Connection Found Between Autism and Older Mothers, Breech Births

A recent study conducted by U.S. researchers has found that autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are almost twice as prevalent in children of older mothers and those that had a breech presentation at delivery. A breech birth is one where the baby is in a feet-first position (legs and buttocks first) in the mother’s uterus right before birth, usually calling for delivery via cesarean section. For the study, lead researcher Dr. Deborah Bilder of the University of Utah School of Medicine and her team looked at data collected on children born in Utah in 1994. All of the 8-year-olds involved in the study had been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder in 2002 through the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, a group of programs funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to determine the prevalence of the disorders in the U.S. Researchers then acquired birth records for 132 of those children and compared them with the records of 13,200 children without an autism spectrum disorder. They found that children born to mothers age 35 and older were 1.6 times more likely than those born to younger women to develop an autism spectrum disorder. Autism spectrum disorders were also 1.8 times more likely to develop in the first born child. In addition, Bilder and her colleagues found that children born in a breech delivery were twice as likely to develop an ASD than those that did not have a breech presentation at birth.

The study, which was published in Pediatrics, confirmed previous studies suggesting that genetics play a significant role in the development of autism. Bilder noted that she does not believe that any of these factors are causes of ASDs and that there is a prenatal factor involved that may incorporate a genetic or environmental component. In addition, Bilder stated that the absolute risk for autism is still relatively small, so mothers over 34 should not be worried. If you believe your child’s autism was caused by a doctor’s negligence, call or e-mail the attorneys at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, P.C. Our Manhattan birth injury, Bronx birth injury, Brooklyn birth injury, Queens birth injury and Long Island birth injury attorneys will evaluate your case at no charge to you. Call or submit and instant inquiry today for your FREE consultation.

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Ways to Reduce Medication Errors to Protect Patients

Each year in the U.S., about 1.5 million people are affected by medication errors. Some of these errors are minor and pose no risk to the health of the patient, while with others, there is potential for patient harm. According to two new studies, there are ways that hospitals and pharmacists can reduce the prevalence of these mistakes, as well as the chances that a patient will be seriously harmed by medication errors. For the first study, researchers led by Dr. Jeffrey L. Schnipper of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School performed a controlled trial using 322 patients at two hospitals from May to June of 2006. The research team kept track of what medications those patients were taking at admission and discharge by entering them into a computer. Researchers also tried to have doctors, nurses and pharmacists take the medication histories of the patients and keep track of the medications they were taking. Among the 160 control patients (usual care), there were 1.44 medication errors made per patient, while among the 162 intervention patients (program), there were about 1.05 errors made. Patients in the program experienced a 28 percent reduction in the number of medication errors made. There were 43 errors made with patients in the program that had the potential to cause serious harm, while among the usual care group, there were 55 medication errors made that had the potential to harm a patient. The study suggests that knowing and keeping track of a patients medication history from admission through discharge can significantly reduce the risk of medication error and the consequences of those mistakes.

The second report looked at medication errors occurring in people with high blood pressure. This group of researchers, led by Michael D. Murray of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, analyzed how involving pharmacists in medication decisions could reduce the frequency of medication errors and adverse drug effects. For this study, 800 patients with high blood pressure were paired with a pharmacist, who provided them with instructions for the medications they were taking. The pharmacists also monitored their medications and communicated with the patient and their primary care physician. Murray and his team found that these patients, with the help of pharmacist intervention, experienced fewer medication errors and adverse drug reactions than patients that had no such intervention. The study emphasized the effect pharmacist intervention can have on reducing these types of errors by keeping them involved in the medication regimens of their patients. Medication errors made by healthcare professionals (most often physicians) are a violation of the trust a patient puts in the doctor and the entire medical profession. If you or a loved one has been the victim of medication malpractice, call or e-mail the attorneys at Silberstein Awad & Miklos, P.C. today to schedule your free initial consultation. We serve clients with Queens medication error, Bronx medication error, Brooklyn medication error, Nassau medication error and Suffolk medication error cases.

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Fatty Fish and Omega-3 Fatty Acids Lower Heart Failure Risk in Men

According to a recent study published in the European Heart Journal, men who eat fatty fish and a moderate amount of omega-3 fatty acids may lower their risk of heart failure. Study leader Dr. Emily Levitan, a cardiology research fellow at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School in Boston, along with colleagues, followed almost 40,000 Swedish men over about seven years, from 1998 to 2004. Levitan and her team, which included researchers from both the U.S. and Sweden, analyzed the diets and health results of each man involved in the study. Men who consumed fatty fish once a week, including mackerel, salmon, whitefish, herring and char, were 12 percent less likely to develop heart failure when compared with those who never consumed fatty fish. However, eating more than one serving of fatty fish each week did not provide any additional heart protection. Instead, the risk of heart failure for those men was equal to that of men who never ate fatty fish. As for omega-3 fatty acids, the study found that men who consumed about 0.3 grams each day had a lower risk of heart failure than those who consumed no omega-3 fatty acids or very minimal amounts. Similarly to the consumption of fatty fish, men who consumed more than a moderate amount of omega-3 fatty acids saw no additional benefits and actually experienced the same risk as those who consumed little or no omega-3 fatty acids. These types of omega-3 fatty acids are found in salmon, tuna, and halibut, cod liver oil and other fish oils.

Over the course of the study, 597 of the participants, ages 45 to 79 developed heart failure, having had no history of heart disease or diabetes. Of the men that developed heart disease, 34 died as a result of the disorder. According to the American Heart Association, an estimated 5.7 million Americans are living with heart failure, and 670,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. The condition is manageable with proper treatment and certain changes in diet, exercise and lifestyle. If heart failure is not detected or it is left untreated, the condition can be fatal. If you or a loved one has experienced a delay in diagnosis or treatment of a serious heart problem, please call or e-mail the personal injury attorneys at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, P.C. We serve clients with Brooklyn medical malpractice, Bronx medical malpractice, Manhattan medical malpractice, Queens medical malpractice and Long Island medical malpractice cases. We also serve clients located in Staten Island and Westchester County.

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Obesity Lowers Chances of Spotting Fetal Abnormalities on Ultrasound

According to a study led by Dr. Jodi S. Dashe of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, overweight and obese pregnant women are more likely to receive an inaccurate ultrasound. An ultrasound screening produces images of the fetus, monitors movements such as fetal heart beat and can also identify fetal abnormalities and malformations. However, this study has found that ultrasounds are less likely to detect fetal abnormalities in obese women, as well as those with diabetes. For the study, Dashe and her team analyzed more than 10,000 standard ultrasound exams and more than 1,000 specialized ultrasounds exams, which are used for high-risk pregnancies. Researchers looked at ultrasound results, the body-mass index (BMI) of the mother and infant discharge records. The team found that as the BMI of the mother increased, the exam’s ability to spot major birth defects decreased significantly. In fact, between obese women and women with a normal BMI, there was a 20 percent difference in the effectiveness of the ultrasound exams and its ability to detect abnormalities. So, even if a fetus appeared to be normal during an ultrasound, there was a greater risk that the exam was inaccurate and the baby could be born with serious defects.

The study, which will be published in the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ (ACOG) journal Obstetrics & Gynecology, also found a decrease in the effectiveness of ultrasounds with diabetic women. These diabetic women were already considered to be at a higher risk for fetal abnormalities even before they received an ultrasound. However, after having the test, researchers found that ultrasound mistakes were more likely to occur in these diabetic women than in other women at risk for fetal abnormalities. In fact, the rate of success for identifying fetal abnormalities using an ultrasound screening was only about 38 percent in women with diabetes, while women with other high-risk factors had an 88 percent success rate. Women with high-risk pregnancies are at a greater danger of having a child with serious health problems. However, many birth problems are the result of negligence on the part of a doctor or medical professional. If your child has suffered an injury during birth that may have been preventable, please call or e-mail us today. Our experienced attorneys have helped clients with Manhattan birth injury, Bronx birth injury, Brooklyn birth injury, Queens birth injury, Nassau birth injury and Suffolk birth injury cases. Call or send an instant inquiry today and we will evaluate your case for FREE.

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Radiation in Addition to Chemotherapy Benefits Advanced Lung Cancer Patients

Recent research conducted at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center has found that when given both radiation and chemotherapy treatment at the same time, stage 3 non-small cell lung cancer patients lived longer than with other treatments. Patients with advanced lung cancer are usually treated with radiation, chemotherapy, or a combination of the two. In most cases, surgery is not an option for these stage 3 lung cancer patients because of the size of the tumor. The study found that when treated with both radiation and chemotherapy at the same time, patients with advanced lung cancer lived almost 16 months, on average, after being diagnosed. When treated with radiation alone, patients survived an average of 7 months after diagnosis. Patients that received chemotherapy after radiation lived almost 15 months, on average.

The study also looked at survival rates for these patients with advanced lung cancer five years after diagnosis. Researchers found that almost 20 percent of the patients treated simultaneously with radiation and chemotherapy were still alive five years after being diagnosed with lung cancer. Of the patients treated with radiation before chemotherapy, only about 7.5 percent were alive five years later. The study, which was published in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics suggests that combining chemotherapy and radiation treatments in the correct amounts for the specific patient may help them live longer. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 215,000 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with lung tumors in 2009. If you or someone you love has been harmed by a delay in diagnosis or treatment of cancer, our cancer malpractice attorneys can help. Your initial consultation is FREE and there is NO FEE to you unless we recover money. Call Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, P.C. today, or submit an instant inquiry now and we will respond within 24 hours. Our experienced attorneys serve clients with Bronx cancer malpractice, Brooklyn cancer malpractice, Queens cancer malpractice, Long Island cancer malpractice and Manhattan cancer malpractice cases.

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‘Silent’ Heart Attacks Occur More Often Than Though

When a person experiences a silent heart attack, symptoms are usually nonexistent or very mild, and unlike those of a regular heart attack. For this reason, silent heart attacks often go undetected and untreated. A recent study published in peer-reviewed journal PLoS Medicine has found that these silent heart attacks are more common than previously thought. The study, which was conducted by researchers at Duke University Medical Center, examined 185 patients with coronary artery disease who had no history of a heart attack. Researchers used delayed enhancement cardiovascular magnetic resonance (DE-CMR), which showed evidence of a heart attack in 35 percent of the study participants. They also found that silent heart attacks, also known as non-Q-wave unrecognized myocardial infarctions (UMIs), were three times as common as Q-wave UMIs, and occurred most often in those with severe coronary artery disease.

After following study participants for about two years, researchers found that those patients who had experienced a silent heart attack were 17 times more likely to die from heart problems than those participants with no damage to their heart. Study participants with a history of a silent heart attack were also 11 times more likely to die from any cause than those who had not experienced a heart attack. Silent heart attacks do not cause irregularities as a normal heart attack would, so they cannot be detected on electrocardiograms (EKGs). This makes it even less likely that a person will discover they have experienced a silent heart attack. There are no recommenced treatment for silent heart attacks, since most patients are unaware of the occurrence. If a silent heart attack is discovered, treatment is usually similar to that of a patient with coronary heart disease. If you or a loved one has experienced a delay in diagnosis or treatment of a serious heart problem, please call or e-mail the personal injury attorneys at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, P.C. We serve clients with Brooklyn medical malpractice, Bronx medical malpractice, Manhattan medical malpractice, Queens medical malpractice and Long Island medical malpractice cases. We also serve clients located in Staten Island and Westchester County.

