Children's Health: Low-income communities more likely to face childhood obesity ♦ Study examines the downside of larger families ♦ Preschoolers who eat their veggies just as likely to eat junk food

Low-income communities more likely to face childhood obesity Race matters less than expected in study showing relationship between poverty and obesity. Although obesity rates were higher among African-American and Hispanic kids, the relationship disappeared when factoring in family income,

Even children with higher IQs behave better when their sleep apnea is fixed Many doctors will ask about quality of sleep when children have problems at school, but new research shows it's just as important to pay attention to how high achievers are sleeping.

Study examines the downside of larger families Large families often capture the public's attention, from 'The Brady Bunch' to '19 Kids and Counting.' But new research by economists offers strong evidence that children in larger families are more likely to fall behind in cognitive achievement and have behavioral and other problems.

Preschoolers who eat their veggies just as likely to eat junk food Public-health experts have long expected that kids who eat more carrots and apples are less likely to eat a lot of candy and fries, but new research is calling that into question.

Health News:Discovery could open door to frozen preservation of whole organs ♦ New strategy discovered for treating arthritis ♦ Can physical exercise enhance long-term memory?

Discovery could open door to frozen preservation of tissues, whole organs A new approach to 'vitrification,' or ice-free cryopreservation, has been discovered, which could ultimately allow a much wider use of extreme cold to preserve tissues and even organs for later use.

New strategy discovered for treating arthritis Arthritis patients could one day benefit from a novel form of medicine, according to researchers. Arthritic cartilage, previously thought to be impenetrable to therapies, could be treated by a patient's own 'microvesicles' that are able to travel into cartilage cells and deliver therapeutic agents.

Certain factors may help identify patients for surgical procedure for obstructive sleep apnea Patients with more severe obstructive sleep apnea are more likely to receive greater benefit from the surgical procedure known as maxillomandibular advancement,

Can physical exercise enhance long-term memory? Exercise can enhance the development of new brain cells in the adult brain, a process called adult neurogenesis. These newborn brain cells play an important role in learning and memory. Mice that spent time running on wheels not only developed twice the normal number of new neurons, but also showed an increased ability to distinguish new objects from familiar objects

Health Research: Man walks again after years of paralysis ♦ How flu viruses gain the ability to spread ♦ Health care or diagnostic errors will likely worsen

Urgent change needed to improve diagnosis in health care or diagnostic errors will likely worsen, Most people will experience at least one diagnostic error in their lifetime, sometimes with devastating consequences.

CPAP therapy reduces symptoms of depression in adults with sleep apnea Depressive symptoms are extremely common in people who have obstructive sleep apnea, and these symptoms improve significantly when sleep apnea is treated with continuous positive airway pressure therapy .

New pathway to regenerate insulin-producing cells discovered A new pathway that triggers regeneration of beta cells in the pancreas, a key development that may aid in the development of diabetes treatments, has been discovered by scientists.

Man walks again after years of paralysis The ability to walk has been restored following a spinal cord injury, using one's own brain power, according to research. The preliminary proof-of-concept study shows that it is possible to use direct brain control to get a person's legs to walk again.

How flu viruses gain the ability to spread A new study reveals the soft palate is a key site for evolution of airborne transmissibility. Scientists made the surprising finding while examining the H1N1 flu strain, which caused a 2009 pandemic that killed more than 250,000 people

Women's Health: Exposure to phthalates could be linked to pregnancy loss ♦ Acupuncture reduces hot flashes in breast cancer survivors ♦ Young women with diabetes have 6-fold risk of heart attack

Young women with diabetes have 6-fold risk of heart attack Women aged 45 years and under with diabetes have a six-fold risk of heart attack, according to new research. The study in more than 7,000 women also found that young women who had a heart attack (myocardial infarction, MI) were more likely to be smokers than older women with MI.

New symptom may help identify sleep apnea in older women Obstructive sleep apnea may be underdiagnosed in postmenopausal women. A new study strongly associates the condition's traditional risk factors with nocturnal enuresis (bedwetting), suggesting that it may be an additional screening factor for doctors to consider.

Exposure to phthalates could be linked to pregnancy loss A new study of more than 300 women suggests that exposure to certain phthalates -- substances commonly used in food packaging, personal-care and other everyday products -- could be associated with miscarriage, mostly between 5 and 13 weeks of pregnancy.

