How to Stop the Hurt — Sucrose Prior to Infant Vaccinations: A Best Evidence Review
Introduction Vaccination is the most common procedure performed in infancy, although parents might have significant concerns regarding the pain associated with routine vaccinations. Moreover, painful experiences very early in life can promote somatization later in life. Oral sucrose has been demonstrated to reduce pain reactions among neonates, and the current study examines this simple intervention […]
Why the NIH Trial to Assess Chelation Therapy (TACT) Should Be Abandoned
AbstractThe National Institutes of Health (NIH) Trial to Assess Chelation Therapy (TACT) was begun in 2003 and is expected to be completed in 2009. It is a trial of office-based, intravenous disodium ethylene-diamine-tetra-acetic acid (Na2EDTA) as a treatment for coronary artery disease (CAD). A few case series in the 1950s and early 1960s had found […]
Know the Warning Signs of Stroke
What would you do if you suddenly became dizzy and had trouble seeing? Watch and wait? Call 911? Most Americans don’t act on warning signs of stroke, including sudden dizziness or loss of balance or coordination and loss of vision in one or both eyes. Yet experts say early treatment could avoid devastating consequences, including […]
No racial gap seen in liver transplant results
In the 1980s and early 1990s, several studies found lower survival rates for African Americans and Asians who had a liver transplant, but now outcomes are comparable for Caucasians, African Americans, Hispanics, and Asians, new research indicates. According to the report that appears in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, this is the […]
Adopted Children at Slightly Higher Mental Health Risk
A small proportion of adopted American teens appear to be at heightened risk for different emotional and behavioral problems than their non-adopted counterparts. But that risk is moderate, emphasized the authors of a study in the May issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. “Most adoptees are doing fine,” said Margaret Keyes, lead author […]
Acne drug linked to depression
Use of isotretinoin, the active ingredient in the acne drug Accutane, apparently more than doubles the risk of depression, according to results of a study. Still, the absolute risk is probably very small, the researchers emphasize. The study is the first controlled investigation to find a statistically significant link between isotretinoin and depression, Dr. Anick […]
KRAS Predicts Which Colorectal Cancer Patients Will Benefit from Cetuximab
KRAS testing should be routinely conducted in all colorectal cancer patients immediately after diagnosis, report researchers. Presenting here at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 44th Annual Meeting, investigators showed that KRAS mutations, which are found in 30% to 45% of all colorectal tumors, are excellent indicators of which patients will benefit from the […]
AVADO Trial Confirms Bevacizumab Benefit in Metastatic Breast Cancer
The benefit of adding bevacizumab (Avastin, Genentech & Roche) to a taxane in the first-line treatment of metastatic breast cancer has been confirmed in a second trial. Results from the AVADO study, reported here at the American Society of Clinical Oncology 44th Annual Meeting, show a significant improvement in progression-free survival, echoing the results of […]
Zoledronic Acid Significantly Reduced Relapse in Early Breast Cancer
zoledronic acid, a bisphosphonate used for bone metastases and osteoporosis, has shown a significant benefit in early breast cancer in an Austrian trial of 1803 premenopausal women. Results presented here at the American Society of Clinical Oncology 44th Annual Meeting show that women taking zoledronic acid had a 36% lower risk for breast cancer recurrence […]
Autogenous Tendon Grafting Effective for Extensor Tendon Reconstruction
Autogenous palmaris longus tendon grafting is effective for repairing ruptured extensor tendons in the wrist in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to a report in the April 24th Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research. “Primary end-to-end suture is not a feasible method in RA patients,” Dr. Jui-Tien Shih from the Taoyuan Armed Forces General […]