According to the World Health Organization (WHO), tuberculosis is now the world's leading infectious killer, having risen to the top with the spread of HIV, improved transport and sheer ignorance. The WHO stated that TB killed 3 millio
n people in 1995, and will claim 30 million more lives in the next decade unless the world acts now.
AP 3/19/96
Scientists have discovered that hemoglobin may carry another gas besides Oxygen, which helps in lowering blood pressure. The gas, nitric oxide or NO, relaxes blood vessels. AP 3/20/96
Go figure this one. A study in the American Journal of Managed Care says the practice of using "cheaper" prescription drugs may actually increase the cost of medical care in the long run. The report states that this method of medical cost co
ntrol may mean access to some drugs is restricted and sometimes the most effectice medicines aren't being used. AP 3/20/96
New research on monkeys indicates that a substance referred to as GDNF may provide relief from sysmptoms of Parkinson's disease. The study is reported in this week's issue of the journal Nature.
AP 3/20/96
Hip replacement surgery is expensive but far cheaper in the long term than the alternative: spending several years in a hospital or nursing home, researchers say. The study, published in Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association
, also noted the vastly improved quality of life surgery can bring. A hip replacement can allow people to keep working and enjoying other activities longer.
Osteoarthritis, the "wear and tear" form of arthritis, afflicts some 16 million people in the United States, according to the American College of Rheumatology. The cost of the 120,000 hip replacement operations performed each year in this country i
s more than $2.5 billion.
AP 3/19/96
A report in today's NY Times discusses a new theory concerning the blindness caused by people with Glaucoma, a condition which kills the nerves that pick up optical signals in the eye and carry them to the brain. About 40 million people in th
e world are affected by glaucoma.
Glaucoma has mostly been diagnosed by the very high pressures that build up as fluids accumulate inside the eye. It is these pressures which are treated to reduce the effects of glaucoma. However, a new theory, published in the March issue of the Arc
hives of Ophthalmology suggests that it is the build up of a neurotoxin, glutamate, in the fluid of the eye, which is a major reason that cells in the optical nerve die in glaucoma. NY Times 3/20/96
According to the March 18th edition of
Computerworld, a study in the January issue of Ergonomics in Design, published by the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society in Santa Monica, California, USA, found one way which may prevent carpal tunnel s
yndrome from frequent keyboard use.
"Placing a conventional keyboard on a downward-sloping surface that tilts the base of the keyboard away from the user" helps users keep their wrists in a straight, comfortable position. Computerworld 3/18/96
Results of a study presented at the recent American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons suggests that imbalances in the leg muscles of female athletes may be a key reason that women in sports such as basketball have more knee injuries than men. Other t
heories are also suggested. AP 3/17/96
Missouri has beein involved in a breakout of meningitisin 1995. Signs and symptoms may include high fever, severe headache, lethargy, vomiting, a rash and neck stiffness. The disease is spread through kissing, sharing utensils or by being ex
posed to the nasal or oral secretions of an infected person, such as caused by sneezing or coughing. Of particular concern is the dangerous strain which has infected Missouri. AP 3/16/96
Two new studies from Rhode Island, USA, and Germany, found that the shorter men are, the greater their risk of heart trouble and high blood pressure. None of this means heart disease is inevitable, no matter how diminutive someone is. However, espec
ially short folks probably should make extra sure they do whatever else they can to reduce their risk.
Some of the theories include the fact that while genes clearly play a part in height, being short may also be a sign of poor nutrition in childhood, and this might somehow affect the heart later in life. Also, small people have especially tiny blood vess
els that are more prone to getting clogged with fatty buildups, the underlying cause of heart attacks.
AP 3/15/96
Abnormal constricting of tiny blood vessels in the brain may contribute to Alzheimer's disease by cutting blood flow to brain cells, a study suggests. The research involves beta amyloid, a protein found in deposits in the brains of people wit
h Alzheimer's. Scientists have studied whether beta amyloid plays a role in Alzheimer's by killing brain cells, but the new work looked for its effect on blood vessels. AP 3/12/96
Newly available blood-thinning medicines should allow many of the 400,000 Americans who suffer dangerous clots each year to be treated at home, rather than spend a week in the hospital, researchers say. AP 3/13/96
Poor white men from the inner city are more likely to become alcoholics than college graduates, but tend to recover at a higher rate if they survive, according to a new study.
The study, which spanned 50 years, is believed to be the longest to track the lives and drinking of alcohol abusers, researchers said. AP 3/12/96
In a battle plan for a "final assault on AIDS," a panel of top scientists is urging a major shakeup of the $1.4 billion federal AIDS research program. The sometimes-flawed program needs new talent and imagination, the panel says.
