A doctor may perform one or more tests to diagnose atrial fibrillation (A-fib). The doctor will look for signs of A-fib as well as any underlying conditions that might be causing arrhythmia and possible complications. Sometimes a doctor will refer someone to a cardiologist, who is a specialist in heart disease. In this article, we
Oesophageal microbiota may help to improve the diagnosis and management of oesophageal cancer, according to the results of a study presented today. Researchers from Italy directed by Professor Cammarota have found a unique pattern of microbes living in the oesophagus of people with oesophageal cancer or Barrett’s oesophagus, which could potentially be used to identify
Symptoms of COPD, such as wheezing, shortness of breath, and fatigue, can be similar to the signs of other lung conditions. COPD often gets progressively worse over time. Getting an accurate and early diagnosis allows doctors to develop an effective treatment plan that can help slow the progression of a person’s disease. Doctors begin diagnosing
Results from a research study published in Nature Communications show how the inner ear processes speech, something that has until now been unknown. The authors of the report include researchers from Linköping University, Sweden, and Oregon Health & Science University, United States. A collaboration between researchers in the U.S., Sweden, Denmark, the U.K. and India
Australian student Courtney Whithorn suffered such extreme bullying that she developed an almost life-threatening habit – nail-biting. After three surgeries, the 20-year-old student had her thumb amputated when doctors diagnosed her with a rare type of cancer called acral lentiginous subungual melanoma. Courtney’s doctors believe the disease is linked to years of severe trauma to the nail
TUESDAY, Sept. 11, 2018 — Many outpatient opioid prescriptions have no documented medical indication, according to a research letter published online Sept. 11 in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Tisamarie B. Sherry, M.D., Ph.D., from the RAND Corporation in Boston, and colleagues examined the percentage of opioid prescriptions with a documented medical indication between 2006
— If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, your family and close friends can be a great source of physical and moral support. The American Cancer Society suggests how to tell loved ones about your diagnosis: Don’t wait to tell them. Sooner or later, they’ll all know. They might feel hurt or left out if they
Life-expectancy for individuals with younger-onset disease is on average 16 years shorter compared to people without diabetes, and 10 years shorter for those diagnosed at an older age Being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at a young age is associated with more cardiovascular complications and higher risk of premature death than being diagnosed later in
MONDAY, July 9, 2018 — When someone is diagnosed with diabetes, other family members seem more likely to adopt health lifestyle changes, too. A new study found that partners of people newly diagnosed with diabetes were 50 percent more likely to attend weight management classes and 25 percent more likely to get medication to help
Oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) are the most common head and neck cancers, but are often diagnosed late. Now, researchers in Germany have developed a new cell-based test that could help provide earlier and more reliable diagnosis of OSCCs. Writing in Science Physical Oncology, the researchers explain how they tested the mechanical properties of OSCC
Researchers in Sweden have shown how data-driven AI could contribute to a better understanding of how prostate cancer develops, and even improve clinical diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Every cancer tumor is unique, with characteristics that change over time. This so-called heterogeneity is due to competing clones within a given tumor, as well as
Children who are born severely ill or who develop serious illness in the first few weeks of life are often difficult to diagnose, with considerable implications for their short and longer-term care. Whole genome sequencing carried out quickly has the potential to provide an early diagnosis, and thus improve the clinical care of these infants
New research demonstrates that diabetes is increasingly common in young adults and disproportionately affects women of color. In a new study published in the Journal of Women’s Health, Laura Britton, Ph.D. Candidate, BSN, RN demonstrated that there were significant racial/ethnic variation in the rates of diabetes and level of diabetes management among women 24-32 years
A portable device common in optometrists’ offices may hold the key to faster diagnosis of schizophrenia, predicting relapse and symptom severity and assessing treatment effectiveness, a Rutgers University study finds. In the study, published in the May 2018 issue of the Journal of Abnormal Psychology, researchers used RETeval, a hand-held device developed to record electrical
A person with a nightshade allergy may develop breathing problems, a rash, or eczema shortly after eating certain vegetables. A nightshade intolerance or sensitivity means the foods are not digested properly, which can cause a range of symptoms, including digestive issues. In this article, we look at how to identify a nightshade allergy or intolerance,
(HealthDay)—Breath analysis shows potential for noninvasive diagnosis of esophagogastric cancer (OGC), according to a study published online May 17 in JAMA Oncology. Sheraz R. Markar, Ph.D., from Imperial College London, and colleagues recruited patients for a diagnostic validation study conducted at three London hospital sites. A total of 335 patients were included: 172 in the
Machine learning has detected one of the commonest causes of dementia and stroke, in the most widely used form of brain scan (CT), more accurately than current methods. New software, created by scientists at Imperial College London and the University of Edinburgh, has been able to identify and measure the severity of small vessel disease,
A novel PET tracer developed by Korean researchers can visualize joint inflammation and could provide early diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, a common autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of joints and can lead to deformity and dysfunction. The study is reported in the featured basic science article in The Journal of Nuclear Medicine‘s May issue.
The two most common types of inflammatory bowel disease are ulcerous colitis and Crohn’s disease. These are diagnosed via endoscopy and gut biopsy. The diagnosis is often difficult, and the wrong diagnosis may have severe consequences for patients, because the treatments and medications are different between the two diseases. The development of new and improved
Mobile health applications (apps) for improving diagnostic decision-making often lack clinical evaluation, but one app that has undergone testing by researchers is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention PTT Advisor. In a recently published study in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, researchers from Baylor College of Medicine and the CDC evaluated