Health A-Z

Blood Transfusions May Cut Stroke Risk From Sickle Cell

Monthly blood transfusions may lower the chances of “silent” strokes in some children with sickle cell anemia, a new clinical trial indicates. The study, reported in the Aug. 21 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, found that in children with a previous silent stroke, monthly blood transfusions cut the rate of future strokes by more than half.

Blood Transfusions May Cut Stroke Risk From Sickle Cell

The researchers said their findings support screening children with sickle cell for evidence of silent stroke — something that is not routinely done now. “Prior to this, there was no treatment, so the argument was, ‘Why screen?'” explained Dr. James Casella, vice chair of the clinical trial and director of pediatric hematology at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center in Baltimore. “Now we have a treatment to offer.”

However, Casella also stressed that “this study is a first step, not the last one.” Many questions remain, he said. A big one is, do the blood transfusions have to be continued for life? “It’s possible the treatment could be indefinite,” Casella said.

Sickle cell anemia is an inherited disease that mainly affects people of African, South or Central American or Mediterranean descent. In the United States, about one in 500 black children are born with the condition, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

The central problem in sickle cell is that the body produces red blood cells that are crescent-shaped, rather than disc-shaped. Those abnormal cells tend to be sticky and can block blood flow.

About one-third of children develop problems with blood flow to the brain, including strokes and silent strokes — so called because they cause no obvious symptoms, but leave behind areas of tissue damage in the brain.

For the new study, Casella’s team used MRI brain scans to screen over 1,000 sickle cell patients between the ages of 5 and 15 for signs of a past silent stroke. In the end, 196 children with a previous stroke were randomly assigned to one of two groups: one received monthly blood transfusions, and one stayed with usual care.

Over three years, 6 percent of kids in the transfusion group had a new silent stroke or, in one case, a full-blown stroke. That compared with 14 percent of kids in the other group.

While the study found an association between blood transfusions and a lower risk of a silent stroke, it did not prove a direct cause-and-effect link.

What is the benefit of preventing silent strokes? Casella said the brain injury can lower a child’s IQ and impair “executive function” — vital mental abilities such as focusing attention, planning and organizing.

In this study, there was no evidence that kids on transfusions had higher IQs or sharper mental function. But the children were followed for only three years. And it’s reasonable to assume that preventing silent strokes would ultimately protect brain function, said Dr. Martin Steinberg, director of the Center of Excellence in Sickle Cell Disease at Boston University School of Medicine, who wrote an editorial published with the study.

The big questions, according to Steinberg, center on how to translate this treatment from a clinical trial, done at large academic medical centers, to the real world.

“The results of this trial are solid,” Steinberg said. “But it could be very difficult to do this in a community hospital setting, where the resources might not be there.”

Monthly transfusions are not a simple matter, Steinberg noted. For one, kids have to be monitored for side effects like “iron overload,” which is very common. Excess iron in the blood is potentially dangerous because the mineral can damage organs, and it may require treatment with special “chelating” drugs that draw excess iron from the blood.

And while this study ran for three years, blood transfusions would almost certainly have to continue for a longer time, according to Steinberg.

“I don’t think three years would be enough,” he said. “Sickle cell disease doesn’t go away.” He pointed to a 2005 study where transfusions were used to prevent overt — not silent — strokes; as soon as the treatment was stopped, patients’ stroke risk climbed again.

Casella said that based on his team’s findings, it’s reasonable for children with sickle cell to have an MRI brain scan before starting elementary school. If there are signs of a silent stroke, transfusions could be considered.

But whether that will become the standard remains to be seen. Casella agreed that the hospital resources might not be there, depending on where a family lives. And at least for now, insurers are unlikely to cover the costs.

Steinberg’s advice to parents: “First of all, if you can, go to a center with expertise in treating sickle cell disease. I wouldn’t run out and try to get MRI screening without that consultation.”

Casella said he is not suggesting blood transfusions are the final answer to sickle-cell-related strokes — and continuing research into alternatives is vital. Steinberg agreed. “This is a difficult disease,” he said. “To make it better, the body has to make better red blood cells. Research is underway, and there are drugs under development. But they’re not here yet.”

Source: web md

Obesity in 30’s increases risk of dementia in later life

A new study has found that people who are obese in their early to mid-life face more risk of dementia in their later lives, with the ones in their 30’s facing triple the risk.

A new study has found that people who are obese in their early to mid-life face more risk of dementia in their later lives, with the ones in their 30's facing triple the risk.

The researchers used the anonymised data from hospital records for the whole of England for the period 1999-2011, and data in which obesity had been recorded were then searched for any subsequent care for, or death from, dementia.

During the study period, 451 232 of those admitted to hospital in England were diagnosed with obesity, 43 percent of whom were men.

The analysis revealed an incremental decrease in overall risk of hospital admission for dementia the older a person was when a diagnosis of obesity was first recorded, irrespective of gender.

For those aged 30-39, the relative risk of developing dementia was 3.5 times higher than in those of the same age who were not obese. For those in their 40s, the equivalent heightened risk fell to 70 percent more; for those in their 50s to 50 percent more; and for those in their 60s to 40 percent more.

People in their 70s with obesity were neither at heightened or lowered risk of developing dementia, while those in their 80s were 22 percent less likely to develop the disease, the findings indicated.

There were some age differences between the risk of developing vascular dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, with those in their 30s at greater risk of both. A diagnosis of obesity in the 40s through to the 60s was associated with an increased risk of vascular dementia, while the risk of Alzheimer’s disease was lower in those diagnosed with obesity from their 60s onwards.

The researchers concluded that while obesity at a younger age was associated with an increased risk of future dementia, obesity in people who had lived to about 60-80 years of age seemed to be associated with a reduced risk

Source: yahoo news

Young Kids Diagnosed with Depression Can’t Shake It Later, Study Says

New research shows it’s hard for young children to get past depression. Children diagnosed with depression in preschool are likely to continue to be depressed throughout adolescence, according to a new study.

Young-Kids-Diagnosed-with-Depression-Can’t-Shake-It-Later-Study-Says

Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis tracked 246 children ages 3-5 to ages 9-12 and found that depressed preschoolers are 2.5 times more likely to suffer from the condition in elementary and middle school, according to the study published in the July issue of The American Journal of Psychiatry.

At the beginning of the study, 74 of the children were diagnosed with depression. Six years later, 79 of the children from the larger group had clinical depression, and 51% of the 74 children originally diagnosed were still depressed. By contrast, only 25% of the 172 children who were initially not depressed went on to develop depression during elementary and middle school.

“It’s the same old bad news about depression; it is a chronic and recurrent disorder,” child psychiatrist Joan L. Luby, who directs Washington University’s Early Emotional Development Program, said in a statement. “But the good news is that if we can identify depression early, perhaps we have a window of opportunity to treat it more effectively and potentially change the trajectory of the illness so that it is less likely to be chronic and recurring.”

The researchers also identified some of the factors that put children at a higher risk of becoming depressed: Children with depressed mothers were more likely to become depressed themselves, and children who were diagnosed with a conduct disorder in preschool were more likely to become depressed by middle school (though significant maternal support mitigated the latter risk). But neither of these factors mattered as much as an early depression diagnosis.

Source: TIME

Tips to prevent water-borne diseases

Water borne diseases are cause for the deaths of millions of people every year. Consuming water that contains pathogenic microorganisms causes water borne diseases. In most developing countries, water borne diseases are the main cause of childhood death, especially with diarrhea.

Tips to prevent water-borne diseases

How Water Borne Disease Transmitted?
Most of the people get infected when the contaminated material enters their mouth. Other possible modes of transmission include:

  • Dirty contaminated hands, clothes, cooking vessels, mugs, etc.
  • Uncovered food and drinking water
  • Contaminated water
  • The practice of defecating in the open
  • Via flies

Ways to Avoid These Diseases
In order to prevent infectious water borne diseases, it is important to take necessary precautions. The quality of water should be improved at the source itself. In certain areas, the quality of water supply might be of question. In such cases, it is necessary to disinfect the water before use. Water that is used for all purposes like drinking, cooking, and brushing of teeth should be disinfected properly. The common household ways to avoid water borne diseases by disinfection include:

  • Vigorously boiling water for one minute can kill most microorganisms.
  • Common household items such as chlorine bleach, tincture of iodine, and iodine tablets can be used to disinfect water.

