Tanning is getting it from all sides these days.

Howard County has banned minors from tanning beds. Baltimore County considered it and the state recently began requiring parental consent for those under 18. As part of federal heatlh care reform, the government plans to begin taxing tanning beds in July.  

But tanning devotees told me they are not put off. Read my full story in The Sun.

"There are worse things you can do, like smoke or drink or do drugs," said 20-year-old Melissa Halecki, who has been coming to the Sunset Tanning Salon in Pasadena five days a week for a couple of months. "This is therapeutic for me. On that 80-degree day a couple of weeks ago, everyone was out with their shorts and their white legs, but mine were tan, and it felt good."

Women of all ages said it felt good to be in the tanning beds and it felt good after. They tan in place of shopping, getting massages or vacationing. And they said they knew the risks.

Experts say not everyone who tans will get skin cancer, you're just increasing your odds -- by a lot if you're young and tan over a life-time. And by even more if you burn.

Michele Lanasa, owner of Sunset, said the business has already suffered from the economy and the weather. People dont come in when it's way too cold or way to sunny.

But she and her regular customers said adults should be able to make their own choices. And she's careful about carding kids and warning the adults, too. In fact, she's even a fan of the sunless tanning lotions.

For now, adults face no restrictions, only warnings and those taxes. The war of words seems to stem from a World Health Organization agency that recently upped tanning beds to the highest category for carcinogens. And another study published in the Archives of Dermatology recently has also gotten a lot of attention. It likened the repeated use of tanning beds to an addiction.

Salon industry people say there are benefits such as new machines that don't burn. They also say that the base tan protects people from burning. But experts say all the beds damage skin and there's really no such thing as a base tan that protects you from skin cancer.

What do you think? Dangerous? Not more than smoking or drinking?

Baltimore Sun photo of Michele Lanasa at Sunset Tanning Salon in Pasadena/Amy Davis

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Categories: Women's health
        

The American Lung Association has released a new report that says the Baltimore-Washington region doesn’t have the cleanest air in the nation, but made some improvements since last year.

It still may be bad enough to harm those with asthma and other conditions, as well as young and older people. 

The State of the Air 2010 report finds that a decade’s worth of clean-up efforts, which include emissions reductions at coal-fired plants and a transition to cleaner diesel fuels, have made the nation’s air better in general. That helped this area reduce its levels of smog and soot.

The report says, however, that more than half the U.S. population suffers pollution levels that are often dangerous. Some cities, mostly in California, had dirtier air than in last year’s report.

“State of the Air 2010 proves with hard data that cleaning up air pollution produces healthier air,” said Mary H. Partridge, the American Lung Association’s national board chair, in a statement. “However, more needs to be done. We are working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on additional measures that will require even greater clean up of power plants. We are also calling for additional funding to install equipment to clean up the 20 million dirty diesel vehicles currently on the road polluting U.S. cities every day.”

The Baltimore-Washington area had the 16th worst air by ozone, or smog. And it had the 18th worst by short-term particle pollution, or soot. Air pollution data was collected in 2006-2008 around the nation.

Those with heart or lung disease, children and older adults are most likely to be affected by the particle pollution, according to the lung association. Some will develop irritated airways, coughing and difficulty breathing, and some may suffer heart attacks or even premature death. The smog irritate lungs and causes problems such as wheezing, coughing and asthma.

The Phoenix metropolitan was No. 1 for cities most-polluted by year-round particle levels. Bakersfield, Calif., had the most days of unhealthy short-term particle pollution. Los Angeles was the worst city for smog.

The Baltimore-Washington area had improvements in short-term level of particle pollution and smog, according to the report.

The lung association is urging the federal government to consider tighter limits on outdoor air pollution from coal plants and cars as part of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 2010.

Photo of Constellation Energy plant that has recently installed scrubbers/Kenneth K. Lam

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Categories: News roundup
        

Exercise, dietary supplements and programs that claim to boost your brain power have all been marketed as ways to stave off Alzheimer's. But there's no evidence that any of them work, an independent panel of experts convened by the National Institutes of Health concluded yesterday.

So far, studies haven't been able to prove if any of these strategies work to prevent cognitive decline, the panel said. The news is discouraging, for certain. The unfortunate reality is so little is known about the illness and of the aging process in general, experts said. 

Researchers have identified certain risk factors such as age and the association of a genetic variant of a protein that plays a role in cholesterol -- apolipoprotein E -- that have shown links to developing Alzheimer's. And experts hope to soon understand what role genetics play in the disease. But much more research is needed.

In addition, the panel found that chronic diseases such as diabetes and depression, and risk factors such as smoking are associated with increased risk of both Alzheimer's and cognitive decline. But it's unclear from studies if these factors actually cause Alzheimer's or are simply related.

What's clear, however, is that a review of the interventions used to prevent the disease shows little evidence that they're effective. 

 "Alzheimer's disease is a feared and heart-breaking disease," said Dr. Martha L. Daviglus, conference panel chairwoman and professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University. "We wish we could tell people that taking a pill or doing a puzzle every day would prevent this terrible disease, but current evidence doesn't support this."

Baltimore Sun photo

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Categories: General Health
        

A key element of the health reform bill allows young people to remain on their parents' health care plans until they turn 26. The provision doesn't kick until later this year, but some insurers are expanding coverage now.

Our colleague Eileen Ambrose explains in this piece published yesterday. Major insurers such as WellPoint, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, UnitedHealthcare, said they'll would continue coverage for people up to 26, without interruption. 

But what if you lose your insurance before the law kicks in? This was a question a few people had in our live chat a few weeks ago about health care reform. (Take a look at the Q&A for other common questions about how the law will affect you.) 

