(HealthDay News) -- Researchers have uncovered another damaging consequence of spanking: risky sexual behaviors, or even sexual deviancy, when the child grows up.
"This adds one more harmful side effect to spanking," said Murray Straus, a spanking expert who was expected to present the findings of four studies at the American Psychological Association's Summit on Violence and Abuse in Relationships in Bethesda, Md., on Thursday.
"I think that it's pretty powerful," said Elizabeth Gershoff, an assistant professor at the University of Michigan's School of Social Work. "It's across several studies and across different forms of either risky or deviant sexual behavior."
Straus, who was the author of all four studies, hopes the findings will raise awareness among child development experts.
"My hope is to convince my colleagues that they ought to put this in their textbooks," said Straus, co-director of the Family Research Laboratory at the University of New Hampshire, in Durham. "It's amazing. Something experienced by all American kids gets an average of half a page in child development textbooks, and not a single one comes to the conclusion that parents should never spank."
Even the revered Dr. Spock, who was anti-spanking, never came right out and advised parents outright not to do it, he added. Instead, Spock advised "avoiding it if you can."
A meta-analysis of spanking studies conducted by Gershoff found 93 percent agreement among studies that spanking can lead to such problems as delinquent and anti-social behavior in childhood along with aggression, criminal and anti-social behavior and spousal or child abuse as an adult.
"There's probably nothing else in child development that has 93 percent agreement in results," Straus said.
Five percent of people who have never been spanked hit their partners, versus 25 percent of those who were spanked frequently.
However, some 90 percent of U.S. parents spank toddlers, according to Straus.
The review being presented at the meeting are the first to look at the relationship of spanking to sexual behavior.
They found that spanking and other corporal punishment is associated with an increased probability of verbally and physically coercing a dating partner to have sex; risky sex such as premarital sex without using a condom; and masochistic sex such as spanking during sex.
There is a "dose response" at work here. "The more parents spank, the higher the probability of harmful side effects," Straus noted.
Of course, there's a similar dose response for smokers. But if someone reaches the age of 65 without developing lung cancer, it doesn't mean that smoking isn't harmful. It means the person was one of the lucky ones.
It's the same with spanking, Straus said. "If a person says, 'I was spanked, and I don't have any interest in bondage and discipline sex, that's correct, but it's not because spanking is OK, it's because they're one of the lucky ones."
And spanking a child once may be like picking up that first cigarette. "The trouble is, if you have a 2-year-old, you pretty soon decide you can't avoid it. The recidivism rate for whatever 'crime' you correct a 2-year-old for is about 50 percent in two hours."
"I've been researching corporal punishment for 30 years and, in the course of that time, the evidence has accumulated that it doesn't work any better than non-corporal punishment but has harmful side effects. I have come to the conclusion that parents should never, ever spank because, although it does work, it's no better than non-hitting methods that don't have harmful side effects. If there was an FDA for spanking, they'd say use an alternative that doesn't have harmful side effects."
More information
Visit the Center for Effective Discipline for other ways to discipline your child.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
Most Internet Sex Offenders Target Teens, Not Kids
(HealthDay News) -- The stereotype of the middle-aged male sex offender posing online as a young person to trick adolescents into clandestine meetings where they can be abducted and raped is inaccurate, a new study finds.
Instead, Internet-initiated sex crimes most often involve adult men who do not lie about their age, are open about wanting sex, and use instant messaging, e-mail and chat rooms to meet and seduce teenagers, according to research published in the February/March issue of American Psychologist, the journal of the American Psychological Association.
According to study co-author David Finkelhor, director of the Crimes against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire, most arrested sex offenders who find victims on the Internet are charged with crimes such as statutory rape that involve nonviolent sexual relations with adolescents too young to consent to sexual intercourse.
The research team found that online sexual predators rarely resorted to violence or abduction of their victims. Instead, the sex offenders worked slowly, developing the trust of their young victims who felt these relationships were romances or sexual adventures.