Another important measure that should be taken to avoid the spreading of pathological microorganisms is the interruption of routes of transmission such as protecting food from flies, chlorination of water, and maintaining proper sanitation, etc. It is vital to change ensure proper hygiene in order to avoid waterborne diseases.

  • Drink only filtered/bottled water.
  • Wash hands properly before eating.
  • Wash the containers daily.
  • Eat cooked, warm foods.
  • Keep your fingernails short and clean.
  • Use of proper toilets for defecation.
  • Wash food before cooking and cook food at high temperature so as to kill harmful bacteria.
  • Avoid flies by disposing animal and organic wastes properly.
  • Ensure to take proper care in disposing of infant and toddler feces.
  • Avoid consuming foods, fruit juices, and milkshakes from roadside vendors.
  • Always keep foods and beverages closed.
  • Avoid drinking water at parks and other such recreational places. It is best to buy bottled water or carry your own water.
  • Another common place where one can put oneself at risk of contracting water borne illnesses is hospitals as they can be breeding grounds of pathogenic microorganism. Always sanitize your hands and bath after visiting a hospital.
  • Rivers and creeks can be breeding grounds for bacteria; avoid swimming in such waters.
  • Washing hands is the most important method of prevention of waterborne diseases. One should wash hands before preparing food and before eating. Likewise, it is necessary to wash hands after using the toilet, changing diapers, after using handkerchief, after changing clothes or beddings soiled with feces, after caring people with water borne illness, and after playing with pets and animals.

Travelers are most likely to contract water borne illnesses, and here are certain tips that can help to lessen the chances of getting ill.

  • Ensure to drink only bottled water. Check for any sign of tampering.
  • Avoid ice cubes as these are a major source of contaminated water.
  • Avoid eating uncooked food.

To prevent the spreading of waterborne illnesses, people suffering from waterborne illness should be confined to themselves from work until symptoms have subsided.

Source: home remedies for you

New drug restores hair growth in human trials: study

New drug restores hair growth in human trials

 

Researchers from the Columbia University have restored hair in patients suffering from alopecia areata – a common autoimmune disease that causes hair loss. They identified the immune cells responsible for destroying hair follicles in people with alopecia areata.
They tested an FDA-approved drug that eliminated these immune cells and restored hair growth in some patients. Each patient experienced total hair re-growth within five months of the start of treatment.

“If the drug continues to be successful and safe, it will have a dramatic positive impact on the lives of people with this disease,” said lead researcher Raphael Clynes from the Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC).

In the current study, the team first studied mice with the disease and identified the specific set of T cells responsible for attacking the hair follicles. Further investigation revealed how the T cells are instructed to attack and identified several key immune pathways that could be targeted by a new class of drugs, known as JAK inhibitors.

Two FDA-approved JAK inhibitors ruxolitinib and tofacitinib were able to block these immune pathways and stop the attack on the hair follicles. Together with Julian Mackay-Wiggan, director of the clinical research unit in department of dermatology at CUMC, researchers initiated a small clinical trial of ruxolitinib in patients with moderate-to-severe alopecia areata.

In three of the trial’s early participants, ruxolitinib completely restored hair growth within four to five months of starting treatment and the attacking T cells disappeared from the scalp. Alopecia areata can occur at any age and affects men and women equally.
The results appeared online in the journal Nature Medicine.

Source: first post

Healthy Heart with Cabbage

Whether it is cooked, fresh sauerkraut or packed, cabbage is often placed on the table.
Rich in nutrients and medicinal ingredients. It is rich in cellulose, which improves digestion.

Is beneficial for the reconciliation, prevention helps with colds and coughs.
Cabbage is a valuable food. cabbage tetronic acid slows the conversion of sugar and other carbohydrates into fat.