Young people have a few options, Ambrose explains: They can buy coverage through their parent's plan under COBRA or buy an individual policy -- cheaper ones are available for even a few months.

Got more questions about how reform will affect you? Ask away and we'll get you answers.

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Categories: Health care reform
        

Research has found that dark chocolate -- in small does -- can actually be good for you. In fact, just a few weeks ago, we reported on a study that found the sweet stuff can lower blood pressure.

Now, of course, a different study hints at a downside.

People with depression appear to consume more chocolate than people who don't, according to new research appearing in the Archives of Internal Medicine. 

The study, by University of California Davis researchers, probed the link between chocolate and mood. Researchers asked 913 men and women, who were not taking antidepressants, how much chocolate they ate.

People who screened positive for depression consumed an average of 8.4 servings of chocolate per month, while those who weren't depressed had 5.4 servings per month. People with higher scores on the screening tests -- which indicate major depression -- ate even more chocolate, 11.8 servings per month. Results were similar for men and women alike.

So what does it all mean? Is eating chocolate related to depression?

The study can't say for certain. It doesn't reflect causality, the researchers are quick to note. But the findings could underscore what many of us already believe -- when we have the blues we reach for the sweets. Chocolate is comfort food to so many people, the connection is practically cliche.

But there are other possibilities, too. The authors speculated that depression could stimulate chocolate cravings as "self treatment" or even for unrelated reasons. Or it might just contribute to depressed mood, they suggest.

Baltimore Sun photo

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Categories: Diet and exercise, Mental health
        

Calling all insomniacs: Dr. Cynthia Soriano, a pulmonologist at the Sinai Sleep Center answered your questions live. 

Sleep disorders are common, ranging from the short-term tosses and turns to chronic problems that have links to anxiety, depression and a range of physical illnesses. A new study suggests that lack of sleep might even cause people to gain weight.

Here's a replay of the chat.

  

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Categories: General Health
        

Now that it's no longer so cold and dark, do you have a big smile on your face? Do you have the urge to skip work and lay in the grass?  

Two University of North Carolina medical professionals looked at the phenomenon and say: yes, seasons do affect our mood. And "spring fever" is real.

Well, sort of.

“It depends on what you mean by 'real,'” Jon Abramowitz, professor and associate chair of psychology at the University of North Carolina, told the university. 

“When the weather turns warm, people are definitely tired of being cooped up, and they get excited about the warm weather and getting to do stuff outside,” he said.

According to the university, he says excitement may trigger the brain to secrete endorphins. Those are the chemicals that give you that sense of well being. They chemically resemble morphine, the narcotic derived from poppies.

Exercise may also contribute to spring fever: “Exercise is just as good as antidepressants for depression,” Abramowitz said.

Dr. Thomas Koonce, associate medical director at the UNC Family Medical Center, told the university that more sunlight may just help end the winter blues. Lack of daylight can cause depression because of changes in levels of melatonin, which helps regulate sleep.

He added that there isn't much scientific evidence that spring puts people in the mood for love. 

There isn't much evidence that spring put people in the mood for love, he said, but people do feel better and more energetic when it's warm. (Studies show sperm counts are actually the lowest during hot summer months.)

The university says research shows a small peak in births in February, meaning people got romantic the previous spring. But more babies are made in winter because more are born in August and September.

Some tips for a healthy and happy spring from the university:

+exercise 20 to 40 minutes most days of the week outside;

+exercise in the early morning to avoid the worst of the pollen, and stay well hydrated;

+resume exercise gradually to avoid injury;

+wear protective clothing and sunblock, and stay inside during the sunniest hours to avoid the cancer-causing rays.

AFP/Getty file photo 

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Categories: Mental health
        

Trouble sleeping? Insomnia? Can't keep your eyes open during the day? We have help coming your way.

Join us Tuesday at noon for a live chat with Dr. Cynthia Soriano, a sleep expert and pulmonologist at the sleep center at Baltimore's Sinai Hospital.

Dr. Soriano will answer questions about any sleep concerns you may be having. 

You can start asking questions now in the comments section below, or email me directly at kelly.brewington@baltsun.com. See you then!

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 2:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: General Health
        

With a nearly $3 million grant from the Vatican, University of Maryland researchers will lead an international group of scientists to study adult stem cells from the intestines with the hope of discovering treatments for diseases.

The partnership was announced this morning in Rome and you can find more details in this story I wrote for The Sun.  The Vatican will finance the project through the Italian children's hospital Bambino Gesu, with funding extending from there to the University of Maryland's Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine and other Italian partners. 

I spoke with Maryland researchers about the announcement this week, who told me the study of adult intestinal stem cells could help scientists develop cures and treatment for gut-related diseases without the ethical debates that have embroiled stem cell research for a decade.

"We don't have to get into the issue of ‘Is this destroying life'?" said Dr. Curt Civin, director of Maryland's Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine. "We just don't have to get there. This solution to obtaining cells in a totally ethically-unconflicted way is here."

Moral objections over stem cell research have focused on the use of embryonic stem cells. Scientists believe they hold promise because they can transform themselves, with the right prodding, into virtually any kind of tissue. But the Catholic church and religious conservatives object to such research because it involves destroying embryos. Adult stem cells, however, are less controversial, but up until recently were not thought to hold the same potential for medical advancement as embryonic stem cells.

Intestinal stem cells have potential because they appear to be different from many other kinds of adult stem cells because they are programmed to generate a variety of cells, said Dr. Alessio Fasano, a professor of pediatrics and physiology who is coordinating the partnership.

AP photo

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Categories: General Health
        

Nearly a third of all births in the United States are by C-section -- an all time high. The rates have increased steadily over the years, sparking debate and concern for some time with critics saying that too many mothers and their babies are exposed to major surgery.

