A new synthetic antithrombotic drug, fondaparinux, has been shown to reduce the risk of deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) in patients after hip-replacement surgery. The study found a 26% reduction in DVT risk among patients given fondaparinux.
A multicenter randomized trial found that chemoembolisation significantly improves survival rates compared to conservative treatment, with 82% and 63% survival probabilities at 1 year and 2 years, respectively.
Researchers explore the role of dopamine in the placebo effect, which shows promise for treating Parkinson's disease, depression, and pain. Meanwhile, preclinical studies on bone-marrow stromal cells suggest potential therapeutic benefits for neural injury treatments like stroke.
Researchers studied over 1000 pregnant women from diverse countries and found no significant link between optimal timing of conception and lower birth defect rates. The findings are reassuring for natural family planning users and those with infrequent or sporadic sexual activity.
A study published in The Lancet found that azithromycin, a commonly prescribed antibiotic, is no more effective than low-dose vitamin C in treating acute bronchitis. Patients who received azithromycin had similar improvements in quality-of-life scores as those who received vitamin C.
A case study highlights the importance of early detection of testicular cancer, with a 17-year-old patient's death attributed to delayed medical advice. Medical professionals and men need to be educated to recognize testicular lumps as medical emergencies.
A study assessing existing data on HIV/AIDS interventions found that cost-effectiveness varies greatly between interventions. Some interventions, such as selective blood safety measures and targeted condom distribution, can prevent a case of HIV/AIDS for under $11 and gain over $1 in disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) per dollar spent
In southern Africa, measles elimination strategies reduced reported clinical cases from 60,000 to 117 cases between 1996 and 2000. With overall vaccination coverage of 91%, continued national commitment is crucial for implementation and maintenance of proven strategies.
A study of 355 patients with severe Crohn's disease found that infliximab treatment every two months significantly increased remission rates compared to placebo. Infliximab also allowed patients to taper off steroids and maintain clinical remissions.
A systematic review found pentoxifylline to be around 50% more effective than placebo in treating venous leg ulcers. The drug's addition to standard compression therapy showed a 30% increase in complete healing rates.
Researchers propose a new test for diagnosing malignant hyperthermia by measuring carbon dioxide pressure after caffeine injection, showing increased CO2 levels in susceptible individuals. Further testing is needed to define sensitivity and specificity of the test before it can be used for diagnosis.
Chernobyl exposure linked to increased thyroid cancer in children, while HRT use may increase breast-cancer risk with long-term use. The Lancet Oncology reviews these findings and highlights the need for prospective trials. Increasing age is associated with rising cancer incidence, making geriatric oncology crucial.
A significant proportion of elderly people in the UK experience poor hearing, with around a quarter failing a whispered voice test. The study highlights challenges in improving detection and management of reduced hearing, as well as increasing ownership and use of hearing aids.
Researchers investigated ten alcohol-based gels and four hand rinses, concluding they were less effective than a reference disinfectant within 30 seconds. The introduction of these gel formulations in hospitals could lead to increased risk of cross-transmission due to shorter application times.
A 2-year study found that high-dose interferon beta-1b significantly reduced relapse rates and new brain lesions in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis compared to interferon beta-1a. The treatment also showed a strong association between MS and type-1 diabetes in the Sardinian population.
A recent study found that people previously infected with HCV are 12 times less likely to develop persistent infection than those infected for the first time. This suggests that immunity can be acquired to protect against viral persistence, making vaccines a potential solution to reduce medical consequences of HCV infection.
Researchers developed a standardized procedure to obtain oral consent from illiterate populations through audiovisual recording. The method allowed more than half of potential participants to exercise their freedom of refusal, paving the way for increased participation in clinical research.
A study found that most prescribing errors were caused by slips in attention or lack of relevant rules application. Hospitals should train junior doctors in drug dosing principles and enforce good documentation practices to reduce errors.
The Lancet report highlights child prostitution's alarming health consequences, including 2 million STD infections and 1.6 million attempted suicides among 10 million prostituted children worldwide.
A new treatment combination of amodiaquine and artesunate has shown high cure rates for uncomplicated malaria in children under 11 years old. The study found that the treatment was more effective than amodiaquine alone, with higher cure rates in Gabon compared to Kenya and Senegal.
A recent study has found that parental smoking around the time of conception is associated with a reduction in male births. The research suggests that exposure to cigarette smoke may affect sperm cells carrying the Y-chromosome, leading to lower male to female sex ratios. Smoking was found to impact sex ratios even when only the mother...
The Lancet Neurology aims to report the most important advances in neurology, predicting risk of neurological conditions through genetics and imaging. Experimental therapies like gene therapy and stem cells offer potential for treating neurological disorders.
The study analyzed tobacco industry documents and found that they lobbied against the Directive 98/43/EC at both EU member state governments and a pan-European level. The investigation's findings highlight the need for effective tobacco control legislation in Europe.
A randomized trial found that nicorandil reduced the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with stable angina, including deaths due to coronary heart disease and non-fatal heart attacks. The study showed a significant reduction in acute coronary syndromes and all cardiovascular events compared to the placebo group.
A UK trial suggests that flexible sigmoidoscopy is a suitable tool for population screening of colorectal cancer, with high attendance rates and low perforation risks compared to colonoscopy. The study's findings highlight the need for tailored approaches to screening, taking into account individual risk factors and efficiency.