"We have to be frank about what is going on if we are going to stop the problem. The teens are often looking for attention, affection, excitement and romance. That doesn't make it a less serious problem, because the teenagers may in some ways contribute to the situation. The adult should know that having sexual relationships with young teenagers is against the law, but they go ahead and do it. It is still a crime," said Finkelhor.
The research was compiled from three surveys -- two telephone interviews totaling 3,000 young Internet users between the ages of 10 and 17 conducted both in 2000 and 2005 and 612 interviews in 2001 and 2002 with federal, state and local law enforcement officials who have expertise in investigating Internet-initiated sex crimes. The data revealed almost 75 percent of victims who met sex offenders in person did so more than once.
"This is a very interesting study and supports other previous research. My only caveat is that it was primarily based on phone interviews, and the researchers were reporting what they were told by the young people," said Ernie Allen, president of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
The investigators identified several behaviors that appear to make teens more likely to receive sexual contact from predators, including placing people they didn't know on their instant messaging buddy lists, talking about sex online with strangers, and engaging in rude or nasty chats online. The teens most vulnerable to online sex offenders are more likely to be risk takers and to have histories of sexual or physical abuse and family problems. In addition, the researchers concluded boys who are gay or are questioning their sexuality may be at higher risk of sex crimes initiated on the Internet than other groups.
The study indicates MySpace and Facebook, social networking Web sites popular with teens, do not appear to increase the risk of adolescents being victimized by sexual predators. The same conclusion was reached recently in a study by one of the researchers of this latest article; that earlier work appeared in the February issue of Pediatrics. Instead, talking online about sex to strangers in chat rooms or with instant messaging heightened the risk of exposure to sex offenders.
"I would caution that it is not clear the Internet has increased the level of risk in young people, although perhaps it has changed the venue for some of these situations with sexual predators. There has certainly been plenty of statutory sex offenses going on before the popularity of the Internet, and it may have migrated to the Web, because that's where people are. However, statistics don't suggest there's a big explosion of it and, in fact, suggest sex crimes against children are going down," Finkelhor explained.
"The bottom line is that most teens are doing a good and responsible job of being on the Internet. But teens think they are immortal, and it is important for parents to keep the lines of communication open and for youngsters to realize predators are out there," said Allen.
More information
For more on protecting children and teens from sexual exploitation, visit The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
Instead, Internet-initiated sex crimes most often involve adult men who do not lie about their age, are open about wanting sex, and use instant messaging, e-mail and chat rooms to meet and seduce teenagers, according to research published in the February/March issue of American Psychologist, the journal of the American Psychological Association.
According to study co-author David Finkelhor, director of the Crimes against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire, most arrested sex offenders who find victims on the Internet are charged with crimes such as statutory rape that involve nonviolent sexual relations with adolescents too young to consent to sexual intercourse.
The research team found that online sexual predators rarely resorted to violence or abduction of their victims. Instead, the sex offenders worked slowly, developing the trust of their young victims who felt these relationships were romances or sexual adventures.
"We have to be frank about what is going on if we are going to stop the problem. The teens are often looking for attention, affection, excitement and romance. That doesn't make it a less serious problem, because the teenagers may in some ways contribute to the situation. The adult should know that having sexual relationships with young teenagers is against the law, but they go ahead and do it. It is still a crime," said Finkelhor.
The research was compiled from three surveys -- two telephone interviews totaling 3,000 young Internet users between the ages of 10 and 17 conducted both in 2000 and 2005 and 612 interviews in 2001 and 2002 with federal, state and local law enforcement officials who have expertise in investigating Internet-initiated sex crimes. The data revealed almost 75 percent of victims who met sex offenders in person did so more than once.
