August

NAIDS 2Regularly taking low-dose aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may lower long-term risk of colorectal cancer (CRC), new research suggests. The study was published online August 25 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

John Baron, MD, a professor of medicine at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill, and colleagues reviewed data from several Danish cancer databases to gather the health histories of 10,280 CRC patients diagnosed between 1994–2011. Patients were between the ages of 30–85. Medical records were evaluated for aspirin and non-aspirin NSAID consumption patterns.

A comparison of cancer patients with 102,800 cancer-free individuals revealed that regular, long-term use of low-NAIDSdose aspirin and NSAIDs seemed to confer long-term protection against CRC. The biggest benefit was linked to agents with high cyclooxygenase-2 selectivity. Taking low-dose (75–150mg) aspirin for five years or more was associated with a 27% risk reduction in both men and women. And taking NSAIDs such as ibuprofen for that long was linked to a 30–45% drop in CRC risk.

Baron emphasized that the drugs were taken continuously for years before any cancer-preventive benefits were realized. “For aspirin, you would have to take it fairly consistently, meaning at least every other day, for at least five to 10 years for the protective effect to even begin to appear,” he told HealthDay.

Source: MPR

The Center’s Executive Physical includes Colon and Rectal Cancer screening and tumor marker tracking.

ALZUp to two-thirds of Alzheimer’s cases worldwide may stem from any of nine conditions that often result from lifestyle choices, a broad research review suggests. The findings were published online Aug. 20 in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.

Jin-Tai Yu, M.D., Ph.D., an associate specialist in neurology at the University of California, San Francisco, and colleagues reviewed the findings of 323 studies completed between 1968 and 2014. Collectively, the studies involved more than 5,000 patients and looked at 93 conditions with the potential to affect Alzheimer’s risk. The team set out to determine which factors appeared to offer some protection against developing Alzheimer’s.

The strongest evidence suggested that coffee, vitamins C and E, folate, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, ALZ 2statins, antihypertensive medications, and estrogen supplementation all appeared to reduce Alzheimer’s risk. Patients battling several serious health conditions also seemed to see their risk fall, including those with arthritis, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, and/or cancer. Those who were light or moderate drinkers of alcohol similarly saw their Alzheimer’s risk dip, alongside current smokers (apart from those of Asian descent), those struggling with stress, and seniors with high body mass index.

By contrast, a complex statistical analysis enabled the research team to zero in on the nine factors that appeared to elevate Alzheimer’s risk among 66 percent of those who ultimately get the disease. Those include high body mass index in midlife; carotid artery disease; hypertension; depression; frailty; being poorly educated; having high levels of homocysteine; and (specifically among those of Asian descent) being a smoker and/or having type 2 diabetes. “The current evidence from our study showed that individuals would benefit from [addressing] the related potentially modifiable risk factors,” Yu told HealthDay. Yu is also senior editor of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Source: MPR

ACL 2There are 4 major ligaments in the knee. Ligaments are elastic bands of tissue that connect bones to each other and provide stability and strength to the joint. The four main ligaments in the knee connect the femur (thighbone) to the tibia (shin bone), and include the following:

  • Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The ligament, located in the center of the knee, that controls rotation and forward movement of the tibia (shin bone).
  • Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). The ligament, located in the back of the knee, that controls backward movement of the tibia (shin bone).
  • Medial collateral ligament (MCL). The ligament that gives stability to the inner knee.
  • Lateral collateral ligament (LCL). The ligament that gives stability to the outer knee.

What are the symptoms of a cruciate ligament injury?

Often, a cruciate ligament injury does not cause pain. Instead, the person may hear a popping sound as the injury occurs, followed by the leg buckling when trying to stand on it, and swelling. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently.

ACL 1The symptoms of a cruciate ligament injury may resemble other conditions or medical problems. Always consult your doctor for a diagnosis.

How are collateral ligaments injured?

The medial collateral ligament is injured more often than the lateral collateral ligament. Stretch and tear injuries to the collateral ligaments are usually caused by a blow to the outer side of the knee, such as when playing hockey or football.