Acupuncture reduces hot flashes in breast cancer survivors Acupuncture may be a viable treatment for women experiencing hot flashes as a result of estrogen-targeting therapies to treat breast cancer, according to a new study. Hot flashes are particularly severe and frequent in breast cancer survivors, but current FDA-approved remedies for these unpleasant episodes, such as hormone replacement therapies are off-limits to breast cancer survivors because they include estrogen.

Health Research:High risk of sleep apnea in young veterans with PTSD ♦ Stem cells may improve bone healing in diabetics ♦ Printing 3D graphene structures for tissue engineering

Human stem cells may improve bone healing in diabetics Adding stem cells from human bone marrow to a broken diabetic bone enhances the repair process, increasing the strength of the newly formed bone. The work could potentially lead to more effective treatments for broken bones.

High risk of sleep apnea in young veterans with PTSD The probability of having a high risk of obstructive sleep apnea increased with increasing severity of PTSD, a new study of young US veterans shows. The study involved 195 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who visited a Veterans' Affairs outpatient PTSD clinic for evaluation. Results show that 69.2 % had a high risk for sleep apnea, and this risk increased with PTSD symptom

How will astronauts keep in shape for extended periods? Run far or run fast? That is one of the questions NASA is trying to answer with one of its latest studies -- and the answers may help keep us in shape on Earth, as well as in space. Even with regular exercise, astronauts who spend an extended period of time in space experience muscle weakening, bone loss, and decreased cardiovascular conditioning.

Printing 3D graphene structures for tissue engineering . With its high electrical conductivity, ability to store energy, and ultra-strong and lightweight structure, graphene has potential for many applications in medicine. Now a new ink formulation has been created that allows for the 3-D printing of large, robust graphene structures with unique mechanical and biological properties

Research boosts evidence for a new class of treatments to help preserve vision A substantial percentage of patients with diabetic macular edema do not have high levels of the VEGF protein in the fluid inside their eyes but do have high levels of a protein called PKal (plasma kallikrein) and associated molecules that are key players in an inflammatory molecular pathway involved in the disease, research concludes. This finding could lead to a new class of treatments to help preserve vision.

Health Research: Obesity may exacerbate inactivity,due to poor motor skills ♦ New gene implicated in multiple sclerosis ♦ Sleep apnea linked to depression in men

New gene implicated in multiple sclerosis disease activity A new study reports the discovery of a genetic variant that is associated with a patient's likelihood of responding to interferon-beta. The study also presents evidence that the affected gene, SLC9A9, may have a broader role in regulating the development and activity of certain immune cells that play important roles in inflammatory diseases like multiple sclerosis.

Obesity may exacerbate inactivity, due to poor motor skills Obese adults have very poor motor skills which makes fine movements difficult for them. The findings suggest inactivity may not be a cause of obesity, but instead a result of poor motor skills associated with the condition.

Readmissions in severe sepsis are as common as those in heart failure and pneumonia Severe sepsis is a significant cause of rehospitalization along the lines of nationally recognized outcome measures and more commonly discussed conditions such as heart failure (HF) and pneumonia.

Agriculture, declining mobility drove humans' shift to lighter bones

Modern lifestyles have famously made humans heavier, but, in one particular way, noticeably lighter weight than our hunter-gatherer ancestors: in the bones. Now a new study of the bones of hundreds of humans who lived during the past 33,000 years in Europe finds the rise of agriculture and a corresponding fall in mobility drove the change, rather than urbanization, nutrition or other factors

Sleep apnea linked to depression in men Severe obstructive sleep apnea and excessive daytime sleepiness are associated with an increased risk of depression in men.

Pulmonary Research:Air pollution and impaired lung function risk factors for cognitive decline ♦ Risk factors can predict the risk for COPD ♦ Protein causes cystic fibrosis

Certain risk factors can predict the risk for COPD exacerbations in patients using inhaled medications Gastroesophageal reflux disease, being female, and certain scores on the St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire were associated with exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in subjects using long-acting controller medication.

Air pollution and impaired lung function prove independent risk factors for cognitive decline Studies have shown that both air pollution and impaired lung function can cause cognitive deficits, but it was unclear whether air pollution diminishes cognition by reducing breathing ability first or whether air pollution represents an independent risk factor for cognitive deficit. Now a new study found air pollution directly affects cognition and is not mediated by lung function.