Now, a group that advocates for preventing unnecessary cesareans aims to shed light on what they call the emotional and physical consequences of the procedure with a new art exhibit in Baltimore.

While C-sections can be life-saving, some are unnecessary and the effects can linger for a woman, the group says.

“Women are essentially hushed by their friends, families and physicians when they try to convey that their cesarean left them in pain, with complications, or with emotional consequences  ranging from lingering disappointment to full blown post-traumatic stress,” said Barbara Stratton, co-leader for the ICAN of Baltimore chapter in Maryland.  “We wanted to give women an outlet to share and validate their experiences."

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Categories: Women's health
        

Life in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit can be fraught with uncertainties, challenges and fear for new parents and caregivers alike. A new series on Discovery Health and filmed at Baltimore's Mercy Medical Center aims to capture the journey that providers, families and their babies face.

The series, called NICU DIARIES, airs in July. It features stories from Mercy as well as UCSD Medical Center in San Diego, Calif.

It's not the only national TV program featuring local babies.

Next week, TLC's "Make Room for Multiples" follows Reisterstown couple Carin and Scott Clingan and the birth of their triplets(!) Teegan, Jordyn, and Rileigh were born February 17 at Greater Baltimore Medical Center.

The TLC crew followed the couple at the tail end of the pregnancy through the C-section birth and their trip home from the hospital. The Clingans conceived the babies naturally, which is rare for triplets. They also have a 2-year-old son Truhn at home. The newborns are doing great, but the family's life has been completely transformed, say the new parents.

“Our life is definitely not the same,” said Carin Clingan.  “It’s much more chaotic, we can’t do anything spur of the moment, and it takes much more planning to do anything, even as simple as going to the park and going to Grandma’s house.”

The show airs at Tues. April 27 at 2 p.m.

Photo: The pastel-clad Clingan triplets courtesy of GBMC. Awwww!

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Categories: Pediatrics
        

It's Earth Day and the University of Maryland Medical Center is getting in on the action with a "scrub swap," office-supply exchange and clean-up activities.

Officials at the center say these kinds of activities and other green initiatives are helping reduce energy consumption and eliminate waste. They are also saving the hospital tens of thousands of dollars a year.

Here are some of the elements included in the hospital's “Green on Greene Street” campaign (the hospital is on Greene Street):

+Recycling “sharps” containers, diverting 34 tons of plastic from the waste stream, which will save more than $100,000 this year;
+Using more environmentally friendly plastic IV tubing throughout the hospital, saving $8,000;
+Purchasing patient slippers made out of recycled cotton, saving another $6,000 annually;
+Starting a full-scale waste separation and single-stream recycling program for paper, plastic, glass and aluminum that has reduced the amount of waste in the first year by nearly 600,000 pounds and increased recycling by 210,000 pounds;
+Reducing energy consumption by 5 percent a year through better management techniques and equipment, despite an increase in the number of patients;
+Starting a weekly University Farmers’ Market to increase the availability of locally grown foods, and making more local and organic foods available in the cafeteria.

As for that scrub swap, employees will donate their old scrubs and shop for “new” ones -- these aren't ones from the operating rooms, if you were wondering. Employees will also exchange office supplies to get rid of stuff they don't use and get stuff they need. 

“We’ve had considerable success in reducing our environmental footprint since we first started this program in late 2007,” said Denise Choiniere, the center's sustainability manager. “We need to dispel the myth that ‘going green’ is more expensive."

Photo courtesy of the University of Maryland Medical Center

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Categories: News roundup
        

Computer games designed to boost cognitive function and memory won't make you any smarter, according to a new study from British researchers.

The large study, appearing in the new issue of Nature, recruited viewers of the BBC show "Bang Goes the Theory" to play online games 10 minutes a day, three times a week for six weeks.

The 11,430 participants ages 18 to 60, were divided into three groups. In one, the tasks focused on cognitive skills like reasoning and problem-solving. A second worked on games that focused on short-term memory, math and attention. The third -- the control group -- surfed the web for answers to random questions.

Tests given to the subjects after the six weeks found that those who specifically trained their brains for cognitive functions didn't improve those functions.

"There were absolutely no transfer effects" from the training tasks to more general tests of cognition, Adrian Owen, a neuroscientist at the Medical Research Council (MRC) Cognition and Brian Sciences Unit in Cambridge, UK, who led the study, said to the Nature news service. "I think the expectation that practicing a broad range of cognitive tasks to get yourself smarter is completely unsupported."

But don't expect this study to end the debate over whether such games work. Computer-based brain teasing games, marketed specifically as mind-boosting, are projected be a $1 billion industry in the next five years, the WSJ reports. Research is all over the map on the issue. Meanwhile, some experts say exercise, not brain games, is what really keeps that mind sharp. 

Stock.xchng photo

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Categories: General Health
        

Deaf children who received a cochlear implants before they reached 18 months old saw a marked improvement in their ability to hear, speak and comprehend, a new study by Johns Hopkins researchers found.

Cochlear implants are a small device that stimulates the auditory nerve to provide a sense of sound to adults and children with hearing loss.

The study, appearing today in the new issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, followed 188 children ages 6 months to 5 years, who had profound hearing loss for three years. Researchers found improvements in speech and language comprehension in children across the board, but those who received implants younger than 18 months had bigger improvements. These children nearly caught up with their normal-hearing peers and tended to reach milestones faster than those who got implants later.

In fact, each year that implants are delayed can put a child behind in language development, researchers concluded.

