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Bipolar patients cost a pretty
penny
BOSTON —
As if dealing with bipolar disorder wasn't difficult
enough for patients to contend with, a new NIH-funded
study in September's American Journal of Psychiatry
shows that the condition has an utterly devastating
effect on their job performance. Harvard researchers
looked at data on 3,378 American patients between 2001
and 2003 and found that bipolar disorder caused an average
of 65.5 lost workdays (this includes on-the-job ineffectiveness
and absenteeism) each year. In comparison, major depression
sufferers only missed an average of 27.2 workdays per
year. The authors say that American companies lose about
$14.1 billion US annually because of bipolar sufferers'
highs and lows.
No
'God spot' in nuns' brains
MONTREAL —
There is not a specific area in the brain related exclusively
to God, according to a University of Montreal study
published in the September 25 issue of Neuroscience
Letters. Researchers observed the brains of 15 Carmelite
nuns using fMRI scans while the nuns recalled a mystical
experience. They found that 12 regions of the nuns'
brains were activated during such experiences —
not one as some had suggested in the past. The researchers
made clear that they did not intend to diminish the
value of or attempt to prove or disprove the existence
of God in their study.
Overworked
nurses 'starve' seniors
LONDON —
Six in ten elderly British hospital patients face a
high risk of malnutrition, according to a new report
released by the charity group Age Concern. The study
pins much of the blame on overworked nurses, who just
don't have time to make sure the aged get nutritious
meals or the help they need to eat them. The study reported
instances of trays just being dropped in front of blind
or demented patients, only to be removed later with
the food untouched. Gordon Lishman, director general
of Age Concern, said in a press release: "Hospitals
are in danger of becoming bad for the health of older
people." The report offered a seven-step solution to
the problem, which included a provision for colour-coded
food trays for patients who need an extra hand.
Researchers
say asthma is passé
LONDON —
The term "asthma" is too vague and should be done away
with, according to a Lancet editorial published
on August 26. Rather than considering it a freestanding
disease, said the authors, we should think of asthma
instead as a set of syndromes that may vary in origin
and presentation from patient to patient. The authors
predict that in several decades we may see asthma as
we now see fever — a condition that was considered
a singular disease until the 19th century.
Not
an asthmatic's best friend
LOS ANGELES —
Kids with asthma who own dogs are prone to more severe
asthma symptoms than those who have cats or no pets,
according to a new study published online August 29
in the Journal of Environmental Health Perspectives.
The University of Southern California-based researchers
found that canine lovers experienced more cough, phlegm
production and bronchitis compared to fellow asthmatics
in feline-friendly homes. Researchers suggest the problem
may be the high levels of endotoxins — components
of bacterial cell walls — in homes with dogs. Endotoxins
can exacerbate the effects of air pollution.
Obese,
emaciated denied IVF
LONDON —
The British Fertility Society (BFS) just issued
recommendations that women with a BMI of 36 or higher
be refused fertility treatment, while those with a BMI
above 29 should be asked to shed some pounds before
they qualify for in vitro fertilization. The rationale
behind the group's position is that long wait times
for fertility treatment plus increased risks associated
with pregnancy among the obese mean that clinics should
focus on treating ideal candidates. The BFS recommended
similar restrictions for underweight women. Curiously,
the very same report urged clinics not to discriminate
against smokers.
Ham
and cheese with viruses on top
ROCKVILLE —
Cold cuts, hot dogs and chicken will soon come doused
with bacteria-killing viruses. The FDA has just approved
a six-virus combo designed to protect ready-to-eat meats
and poultry. The viruses, known as bacteriophages, destroy
strains of the Listeria bacterium that cause listeriosis
— a serious infection most common in pregnant women,
newborns and adults with weakened immune systems.
Fish
oil beats defibrillators at averting heart failure deaths
ST. PAUL, MN —
Between eating fish and getting an electric shock to
the chest, the choice for patients is clear: take the
catch of the day. The omega-3 fatty acids found in certain
kinds of fish have been shown to be much more effective
at preventing heart failure than either AEDs or implanted
defibrillators (ICDs) in a new study published in the
American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Researchers
conducted a computer simulation of 100,000 people programmed
to resemble the population of Olmsted County, Minnesota,
that allowed them to test the impact of the different
prevention strategies. Increased omega-3 consumption
reduced death rates by 6.4%, making it eight times as
effective as AEDs and twice as good as ICDs.
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