Healthy Heart with Cabbage1

This makes it a desirable food for weight loss. Sweet and sour cabbage, and brine.
A good brine is a great hangover remedy.

The Fat loss Factor see here!!!

Cabbage is a low energy value food. 100 g has 25 calories, rich in nutrients and biologically valuable substances.
Such as soluble vitamins that are soluble in water. Example 100 g of cabbage has 50 mg of vitamin C, which meets the all day needs.
It also contains vitamin A, calcium, protein, and a certain percentage of iron. Cabbage contains chlorophyll, which is a plant hemoglobin, and can be used with all types of illnesses and even against anemia.
Those who have diseases of the stomach and intestines, and digestive problems shouldn’t use cabbage in any form.

When there are no obstacles mentioned, the cabbage should be taken regularly, and acts as a laxative so that it can also affect the regulation of digestion.

It is desirable that the food is on the menu for children and adults, 365 days a year. Preferably in the fresh form, as a salad, hygienically prepared, you should carefully wash each leaf.

In folk medicine, cabbage is well known for its many medicinal properties. Tests have confirmed that it has antioxidant and antiseptic values.
Strengthens the immune system and has a beneficial effect in the case of many diseases and ailments like:

  • -arthritis, heart disease and blood vessel diseases.
  • -bronchitis, headaches, gout, eczema, sore muscles and ligaments.
  • -anemia, drowsiness, bruising, osteoporosis , lung disease, high cholesterol, colds and coughs.
  • -varicose veins, skin diseases, regulating digestion, rheumatism, stress, sprains, boils and pimples, stomach and duodenum …

Regular use of vegetables from the cabbage family can effectively reduce the risk of cancer.
Substances are considered to be “accountable”. For such actions cabbage have phytochemicals, biologically active plant molecules
in conjunction with vitamins and minerals beneficial effect on health. Research specialist at the University of Michigan have shown that 70% of the women who had cabbage three times a week on the menu lowered their risk of developing breast cancer, compared to those
who cropped it or not ate it, or used in small quantities.

Healthy Heart with Cabbage

One of the biggest complaints is that cabbage creates bloating, but the main reason is his cooking.

Cabbage cooking loss:

Many medicinal properties of the cabbage will be lost if you cook it. And is recommended to be eaten in raw form or possibly steamed.

Source: secretly healthy

Ebola crisis: Confusion as patients vanish in Liberia

There are conflicting reports over the fate of 17 suspected Ebola patients who vanished after a quarantine centre in the Liberian capital was looted.

Ebola crisis Confusion as patients vanish in Liberia

An angry mob attacked the centre in Monrovia’s densely populated West Point township on Saturday evening. A senior health official said all of the patients had been moved to another medical facility. But a reporter told the BBC that 17 had escaped while 10 others were taken away by their families.

More than 400 people are known to have died from the virus in Liberia, out of a total of 1,145 deaths recorded by the World Health Organization. Assistant Health Minister Tolbert Nyenswah said protesters had been unhappy that patients were being brought in from other parts of the capital.

Other reports suggested the protesters had believed Ebola was a hoax and wanted to force the quarantine centre to close. The attack at the Monrovia centre is seen as a major setback in the struggle to halt the outbreak, says the BBC’s Will Ross, reporting from Lagos.

Health experts say that the key to ending the Ebola outbreak is to stop it spreading in Liberia, where ignorance about the virus is high and many people are reluctant to cooperate with medical staff.  ‘All gone’

Mr Nyenswah said after the attack that 29 patients at the centre were being relocated and readmitted to an Ebola treatment centre located in the facility of the country’s John F Kennedy Memorial Medical Center.

However, Jina Moore, a journalist for Buzzfeed who is in Monrovia, told the BBC that 10 people had been freed by their relatives on Friday night and 17 had escaped during the looting the next day.

Rebecca Wesseh, who witnessed the attack, told  “They broke down the door and looted the place. The patients have all gone.” The attackers, mostly young men armed with clubs, shouted insults about President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and yelled “there’s no Ebola”, she said, adding that nurses had also fled the centre.