The results are significant because children who have severe hearing loss struggle to develop language skills, because they can't detect the cues needed to recognize speech -- even when they used hearing aids, the authors write. Cochlear implants may be a better alternative for children -- especially when started younger, they concluded.

LA Times photo

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Categories: Pediatrics
        

From local health departments to big-city governments, everyone's talking about reducing Americans' love affair with salt. Today, the influential Institute of Medicine says too much salt consumption is a threat to public health and suggests in a new report that the Food and Drug Administration regulate the mineral.

The FDA told The Washington Post it plans to do just that with a campaign to reduce the amount of salt in processed foods. 

But the FDA backed off the claims in The Post, which quotes anonymous sources. In a statement issued this afternoon, the FDA says it doesn't have plans to do so at the moment. Instead, the agency says it plans to review the IOM report, which recommends that the FDA set new standards for how much salt restaurants, food manufacturers and food service companies can add to food.

Either way, the IOM report is clear about what the FDA should do. Recommended daily sodium intake is 2,300 milligrams -- or about a teaspoon. But Americans consume about a teaspoon and a half, or 3,400 milligrams, according to the report written by a panel of health experts. They suggest that intake be ratcheted down to 1,500 milligrams. People over 50 need even less, they said.

The goal isn't to ban salt, the panel says. Rather, the idea is to limit the harmful effects of consuming too much. Excessive salt intake increases the risks of hypertension, heart disease and stroke. 

Regulation is needed because public education campaigns don't work and the food industry hasn't done enough to cut back on sodium, the report states.

Certainly some manufacturers have started to limit sodium in their products. Here's a piece from the WSJ on recent efforts. 

The folks at the Salt Institute, which represents salt producers, says science doesn't back up the recommendations.

"Should the federal government regulate consumption of very low levels of salt, they are effectively compelling the entire population take part in the largest clinical trial ever carried out, without their knowledge or consent," said Lori Roman, president of the Salt Institute, told CNN.

What do you think?

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 2:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Cardiovascular Health, Diet and exercise
        

Frequent users of tanning beds know that exposure to ultraviolet light is bad for them. But they do it anyway. And doing so may be an indication of addictive behavior, says new research appearing in the latest issue of  the journal Archives of Dermatology.

Researchers asked 421 college students about their tanning use with questionnaires designed to screen for addictive behavior. Of the 229 who said they used tanning beds, nearly 40 percent met the criteria for addiction on one measure and 31 percent met the criteria on another measure.

In addition, tanners who met these criteria were more likely to report anxiety and higher uses of alcohol and marijuana, the study found. 

Despite the warnings and calls for bans on the practice for minors (officials in Howard County, Maryland passed one last year) young people's usage of tanning beds is on the rise, the paper states. 

We know studies like these that rely on self-reporting have limitations. But the findings sure are thought provoking and probe what's the allure of tanning despite all the risks of skin cancer? 

"In addition to the desire for appearance enhancement, motivations for tanning include relaxation, improved mood and socialization," write the researchers from Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and the State University of New York at Albany. Given that kind of reinforcement, perhaps tanners return to the beds because they're motivated by the same kind of craving that addicts have for other substances, they authors suggest.

Baltimore Sun photo

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Categories: General Health
        

Swollen, stiff joints that make everyday activities painful are hallmarks of arthritis. Pain so debilitating that it limits work and other activities is especially common for blacks and Hispanics, even though they have less prevalence of the disease, new research from the CDC finds.

Blacks and Hispanics were twice as likely as other ethnic groups to report severe joint pain and work limitations, according to the study appearing in the latest issue of Preventing Chronic Disease, a publication of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Arthritis is the most common cause for disability in the United States, affecting one in five people, according to CDC statistics. While the prevalence for whites is about 24 percent, it's 19 percent among blacks and about 11 percent among Hispanics.

As with many racial health disparities, researchers don't know the reason for the difference. But they suggest it likely has to do with language barriers, problems with access to health care for minorities and minorities' increased risk factors for arthritis such as obesity or even working more demanding jobs. The findings point to the need for more culturally-sensitive care and more research to better tackle the problem, the authors said.

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Categories: General Health
        

President Obama ordered hospitals yesterday to extend visitation rights to gay and lesbian couples. The order applies to hospitals that receive Medicaid or Medicare funding -- which is the vast majority nationwide -- and builds off similar measures in states such as Maryland.

Here, lawmakers passed legislation in 2008 giving unmarried couples a number of health-related rights, such as medical and funeral decision-making and hospital visitation. It was seen as a huge victory by gay rights advocates who fought for a number of bills including same-sex marriage legislation, which failed.

The president's order has little effect on Maryland's hospitals which have "been doing this for years," said Jessica Jackson, a spokeswoman at the Maryland Hospital Association. 

Nevertheless, specifying that same-sex couples can no longer be treated any differently than heterosexual couples when it comes to visitation has been hailed as a huge step toward equality by gay rights supporters. Meanwhile, some opponents called the order "pandering," and that it "undermines the definition of marriage," the WSJ reports.

Said Obama in his memo: 

"Every day, all across America, patients are denied the kindnesses and caring of a loved one at their sides -- whether in a sudden medical emergency or a prolonged hospital stay...uniquely affected are gay and lesbian Americans who are often barred from the bedsides of the partners with whom they may have spent decades of their lives -- unable to be there for the person they love, and unable to act as a legal surrogate if their partner is incapacitated."

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Categories: News roundup
        

Rates of illness from E.coli decreased in 2009 to the lowest level in five years, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The agency credits better safety measures for the decrease. It's important because a particular strain of E.coli, known as E.coli 0157, causes diarrhea, cramps and fever, is responsible for 5 to 10 percent of the infection causes of kidney disease and can cause severe illness in children and the elderly.