Pulmonary rehabilitation helps patients newly diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea Pulmonary rehabilitation treatment could be a valuable addition to comprehensive therapy in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

Key component in protein that causes cystic fibrosis identified Nearly 70,000 people worldwide are living with cystic fibrosis, a life-threatening genetic disease. There currently is no cure but researchers have now identified a key component in the protein that causes the disease.The finding may lead to the development of new medications and improved therapies

Adding genetic information changes risk profile of smokers and results in greater adherence to CT lung screening Researchers have found that adding genetic information to a former or current smokers clinical risk profile results in a reclassification of their risk for lung cancer in about one in four patients. Preliminary findings from their lung cancer screening feasibility study also suggests that those whose genetic and clinical risk placed them in the highest risk category were more likely to adhere to follow-up computed tomography (CT) scans during screening.

Cardiovascular Research: Even Olympic athletes have cardiac abnormalities ♦ Pharmacists help patients control blood pressure ♦ Sleep apnea common among patients undergoing heart procedure

Pharmacists help patients control blood pressure Medical teams with a pharmacist helped patients with hypertension control their blood pressure more effectively. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, increases the risk for heart disease and stroke, two of the leading causes of death for Americans

Even Olympic athletes have cardiac abnormalities and may be at risk of cardiovascular disease Even athletes whose performance and fitness are at the very highest level may have life-threatening cardiovascular abnormalities. Indeed, a study of more than 2000 athletes eligible for the summer and winter Olympic games and screened for cardiovascular health has now revealed an unexpectedly high prevalence of cardiovascular conditions.

Atrial fibrillation after surgery increases risk of heart attacks, strokes  An irregular heartbeat following surgery known as postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) often is dismissed as a transient phenomenon. But a study has found that POAF can significantly increase the risk of heart attack or stroke during the first 12 months after surgery.

Sleep apnea common among patients undergoing heart procedure Patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), a coronary artery widening procedure used to treat heart disease, are at high risk for obstructive sleep apnea

Women's Health: Importance of counselling in those affected by infertility ♦ Overnight fasting reduces breast cancer risk ♦ Obstructive sleep apnea following childbirth

Why everything you've heard about women and negotiation might be wrong A student was listening to a lecture on a commonly held trope about negotiation -- that women are bad at it -- but the conventional wisdom didn’t fit with her experience at all. She did some new research and discovered that women who had experience with successful negotiation were superior negotiators to men,

Importance of counselling in those affected by infertility The psychological impact and private agony of infertility must be carefully considered by healthcare professionals. At present, the counseling role occupies a unique and diverse position within the infertility field, including that of patient advocate, gatekeeper, researcher, educator, supportive resource to colleagues, confidante and point of liaison,

Overnight fasting may reduce breast cancer risk in women A decrease in the amount of time spent eating and an increase in overnight fasting reduces glucose levels and may reduce the risk of breast cancer among women, report researchers. Women who fasted for longer periods of time overnight had significantly better control over blood glucose concentrations. The data shows that each three hour increase in nighttime fasting was associated with a 4 percent lower postprandial glucose level, regardless of how much women ate

Elevated upper body position improves respiratory safety in women following childbirth Although obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is less common in young women, sleep apnea was found in 4.9 percent in a cohort of pregnant women. In addition, OSA worsens as pregnancy progresses and is likely to persist into the early postpartum period. An elevated upper body position might improve respiratory safety in women early after childbirth without impairing sleep quality,

Health Research: Activate 'off signals' for pain ♦ Lower the risk of sleep apnea ♦ Smokers who use e-cigarettes less likely to quit, study shows

Playing a wind instrument could help lower the risk of sleep apnea Wind instrument players have a reduced risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea. "The findings of our small study present an interesting theory on preventative measures or treatment in sleep apnea. If the findings are confirmed in larger groups, wind instrument playing could become a cheap and non-invasive method of preventing sleep apnea in those at risk of developing the condition,"

Adenosine receptor can activate 'off signals' for pain Pain is the most common reason that people seek medical attention, but the available treatments are not always successful at relieving pain in patients with chronic pain. Now researchers found that drugs targeting the A3 adenosine receptor can "turn off" pain signals in the spinal cord to provide relief from chronic pain.

Genetic predisposition found for noise-induced hearing loss

In a new genome-wide association study, a team of neuroscientists found evidence that some people may be more genetically susceptible to noise-induced hearing loss than others

Smokers who use e-cigarettes less likely to quit, The increase in use of e-cigarettes has led to heated debates between opponents who question the safety of these devices and proponents who claim the battery-operated products are a useful cessation tool. In a new study, researchers found that smokers who used e-cigarettes were 49 percent less likely to decrease cigarette use and 59 percent less likely to quit smoking.