The head of the Health Workers Association of Liberia, George Williams, said the unit had housed 29 patients who “had all tested positive for Ebola” and were receiving preliminary treatment.

Confirming that 17 had escaped, he said that only three had been taken by their relatives, the other nine having died four days earlier.

However, Mr Nyenswah said it was not confirmed that the patients had Ebola. Fallah Boima’s son was admitted to the ward four days ago, and seemed to be doing well, but when the distraught father arrived for his daily visit on Sunday his son was nowhere to be seen, AFP adds.

“I don’t know where he is and I am very confused,” he said. “He has not called me since he left the camp. Now that the nurses have all left, how will I know where my son is?” ‘Stupidest thing’

Ebola is spread by contact with an infected person’s bodily fluids, such as sweat and blood, and no cure or vaccine is currently available.Blood-stained mattresses, bedding and medical equipment were taken from the centre, a senior police officer told, on condition of anonymity

“This is one of the stupidest things I have ever seen in my life,” he said. “All between the houses you could see people fleeing with items looted from the patients.”

The looting spree, he added, could spread the virus to the whole of the West Point area. Described as a slum, there are an estimated 50,000 people in the West Point neighbourhood.

The Ebola epidemic began in Guinea in February and has since spread to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria. One Nigerian doctor has survived the disease and was sent home on Saturday night, said Health Minister Onyebuchi Chukwu in a statement.

Mr Chukwu said five other people infected with Ebola had almost fully recovered. On Friday, the death toll rose to 1,145 after the WHO said 76 new deaths had been reported in the two days to 13 August. There have been 2,127 cases reported in total.

Symptoms include

  • high fever, bleeding and central nervous system damage
  • Fatality rate can reach 90% – but current outbreak has about 55%
  • Incubation period is two to 21 days
  • There is no vaccine or cure
  • Supportive care such as rehydrating patients who have diarrhoea and vomiting can help recovery
  • Fruit bats, a delicacy for some West Africans, are considered to be virus’ natural host

Source: bbc news

Is it safe to wear contact lenses in the pool?

Swimming with contact lenses should be avoided whenever possible to help prevent bacterial contamination of your eye. Swimming with contacts can result in eye infections, irritation and potentially sight-threatening conditions such as a corneal ulcer.

Is it safe to wear contact lenses in the pool

The FDA recommends that contact lenses should not be exposed to any kind of water, including tap water and water in swimming pools, oceans, lakes, hot tubs and showers.

Water can be home to countless viruses and dangerous microbes. One of the most serious is the Acanthamoeba organism, which can attach to contact lenses and cause the cornea to become infected and inflamed. This condition, called Acanthamoeba keratitis, is associated with wearing contact lenses while swimming and can cause permanent vision loss or require a corneal transplant to recover lost vision if not treated early enough.If water gets in your eyes when swimming, you should remove, clean and disinfect your contact lenses as soon as possible to reduce your risk of eye irritation and infection.

Proper contact lens care reduces further the chance of contamination. Remember to replace your contact lens case at least every three months and always follow your eye doctor’s recommendations.

Rigid gas permeable (GP) contact lenses should never be worn while swimming, as they are more likely to dislodge from your eye. While soft contact lenses are more likely to remain on your eye when swimming, they are porous and can absorb chemicals and bacteria, increasing the risk of eye irritation and infection.

Also, fresh water and water in swimming pools can cause soft lenses to tighten on your eyes, causing significant discomfort. Getting water in your eyes when swimming also rinses away the natural tears that lubricate your eyes and can worsen existing eye conditions such as chronic dry eyes.

If you do decide to swim with contact lenses, daily disposable lenses are the safest option. They are meant to be worn and thrown away after a single use, eliminating the need to clean and disinfect them.

To be safe, it’s a good idea to discard daily disposable lenses immediately after swimming, rinse your eyes with rewetting drops or artificial tears approved for use with contact lenses, and then replace the lenses with a fresh pair of daily disposables.

