Gastroenteritis Outbreak Tied to Later Health

Problems

FRIDAY, Nov. 19 (HealthDay News) -- People who have gastroenteritis after drinking water
contaminated with Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Campylobacter may have a higher risk of renal
impairment, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension, according to research published Nov. 17
in BMJ.

William F. Clark, M.D., of the London Health Sciences Centre in Canada, and colleagues
analyzed data from 1,977 adults in the Walkerton Health Study. Participants were recruited after
a gastroenteritis outbreak following the contamination of a municipal water system.

The researchers found that 54 percent of the participants reported acute gastroenteritis during the
outbreak. Those with acute gastroenteritis were more likely to have incident hypertension
compared to those with no or mild illness (38 versus 32 percent; adjusted hazard ratio [aHR],
1.33). Those exposed to acute gastroenteritis were more likely to have two indicators of renal
impairment, which were microalbuminuria or an estimated glomerular filtration rate less than 60
ml/min/1.73 m² (2.1 versus 0.9 percent, aHR, 3.41). The risk of cardiovascular disease was also
higher after the illness (aHR, 2.13).

"This study represents a rare opportunity to assess the long term sequelae after acute
gastroenteritis from drinking bacterially contaminated water. Our findings underline the need for
following up individual cases of food or water poisoning by E. coli O157:H7 to prevent or
reduce silent progressive vascular injury," the researchers conclude.

Copyright © 2010 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Risk of Mammography Radiation Found to Be

Low
http://allnurses.com/clinical-news/risk-mammography-radiation-517059.html
THURSDAY, Nov. 18 (HealthDay News) -- Among women aged 40 and older undergoing
routine mammographic screening, the risk of resulting radiation-induced breast cancer is low,
suggesting that women shouldn't be deterred from mammography for this concern, according to
research published online Nov. 16 in Radiology.

Martin J. Yaffe, Ph.D., and James G. Mainprize, Ph.D., of the University of Toronto, analyzed
data from a model including 100,000 women who received a dose of 3.7 mGy to both breasts for
a standard digital mammography examination.

The researchers predicted that annual screening from ages 40 to 55, then biennially to age 74
would induce 86 breast cancers, with 11 deaths due to radiation-induced breast cancer. Among
the cohort following this regimen, 136 woman-years would be lost from radiation-induced
cancer, but 10,670 woman-years would be saved from the screening. The authors conclude that
the small risk of radiation-induced cancer should not be a deterrent from mammography in
women over 40.

"The predicted risk of radiation-induced breast cancer from mammographic screening is low in
terms of the number of cancers induced, the number of potential deaths, and the number of
woman-years of life lost," the researchers conclude. "For women 40 years of age and older, the
expected benefit of reduction in premature mortality afforded by routine mammographic
screening in terms of either lives saved or woman-years of life saved greatly exceeds this risk."

The authors disclosed financial relationships with GE Healthcare and Matakina Technology.

Copyright © 2010 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

3-Year-Olds' Weight Is Determinant of Systolic

BPtHURSDAY, Nov. 18 (HealthDay News) -- In 3-year-old children, current weight is a
determinant of systolic blood pressure while postnatal growth to 6 months of age is more
predictive than birth weight, according to a study published online Nov. 15 in Pediatrics.

Peter C. Hindmarsh, M.D., of the University College London, and colleagues monitored the
systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of 590 3-year-olds and related
their blood pressure measurements to their size at birth, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years, and their
current size. The researchers also collected information on maternal hypertension and other
family history of hypertension.

The researchers found SBP was related positively to weight at ages 2 and 3 years and, after
adjustment for the child's current size, was related negatively to weight at birth and 6 months. In
multivariate linear regression analysis, weight at age 3 and family history of hypertension
positively influenced SBP, but weight at 6 months negatively influenced it. No significant
associations were seen for DBP. In addition, a family history of hypertension had an important
role in determining maternal blood pressure.

"These observations suggest that, in addition to early growth effects on blood pressure,
consideration needs to be given to genetic factors influencing the growth process, the evolution
of blood pressure, or both," the authors write.

Copyright © 2010 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Low Vitamin D Levels May Be Detrimental in

LeukemiaTHURSDAY, Nov. 18 (HealthDay News) -- Insufficient vitamin D levels in
people with chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL) appear to be
associated with faster disease progression and a higher mortality rate, according to research
published online Nov. 3 in Blood.

Tait D. Shanafelt, M.D., of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and colleagues tested 390 CLL
patients for 25-hydroxyvitamin D plasma concentration and followed them over three years to
evaluate the relationship of vitamin D levels with time-to-treatment (TTT) and overall survival
(OS). They also followed an observation cohort of 153 untreated individuals with CLL for a
median of 9.9 years.

