FOCUS: THIS WEEK'S TOP STORIES
Artificial sweeteners may leave a bitter aftertaste
July 26th, 2017 Artificial sweeteners may be linked to risk of weight gain and a greater risk of obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease, found a Canadian systematic review. Intake of artificial sweeteners is not consistently linked to a...
Wealthy foot bill for 87% of SA's private and state healthcare – Econex
July 26th, 2017 The way healthcare‚ hospitals and doctors are paid for in SA does not 'punish the poor' as the National Health Insurance policy papers suggest, an Econex analysis found. The wealthiest 40% of the country pays for 87% of the health provided in...
Brain Health Crossword — ACROSS: Risk factors (9) DOWN: Stress scenarios (27)
July 26th, 2017 One third of dementia cases might be prevented if brain health is improved throughout life by targeting 9 risk factors, reports a Lancet Commission. A separate US study identifies 27 stress scenarios that significantly age the brain. Finally, a...
Weekly Roundup
NHI set to close 29 medical schemes
The medical scheme regulator announced the potential closure of 29 small schemes, the... July 26th, 2017Best chance for SA NHI is to partner with private sector – international experts
Countries with established national healthcare systems advise the South African government to... July 26th, 2017Joint venture to establish e-drug prescribing platform for doctors
The South African government and the private sector have moved to establish an electronic... July 26th, 2017DA questions KZN Health MEC's cancer machine 'deal'
Kwa-Zulu Natal Health MEC Sibongiseni Dhlomo is 'creating false hopes for cancer sufferers', has... July 26th, 2017Moseneke to lead Life Esidimeni dispute resolution process
Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi and Gauteng Premier David Makhura have reached an agreement... July 26th, 2017WHO: Kenya cholera outbreak is a high risk for the region
An outbreak of cholera in Kenya poses a high risk to the region and a moderate threat globally, the... July 26th, 2017Exclusion of boys from UK's HPV vaccination programme condemned
A decision in the UK not to vaccinate boys against a cancer-causing sexually transmitted infection... July 26th, 2017Lifestyle diseases becoming more common in HIV patients
The incidence of non-communicable diseases is steadily rising, particularly hypertension and... July 26th, 2017Hepatology textbook is available free online
Hepatology – A clinical textbook, by authors Stefan Mauss, Thomas Berg, Juergen Rockstroh,... July 26th, 2017CARDIOLOGY
Negative media coverage stopping people taking statins
Negative media coverage of the side effects associated with taking statins, and patients' own experiences of taking the drugs, are among the reasons cited by stroke survivors and their carers for stopping taking potentially life-saving drugs,... July 26th, 2017Heart failure is associated with loss of important gut bacteria
In the gut of patients with heart failure, important groups of bacteria are found less frequently and the gut flora is not as diverse as in healthy individuals. Data obtained by scientists of the German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK)... July 26th, 2017Working long hours increases atrial fibrillation risk
People who work long hours have an increased risk of developing an irregular heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation, according to a study of nearly 85,500 men and women. The study showed that, compared to people who worked a normal week of...