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Exercise During Pregnancy Benefits the Fetus

According to a recent study by researchers at the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences and the University of Kansas Medical Center, exercising during pregnancy can increase fetal development. The study participants, pregnant women ages 20 to 35, were split into two groups. One group took part in moderately intense aerobic exercise 3 days per week for at least 30 minutes a day, while the other group did not receive regular exercise. Over the course of the study, researchers used non-invasive tests to monitor fetal development, breathing, fetal heart rate, body movements and autonomic nervous system control of the fetuses. They found that during both breathing and non-breathing movement periods, fetal heart rate was significantly lower in the exercise group than in the control group. In addition, short-term heart rate variability and overall heart rate variability were higher in the exercise group during breathing movements, with fetuses in the exercise group having greater cardiovascular control during those movements. As for heart rate control during non-breathing periods, the study found no substantial differences between the exercise group and control group.

The results of this study suggest that a fetus can benefit significantly if the mother receives moderate amounts of exercise. The improvements in fetal breathing movements can benefit the developing autonomic nervous system, the part of the central nervous system that controls involuntary actions, such as the beating of the heart and the widening or narrowing of blood vessels. According to the Mayo Clinic, expecting mothers should check with their physician before engaging in regular exercise. Women with diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease should be especially careful when exercising during pregnancy. If a women experiences blurred vision, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pain, abdominal pain or vaginal bleeding, they should stop exercising and contact their physician if symptoms persist or get worse. For most women, exercising during pregnancy is not only safe, but beneficial for themselves and their baby. If your child has suffered an injury during birth that may have been preventable, please call or e-mail us today. Our experienced attorneys have helped clients with Manhattan birth injury, Bronx birth injury, Brooklyn birth injury, Queens birth injury, Nassau birth injury and Suffolk birth injury cases. Call or send an instant inquiry today and we will evaluate your case for FREE.

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Two Nicotine Byproducts Directly Cause Lung Cancer

According to the American Cancer Society, smoking damages almost every organ in the body and is responsible for nearly 1 in 5 deaths in the U.S. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in both men and women, with almost 90 percent of lung cancer cases being directly caused by cigarette smoking. In a recent study, scientists found that two nicotine byproducts present in tobacco smoke, NNAL and cotinine, directly cause lung cancer. For the study, researchers asked 50,000 male and female participants between ages 45 and 74 how much they smoked, what foods they ate and other questions regarding their lifestyles. They also analyzed the blood and urine of each participant, splitting NNAL concentrations into three categories: low, medium and high. Researchers found that those smokers with high concentrations of NNAL had twice the risk of developing lung cancer than smokers with lower concentrations of the nicotine byproduct. The risk of developing lung cancer for study participants that had high concentrations of both NNAL and cotinine in their urine was more than eight times higher than those with low concentrations of the substances.

Jian-Min Yuan of the University of Minnesota presented the study findings at the American Association for Cancer Research in Denver, Colorado. Along with colleagues, Yuan reported that they were able to identify 246 smokers involved in the study who eventually developed lung cancer during the 10-year duration of the research. The team was also able to identify 245 participants who did not develop the disease over the course of the study. The findings of this study may help predict which smokers are more likely to develop lung cancer, allowing for earlier screenings and treatment, if necessary. Each year, more than 1.2 million people die from lung cancer. Cancer treatment is most effective when the cancer is caught early on. If you or someone you love has been harmed by a delay in diagnosis or treatment of cancer, our cancer malpractice attorneys can help. Your initial consultation is FREE and there is NO FEE to you unless we recover money. Call Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, P.C. today, or submit an instant inquiry now and we will respond within 24 hours. Our experienced attorneys serve clients with Bronx cancer malpractice, Brooklyn cancer malpractice, Queens cancer malpractice, Long Island cancer malpractice and Manhattan cancer malpractice cases.

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Heart Failure Patients May Benefit From Exercise

A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association has found that for people with chronic heart failure, moderate exercise can help them feel better. For most heart failure patients, doctors often prescribe certain medications, depending on their symptoms, in addition to bed rest. For the study, Kathryn E. Flynn, Ph.D. and Christopher M. O’Connor, M.D., along with colleagues, randomly designated more than 2,300 male and female heart failure patients to either a standard care group or a standard care plus aerobic exercise training group. At the start of the study, participants in the exercise group were supervised during 36 exercise sessions. They were then given either a stationary exercise bike or a treadmill for use at home and told to get between 120 and 200 minutes of exercise each week. Just 3 months after the start of the study, the exercise group reported that they felt better, with 54 percent experiencing improvements in their health. Of the standard care group, only about 29 percent reported health improvements. More than two years later, those study participants in the exercise group were somewhat less likely to require hospitalization for heart failure or any other cause. People in that group also saw a reduced risk of death from heart failure or some other cause. In addition, Flynn and her team also found that those participants in the exercise group were in slightly better shape after two and a half years than those in the standard care group.

Although many of the participants in the exercise group did not follow the weekly recommendations over the entire length of the study, they still experienced small benefits from added physical activity. The results, which were analyzed by O’Connor and his team, revealed that the more a patient exercised with greater intensity, the more they benefitted. In the United States, an estimated 5.7 million people are living with chronic heart failure. According the American Heart Association, heart failure occurs when the heart muscle is unable to pump enough blood through the heart to meet the body’s needs for blood and oxygen. The results of this study may prompt more heart failure patients to turn to moderate exercise to improve their quality of life. If heart failure is not detected or it is left untreated, the condition can be fatal. If you or a loved one has experienced a delay in diagnosis or treatment of a serious heart problem, please call or e-mail the personal injury attorneys at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, P.C. We serve clients with Brooklyn medical malpractice, Bronx medical malpractice, Manhattan medical malpractice, Queens medical malpractice and Long Island medical malpractice cases. We also serve clients located in Staten Island and Westchester County.

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Prostate Cancer Drug Reduces Risk of Death in Clinical Trial

Provenge, an immunotherapy cancer treatment developed by Seattle-based biotechnology company Dendreon, has been found to extend the lives of men with prostate cancer in a clinical trial. Treatment with Provenge involves the removal of some white blood cells, which are then mixed with a genetically engineered protein. That protein is a combination of an immune system stimulator and a certain molecule found in prostate cancer cells. The white blood cells are then infused into the patient in the hopes that they will attack anything that resembles the prostate cancer molecule. The trial included roughly 500 men with advanced prostate cancer that was no longer responding to therapy. Dendreon found that the men that received Provenge had a reduced risk of death when compared to those men that were given a placebo. The results of the trial met the goal established by Dendreon and the Food and Drug Administration, who previously declined to approve Provenge. After a smaller trial by Dendreon of 127 men two years ago, the FDA decided that more proof that Provenge worked was needed before they would approve the drug. That previous trial found that the men who received Provenge lived a median of 25.9 months, compared with the men who received the placebo, who lived a median of 21.4 months.

Although Dendreon did not yet release the detailed results of this most recent trial, it plans to do so at a urology meeting later this month. The intention of this therapeutic vaccine is not to prevent prostate cancer, but to direct a person’s immune system to attack the disease after it has developed. The approval of Provenge by the FDA is widely anticipated, although no final decision has been made by the Administration. If the drug is approved, more men with prostate cancer who are no longer benefitting from other therapies could extend their lives. According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the most common cancer, other than skin cancers, in American men. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men, only after lung cancer. Cancer treatment is most effective when the cancer is caught early on. If you or someone you love has been harmed by a delay in diagnosis or treatment of cancer, our malpractice attorneys can help. Your initial consultation is FREE and there is NO FEE to you unless we recover money. Please call Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, P.C. today, or submit an instant inquiry now and we will respond within 24 hours. Our experienced cancer malpractice attorneys serve clients with Bronx cancer malpractice, Brooklyn cancer malpractice, Queens cancer malpractice, Manhattan cancer malpractice and Long Island cancer malpractice cases.

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Statins, Acetaminophen Beneficial to Some Stroke Patients

According to the American Heart Association, there are several ways to treat patients that have suffered a stroke, including surgery, medication, hospital care and rehabilitation. However, two new studies have found that cholesterol-lowering statins and acetaminophen may help prevent stroke or treat patients after a stroke has occurred. One study out of the Netherlands found that by lowering body temperature in patients with temperatures from 98.6 to 102.2 shortly after the onset of a stroke, acetaminophen could improve the person’s outcome. Researchers noted that many stroke sufferers experience a fever during the occurrence, making it more likely that their recovery will be lesser than that of someone that did not experience a fever during stroke. The reason behind this is that during a stroke, certain brain cells are not receiving a sufficient amount of blood, and when the body temperature rises, those cells require even more blood and oxygen to survive. Therefore, by providing fever-reducing acetaminophen, the body temperature will decrease, allowing the brain cells to live longer with less blood and oxygen. Researchers conducted the study using 1,400 participants, providing them with either acetaminophen or a placebo within 12 hours of the start of their stroke symptoms. They found that 40 percent of the study participants that had temperatures from 98.6 to 102.2 saw an improvement, compared to 31 percent that received the placebo. However, the majority of participants involved in the study that received acetaminophen had no significant improvement over the placebo group.

In the second study, French researchers found that the use of statins, or cholesterol-lowering drugs, appeared to lower the risk of stroke. Preventing stroke through statin use has been the basis of several other studies, however, this most recent study incorporated the results of 24 previous studies and more than 165,000 participants. Researchers found that the risk of stroke fell by 21 percent for every 1 millimole per liter reduction in bad cholesterol (LDL) through statin use, compared to those who were not given stains. Statin use has been found to delay the formation of blockages in the arteries that provide the head and neck with blood from the heart. The results of these two studies may result in additional options for stroke sufferers and improved stroke prevention methods. If you or a loved one has been the victim of stroke malpractice in New York as a result of a delay in diagnosis or treatment, call or e-mail the malpractice lawyers at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, P.C. Our firm serves clients with Brooklyn stroke malpractice, Bronx stroke malpractice, Manhattan stroke malpractice, Queens stroke malpractice and Long Island stroke malpractice cases. Call today for your free consultation.

More Women Opting for Double Mastectomies

According to research published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, more women with early-stage breast cancer are choosing to have double mastectomies instead of having just one breast removed. In fact, between 1998 and 2005, the rate of double mastectomy in women with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) increased by 188 percent, with 13.5 percent of women in a 2005 study opting to have both breasts removed. According to the Mayo Clinic, DCIS is an early form of cancer where abnormal cells multiply and form a growth within a milk duct of the breast. For women with DCIS, the 10-year survival rate is between 98 and 99 percent. The removal of the healthy breast in addition to the affected breast does not improve a woman’s chances of survival, however, many women are still choosing to have both breasts removed. Although the study’s lead researcher Dr. Todd Tuttle, chief of surgical oncology and associate professor of surgery at the University of Minnesota, has doubts about these double mastectomies, it is possible for more aggressive or untreated DCIS to spread and develop in the healthy breast. Still, most cases of DCIS are highly treatable.

For the study, Tuttle and his team evaluated information on 51,030 women using the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. All of the women involved in the study had all been diagnosed with DCIS in one breast sometime between 1988 and 2005. Tuttle and his colleagues found that 2,072 of the more than 51,000 women opted for breast removal surgery to treat their DCIS. Tuttle suggested several reasons why more women are choosing to have both breasts removed, including the fact that there is more public awareness of the genetics of breast cancer. In addition, Tuttle noted that fewer invasive mastectomy procedures and improved breast reconstruction techniques may influence more women to have both breasts removed during one surgery. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 186,467 women were diagnosed and 41,116 women died from breast cancer in 2005. Breast cancer treatment is most effective when the cancer is caught early on. If you or someone you love has been harmed by a delay in diagnosis or treatment of breast cancer, our cancer malpractice attorneys can help. Call or submit and instant inquiry today and our Bronx cancer malpractice, Brooklyn cancer malpractice, Queens cancer malpractice and Long Island cancer malpractice attorneys will evaluate your case at no cost to you. Your initial consultation is FREE and there is NO FEE to you unless we recover money.

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Hyperbaric Treatment for Autistic Children Proves Beneficial

According to the Autism Society of America, autism is “a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and affects a person’s ability to communicate and interact with others.” Each person with the “spectrum disorder” is affected differently and to varying degrees, and although autism is treatable, there is no known single cause for autism. Treatment for autism depends on the individual and sometimes includes occupational therapy, which focuses on basic skills and function, and physical therapy, which works to improve control of body movements. However, a recent study has found that hyperbaric treatment is helpful for children with autism and can lead to improvements in the condition. Hyperbaric treatment involves placing the patient into a pressurized chamber where they inhale up to 100 percent oxygen at more than 1 atmosphere (atm) of pressure. This treatment is used in an attempt to boost the amount of oxygen in the child's brain by increasing the amount of pressure. The study included 62 children between 2 and 7 years of age and was the first randomized, controlled, double-blind multicenter trial to look at this treatment on autistic children.

Dan Rossignol, along with colleagues, conducted the study by randomly assigning the 62 participants to either 40 hours of hyperbaric treatment using 24 percent oxygen at 1.3 atmospheres of pressure (treatment group) or somewhat pressurized air with 21 percent oxygen at 1.03 atmospheres of pressure. Three scales, including the Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scale, the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) and the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) were used to measure the results. Rossignol and his team found that compared to those in the non-treatment group, those children who received treatment saw substantial improvements in overall function, social interaction, eye contact, receptive language and sensory and cognitive awareness. With these promising results, additional use of hyperbaric treatment is more than likely in future studies and testing of autism treatment. If you believe your child’s autism was caused by a doctor’s negligence, call or e-mail the attorneys at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, P.C. Our Manhattan birth injury, Bronx birth injury, Brooklyn birth injury, Queens birth injury and Long Island birth injury attorneys will evaluate your case at no charge to you. Call or submit and instant inquiry today for your FREE consultation.

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Quitting Smoking Before 15th Week of Pregnancy Reduces Risk

When a woman smokes cigarettes while pregnant, her risk of a low-birthweight baby, premature birth, miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth and neonatal death increases. According to the March of Dimes, smoking nearly doubles a woman's risk of having a low-birthweight baby, which leads to an increased risk of serious health problems. A recent study has found that pregnant women who quit smoking prior to their 15th week of pregnancy lower their risk of birth problems, including premature birth and a low-birthweight, to that of women who did not smoke at all. The March of Dimes, along with other organizations and most doctors, recommend that women stop smoking before they become pregnant and do not smoke throughout pregnancy and after the baby is born. According to the study, women who do not quit smoking by week 15 are about two times as likely to have smaller babies and three times more likely to deliver prematurely than women who quit. For the study, Dr. Lesley McCowan, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Auckland in New Zealand, along with colleagues, compiled information on 2,504 expecting women. About 80 percent of the study participants did not smoke, while 10 percent had quit smoking and 10 percent continued to smoke throughout their pregnancy. The rate of spontaneous premature birth and smaller babies was the same for the women that did not smoke at all and those that had quit before their 15th week of pregnancy. As for those women that continued to smoke, there was a higher rate of spontaneous preterm birth and smaller babies than those who had quit.

This was the first study to determine whether a woman could reduce her risk of problems if she quit smoking early on in her pregnancy. Another finding of the study, which was published in peer reviewed medical journal BMJ, was that women that had quit smoking did not experience more stress than those that continued to smoke. For many smokers, it is extremely difficult to quit, so joining a support group or other program may be helpful. If a woman is unable to quit smoking during her pregnancy and continues to smoke after giving birth, she puts her baby at greater risk of developing asthma, pneumonia and other respiratory problems, as well as SIDS, or sudden infant death syndrome. The same is true if there are any smokers living in a household with babies or children, since exposure to cigarette smoke increases the risk of these problems. Although smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of premature birth and low birthweight, some birth injuries may be preventable. If your child has suffered a birth injury that may have been preventable, please call or e-mail us today. Our experienced attorneys have helped clients with Manhattan birth injury, Bronx birth injury, Brooklyn birth injury, Queens birth injury, Nassau birth injury and Suffolk birth injury cases. Call or send an instant inquiry today and we will evaluate your case for FREE.

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EpiPen Prescriptions Uncommon For Patients with Anaphylaxis

According to the Center for Anaphylactic Support, anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction marked by swelling of the throat or tongue, hives, and trouble breathing. The Center’s website also notes that the EpiPen Auto-Injector is the #1 doctor prescribed treatment for those with a history of anaphylaxis because it helps stop allergic reactions fast and gives a person time to get the emergency medical help they need. However, a recent study presented at the 2009 American Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology (AAAAI) Annual Meeting found that about half of physicians fail to prescribe the EpiPen (auto-injectable epinephrine) to patients with anaphylaxis. For the study, 43 residents and 7 attending physicians in New York City were interviewed by Dr. Irene Paek, an allergy and immunology fellow at Long Island College Hospital in Brooklyn. Paek questioned the physicians on whether or not they knew how to use an EpiPen and asked them to demonstrate how to use the device. Twenty-eight (56%) of the 50 physicians stated that they did know how to use the device, however, when Paek scored them on their abilities, only 1 physician was able to complete all of the steps properly. The average score for ability was 1.39 out of 4 when the physicians were asked to administer the EpiPen to themselves.

Not surprisingly, when asked if they had a patient with a history of anaphylaxis, 35 (70%) of the physicians involved answered yes. However, only slightly more than half of those physicians had prescribed an EpiPen to patients with anaphylaxis. Some physicians that did not prescribe the EpiPen to their anaphylactic patients responded that they did not think to prescribe the device, while others chose not to because they believed that anaphylaxis could be controlled in other ways. Although the majority of these physicians (82%) were under the impression that they knew when an EpiPen should be prescribed, only half of those involved in the study had ever actually prescribed the auto-injectable epinephrine device. Moreover, only 11 of those 25 physicians that had prescribed an EpiPen had shown their patients with anaphylaxis how to use the device properly. Each year, more than 400 people die as a result of anaphylaxis, so it is extremely important to get proper treatment. Undiagnosed anaphylaxis can be fatal. If you or a loved one has experienced a serious injury or death as a result of an undiagnosed problem, call or e-mail the attorneys at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, P.C. Our Brooklyn malpractice lawyers, Bronx malpractice lawyers, Queens malpractice lawyers, Nassau malpractice lawyers and Suffolk malpractice lawyers will review your case for FREE.

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No Benefit from Reshaping Heart with Ventricular Reconstruction

When a person has a heart attack, diseased heart valves, blocked arteries in the heart, diabetes or high blood pressure, that person may eventually experience heart failure. Heart failure often damages the heart to the point where it is unable to pump an adequate amount of blood to the body, causing swelling in the ankles and legs, shortness of breath, angina, fatigue and other symptoms. According to the Mayo Clinic, doctors usually treat heart failure with a combination of medications, depending on the patient’s specific symptoms. Some surgeries are also used to treat heart failure patients, however, researchers have just found that one surgery that once seemed promising is not beneficial to patients suffering from heart failure. In ventricular reconstruction surgery, surgeons eliminate damaged heart tissue surrounding the left ventricle, which is the chamber responsible for pumping blood to the body. Surgeons sewed the healthy parts together in the hopes that they would isolated the damaged tissue and eliminate some symptoms of heart failure. However, a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found no improvement in patients that received ventricular reconstruction in addition to bypass surgery over those that received only the bypass surgery.

For the study, researchers followed 1,000 heart failure patients that were randomly chosen to have either bypass surgery or ventricular reconstruction in addition to bypass surgery. Study participants were tracked by researchers for a median of 48 months, who looked at how many participants died or were readmitted to the hospital, as well as their symptoms and levels of physical activity. Researchers found no difference between the death and rehospitalization rates of the two groups and observed that the symptoms of patients in each group improved equally. The only difference researchers found between the two groups was that participants that received both the bypass surgery and the ventricular reconstruction surgery spent more time in the hospital than the other group. Doctors have been performing this surgery on heart failure patients for about 20 years in attempt to treat clogged arteries. However, with the findings of this recent study, ventricular reconstruction surgery will likely become history, since it is of no benefit to the patient. Injuries incurred during surgery may be the result of negligence on the part of a doctor or hospital employee. If you or a loved one was injured by surgery malpractice in NY, call or e-mail the surgery malpractice lawyers at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, P.C. Our experienced surgery malpractice lawyers serve clients with Bronx surgical malpractice, Brooklyn surgical malpractice, Queens surgical malpractice, Long Island surgical malpractice and Manhattan surgical malpractice cases. Call today and let us evaluate the facts of your situation and answer any questions you may have regarding your case.

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Heart Attack Patients Benefit from Bone Marrow Stem Cells

Each year in the United States, roughly 1 million people experience a heart attack. Of these 1 million occurrences, about 20 percent are serious enough to cause damage to the ventricles of the heart. Heart attack survivors are generally given mediation to treat any damage, however, recent research has found that injecting heart attack patients with their own bone marrow stem cells significantly improves heart function and can reduce long-term complications. All of the 31 study participants were treated with angioplasty and stents to open up the blocked artery. Within one week of their heart attacks, 16 had differing numbers of bone marrow stem cells infused into the artery where the blockage occurred. Those that received bone marrow stem cells were either given 5 million, 10 million or 15 million cells that had started to become endothelial cells, which line blood vessels. The other 15 study participants were treated with the standard medications that are given after a heart attack. When compared with patients treated only with drugs and those that received lower doses of stem cells, patients that received higher doses of stem cells saw the most improvement in the heart’s blood flow. Researchers also learned that study participants that received bone marrow stem cells also saw a reduction in long-term complications after following them for up to 5 years. Those participants also experienced fewer episodes of chest pain and could walk longer distances without pain.

The positive results of this study have prompted researchers to begin thinking about larger trials with bone marrow stem cell use in heart attack patients in the near future. More positive results may allow this method to be used to treat patients with damaged ventricles as a result of a heart attack. As with any new treatment, medication or surgery, there is always an increased risk that something could go wrong. If you or a loved one was injured by hospital medical malpractice in the New York area, call or e-mail the malpractice attorneys at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, P.C. Our experienced attorneys serve clients with Bronx medical malpractice, Brooklyn medical malpractice, Queens medical malpractice, Nassau medical malpractice and Suffolk medical malpractice cases.

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Head Injuries: Preventing Fatality

According to a 2007 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study, an estimated 207,830 traumatic brain injuries occur each year in recreational and organized sports in the U.S. A traumatic brain injury occurs when a sudden blow causes damage to the brain and disrupts normal function. This type of injury can also occur when a person’s head suddenly and violently hits an object, or when an object perforates the skull and enters brain tissue, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). A traumatic brain injury can be deceiving because a person may not know how serious their injury is until they are checked out by a doctor. So, if a head injury has occurred, that person should be brought to a hospital to be examined by a doctor, no matter how minor the injury seems. According to NINDS, symptoms of a mild traumatic brain injury include headache, confusion, lightheadedness, dizziness, blurred vision or tired eyes, ringing in the ears, bad taste in the mouth, fatigue or lethargy, a change in sleep patterns, behavioral or mood changes and trouble with memory, concentration, attention or thinking. A moderate or severe traumatic brain injury may exhibit similar symptoms, in addition to a headache that gets worse or does not go away, repeated vomiting or nausea, convulsions or seizures, an inability to awaken from sleep, dilation of one or both pupils of the eyes, slurred speech, weakness or numbness in the extremities, loss of coordination and increased confusion, restlessness or agitation.

Although the CDC reports that the exact number of traumatic brain injury fatalities is unknown, deaths represent fewer than 1 percent of all injuries. Fatal traumatic brain injuries are usually caused by a fracture of the temporal bone, which is the extremely thin skull bone containing part of the ear canal, the middle ear and the inner ear. When this bone is fractured, a tear can occur in an artery, creating the possibility for rapid bleeding. Wearing a helmet during recreational and contact sports prevents skull fractures, although they do not prevent concussions. According to the CDC, football and basketball cause the most brain-injury-related ER visits, while skiing, bicycling, playground activities and driving all-terrain vehicles also commonly cause these types of injuries. The most effective way to lower the risk of a mild, moderate or severe traumatic brain injury is by wearing a helmet during any activity where a blow can occur to the head. Getting checked out by a doctor is also critical because even though an injury may seem minor, it may be serious and potentially fatal. In these cases, emergency surgery may be necessary to prevent death or long-term impairment. If you or a loved one have been seriously hurt by a delay in diagnosis or treatment of a traumatic brain injury, call or e-mail the attorneys at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, P.C. for your free case evaluation. We serve clients with Bronx medical malpractice, Queens medical malpractice, Brooklyn medical malpractice, Nassau medical malpractice and Suffolk medical malpractice cases.

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Greater Risk of Disabilities and Developmental Delays in Late-Preterm Babies

A recent study published in the journal Pediatrics has found that babies that are born just three to six weeks before their due dates are more likely to experience problems once they reach kindergarten than full-term babies. For the study, researchers followed the development of babies born in Florida between January of 1996 and August of 1997. Researchers compared more than 7,000 late-preterm babies with more than 152,500 full-term babies and found that the children that were born after 34 weeks but before 37 weeks (late-preterm) were 36 percent more likely to develop a disability or developmental delay than those born after 37 weeks (full-term). They also found that these late-preterm babies were about 19 percent more likely to be suspended and had a higher risk of being left back in kindergarten. These children also had an increased risk of 10 to 13 percent for other developmental problems.

While about 3 percent of the full-term babies involved in the study experienced a delay or disability, just over 4 percent of the late-preterm babies experienced one of these problems, so doctors noted that there is no reason for parents to worry. In the past, it was believed that even though babies born after 34 or 35 weeks were not full-term, they were not at risk of problems associated with preterm birth. However, with the findings of this new study, it is clear that there are additional developmental risks even for babies born just three to six weeks before their due date. Over the past few decades, the rate of preterm births have been on the rise in the U.S., increasing from 9.4 percent in 1981 to 12.3 percent in 2003. Preterm births have an additional risk of complications, so early deliveries should only be performed in emergency situations. If your child has suffered a birth injury that may have been preventable, call or e-mail us today for a free case evaluation. Our experienced birth injury attorneys handle Bronx birth injury, Brooklyn birth injury, Queens birth injury, Nassau birth injury and Suffolk birth injury cases.

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Link Between Male Infertility and Risk of Testicular Cancer

Recent research conducted by Dr. Thomas Walsh and colleagues at the University of California, San Francisco has found a connection between male infertility and an increased risk of testicular cancer. The study looked at data from roughly 22,500 men in California who sought treatment at infertility centers from 1967 to 1998. Walsh and his colleagues then compared that information to cancer registry data and found that those men who were found to be infertile were almost 3 times more likely develop testicular cancer than those who are fertile. In addition, the study found that men in couples that were seeking fertility treatment were 1.3 times more likely to develop testicular cancer than other men around the same age. Researchers considered that the link may lie in the treatment provided to infertile men, but concluded that this was highly unlikely, since no drugs are surgery are given for infertility. However, Walsh and his colleagues did state in the publication that “a more plausible explanation is that a common exposure underlies infertility and testicular cancer.” They also added that “prior work ... suggests that certain severe forms of male infertility are associated with faulty DNA repair,” which occurs when there are errors in the way the body responds to minor areas of damage in genetic material. Besides genetics, environmental factors also play role in the development of testicular cancer. In fact, the prevalence of the testicular germ cell, the most common cause of cancer in younger males, has increased significantly over the past 30 to 50 years in industrialized countries.

The study, which was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, is the largest of its kind so far in the U.S. Previous European studies also found a link between infertility and an increased risk of testicular cancer. Although testicular cancer is the most common cancer among American males from ages 15 to 34, compared with other forms of cancer, testicular cancer is rare (Mayo Clinic). The cause of this form of cancer is unknown, however, it is highly treatable, with different levels of treatment available to patients depending on the type and stage of their testicular cancer. As with all cancers, testicular cancer treatment is most effective when the cancer is caught early on. If you or someone you love has been harmed by a delay in diagnosis or treatment of testicular cancer, our cancer malpractice attorneys can help. Your initial consultation is FREE and there is NO FEE to you unless we recover money. Please call Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, P.C. today, or submit an instant inquiry now and we will respond within 24 hours. Our experienced attorneys serve clients with Bronx cancer malpractice, Brooklyn cancer malpractice, Queens cancer malpractice, Nassau cancer malpractice and Suffolk cancer malpractice cases.

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Heart Failure More Common Among African-Americans

According to the American Heart Association, heart failure occurs when any of the heart’s chambers lose their ability to keep up with blood flow, resulting in difficulty breathing, fatigue and swelling. Heart failure is usually a chronic disease, meaning it's a long-term condition that tends to gradually become worse. Anyone can suffer from heart failure, however, a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that heart failure is 20 times more common in African-Americans than in whites. In fact, researchers found that the rate of heart failure for African-Americans in their 30s and 40s is the same as that of whites in their 50s and 60s, with many African-Americans already showing risk factors in their 20s. Moreover, by the time they reach age 50, 1 in 100 African-Americans could develop heart failure, regardless of gender. The primary reason for this extraordinarily high rate of heart failure in young black adults is high blood pressure, which is more prevalent among this group than others. Several factors contribute to this high incidence of high blood pressure among African-Americans, including family history, stress, obesity, poor diet and other factors. Obesity, which can lead to diabetes and other health problems, is especially common among black women, with 40 percent of black women in some communities being obese.

The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study, which has been in progress for nearly 25 years, began by following more 5,115 young adults between ages 18 and 30. The study attempted to include an equal number participants in groups of race, gender, education and age. After conducting several follow-up examinations on these participants, researchers found that of the 27 participants that were diagnosed with heart failure, only one was not African-American. The fact that such young black adults are being diagnosed with this serious condition means that their lives are getting cut short, with almost 70 percent of heart failure patients dying within 10 years of diagnosis. Life expectancy usually depends on how severe the heart failure is, whether it can be corrected and what type of treatment is used. So, for patients with mild heart failure, about half live at least 10 years, while for patients with severe heart failure, about half live at least 2 years. Still, even if a heart failure patient does survive for several years after their disease is diagnosed, it is probable that their quality of life will significantly decrease with time. So, it is extremely important that African-Americans get screened for heart failure and its risk factors earlier and more often, especially if high blood pressure is a possibility. If a patient is diagnosed with hypertension, they can begin to work with their doctor to lower their risk of heart failure by exercising more, reaching a healthy weight and consuming less salt, or if necessary, they can take medication to assist in lowering blood pressure. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured from a delay in diagnosis or treatment of heart failure or other heart-related problem, contact the experienced attorneys at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, P.C. We serve clients with Nassau medical malpractice, Suffolk medical malpractice, Brooklyn medical malpractice, Bronx medical malpractice and Queens medical malpractice cases. Send us an instant inquiry and we will evaluate your case at no cost to you.

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Ways to Avoid Long Wait Times at the Doctor

Some people hate visiting their doctor because they fear something may be wrong with them, while others feel uncomfortable discussing problems with their health. However, more and more people are dreading making visits to their doctor because of the long wait times they experience in waiting rooms and even after they are called into a private room. This ordeal is especially frustrating for patients making frequent visits to a doctor’s office for prenatal or some other type of specialized care. Many patients have had to wait over two hours to be seen by their physician as a result of over-booking, making a routine visit to a doctor into an annoying, drawn out affair. However, there are some ways to get around this torturous experience, some of which allow you to shorten wait times and keep your current doctor.

When stuck in a waiting room for an extended period of time, it is not unlikely that a person will notice others around them and how long they have been waiting to be called in. If everyone in the waiting room is experiencing the same delay, making it known may help the situation. Complaints from several patients will most likely have a greater effect than if one person complains, so multiple comments or letters expressing frustration about wait times may spark a change in the way the office schedules appointments and manages the physician’s time. Another tip patients should follow is to never wait more than 15 minutes after signing in to ask the receptionist when you should be called or if you have been forgotten about. By doing this, the office staff may be prompted to keep the doctor on schedule and follow the order of patient appointments more carefully. When scheduling a doctor’s appointment, it may be helpful to ask the receptionist for the first appointment in the morning or the first appointment after lunch, if these times are available. This will guarantee that no one is waiting ahead of you, so the doctor will see you as soon as he arrives at the office. Some offices experience busy days and not-so-busy days, so it may also be helpful to ask the person scheduling your appointment if the office has a normal day during the week where there are fewer patients coming in than others. It may also be helpful to avoid seeing your doctor on school holidays if the doctor also sees children. These tips can help cut down on annoying wait times and allow you to continue seeing your current physician.

If none of these methods work, a less convenient option is to switch doctors all together. Some doctor’s offices are set in their ways and are probably beyond repair, so no complaint, letter or smart planning will improve those painfully long wait times. Ask friends and family to recommend a good physician that has short wait times so that visiting a doctor is not so unbearable. Still, for those patients that don’t plan on switching doctors and have not had any success with complaints or clever scheduling tricks, the only option may be to sit and wait. But, come prepared with a book, magazine or laptop to pass the hours you may need to wait. Extended wait times may only be a hassle for patients seeing doctors for regular check-ups or follow-up visits, however, for patients in need of immediate medical care, a long wait may be the difference between life and death. Delays in treatment at hospital emergency rooms can cause additional injury or death to those in need of urgent medical attention. If you or a loved one have been injured as a result of the neglect of a doctor or hospital, you have the right to compensation for your suffering. Schedule a free medical malpractice consultation and case evaluation with the attorneys at Silberstein, Awad, and Miklos, P.C. We serve clients with Bronx malpractice, Brooklyn malpractice, Queens malpractice, Nassau malpractice and Suffolk malpractice cases.

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