Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.health From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: health Wed, Apr 22 1992 Date: Wed, 22 Apr 92 05:41:50 EDT Message-ID: 04-22 0000 DECISIONLINE: Health USA TODAY Update April 22, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network DOUBT CAST ON PROSTATE REMOVAL: A new study casts doubt on the common practice of removing the prostate gland from men diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer. Delaying treatment, especially for men in their 70s, can offer survival rates similar to other therapies, such as prostatectomy, hormones and radiation, Swedish researchers say in Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association. NEW STUDY CONTRADICTS OLD: Debate on prostate cancer treatment will continue. An earlier study has found men who get radical prostatectomies have survival rates as good as men without prostate cancer. This year, about 132,000 men will develop prostate cancer; 34,000 men will die of the disease, the second-leading cause of male cancer deaths. SMOKING REDUCES BIRTH WEIGHT: Pregnant women who smoke are nearly twice as likely to deliver low birth weight babies, says research from the Department of Health and Human Services. "The message to all women who are pregnant or planning a family is quite clear: don't smoke," says HHS Secretary Louis Sullivan. The findings come from new birth certificates that ask detailed questions. (For more, see special Smoking package below.) ADVANCES LOWER MORTALITY RATE: The preliminary 1991 infant mortality rate is 8.9 deaths per 1,000 live births, down from 9.1 in 1990, Health and Human Services Secretary Louis Sullivan said Tuesday. Virtually all of that drop is due to medical technology, not healthier American women, Sullivan said. The single biggest impact came from the new drug surfactant, which relieves respiratory distress syndrome. FAT BLOCKER BEING TESTED: Japanese researchers said Tuesday they discovered a cholesterol derivative that can fight obesity by helping the body to stop storing fat. The substance, 4-cholesten-3-one, can prevent dietary fat from reaching the body's fat storage cells with no harmful side effects, researchers say. It is being tested on laboratory animals and could be ready for human use in several years. AIDS DRUG DDT RECOMMENDED: A Food and Drug Administration advisory panel Tuesday recommended approval of a new AIDS drug, DDC, but only for use in combination with AZT. The committee reviewed studies that showed the two drugs used together raised levels of CD4 helper cells, which are essential to the immune system. Used alone, DDC was not as effective as AZT in prolonging life. PARENTS GO BACK TO WORK EARLY: A six- to eight-week leave is generally considered the minimum to physically recover from childbirth. In more than 85% of U.S. households, both parents work or a single parent supports the family. But a recent survey found 20% returning to work within six weeks after giving birth, 66% in six weeks to six months and 8% between six months and a year. AZTREONAM CURES DIARRHEA: An antibiotic called aztreonam is a good way to fight traveler's diarrhea, according to a new study. Using 191 adults who had returned from Mexico with diarrhea, doctors gave half the people the antibiotic and half a placebo. Those getting aztreonam stopped having symptoms an average of 40 hours sooner. The report was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. QUALITY AS VITAL AS QUANTITY: A mutually satisfying sex life helps couples stay faithful and keep long-term relationships intact. And therapists note the quality of sexual union - that becoming of one flesh - is as important as the quantity. SPECIAL PACKAGE ON SMOKING: WOMEN NOT GETTING MESSAGE: HHS Secretary Louis Sullivan said he is concerned more women are not getting the message about the dangers of smoking. A new study says women who smoke are twice as likely to have babies with low birth weights. Low birth weight is the best predictor of infant mortality, and also the best predictor of which children will suffer medical and learning problems as they grow up. SMOKING VARIES WITH EDUCATION: In 1989, 20% of mothers smoked, said Sullivan. The highest risk was found among teen-age mothers 18 and 19 years old, of whom one-fourth smoked. "Smoking varies greatly by education," said Sullivan. "With more education, smoking declines. One third of women with less than a high school education smoked, whereas only 5% of women who are college graduates smoke." WHITES MORE LIKELY TO SMOKE: White pregnant women are more likely to smoke than black or Hispanic mothers, and white women at the lowest educational levels are twice as likely as black women to smoke. Citing cultural differences, researchers said black women take up smoking later in life and smoke less. The high cost of smoking, about $1.75 a pack, is another factor behind the racial differences, said researchers. (End of package.) Health Editor: Ed Kelleher. (1-919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM