28 April, 2019

High levels of PCBs in blood can cause early death: Study

High levels of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), a group of environmental pollutants, in the blood can lead to premature deaths, according to a study. The study was published in the journal, `JAMA Network Open`. The PCBs are subject to restrictions in several countries and the bans have reduced their concentrations in the environment.

In the study, `Prospective Investigation of the Vasculature in Uppsala Seniors` (PIVUS) over 1,000 randomly selected 70-year-olds were monitored over a long period. PCBs have the tendency to decompose very slowly and are stored in the fatty tissue, they remain present in animals and humans. In particular, PCBs with many chlorine atoms in the molecule persist in most Swedes` blood.

Study relating to PCBs in blood, concentrations were measured in the subjects` blood in 2001-2004, and then again when they reached the age of 75. Follow-up of those who had died over a 10-year period showed that the individuals with the highest PCB levels with many chlorine atoms in the blood had 50% excess mortality, especially from cardiovascular disease, compared with the other groups. This corresponds to some seven extra deaths during the 10-year follow-up period.

The results were independent of the risk factors that had previously been found to be connected with cardiovascular disease, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, obesity, high cholesterol, low educational attainment and cardiovascular disease at age 70.

In the researchers` view, this finding and the new data combined indicate that intake of PCBs in food should be reduced.”We humans get most PCBs in our bodies by ingesting them in food. These substances are fat-soluble and found mainly in fatty animal foods like fish, meat and dairy products,” said one of the researchers.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

28.04.2019

If things go wrong, don’t go with them
Roger Babson

22 April, 2019

One in five children suffer from mental health problems, reveals study

According to a recent study conducted in Canada, one in five children and youth suffer from a mental disorder, but less than one-third have had contact with a mental health care provider. Although those overall results echo a similar study from 1983, the new study found a much larger proportion of children and youth with a disorder had contact with other health providers and in other settings, most often through schools.

The new study found that the patterns of prevalence among different sexes and age groups have changed. Hyperactivity disorder in boys four to 11 years old jumped dramatically from nine to 16 percent, but there has been a substantial drop in disruptive behaviour among males 12 to 16 years old from 10 to 3 percent. There has been a steep increase in anxiety and depression among both male and female youth from 9 to 13 percent. In 30 years, the prevalence of any disorder increased in communities with a population of 1,000 to 100,000, rather than large urban areas, and there is strong evidence that poor children are more likely to have a disorder if their neighbourhood is one where violence is more common.

The study also found that in the past year more than eight percent of youth thought about suicide, and 4 percent reported a suicide attempt.”This is a very robust study we feel represents the situation in Canada. That means there are more than a million Canadian children and youth with a mental health problem. This needs to be addressed,” said Michael Boyle, lead investigator of the study published in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry.

Source: thehealthsite.com

22.04.2019

The secret of success is to know something nobody else knows

16 April, 2019

Novel app may predict hernia risk after abdominal surgery: Study

Researchers have created an app that may predict the likelihood of developing an incisional hernia following an abdominal surgery, using Big Data analytics to potentially help address a problem effects one out of every eight of these surgical patients. The team developed the app utilising electronic health records (EHR) to identify the most common risk factors for patients, as well as which surgeries most commonly result in incisional hernias across multiple specialties.

“Our tool presents the risk for each case at the point of care, giving surgeons and patients the chance to consider this outcome ahead of time and incorporate data into the decision-making process,” said co-author John P. Fischer from the University of Pennsylvania. Incisional hernias occur after abdominal surgery at the site of the surgical wound when the contents of the abdomen can push through the muscle. For the study, presented at the 139th American Surgical Association Annual Meeting in Dallas, Texas, the team analysed the EHRs of 29,739 patients undergoing intra-abdominal, urologic, or gynecological surgery at Penn between January 2005 and June 2016.

They found more than 1,100 of these patients (3.8 percent) ended up requiring a second surgery following the primary operation to repair the incisional hernias. Colorectal surgeries were the most common specialty associated with incision hernias (7.7 percent of cases), followed by vascular (5.2 percent), bariatric (4.8 percent), and transplant (4.5 percent). The analysis also identified risk factors that made a patient more likely to develop an incisional hernia.

The most common was a history of abdominal surgery, which increased the likelihood in 87.5 percent of cases. That was followed by a history of smoking and a recent infection (75 percent for both). Obesity was also a significant risk, though it was weighted less than other factors.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

16.04.2019

Let your FAITH be BIGGER than your fear

13 April, 2019

Traffic pollution lead to 350,000 cases of childhood asthma in India: Lancet study

Traffic pollution caused asthma among 350,000 children in India, the second largest after China, in 2015, finds a Lancet study that analysed 194 countries. The study, published in the Lancet Planetary Health, found that the largest number of cases (760,000) of traffic pollution-related asthma were in China. It could be because China has the second largest population of children and the third highest concentration of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), which is an indicator of traffic pollution.

India had the next largest number of cases (350,000) due to its large population of children, said researchers from the George Washington University in the US. The US (240,000), Indonesia (160,000) and Brazil (140,000) had the next largest burdens. “Our findings suggest millions of new cases of paediatric asthma could be prevented in cities around the world by reducing air pollution,” said Susan C. Anenberg, Associate Professor at the George Washington University in the US. Globally, the study suggests there are 170 new cases of traffic pollution-related asthma per 100,000 children every year, and 13 percent of childhood asthma cases diagnosed each year are linked to traffic pollution.

South Korea (31 percent) had the highest proportion of traffic pollution-attributable childhood asthma incidence. The UK ranked 24th of the 194 countries, the US 25th, China 19th, and India 58th. India ranks below other countries for this metric because although levels of other pollutants (particularly PM2.5) in the country are among the highest in the world, NO2 levels (between 2010 and 2012) in Indian cities appear to be lower than or comparable with European and US cities, the researchers said.

“Improving access to cleaner forms of transportation, like electric public transport and active commuting by cycling and walking, would not only lower NO2 levels but would also reduce asthma, enhance physical fitness and cut greenhouse gas emissions,” Anenberg said.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

13.04.2019

The positive thinker sees the invisible, feels the intangible and achieves

 the impossible

9 April, 2019

Vitamin D excess may lead to kidney failure: Study

In a rare case, a 54-year-old man, after returning from a trip to Southeast Asia where he spent much of his holiday sunbathing, was diagnosed with kidney damage after he took high doses of vitamin D for years. After referral to a kidney specialist and further testing, it was discovered that the man had been prescribed high doses of vitamin D by a naturopath, who recommended a dose of 8 drops every day, according to a study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

Over two-and-a-half-years, the patient, who did not have a history of bone loss or vitamin D deficiency, took 8-12 drops of vitamin D daily, totaling 8,000-12,000 IU. As a result, he had very high levels of calcium in the blood which left him with significant kidney damage. The recommended daily allowance of vitamin D is 400-1000 IU, with 800-2000 IU recommended for adults at high-risk of osteoporosis and for older adults. “Although vitamin D toxicity is rare owing to a large therapeutic range, its widespread availability in various over-the-counter formulations may pose a substantial risk to uninformed patients,” said Bourne Auguste from the University of Toronto.

Clinicians must be aware of the risks of vitamin D use to limit complications related to hypercalcemia. Calcium levels may get worse before getting better in patients even after cessation of supplements, as vitamin D is fat soluble. “Our experience informs us that patients and clinicians should be better informed about the risks regarding the unfettered use of vitamin D,” suggested the researchers.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

09.04.2019

Believe you can and you are halfway there

Roosevelt