced on Side Where Cell Phone Is Worn
The researchers measured bone density at the upper rims of the pelvis (iliac wings) in 150 men who were cell phone users and carried their phones on their belts. The measurements were performed using a technique called dual x-ray absorptiometry the same test used to measure bone density in patients with osteoporosis and other bone diseases.
Bone density was compared on the side where the men wore their phones (the right side in 122 men and the left side in 28) versus the opposite side. The men carried their phones for an average of 15 hours per day, and had used cell phones for an average of 6 years.
The results showed a slight reduction in iliac wing bone density on the side where the men carried their phones. The difference was not statistically significant, and did not approach the reductions seen in osteoporosis. However, the researchers point out that the men were relatively young average 32 years and that further bone weakening may occur with longer follow-up.
The results raise the possibility that bone density could be adversely affected by electromagnetic fields emitted by cell phones. Studies are evaluating the use of electromagnetic fields as a treatment to increase bone density in osteoporosis. However, those studies have used very low frequencies of 15 to 52 MHz. In contrast, the men in the new study carried cell phones with frequencies of 900 to 1,800 MHz.
The ilac wings are a widely used source of bone for bone grafting, so any reduction in bone density may be of special importance to reconstructive surgery. At least in procedures where bone density is important for good outcomes, surgeons may want to consider the possible effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields from cell phones.
The researchers emphasize that their findings are preliminary. Coming generations of mobile technology may lead to the development of new cell phones with lower exposure to electromagnetic fields. Meanwhile, Dr. Atay and colleagues conclude, "It would be better to keep mobile phones as far as possible from our body during our daily lives."
Memories take hold better during sleep: study
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Diabetes on rise in Asian Americans
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NEW YORK: Despite being thinner, Asian Americans are more likely than whites to have type diabetes 2 -- and the problem is growing, a new study finds.
Using data from an ongoing government health survey, researchers found that Asian Americans had consistently higher rates of type 2 diabetes than white Americans from 1997 to 2008.
What's more, diabetes rates rose over time for both racial groups -- reaching 8 percent among Asian adults and 6 percent among whites.
That was despite the fact that Asian Americans were less likely to be overweight, one of the prime risk factors for type 2 diabetes.
The findings, reported in the journal Diabetes Care, are in line with past studies showing that Asian background itself is a risk factor for diabetes.
But while researchers know that Asians are at increased diabetes risk, most people are probably unaware of that, said Hsin-Chieh "Jessica" Yeh, an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and the senior researcher on the new study.
Genes are partly to blame, Yeh said. But it's the combination of genetic vulnerability and lifestyle that's key, she pointed out.
"Asians may be even more susceptible to unhealthy food and related weight gain," Yeh said.
Specifically, studies have shown that even though Asian adults tend to weigh less than white and black adults, they often have a higher percentage of fat surrounding their abdominal organs. This so-called "visceral" fat is particularly linked to the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Then there is exercise, which is thought to help lower diabetes risk regardless of body weight. Based on health surveys, Asian immigrants to the U.S. are less physically active than native-born non-Asians, Yeh and her colleagues note.
So for Asian Americans -- as for all Americans -- healthy diet choices, calorie consciousness and regular exercise are key to curbing diabetes risk, Yeh said.
The findings are based on 230,500 U.S. adults who took part in a nationally representative government health survey between 1997 and 2008. Just over 11,000 were Asian American, with the majority being foreign-born.
Over the 12 years of the study, the number of Asian Americans reporting a diabetes diagnosis rose from just over 4 percent to 8 percent. Among white adults, the prevalence rose from just under 4 percent to 6 percent.
That was despite the fact that compared with their white counterparts, Asian Americans had a consistently lower body mass index, or BMI -- a measure of weight in relation to height -- and lower rates of obesity. In 2006-2008, 25 percent of whites were obese, versus 17 percent of Asians.
When Yeh's team accounted for factors like age, BMI, income and reported exercise levels, Asian background itself was linked to a 30 percent to 50 percent higher likelihood of having diabetes.
"The main implication of our study is that type 2 diabetes is a growing public health problem for Asian Americans that requires urgent attention," Yeh's team writes.
It's possible that their statistics aren't precisely correct, the researchers acknowledge. For one thing, they had to assume that participants answered the survey questions correctly. They couldn't account for how people of mixed race identified themselves. And they didn't have information on any other diabetes risk factors, such as what participants usually ate, and whether anyone else in their family had diabetes.
Despite these shortcomings of the study, Yeh recommends that along with making healthy lifestyle choices, middle-aged and older Asian Americans should be sure to have routine check-ups with their doctor. Blood sugar tests can detect the abnormally high levels that signal "pre-diabetes."
In some Asian cultures, Yeh noted, routine doctor visits are not the norm, and that could be one factor in Asian Americans' higher diabetes rate.
NEW YORK: Despite being thinner, Asian Americans are more likely than whites to have type diabetes 2 -- and the problem is growing, a new study finds.Using data from an ongoing government health survey, researchers found that Asian Americans had consistently higher rates of type 2 diabetes than white Americans from 1997 to 2008.
What's more, diabetes rates rose over time for both racial groups -- reaching 8 percent among Asian adults and 6 percent among whites.
That was despite the fact that Asian Americans were less likely to be overweight, one of the prime risk factors for type 2 diabetes.
The findings, reported in the journal Diabetes Care, are in line with past studies showing that Asian background itself is a risk factor for diabetes.
But while researchers know that Asians are at increased diabetes risk, most people are probably unaware of that, said Hsin-Chieh "Jessica" Yeh, an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and the senior researcher on the new study.
Genes are partly to blame, Yeh said. But it's the combination of genetic vulnerability and lifestyle that's key, she pointed out.
"Asians may be even more susceptible to unhealthy food and related weight gain," Yeh said.
Specifically, studies have shown that even though Asian adults tend to weigh less than white and black adults, they often have a higher percentage of fat surrounding their abdominal organs. This so-called "visceral" fat is particularly linked to the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Then there is exercise, which is thought to help lower diabetes risk regardless of body weight. Based on health surveys, Asian immigrants to the U.S. are less physically active than native-born non-Asians, Yeh and her colleagues note.
So for Asian Americans -- as for all Americans -- healthy diet choices, calorie consciousness and regular exercise are key to curbing diabetes risk, Yeh said.
The findings are based on 230,500 U.S. adults who took part in a nationally representative government health survey between 1997 and 2008. Just over 11,000 were Asian American, with the majority being foreign-born.
Over the 12 years of the study, the number of Asian Americans reporting a diabetes diagnosis rose from just over 4 percent to 8 percent. Among white adults, the prevalence rose from just under 4 percent to 6 percent.
That was despite the fact that compared with their white counterparts, Asian Americans had a consistently lower body mass index, or BMI -- a measure of weight in relation to height -- and lower rates of obesity. In 2006-2008, 25 percent of whites were obese, versus 17 percent of Asians.
When Yeh's team accounted for factors like age, BMI, income and reported exercise levels, Asian background itself was linked to a 30 percent to 50 percent higher likelihood of having diabetes.
"The main implication of our study is that type 2 diabetes is a growing public health problem for Asian Americans that requires urgent attention," Yeh's team writes.
It's possible that their statistics aren't precisely correct, the researchers acknowledge. For one thing, they had to assume that participants answered the survey questions correctly. They couldn't account for how people of mixed race identified themselves. And they didn't have information on any other diabetes risk factors, such as what participants usually ate, and whether anyone else in their family had diabetes.
Despite these shortcomings of the study, Yeh recommends that along with making healthy lifestyle choices, middle-aged and older Asian Americans should be sure to have routine check-ups with their doctor. Blood sugar tests can detect the abnormally high levels that signal "pre-diabetes."
In some Asian cultures, Yeh noted, routine doctor visits are not the norm, and that could be one factor in Asian Americans' higher diabetes rate.
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