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Intravenous fish oil in ICU effective SOUTHAMPTON, England (UPI) -- A trial of fish oil given intravenously to patients in intensive care reduces inflammation and results in a shorter hospital stay, British researchers say. Philip Calder of the University of Southampton worked with a team of researchers to carry out the study in 23 patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome or sepsis in the Hospital Padre Americo in Portugal. "Recently there has been increased interest in the fat and oil component of vein-delivered nutrition, with the realization that it not only supplies energy and essential building blocks, but may also provide bioactive fatty acids," Calder said in a statement. "Traditional solutions use soybean oil, which does not contain the omega-3 fatty acids contained in fish oil that act to reduce inflammatory responses. In fact, soybean oil is rich in omega-6 acids that may actually promote inflammation in an excessive or unbalanced supply." Calder and colleagues found the 13 patients in the fish oil group had lower levels of inflammatory agents in their blood, were able to achieve better lung function and left hospital earlier than the 10 patients who received traditional nutrition. The finding was published in the journal Critical Care. Copyright 2010 by United Press International
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How to avoid bad breath on Valentine's Day LOS ANGELES (UPI) -- Drinking water between glasses of wine can help ensure breath that is fine on Valentine's Day, a U.S. dentist recommends. Dr. Harold Katz, author of "The Bad Breath Bible" and founder of the oral care Web site, www.therabreath.com, counsels Valentine Day celebrators the drinking of champagne or other alcoholic beverages tends to dehydrate. A dry mouth, he says, almost always guarantees bad breath. So those planning on drinking on Valentine's Day should also drink a glass of water in between glasses of alcohol -- it will not only keep breath fresher, but it will also help prevent hangovers, typically caused by the dehydrating effect of alcohol. Another way Katz advises avoiding bad breath on Valentine's Day is to order dinner with care. Onions and garlic -- but also cauliflower, cabbage and Brussels sprouts -- contain a high concentration of sulfur compounds that could make breath less than lovely. Katz also suggests steering clear of sweets if planning to plant kisses. Katz says sugar feeds the bad breath bacteria and notes milk chocolate -- which combines dairy proteins and sugar -- fuels bad breath bacteria. Dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate is a much better choice, Katz says. Copyright 2010 by United Press International
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High OxyContin dose linked to overdose SEATTLE (UPI) -- Patients who received higher opioid doses like OxyContin were nine times more likely to overdose than were those on low doses, U.S. researchers found. Study leader Michael Von Korff, a senior investigator at Group Health Research Institute, studied nearly 10,000 patients who received multiple opioid prescriptions for common chronic pain conditions like back pain and osteoarthritis. Patients who received higher opioid doses were nine times more likely to overdose than were those receiving low doses. Still, most of the overdoses occurred among patients receiving low-to-medium doses, because prescriptions at those levels were much more common, Von Korff said. "Some studies have indicated that fatal opioid overdoses occur most often among people abusing prescription drugs or obtaining them from non-medical sources," Von Korff said in a statement. "But our results suggest that many overdoses may occur among people using prescribed opioids." Von Korff said the data reviewed cannot determine whether higher doses are a cause of overdose but he noted physicians should carefully evaluate and closely monitor patients using opioids long-term. The finding was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Copyright 2010 by United Press International
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Homeowner's behavior a mortgage factor BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (UPI) -- A mortgage borrower's personal traits and behaviors, not just income or credit scores, affect the ability to repay the mortgage, U.S. researchers suggest. "Our research has shown that a borrower's personal traits and behaviors have considerable influence on their willingness and ability to repay a mortgage loan and avoid foreclosure," Stephanie Rauterkus of the University of Alabama at Birmingham says in a statement. "Traditionally, the industry has focused on default pressures like income, credit scores or loan-to-home-value ratios, but our research has shown that borrowers who may look identical by these traditional measures could have very different default probabilities based on their behavioral characteristics." Rauterkus, her husband Andreas Rauterkus, also of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Grant Thrall of the University of Florida, considered a sample of 7,000 mortgages from public records in Jefferson County, Ala. Borrowers were classified into one of 12 so called LifeMode groups, which were based on classifications established by the Environmental Systems Research Institute. Married borrowers in their 30s with multiple children who earn incomes between $40,000 and $80,000, and live in older, more established neighbors located near city centers are more likely to default, the researchers found. "The research revealed that affluent, well-educated and older borrowers 55 years and up were significantly less likely to experience a mortgage default," Stephanie Rauterkus said. Copyright 2010 by United Press International
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