But the CDC had less success fighting other foodborne illnesses. The agency's Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network, which tracks nine illnesses in 10 states, found Salmonella infections were down only slightly, while the rates of two other illnesses rose -- Vibrio, which is rare and related to shellfish, and Listeria, which is associated with deli meats and unpasteurized food.

Getting a handle on Salmonella infections is a priority for the agency, which said its furthest from its goal in controlling such infections.

So, what can you do to prevent getting sick? Here are some tips from the CDC (plus, more info here on overall food safety):

    * CLEAN: Wash hands and surfaces often
    * SEPARATE: Don't cross-contaminate!
    * COOK: Cook to proper temperature
    * CHILL: Refrigerate promptly

CDC photo of E.coli.

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 11:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Diet and exercise
        

It's no surprise that people who lack health insurance often put off routine medical care. But a new study suggests that patients with financial difficulties will even delay seeking care in an emergency such as a heart attack.

The research, appearing in the Journal of the American Medical Association, examined some 3,700  patients in 24 U.S. hospitals between 2005 and 2008. Nearly half of uninsured patients waited more than 6 hours after the start of symptoms to arrive at the hospital, compared to 40 percent of insured patients. 

Even patients who had insurance -- but who were worried about money -- waited longer to seek care, the study found. 

In general, of patients who had insurance, but reported financial problems 83 percent said they avoided medical care, 56 percent said they didn't take medications and 13 percent said they had trouble getting health care services because of cost.

When it comes to treating cardiac arrest, time is everything.  "A victim's chance of survival is reduced 7 to 10 percent for every minute that passes without CPR or defibrillation," Dr. Leigh Vinocur, an emergency physician at the University of Maryland Medical Center, told me a few months ago for a story I wrote about a fatal house fire. "Few attempts are successful after 10 minutes or so."

The authors, of Tilburg University in the Netherlands and several research centers in the U.S., said the findings suggest that patients with concerns about money are also likely to delay seeking care for other common medical conditions.

AP photo

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Categories: Cardiovascular Health
        

The web has changed medical practice like nothing else in recent years. Diagnose yourself. Chat it up with people with similar health problems. Gain access to the websites that medical experts use to educate themselves on the latest health topic.

But there's a point when too much unfiltered surfing is a bad thing, warns a recent article in the New England Journal of Medicine. Misleading information, myths and downright falsehoods on the internet can steer patients down a dangerous path, warn the authors, researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. Don't navigate those health sites alone, they say. Be sure to consult with your doctor.

The study offers examples of where self-diagnosis online has led only to acute hypochondria and unnecessary fretting. Full disclosure: I do this. A lot. And who doesn't? It's so easy to ask Dr. Google, as I like to call it and get an instant answer.

But this isn't the only downside to relying on the web for medical information. The study also takes on the trend of hospitals and doctors' offices making lab results available on the web. Sure it's convenient. But patients can be confused by results. In short: nothing should take the place of a trained professional who can walk you through your health care, the study states. 

Besides, isn't medicine also about the relationship between patient and provider? Does the web get us away from that tradition?

What do you think? Do you use the web to navigate your health issues? Good or bad idea?

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: General Health
        

Sneezing? Stuffy? It seems allergy season is upon us. Dr. Manav Singla, who is board certified in allergy and immunology and pediatrics, will be here to answer questions at noon. Singla, of Union Memorial Hospital, is a clinical assistant professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and he has published articles about allergy and immunology. He's also involved in teaching physicians-in-training about asthma, allergic disease and immune problems.

The live chat doesn't start until noon, but you can begin to ask questions now, either in the comments or via our widget below.

Posted by Carla Correa at 9:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: Allergies
        

McCormick seasoning says adding spices to your food isn't just tasty, it has proven health benefits, notes this story in The Sun's business section by our colleague Andrea Walker.

Through its Science Institute, started in 2007, the company promotes and studies how spices can affect health.  

Of course, the company's motives aren't purely scientific. McCormick hopes to profit from the claims. And it's not the only company to do so, the story explains. 

Not everyone thinks that's a good idea. 

The Center for Science in the Public Interest thinks consumers should be cautious about health claims made by food companies that pay for research. Better to trust the National Institutes of Health instead, it says.

Many spices have health benefits -- that isn't necessarily new. But should a company look to profit from those claims? Would you trust its research? 

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Diet and exercise
        

Our colleague Jacques Kelly has this obituary on Dr. Nicholas J. Fortuin, a popular John Hopkins cardiologist who died today. He was 69.

The physician and professor did research involving new concepts in the distribution of blood flow in heart. During his early years, he developed the first laboratory of echocardiography at Hopkins and promoted the use of this then new technique in a clinical setting.

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 4:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: General Health
        

When it comes to disciplining toddlers, spanking doesn't work and it can even make them more aggressive later on, according to a new study in the journal Pediatrics. 

Researchers at Tulane University studied about 2,500 3-year-olds and found that children whose mothers spanked them more than twice in a month were more likely to show higher levels of aggression by the time they turned 5. Researchers said they controlled for the child's initial aggression levels and issues that increase the risk that a child will act aggressively, such as a mother's depression, substance abuse and intimate partner violence.

The study underscores similar findings in other research and is in line with a long held position by the American Academy of Pediatrics, which recommends against corporal punishment. Instead, the group advises parents to consider "time outs" and withholding privileges as more effective ways to discipline a child.

Nevertheless, most Americans seem to support corporal punishment, the study explains citing a 2005 poll that found 72 percent of adults reported that it was “OK to spank a child.”

Do you? What do you think about corporal punishment? What kind of discipline is appropriate and at what ages?