A new study found that galantamine improves cognition and daily living activities in patients with vascular dementia. The medication was also shown to reduce symptoms of behavioural changes, providing a potential treatment option for patients with limited pharmacological help.
Pooled data from two randomised trials show that off-pump surgery substantially reduced in-hospital complications compared to on-pump surgery. The need for blood transfusions was significantly lower, with a reduction of 33%.
The Lancet series highlights the prevalence of gender-based violence worldwide, which accounts for as much death and ill-health in women aged 15-44 years as cancer. The World Bank reports that violence against women is a greater cause of ill-health than malaria and traffic accidents combined.
A recent study published in The Lancet found that methotrexate treatment significantly improves survival rates among rheumatoid arthritis patients. By reducing cardiovascular mortality, methotrexate may provide a substantial survival benefit, setting a standard for future disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs.
Short-course regimens and pre-delivery, labour, and post-delivery therapy significantly reduce HIV-1 transmission rates from mother to child. Triple drug combinations may be even more effective.
A recent report highlights nuclear fallout in the US from Cold War testing, which increases cancer incidence and affects global populations. The editorial also critiques South Africa's delay in providing antiretroviral treatment to pregnant women with HIV.
Researchers found that vitamin supplementation reduced intimal index growth after heart transplantation, a common cause of arteriosclerosis. Vitamin C and E also maintained stable coronary endothelial function.
A population study found that hypospadias was more than 20 times as common in boys whose mothers were exposed to DES during pregnancy. Research on exposure to DES may be relevant to current concerns about weaker oestrogens in oral contraceptives and other substances.
A study found that long-term use of oral contraceptives may increase the risk of cervical cancer in women who test positive for human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA. Women using oral contraceptives for 10 years or more were four times more likely to develop cervical cancer, highlighting the importance of HPV screening.
People with Down's syndrome experienced almost double the life expectancy from 1982 to 1997, averaging 49 years. The majority of deaths were attributed to characteristic Down's syndrome disorders, such as congenital heart defects and leukaemia.
Systematic review and meta-analysis of 12 randomised trials shows a 6% increase in one-year survival for patients receiving chemotherapy with radiotherapy compared to those receiving radiotherapy alone. Patients also experience a two-month improvement in average survival time.
A genetic test for a cell-proliferation enzyme variant may predict poorer outcomes in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, prompting individualized treatment approaches. The study found that children homozygous for the triple repeat were four times more likely to have a poor outcome.
The South African government is under pressure to implement a national program against vertical transmission of HIV from mothers to children. Key researchers are calling for increased investment in antiretroviral treatment and support to improve public health outcomes.
The LIFE study found that losartan prevented more cardiovascular events and deaths than atenolol, even after similar reductions in blood pressure. Additionally, a second study showed losartan's effectiveness in reducing cardiovascular risk for patients with diabetes and left ventricular hypertrophy.
A study of 224 children found that young children were more likely to acquire H. pylori infection, particularly those from black communities. Early childhood appears to be the critical period for acquiring most infections, and racial differences may impact the risk of developing related health issues.
A simple immunochromatographic assay detected specific antibodies in the blood of untreated coeliac patients, with high accuracy and speed. The test can be done in a doctor's surgery and is useful for screening patients with untypical symptoms or risk factors for coeliac disease.
The Swedish trials indicate a significant reduction in breast cancer mortality among women given mammography screening, with the greatest benefit seen in age groups 60-69 years. The trials found no significant difference in death from all causes between screening and control groups.
Researchers found that continuous ACE inhibitor users had a lower average decline in muscle strength and walking speed compared to intermittent users of other antihypertensive drugs. The study suggests that ACE inhibitors could be used to slow physical decline in elderly people without congestive heart failure.
A study found suicide rates are three times higher in rural areas than urban environments and 25% more common in women than men in China. Suicide accounted for 19% of all deaths among people aged 15-34 years, making it the leading cause of death in this age group.
A study found that patients who received qualitative descriptions of drug side-effects overestimated their risk, while those with quantitative descriptions made more accurate assessments. The results suggest that the EU's use of qualitative descriptions for risk bands may lead to poor decision-making among patients.
A pilot study suggests that continuous administration of GLP-1 can improve insulin sensitivity, b-cell function, and reduce blood glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes. The treatment also resulted in weight loss and reduced appetite, with no reported side effects.
Researchers found that asthma does not increase the risk of having a common cold, but individuals with asthma are more likely to develop severe respiratory symptoms when infected. Rhinovirus infection was also linked to longer-lasting and more severe lower-respiratory-tract symptoms in those with asthma.
A study found that farmers with specific genetic variations in the paraoxonase gene are more likely to experience poor health after exposure to organophosphates used in sheep dip. This suggests a potential link between repeated exposure and chronic ill health.
A study found that genetic testing can identify HIV patients at risk of a life-threatening hypersensitive reaction to the antiretroviral drug abacavir. Patients with the HLA-B*5701 allele were over 100 times more likely to experience the adverse reaction.
A new study published in The Lancet suggests that abacavir-containing regimens are more effective than zidovudine/lamivudine in children with HIV-1 who have not previously been treated. This finding could provide a good NRTI backbone for use with protease inhibitors and non-nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors.