Teen Births In US Are Declining, CDC Reports.

eports a CDC report in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Review reveals that teen births in the US are in decline. The report shows adolescent birth rates have “fallen to an all-time low,” down from a peak of 61.8 births per 1,000 in 1991 to 24.2 per 1,000 in 2014. The decline in the last decade “has occurred in all regions in the country and among all races,” and “appears to be accelerating.” Most experts agree this is the result of better access to contraception and, surprisingly, because teens are having less sex. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/04/28/teen-birth-rate-hits-all-time-low-led-by-50-percent-decline-among-hispanics-and-blacks/

Adult Postmenopausal Women With Type 2 Diabetes May Have Higher Risk Of Invasive Cancer, Cancer Death.

Medscape (4/28, Castellino) reports that an “analysis from the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI)” indicates “that, compared with women without diabetes, adult postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes are at a significant 13% increased risk of invasive cancer and have a 46% higher risk for cancer death.” The data “also suggest that long-term metformin therapy — the first go-to medicine for type 2 diabetes — may be linked with a reduced risk of cancer mortality.” Researchers found that “in women with carcinomas who were taking metformin to treat their type 2 diabetes, the risk of dying from cancer was about the same as it was for women without diabetes, but the risk of death was 45% higher for women with cancer and diabetes treated with nonmetformin medications.” The findings were published in the International Journal of Cancer.

Patients Who Believe Their Diabetic Foot Ulcers Are Associated With Greater Symptoms May Die More Quickly.

“Survival of those with diabetic foot ulcers is independently affected by beliefs and expectations about their illness,” the findings of a 160-patient study published April 20 in PLOS One suggest. In the study, researchers found that “patients who believed their ulcers were associated with greater symptoms died more quickly.” http://www.healio.com/endocrinology/diabetes/news/online/%7Bde98eecf-1b9f-44be-8521-d0fc88cd08ad%7D/beliefs-about-diabetic-foot-ulcers-may-affect-survival

School-Based Obesity Interventions That Include School Nurses May Result In Positive BMI Outcomes For Students.

reports, “School-based obesity interventions that included school nurses resulted in positive BMI outcomes for students,” the findings of a 19-study review published online April 3 in the Journal of School Health suggest. http://www.healio.com/pediatrics/nutrition/news/online/%7B9df6c262-fa22-4423-8e3f-1d3e650e0155%7D/school-nurses-improve-facilitation-of-obesity-interventions-for-students

Type 2 Diabetes May Raise Risk Of Hearing Loss.

“Type 2 diabetes may raise the risk of hearing loss,” research published in Current Diabetes Reports suggests. Researchers arrived at this conclusion after examining “prior studies examining the link between diabetes and hearing loss.” https://consumer.healthday.com/diabetes-information-10/type-ii-diabetes-news-183/type-2-diabetes-may-damage-hearing-reseach-shows-710338.html

APPALLING Prescription Drug List Prices Increased Over 12% Last Year, Report Finds.

reports that in 2015, list prices for prescription drugs rose by over 12%, “in line with the trend over the five previous years,” according to a report by research firm IMS Health. However, net price growth, “what insurers and employers actually pay for drugs,” only went up 2.8% last year, “one of the lowest increases in years.” According to the Times, large list price increases compared to net price growth mean that the “burden falls most heavily on those least able to pay it,” as “uninsured patients often must pay the list price of a drug, and an increasingly large share of insured customers are being asked to pay a percentage of the list price.” http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/27/business/drug-prices-keep-rising-despite-intense-criticism.html?_r=0

Hike in Heart Risk for Women in Long-Term Shift Work

Switching from day to night shift work for more than a few years was associated with a small increased risk for heart disease among women followed for more than 2 decades, researchers reported. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Cardiology/MyocardialInfarction/57552?xid=NL_breakingnews_2016-04-27&eun=g721819d0r

Seventh case of mumps confirmed at University of Dayton

http://abc22now.com/news/local/six-cases-of-mumps-confirmed-at-the-university-of-dayton

Rates Of Childhood Obesity Have Increased Steadily Since 1999, Study Finds.

reports in “Science Now” that “among children from infancy through age 18, rates of obesity have increased steadily from 1999 to 2014, and the numbers of children with the severest forms of obesity have risen most dramatically,” a study published April 26 in Obesity suggests. In 2014, “33.4% of American children...were overweight, and just over half of those kids (17.4% of all children) weighed in as obese.” But, the current percentage of youngsters “categorized with Class II and Class III obesity has risen steeply over the” period from 1999-2000 to 2013-14, “from 4% to 6.3% for Class II-or-above obesity and from 0.9% to 2.4% for Class III obesity.” http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-no-decline-child-obesity-20160425-story.html#nt=oft03a-1la1

Maternal Low-Grade Systemic Inflammation During Second Trimester Of Pregnancy May Be Tied To Higher Risk For Childhood Overall And Central Adiposity.

“We observed that a higher maternal [C-reactive protein] level in the second trimester was associated with increased total body fat mass and truncal fat mass in the offspring,” Romy Gaillard, MSc, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher and MD student at Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, Netherlands, and colleagues wrote. “These associations were independent of maternal prepregnancy BMI and not explained by the development of maternal pregnancy complications, including gestational diabetes and gestational hypertensive disorders, or gestational age and weight at birth.” http://www.healio.com/endocrinology/obesity/news/online/%7Bde7b672e-6bbe-4c33-8971-52b0b0309de7%7D/maternal-inflammation-in-pregnancy-associated-with-childhood-adiposity

Association Between T2D, Depression May Have A Significant Genetic Component.

reports that a large twin study published online March 29 in Molecular Psychiatry suggests that “the long-observed association between type 2 diabetes mellitus” (T2D) “and depression has a significant genetic component.” http://www.hcplive.com/medical-news/study-shows-significant-genetic-overlap-between-type-2-diabetes-and-depression

Many Seniors Risk Complications From Combining Prescription Drugs And Supplements, Study Finds.

reports that a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine of US adults aged 62 to 85 years “found that 87% used at least one prescription medication, 38% took at least one non-prescription drug, and 64% used at least one supplement.” The researchers found that many patients “are risking dangerous internal bleeding by combining certain supplements with blood-thinning drugs,” while others “are unknowingly reducing the effectiveness of medications they take to fight cancer, control infections or prevent pregnancy.” The New York Times (4/22, Span, Subscription Publication) also covers the story. http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2016/04/24/mixing-medications-supplements-dangerous/83181520/

Researchers To Study Whether Metformin Can Help Prevent Or Postpone Certain Diseases Associated With Aging.

reports that researchers will be conducting a trial to determine whether metformin can help prevent or postpone certain diseases associated with aging. http://www.wsj.com/articles/fountain-of-youth-drug-trial-has-seniors-scrambling-to-prove-theyre-worthy-1461536819

Study Reveals “Genetic Secrets” To Healthy Aging.

reports that the first findings have revealed “a higher-than-normal presence of genetic variants that may offer protective benefits against cognitive decline.” The researchers “sequenced the whole genomes of just over 500 of these participants and compared their DNA to genetic data of another group of almost 700 individuals representing the general population.” Also covering the study are TIME (4/21, Park) and HealthDay (4/21, Preidt). http://www.cbsnews.com/news/scientists-search-for-the-genes-behind-healthy-aging/

Young Kids May Be More Likely To Gain Weight During Childhood If Their Parents Think They Are Overweight.

eports the findings of a study published online in Pediatrics suggest that “young children were actually more likely to gain weight during childhood if their parents thought they were overweight.” After monitoring some 3,500 youngsters in Australia, researchers “found that those who were overweight when they were four or five years old, and whose parents viewed them as overweight, gained significantly more weight by their 13th birthday.” Reuters (4/21, Rapaport) and HealthDay (4/21, Dotinga) also cover the story. http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/21/health/overweight-obese-kids-parent-perceptions/

Meteorologists Predicting Conditions That May Fuel Boom Of Zika Transmitting Mosquito.

reports that meteorologists are predicting spring and summer conditions “that could be ideal for a boom in” the number of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that transmits the Zika virus. US health officials have “warned that mosquito eradication efforts may not be able to keep pace. Although researchers are scrambling to produce a vaccine to prevent Zika, it is unlikely to be ready by the time mosquito season hits.” Temperatures “are forecast to be warmer-than-average across most of the U.S., with the exception of the southern Plains, from May through July.” http://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2016/04/20/zika-mosquitoes-weather/82943496/

Medicare Reducing Payments To Hospitals With High Rates Of Infections.

reports CMS is penalizing 758 hospitals for high rates of infections “and other potentially avoidable complications, including blood clots after surgery, bed sores, hip fractures and sepsis,” by reducing their Medicare payments. One hospital said its payments for the year have been cut by about $1.6 million. The Times points out that the cuts were mandated by the Affordable Care Act, and they “have incited a vehement debate about quality at many academic medical centers often revered for cutting-edge treatments and top specialists.” http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/21/health/how-medicare-penalizes-hospitals-for-being-too-careful.html?_r=0

Pharmakon Compounding Pharmacy Pauses Production And Recalls Sterile Products.

reports that the Pharmakon compounding pharmacy in Noblesville, Indiana “has ceased production and recalled its sterile products after a federal investigation of its facilities.” Food and Drug Administration inspectors “investigated the Pharmakon facility after the company issued a voluntary recall in February for an intravenous form” of morphine sulfate which was linked to “serious adverse effects” in three infants. The FDA had “recommended that Pharmakon cease all sterile operations and recall its sterile products” last week, but Pharmakon had initially refused. http://www.indystar.com/story/news/2016/04/20/fda-asks-noblesville-pharmacy-pause-manufacturing/83245732/

Life Expectancy Declined Slightly For White Americans In 2014, CDC Finds.

