Adults Can Still "Outgrow" Asthma

Adults may have finished growing, but it's not too late for them to "outgrow" their asthma, much as children often do, researchers say. Adults with less severe asthma stand the best chance of improving or even becoming symptom-free over time, and early treatment appears to play an important role, according to a report published in this month's issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

Elderly at Risk Crossing Streets

The walking speed of most elderly people may be too slow to get them safely across streets, research suggests. Fewer than 1% of pedestrians studied had a normal walking speed fast enough to cross the street in the time usually allotted by traffic signals. Researchers recommend longer signal crossing times for areas with large elderly populations to accommodate slower pedestrians.

Diphtheria Lurks in U.S.

Diphtheria, an infection which killed many children in the early part of the century, is still circulating in the U.S. A 54-year-old unvaccinated woman in Terre Haute, Indiana, who developed vomiting, severe sore throat, neck swelling, inability to swallow, and difficulty breathing turned out to have diphtheria. Health experts warn that a strain of the bacteria carried by farm animals can cause disease in humans.

MEN1 Tumor Gene Found

Ten years of investigation has led to discovery of a gene responsible for an inherited disease that can result in tumors of at multiple sites in the body. People with mutations in the newly identified MEN1 gene are at risk for developing a combination of parathyroid and pituitary gland tumors, and tumors of the pancreas. The syndrome is inherited as an autosomal dominant trait, meaning each child born to an affected parent has a 50% chance of inheriting the gene that causes it.

Toe-Walkers May Need Speech Help

Children who habitually walk on their toes may have significant delays in their speech and language development, according to a small study of preschool children. The seemingly benign action may be a sign of deficits that could pose trouble for children in school if not diagnosed and corrected with speech and language therapy, according Dr. Lisa H. Shulman, and colleagues from the Hospital for Joint Diseases in New York City.

New Nutrient Guidelines on the Way

The recommended dietary allowances, or RDA -- the optimal intake of nutrients -- is used to calculate the nutrition labels of nearly every food item sold in the U.S. However, health experts are currently in the process of overhauling the RDA, according to a report scheduled to be presented this week at the American Chemical Society meeting in San Francisco. The new recommendation will include safe upper limits of nutrient intake, and reflect information about disease prevention that has surfaced since the last revision of the RDA in 1989.

Is Breath-Holding Inherited?

Two new studies indicate that children who frequently hold their breath for no apparent reason may have inherited the trait. For parents who had the tendency in childhood, the risk of genetically passing the trait to their children was approximately 50%, researchers report in the Journal of Pediatrics. Another article in the same journal suggests a way to treat severe breath holding spells in children: give them iron supplements.

Atlas Maps U.S. Death Patterns

A new atlas that maps patterns of death by geographical location shows that heart disease is still the leading killer of Americans. "For the first time we have a compendium of maps for all leading causes of death which pinpoint problem areas so that national, state and local efforts can be coordinated and targeted." said Donna E. Shalala, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Power of Placebo Lasts for Years

The power of placebos to convince patients that they feel better has been observed for centuries. Now, a new study has found that the "placebo effect" can last for years. Researchers testing the effectiveness of a new drug used for treating enlarged prostates discovered that patients taking placebos -- or fake pills -- showed significantly improved symptoms and urinary flow, even after two years of treatment.

Gene Level Higher in Breast Cancer

A breast cancer gene discovered two years ago is found at much higher levels in half of the breast tissue that has been tested, according to a new study. The gene, called Hs-cul-4A, controls the production of a protein that regulates cell growth. The researchers hope to use the gene to possibly diagnose, and eventually to treat breast cancer, according to Drs. Ling-Chun Chen and Helene Smith, at the Geraldine Brush Cancer Research Institute at the California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco.

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