Pore Size

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/02/fashion/many-seek-to-minimize-enlarged-pores-for-a-flawless-look.html

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Noisy Operating Rooms

Noisy Operating Rooms Associated With Increased Risk For Surgical Site Infections.

HealthDay (6/2, Dallas) reported, "Noisy operating rooms appear to put patients at greater risk for surgical site infections," according to a study published in the July issue of the British Journal of Surgery. After examining "35 patients who underwent planned, major abdominal surgery, taking into account demographic parameters, the length of their surgery and the level of noise in the operating room," researchers also found that "these surgical site infections...are associated with longer, more costly hospital stays."

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"Porexia"

Article Discusses Treatments For "Porexia."

In "Skin Deep," the New York Times (6/2, E3, Saint Louis, Subscription Publication) reports, "Like home renovators who overhaul the kitchen only to then find fault with the master bath, some dermatology patients feel that, once their wrinkles are relaxed and their brown spots treated, their pores stand out. Such is the level of worry that doctors have nicknamed the condition 'porexia.'" Dermatologist Mary Lupo, MD, of the Tulane University School of Medicine, explained, "Instead of looking at the global picture, they overfocus on an individual component of the picture." Unfortunately, the size of pores is genetically determined and grows as people age. Some dermatologists treat patients with big pores with an Isolaz machine, an FDA-approved device for the treatment of mild and moderate acne.

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Melanoma Vaccine

Vaccine For Advanced Melanoma Yields Promising Results During Phase 3 Trial.

HealthDay (6/1, Goodwin) reported that for patients with advanced melanoma, a "vaccine combined with an immune-boosting drug is showing promise," according to the results of a Phase 3 clinical trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine. In the trial, which was "conducted at 21 care centers," researchers randomized "185 patients with metastatic melanoma" to receive either the vaccine "followed by interleukin-2" or interleukin-2 alone. They found that roughly "16 percent of those given the vaccine/interleukin-2 combination saw their tumors shrink by 50 percent or more, compared to six percent given interleukin-2 alone."

        MedPage Today (6/1, Smith) reported that progression-free survival was "longer in the vaccine group -- 2.2 months versus 1.6 months -- and the difference was significant at P=0.008. ... Grades 3 to 5 toxic effects were 'consistent with the expected side effects' in patients getting high-dose interleukin-2," the researchers noted, with one exception: The vaccine patients experienced "increased rates of arrhythmias." WebMD (6/1, Goodman) also covered the trial results.

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New Antidynamic Approved

FDA Approves IncobotulinumtoxinA For Frown Lines.

Medscape (7/21, Brooks) reported that the FDA has approved "incobotulinumtoxinA (Xeomin, Merz Aesthetics)" for treating frown lines. The FDA has previously approved incobotulinumtoxinA for treating cervical dystonia and blepharospasm. Cosmetic dermatologist Oscar Hevia explained that "what is novel about incobotulinumtoxinA...is that it is free from complexing proteins and does not need refrigeration before reconstitution." It has a shelf life of up to three years, unrefrigerated. IncobotulinumtoxinA is not interchangeable with botulinim toxin products, and is contraindicated for people hypersensitive to botulinim toxin A, or suffering infections at injection sites.

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Tanning and Melanoma

People Who Use Tanning Beds More Likely To Develop Melanoma.

The Chicago Sun-Times (5/31, Szabo) reported that "since 1992, rates of melanoma -- once considered an old person's disease -- have risen three percent a year in white women 15 to 39, the American Cancer Society says." Unfortunately, "people who have used tanning beds are 74 percent more likely than others to develop melanoma, a 2010 study shows." For that reason, among others, "the American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Dermatology and World Health Organization all have called on states to ban children under 18 from tanning salons."

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Sunscreen Users More Likely To Experience Damaging Sunburns.

Some Sunscreen Users More Likely To Experience Damaging Sunburns.

WebMD (7/14, Goodman) reported, "People who say they vigilantly apply sunscreen are more likely to experience painful, damaging sunburns," according to a study published in the journal Cancer Causes & Control. After analyzing "information on more than 3,000 white adults that was collected through the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey," then adjusting for confounding factors, researchers found that "people who said they frequently used sunscreen...had 23% greater risk of multiple sunburns in the past year, compared to people who said they seldom used the stuff." The study authors theorized that people are not using enough sunscreen to protect themselves properly.

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High Deductible Plans

High-Deductible Health Insurance Plans' Popularity Has Spiked.

