Madely Health Headlines Commentary for March 11, 2010
Study demonstrates new diagnostic method to predict survival/relapse outcomes in classic Hodgkin's Lymphoma: Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadMadely Health Headlines Commentary for March 10, 2010
Early stage study shows virus can destroy prostate cancer cells: Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadSource:
Tumor-Melting Virus vs. Prostate Cancer
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Oncolytic Viral Therapy for Prostate Cancer: Efficacy of Reovirus as a Biological Therapeutic
Madely Health Headlines Commentary for March 9, 2010
Study shows that women who drank more alcohol gained relatively less weight... because they ate less!: Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadSource:
Cheers! A Drink a Day May Keep the Pounds Away
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Alcohol Consumption, Weight Gain, and Risk of Becoming Overweight in Middle-aged and Older Women
Madely Health Headlines Commentary for March 8, 2010
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Madely Health Headlines Commentary for
American Cancer Society states prostate cancer screening test is of questionable value: Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadSource:
U.S. cancer society casts more doubt on prostate tests
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Mortality Results from a Randomized Prostate-Cancer Screening Trial
Screening and Prostate-Cancer Mortality in a Randomized European Study
Madely Health Headlines Commentary for March 4, 2010
Preliminary data suggest relationship between diet success and genes: Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadSource:
Madely Health Headlines Commentary for
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Madely Health Headlines Commentary for March 2, 2010
Hospital patient index calculates risk of death and hospital readmission after discharge: Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadSource:
Simple Index Predicts Risk of Death, Hospital Readmission
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Madely Health Headlines Commentary for March 1, 2010
Disease-modifying drug reduces brain protein plaques in Alzheimer patients: Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadSource:
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Madely Health Headlines Commentary for February 26, 2010
Interval training: an apples to oranges comparison with moderate exercise: Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadSource:
Madely Health Headlines Commentary for February 25, 2010
Mandatory checklist to be implemented in Ontario beginning April 1 to prevent surgical errors: Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadSource:
Madely Health Headlines Commentary for February 24, 2010
Gatineau hospital clears out cafeteria junk food/Danny Williams' health decision: Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadSource:
Hospitals kick junk food habit
Madely Health Headlines Commentary for February 23, 2010
Treatment to reduce peanut allergy reactions enters its next study phase: Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadSource:
Madely Health Headlines Commentary for February 22, 2010
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Madely Health Headlines Commentary for February 19, 2010
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Madely Health Headlines Commentary for February 18, 2010
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Madely Health Headlines Commentary for February 17, 2010
Bilingual Babies: The Roots of Bilingualism in Newborns
Madely Health Headlines Commentary for February 16, 2010
Study states lifetime risk of asthma is 1 in 3, another study questions that result: Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadSource:
1 in 3 chance of developing asthma: study
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What Is the Lifetime Risk of Physician-diagnosed Asthma in Ontario, Canada?
Comment:
This study depended on accurate diagnoses of asthma. However, it was unable to assess whether these patients indeed did have the disease. A study published in the CMAJ in 2008 concluded that 30 per cent of asthma diagnoses were incorrect.
Madely Health Headlines Commentary for February 15, 2010
Remember that Medical TV shows are not licensed to practice medicine: Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadSource:
Watch medical dramas for the drama, not the treatment methods, study warns
Madely Health Headlines Commentary for February 12, 2010
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GE Is Latest to Make Handheld Ultrasound
Madely Health Headlines Commentary for February 11, 2010
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Madely Health Headlines Commentary for February 10, 2010
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Paxil, Tamoxifen May Be a Risky Combo
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Madely Health Headlines Commentary for February 9, 2010
More studies will evaluate effectiveness of "Liberation" treatment for MS: Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadSource:
Madely Health Headlines Commentary for February 8, 2010
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Weekly pop may double risk of pancreatic cancer risk
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Soft Drink and Juice Consumption and Risk of Pancreatic Cancer: The Singapore Chinese Health Study
Madely Health Headlines Commentary for February 8, 2010
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Weekly pop may double risk of pancreatic cancer risk
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Soft Drink and Juice Consumption and Risk of Pancreatic Cancer: The Singapore Chinese Health Study
Madely Health Headlines Commentary for February 5, 2010
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Artificial pancreas hope for children with diabetes
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Madely Health Headlines Commentary for February 4, 2010
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Chemical imbalance may explain crib death: study
Low Serotonin Eyed as Mechanism for SIDS
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Brainstem Serotonergic Deficiency in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
Madely Health Headlines Commentary for February 3, 2010
Comment:
This is a story that we have covered extensively over the years on Sunday House Call. An excellent synopsis can be heard in our interview with Guardian columnist Dr. Ben Goldacre here.
