Sarkozy Unveils Overhaul of French Hospital System
President Nicolas Sarkozy unveiled plans on Thursday to improve the efficiency of France's public hospitals by grouping them into regional clusters. The plan, which will affect 1.1 million French health professionals, would give hospital directors more responsibility for issues such as staffing and make part of their pay dependent on results. It would group hospitals […]
2007-2008 Influenza Vaccine Reasonably Effective Despite Mismatch
The trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine used during the 2007-2008 influenza season in the US was 44% effective in preventing infection, even though the match between two of the vaccine strains and circulating strains was "suboptimal," according to an interim, within-season analysis. The results of the study by researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and […]
Brazil Launches Cheap New Malaria Pill
Brazil launched a new treatment for malaria on Thursday, marking the latest step in a global programme to make cheap two-in-one pills available to millions at risk for the disease. The country's state-run drugmaker Farmanguinhos is working with the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), a non-profit group based in Geneva, to bring the medicine […]
Occupational Exposure to Formaldehyde Linked to Increased ALS Risk
No significant association between ALS and pesticide, herbicide exposure. Preliminary results from a large prospective population-based study has linked occupational exposure to formaldehyde, with an increased rate of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
U.S. Must Do More to Stem Hospital Infections: Report
The U.S. government could do far more to force hospitals to prevent infections that kill up to 99,000 people every year, according to a nonpartisan congressional report released on Wednesday. It recommended that regulators consider mandating certain core standards — from something as simple as hand-washing to more complex measures — and that the government […]
A New Dawn in Cardio and Vascular Protection V. Cardiovascular High-Risk Patients: Treat to Protect
Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases are a major cause of death and disability worldwide; around 7.1 million deaths, as well as two thirds of strokes and one half of ischemic heart disease, are attributable to nonoptimal blood pressure control. Large outcome trials have demonstrated that blockade of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is an important approach to […]
Oral Contrast for Abdominal CT: How Important Is It and How Long Does It Take?
QuestionHow important is oral contrast material to the accuracy of an abdominal computed tomography (CT), and how long does it really take to reach its intended target? Response from Joseph R. Lex Jr., MDAssociate Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Endovascular vs Open Repair of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms: Any Long-term Difference?
Endovascular vs Open Repair of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms in the Medicare Population Schermerhorn ML, O'Malley J, Jhaveri A, Cotterill P; Pomposelli F; Landon BEN Engl J Med. 2008;358:464-474 SummaryHow does endovascular repair (EVAR) of abdominal aneurysms compare with conventional open repair? The authors reviewed results from 22,830 Medicare patients (average age, 74 years) followed for […]
Vaginal Hysterectomy Feasible in Nulliparous Women
Vaginal hysterectomy is preferable for benign uterine pathology even in women without previous vaginal delivery, according to a report in the April Obstetrics & Gynecology. "The advantages of the vaginal route (with or without laparoscopy) are numerous for patients and for society," Dr. Arnaud Le Tohic from Bichat-Claude Bernard University Hospital in Paris told Reuters […]
Hyperglycemia During Cerebral Aneurysm Surgery Linked to Impaired Cognition
Patients with elevated blood glucose levels at the time of cerebral aneurysm clipping are at increased risk for impaired cognition and possibly deficits in gross neurologic function at 3-month follow-up, new research shows. As reported in the April issue of the Mayo Clinic Proceedings, Dr. Jeffrey J. Pasternak, from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, […]