The committee of more than 100 scientists called on federal officials to recruit new researchers, combine various clinical trials into one coordinated effort and start a crash program to develop a vaccine against the virus that causes AIDS. AP 3/13/96
A new study, by the National Athletic Trainers' Association, analyzed football injuries amongst high school varsity players. Approximately 81% of the injuries were minor, 11 percent moderate in quality, and the balance were major injuries. On
ly 1.4 % of the injuries required surgery, with the largest single source of injures being the hips, thighs and legs. Most injuries occurred to offensive players, and most injuries occured in practice (probably due to there being more practice sessions t
han actual games). AP 3/10/96
OK. Could someone please explain this one to us? A study of female nurses who drank two to three cups of caffeinated coffee a day had a 66 percent lower suicide rate than those who didn't drink any. This study is being reported in the current issue
of the AMA's Archives of Internal Medicine. However, the study's author cautioned that the results might be skewed. Surf to the AP for more information. AP 3/11/96
A story in today's AP discusses how companies are racing to develop pain-less tests for checking a Diabetic's blood sugar, and the political pressure which has developed. AP 3/9/96
As a former US President used to say, "Well, Here we go again!" According to a report in the current Journal of the American Medical Association, new studies cast doubt on the supposed benefits of supplements containing beta caro
tene. Contact you favorite Health Professional for more advice and information, and stay tuned for more studies we're sure will come around in the future. AP 3/5/96
A study concerning the role of Wrist Protectors in preventing fractures was recently reported upon at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons in Atlanta, GA. The study found that the guards did not seem to protect ag
ainst the fractures generated when the skater's feet slip and the skater tries to break a straight-down fall with the wrists and arms.
However, the guards probably do have value in protecting against fractures which may occur when the arms might be extended ahead of the skater, instead of straight down. Regardless, one of the researchers of the study stressed the importance of continuin
g to wear the wrist guards as protection, especially from abrasions which may occur. AP 3/3/96
The March issue of the journal Nature Medicine, discusses a new scanning technique which can distinguish between different types of brain tumors, which may enable some patients to avoid sometimes risky biopsies. The new scanning technique is a
variation of Magnetic Resonance imaging, and is called Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy. AP 2/29/96
The biggest study to date on the health effects of breast implants indicates they may slightly increase the risk of connective-tissue diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Besides rheumatoid arthritis, the diseases included in the study were scleroderma, polymyositis, dermatomyositis, Sjogren's syndrome and lupus erythematosus.
Opponents and defenders of implants immediately said the findings support their views. But the authors of the study cautioned against making too much of the conclusions and said more research is needed.
The study of nearly 400,000 female health professionals found that women with implants were 24 percent more likely to report a connective-tissue disease than women without implants.
For more information concerning Rheumatoid Arthritis, surf to COT's
Journal Corner for March and see the current issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association for more about this study. AP 2/27/96
A report in today's NY Times discusses how good lifestyle habits may be more important than a person's genetics, when it comes to how that individual ages. Accordinging to the report, "Only about 30 percent of the characteristics of aging are genetic
ally based; the rest -- 70 percent -- is not."
Further, a research team at the MacArthur Foundation Consortium on Successful Aging found, "that staying active both physically and socially contribute to successful aging." The article goes on to discuss different activities which may be useful in maint
aining physical and mental functioning. NY Times 2/28/96
Another report in today's NY Times discusses Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. According to the report, it is now recognized to afflict nearly two million workers and to cost American business an estimated $20 billion a year. Early symptoms may
include tingling and numbness in the fingers, which progresses to aching or shooting pains and weakness in the hand and forearm. A common early warning sign may be awakening at night with numbing, tingling pains engulfing the hand and arm. Proper postur
es and therapy are also discussed.
For more information, see: The Hand Book, by Stephanie Brown (Ergonome, 1993, $19.95) and Repetitie Strain Injury: A Computer User's Guide, by Dr. Emil Pascarelli and Deborah Quilter (John Wiley & Sons, 1994, $14.95) and Relief from Carpa
l Tunnel Syndrome and Other Repetitive Motion Disorders, by Norra Tannenhaus (Dell Medical Library, 1991, $3.99). NY Times 2/28/96
In a report given at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the injury rates of downhill skiing and snowboarding were discussed. While the knees were most often hurt in Alpine skiing, the wrists and forearms were the most
common injuries in snowboarding. AP 2/25/96
According to the AP and the Centers for Disease Control, a record 75 percent of US preschoolers are getting recommended vaccinations of the basics: diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis, polio and measles-mumps-rubella.
AP 2/22/96
French researchers have developed a device they hope will allow quadriplegics to literally write with their eyes. While looking at a special keyboard, a laser-guided camera records the gaze, which is then fed into a computer, and the text appears ins
tantaneously on a computer screen.
AP 2/22/96
A new study suggests that smoking may lower a certain enzyme in the brain used in the natural destruction of dopamine. This may be important because, according to this AP report, some researchers believe that the heightened dopamine release ca
used by nicotine, is the key effect that produces nicotine addiction. AP 2/21/96
FCER's News Alert provided a recent definition of "primary care" according to the Institue of Medicine Committee on the Future of Primary Care:
"Primary care is the provision of integrated, accessible health care services by clinicians who are accountable for addressing a large majority of personal health care needs, developing a sustained partnership with patients, and practicing in the conte
xt of family and community."
For the full report of "Defining Primary Care" contact the Institute of Medicine at 202-334-2184.
Foundation for Chiropractic Education and Research V 2/N 6/Dec. 1994
According to Business Week magazine, the inflation rate for medical care is the lowest since 1973. Managed care programs and government and corporate pressure on medical costs are the suggested reasons.
Business Week 2/26/96 p. 8
About 1/3 of men whose cancerous prostates are removed may need additional cancer treatment within five years, says a new study of 3,000 Medicare patients reported in the current Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
One reason the retreatment rate was so high was that surgery is supposed to be done only on men whose cancer hasn't spread beyond the prostate, but just 55 percent of the study participants fit that description.
Others interviewed in this AP article stated that the retreatment rates may have been overestimated. AP 2/20/96
Dr. Tedd Koren, requesting participation from those on the Chiro-List, passed on the following information on March 3, 1996. Surf Here!