I hold the some of the media just as responsible as Dr. Wakefield for this fiasco by sensationalizing news, promoting fear, and misrepresenting risk to peddle their stories. They are thus complicit in this MMR hoax. To see them react with such gusto against Wakefield and his research now that this paper has been completely retracted from publication epitomizes hypocrisy. They have learned nothing from their shameless behaviour and poor science reporting.
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Lancet retracts study linking vaccine to autism
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The Lancet, Early Online Publication, 2 February 2010
Retraction—Ileal-lymphoid-nodular hyperplasia, non-specific colitis, and pervasive developmental disorder in children
Following the judgment of the UK General Medical Council’s Fitness to Practise Panel on Jan 28, 2010, it has become clear that several elements of the 1998 paper by Wakefield et al1 are incorrect, contrary to the findings of an earlier investigation.2 In particular, the claims in the original paper that children were “consecutively referred” and that investigations were “approved” by the local ethics committee have been proven to be false. Therefore we fully retract this paper from the published record.
Madely Health Headlines Commentary for February 2, 2010
Study reviews the drug interactions between cardiac medications and herbal products: Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadSource:
Hidden Dangers of Herbal Meds Reviewed
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Use of Herbal Products and Potential Interactions in Patients With Cardiovascular Diseases
Comment:
There is excellent web site that reviews the scientific evidence for the efficacy of herbal remedies from an independent assessment perspective. It also evaluates the quality and ingredients of many products in stores with respect to labelling accuracy and ingredient composition. The web site is consumerlab.com.
Madely Health Headlines Commentary for February 1, 2010
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International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers
Madely Health Headlines Commentary for January 29, 2010
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Flu activity ’significantly below’ normal for January, agency says
Madely Health Headlines Commentary for January 28, 2010
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Surgical procedure best for common heart problem
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Madely Health Headlines Commentary for January 27, 2010
Study will put to test growing evidence linking high blood pressure to dementia: Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadSource:
Study will put to test growing evidence linking high blood pressure to dementia
ftp://awfulbarry@ftp.thejohnrobson.com/MHH/10/100126-calories-listed-on-menus-reduces-total-in-kids.mp3
Parents choose lesser-calorie foods for their children when given the choice: Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadMadely Health Headlines Commentary for January 25, 2010
Safety Considerations and Potential Interactions of Vitamins: Should Vitamins Be Considered Drugs?: Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadSource:
Many parents unaware of the risks of vitamins
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Safety Considerations and Potential Interactions of Vitamins: Should Vitamins Be Considered Drugs?