What are the symptoms of a collateral ligament injury?

Similar to cruciate ligament injuries, an injury to the collateral ligament causes the knee to pop and buckle, causing pain and swelling.

The symptoms of a collateral ligament injury may resemble other conditions or medical problems. Always consult your doctor for a diagnosis.

How is a knee ligament injury diagnosed?

In addition to a complete medical history and physical examination, diagnostic procedures for a knee ligament injury may include X-ray, Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and Arthroscopy.

Source: Johns Hopkins Medicine

HEP C 2People infected with the hepatitis C virus are at risk for liver damage, but the results of a new Johns Hopkins study now show the infection may also spell heart trouble.

The findings, described online July 27 in The Journal of Infectious Diseases, emerged from a larger ongoing study of men who have sex with men, many but not all of whom were infected with HIV and followed over time to track risk of infection and disease progression. A subset of the participants had both HIV and hepatitis C, two infections that often occur together.

Even though people infected with HIV are already known to have an elevated risk for heart disease, researchers emphasize their results offer strong evidence that hepatitis C can spark cardiovascular damage independent of HIV.

Specifically, the research found that study participants chronically infected with hepatitis C were more likely to harbor abnormal fat-and-calcium plaques inside their arteries, a condition known as atherosclerosis and a common forerunner of heart attacks and strokes.

“We have strong reason to believe that infection with hepatitis C fuels cardiovascular disease, independent of HIV and sets the stage for subsequent cardiovascular trouble,” says study principal investigator Eric Seaberg, Ph.D., assistant professor of epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. “We believe our HEP C 3findings are relevant to anyone infected with hepatitis C regardless of HIV status.”

Investigators emphasize they don’t know exactly how infection with the hepatitis C virus precipitates the growth of artery-clogging plaque but that their evidence is strong enough to warrant vigilant monitoring for cardiac symptoms among people infected with the virus.

“People infected with hepatitis C are already followed regularly for signs of liver disease, but our findings suggest clinicians who care for them should also assess their overall cardiac risk profile regularly,” says study author Wendy Post, M.D., M.S., professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and a cardiologist at the Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease.

Source: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

The Presidential Healthcare Center provides Hepatitis Screening and Vaccinations.

nile 2West Nile virus (WNV) is most commonly transmitted to humans by mosquitoes. You can reduce your risk of being infected with WNV by using insect repellent and wearing protective clothing to prevent mosquito bites. There are no medications to treat or vaccines to prevent WNV infection. Fortunately, most people infected with WNV will have no symptoms. About 1 in 5 people who are infected will develop a fever with other symptoms. Less than 1% of infected people develop a serious, sometimes fatal, neurologic illness.

The symptoms of neurologic illness can include headache, high fever, neck stiffness, disorientation, coma, tremors, seizures, or paralysis.

Serious illness can occur in people of any age. However, people over 60 years of age are at the greatest risk for Nile 3severe disease. People with certain medical conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, and people who have received organ transplants, are also at greater risk for serious illness.

Recovery from severe disease may take several weeks or months. Some of the neurologic effects may be permanent.  About 10 percent of people who develop neurologic infection due to West Nile virus will die.

Currently, no vaccine or specific antiviral treatments for West Nile virus infection are available.  Over-the-counter pain relievers can be used to reduce fever and relieve some symptoms.  And in severe cases, patients often need to be hospitalized to receive supportive treatment, such as intravenous fluids, pain medication, and nursing care.

Source: CDC

Cholesterol 3National Institutes of Health researchers have shown that women’s cholesterol levels correspond with monthly changes in estrogen levels. This natural variation, they suggest, might indicate a need to take into account the phases of a woman’s monthly cycle before evaluating her cholesterol measures. On average, the total cholesterol level of the women in the study varied 19 percent over the course of the menstrual cycle.

In a typical cycle, estrogen levels steadily increase as the egg cell matures, peaking just before ovulation. Previous studies have shown that taking formulations which contain estrogen — oral contraceptives or menopausal hormone therapy — can affect cholesterol levels. However, the results of studies examining the effects of naturally occurring hormone levels on cholesterol have not been conclusive. According to the NIH’s National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, high blood cholesterol levels raise the risk for heart disease.cholesterol 1

The researchers found that as the level of estrogen rises, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol also rises, peaking at the time of ovulation. HDL cholesterol is believed to be protective against heart disease.

In contrast, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels — as well as another form of blood fat known as triglycerides — declined as estrogen levels rose. The decline was not immediate, beginning a couple of days after the estrogen peak at ovulation. Total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels reached their lowest just before menstruation began.

Source: NIH News

The number of US counties experiencing high incidence of Lyme disease has grown considerably from 1993 through Tick 22012, according to a study published online July 15 and in the August issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

“Despite the substantial increase in the number of counties with high incidence, the limited movement of the geographic centers suggests relatively constant rates of geographic expansion in all accessible directions,” write Kiersten J. Kugeler, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, and colleagues.

“Our results show that geographic expansion of high-risk areas is ongoing, emphasizing the need to identify broadly implementable and acceptable public health interventions to prevent human Lyme disease.”

Lyme disease develops when an infected tick bites a person and transmits the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria to the tick 3person. Historically high-risk regions for Lyme disease include the northeastern, mid-Atlantic, and north-central states in the United States, but officials have noted increasing cases during the past 2 decades.

The researchers grouped all confirmed Lyme disease cases during the study period into four intervals of 5 years each. Using census data, the researchers calculated the incidence of the disease at the county level and then mapped the incidence, identifying counties that fell wholly or partly “within a defined, statistically significant high-risk spatial cluster.”

In the earliest period, from 1993 to 1997, there were 69 counties with high incidence of Lyme disease; this number climbed to 130 counties for the period from 1998 to 2002, 197 counties in 2003 to 2007, and 260 counties in 2008 to 2012.

Tick 1In contrast, just four counties in the southeastern United States identified as high incidence in the 1993 to 1997 period dropped off the list during the following period, most likely because the early cases were misdiagnosed cases of another tick-associated illness, southern tick-associated rash illness, which has similar symptoms to those of Lyme but does not involve B burgdorferi.

The region with the greatest incidence, the northeastern states, saw a more than 320% jump in countries with high incidence, from 43 counties in the first period to 182 in the most recent. A similar jump in the north-central states, going from 22 to 78 during the time studied, resulted in approximately a 250% increase.

Source: Medscape

teen exercise 2Women who exercised during their teen years were less likely to die from cancer and all other causes during middle-age and later in life, according to a new study by investigators at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and the Shanghai Cancer Institute in China.

The study was published online July 31 in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association of Cancer Research.

Lead author Sarah Nechuta, Ph.D., MPH, assistant professor of Medicine in the Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center, said understanding the long-term impact of modifiable lifestyle factors such as exercise in adolescence can have important public health implications for disease prevention over the course of a woman’s life.

“Our results support the importance of promoting exercise participation in adolescence to reduce mortality in later life and highlight the critical need for the initiation of disease prevention early in life,” said Nechuta.Teen exercise 3

The study was designed to ascertain potential associations between adolescent exercise and cancer, cardiovascular disease or other causes of death among women in middle age and later life. The investigators used data from the Shanghai Women’s Health Study, a large ongoing prospective cohort study of 74,941 Chinese women between the ages of 40 and 70. The women enrolled in the study between 1996 and 2000. Each participant was interviewed at enrollment about exercise during adolescence, including participation in team sports, as well as other adolescent lifestyle factors. They were also asked about exercise during adulthood and other adult lifestyle factors and socioeconomic status, and participants were interviewed again every two to three years.

Regular exercise was defined as occurring at least once a week for at least three continuous months. Women who Teen exercise 1reported regular adolescent exercise were also asked how many hours a week they participated and for how many years they had exercised regularly.

“In women, adolescent exercise participation, regardless of adult exercise, was associated with reduced risk of cancer and all-cause mortality,” explained Nechuta.

Participation in team sports during the teen years was associated with a reduced risk of cancer death later in life.

Source: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

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