Baltimore Sun photo

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 12:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)
Categories: Pediatrics
        

Starting today, Johns Hopkins Hospital's Wellness Corner in its main cafeteria will go meatless on Mondays, encouraging, staff, patients and visitors to load up on healthy fruits, grains and veggies.

Only vegetarian meals will be served in the hospital's Cobblestone Cafe in observance of the national campaign launched in 2003 by Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future. The goal: to reduce meat consumption by 15% to encourage better health for people and the planet.

The program caused quite the stir when it was embraced by Baltimore schools last year. But nationwide, efforts to go meat-free are catching on. Leaders in San Francisco -- shocking, I know -- passed a resolution just last week encouraging residents to eat their veggies on Mondays. But even in a city where hippies wear their eco-consciousness on their sleeves, residents don't seem to be rallying behind the movement just yet.

What's your take on the campaign? Any Meatless Mondays observers here? 

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Diet and exercise
        

Pollen. It's everywhere. Causing itchy eyes, scratchy throats and blanketing cars with yucky green dust. Already high pollen counts this spring are causing serious trouble for allergy sufferers.

Do you have questions about your allergies? Looking for remedies that work? We'll have answers for you Tuesday at noon during our live chat with Dr. Manav Singla, a Union Memorial Hospital allergist and immunologist.

You can start asking your questions now in the comments space below, or email me at kelly.brewington@baltsun.com.

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 11:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Allergies
        

It's in anti-bacterial soap, some toothpastes, and even socks. Triclosan is an antimicrobial additive you probably never heard of, but it's raising eyebrows at the Food and Drug Administration after recent animal studies have shown it could alter hormone regulation. 

The last time the FDA reviewed the chemical it found it caused no harm to humans.

But yesterday the agency said it would reexamine it in response to a letter from Rep. Edward J. Markey, a Mass. Democrat and chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and the Environment, who has been pushing for stricter federal regulation of the chemical.

Recent studies warrant a further review of triclosan, the agency said. 

The chemical is added to products to reduce bacterial contamination. But when it comes to washing your hands, the FDA has said that anti-bacterial soaps work no better than the regular old sudsy variety.

Meanwhile, the agency did find advantages to the chemical. A review in 1997 found triclocan in Colgate Total toothpaste to help prevent gingivitis.

Still, Markey thinks the chemical should be banned from use in consumer products, particularly those marketed to children and those used in food preparation.

"The proliferation of triclosan in everyday consumer products is so enormous, it is literally in almost every type of product -- most soaps, toothpaste, cosmetics, clothes and toys," Markey told The Washington Post. "It's in our drinking water, it's in our rivers and as a result, it's in our bodies. . . . I don't think a lot of additional data has to be collected in order to make the simple decisions about children's toys and soaps that people use. It clearly is something that creates a danger."

EDITED to add: 

The Soap and Detergent Association, which represents the $30 billion cleaning products market in the U.S., contacted us and offered this statement about the FDA's concerns about the chemical...

The group says that other research shows that anti-bacterial products are effective and safe. According to the statement:

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: General Health
        

Looking for even more health and fitness news? The Sun recently launched a new Health & Style section in the print paper on Thursdays. It covers health, fitness, style and fashion and you can find many of the stories at www.baltimoresun.com/health. Follow us on Twitter @BaltSunHealth and become a fan on Facebook.

In addition, we'll be doing more regular "Ask an Expert" live chats on the blog, like the one we did earlier this week with a dentist and and another we did recently about health reform. Also, check out our new health calendar on to the right, where we featured all the latest health and medical happenings in the Baltimore area.

This is as good a time as any for us to ask for your feedback. Got a suggestion about how we can make Picture of Health even better? Let us know!

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 3:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: General Health
        

Faculty from the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy and Dental School will offer oral cancer screenings and review seniors' prescription medication today during a free dance and lunch event at St. Mary's Outreach Center in Baltimore.

Nicole Brandt, of the pharmacy school, is hoping to raise awareness about a new Maryland law she advocated for which requires assisted living facilities to have a pharmacists regularly review medication for each resident. 

The dance and health fair runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at St. Mary's Outreach Center at 3900 Roland Ave. in Baltimore. 

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 10:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: General Health
        

While previous studies have shown that doctors harbor negative attitudes toward their obese patients, new research finds that overweight people get the same care from their doctors as everyone else.

The study appearing in the latest issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association examined eight quality measures of 70,000 patients who received care from Medicare or the Veterans Health Administration.

The researchers from the University of Pennsylvania looked at how doctors treated patients when providing diabetes care, vaccines, mammograms and other screenings. Across all measures, overweight and obese patients got the same recommended care as everyone else, the study found.

In fact, in some cases, obese patients were more likely to get recommended care than their thin counterparts. Notably, the rates were higher among obese patients for diabetes screening, which you might expect, and vaccinations, which you might not.

The study has a few limitations, mainly that researchers looked at just 8 measures of quality. Overweight and obese patients may be receiving substandard care in other areas, the authors said.  

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: General Health
        

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova has been diagnosed with a non-invasive breast cancer called ductal carcinoma in situ. Known as DCIS, the condition affects the milk ducts and has about a 98 percent survival rate.

The malignancy can be detected by mammograms and accounts for 20 to 25 percent of all breast cancers diagnoses. But how and if to treat it remains controversial, particularly in light of renewed debate over the merits of breast cancer screening for women in their 40s.

Researchers with the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force say it's unknown if DCIS progresses to an invasive cancer and argue that treatment of it may represent overdiagnosis and overtreatment.

A recent study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute recently called for more research on how to deal with DCIS, the LA Times explains.

AP photo

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 2:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Cancer, Women's health
        

State budget cuts could mean permanent scaling back on key programs at local health departments across Maryland, according to this story in today's Sun. 

Pregnancy clinics, programs to treat chronic diseases and even food inspections could be weakened, local health department chiefs warn.

The General Assembly is likely to pass a spending plan that allots just $37 million for state health departments -- the same amount  they got back in 1997. In recent years, state funding to departments was $73 million.

Those big cuts come at a time when public health departments are already struggling, say officials. 

Decreased funding hurts more than just the poor, the story explains. In Howard County, the next round of cuts will hurt food inspections, meaning two reviews a year of restaurants instead of the state-required three, said Dr. Peter Beilenson, county health officer.

Howard's health department has lost 25 percent of its staff in the past two years, eliminated a maternity clinic that served up to 400 pregnant women a year, cut dental care and reduced and privatized AIDS services.

It's a familiar story playing out among cash-strapped states across the nation.

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 11:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: General Health
        

Medical advances have made it easier to successfully treat childhood cancers. But doing so may come at a price later in life, a new study suggests.

Children surviving cancer may live a decade less than the general population, according to a paper by Harvard researchers appearing in the latest issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Depending on the type of cancer, the expected loss of life ranges from four to 17 years, researchers found. The study was done using a computer model based on how patients were treated 20 to 40 years ago, to estimate the toll childhood cancers can take. 

Doctors know that cancer survivors are more likely to die from a subsequent cancer, a cardiac problem or lung complications. They also have higher rates of chronic conditions. 

Still, the findings surprised researchers who called the risk of a shortened lifespan "disheartening." 

But they also offered a more optimistic view. The study was based on how children were treated in the 70s and 80s when cancer treatments were more toxic.

"It's our hope that when we see data from more recent cohorts of patients, there will be improved life expectancy as a result of some of the changes pediatric oncologists have made," said Dr. Lisa Diller, clinical director of Pediatric Oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and one of the study's authors. 

Indeed, researchers found the data from kids who had cancer in the 70s showed they had more problems later in life than those in the 80s.

Overall, cure rates of childhood cancers have improved over the last four decades. About 10,000 children are diagnosed with cancer annually and the five-year survival rate is about 80 percent.

Baltimore Sun photo

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Pediatrics
        

The Picture of Health blog will feature a live chat today with Dr. Gary D. Hack of the University of Maryland Dental School. Hack is an associate professor and director of clinical simulation in the Department of Endodontics, Prosthodontics and Operative Dentistry. He'll be available at noon to answer your questions about teeth and dental care; if you can't make the chat, submit a question now. We look forward to chatting!

Posted by Carla Correa at 9:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (14)
        

When it comes to lowering the number of repeated teenage births, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore researchers found that computer-assisted, home-based intervention appears to reduce the risk among low-income teens and at a reasonable cost.

The researchers' report can be found in the April issue of "Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine." 

The researchers note that after 14 years of decline, the U.S. Teenage birth rate increased in 2006 and 2007. Multiple teen births among African American and Hispanic girls are more common and hard to prevent, the researchers said. And the results can be devastating to them and the public.

"Both first and subsequent births to U.S. teenages produce substantial detrimental health, social and economic burdens," according to the report. "Repeated childbearing during adolescence compounds the risk of academic failure for the teenage mother and increases the public costs associated with child welfare, criminal justice system involvement and long-term poverty." 

Dr. Beth Barnet of the University of Maryland School of Medicine and her colleagues assessed costs associated with an intervention that achieved a 45 percent reduction in repeated births within 2 years in a previous study. The mothers were low-income African American teens.

The pregnant girls, 235 of them 18 or younger, were recruited and assigned to usual care or one of two home-based interventios, a quarterly computer-assisted motivational intervention or that intervention plus two visits by a counselor. After 24 months, teens receiving either intervention were significantly less likely to have another baby. The average cost per teen was $2,064.

Few studies have been evaluated for costs and benefits, according to the researchers. They said their findings suggest that computer-assisted motivational intervention is "at least as cost-effective as these programs and warrents replication in larger samples."

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Medical studies
        

Some 73 percent of Americans say they support their state legalizing medical marijuana, a new survey from the Pew Research Center found. Interestingly enough, support tends to span gender, race, age, religion and political ideology, although people under 30 and Democrats support it by higher margins.

That doesn't mean people are for legalization without limits. Nearly half -- 45 percent -- said they would be concerned if a store selling medical marijuana opened in their area, according to the survey of 1,500 adults. Another 46 percent said they think legalizing the drug for medical purposes makes it easier for people to smoke pot even if they don't have a real medical need for it. 

Still, the percentage of people who support medical marijuana has grown over the lat 20 years, the study points out. 

The survey comes as states nationwide are considering legalizing the drug for medical purposes -- Maryland included. We told you about our state's effort a few months ago. However, with the legislative session in the home stretch, neither bill in the Senate or the House has gotten out of committee.

So who is using marijuana, or has ever tried it? About four in 10 say they have tried the drug, with men, younger people and Democrats and Independents more likely to have indulged. There was virtually no difference by income or race or region of the country. 

Surprised? Other polls have found even larger measures of support for legalization of medical marijuana. 

AP photo

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (13)
Categories: General Health
        

Here's a new health care controversy out of small-town Florida making a national news splash today. A Central Florida urologist upset about health care reform is telling his Obama-supporting patients that they should look for care somewhere else, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

A sign posted to the office door of Dr. Jack Cassell reads: "If you voted for Obama … seek urologic care elsewhere. Changes to your healthcare begin right now, not in four years."

The doctor insists his stance isn't unethical -- he's not turning patients away. "But if they read the sign and turn the other way, so be it," he told the paper.