Madely Health Headlines Commentary for January 22, 2010
Identification of the gene responsible for a new form of adult muscular dystrophy: Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadSource:
Identification of the gene responsible for a new form of adult muscular dystrophy
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Madely Health Headlines Commentary for January 21, 2010
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Half a teaspoon less salt a day could save 100,000 lives, study finds
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Projected Effect of Dietary Salt Reductions on Future Cardiovascular Disease
Madely Health Headlines Commentary for January 20, 2009
Madely Health Headlines Commentary for January 19, 2010
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Erectile Dysfunction Predicts Heart Disease
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Madely Health Headlines Commentary for January 18, 2010
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‘Concussion’ underplays severity of injury: doctors
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“My Child Doesn’t Have a Brain Injury, He Only Has a Concussion”
Madely Health Headlines Commentary for January 15, 2010
Daunting challenges to provide aid and relief to the people of Haiti : Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadMadely Health Headlines Commentary for January 14, 2010
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You Lose If You Don’t Snooze; Lost Sleep Can’t Be Recovered
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Uncovering Residual Effects of Chronic Sleep Loss on Human Performance
Madely Health Headlines Commentary for
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More accurate peanut allergy test could be on the way
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Component-resolved diagnostics facilitate the diagnosis of peanut allergy
Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Not all peanut-sensitized children experience allergic reactions on exposure. Tests that could discriminate peanut allergy from tolerance without the need to perform oral food challenge would be extremely useful. Within the context of a population-based birth cohort, Nicolaou et al (p 191) determined, on the basis of peanut challenge, the proportion of children with peanut allergy among those considered peanut-sensitized using skin prick tests, sIgE measurements, or both (with whole peanut extract) and investigated whether blood tests with component-resolved diagnostics (microarray with major peanut and cross-reactive components) could differentiate peanut allergy from tolerance. Although approximately 1 in 10 children 8 years of age in the United Kingdom is peanut sensitized, on the basis of the oral food challenge, only 1 in 50 has peanut allergy. Component-resolved diagnostics revealed marked differences in the pattern recognition between subjects with peanut allergy and peanut-tolerant subjects (see Figure). Children with peanut allergy had higher responses to Ara h 1 to 3, whereas peanut-tolerant children had higher responses to grass components and cross-reactive carbohydrate determinants. Ara h 2 offered the best discrimination between the groups. These data confirm that the majority of children considered peanut sensitized on the basis of standard test responses do not have peanut allergy and suggest that measurement of IgE response to Ara h 2 might prove to be a clinically useful tool in predicting peanut allergy.
Madely Health Headlines Commentary for January 12, 2010
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Couch time may cut life short, study suggests
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Madely Health Headlines Commentary for January 11, 2010
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Air Canada ordered to create nut-free buffer zones
A CFRA web poll asked this question and I discussed this with Steve Madely. This is a continuation of our discussion from last week.
Madely Health Headlines Commentary for January 8, 2010
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Air Canada ordered to create nut-free buffer zones
Comment:
This is a classic illustration of poor risk evaluation. There is no information available in this article to help me answer the basic questions when examining a health claim.
How many people suffer anaphylactic reactions on airplanes that require emergency treatment? How many have died? What is the incidence of these occurrences?
Has there been any evidence to show what the risk reduction would be with setting this policy? Will there be any subsequent evaluation to look at outcomes? And if the outcome demonstrates little to no reduction of risk or incidence, will there be a push to rescind this edict?
Have proactive measures by people who have nut allergies prior to boarding the plane been sufficient to prevent anaphylaxis?
This is a classic illustration of the precautionary principle eloquently discussed by this man.
An exerpt from the website Junkfood Science illustrates this point.
Food allergy deaths have only been tracked by the CDC since 1998, using death certificates coded using ICD-10 classifications (the 10th edition of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases). ICD-10 hasn’t yet been universally adopted, which makes the accuracy of its figure unreliable. It reports that of 2.5 million deaths among all ages in the U.S. in 2005, 11 people died from a food allergy in 2005, with the number from peanuts unknown.
Perhaps the most accurate population data on peanut-related deaths among children comes from the UK. Its national death statistics and pediatric surveillance system has recorded death statistics for nearly all children and it reported that only one child, a 15-year old, died from a peanut allergy between 1990 and 2000.
Madely Health Headlines Commentary for January 7, 2010
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Alzheimer’s Treatments Worked Better When Combined, Study Says
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Modeling an Anti-Amyloid Combination Therapy for Alzheimer’s Disease
Madely Health Headlines Commentary for January 6, 2010
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Madely Health Headlines Commentary for January 5, 2010
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Madely Health Headlines Commentary for January 4, 2010
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Madely Health Headlines Commentary for December 31, 2009