USA Today (5/31, Kennedy) reports, "In 2007, about 4.5 million people had high-deductible plans, but by 2010, 10 million people had signed up for the plans, according to an America's Health Insurance Plans survey of its members. In exchange for a high deductible -- a maximum $3,000 deductible for individuals and a $6,000 deductible for families, for instance -- people can save about $85 to $100 a month on premiums. 'People are choosing higher deductibles for lower premiums,' said Karen Ignagni, president of America's Health Insurance Plans." A Rand Corporation study "found that even as health care costs continued to rise, people on high-deductible plans paid substantially less than did those on traditional plans."

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Dead Sea and Psoriasis

Dead Sea Climatotherapy May Benefit Patients With Plaque Psoriasis.

MedWire (5/27, Guy) reported that, according to a study published online in the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, "Dead Sea climatotherapy (DSC) is not only highly effective for treatment of plaque psoriasis, but has the greatest effect on early- versus late-onset forms of the disease." After reviewing "the records of 605 plaque psoriasis patients treated between 2003 and 2007," researchers also found that "overall, DSC was considered successful in an 'impressive' 73% of all cases."

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Skin Neurons

Researchers Convert Human Skin Cells Into Functioning Neurons.

BBC News (Bowdler) reported that, according to a study published in the journal Nature, researchers claim to "have managed to convert human skin cells directly into functioning brain cells." For the study, "the scientists used genetically modified viruses to introduce four different 'transcription factors' into foetal skin cells." The investigators "found the introduction of these four transcription factors had the effect of switching a small portion of the skin cells into cells which functioned like neurons."

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Tea, Coffee May Reduce Risk Of MRSA.

Tea, Coffee May Reduce Risk Of MRSA.

Bloomberg News (7/12, Lopatto) reports, "People who consumed tea and coffee carried methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, in their noses half as often as those who didn't, according to a study released today in the Annals of Family Medicine." Researchers do not know the mechanism behind reduced MRSA colonization, but suggest it may be due to the steam from hot beverages entering people's noses. According to the CDC, MRSA kills about 15,000 people a year. The researchers say that "if the findings hold true in further studies, coffee and tea may prove inexpensive ways to keep MRSA to a minimum in the population."

        WebMD (7/11, Mann) reported that scientists acknowledge more research is needed. NYU Langone Medical Center director Philip Tierno remains skeptical, pointing out that "tea and coffee do have antimicrobial properties, but antibiotics, which have massive microbial properties, don't work at eliminating MRSA."

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Parkinson's Melanoma Link

Parkinson's Disease Patients May Have Twofold Higher Melanoma Risk.

Reuters (6/6, Grens) reported that patients with Parkinson's disease have twice the risk for developing melanoma, according to the results of meta-analysis published in the June 7 issue of the journal Neurology. Reuters quoted lead researcher Dr. Honglei Chen from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences as saying, "It's prudent for Parkinson's patients to be more cautious about their skin health." The NIEHS supported the study.

        HealthDay (6/6, Reinberg) reported that the researchers reviewed "12 epidemiologic studies dating from 1965 through 2010." Although most of the studies "reported fewer than 10 cases where both conditions occurred," the study team found that "men with Parkinson's disease were twice as likely to develop melanoma as men without Parkinson's disease," while for women, the melanoma risk was 1.5 times "greater if they had Parkinson's" than those without the neurological disorder. Considering that both conditions "are relatively rare, the odds of having Parkinson's disease and melanoma are only about four percent," the authors concluded. WebMD (6/6, Mann) also covered the study.

        According to MSNBC (6/7, Golen), the researchers noted that the melanoma link was "bidirectional," as it was more "common in patients both before and after the onset of Parkinson's. .... 'It is unlikely that one disease has caused the other, but there is shared risk factors for both,'" said the study's lead author. These factors could be "environmental or genetic," he added.

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SunScreen Data

EWG: More Than Half Of Sunscreens On The Market Don't Provide Adequate UVA Protection.

In continuing coverage, the San Francisco Chronicle (A1, Fimrite) reports on its front page, "More than half of the sunscreens on the market do not provide adequate UVA protection, and many of them actually contain hazardous ingredients, according to an analysis of 292 national brands and 1,700 products by the nonprofit Environmental Working Group (EWG)." Researchers from EWG said "the problem...is that the sunscreen industry has taken advantage of lax federal regulations and allowed a marketing Wild West to develop. Many products with high sun-protection factor, or SPF, ratings contain bad ingredients, and companies use unsubstantiated claims about their effectiveness to market them, the group said."

        "Since the Food and Drug Administration doesn't regulate sunscreen, the EWG says, it's up to the consumer to suss out what's safe," the Time (Melnick) "Healthland" blog reported. And, according to the EWG, "60% of sunscreens on the American market wouldn't pass Europe's more stringent regulations."

