Health Headlines - October 26

Behavior Therapy Helps Kids with Mental Disorder

The best initial treatment for children and teens with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is cognitive-behavior therapy -- either alone or in combination with an antidepressant like Zoloft -- the results of a clinical trial show.

Genetic Defect Linked to Brittle Bone Disease

A genetic mutation and environmental factors before and after birth can increase the risk of suffering from brittle bone disease decades later, researchers said on Tuesday.

Study: Racial, Economic Gap in Appendicitis Care

In another sign of racial and economic disparities in the U.S. health care system, researchers said on Tuesday that minority children and those without private insurance are more likely to have a ruptured appendix.

Dutch Study Links Treated Stomach Acid to Pneumonia

Hugely popular stomach acid-blocking drugs may slightly increase the risk of pneumonia by stripping the body of one of its defenses against ingested germs, researchers said on Tuesday.

Shrunken Foot Muscles Signal Diabetic Nerve Damage

The total volume of muscles in the foot is halved in people who have nerve damage resulting from diabetes, compared with diabetics without neuropathy, according to researchers.

'TwoDay' Method Helps Women Avoid Pregnancy

A technique that teaches women to track their vaginal secretions cues them when they are most likely to get pregnant, and offers a "valuable addition " to family planning, according to researchers.

First Artificial Spinal Disc Cleared for U.S. Market

The first artificial disc for the spine, a metal-and-plastic implant made by Johnson & Johnson, won U.S. approval on Tuesday for treating severe lower back pain.

Ill. Finds 200,000 More Doses of Flu Shots

Illinois officials have located 200,000 more doses of flu vaccine in Europe, but the state still hasn't received federal approval to import those or any other supplies of vaccine they have tracked down on the international market.

Wash. Elders Head to Canada for Flu Shot

In an enterprising combination of tourism and health care, people are taking a high-speed ferry cruise across scenic Puget Sound to British Columbia, and getting a flu shot, too.

Researchers Announce Diabetes Gene

Researchers at Wake Forest University have discovered a gene that could cause up to 20 percent of Type II diabetes.

Organ Donor Takes Lie Detector Test

A man who gave up one of his kidneys in response to a commercial Web site solicitation said Tuesday he would be willing to take a lie detector test to show he did not sell the organ, despite claims to the contrary.

Group Calls for New Treatments for TB

Doctors Without Borders on Tuesday urged for "massive" international investment for drugs and testing for tuberculosis, the curable lung disease that kills about 2 million people per year.

MRI Spots Vessel Trouble

Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to detect and define low-flow vascular malformations -- such as birthmarks -- may help improve treatment, says a study in the November issue of Radiology.

New Treatment Blocks Cancer's Spread

A new kind of treatment against metastatic cancer cells, which carry cancer from one location to other parts of the body, has been identified by scientists at the Scripps Research Institute.

Over-the-Counter Drugs Cut Cost of Colds

Savings of $4.75 billion a year could be achieved in the United States if more people used over-the-counter (OTC) medications to treat common upper respiratory infections, says a Northwestern University study.

Anesthesia Can Dim Elderly Patients' Minds

Many elderly people suffer cognitive decline for up to two years after having surgery that requires anesthesia.