Dr. Howard Smith Oncall

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/GV9b0yDqklU Banking tissue with sperm-producing cells may be an alternative for those boys and even older males too young or too sick to bank sperm prior to medical treatments that threaten their later fertility.  This conclusion comes from an 8 year study recently published in the journal Human Reproduction. As many as 2,000 boys and young men undergo sterilizing chemotherapy and radiation therapy for cancer eradication.  To preserve the possibility that they may later father children, a pilot study looked at the testicular tissue samples from 189 males undergoing such therapy.  Their ages ranged from 5 months to 34 years with an average of 8 years. Seventy-five percent of each tissue sample was cryopreserved for the patient’s later use.  The remainder was utilized for research into optimal methods for freezing, thawing, and potentially separating normal stem cells from tumor cells.   The study did demonstrate that sperm-generating cells may be successfully recovered from such tiss

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/SMdWVe6wd0U Parental reading to toddlers improves their behaviors and reduces the need for escalating disciplinary measures.  Pediatricians at Rutgers Medical and Public Health Schools studied nearly 2200 parent-child pairs across 20 US metropolitan areas. The study found that shared reading enhances the child’s communication skills and emotional development, and it enhances parent-child bonding.  This translates into a lower incidence of attention problems, disruptive behavior, and the need for harsh parenting. This is just the latest in a string of studies that touts the benefits of reading to your kids.  Turn off the TV, shut off the phone, and pick up a book to share.   Manuel E. Jimenez, Alan L. Mendelsohn, Yong Lin, Patricia Shelton, Nancy Reichman. Early Shared Reading Is Associated with Less Harsh Parenting. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 2019; 1 DOI: 10.1097/DBP.0000000000000687 #Reading #attentiondeficit #discipline #communication #parenting

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/KIZUEQ9_8YY Children and adolescents with continuing obesity show significant stiffening of their arteries toward the end of their teen years.  This is the frightening finding in a study of more than 3400 Swedish kids just published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health journal. Childhood obesity and a high fat mass tends to foster high blood pressures, elevated lipid levels, and abnormal blood sugars.  These parameters are associated with stiffening of key arteries that in turn risks later heart attacks, strokes, and death from cardiovascular disease. The study has some good news though.  Those children who were able to decrease their fat mass over their teen years did see a normalization of their arterial stiffness. This study stresses the importance of weight control throughout life beginning during early childhood.  We are now learning that baby fat isn’t cute and must quickly give way to a toned body in order to avoid dire cardiovascular consequences. Frida Dangardt, Mari

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/JZXcwKbysIw Babies born weighing less than 1.5 kg or 3.3 pounds are four times more likely than normal birthweight infants to suffer reduced pulmonary capacity when they reach their teen and young adult years.  This conclusion comes from an international meta-analysis of 11 studies and over 1700 subjects by Australian OBGYN researchers. Those with low birth weights, frequently born before 32 weeks, later underwent pulmonary function testing at 16 to 33 years of age.  Compared to those born with normal weights and at term, they had a high incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.  This was particularly true for those who were diagnosed with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) during infancy. Premature babies and those with low birth weights should be followed carefully into adulthood and checked for the development of pulmonary disease.  Many will have reduced lung capacities through childhood, and their restrictive lung disease may become handicapping as they mature. Lex W Do

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/wA3BlzJz0Gc If you’re having an ACL repair, don’t plan on getting back into the action for at least a year following the surgery.  This is the recommendation that springs from a study at Sweden’s University of Gothenburg. Sports medicine researchers there studied some 729 athletes undergoing repair of their anterior cruciate ligaments following game injuries.  Those who returned to play within 9 months of surgery had a 33% chance of a repeat injury.  Waiting 9 months or more dropped that percentage down to a mere 6%. The investigators recommend waiting 12 months or more following ACL surgical repair and even then only returning to sport after thorough tests of thigh muscle strength and jumping ability. University of Gothenburg. "Young athletes may need one-year break after knee surgery." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 23 May 2019. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/05/190523104938.htm. #ACLrepair #orthopedics #sportsmedicine #parenting

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/ZhsT6oQ4B5s Exercise during pregnancy keeps moms fit and their weight gain under better control.  It also has beneficial effects on placental function and development of the baby. A study from Washington State University, performed in a mouse model and just published in the Journal of Physiology, shows that consistent exercise helps placental vascularization and normalizes placenta metabolic activity. The study was performed in mice of normal weight but also in obese mice to take account of the fact that more than one-third of pregnant Americans are obese.  For the obese mice, the exercise not only helped placental vigor and metabolism but it also reduced the incidence of fetal overgrowth and the delivery of overweight offspring. If you are planning to become pregnant, do try to bring your body weight into a normal range before beginning your pregnancy.  Once you do conceive, plan on regular exercise throughout your pregnancy to help the placenta properly nourish the fetus and to re

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/NVHQsaoGaCE Urban legend has it that fainting while pregnant is no big deal.  A study just published by Canadian cardiologists and epidemiologists finds that fainting, the common term for syncope, while pregnant is a bad prognostic sign for both the mother and her developing baby. The researchers studied more than 480,000 babies and their mothers.   Though fainting is uncommon affecting only 1% of pregnant women, it tends to occur most often during the first trimester.   When fainting does occur, it is associated with an increase in maternal cardiac problems and higher rates of prematurity.  Carrying and nourishing a fetus is an acknowledged strain on the mother’s cardiovascular system. If a pregnant woman you know faints, be certain that she reports the event to her medical doctors as well as to her OBGYN.  She should then be followed more carefully throughout her pregnancy for the potential development of cardiovascular disease and fetal developmental issues. Safia Chatur, Sunjida

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/-5G0axMe2LQ Those with tell-tale heart attack symptoms wait on average 3 hours before seeking emergency help.  That shocking statistic comes from a study by Swedish cardiologists at the Karolinska University Hospital that investigated the reasons for such a life-threatening delay. Their study followed 326 patients having either a first or a second heart attack.  Some reported waiting more than 12 up to 24 hours after the onset of symptoms due to what they describe as a paralysis to act on the symptoms.   Many rationalized that the severe and persisting chest, arm, and shoulder pains for more than 15 minutes they well knew were signs of impending disaster would pass by themselves.  They didn’t think that their symptoms warranted an ambulance trip to the hospital. This is the first study to identify that action immobilization occurs in heart attack victims.   The authors emphasize that a feeling of paralysis to act can be added to the known heart attack symptoms of left-sided chest pa

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/pIvjASoILKg A German study reveals an association between seasonal allergies and anxiety as well as a link between year-round or perennial allergies with depression.  Psychologists at the University of Augsburg studied more than 1700 middle-aged persons with a variety of allergies including environmental, food, and drug hypersensitivities.   The researchers point out that, in the cases of environmental allergies, the study cannot determine if anxiety is the cause or the effect of seasonal allergies or if depression leads to or is the result of year-round allergies.  They found no links between psychological factors and either food or drug allergies.   Allergy sufferers should use this information to recognize their unique vulnerabilities to either anxiety, depression, or both.  We don’t know if excellent allergy control with medicated sprays and plan old saline reduces psychologic woes, but being able to breathe easily certainly won’t hurt. Katharina Harter, Gertrud Hammel, Lisa Kra

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/BZa4b6iu7Xs Calling addictive substance abuse a disease negatively impacts the addicts’ efforts to get sober.  This is the conclusion of a study from the University of North Carolina just published in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology. The researchers studied 214 men and women with substance abuse problems.  One group received growth mindset messaging and the control group received addiction as a disease messaging.   The growth message was a positive one that addicts can employ multiple strategies to combat their propensity to use.  It empowered those receiving it to seek help.  In contrast, the disease messaging tended to paralyze addicts efforts to stop and suggested that conquering the addictive behavior may be nearly impossible. If you or someone you know is addicted to any substance or negative behavior, encourage them to think positively about their self-help capabilities and urge them to get professional help. Jeni L. Burnette, Rachel B. Forsyth, Sarah L. Desmarai

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/UFtArWv0Arw Premature infants who listen to music enjoy enhanced neural development.  Swiss neuroscientists at the University of Geneva report the positive effects of specially composed and performed music on developing neural networks of premies. The musical selections varied with time of day and were designed to lend an auditory structure to the infant’s first days out of the womb.  The instruments that produced the most consistent reactions from the babies were the snake charmer’s flute, the harp, and bells. The double blind study used MRI imaging before and after the musical exposure to assess the effect.  The group of premies treated to the music showed stronger connections between the parts of their brains that perform cognitive tasks, manage social relationships, and manage emotions. If a premie has recently joined your family, consider adding lilting flute, harp, and orchestral bell music to their environments. Lara Lordier, Djalel-Eddine Meskaldji, Frédéric Grouiller, Marie

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/RghCkNItbYQ Obesity in the teen years increases the chances of heart weakening and heart failure in middle age by a factor of eight.  But wait, that’s not the worst news.  Even mildly overweight adolescent guys risk heart disease in their 40s and 50s. These conclusions come from a study of nearly 1.7 million Swedish military recruits who were weighed at age 18 as they entered service and were followed for up to 46 years.  The effects on the heart were proportional to weight.  For each 1 unit increase in body mass index or BMI, the risk of dilated cardiomyopathy leading to heart failure increases some 15%.  Women were not studied since they were not joining the military at the time the study began. This study is a wake up call that the current trend toward overeating and obesity will have some horrific consequences.  There are some effective treatments but no cure for a worn out heart except cardiac transplantation and donors are scarce!  Someday, we’ll grow new cardiac tissue from s

