For February, 2011

Feb. 7 - Dr. Eagle discusses link between childhood obesity, school lunch with the New York Times

U-M researchers found that regularly eating school lunches is a risk factor for childhood obesity, Kim A. Eagle, M.D., professor of internal medicine, director of the U-M Cardiovascular Center and the paper's senior author, tells the New York Times. In a study of more than 1,000 sixth graders in multiple southeastern Michigan schools, Eagle and his colleagues found those who regularly ate the school lunch were 29 percent more likely to be obese than those who brought lunch from home.

Feb. 7 - Dr. Christner cautions against energy drinks, tells Toledo Blade about drink-related problems

You shouldn't believe everything you see when it comes to energy drinks, says Jennifer G. Christner, M.D., F.A.A.P., clinical assistant professor of pediatrics and communicable diseases who specializes in teen and young adult medicine. Companies advertise how some of its ingredients - such as Taurine - is naturally found in the human body and can help eliminate toxic substances, but Christner tells the Toledo Blade that the nutritional value is questionable.

Feb. 3 - Always wear a helmet when sledding, Mott trauma expert tells the Macomb Daily, WDIV Detroit

When people go sledding, the last thing they think to bring to the hills is a helmet. But trauma experts at the U-M C.S. Mott Children's Hospital are trying to change this mentality. Amy Teddy, Mott's injury prevention program manager, tells the Macomb Daily that the hospital has treated a record number of severe head injuries from sledding with several weeks of winter remaining. WDIV Detroit featured Mott in a story discussing the increasing number of sledding-related injuries.

Feb. 3 - Better nutrition seems to help premature babies with lung disease, Dr. Filbrun tells media

U-M researchers found that premature babies with bronchopulmonary dysplasia - a severe lung disease - show significantly improved lung volumes if they had above-average weight gain, revealing a possible association between lung growth and improved nutrition. Study lead author Amy G. Filbrun, M.D., M.S., assistant professor of pediatrics and communicable diseases and director of the U-M Apnea and Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia Program, tells U.S. News & World Report that these results are consistent with animal studies showing the harmful effects of malnutrition on lung development. UMHS Press Release

Feb. 2 - Mott trauma expert talks sledding injuries, safety with CBS Detroit, WDIV Detroit to feature Mott tonight

With several weeks of winter left, U-M's C.S. Mott Children's Hospital reports the number of sledding-related injuries has doubled from previous years. Mott’s Injury Prevention Program Manager Amy Teddy tells CBS Detroit that using helmets while sledding could have reduced the severity of the injuries seen at Mott so far this year. At 5 p.m. tonight, WDIV Detroit will feature Mott in a story on sledding injuries and safety. WDIV Detroit airs locally on Channel 4. UM Press Release

Feb. 2 - Dr. Hayes discusses doctors' dilemma on the cancer drug Avastin

Avastin -- one of the world's most financially successful cancer drugs -- increases the rate of fatal side effects by nearly 50 percent when added to traditional chemotherapy, but its benefits for slowing tumor growth still can outweigh any harm for many patients. The problem is that doctors have no way to know which patients will benefit, says Daniel F. Hayes, M.D., professor of internal medicine, clinical director of the U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center's Breast Oncology Program and co-director of U-M's Breast Care Center. Hayes wrote an accompanying editorial to a new study that reveals the drug's rate of deadly side effects. USA Today and Bloomberg

Feb. 2 - Dr. Rubenfire gives AnnArbor.com tips for avoiding injury, death from shoveling snow

Are you the lucky person who will clear the driveway and sidewalks buried in yesterday's winter storm? Then Melvyn Rubenfire, M.D., F.A.C.P., F.A.C.C., F.A.C.C.P., professor of internal medicine, a U-M cardiologist and director of preventive cardiology, wants you to know how to avoid a potentially deadly heart attack, cardiac arrest or stroke. Rubenfire tells AnnArbor.com that people who have had previous heart attacks, who have had angina (symptoms of heart disease), and those who have had heart failure should avoid shoveling snow if possible because they are more at risk. Dressing in layers and easing into shoveling also will help prevent injury.

Feb. 1 - Unhealthy habits linked to childhood obesity, Dr. Eagle tells the Detroit News

Kim A. Eagle, M.D., professor of internal medicine, a U-M cardiologist and a director of the U-M Cardiovascular Center, tells the Detroit News that lifestyle -- not genetics -- is the main factor in childhood obesity. Eagle and his colleagues studied check-ups of more than 1,000 Michigan sixth-graders in a school-based health program and found that obese children tended to eat lunches from school instead of packed ones, failed to engage in regular physical activity and spent two hours daily watching television or playing video games. UMHS Press Release

Feb. 1 - Dr. Haig gives WebMD advice on how patients with low back pain can avoid unnecessary imaging tests

A simple step -- seeing a back pain specialist such as a physiatrist -- can help reduce unnecessary imaging tests and subsequent spinal surgeries by as much as one-third, says Andrew J. Haig, M.D., professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation and a U-M physiatrist who practices in the U-M Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation's Spine Program. Haig talks with WebMD amid the release of new guidelines from the American College of Physicians, which say immediate imaging tests are not recommended for all patients with acute low back pain.

Jan. 31 - Dr. Kim talks to the New York Times about electroshock treatment

Scott Y. H. Kim, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of psychiatry at the U-M Medical School and member of the U-M Bioethics Program, tells the New York Times that psychiatrists refer patients to the controversial electroshock treatment to change the trajectory of their disease -- not for long-term benefit. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration could take more than a year to decide whether it should recommend designating electroshock devices as high risk after studies showed short-term benefits for severely depressed patients, but no evidence of any benefit after 30 days.

Jan. 26 - Dr. Helvie: Current breast screening guidelines are flawed

Annual mammograms starting at age 40 save more women from breast cancer than mammograms done every other year in women 50 and older, says Mark A. Helvie, M.D., professor of radiology and director of breast imaging at the U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center. Helvie is part of a team that analyzed the same evidence a U.S. advisory panel used to recommend women in their 40s to skip routine mammograms. Helvie tells MSNBC, CNBC and Reuters that the panel seemingly ignored evidence showing more frequent mammograms save more lives.

Jan. 26 - Listen to Dr. Markel on NPR's Science Friday

"Physician" is the medical term that Dr. Howard Markel will discuss at 2:50 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, Jan. 28, on National Public Radio's Science Friday. Dr. Markel, who is director of the Center for the History of Medicine, is the featured expert for "Science Diction," the program's monthly segment examining scientific and medical words. Listen to all of Dr. Markel's Science Diction segments, or read more on the Science Friday blog here.

Jan. 25 - Dr. McInnis discusses seasonal bipolar disorder with Everyday Health

Melvin McInnis, M.D., Thomas B. and Nancy Upjohn Woodworth Professor of Bipolar Disorder and Depression in Psychiatry and director of the U-M Depression Center, explains how seasonal sunlight leads to a mood shift in as many as 20 percent of bipolar disorder patients. "In the wintertime, people are more depressed. The patient says, 'Every January, I start to go down.' Then in the spring, the amount of sunlight destabilizes their mood to the point of them becoming manic and hypomanic," he says to Everyday Health, a provider of online health information.

Jan. 24 - Stop smoking for healthy skin, Dr. Helfrich tells MSN

Kicking your smoking habit is one way to keep your skin healthier longer, says Yolanda R. Helfrich, M.D., assistant professor of dermatology. Helfrich's tip for healthy skin is one of 17 compiled by MSN based on the latest research and experts. Helfrich led a study in 2007 that shows smoking ages skin on your body that the sun doesn't see.

Jan. 24 - Providing parents with all accurate information may ease fears of vaccinating children, says Dr. Freed

Gary L. Freed, M.D., M.P.H., professor of pediatrics and communicable diseases, chief of the Division of General Pediatrics and director of U-M's Child Health Evaluation and Research (CHEAR) Unit, tells American Medical News that physicians should provide all accurate available information to parents concerned about vaccinating their children. Physicians continue facing questions on vaccine safety despite a study purporting the measles, mumps and rubella vaccines led to autism was found to be a fraud.

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