Bioethics experts say Cassell is walking a fine line between his obligation to take care of patients and his right to express his views freely.

What do you think? Is the doctor behaving ethically?  

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 3:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (12)
Categories: Health care reform
        

Say it ain't so! Just two days ago, we were extolling the virtues of Easter chocolate for your health (dark chocolate, that is, and in small doses, mind you). Now we learn that parents are cracking down on Easter basket sweets. 

No chocolate bunnies, no jelly beans, no Peeps, says this piece in today's Sun by our colleague Jill Rosen.

Health experts say it's a welcomed change, considering that nationwide one in three children are overweight. The last thing an overweight child needs is a basket brimming over with junk food.

Even some stores are getting in on the trend, advertising Easter-themed gadgets rather than chocolate.

With all our talk about childhood obesity here, I'm interested to hear what you guys think. Good idea, or does Easter deserve a pass from the food police?

Baltimore Sun photo

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 12:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Pediatrics
        

Gov. Martin O'Malley has proclaimed April as Autism Awareness Month in response to the "alarming" increase in the diagnosis of austism spectrum disorders.  

Maryland has seen a 57 percent increase in the number of autism-related diagnoses from 2002-2006.  

"A growing number of Maryland families need the research, intervention and continuous care to properly deal with an autism-related diagnosis," said O'Malley, in a statement. "We want to understand the state-of-the-art in autism programs so we can provide the highest level of assistance possible to every Maryland child and adult with this unique need."

In response, state legislators passed a bill last year to form the the Maryland Commission on Austism. The panel is chaired by health and education officials and is working on a comprehensive statewide austism plan. The next meeting is late April but there will be fact-finding session in different regions of the state. A preliminary report is due June 1, 2011, and a final report is due a year later.

For information on the commission's work and meetings, click here.

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: News roundup
        

Faced with about a half million soon-to-expire doses of swine flu vaccine, Maryland health officials announced this afternoon a new vaccination campaign next week with 150 free clinics statewide. (See a schedule here)

The state and the nation are confronted with a predicament: try to convince a skeptical public it’s not too late to get vaccinated against the H1N1 virus, or throw away millions of doses if they aren’t used before they expire.

The state’s effort comes on the heels of reports in The Washington Post that the federal government has nearly 72 million unused doses of H1N1 vaccine that could be thrown away.

Much of the vaccine hasn't yet expired, but most if it will by the end of June, said Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, in a telephone press briefing to reporters. She said every year some portion of the flu vaccine is discarded. This year, in particular, officials wanted to have enough for every American who wanted one, she said.

"It’s unlikely that all the vaccine out there will be used up,” she said. “But we made a conscious decision to be prepared and assured that we would have more than enough vaccine.”

The overabundance of vaccine raises questions about how the government handled a more than $1 billion mass vaccination campaign to confront the H1N1 pandemic.

At the height of the outbreak last fall, infectious disease experts and public health officials warned of dire consequences if people didn't get vaccinated. The virus was new, spreading fast and unlike seasonal strains, was striking the young and largely sparing the elderly.

But vaccine makers couldn’t fill the government’s requests fast enough and initial vaccine shortfalls left anxious-vaccine seekers frustrated. By December, however, infections began to wane and once-mobbed vaccine clinics saw just a trickle of people.

Maryland’s renewed push to use up the vaccine comes as the state reported today its 45th death from the virus. Nationwide, the virus has sickened 60 million people, responsible for 265,000 hospitalizations and 12,000 deaths. While about 36,000 people die in a typical flu season, the CDC points out this new flu has meant severe complications for children, pregnant women and people with underlying health problems.

As we reported earlier this week, federal officials continued their vaccine mantra -- this time even the Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin got involved -- and warned of new infections in the Southeast, even in these final days of the flu season.

Meanwhile, the CDC released data this afternoon on this season's flu vaccination coverage in the states and among health care workers.

States varied widely in vaccination rates. Nationally, nearly 1 in four people --23.9 percent -- received a swine flu vaccine, the report found. For children under 18, the median rate nationally was 37 percent. Maryland's rate for children was slightly higher at 41 percent.

Posted by Kelly Brewington at 3:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Swine flu/H1N1
        

Go ahead and enjoy some Easter candy. Not a lot. And make sure it's chocolate. The dark kind.

A new study published online Wednesday in the European Heart Journal says small quantities of dark chocolate -- just one small square a day, or this week, one small egg -- can lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart disease.

This is the latest study to make such a finding, but I thought that I'd give it some play since the Easter baskets are coming.

Researchers in Germany followed more than 19,000 people who were between 35 and 65 for at least 10 years and found that those who ate the most amount of chocolate had the lower blood pressure and and a 39 percent lower risk of having a heart attack or stroke. The good amount was an average of 7.5 grams a day. Those with worse result ae 1.7 grams a day. (The 6-gram difference was equal to less than one small square of a 100 gram bar.)

Dr Brian Buijsse, a nutritional epidemiologist at the German Institute of Human Nutrition, Nuthetal, Germany, who led the research, warned that it was important that people did not increase the overall amount of calories or reduce their intake of healthy foods. Sorry, can't live on chocolate alone.

As in other studies, the researcher say it's the flavanols in cocoa that are likely behind the lower blood pressure. There's more cocoa in dark chocolate, explaining the increased benefits of that kind. The flavanols appear to increase the availability of nitric oxide in the cells that line the inner wall of blood vessels. That nitric oxide causes the smooth muscle cells of the blood vessels to relax and widen, leading to lower blood pressure. It also improves platelet function.

But again, moderation. About 100 grams of dark chocolate contains roughly 500 calories. 

McClatchy-Tribune photo

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Medical studies