News

Although psoriatic arthritis (PsA) only targets those diagnosed with psoriasis, a genetic factor has been discovered that only pinpoints the former.

Chronic itch (itch last 6 weeks or longer) is a clinical challenge, and is associated with a number of dermatologic, systemic, neuropathic, and psychogenic causes. Transmission of the itch sensation is similar to that of pain, but distinct in several ways. Scientists have found itch-specific neuronal pathways that when activated, cause considerable discomfort for patients. Current available treatments, however, are still more trial-and-error than evidence-based.

Hair loss, whether it's partial or complete, is troubling to many people. By age 50, 35 to 50 percent of American men have significant hair loss, and hair thinning and loss increases with age. Many people associate hair loss with premature aging, making pharmaceuticals that arrest hair loss quite popular. However, they are not without certain side effects.

Exposure to electromagnetic fields had been recently found to reduce the amount of testosterone men produce, potentially reducing their fertility.

Numerous studies have attempted to quantify the medical toll that severe food allergies inflict upon children. Now, a study from Sweden provides new data about the financial toll they inflict upon families.

A measuring tool typically used to assess the activity of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has proven to be valuable for analyzing disease activity in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) as well.

The next step in reducing and preventing neuropathic pain has been identified, according to researchers from UC Davis.

Home testing kits that detect morphine can now be printed on paper, according to findings published by researchers in Finland.

Yale University researchers used mice models to explain the brain's response to marijuana in respect to appetite and "getting the munchies."

Although moderate alcohol intake is linked to health benefits, a high consumption can have a negative effect on women.

When New York City panicked about the possible spread of Ebola months ago, there were no definitive answers on how long the virus could survive on surfaces outside a living host. A new US Centers for Disease Control report finds the answer is several days.

New research indicated adolescents are twice as likely as younger kids to suffer from anaphylaxis and other severe allergic reactions while they are in school.

A survey of 571 US hospitals regarding practices used to prevent Clostridium difficile infection indicates that nearly half of the facilities appear to not be taking steps to prevent the infection that kills nearly 30,000 people and sickens hundreds of thousands more each year, despite strong evidence that these steps work.

What factors make a plastic surgeon successful? That was the research question asked by a team of researchers, and answered by an analysis of a survey sent to members of the American Association of Plastic Surgeons. The results, published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open, provide insight that could help select the best candidates for careers in plastic surgery.

Electronic health records (EHRs) have been touted as a key tool toward improving the quality of health care. An analysis in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology shows that is not the case.

People who have blunted cardiovascular responses to psychologically stressful tasks have an increased risk of dying. Poor blood pressure responses to this stress can be associated with adverse outcomes.

Approximately 1 in 6 patients suffering from gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are likely to develop malignant cancers before or after diagnosis, according to the inaugural population-based study recently conducted by researchers at the UC San Diego School of Medicine.

Australian researchers found that specific cell alterations impair their infection-fighting function.

Researchers in China tested heat stimuli on patients with and without Parkinson's disease to examine the pain brain relationship.

The use of corticosteroids for anaphylaxis or other severe allergic reactions is not associated with a reduction of relapses in the days following treatment.

As early as age 20, individuals born prematurely may be living with lungs similar in function and capacity to the elderly, investigators from the University of Oregon reported.

While routine genital-only screenings are recommended for gay men and people who are HIV-positive, the method widely misses cases of sexually transmitted infections like gonorrhea and chlamydia (especially in women), according to a study published in Sexually Transmitted Disease.

In addition to recent research that used genetic factors to predict the severity of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), another development suggests that patients have an increased risk of a surprise heart attack even without showing symptoms.

Individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are more likely to experience sudden cardiac death, according to a team of Dutch researchers.

During a time when antibiotic resistance concerns are at an all-time high, a Texas-based team called for backup in the fight against pneumonia.

Research indicates that acetaminophen appears to have a general blunting effect on patients' evaluative and emotional processing, regardless of negative or positive valence.

Ebola virus appears to persist in survivors longer than thought, leading the US Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization to urge men who survive infection to use condoms indefinitely. The public health fear is that sexual transmission from survivors could lead to a new outbreak of cases.

Genetic mutations are not solely to blame for increased neuropathic pain and the way pain is processed in the brain. Norwegian researchers identified a link between a person's quality of sleep and pain sensitivity.

The first large study to compare mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT)-a psychological therapy designed to change the way people think and feel about their experiences-with maintenance antidepressant medication suggests that MBCT could offer an alternative to antidepressants for preventing depression relapse.

Fluticasone furoate/vilanterol (Breo Ellipta/GlaxoSmithKline and Theravance Inc) approved for the once-daily treatment of asthma in patients aged 18 years and older.