If you use daily disposables for occasional wear, they offer good value for money when comparing the cost of contact lenses. Always contact your eye doctor immediately if you experience prolonged eye irritation or sensitivity to light after wearing your contact lenses in water.

Can You Swim With Contact Lenses While Wearing Goggles?

If you’re going to swim while wearing contact lenses, the best way to reduce your risk of eye irritation and infection is to wear waterproof swim goggles. In addition to protecting your eyes from waterborne contaminants, swim goggles reduce the risk of your contacts dislodging from your eyes.

Prescription swimming goggles are another good option. Prescription goggles are custom-made to correct your refractive error, just like eyeglasses or contact lenses, enabling you to see clearly underwater without any of the risks associated with swimming with contacts.

Some brands of swim goggles come in ready-made prescription versions as well. While they may be an option for you or your children, they do have drawbacks. For example: they don’t correct astigmatism; they come in only the most common prescription powers; and both lenses have the same prescription, while many people’s eyes do not.

An added advantage of wearing swim goggles is that you can choose UV-protective goggles to avoid sun damage to your eyes.

LASIK Eye Surgery and Other Alternatives

Many people, especially those with a very active, sporting lifestyle, choose to correct their myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness) or astigmatism with LASIK laser eye surgery and say goodbye to glasses or contact lenses.

LASIK and other types of refractive surgery — such as PRK and LASEK — reshape the cornea using a computer-controlled laser beam, allowing light entering the eye to be properly focused onto the retina for clear vision.

LASIK surgery has an excellent safety profile, and most people achieve 20/20 or better vision without glasses or contact lenses after a LASIK procedure. However, as with any other surgery, the risks and complications of LASIK need to be carefully considered before you undergo the procedure.

Another alternative is orthokeratology, or ortho-k — a non-surgical way to temporarily correct your refractive error and reduce your dependence on eyeglasses or contact lenses. Ortho-k uses specially designed and fitted contact lenses that reshape your cornea, so you can see clearly even after you remove the lenses. The lenses typically are worn at night while you sleep, negating the need to wear glasses or contacts at all while you’re awake.

Your eye doctor or a sports vision specialist will be able to advise you on your best eyewear options for swimming and other activities you enjoy

Source: weed minds

A New Mexico Woman Is Being Tested for Ebola After a Visit to Sierra Leone

Health officials say she’s unlikely to be infected, however A New Mexico woman is being tested for Ebola, even though the state department of health says it is improbable that she’s carrying the virus.

A New Mexico Woman Is Being Tested for Ebola After a Visit to Sierra Leone

The 30-year-old returned from a teacher assignment in Sierra Leone with fever, muscle aches, headache and a sore throat — all symptoms similar to the early stages of Ebola, the Albuquerque Journal reports. However, she had no known exposure to the contagious disease, which is spread through contact with body fluids.

Health officials say the woman is being tested “out of an abundance of caution.” Preliminary test results are expected later this week.

In the past five months, the deadliest Ebola outbreak ever has claimed over a thousand lives in West Africa.

Source: TIME

Study says music makes people feel powerful

There’s scientific evidence to support what a lot of us have thought: Listening to music, particularly songs with a heavy bass line, may make a person feel more powerful.

Study says music makes people feel powerful

Scientists at Northwestern University first conducted a pre-test, in which they asked participants to listen to 30-second clips of 31 different songs from various genres. The researchers then rated the most and least powerful songs, based on how powerful the participants said the songs made them feel.

Next, the researchers observed how the highest and lowest power songs influenced the participants’ psychological and behavioral sense of power by having them carry out certain tasks. The participants were also asked about the feelings they experienced while carrying out the tasks.

The results of the study, published in the journal Social Psychological & Personality Science, revealed that when the participants listened to the songs rated most powerful, they felt the highest sense of power. Songs rated as most powerful included “We Will Rock You” by Queen and “Get Ready For This” by 2 Unlimited, while those found to be least empowering included “Because We Can” by Fatboy Slim and “Who Let the Dogs Out?” by Baha Men.

The study suggests that listening to a favorite song may help people feel empowered and more confident before going into an intimidating situation.

Source: health central