This news or article is intended for readers with certain scientific or professional knowledge in the field. A common problem in diagnosing infectious disease is that the presence of a potential pathogen in the body does not necessarily mean the patient is sick. This can be particularly challenging for the treatment of organ transplant recipients,...
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Are We Overdiagnosing Autism?
Researchers say changing criteria has resulted in more people being diagnosed with autism. Getty Images Researchers say the changing criteria for autism may be resulting in an overdiagnosis of the condition. Some experts, however, say that better diagnostic methods are simply recognizing autism in more individuals and at an earlier age. Earlier diagnosis allows medical professionals to begin treatments...
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Surgical masks as good as respirators for flu and respiratory virus protection
UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER DALLAS – Sept. 3, 2019 – Researchers may finally have an answer in the long-running controversy over whether the common surgical mask is as effective as more expensive respirator-type masks in protecting health care workers from flu and other respiratory viruses. A study published today in JAMA compared the ubiquitous surgical...
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Study reaches multidisciplinary consensus on imaging for kidney stones
by Jami Larue, Yale University Each year, over 2 million people visit U.S. emergency departments for suspected renal colic, which typically causes intense flank or abdominal pain due to kidney stones blocking the urinary track. Led by Christopher L. Moore, Yale associate professor and chief of the section of emergency ultrasound in the department of...
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Finding an effective way to reduce pressure ulcers
by University of Leeds Expensive high-tech air mattresses are only marginally better at preventing pressure sores and ulcers than a specialist foam mattress, according to the results of a major study. Known as an alternating-pressure mattress, the high-tech devices contain air pockets that inflate and deflate to constantly change pressure points on the skin. They cost at least £1,000 each (US $1,217)....
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Ultrasonography helps differentiate arthritis types
(HealthDay)—Ultrasound is effective for differentiating between the major types of arthritis when combined with a physical exam and patient history, according to a review recently published in The Open Medical Imaging Journal. Homagni Sikha Roy, M.D., of SouthWest Medical University in Luzhou, China, and colleagues analyzed the findings of 52 experimental and clinical studies that assessed the use of ultrasound...
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Research shows benefits of cognitive behavioral therapy for IBS continue 2 years after treatment
Reviewed by James Ives, M.Psych. (Editor) Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal disorder affecting 10 – 20 per cent of people. Abdominal pain, bloating and altered bowel habit significantly affect patient’s quality of life and can force them to take days off work. Previous research (the ACTIB trial) led by Professor Hazel Everitt at the University...
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What hepatitis C genotypes mean for treatment
By Jenna Fletcher Reviewed by Cameron White, MD, MPH Hepatitis C is liver inflammation that results from a viral infection. It may not cause symptoms, so it can go undetected for years. As the infection progresses over many years, it can cause liver damage. This may take the form of scarring, permanent damage called cirrhosis,...
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What is an MTHFR mutation?
By Jamie Eske Reviewed by Shilpa Amin MD, CAQ, FAAFP Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase, or MTHFR, is an enzyme that breaks down the amino acids homocysteine and folate. The MTHFR gene that codes for this enzyme has the potential to mutate, which can either interfere with the enzyme’s ability to function normally or completely inactivate it. People have...
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Study finds women at greater risk of depression, anxiety after hysterectomy
MAYO CLINIC ROCHESTER, Minn. — Hysterectomy is associated with an increased risk of long-term mental health issues, especially depression and anxiety, according to a cohort study by Mayo Clinic researchers involving nearly 2,100 women. The review of health records from 1980 to 2002 involved women who underwent removal of the uterus but not the ovaries. The study, which used data from the Rochester Epidemiology Project,...