reports, “Life expectancy declined slightly for white Americans in 2014, according to new... data” from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics. The data, which were “drawn from all deaths recorded in the country in 2014, showed that life expectancy for whites dropped to 78.8 years in 2014 from 78.9 in 2013.” NCHS statistician Elizabeth Arias, who analyzed the data, “said drug overdoses, liver disease and suicide were the main drivers of the gloomy trends among whites in recent years, a pattern also found by other researchers,” and particularly among middle-aged white women. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/20/health/life-expectancy-decline-mortality.html?_r=0

FDA Agrees To Change Guidance On Dietary Supplement Labeling.

reports that the Food and Drug Administration “last month agreed to change an 11-year-old guidance, acknowledging that supplement makers can label their products simply as dietary supplements, without a prominent mention of what’s actually inside.” While nonbinding guidance issued by the FDA in 2005 required a somewhat specific identity statement on the supplement’s label, industry representatives have long argued that the FDA was going beyond what Congress had prescribed. Although must supplement makers ignored the guidance, the FDA agreed to change it in March at the request of the American Herbal Products Association. http://www.cq.com/login?jumpto=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cq.com%2Fdoc%2F4869129

Toddlers Who Prefer Sweet Snack Foods Over Salty Ones May Be More Likely To Gain Weight, Study Suggests.

website points out that toddlers “who ate more and showed an inclination for sweet over salty snacks were at a higher risk for body fat increases by the time they were about three years old.” The study’s lead author “said that the results suggest some people may be genetically predisposed to have a sweet tooth, making them more likely to gain unhealthy weight.” http://www.cbsnews.com/news/toddlers-sweet-tooth-may-predict-weight-gain-study/

Very Low-Calorie Liquid Diet May Induce Remission In Patients With Type 2 Diabetes, Study Indicates.

blog reports that a study published in Diabetes Care “studied the effects of a strict,” very low-calorie “liquid diet on 30 people who had lived with type 2 diabetes for up to 23 years.” Approximately “half of those studied had a remission that lasted six months after the diet was over.” Robert Lash, MD, who chairs the Endocrine Society’s clinical affairs committee, stated, “Decreasing caloric intake for any reason brings with it a rapid improvement in glucose control.” Dr. Lash added, “What’s exciting here is that the improvements in glucose control persisted when the participants went back to eating a diet with a normal number of calories.” http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/04/18/hope-for-reversing-type-2-diabetes/?_r=0

Botulinum Toxin Guidelines Overhauled Strong evidence supports specific formulations in spasticity, chronic migraine

http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/AAN/57409?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-04-19&eun=g721819d0r

Fentanyl-Linked Deaths On The Rise In Los Angeles, Officials Say.

reported in “LA Now” that “there are signs that deaths connected to fentanyl...are on the rise in the Los Angeles area, law enforcement and health officials said” last week. Last Thursday, the Los Angeles County’s Department of Public Health “announced that while fentanyl-related deaths hovered around 40 a year between 2011 and 2013, deaths jumped to 62 in 2014, about a 50% increase.” State officials have “requested that health officials report any suspected fentanyl-related overdoses or deaths and to warn people with a history of substance abuse about the wave of recent incidents.” http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-deaths-fentanyl-rise-los-angeles-county-20160415-story.html

WHO Says Switch To New Vaccine Next Step To Eradicating Polio.

reported that this week, the World Health Organization will direct health teams across 150 countries to launch a new vaccine as the final step to eradicate polio. This vaccine would replace the current vaccine that has been used for over 30 years. Michel Zaffran, the director of polio eradication for the WHO, said that there have been only 12 cases of polio worldwide, in Pakistan and Afghanistan, but if the effort failed now, the virus could spread elsewhere. http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/04/17/474580802/new-polio-vaccine-rolled-out-in-massive-synchronized-worldwide-switch

Researchers Say They Have Discovered Key Ingredient Needed To Make Functional Insulin-Producing Beta Cells.

reported that in a study published April 12 in the journal Cell Metabolism, “Salk Institute scientists say they’ve discovered a key ingredient needed to make functional insulin-producing beta cells.” Specifically, “the ingredient is a protein called ERR-gamma that turns up energy production in the beta cells.” http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2016/apr/15/insulin-beta-cells-ron-evans-induced-pluripotent/

Patients With Mild Lupus Still Have Impaired Aerobic Capacity Low physical activity levels may lead to more severe impairment

Even Patients with mild or inactive systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) had reduced aerobic capacity compared with matched controls, These findings suggest that insufficient physical activity could impose a greater deterioration on physiological reserve and health-related quality of life in SLE patients than controls," and reinforce the need for physical activity recommendations for this patient group, they stated. The main finding of this study was that SLE patients with a physically inactive lifestyle, irrespective of their disease onset, showed poorer aerobic capacity and health-related quality of life when compared with physically inactive controls matched by age, sex, and BMI," the authors wrote. Based on their findings, the investigators postulated that SLE patients with low levels of physical activity may experience more severe impairment in function and wellness compared with controls. "One may speculate that higher levels of physical activity than those generally recommended to healthy individuals might be required to better alleviate symptoms in SLE since sedentary lifestyle worsened disease flares. Cumulative damage and disease activity do not seem to account for the impairments found in SLE patients, since patients with very mild disease who were free of cardiovascular and musculoskeletal involvements were selected for the study. They need to study why all SLE patients have worse aerobic capacity. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Rheumatology/Lupus/57380?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-04-16&eun=g721819d0r

Ohio has Zika virus confirmed

AKRON, Ohio - A Summit County resident has tested positive for the Zika virus after traveling to a Zika-infected country, the Summit County Public Health department said Thursday. Zika is a rapidly spreading, mosquito-borne virus that is linked to severe birth defects, including microcephaly, or small heads, in infants born to women with Zika. http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2016/04/summit_county_resident_infecte.html

Many Americans With Frequent Hospitalizations May Lack Regular Access To Healthy Food, Study Suggests.

reports a new study found that many Americans who are frequently hospitalized do not have reliable access to food because they lack reliable transportation, the ability to prepare food for themselves, or other barriers. The study was published online in the journal Population Health Management. http://consumer.healthday.com/vitamins-and-nutrition-information-27/food-and-nutrition-news-316/is-hunger-helping-send-some-americans-to-the-hospital-709773.html

Filters Commonly Used In Sunscreens To Absorb UV Light May Affect Male Fertility.

reports that Danish scientists have “found that filters commonly used in sunscreens to absorb ultraviolet light could affect male fertility by stopping sperm from functioning properly.” Such filters “are one of a range of chemicals used in consumer products, known as endocrine disruptors, that are associated with health effects such as infertility.” In research presented earlier this month at the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting, investigators “tested 29 of the 31 UV filters approved for use in the United States and Europe by dissolving and applying them to sperm samples provided by healthy volunteers.” The research indicated that nearly “half of the filters tested were found to stop sperm from functioning properly.” http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/14/health/sunscreen-sperm-male-fertility/index.html

Experts Rename Type Of Thyroid Tumor, Saying It Really Is Not Cancer.

reports that “an international panel of doctors has decided that a type of tumor that was classified as a cancer is not a cancer at all.” The panel has “renamed” it, now calling it a “noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features,” or NIFTP, rather than an “encapsulated follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma.” The panel’s “conclusion, and the data that led to it, was” published in JAMA Oncology. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/15/health/thyroid-tumor-cancer-reclassification.html?_r=0

Menu Mandates” Criticized For Being Ineffective Against Obesity.

reports a study released by the Cato Institute found that compelling “restaurants, movie theaters, and grocery stores to put calorie counts and nutritional information on menus has no long-term impact on obesity.” Advocates of “menu mandates” insist they “would nudge consumers to eat less and would cut obesity, while skeptics said” they “would put a cost on business, be ineffective and was part of an ever-growing nanny state.” The article points out that the Affordable Care Act has menu mandates, whose implementation was delayed until 2017. The mandates are expected to impact some 300,000 restaurants. http://dailycaller.com/2016/04/13/study-blasts-obamacares-menu-mandates-as-having-zero-impact-on-obesity/

Some Diabetes Medications May Help Tumors Spread In Mice, Research Suggests.

reports that when researchers “exposed lab dishes of human cancer cells (liver, breast, colon, ovarian) to the diabetes drugs sitagliptin...and saxagliptin...the cells migrated more.” Meanwhile, “when nine mice with human tumors were given either of the drugs, the cells metastasized more and invaded far-flung tissue, said senior author Hongting Zheng.” However, the medications did not increase “the risk of developing cancer. Antioxidants are typically recommended to prevent cancer, since they fight the free radicals that can trigger tumor growth. But in this case, say the study authors, the protection from further oxidative stress—which is what antioxidants do—may actually insulate cancer cells, making it easier for them to spread to other parts of the body. http://time.com/4292316/diabetes-dpp-4-cancer/

Teens Whose BMI Is In Upper Range Of Normal May Still Be At Increased Risk Of Dying From CV Diseases As They Reach Middle Age.

reports that the investigators found that “after adjusting for multiple confounders, adults with an adolescent BMI in the obesity range (≥95th percentile) had an almost 5-fold risk of death from coronary heart disease (HR 4.9), a more than threefold risk of death from total cardiovascular causes (HR 3.5), and a more than twofold risk of death from stroke (HR 2.6) compared with adults with adolescent BMI in the 5th to 24th percentile.” However, “even those adults at the high range of normal BMI (50th to 74th percentile) as adolescents were more likely than their peers with lower BMIs (in the 5th to 24th percentile) to be at risk of death from coronary heart disease (CHD) than those adolescents on the lower end of normal BMI.” http://www.medpagetoday.com/Cardiology/Prevention/57345

Antibiotic-Resistant Staph: Growing Source of Cardiac Device-Related Infections? Methicillin-resistant infections common in explanted leads

Methicillin-resistant infections related to cardiac implantable electronic device leads that must be explanted are on the rise, a single-center study suggested. Staphylococcal species were the most common pathogens affecting recipients of implantable cardioverter defibrillators and pacemakers, comprising 68.4% of infections. Nearly half (49.4%) of the staphylococci were methicillin-resistant, which accounted for 33.8% of overall infections. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Cardiology/Arrhythmias/57311?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-04-13&eun=g721819d0r

Are E-Cigs a Smoking Cessation Tool? U.K. Says 'Yes' Health policy analysts explain why U.S. has staked out a different position

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pulmonology/Smoking/57323?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-04-13&eun=g721819d0r

Number Of Babies Born Using Assisted Reproductive Technology Higher In 2014 Than Any Previous Year, Report Says.

reports that according to the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology, the number of births resulting from assisted reproductive technology in 2014 was higher than in any previous year and the percentage of those births that were singletons was also higher than any previous year. According to the organization’s report, there were 65,175 births from assisted reproductive technology in 2014, and 78% of those babies were singletons. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-babies-multiple-births-infertility-20160411-story.html

Health Apps Have Promise But Also Pose Risks, Experts Say.

Public health experts hope that convenient medical apps encourage people to pay more attention to their health. See the most-read stories this hour >> Dr. Leslie Saxon, cardiologist and executive director of the USC Center for Body Computing, said there's "unbelievable potential" for these new technologies to save lives. Doctors can now continuously monitor heart rhythm data and watch for problems in patients with implanted heart devices. They can immediately determine whether someone is having a heart attack by turning their smartphone into an electrocardiogram, or EKG, machine, Saxon said. But some doctors express concern about people increasingly reaching for their electronic devices for medical guidance, even if the technology is considered low-risk. They point, for example, to apps for diabetics that don't prompt them to call 911 when their sugar levels are dangerously low — low enough to send them into a diabetic coma. Worse, the app instead awards patients points for entering the data. "It's like having a really bad doctor," said the University of Michigan's Singh. An app intended for people with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder asks them to log their moods, such as "worried" or "irritable." But when users report feeling unsafe or suicidal, the app doesn't recommend calling a suicide hotline or seeking immediate attention, he said. http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-me-mobile-health-safety-20160412-story.html

Consumers Of Fast-Food May Have More Industrial Chemicals In Their Bodies.

reports a new analysis of data from federal nutrition surveys revealed that “people who reported eating fast food in the last 24 hours had elevated levels of some industrial chemicals in their bodies.” The study “is the first broad look at how fast food may expose the public to” phthalates, Scientists have increasingly focused on the effects of such chemicals on health and development, “particularly for pregnant women and children.” Research in rats “has shown that they can disrupt the male reproductive system, and there’s evidence for similar effects in humans.” The “latest research suggests that fast food is a significant source of the chemicals, which may leach into food from machinery used in processing or packaging, or from gloves worn by workers.” The study was published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives and funded by the National Institutes of Health. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-04-13/fast-food-eaters-have-more-industrial-chemicals-in-their-bodies

Michigan finds 2 more Legionnaires' deaths in Flint area

Michigan health authorities reported Monday they have identified two more fatal cases of Legionnaires' disease in the Flint area last year amid an outbreak some outside experts have linked to the city's water emergency. The additional 2015 deaths are among 12 detected in Genesee County over a 17-month period. In an updated analysis, the state Department of Health and Human Services raised the total number of cases by three to 91, a five-fold increase over what the county averaged before the city switched to using the Flint River as its water source in 2014 while under state financial management. In October, the impoverished city of nearly 100,000 people returned to using Lake Huron water treated by Detroit's system after elevated lead levels were found in some children. State environmental regulators had incorrectly told Flint officials not to add anti-corrosion chemicals to the river water, which let lead from old pipes leach into homes. Residents now are using faucet filters or bottled water. https://www.yahoo.com/news/michigan-finds-2-more-legionnaires-deaths-flint-area-173233863.html

Zika “Scarier” Than Initially Thought, CDC Official Says.

“Public health officials said Monday they’ve learned a lot more about Zika since the White House asked Congress for $1.9 billion to combat the mosquito-borne virus and are increasingly concerned about its potential impact on the” US. Dr. Anne Schuchat, the principal deputy director of the CDC, said, “Everything we look at with this virus seems to be a bit scarier than we initially thought.” Dr. Schuchat “said the virus has been linked to a broader array of birth defects throughout a longer period of pregnancy, including premature birth and blindness in addition to the smaller brain size caused by microcephaly.” The mosquito that carries the Zika virus is present in 30 states, more than twice what officials originally thought, Dr. Schuchat said, though no locally acquired cases have been reported yet,” which “indicates that mosquitoes in the states do not yet have the virus.” http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2016/04/11/scarier-than-we-initially-thought-cdc-sounds-warning-zika-virus/82894878/

Hormone Therapy For Prostate Cancer May Increase Depression Risk.

