Wednesday, December 19, 2007
By David Douglas
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - By distracting lung disease patients from their breathing symptoms, music delivered via headphones may help them achieve the recommended exercise goals, according to German researchers.
"Our findings show the important influence of psychological aspects on how patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) perceive" their shortness of breath, lead investigator Dr. Andreas von Leupoldt told Reuters Health.
COPD refers to two types of main lung disease, emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Although the diseases differ in some ways, the main problem with both is that the patient has difficulty moving air into and out of the lungs. Both diseases are strongly linked to smoking.
In the medical journal Chest, von Leupoldt, of the University of Hamburg, and colleagues point out that although psychological factors can influence the perception of shortness of breath, little is known about the potential impact of distracting stimuli.
To investigate further, the researchers studied 20 patients with mild to severe COPD who underwent two 6-minute walk tests. In one they were outfitted with MP3 players and headphones, but no music was played. During the other, they listened to "upbeat" classical or pop music.
A similar exercise level was achieved during both of the tests and the intensity of shortness of breath was perceived to be the same. However, scores for unpleasantness of the symptoms showed less of an increase during the music session.
The researchers note that shortness of breath is the primary symptom limiting exercise in these patients and often causes the patient to avoid physical activity, loss of muscle tone and strength, and increases in shortness of breath.
These findings suggest, concluded von Leupoldt, "that in addition to physiological treatments, psychological interventions can help alleviate the burden of (shortness of breath) in these patients."
SOURCE: Chest, November 2007.
Copyright © 2007 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.
Related MedlinePlus Pages:
COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/copdchronicobstructivepulmonarydisease.html
Date last updated: 20 December 2007
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Moderate exercise may stall vascular dementia
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Older adults who regularly walk for exercise may help lower their risk of vascular dementia, the second-most common form of this disorder after Alzheimer's disease, a study published Wednesday suggests.
In a group of 749 adults who were 65 years of age or older, the Italian researchers found that those who regularly walked or got other forms of moderate exercise were less likely to develop vascular dementia over the next 4 years.
Compared with their sedentary counterparts, active adults had about one quarter the risk of developing vascular dementia. Vascular dementia is caused by an impaired blood flow to the brain. Blockages that narrow the blood vessels supplying the brain or complete blockages that cause a stroke, may also lead to vascular dementia. People with conditions that damage blood vessels throughout the body -- such as high blood pressure or diabetes -- are also at increased risk.
The new findings, published in the online edition of the journal Neurology, build on evidence that lifestyle habits are important in dementia risk. A number of studies have suggested that the same habits that are good for the heart -- such as a healthy diet and regular exercise -- may benefit the aging brain as well.
Although moderate exercise had no effect on Alzheimer's disease, the findings do not mean that exercise has no effect on the risk of Alzheimer's, according to the researchers, led by Dr. Giovanni Ravaglia of the University Hospital S. Orsola-Malpighi in Bologna.
The study included Italian adults with no evidence of mental decline at the outset. The patients were interviewed about their physical activity levels, medical history and any depression symptoms, among other health factors.
Over the next 4 years, 86 study participants were diagnosed with dementia, including 27 with vascular dementia.
Ravaglia's team found that, compared with participants who walked the least often at the study's start, those who logged the most miles were 73-percent less likely to develop vascular dementia.
Similarly, those who got the most moderate exercise of any type -- such as gardening, bicycling and housework -- had a 76 percent lower risk of vascular dementia.
Exercise may benefit mental functioning for a number of reasons, according to the researchers. Aside from improving blood from improving the blood flow to the brain, it may also stimulate the release of key brain chemicals, and enhance the development of new nerve cells or the connections among those cells.
It's also possible, Ravaglia and his colleagues note, that an active lifestyle helps protect the aging brain by keeping older adults mentally stimulated and socially active.
In general, experts advise that all healthy adults try to accumulate at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise on most, if not all, days of the week. Older adults who want to start a new exercise routine should talk with their doctors first.
SOURCE: Neurology, online December 19, 2007.
Copyright © 2007 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.
Related MedlinePlus Pages:
Dementia - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/dementia.html
Exercise for Seniors - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/exerciseforseniors.html
Date last updated: 20 December 2007
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Older adults who regularly walk for exercise may help lower their risk of vascular dementia, the second-most common form of this disorder after Alzheimer's disease, a study published Wednesday suggests.
In a group of 749 adults who were 65 years of age or older, the Italian researchers found that those who regularly walked or got other forms of moderate exercise were less likely to develop vascular dementia over the next 4 years.
Compared with their sedentary counterparts, active adults had about one quarter the risk of developing vascular dementia. Vascular dementia is caused by an impaired blood flow to the brain. Blockages that narrow the blood vessels supplying the brain or complete blockages that cause a stroke, may also lead to vascular dementia. People with conditions that damage blood vessels throughout the body -- such as high blood pressure or diabetes -- are also at increased risk.
