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Dark
days for grey hair — and melanoma
BOSTON —
A cure for grey hair may be just around the corner.
In the December 23 issue of Science, researchers
claim to have found the cause of grey hair. Apparently,
as we age the stem cells responsible for churning out
pigment-producing cells start to die off. The discovery
won't replace hair dye just yet but researchers hope
it may provide insights into melanoma, in which the
opposite occurs pigment-producing cells are generated
uncontrollably.
Be
still, MRSA patients in ICU
LONDON —
UK researchers suggest that hospitals consider
changing their approach to dealing with ICU patients
with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) infections . Isolating these patients doesn't
reduce the chance of cross infections according to results
from a prospective one-year study of the ICU at two
teaching hospitals. Researchers note that hospitals'
procedures should be re-evaluated because of the risk
involved in moving ICU patients. The study was published
in the January 7 online edition of the Lancet.
Radon
on lung cancer radar
OXFORD —
As if smoking didn't up the risk of lung cancer enough
already, research in the December 21 BMJ claims
that smokers are 25 times more susceptible to the effects
of the (ig)noble gas radon. Colourless, odourless and
radioactive, radon can be found in varying amounts in
most households. For non-smokers, the gas presents a
low albeit real risk of lung cancer. However, when its
effects on smokers were taken into account, it caused
an estimated 9% of lung cancer deaths in Europe. The
scientists used data from 13 studies involving 21,000
people for their research.
Pacemakers
help epileptics beat death
LONDON —
In hockey terms, sudden death is an exciting
phenomenon but for epileptics, it can be a dreaded fact
of life. However, a study in the December 18 Lancet
may have uncovered the reason for epilepsy-associated
sudden unexpected death. Nineteen epileptic patients
were monitored over two years, during which time electrocardiograms
(ECGs) of 377 seizures were captured. The ECGs revealed
that three patients had potentially fatal asystole,
a condition that can be treated with pacemakers. Reseachers
now peg asystole as the cause of sudden death for some
epileptics.
Dial
'C' for caution
LONDON —
A British group is urging parents to keep children eight
years of age and younger from using cell phones. Professor
Sir William Stewart, chairman of the British National
Radiological Protection Board calls this the 'precautionary
principle.' While studies on the dangers of longterm
cell phone use are so far inconclusive, on January 12
Professor Stewart told the Glasgow Daily Herald,
"I don't think we can put our hands on our hearts and
say mobile phones are safe. When you come to giving
mobile phones to a three to eight-year-old, that can't
possibly be right."
Hitting
the mark in arthritis
CHAPEL HILL, NC
— Researchers at the University of North
Carolina have pinpointed a potential biomarker for osteoarthritis
(OA). They enrolled 753 participants from the Johnston
County Osteoarthritis Project and found a strong link
between high levels of hyaluronic acid (HA) — a
component of connective tissue — and knee and hip
arthritis. Results from their investigation showed that
those with higher HA levels had more severe OA and that
the disease affected more than one joint. The study
is published in the January issue of Arthritis and
Rheumatism.
Linezolid
vanquishes MRSA
MILWAUKEE —
Bacteria becomes resistant to antibiotics, we
develop new ones and so the cycle continues. The war
seems never-ending. But at least we won the last battle
the antibiotic linezolid has proven effective at killing
methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA). Eighty seven percent of 66 patients who received
linezolid to treat their MRSA surgical site infections
were cured, as compared to only 48% of patients who
received vancomycin. The research was published in the
December issue of the American Journal of Surgery.
Death
takes no holidays
COLUMBUS, OH —
Part of our society's new mythology is that the 'will
to live' can put off death. Sadly, for cancer patients
at least, reality doesn't jive with this myth. A study
in the December 22 JAMA looked at the death certificates
of 1,269,474 people, 309,221 of whom died of cancer.
A similar proportion of cancer patients died the week
after Christmas, Thanksgiving and birthdays as died
the week before these events, leading researchers to
conclude that patients cannot postpone their death until
after significant personal events.
Adding
to the chorus of ZZZs
NORFOLK, EAST
VIRGINIA — A recent study in the December
Annals of Internal Medicine linked lack of sleep
to obesity. Now a new study published in the January
10 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine has
found more evidence to strengthen this claim. Researchers
looked at 924 patients, with an average age of 48 and
a BMI of 30. They found that as BMI increased sleep
time decreased. On average obese participants slept
a total of 112 minutes less per week. They believe the
research could clarify a cause-and-effect link between
lack of sleep and obesity.
Cancer
on red meat alert
ATLANTA and UTRECHT
— Two new studies published in the January
12 JAMA explore the relationship between food
and cancer risk. One study, conducted by a team of American
researchers, confirms what many already believe —
red meat consumption increases the risk of colorectal
cancer. This 20-year study looked at over 148,000 adults
and found that those who ate the most red meat (about
nine servings per week) had a 50% higher chance of developing
cancer. A second study, by a Dutch team, found no significant
association between eating lots of fruit and veggies
and a lower risk of breast cancer.
Magnetic
bracelets attract clinicians
CULLOMPTON, UK
— Perhaps magnetic therapy isn't quackery
after all. The December 18 issue of the BMJ reports
that magnetic bracelets can help minimize arthritis
pain. When 194 osteoarthritis patients, aged 45 to 80,
were randomized to wear either a magnetized bracelet
or a placebo one, those sporting the magnetized accessory
reported significantly less pain. However, the researchers
have no idea why or how the bracelets work.
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