Well” blog reports that research published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology suggests that “hormone therapy for prostate cancer may increase the risk for depression.” Investigators looked at data on more than 78,500 patients with prostate cancer, more than 33,300 of whom had undergone hormone therapy. The researchers found that “compared with those treated with other therapies,” patients “who received androgen deprivation therapy were 23 percent more likely to receive a diagnosis of depression, and they had a 29 percent increased risk of having inpatient psychiatric treatment.” http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/04/11/hormone-therapy-for-prostate-cancer-tied-to-depression/?_r=0

Why Are Public Weight Loss Programs Not Effective? Interventions such as 'Let's Move' rely too much on participant self-motivation

However, interventions that limit people's choices rather than rely on their self-motivation, such as regulating how stores sell unhealthy foods, might work better, stated Jean Adams, PhD, of the University of Cambridge in England, and colleagues. "In England, the government's current 'flagship' obesity prevention programme is Change4Life. This social marketing campaign uses mass media and other avenues to inform and educate the public about the harms of excess weight and the benefits of being more active and eating more healthfully. Simple strategies for changing behaviour are also offered. Similar programmes operate elsewhere, including MangerBouger in France and Let's Move! in the United States," Adams and colleagues wrote in a policy paper in PLOS Medicine. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Endocrinology/Obesity/57308?xid=NL_breakingnews_2016-04-12&eun=g721819d0r

First US Uterus Transplant Failed Because Of Fungal Infection, Physicians Say.

eported that the US’ “first uterus transplant failed last month because of a fungal infection that affected the blood supply to the new organ, doctors announced.” http://time.com/4286804/first-u-s-uterus-transplant-failed-because-of-fungal-infection/

Wealthiest Americans Live At Least A Decade Longer Than The Poorest, Research Suggests.

eports that research published in JAMA indicates that “the wealthiest Americans can expect to live at least a decade longer than the poorest – and that gap, as with income inequality, is growing ever wider.” The study found that “top earning Americans gained 2 to 3 years of life expectancy between 2001 and 2014, while those at the bottom gained little or nothing.” The NPR (4/11, Zarroli) “The Two-Way” blog reports, The research also indicated that “poor people who reside in expensive, well-educated cities such as San Francisco tend to live longer than low-income people in less affluent places.” http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-04-11/join-the-one-percent-and-live-a-decade-longer

Report: Use Of Digital Medication Orders Has Reduced Errors, But Systems Still Fail To Flag 13% of Potentially Fatal Mistakes.

summarizes a new data analytics report that found the use of digital medication orders, so-called “computerized physician order entry” (CPOE), has “dramatically reduced the number of dangerous drug errors,” but the computer systems that process these orders “still fail to flag 13% of potentially fatal mistakes.” http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2016/04/07/hospitals-digital-drug-ordering-boosts-safety-but-can-lead-fatal-errors/82669450/

Studies Say Intermittent Fasting May Help People Lose Weight.

reported that the medical community says fasting, “a dieting technique once shunned,” may have benefits beyond losing weight. Nutritionists say intermittent fasting, or alternating low-calorie days and high-calorie days, “works because overall calories are reduced and the high calorie days don’t become outright binges.” Krista Varady, a nutritionist for University of Illinois-Chicago, said, “People, for some reason, are almost unable to binge on that day. They tend to only eat about 10 percent more than [they] would usually eat and we’ve seen that in about 600 or 700 people.” Additional research says “fasting might also slow the aging process and reduce the risk of cancer and diabetes.” NBC News (4/7, Deo) reports on its website that alternate day fasting is not safe for everyone. A report in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that alternate-day fasting for women “could decrease glucose tolerance and potentially disrupt their metabolism.” http://www.nbcnews.com/health/diet-fitness/feast-or-famine-evidence-mounts-fasting-diets-n552596

UK Scientists Suggest Changing Food Labels To Include Information About How Long It Takes To Burn Off Calories.

Holt) reported the UK’s Royal Society for Public Health researched how much walking or running it would take to burn off the calories associated with common foods and beverages and found that many people underestimated how long it would take. The scientists have suggested changing food labels to reflect how much walking or running is required to burn off the calories rather than just listing the calorie counts. TIME (4/7, Oaklander) also covered the story. http://time.com/4283759/exercise-running-food-calories/

People Who Consume Full-Fat Dairy May Weigh Less, May Be Less Likely To Develop Diabetes Than Those Who Eat Low-Fat Dairy Products.

reports that “people who consume full-fat dairy weigh less and are less likely to develop diabetes than those who eat low-fat dairy products,” the findings of a 3,333-adult, 15-year study published in the journal Circulation suggest. The study revealed that “people with higher levels of three different byproducts of full-fat dairy had, on average, a 46 percent lower risk of getting diabetes than those with lower levels.” The CBS News (4/6, Marcus) website points out that another study involving “more than 18,000 middle-age women who were part of the Women’s Health Study – and [of] normal weight, free of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes at the start of the research – found that those who ate more high-fat dairy had an 8 percent lower chance of going on to become obese over time compared to those who ate less.” No such link was seen “with low-fat dairy product intake,” however. US News & World Report (4/6, Dicker) also covers the story. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/full-fat-dairy-foods-diabetes-obesity-risk/

Young Children Who Take Antibiotics May Be More Likely To Develop Prediabetes As Teens, Study Suggests.