Health Research: New sensor detects spoiled meat ♦ Heavy snoring, sleep apnea may signal earlier memory decline ♦ BPA can disrupt sexual function

New sensor detects spoiled meat Chemists have devised an inexpensive, portable sensor that can detect gases emitted by rotting meat, allowing consumers to determine whether the meat in their grocery store or refrigerator is safe to eat.

Unnecessary preoperative testing still done on cataract patients Although routine preoperative testing is not indicated for patients undergoing cataract surgery, researchers have found that it is still a common occurrence and is driven primarily by provider practice patterns rather than patient characteristics.

Heavy snoring, sleep apnea may signal earlier memory and thinking decline Heavy snoring and sleep apnea may be linked to memory and thinking decline at an earlier age, according to a new study. The research also suggests that treating the disorders with a breathing machine may delay the decline.

BPA can disrupt sexual function in turtles, could be a warning for environmental health Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical used in food storage products and resins that line plastic beverage containers. Often, aquatic environments become reservoirs for BPA, and turtle habitats are affected. Now, a collaboration of researchers has determined that BPA can alter a turtle's sexual differentiation. Scientists are concerned findings could indicate harmful effects on environmental and human health.

Advancements in retinal detachment research pave the road to better visual recovery Age, disease and even playing certain sports like basketball can increase a person’s risk of developing a detached retina. While surgery is typically used to treat the condition, subsequent scarring and damage to the retina can cause permanent vision problems or even blindness. New research is exploring the biochemical processes that lead to retinal scarring in the hopes of developing the first ever drug intervention to help improve the way retinas heal.

Childrens Health: Longer breastfeeding linked with higher IQ ♦ Better breakfast, better grades ♦ New measures approved for childhood sleep apnea + more

New quality measures approved for childhood sleep apnea  A work group of physicians from across the United States has developed new quality measures for the detection and treatment of childhood obstructive sleep apnea , a potentially morbid, life-altering condition that affects hundreds of thousands of children and adolescents nationwide. Continue Reading

Some things hugs can't fix: Parental warmth does not remove anxiety that follows punishment  A loving mom can't overcome the anxiety and aggression caused by corporal punishment, and  her otherwise warm demeanor may make it worse, according to recent research Continue Reading

Better breakfast, better grades The connection between good nutrition and good grades has been reinforced by new research that finds that free school breakfasts help students from low-income families perform better academically Continue Reading

Schools using out-of-school suspension drug policy show increased likelihood of marijuana use  Schools where administrators report using out-of-school suspension to enforce drug policy and where students report low policy enforcement, regardless of the type of drug policy adopted, show an increased likelihood of marijuana use, according to new research. Schools that used abstinence-based prevention and those that counseled students about the dangers of marijuana use showed a lower likelihood of marijuana use. Continue Reading

Longer duration of breastfeeding linked with higher adult IQ and earning ability  Longer duration of breastfeeding is linked with increased intelligence in adulthood, longer schooling, and higher adult earnings, a study following a group of almost 3,500 newborns for 30 years Continue Reading

Childrens Health: Infant growth affected environmental pollutants ♦ Nuts lower teenagers' risk of metabolic syndrome ♦ Keep kids home from school + more

Infant growth affected by exposure to environmental pollutants  Even though the levels of two environmental pollutants have declined over the last 20 years, they may still have adverse effects on children's development. The researchers found that maternal levels of DDE ( levels to which the fetuses were exposed to in utero) were significantly associated with rapid growth in early life. They also found that levels of PCB153 in milk were associated with decreased infant growth.Continue Reading

Nuts may help lower teenagers' risk of metabolic syndrome  Modest consumption of nuts every day is associated with an improved cardiovascular risk profile among adolescents, a new analysis of a large national database shows Continue Reading

When to keep kids home from school  For many reasons, a child being home from school while sick can be stressful. Parents worry about the severity of their child’s illness and about the child missing school, all while trying to shuffle work schedules to be home Continue Reading

Parents' depression can lead to toddlers in trouble  A father's or mother’s depression during the first years of parenting can put their toddlers at risk of developing troubling behaviors such as hitting, lying, anxiety and sadness during a critical time of development Continue Reading

New quality measures approved for childhood sleep apnea  A work group of physicians from leading academic medical centers across the United States has developed new quality measures for the detection and treatment of childhood obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a potentially morbid, life-altering condition that affects hundreds of thousands of children and adolescents nationwide.Continue Reading

Always Tired? You May Have Sleep Apnea

Your spouse says your snoring is driving her nuts.

