Culture | Page 2193 | Science Codex

Breakup of physician, drug company relationship could improve health care, cut cost

PORTLAND, Ore. – A new report suggests that improved health care and significant reductions in drug costs might be attained by breaking up the age-old relationship between physicians and drug company representatives who promote the newest, more costly and often unnecessary prescription drugs.

This system, which has been in place for decades, at one time benefitted doctors by keeping them up to date on new medications, and always provided generous amounts of "free" samples to get patients started on the newest drugs, as well as other supplies and gifts.

Women with severe injuries are less likely than men to be treated in a trauma center

ATS 2013, PHILADELPHIA - Women are less likely than men to receive care in a trauma center after severe injury, according to a new study of almost 100,000 Canadian patients.

Atherosclerotic disease heredity mapped in nationwide study

Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have mapped the significance of heredity for common forms of atherosclerotic disease. No studies have previously examined whether different forms of the disease share heredity.

The study looked at coronary heart disease, ischemic stroke, peripheral arterial disease and atherosclerosis of the aorta in individuals whose siblings and parents have suffered different types of cardiovascular disease.

Disney researchers develop fast, economical method for high-definition video compositing

ZURICH - Video compositing to create special effects, replace backgrounds or combine multiple takes of an actor's performance is an integral, but highly labor-intensive, part of modern film making. Researchers at Disney Research, Zürich, however, have found an innovative way to create these composite videos that is simple, fast, and easy to use.

New study identifies risk factors for depression among COPD patients

ATS 2013, PHILADELPHIA ─ Patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) typically suffer from depression more frequently than those without COPD, resulting in higher levels of disability and illness and increasing the overall healthcare burden for the COPD population. Now, a study from researchers in Argentina indicates female COPD patients and patients who experience significant shortness of breath may have the greatest risk for developing depression.

The results of the study will be presented at the ATS 2013 International Conference.

Stress test may help predict increased mortality risk in sleep apnea patients

ATS 2013, PHILADELPHIA – Many studies have shown that men and women who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) - a disorder that causes breathing to halt intermittently during sleep – have a higher mortality rate than those who do not have the disorder. Now, a study from researchers at the Cleveland Clinic shows that OSA patients who also have poor functional capacity have an even greater risk of mortality and suggests that an assessment of functional capacity in this population can help physicians identify patients most at risk for death.

Metabolic biomarkers can predict mortality in the ICU

ATS 2013, PHILADELPHIA – A metabolic profile of intensive care unit (ICU) patients based on biomarkers of four metabolites can be used to accurately predict mortality, according to a new study.

Pharmaceutical advances offer new options for health outcomes

Orlando, FL (May 20, 2013) — Research presented at Digestive Disease Week® (DDW) explores pharmaceutical advances for treating irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D) and hepatitis C.

An international study holds promising results for patients suffering from IBS-D. In the phase II study, researchers found that the drug ibodutant significantly improved symptoms in more than 50 percent of the individuals treated.

ER docs are key to reducing health care costs

WASHINGTON —Emergency physicians are key decisionmakers for nearly half of all hospital admissions, highlighting a critical role they can play in reducing health care costs, according to a new report from the RAND Corporation.

Hospital admissions from the ER increased by 17 percent over seven years, accounting for nearly all the growth in hospital admissions between 2003 and 2009. Hospital inpatient care is a key driver of health care costs, accounting for 31 percent of the nation's health care expenses.

Archaeological genetics: It's not all as old as it at first seems

Genomic analyses suggest that patterns of genetic diversity which indicate population movement may not be as ancient as previously believed, but may be attributable to recent events. A study published in BioMed Central's open access journal Investigative Genetics, based in the Netherlands, is able to genetically characterize geographically separated subpopulations within the country and map them to population movement within the last 2,000 years.

Study finds that sleep apnea and Alzheimer's are linked

ATS 2013, PHILADELPHIA─A new study looking at sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and markers for Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and neuroimaging adds to the growing body of research linking the two.

But this latest study also poses an interesting question: Could AD in its "preclinical stages" also lead to SDB and explain the increased prevalence of SDB in the elderly?

The study will be presented at the ATS 2013 International Conference.

Researchers identify a potential new risk for sleep apnea: Asthma

ATS 2013, PHILADELPHIA ─ Researchers at the University of Wisconsin have identified a potential new risk factor for obstructive sleep apnea: asthma.

Using data from the National Institutes of Health (Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)-funded Wisconsin Sleep Cohort Study, which has been following approximately 1,500 people since 1988, researchers found that patients who had asthma were 1.70 times (95% CI=1.15-2.51) more likely to develop sleep apnea after eight years.

Assessing for Acute Changes in Lung Allocation Score Could Inform Organ Wait-list Strategies

An acute increase in Lung Allocation Score (LAS) in the period before transplantation is associated with worse survival rates after transplantation. Assessing for this variable could help inform strategies for allocating organs.

New research identifies practice changes to improve value and quality of GI procedures

Orlando, FL (May 18, 2013) — There are significant cost and risk factors associated with two procedures commonly used to diagnose or treat gastrointestinal problems, according to research presented at Digestive Disease Week® (DDW).

Consuming coffee linked to lower risk of detrimental liver disease, Mayo Clinic finds

ROCHESTER, Minn. -- Regular consumption of coffee is associated with a reduced risk of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), an autoimmune liver disease, Mayo Clinic research shows. The findings were being presented at the Digestive Disease Week 2013 conference in Orlando, Fla.

PSC is an inflammatory disease of the bile ducts that results in inflammation and subsequent fibrosis that can lead to cirrhosis of the liver, liver failure and biliary cancer.