The new findings, published in the online edition of the journal Neurology, build on evidence that lifestyle habits are important in dementia risk. A number of studies have suggested that the same habits that are good for the heart -- such as a healthy diet and regular exercise -- may benefit the aging brain as well.
Although moderate exercise had no effect on Alzheimer's disease, the findings do not mean that exercise has no effect on the risk of Alzheimer's, according to the researchers, led by Dr. Giovanni Ravaglia of the University Hospital S. Orsola-Malpighi in Bologna.
The study included Italian adults with no evidence of mental decline at the outset. The patients were interviewed about their physical activity levels, medical history and any depression symptoms, among other health factors.
Over the next 4 years, 86 study participants were diagnosed with dementia, including 27 with vascular dementia.
Ravaglia's team found that, compared with participants who walked the least often at the study's start, those who logged the most miles were 73-percent less likely to develop vascular dementia.
Similarly, those who got the most moderate exercise of any type -- such as gardening, bicycling and housework -- had a 76 percent lower risk of vascular dementia.
Exercise may benefit mental functioning for a number of reasons, according to the researchers. Aside from improving blood from improving the blood flow to the brain, it may also stimulate the release of key brain chemicals, and enhance the development of new nerve cells or the connections among those cells.
It's also possible, Ravaglia and his colleagues note, that an active lifestyle helps protect the aging brain by keeping older adults mentally stimulated and socially active.
In general, experts advise that all healthy adults try to accumulate at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise on most, if not all, days of the week. Older adults who want to start a new exercise routine should talk with their doctors first.
SOURCE: Neurology, online December 19, 2007.
Copyright © 2007 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.
Related MedlinePlus Pages:
Dementia - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/dementia.html
Exercise for Seniors - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/exerciseforseniors.html
Date last updated: 20 December 2007
Green tea may reduce prostate cancer risk
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
TOKYO (Reuters) - Drinking green tea may reduce the risk of advanced prostate cancer, according to a study by researchers at Japan's National Cancer Center.
According to the report, men who drank five or more cups a day might halve the risk of developing advanced prostate cancer compared with those who drank less than one cup a day.
"This does not mean that people who drink green tea are guaranteed to have reduced risk of advanced prostate cancer," said Norie Kurahashi, a scientist who took part in the study.
"We are just presenting our results. But the study does point to the hope that green tea reduces the risk of advanced prostate cancer."
Prostate cancer is much less common among Asian men than Western men, and that may be partly due to the effects of the high consumption of green tea in Asia, the study said.
But it said further studies are needed to confirm the preventive effects of green tea on prostate cancer, including well-designed clinical trials.
The study, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, compiled data from 50,000 men aged 40-69 over a period of up to 14 years from 1990.
British charity Cancer Research UK says on its Web site that a study of almost 20,000 Japanese men published in the British Journal of Cancer in 2006 found no relationship between green tea and prostate cancer.
Copyright © 2007 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.
Related MedlinePlus Pages:
Antioxidants - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/antioxidants.html
Prostate Cancer - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/prostatecancer.html
Date last updated: 20 December 2007
TOKYO (Reuters) - Drinking green tea may reduce the risk of advanced prostate cancer, according to a study by researchers at Japan's National Cancer Center.
According to the report, men who drank five or more cups a day might halve the risk of developing advanced prostate cancer compared with those who drank less than one cup a day.
"This does not mean that people who drink green tea are guaranteed to have reduced risk of advanced prostate cancer," said Norie Kurahashi, a scientist who took part in the study.
"We are just presenting our results. But the study does point to the hope that green tea reduces the risk of advanced prostate cancer."
Prostate cancer is much less common among Asian men than Western men, and that may be partly due to the effects of the high consumption of green tea in Asia, the study said.
But it said further studies are needed to confirm the preventive effects of green tea on prostate cancer, including well-designed clinical trials.
The study, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, compiled data from 50,000 men aged 40-69 over a period of up to 14 years from 1990.
British charity Cancer Research UK says on its Web site that a study of almost 20,000 Japanese men published in the British Journal of Cancer in 2006 found no relationship between green tea and prostate cancer.
Copyright © 2007 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.
Related MedlinePlus Pages:
Antioxidants - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/antioxidants.html
Prostate Cancer - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/prostatecancer.html
Date last updated: 20 December 2007
Friday, December 21, 2007
CME on Nutrition & Supplements
"2nd Annual Conference on Nutrition & Supplements: An Evidence - Based Approach" Continuing Medical Education ConferenceMARCH 1 - 2, 2008
Hilton Irvine/ Orange County Airport, Irvine, CA
Brochure: http://www.sscim.uci.edu/content/medical_edu/E-brochureCME08.pdf
The University of California, Irvine School of Medicine designates this educational activity for a maximum of 12 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s). Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.CEU Pending Approval
Hilton Irvine/ Orange County Airport, Irvine, CA
Brochure: http://www.sscim.uci.edu/content/medical_edu/E-brochureCME08.pdf
The University of California, Irvine School of Medicine designates this educational activity for a maximum of 12 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s). Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.CEU Pending Approval
Samueli Center Colloquium Lecture - January 3rd
UCI Susan Samueli Center for Integrative Medicine presents
Ronald Boyer, MD
President of the Center for Education and Development of Clinical Homeopathy, a subsidiary of the International Foundation for Clinical Homeopathy, Medical Director, Boiron Institute
“Practical Introduction to the use of
Homeopathic Medicines in Women’s Health”
Dr Boyer will discuss the use of homeopathic medicine in the treatment of PMS, Cystitis, and hot flashes. He will talk about the daily practice and regulation of homeopathic drugs. Learn how to treat common pathologies with homeopathic medicines.
Thursday, January 3rd, 2008
4:30 – 5:30 pm
Hitachi Conference Room, Plumwood House, UCI Campus
This talk and opportunity for discussion is part of a monthly series offered by the Susan Samueli Center for Integrative Medicine. Additional information: http://www.sscim.uci.edu or contact Jodi Montano at jymontan@uci.edu
949-824-008
Ronald Boyer, MD
President of the Center for Education and Development of Clinical Homeopathy, a subsidiary of the International Foundation for Clinical Homeopathy, Medical Director, Boiron Institute
“Practical Introduction to the use of
Homeopathic Medicines in Women’s Health”
Dr Boyer will discuss the use of homeopathic medicine in the treatment of PMS, Cystitis, and hot flashes. He will talk about the daily practice and regulation of homeopathic drugs. Learn how to treat common pathologies with homeopathic medicines.
Thursday, January 3rd, 2008
4:30 – 5:30 pm
Hitachi Conference Room, Plumwood House, UCI Campus
This talk and opportunity for discussion is part of a monthly series offered by the Susan Samueli Center for Integrative Medicine. Additional information: http://www.sscim.uci.edu or contact Jodi Montano at jymontan@uci.edu
949-824-008
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Acupuncture
Current Clinical Trials on Acupuncture and Pain Related Disorders
- Acupuncture Treatment to Reduce Burning Pain in Spinal Cord Condition: Neuropathic Pain
- Use Ear Acupuncture as Treatment for Low Back Pain During Pregnancy Condition: Pregnancy Related Low Back Pain
- Acupuncture for Treatment of Uncontrolled Pain: A Feasibility Study Conditions: Solid Tumors; Pain
- Acupuncture for Phantom Limb Pain Condition: Phantom Limb Pain
- Acupuncture for Pain Management After Hip or Knee Arthroplasty Conditions: Pain; Postoperative Complications
- Laser Acupuncture for Pain Prevention in Neonates Condition: Pain
- Acupuncture for Non-Cyclical Breast Pain Condition: Breast Pain
- Soft Tissue Biomechanical Behavior During Acupuncture in Low Back Pain Condition: Low Back Pain
- Assessment of Acupuncture to Improve Function, Exercise Capacity, and Pain Condition: Chronic Low Back Pain
- Auricular Acupuncture for Analgesia During Total Hip Arthroplasty Conditions: Acute Pain; Total Hip Arthroplasty
- Acupuncture for the Treatment of Phantom Limb and Residual Limb Pain After Amputation Conditions: Phantom Limb; Residual Limb Pain; Traumatic Amputation; Amputation
- Effectiveness of Acupuncture in Relieving Pain Due to Fibromyalgia Condition: Fibromyalgia
- Usefulness of Acupuncture in Cancer Pain and Quality of Life Conditions: Cancer; Pain
- Efficacy of Acupuncture With Physical Therapy for Knee Osteo-Arthritis Condition: Osteoarthritis
- Acupuncture for Pain Relief During Perineal Repair After Childbirth Conditions: Birth Injuries; Lacerations; Pain
- Acupuncture in Reducing Ileus in Patients Who Have Undergone Surgery for Colorectal Cancer Conditions: Colorectal Cancer; Gastrointestinal Complications; Nausea and Vomiting; Pain; Perioperative/Postoperative Complications
- Acupuncture or Standard Therapy in Treating Pain and Dysfunction in Patients Who Have Undergone Neck Surgery for Head and Neck Cancer Conditions: Head and Neck Cancer; Pain
- Acupuncture for Treatment of Acute Spinal Cord Injury: an Exploratory/Developmental Study Condition: Spinal Cord Injury
- Acupuncture for Mucositis Pain in Cancer Care Condition: Mucositis Pain
- Individualized Chiropractic and Integrative Care for Low Back Pain Condition: Sub-Acute and Chronic Low Back Pain
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