Why not to hail Caesareans?
NEUHERBERG, GERMANY — According to a study published in the November issue of the Archives of Disease in Childhood, the way babies are born can affect their health. Of 865 breastfed infants with a parental history of allergies, those who were delivered by C-section were more likely to have diarrhea and food allergies in their first year of life than those born vaginally.

No more bleedin' biopsies?
GALVESTON, TX — US researchers have developed a blood test to predict fibrosis in patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). The aspartate aminotransferase/platelet ratio index (APRI) could cut down on the number of painful liver biopsies that these patients would normally endure. The results were presented November 1 at the annual meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology. They compared the blood test against biopsies done to confirm the diagnosis and found it accurately predicted mild fibrosis in 27 out of 29 subjects and severe fibrosis in 44 out of 46 patients.

What would Emily Post say?
NIEUWEGEIN, THE NETHERLANDS — People who belch more than even Homer Simpson would deem acceptable are often told they're swallowing too much air when they eat. But a Dutch study in November's Gut says that isn't so. Researchers tested 14 normal and 14 excessive belchers and found that those who belch more than three or four times after every meal produce two different kinds of burps: gastric and supragastric. The researchers believe that the supragastric belches — where gas in the esophagus doesn't enter the stomach — are nothing more than a bad habit.

Estrogen cuts fertility down to size
HOBART, AUSTRALIA — While many girls wear heels to look taller, some naturally tall teens look to estrogen to lower their stature for aesthetic reasons. The therapy, available since the 50s, alters the development of the long bones and can shave 2-10cm off adult height. An October 23 Lancet study suggests that altitudinous gals who opt for estrogen pay the price in decreased fertility. Of 780 women who were assessed as teenagers for height-limiting estrogen therapy, 371 who received the 'treatment' were more likely to have tried unsuccessfully for a year to get pregnant and twice as likely to have taken fertility drugs.

Summit draws WHO's who of flu
GENEVA — There's an estimated 6.4 billion people on the planet today, and we have a worldwide capacity of 300 million flu vaccines. Considering almost 500 million earthlings are 65 years of age and older, some folks are calling these stocks "grossly inadequate." So the WHO decided to round up a posse of international health officials and vaccine manufacturers to discuss how to overcome the difficulties of producing more inexpensive vaccines more quickly, and how a possible flu pandemic should be tackled. The meeting convenes the week of November 11th.

US bosses stick it to workers
CHICAGO — In light of recent flu shortages, the City of Chicago Public Health Department pleaded to local businesses to sell them their vaccines. It's common in the US for employers to offer flu jabs to their employees and it makes sense — and cents. It costs about $20US a shot and, according to data from recruitment firm Maxim Healthcare, an inoculated workforce saves companies an annual average of $150US per employee. So far, only a few companies in the Chicago area have agreed to give up their jabs.

Death comes in big packages
OXFORD — 1998 Brit legislation forcing salicylates and acetaminophen to be sold in smaller packs has cut both suicide rates and liver damage due to overdose, according to a study in the October 30 BMJ. Researchers looked at suicide rates involving the painkillers from 1993-2003 and found that nearly 25% fewer people took a fatal overdose of these pills in the three years after the legislation. Overdose rates from ibuprofen (not part of the legislation) remained roughly the same. Pills are now sold in packs of 32 at pharmacies and packs of 16 at other retail outlets.

A rude sleep apnea awakening
AMSTERDAM — Trouble during sleep may equate to trouble when put to sleep. A review in the October 23 issue of the BMJ warns that people with obstructive sleep apnea may also have problems under general anesthesia. The authors state that such people are at greater risk of complications like reintubation and cardiac events. About 2% of middle aged women and 4% of men suffer from sleep apnea, and some estimate that 80% of cases remain undiagnosed.

ECT restrictions spark controversy
WINSTON-SALEM, NC — Research from the University of North Carolina shows that electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) improves mood and quality of life. This flies in the face of recommendations to limit ECT use in the UK by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) on the grounds of inconclusive evidence. The US study looked at 77 depressed patients who underwent ECT and found that their symptoms improved after two weeks of therapy. The researchers argue that based on these findings, published in November's British Journal of Psychiatry, NICE's "restrictive attitude" isn't warranted.

Bariatric surgery hard to stomach
ROCHESTER, MN — Aside from the 'ouch' factor, a report in the October 26 Neurology explains why bariatric surgery (BS) may not be such a hot idea. Sixteen percent of 435 patients who had BS suffered peripheral nerve damage, compared to only 3% of 126 controls, who had another kind of abdominal surgery. Risk factors such as rapid weight loss and nausea hint that malnutrition may be the root of the problem. The authors also think inflammation and altered immunity could be partly to blame.

 

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