July 26th, 2017
DIETETICS
Timing and frequency of meals play a role in weight loss or gain
The timing and frequency of meals play a role in predicting weight loss or gain, found a study drawing on more than 50,000 participants in the Adventist Health Study-2. A study by researchers from Loma Linda University School of Public Health... July 26th, 2017ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
Everyday chemicals linked to chronic disease in men
Chemicals found in everyday plastics materials are linked to cardiovascular disease, type-2 diabetes and high blood pressure in men, according to Australian researchers. Researchers from the University of Adelaide and the South Australian Health... July 26th, 2017HIV/AIDS
Low-cost drugs package saves lives of people starting Tx late
Treating people who start HIV treatment late with a package of low-cost drugs to prevent serious infections saves three lives for every 100 people treated, according to the findings of a trial led by the Medical Research Council (MRC) Clinical... July 26th, 2017IAS CONFERENCE, PARIS
SA child has suppressed HIV without ARVs for eight years
A nine-year-old South African child who was diagnosed with HIV infection at one month of age and received anti-HIV treatment during infancy has suppressed the virus without anti-HIV drugs for eight and a half years, scientists reported today at the... July 26th, 2017Swaziland halves rate of new infections in five years
Swaziland, which bears the world’s heaviest HIV burden, has halved the rate of new infections in five years by boosting access to virus-suppressing drugs, researchers are quoted in a report in The Citizen as saying. The country where about one... July 26th, 2017HIV prevention methods found to be safe for teens
A monthly vaginal ring and a daily oral tablet, both containing anti-HIV drugs, were safe and acceptable in studies of adolescents, two teams of investigators reported today at the 9th IAS Conference on HIV Science in Paris. The experimental ring... July 26th, 2017IAS CONFERENCE, PARIS
Experimental tx holds back man's infection
An experimental therapy has held back one man's HIV infection for 10 months, doctors have reported. BBC News reports that he was one of 18 people in a small trial testing injections of "broadly neutralising antibodies" – the natural weapons of the... July 26th, 2017Innovative efforts to increase access to HIV info highlighted
The 9th International AIDS Society (IAS) Conference on HIV Science (IAS 2017) is highlighting innovative efforts to increase access to quality HIV information and services for communities heavily impacted by HIV, but often overlooked by government... July 26th, 2017IMMUNOLOGY
Lifesaving epinephrine mostly not administered timeously
An American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology study showed that even kids who were prescribed an epinephrine auto injector mostly didn't receive the life-saving medication when they needed it. The study examined 408 patient records for... July 26th, 2017NEUROLOGY
Blood test has potential to detect Alzheimer's
Measures of amyloid beta in the blood have the potential to help identify people with altered levels of amyloid in their brains or cerebro-spinal fluid, found a Washington University study. Decades before people with Alzheimer's disease develop... July 26th, 2017NEUROSCIENCE
Being even just a little generous makes people happier
Being even a little generous or merely promising to be so, triggers a change in the brain that makes people happier, found a University of Zurich study, using functional magnetic resonance imaging.
Generosity makes people happier, even if they...
July 26th, 2017
NUTRITION
Improving diet over time reduces premature death risk
Improving the quality of one’s diets over time, eating more whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and fish and less red and processed meats and sugary beverages, significantly reduces the risk of premature death, according to a study from... July 26th, 2017ONCOLOGY
Blood test for early detection of pancreatic cancer headed to the clinic
A newly identified biomarker panel could pave the way to earlier detection and better treatment for pancreatic cancer, according to research from the Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania. Currently over 53,000 people in the US... July 26th, 2017OPTHALMOLOGY
Laser surgery in treating eye floaters
Patients reported improvement in symptoms of eye floaters after treatment with a laser, according to a small US study. Floaters become more prevalent with age and although most patients grow accustomed to them, many find them bothersome, and they... July 26th, 2017ORTHOPAEDIC
Anti-inflammatory with osteoporosis drug lowers hip fracture risk
Among older patients using medium to high doses of the anti-inflammatory steroid prednisolone, treatment with the osteoporosis drug alendronate was associated with a significantly lower risk of hip fracture, according to a Swedish study. Although... July 26th, 2017PSYCHOLOGY
Traditional bullying still far more common than cyberbullying
Despite the growth of social media, the internet and their central role in modern childhood, traditional bullying – such as name-calling or being excluded by others – remains considerably more common than cyberbullying, according to the largest... July 26th, 2017RESPIRATORY
Treating prem babies with caffeine improves later lung function
Premature babies treated with caffeine have better lung function in mid-childhood than preemies not treated with caffeine, according to an Australian randomised controlled trial. "Previous studies have shown that caffeine, which belongs to a... July 26th, 2017TRANSPLANT MEDICINE
First double hand transplant child can now write, feed and dress independently
The world's first double hand transplant in a child has been successful under carefully considered circumstances, according to a study in The Lancet.
The study presents the first medical report of the surgery and 18 months of follow-up. The...
July 26th, 2017
