Medscape Internal Medicine Headlines

New Retrovirus Is Associated With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:23:30 EST

Could a recently discovered human retrovirus be one cause of chronic fatigue syndrome?

Bacteria Key to Healthy Skin

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:19:04 EST

A study shows bacteria on the skin help prevent inflammation.

Heart Disease Evident in Mummies 3500 Years Old

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:08:30 EST

Contrary to views that heart disease is the result of modern man’s poor lifestyle, new research shows that even ancient Egyptians might have needed a stent or two.

Postmarketing Lessons to Learn From Vioxx Debacle

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:08:29 EST

Data now required by US law could have been put to good use in the Vioxx debacle, helping researchers confirm the cardiovascular risk with the drug much earlier than it was eventually pinpointed, say the authors of a new analysis.

No Hospital Savings With Electronic Records: U.S. Study

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:59:02 EST

New electronic record systems installed in thousands of U.S. hospitals have done little to rein in skyrocketing healthcare costs, Harvard University researchers said in a study released on Friday.

Paramedics Urged Not to Interrupt CPR for Intubation

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:59:02 EST

Interruption of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) compressions is common and prolonged when paramedics attempt to perform endotracheal intubation at the same time, research indicates.

Exercise Training in Older Heart Failure Patients Yields Inconsistent Benefits

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:59:02 EST

In older patients with heart failure, endurance training does not significantly improve most measures of exercise tolerance, health-related quality of life, blood neurohormones, or cardiac volumes, researchers report in the November issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

Norway Finds H1N1 Mutation in Flu Fatalities

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:05:38 EST

Norwegian health authorities said on Friday they have discovered a potentially significant mutation in the H1N1 influenza strain that could be responsible for causing the severest symptoms among those infected.

U.S. Losing Ground to Europe in New Drug Approvals

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:05:38 EST

When it comes to getting new medicines, Americans are no longer automatically first in line.

Bivalirudin Reduces PCI Bleeding in Diabetics

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:05:38 EST

Bivalirudin monotherapy is less likely than heparin to cause bleeding in diabetics undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), Italian researchers report in the November 1 issue of the American Journal of Cardiology.

Did US Make Mistake in Leaving Adjuvants out of H1N1 Vaccines?

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:05:38 EST

As US health officials struggle to vaccinate tens of millions of Americans against the pandemic of swine flu, some are looking regretfully at one easy way to instantly double or triple the number of doses available: using an adjuvant.

Multiple Factors Likely Explain Drop in Male Births in the US

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:05:38 EST

Differences in sex ratio by race/ethnicity, gestational age, and singleton vs multiple birth pregnancies suggest that one mechanism alone is unlikely to explain the decrease in male births in the US, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the November issue of Human Reproduction.

Burden of Proof: Breast Cancer Changes Fall Short

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:05:38 EST

Making drastic changes to U.S. breast cancer screening guidelines will take much stronger evidence than that offered by a federal advisory panel this week, U.S. doctors said on Friday.

Normal Walking Speed Predicts Mortality in the Elderly

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:33:42 EST

An older person's usual walking speed is "strongly associated with mortality," Dr. Kate Machacova of Wayne State University in Detroit reported Friday at the Gerontological Society of America's annual meeting in Atlanta.

Pain Often First Sign of Knee Osteoarthritis

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:33:42 EST

A 12-year study in middle-aged adults suggests that knee pain is frequently the first sign of knee osteoarthritis.

In Androgen-Deprived Prostate CA, Zoledronic Acid Helps BMD Even If Started Late

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:33:42 EST

Zoledronic acid improves bone mineral density (BMD) in prostate cancer patients on androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) even when started more than a year later, a study in the November issue of The Journal of Urology suggests.

High Waist-To-Hip Ratio in Midlife Linked to Later Dementia

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:33:42 EST

A high waist-to-hip ratio in mid-life in women is related to an increased risk of dementia later in life, researchers report in the November 10th issue of Neurology.

Retinoblastoma Radiotherapy Boosts Cataract Risk

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:33:42 EST

Radiotherapy for retinoblastoma in childhood greatly increases the subsequent risk of cataracts, researchers report in the November issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology.

Catheter-Directed Therapy Safe and Effective for Massive Pulmonary Embolism

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:33:41 EST

Catheter-directed therapy is an effective treatment for acute massive pulmonary embolism (PE) and the risk of major complications is relatively small, the results of a systematic review and meta-analysis indicate.

Ultrasound-Assisted Thrombolysis Improves Outcomes in Chronic DVT

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:56:41 EST

Aggressive intervention in chronic DVT using ultrasound-assisted thrombolysis shows superior outcomes compared with non-ultrasound-assisted thrombolysis, according to registry data.