In the first group, the researchers found that 30.5 percent of the patients were found to have
insufficient vitamin D levels; after a median of three years, those with deficient vitamin D levels
had a 66 percent greater risk of progressing and needing chemotherapy, and twice the risk of
dying. In the observation group, 39.9 percent were found to have vitamin D deficiencies at time
of diagnosis, and were significantly more likely to progress in their disease and to die.

"Vitamin D insufficiency is associated with inferior TTT and OS in CLL patients. Whether
normalizing vitamin D levels in deficient CLL patients would improve outcome merits clinical
testing," the authors write.

Vitamin D Tied to Cardiovascular Risk Factors,

DiseaseFRIDAY, Nov. 12 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers combing a large database
have found evidence to suggest that vitamin D levels play a highly significant role in
cardiovascular health, according to an article published in the Oct. 1 issue of the American
Journal of Cardiology.

Jeffrey L. Anderson, M.D., of the Intermountain Medical Center in Murray, Utah, and colleagues
analyzed 41,504 patient records with at least one measured vitamin D level to determine the
prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and how that relates to cardiovascular risk factors, disease,
and mortality.

The researchers found a 63.6 percent prevalence of vitamin D deficiency, which was associated
with highly significant increases in diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and peripheral
vascular disease. Levels of vitamin D were also found to be strongly associated with coronary
artery disease, myocardial infarction, heart failure, stroke, and mortality.

"In conclusion, we have confirmed a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in the general
health care population and an association between vitamin D levels and prevalent and incident
cardiovascular risk factors and outcomes. These observations lend strong support to the
hypothesis that vitamin D might play a primary role in cardiovascular risk factors and disease.
Given the ease of vitamin D measurement and replacement, prospective studies of vitamin D
supplementation to prevent and treat cardiovascular disease are urgently needed," the authors
write.
Vitamin E Tied to Increased Risk for
Hemorrhagic StrokeFRIDAY, Nov. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Vitamin E
supplementation appears to be associated with a 10 percent reduction in the risk for
ischemic stroke but a 22 percent increase in the risk for hemorrhagic stroke,
according to research published Nov. 4 in BMJ.

Markus Schurks, M.D., of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, and colleagues
conducted a meta-analysis of nine randomized, placebo-controlled trials including
118,765 participants (59,357 randomized to vitamin E and 59,408 to placebo) to
evaluate the impact of vitamin E on incident total, ischemic, and hemorrhagic stroke.

The researchers found that, in subjects taking vitamin E, the risk of ischemic stroke
fell (pooled relative risk, 0.90), but the risk for hemorrhagic stroke increased (pooled
relative risk, 1.22). They identified an absolute risk of one hemorrhagic stroke for
every 1,250 people taking vitamin E, and avoidance of one ischemic stroke for every
476 people taking vitamin E.

"In this meta-analysis, vitamin E increased the risk for hemorrhagic stroke by 22
percent and reduced the risk of ischemic stroke by 10 percent. This differential risk
pattern is obscured when looking at total stroke. Given the relatively small risk
reduction of ischemic stroke and the generally more severe outcome of hemorrhagic
stroke, indiscriminate widespread use of vitamin E should be cautioned against," the
authors write.

Allergies Tied to Higher Coronary Heart

Disease RiskTHURSDAY, Nov. 4 (HealthDay News) -- Common allergies
may be linked to an increased risk for coronary heart disease (CHD), especially in
women under the age of 50, according to research published in the Oct. 1 issue of the
American Journal of Cardiology.

Jongoh Kim, M.D., of the Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, and
colleagues used the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III to gather
data on people with allergy symptoms for an investigation of a possible correlation
between allergies and increased risk of CHD.

The researchers identified 8,653 individuals aged 20 or older with at least eight hours
of overnight fasting, 5.9 percent of whom had CHD; 36.5 percent had no allergy
symptoms, 45.9 percent had rhinoconjunctivitis, and 17.6 percent had wheezing.
CHD was prevalent in 3.9 percent of those with no allergic symptoms, 4.8 percent of
those with rhinoconjunctivitis, and 12.8 percent of those with wheezing. However,
only in the group of women under age 50 were the odds ratios in rhinoconjunctivitis
and wheezing significantly increased.
"Only women had a significantly increased risk of CHD from allergic symptoms. This
finding is consistent with previous studies based on asthmatic patients. In general,
allergic disease is more common in women after adolescence and it is thought that sex
hormones modulate immune response," the authors write.