, “Young children who take antibiotics are more likely to develop prediabetes as adolescents, likely due to a decrease of beneficial microbiota in the gut,” the findings of a 24-participant study suggest. The study revealed that “the prediabetes group...had fewer colony-forming units of Ruminococcus species per gram of stool” than the children without prediabetes. The study authors “said the lack of Ruminococcus-degrading species in the prediabetes group ‘seems to herald the onset of glucose intolerance via a decrease of beneficial microbiota populations and consequent alterations in regional immunity http://www.healio.com/endocrinology/pediatric-endocrinology/news/online/%7B7497a043-a9dd-4c52-85a5-de9bfe674a96%7D/early-childhood-antibiotics-increase-risk-for-prediabetes-in-adolescence

Older Adults Exposed To Colder In-Home Temperature During Winter May Have Lower Average Waist Circumference, Study Indicates.

Older adults exposed to colder in-home temperature during winter months have a lower average waist circumference than adults with a warmer indoor temperature,” the findings of a 1,103-participant study presented at the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting suggest. http://www.healio.com/endocrinology/obesity/news/online/%7B5480c32a-ce8a-4ef8-97b1-0d4c052789dc%7D/lower-indoor-temperature-in-winter-linked-to-lower-waist-measurement

Phthalate DEHP In Hospital Tubing Linked To Attention Deficit Disorder In Pediatric ICU Patients.

reports that the hormone disruptor phthalate DEHP, “a chemical used to make plastic IV tubes and catheters, has been linked to attention deficit disorder in children who received treatment for a serious illness.” After testing “449 children, newborns to age 16, who were treated in pediatric intensive care units and whose care involved between one and 12 medical tubes,” Belgian investigators “found high levels of phthalates, even among those admitted with only catheters in place.” In fact, until the children were discharged “from the ICU, those levels remained 18 times higher than in a control group of healthy children.” The study’s findings were presented at the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/04/06/attention-deficit-disorder-linked-to-iv-tubes-used-with-critically-ill-children/

WHO Report Finds Nearly Four-Fold Increase In Worldwide Cases Of Diabetes Over Past 25 Years.

reports that “in addition to shortening lifespans, the disease is a huge economic burden.” Current “health spending” on the disease “is more than $800 billion per year, the WHO says.” The organization is now “calling on governments to draft legislation and fiscal policies that would compel people to make better lifestyle decisions, such as higher taxes on sugary drinks and clearer labeling of the fat contents of foods.” http://time.com/4283675/diabetes-doubled-globally/

New No-Surgery Weight Loss Procedure Shows Promise

ortunately, interventional radiologists have recently developed a new weapon against obesity: a minimally invasive alternative to gastric bypass called bariatric arteriale embolization or BAE. Denby is one of seven patients selected to be part of a BAE pilot trial. Within the first three months, she has successfully lost 30 pounds. http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/new-no-surgery-weight-loss-procedure-shows-promise-n551276

Cost Of Insulin Increased 200 Percent Between 2002 And 2013, Analysis Indicates.

reports a new study shows the cost of insulin has increased nearly 200 percent between 2002 and 2013. For the study researchers analyzed medical spending data from 27,878 people with diabetes and found that the average price of insulin rose 197 percent from $4.34 to $12.92 per mL, during that time frame. STAT (4/5, Silverman) reports that “meanwhile, the amount of money spent by each patient on other diabetes medications fell 16 percent, to $502 from $600.” The analysis “also found that the cost of various widely used oral diabetes drugs either dropped in price or did not rise nearly as significantly as insulin.” For example, Metformin, “which is available as a generic, fell to 31 cents in 2013 from $1.24 per tablet in 2002.” On the contrary, “the newer class of diabetes drugs known as DPP-4 inhibitors rose 34 percent since becoming available in 2006.” Also covering the story http://time.com/4282104/the-price-of-a-lifesaving-diabetes-drug-has-tripled-in-10-years/

GLP-1 Receptors In Human Brain May Help Control Appetite Among T2D Patients, Study Finds.

eports new research presented at the Endocrine Society annual meeting revealed that the “glucagon-like peptide 1 receptors (GLP-1) exist in the brain and help control appetite among patients with type 2 diabetes, providing a possible mechanism by which liraglutide (Victoza) leads to weight loss.” Liraglutide “was associated with a decrease in the attractiveness of fatty, desirable foods as measured by functional MRI (fMRI) studies in a cross-over randomized trial,” conducted by researchers at Harvard Medical School http://www.medpagetoday.com/clinical-context/Diabetes/57143

Consumption Of Whey Protein Linked To Weight Loss In T2D Patients.

reports new research presented at the Endocrine Society annual meeting revealed that “patients with type 2 diabetes who consumed a breakfast with whey protein as the main source of protein had better outcomes than patients on other diets.” Researchers found that participants who took whey protein lost “an average of -7.6 kg, had HbA1c levels lowered from 7.8 to 6.9, and a peak glucose of 174 mg/dL versus patients in the any protein group.” High-protein based diets “had superior results compared with the high-carbohydrate diet,” the researchers also found. http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/ENDO/57129

Waistline May Be Better Predictor Of Heart Disease Than Weight, Study Suggests.

reported that research “involving people with diabetes has shown that belly size is a stronger predictor of a dangerous kind of heart disease than body mass index.” The research included “200 people with diabetes who had not shown any symptoms of heart disease.” Investigators “found that those with larger waist circumferences were more likely than smaller-bellied people to have problems with the heart’s left ventricle.” The findings were presented at a cardiology conference. https://uk.news.yahoo.com/waist-size-strongly-predicts-heart-disease-risk-study-111827743.html

Diet High In Whey Protein Outperformed Two Other Isocaloric Diets For Weight Reduction, HbA1c Improvement, Researchers Say.

eports that research indicated “a diet high in whey protein outperformed two other isocaloric diets, one of which was high in non-whey protein, for weight reduction, HbA1c improvement, and better peak glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes.” Researchers found that “after 12 weeks, participants in the whey protein diet group lost an average of -7.6 kg, had HbA1c levels lowered from 7.8 to 6.9, and a peak glucose of 174 mg/dL versus patients in the any protein group.” The data indicated that “both high-protein diets had superior results compared with the high-carbohydrate diet.” The findings were presented at the Endocrine Society annual meeting. http://www.medpagetoday.com/clinical-context/Diabetes/57117

3D Printed Ovaries Work In Mice, Study Says.

reported on the work of Dr. Monica M. Laronda in developing 3D printed ovaries. Thus far, Dr. Laronda “and her team of researchers successfully implanted their lab-grown ovaries into mice.” According to Vice, “After replacing their biological ovaries with the bioprosthetic, the mice were able to ovulate normally, give birth to healthy...baby mice, and nurse them.” The work was presented at the Endocrine Society meeting. Now, Dr. Laronda “is hoping that soon the same technology can be used to make an ovary prosthesis that could restore fertility in women, according to a press release.” https://broadly.vice.com/en_us/article/the-first-3d-printed-ovary-has-arrived?

Commonly Prescribed ADHD Medications May Affect Bone Density, Study Suggests.

reports that research suggests “commonly prescribed drugs to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may affect bone density.” Investigators “found that young people who take stimulants such as methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta) and Adderall [dextroamphetamine, amphetamine] have lower bone density than their peers.” The findings were presented at the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting. http://consumer.healthday.com/kids-health-information-23/attention-deficit-disorder-adhd-news-50/could-adhd-drugs-lower-kids-bone-density-709482.html

Bariatric Arterial Embolization May Help To Reduce Urge To Eat.

reports on a “procedure known as bariatric arterial embolization,” which “involves injecting small microscopic beads into the veins leading to the part of the stomach called the fundus that produces ghrelin.” This “blockage decreases the amount of ghrelin produced in the body and dulls the hunger signal so patients don’t feel as much of an urge to eat.” The findings from a clinical trial of the procedure are to be presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology’s 2016 Annual Scientific Meeting. http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/bs-hs-weight-loss-treatment-20160330-story.html

Researcher Launches Company To Bring Bionic Pancreas To Market.

reports that “the race is on for what may be the biggest innovation in decades for Type 1 diabetes management – the bionic pancreas – and” yesterday, “one of the lead researchers in the field announced at the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting that he’s launched a company to bring that invention to market.” According to Time, “Ed Damiano, a professor of biomedical engineering at Boston University who is developing a bionic pancreas...has spun his academic research into a company called Beta Bionics,” which “recently...secured $5 million from the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, which manufactures the insulin used in the device.” http://time.com/4278068/bionic-pancreas-company/

Greater Weight Loss Linked To Reduced Chances Of Weight Cycling.

reports on a study that examined the electronic health records of 177,000 obese people over the course of five years to identify patterns of weight change. The researchers found that the participants who lost the greatest amount of weight early on were the most likely to avoid weight cycling, “the repeated loss and regain of body weight.” Indeed, “Weight cycling affected 58 percent of the high weight loss group, compared with 71.5 percent of the modest weight loss group and 74 percent of the moderate group, the investigators found.” Lead study author Joanna Huang, in a news release from the Endocrine Society, stated, “About two-thirds of American adults are overweight or obese, and the economic and health burdens of the obesity epidemic are substantial. Achieving and maintaining weight loss has proven to be difficult.” The results of the study “were scheduled to be presented on Friday at the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society, in Boston.” http://consumer.healthday.com/vitamins-and-nutrition-information-27/dieting-to-gain-or-maintain-weight-192/weight-cycling-common-among-those-trying-to-lose-extra-pounds-709484.html

Flu Shot During Pregnancy May Cut Stillbirth Risk by Half

http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/Vaccines/57081?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-04-02&eun=g721819d0r