Restless
legs syndrome in men linked to early death
Washington:
Men, who experience restless legs syndrome -RLS- may have a higher risk of
dying earlier, according to a new research.
The
disorder is characterized by an irresistible urge to move the legs and often
causes leg sensations of burning, creeping, and tugging, which are usually
worse at night.
The study
conducted by Xiang Gao, MD, PhD, with Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard
Medical School and the Channing division of network medicine, Brigham and
Women`s Hospital in Boston highlights the importance of recognizing this common
but under diagnosed disease.
For the study, 18,425 men with an average age of 67 who did not have diabetes, arthritis or kidney failure were evaluated for RLS and a total of 690 of the men, met the criteria.
Information about major chronic diseases was collected every two years.
For the study, 18,425 men with an average age of 67 who did not have diabetes, arthritis or kidney failure were evaluated for RLS and a total of 690 of the men, met the criteria.
Information about major chronic diseases was collected every two years.
The study found that men with RLS had a nearly 40 percent
increased risk of death compared to men without RLS. The association dropped
only slightly after adjusting for factors such as body mass index, lifestyle,
chronic conditions, lack of sleep and other sleep disorders.
When the researchers excluded people with major chronic conditions such as cancer, heart disease and high blood pressure from the analysis, the association between RLS and an increased risk of death rose to 92 percent higher than those without RLS.
"We found that the increased risk was not associated with the usual known risk factors, such as older age, being overweight, lack of sleep, smoking, being physically inactive and having an unhealthy diet," Gao said.
The author added that the increased mortality in RLS was more frequently associated with respiratory disease, endocrine disease, nutritional/metabolic disease and immunological disorders.
The study was published in the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
18.06.2013
HIV
prevention programs for female prostitutes in India highly effective
Washington: A reduction in syphilis, HIV and other sexually
transmitted infections (STIs) was seen after peer-based prevention programs
provided condoms and treated STIs among sex workers and their clients in
addition to other activities, a study has found.
The study, led by Professor Prabhat Jha from U of T`s Dalla Lana School of Public Health and St. Michael`s Hospital`s Centre for Global Health Research (CGHR), examined the impact of prevention among female sex workers whose contact with male clients contributes substantially to new HIV infections in the general population.
The virus is then spread to the wives and other sex partners of these male clients.
Lead author CGHR`s Paul Arora said that they not only have to prevent HIV, but also other infections like syphilis.
He asserted that prevention among sex workers can reduce various infections, and prompt treatment of sexually transmitted infections is particularly important.
The authors examined data from 868 prevention projects - serving about 500,000 female sex workers - implemented between 1995 and 2008.
They found that reaching sex workers through prevention
programs decreased HIV and syphilis infection rates among young pregnant women
tested routinely at government prenatal health clinics.
Levels of HIV fell by 40 per cent and the levels of syphilis fell by 70 per cent among pregnant women (who represent new infections in the population) between 2003 and 2008.
Levels of HIV fell by 40 per cent and the levels of syphilis fell by 70 per cent among pregnant women (who represent new infections in the population) between 2003 and 2008.
18.06.2013
Be glad of life, because it gives you the chance to love
and to work and to play and to look up at the stars
Henry Van Dyke
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