        Consumer Reports Magazine Evaluates Sunscreens. WebMD ( Doheny) reported, "Nine of 22 sunscreens tested by Consumer Reports Health earned a 'recommended' or 'Best Buy' rating in the organization's latest evaluation," which was released yesterday and will appear in the July issue of Consumer Reports magazine. "All nine got excellent marks for protection from UVB rays (which cause sunburn) even after water immersion. All provided very good protection against UVA rays, which penetrate deeper and are linked with aging and tanning." Sunscreens receiving the "Best Buy" rating were Up & Up Sport SPF 30, No-Ad with Aloe and Vitamin E SPF 45, and Equate Baby SPF 50.

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Tea, Coffee May Reduce Risk Of MRSA.

       

http://www.bobbybukamd.com/Tea, Coffee May Reduce Risk Of MRSA.Bloomberg News (7/12, Lopatto) reports, "People who consumed tea and coffee carried methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, in their noses half as often as those who didn't, according to a study released today in the Annals of Family Medicine." Researchers do not know the mechanism behind reduced MRSA colonization, but suggest it may be due to the steam from hot beverages entering people's noses. According to the CDC, MRSA kills about 15,000 people a year. The researchers say that "if the findings hold true in further studies, coffee and tea may prove inexpensive ways to keep MRSA to a minimum in the population." WebMD (7/11, Mann) reported that scientists acknowledge more research is needed. NYU Langone Medical Center director Philip Tierno remains skeptical, pointing out that "tea and coffee do have antimicrobial properties, but antibiotics, which have massive microbial properties, don't work at eliminating MRSA." http://www.drbobby.com/ http://www.wbderm.com/ http://www.williamsburgderm.com/

Zombies and Emergency Preparedness

CDC Blog Uses Zombies To Generate Interest In Disaster Preparedness.

The New York Times (5/20, A13, McNeil, Harris, Subscription Publication) reports that a CDC public health blog was recently updated with "instructions on coping with a zombie apocalypse." The agency recommends preparing for zombies invasions, hurricanes or pandemics by having an emergency kit, which "includes things like water, food, and other supplies to get you through the first couple of days before you can locate a zombie-free refugee camp." This "idea, said David Daigle, a CDC spokesman whose portfolio includes disaster response, came up as they were discussing how to make the agency's annual 'It's Hurricane Season Again' press release a little sexier."

        The Los Angeles Times (5/20, Khan) "Booster Shots" blog reports, "Preparing for disasters has always been part of the mission of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, from hurricanes to flu pandemics." In order to attract public attention to disaster preparedness advice, Dr. Ali S. Khan, an assistant surgeon general with the CDC and head of its office of Public Health Preparedness, along with other agency staff, decided to include recommendations for surviving a "zombie apocalypse."

        The Washington Post (5/20, Bell) says in a blog posting, "The CDC has decided that if you're prepared for a Zombie Apocalypse, you're prepared for any emergency." The agency's blog posting on the subject "includes a series of badges and recommendations on what to do in case flesh-eating zombies take over the world. The steps are pretty simple: prepare an emergency kit, make a plan for evacuation routes and family meeting spots, and be prepared by following CDC alerts on Twitter."

        The USA Today (5/20) "Science Fair" blog quips, "Never let it be said that the doctors at the Centers for Disease, Control and Prevention lack a sense of humor -- or the sense to find a fun way to teach Americans about emergency preparedness. Hence today's most excellent CDC offering: Preparedness 101: Zombie Apocalypse."

        Also covering the story are Reuters (5/20, Marsh), the Chicago Tribune (5/20, Dizikes), NPR (5/20, Hensley) "Shots" blog, CBS (5/20, Freeman) on its website, the Forbes (5/20, Gibbs) "Technobabble" blog, New York Daily News (5/20, Mandell), Chicago Sun-Times (5/20, Thomas), and Deseret Morning News (UT) (5/20, Collins).

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Obesity in Childhood Leads to Psoriasis

Obesity In Childhood May Increase Risk Of Developing Psoriasis.

The Los Angeles Times "Booster Shots" reported, "Obesity in childhood significantly increases the risk of developing psoriasis, and psoriasis may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease later in life by increasing cholesterol levels," according to a study published in the Journal of Pediatrics. For that reason, "patients with psoriasis early in life should be monitored for early signs of cardiovascular disease and given therapy to reduce the risk of later heart attacks and stroke, a team from Kaiser Permanente" suggested. Researchers arrived at these conclusions after examining "electronic health records of 710,949 ethnically diverse children."

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