You wake up feeling unrested and irritable.

These are common signs that you may have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a sleep disorder that—left untreated—can take its toll on the body and mind.

Untreated OSA has been linked to high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes, car accidents, work-related accidents and depression. According to the American Sleep Association, OSA affects more than 12 million Americans.

The Food and Drug Administration ensures the safety and effectiveness of medical devices, including the device most often used by those affected by OSA – the Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machine, commonly known as CPAP – and a new device, the Inspire Upper Airway Stimulation (UAS) System.

What is Sleep Apnea?

The Greek word "apnea" literally means "without breath." With sleep apnea, your breathing pauses multiple times during sleep. The pauses can last from a few seconds to minutes and can occur more than five times per hour, to as high as 100 times per hour. (Fewer than five times per hour is normal). Sometimes when you start breathing again, you make a loud snort or choking sound.

Obstructive sleep apnea, the most common type, is caused by a blockage of the airway, usually when the soft tissue in the back of the throat collapses. The less common form, central sleep apnea, happens if the area of your brain that controls breathing doesn't send the correct signals to your breathing muscles.

According to Eric Mann, M.D., Ph.D., deputy director of FDA's Division of Ophthalmic, Neurological, and Ear, Nose and Throat Devices, you may be unaware of these events since they happen while you're sleeping. Because you partially wake up when your breathing pauses, your sleep is interrupted, and you often feel tired and irritable the next day.

Sleep apnea is almost twice as common in men as it is in women. Other risk factors include:

• being overweight, as extra fat tissue around the neck makes it harder to keep the airway open,
• being over age 40,
• smoking,
• having a family history of sleep apnea, and
• having a nasal obstruction due to a deviated septum, allergies or sinus problem.

Children also get sleep apnea, most commonly between ages 3 and 6. The most common cause is enlarged tonsils and adenoids in the upper airway.

"You should certainly tell your physician if you think you, or your child, is experiencing symptoms of sleep apnea," Mann says. "But the diagnosis of sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea requires a formal sleep study."

Polysomnogram (PSG) is the most common sleep study for sleep apnea and often takes place in a sleep center or lab to record brain activity, eye movement, blood pressure and the amount of air that moves in and out of your lungs.

Getting Treatment

The first line of defense can be behavioral. Weight loss may go a long way toward improving OSA. It may also help to stop using alcohol or medicines that make you sleepy, because they can make it harder for you to breathe.

The most common treatment is a CPAP machine. CPAPs use mild air pressure to keep your airways open. The air is delivered through a mask that fits over your nose and mouth, or only your nose.

Consumers may call 1-800-FDA-1088 or visit MedWatch to report any problems they are having with their CPAP.

CPAP is not the only medical device approved for treatment of OSA. On May 1, 2014, FDA approved the first implanted medical device for the treatment of this disorder. The Inspire Upper Airway System (UAS) is intended for consumers with moderate to severe OSA who have specific characteristics (a Body Mass Index under 32 and the absence of complete collapse in the back of the throat) and were not helped by a CPAP device, or could not tolerate the CPAP treatment. The Inspire device is surgically implanted below the collarbone and works with electrical impulses to stimulate the patient's tongue muscles and keep airways open.

The Inspire UAS consists of an electrical impulse generator, with leads and sensors that stimulate the nerve that controls the tongue and that sense the patient's breathing.

After the surgical site has healed (about a month), the physician turns the unit on and sets up the pulse generator. Patients may need to undergo one or more sleep studies before the UAS configuration is optimized for use. The patient turns the system on before going to sleep and off upon waking, using a remote control.

There are no drugs that are approved by the FDA to treat sleep apnea. Ronald Farkas, M.D., Ph.D., at FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, says that doctors sometimes prescribe drugs that promote wakefulness such as Provigil and Nuvigil for patients suffering from the daytime sleepiness caused by sleep apnea—but that these drugs do not treat the nighttime breathing problem.

Moreover, Farkas recommends that if you've been diagnosed with sleep apnea and are taking other medications, you should let your doctor know what those medications are. "A number of drugs can actually make sleep apnea worse, including many for insomnia, anxiety or severe pain," he says.