"This is a very interesting study and supports other previous research. My only caveat is that it was primarily based on phone interviews, and the researchers were reporting what they were told by the young people," said Ernie Allen, president of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
The investigators identified several behaviors that appear to make teens more likely to receive sexual contact from predators, including placing people they didn't know on their instant messaging buddy lists, talking about sex online with strangers, and engaging in rude or nasty chats online. The teens most vulnerable to online sex offenders are more likely to be risk takers and to have histories of sexual or physical abuse and family problems. In addition, the researchers concluded boys who are gay or are questioning their sexuality may be at higher risk of sex crimes initiated on the Internet than other groups.
The study indicates MySpace and Facebook, social networking Web sites popular with teens, do not appear to increase the risk of adolescents being victimized by sexual predators. The same conclusion was reached recently in a study by one of the researchers of this latest article; that earlier work appeared in the February issue of Pediatrics. Instead, talking online about sex to strangers in chat rooms or with instant messaging heightened the risk of exposure to sex offenders.
"I would caution that it is not clear the Internet has increased the level of risk in young people, although perhaps it has changed the venue for some of these situations with sexual predators. There has certainly been plenty of statutory sex offenses going on before the popularity of the Internet, and it may have migrated to the Web, because that's where people are. However, statistics don't suggest there's a big explosion of it and, in fact, suggest sex crimes against children are going down," Finkelhor explained.
"The bottom line is that most teens are doing a good and responsible job of being on the Internet. But teens think they are immortal, and it is important for parents to keep the lines of communication open and for youngsters to realize predators are out there," said Allen.
More information
For more on protecting children and teens from sexual exploitation, visit The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Health Tip: Is GERD Causing Sleep Problems?
(HealthDay News) - Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can cause symptoms during the night that can prevent a good night's sleep.
The National Sleep Foundation offers these suggestions to keep GERD symptoms calm at night:
The National Sleep Foundation offers these suggestions to keep GERD symptoms calm at night:
- Be careful of the foods you eat from late afternoon until bedtime. Try to avoid spicy foods, onions and chocolate.
- Eat a larger meal at lunch, and have a small, light dinner.
- Don't eat anything after two or three hours before you plan to go to bed.
- Don't drink alcohol or smoke before bed.
- Sleep on a pillow or two, with your head and shoulders elevated.
- Try sleeping on your left side.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Ignition Locks Prevent Repeat DWI Offenses
(HealthDay News) -- Breath-testing devices that prevent a vehicle from starting if the driver's blood alcohol level exceeds a preset limit can dramatically reduce more DWI offenses among first-time offenders, a new study shows.
First offenders with "interlock" devices installed on their cars were 60 percent less likely to have a repeat offense than those who did not use the devices, according to findings published in the current issue of Traffic Injury Prevention.
"This study on first-time offenders reinforces prior studies on this issue that show a 65 percent reduction in drunk driving while interlocks are installed," Paul Marques, of the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, said in a prepared statement.
The findings may help resolve questions about whether interlocks work as well with first-time offenders as with repeat offenders. Two earlier studies had questioned their effect, but the researchers noted that in those studies, only a small proportion of those required to install the interlocks actually did.
In the new study, researchers examined the records of 1,461 first-time DWI offenders in New Mexico who had interlocks installed in their vehicles and compared them with 17,562 first-time offenders in the state who didn't use the devices. The two groups were matched by age, gender and blood alcohol concentration at the time of arrest.
"The average first offender has driven drunk many times before he or she was arrested. The big risk difference is between non-offenders and first offenders. The risk difference between first offenders and repeat offenders is small by comparison," Marques said.
This research -- funded in part by the Substance Abuse Policy Research Program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, a philanthropic organization that focuses on health and health-care issues -- also cited possible economic benefits to vehicle interlocks.
One device cost the offender $2.25 per day, leading the authors to estimate that for every dollar spent on interlocks for first offenders, the public saves $3 in damage and destruction caused by DWI crashes.
"Interlocks present an opportunity to help change behavior rather than simply punishing or incarcerating the offender," Marques said. "It's not enough to revoke a license -- 75 percent of all people with revoked licenses drive anyway -- but you don't want to sentence an entire family to poverty if they're dependent on that driver getting to and from his or her job. By installing an interlock, the risk that the DWI offender poses is controlled, and interlocks become a public benefit."
Only about 10 percent of arrested DWIs nationally are ordered a period of interlock-controlled driving, Marques said. Four states mandate interlocks for first DWI offenses: New Mexico, Louisiana, Arizona and Illinois (effective in 2009).
More information
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism offers has more about preventing alcohol abuse.
First offenders with "interlock" devices installed on their cars were 60 percent less likely to have a repeat offense than those who did not use the devices, according to findings published in the current issue of Traffic Injury Prevention.
"This study on first-time offenders reinforces prior studies on this issue that show a 65 percent reduction in drunk driving while interlocks are installed," Paul Marques, of the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, said in a prepared statement.
The findings may help resolve questions about whether interlocks work as well with first-time offenders as with repeat offenders. Two earlier studies had questioned their effect, but the researchers noted that in those studies, only a small proportion of those required to install the interlocks actually did.
In the new study, researchers examined the records of 1,461 first-time DWI offenders in New Mexico who had interlocks installed in their vehicles and compared them with 17,562 first-time offenders in the state who didn't use the devices. The two groups were matched by age, gender and blood alcohol concentration at the time of arrest.
"The average first offender has driven drunk many times before he or she was arrested. The big risk difference is between non-offenders and first offenders. The risk difference between first offenders and repeat offenders is small by comparison," Marques said.
This research -- funded in part by the Substance Abuse Policy Research Program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, a philanthropic organization that focuses on health and health-care issues -- also cited possible economic benefits to vehicle interlocks.
One device cost the offender $2.25 per day, leading the authors to estimate that for every dollar spent on interlocks for first offenders, the public saves $3 in damage and destruction caused by DWI crashes.
"Interlocks present an opportunity to help change behavior rather than simply punishing or incarcerating the offender," Marques said. "It's not enough to revoke a license -- 75 percent of all people with revoked licenses drive anyway -- but you don't want to sentence an entire family to poverty if they're dependent on that driver getting to and from his or her job. By installing an interlock, the risk that the DWI offender poses is controlled, and interlocks become a public benefit."
Only about 10 percent of arrested DWIs nationally are ordered a period of interlock-controlled driving, Marques said. Four states mandate interlocks for first DWI offenses: New Mexico, Louisiana, Arizona and Illinois (effective in 2009).
More information
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism offers has more about preventing alcohol abuse.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Fixing Poor Vision Boosts Preschoolers' Test Scores
(HealthDay News) -- Preschoolers with poor vision significantly improved their test scores within six weeks of consistently wearing prescription glasses, a new study shows.
"It has been theorized that when young children have early vision problems that are undiagnosed and uncorrected, their development and performance in school are impacted," Stuart I. Brown, chairman of ophthalmology and director of the Shiley Eye Center University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, said in a prepared statement. "This study shows that children with vision impairment do perform below the norm in visual-motor coordination tests, and that they catch up quickly once they are given corrective [lenses]."
The study, published in the February issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology, followed 70 children, aged 3 to 5, about half of whom had normal vision, and half were diagnosed with ametropia -- abnormal refractive eye conditions leading to poor vision, such as astigmatism.
The children took two standardized tests that relate directly to future school performance: the Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (VMI) and the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-Revised (WPPSI-R).
Before being given glasses, the vision-impaired children scored significantly lower on both tests, demonstrating reduced ability of the brain to coordinate the eyes with the hands, the researchers said.
That changed after the vision-impaired children were provided with prescription glasses and monitored with the assistance of their families over six weeks to ensure that they wore their glasses consistently.
Upon retesting, the VMI scores of the children with vision problems were at the same level as the scores of the children with normal eyesight. The WPPSI-R scores did not show the same dramatic improvement, but the researchers speculated that the test might not be as sensitive to changes in visual-motor integration skills tested by the VMI tool. The researchers are following the children to test whether the WPPSI-R scores change further over time.
"Amazingly, this is the first controlled study of preschool children to show the cognitive disadvantage preschool children have when they are farsighted and/or have astigmatism, as well as to show the benefit of early intervention with glasses," study co-author Barbara Brody, director of the Center for Community Ophthalmology at the Shiley Eye Center, said in a prepared statement.
More information
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality offers a guide to good health for children.
"It has been theorized that when young children have early vision problems that are undiagnosed and uncorrected, their development and performance in school are impacted," Stuart I. Brown, chairman of ophthalmology and director of the Shiley Eye Center University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, said in a prepared statement. "This study shows that children with vision impairment do perform below the norm in visual-motor coordination tests, and that they catch up quickly once they are given corrective [lenses]."
The study, published in the February issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology, followed 70 children, aged 3 to 5, about half of whom had normal vision, and half were diagnosed with ametropia -- abnormal refractive eye conditions leading to poor vision, such as astigmatism.
The children took two standardized tests that relate directly to future school performance: the Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (VMI) and the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-Revised (WPPSI-R).
Before being given glasses, the vision-impaired children scored significantly lower on both tests, demonstrating reduced ability of the brain to coordinate the eyes with the hands, the researchers said.
That changed after the vision-impaired children were provided with prescription glasses and monitored with the assistance of their families over six weeks to ensure that they wore their glasses consistently.
Upon retesting, the VMI scores of the children with vision problems were at the same level as the scores of the children with normal eyesight. The WPPSI-R scores did not show the same dramatic improvement, but the researchers speculated that the test might not be as sensitive to changes in visual-motor integration skills tested by the VMI tool. The researchers are following the children to test whether the WPPSI-R scores change further over time.
"Amazingly, this is the first controlled study of preschool children to show the cognitive disadvantage preschool children have when they are farsighted and/or have astigmatism, as well as to show the benefit of early intervention with glasses," study co-author Barbara Brody, director of the Center for Community Ophthalmology at the Shiley Eye Center, said in a prepared statement.
More information
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality offers a guide to good health for children.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Baseline Exam Is Key to Eye Health
(HealthDay News) -- Even people with no signs or risk factors for eye disease can suffer vision loss and need to get baseline eye exams at age 40, says the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO).
The reminder is part of the academy's EyeSmart campaign to mark Save Your Vision Month in February.
"Many eye diseases progress without any warning sings," Dr. Stephanie Marioneaux, a clinical correspondent for the AAO, said in a prepared statement. "Gradual changes in vision can affect your ability to function independently and have confidence in your abilities. One of the hardest adjustments a person can make is adapting to life with permanent vision loss. That is why nothing replaces a comprehensive baseline eye exam."
Based on the findings from the initial screening, an ophthalmologist will create a schedule for follow-up eye exams.
People of any age who have symptoms of eye disease or at high risk due to family history, diabetes or high blood pressure should consult with their ophthalmologist to determine how often they should have their eyes checked, the AAO recommends.
By 2020, 43 million Americans will be at significant risk for vision loss or blindness due to age-related eye diseases such as cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and macular degeneration. That's a more than 50 percent increase over the current number of Americans with such vision-threatening diseases.
But many Americans are unconcerned about the risk of vision loss. Only 23 percent of Americans are very concerned about losing their vision, while most feel weight gain or joint or back pain are greater worries than vision loss, according to an AAO survey conducted for its EyeSmart campaign.
"Unfortunately, millions of people with suffer significant vision loss and blindness because they don't know the risks. That is why the academy launched the EyeSmart campaign, because knowing your risks can save your sight," Marioneaux said.
More information
The U.S. National Eye Institute has more about eye disease risk.
The reminder is part of the academy's EyeSmart campaign to mark Save Your Vision Month in February.
"Many eye diseases progress without any warning sings," Dr. Stephanie Marioneaux, a clinical correspondent for the AAO, said in a prepared statement. "Gradual changes in vision can affect your ability to function independently and have confidence in your abilities. One of the hardest adjustments a person can make is adapting to life with permanent vision loss. That is why nothing replaces a comprehensive baseline eye exam."
Based on the findings from the initial screening, an ophthalmologist will create a schedule for follow-up eye exams.
People of any age who have symptoms of eye disease or at high risk due to family history, diabetes or high blood pressure should consult with their ophthalmologist to determine how often they should have their eyes checked, the AAO recommends.
By 2020, 43 million Americans will be at significant risk for vision loss or blindness due to age-related eye diseases such as cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and macular degeneration. That's a more than 50 percent increase over the current number of Americans with such vision-threatening diseases.
But many Americans are unconcerned about the risk of vision loss. Only 23 percent of Americans are very concerned about losing their vision, while most feel weight gain or joint or back pain are greater worries than vision loss, according to an AAO survey conducted for its EyeSmart campaign.
"Unfortunately, millions of people with suffer significant vision loss and blindness because they don't know the risks. That is why the academy launched the EyeSmart campaign, because knowing your risks can save your sight," Marioneaux said.
More information
The U.S. National Eye Institute has more about eye disease risk.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Test Detects Sensitivity to HIV Drug
(HealthDay News) -- New research suggests that an expensive blood test could help a small minority of HIV patients discover whether they should avoid a common AIDS drug that can sometimes cause serious side effects.
The test detects sensitivity to the medication abacavir by checking to see if a patient's genetic makeup is linked to poor reactions to the medicine.
"This is very important news in relation to the great hopes from the work with the Human Genome Project," said Magnus Ingelman-Sundberg, a professor at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, who wrote a commentary about the research. The genome project aims to analyze the genetic blueprint of humans.
At issue is the AIDS drug abacavir, also known by the brand name Ziagen, which is found in compound drugs known as Trizivir and Epzicom. The drug is known as a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor and works by preventing the AIDS virus from going through the motions of multiplying.
About 8 percent of patients suffer from hypersensitivity to the drug, said study author Simon Mallal, a researcher at Murdoch University & Royal Perth Hospital in Australia. His report on the results is published in the Feb. 7 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. The problems typically occur within the first six weeks that patients use the drug, he added.
According to the study, the side effects include fever, rash, gastrointestinal symptoms and other problems.
By testing patients for a genetic trait that was found in 5.6 percent of 1,956 female and male patients, the researchers found they could spot potential cases of sensitivity to abacavir.
The test's use could allow doctors to do a better job of personalizing drugs for individual patients, Mallal noted.
The study was funded by GlaxoSmithKline, the maker of the drug, and several researchers reported receiving funding from the company. Mallal is the sole shareholder of a company that is trying to get a patent for a test for the genetic trait.
Rowena Johnston, vice president of research for amfAR, The Foundation For AIDS Research, said it remains to be seen if the test will be cost-effective.
According to Mallal, the test could potentially cost $100 to $150 in the United States. Ingelman-Sundberg, the Swedish researcher, put the cost at about $200.
"On the more favorable side, we certainly need more effective ways to predict who will tolerate which drugs or combinations better or worse," Johnston said. Patients who have side effects on drugs often don't bother to take them, which can make their bodies develop immunity to medications, she said.
"This might be one start towards building a battery of tests that could predict who will do well on which antiretrovirals," she said. "But I think more research could provide tools that are easy to implement and might ultimately help patients achieve high adherence so they can take full advantage of the ability of antiretroviral therapy to prolong life."
More information
Learn more about abacavir from the National Institutes of Health.
The test detects sensitivity to the medication abacavir by checking to see if a patient's genetic makeup is linked to poor reactions to the medicine.
"This is very important news in relation to the great hopes from the work with the Human Genome Project," said Magnus Ingelman-Sundberg, a professor at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, who wrote a commentary about the research. The genome project aims to analyze the genetic blueprint of humans.
At issue is the AIDS drug abacavir, also known by the brand name Ziagen, which is found in compound drugs known as Trizivir and Epzicom. The drug is known as a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor and works by preventing the AIDS virus from going through the motions of multiplying.
About 8 percent of patients suffer from hypersensitivity to the drug, said study author Simon Mallal, a researcher at Murdoch University & Royal Perth Hospital in Australia. His report on the results is published in the Feb. 7 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. The problems typically occur within the first six weeks that patients use the drug, he added.
According to the study, the side effects include fever, rash, gastrointestinal symptoms and other problems.
By testing patients for a genetic trait that was found in 5.6 percent of 1,956 female and male patients, the researchers found they could spot potential cases of sensitivity to abacavir.
The test's use could allow doctors to do a better job of personalizing drugs for individual patients, Mallal noted.
The study was funded by GlaxoSmithKline, the maker of the drug, and several researchers reported receiving funding from the company. Mallal is the sole shareholder of a company that is trying to get a patent for a test for the genetic trait.
Rowena Johnston, vice president of research for amfAR, The Foundation For AIDS Research, said it remains to be seen if the test will be cost-effective.
According to Mallal, the test could potentially cost $100 to $150 in the United States. Ingelman-Sundberg, the Swedish researcher, put the cost at about $200.
"On the more favorable side, we certainly need more effective ways to predict who will tolerate which drugs or combinations better or worse," Johnston said. Patients who have side effects on drugs often don't bother to take them, which can make their bodies develop immunity to medications, she said.
"This might be one start towards building a battery of tests that could predict who will do well on which antiretrovirals," she said. "But I think more research could provide tools that are easy to implement and might ultimately help patients achieve high adherence so they can take full advantage of the ability of antiretroviral therapy to prolong life."
More information
Learn more about abacavir from the National Institutes of Health.
Saturday, February 02, 2008
IPods Don't Interfere With Heart Pacemakers
(HealthDay News) -- Portable music players such as the iPod don't cause electronic interference in implanted cardiac pacemakers, a new study claims.
Government researchers reported in the current issue of BioMedical Engineering OnLine that they measured the magnetic fields produced by four different iPod models -- a fourth-generation iPod; iPod with video; iPod shuffle; and iPod nano -- and measured the voltages delivered inside a pacemaker by the magnetic fields from the iPods.
They determined the music devices would have no impact on people with cardiac pacemakers.
"Based on the observations of our in-vitro study, we conclude that no interference can occur in pacemakers exposed to the iPods we tested," wrote U.S. Food and Drug Administration researcher Howard Bassen and his colleagues.
Over the past year, there have been a number of media reports about iPod interference with cardiac pacemakers. But those stories were based on a single incident where a person with a pacemaker experienced dizziness while using an iPod. During an examination, doctors conducted a test with an iPod and found it interfered with the patient's pacemaker.
The case was published in the journal Heart Rhythm and prompted discussions about the use of warning labels for portable music and video players, according to background information in a news release about this new study.
More information
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has more about implanted cardiac pacemakers.
Government researchers reported in the current issue of BioMedical Engineering OnLine that they measured the magnetic fields produced by four different iPod models -- a fourth-generation iPod; iPod with video; iPod shuffle; and iPod nano -- and measured the voltages delivered inside a pacemaker by the magnetic fields from the iPods.
They determined the music devices would have no impact on people with cardiac pacemakers.
"Based on the observations of our in-vitro study, we conclude that no interference can occur in pacemakers exposed to the iPods we tested," wrote U.S. Food and Drug Administration researcher Howard Bassen and his colleagues.
Over the past year, there have been a number of media reports about iPod interference with cardiac pacemakers. But those stories were based on a single incident where a person with a pacemaker experienced dizziness while using an iPod. During an examination, doctors conducted a test with an iPod and found it interfered with the patient's pacemaker.
The case was published in the journal Heart Rhythm and prompted discussions about the use of warning labels for portable music and video players, according to background information in a news release about this new study.
More information
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has more about implanted cardiac pacemakers.
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