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/sG9x8bkrmOg Marijuana is legal throughout Canada, and a study just presented to the Canadian Neuroscience Meeting shows that teens regularly using it suffer impairment of their memory, decision-making, and impulsivity-control skills. Neuroscientists at The University of  Montreal studied over 3800 teens entering high school and followed them during the subsequent 4 years tabulating their cannabis and alcohol use while assessing their cognitive functions.  They documented deficits in memory recall, reasoning, and self-control in weed-using students that did not appear in students preferentially using alcohol recreationally. Urban legend has it that marijuana is safer than alcohol.  Studies such as this indicate that the jury remains out on this issue.   Canadian Association for Neuroscience. "Growing up high: Neurobiological consequences of adolescent cannabis use: Canadian neuroscientists offer insights into the long-term effects of adolescent cannabis use." ScienceDaily. ScienceDai

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/dAJdcux1xZI Women who use assisted reproduction techniques including in-vitro fertilization and intracystoplasmic sperm injection are 5 times more likely to suffer pregnancy-associated heart failure.  This conclusion comes from a study at Germany’s Hannover Medical School presented last week to the European Society of Cardiology. This pregnancy-associated heart failure is due to so-called peripartum cardiomyopathy or PPCM, and this condition affects one in every 1000 pregnant women around the world.  It threatens the life of mother and baby alike.  Assisted reproduction is now added to known risk factors including twin pregnancy, many past pregnancies, very young or very old mothers, obesity, and substance abuse. PPCM is heralded by shortness of breath, leg edema and swelling, and excessive nighttime urination.  Since these same symptoms are all too common during the late third trimester, the study authors suggest that all women who conceive with medical help have a cardiology consu

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/BHsfjlX86Mg Health News You Should Use, the latest medical discoveries and commonsense advice that you can use in a practical way to keep yourself and your family healthy.   Here are this weeks stories : Management of Asthma Changing Button Battery Dangers TELL ME WHY: Coffee is Good For Your Gut Bowel Cancer Rising In Over-fed Young Adults Measles Will Become Epidemic Unless We Compel Immunization Broccoli Triggers Cancer Immunity Asthma App Helps Kids Breathe Better Holistic Approach To IBD Impact Of Weed Legalization On Colorado Health Care Utilization Childrens’ Protruding Teeth Are At Risk Falling Asleep To The TV Robs Kids Of Healthy Sleep Obsession With Healthy Eating Is Dangerous Early Onset Heart Failure On The Rise  The Reproductive Clock Ticks For Men Too TRY A LITTLE KINDNESS:  Big Pharma Can Have A Big Heart For more information, you’ll find all the references for the stories and a copy of show notes on my website at: https://www.drhowardsmith.com/may-2019-3rd-week-healt

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/K5dWdmkXykI Pharmaceutical companies are the corporations that most of us love to hate for their unabashed greed in raising drug prices to astronomical levels.  Here’s one drug company that deserves sustained applause rather than scorn for its generosity.  The story is told by good news network.org. Gilead Sciences, a biopharmaceutical company based in Foster City, CA, through its CEO Daniel O’Day has announced the largest ever donation by a pharmaceutical company.  Every year for the next 11 years, the company will be donating 2.4 million bottles of their Truvada PrEP pre-exposure prophylaxis medication to over 200,000 needy and uninsured Americans at risk for contracting infection with the human immunodeficiency virus. This combination reverse transcriptase inhibitor medication prevents the proliferation of HIV in virus infected cells and in so doing prevents the development of AIDS. This generous program is just the latest chapter in Gilead’s phialthrophic contributions to eradic

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/g5bWW3_0-7g Women over 30 with an interest in motherhood constantly have an eye on that ticking biological clock.  The latest study from Rutgers University suggests that men also need to pay attention to old Father Time if they want to produce healthy offspring. The study reviewed nearly half a century of research on fertility and healthy reproduction.  Men 45 years or older with decreasing testosterone experience declining fertility and contributed suboptimal sperm that trigger pregnancy complications including gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, premature birth, still births, low birth weight, newborn seizures, and birth defects including cardiac anomalies and cleft palate.  Later, the children of older men had an increased incidence of childhood cancer, psychiatric disorders, and autism. The study’s authors recommend that men as well as women keep an eye on the clock if they have parenthood in their futures.  If fatherhood is to be delayed, they suggest that men consider banking

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/HYkk6YqL5iU Death due to congestive heart failure has been on the rise over the past 7 years, and the group most affected is surprisingly those under 65.  A new study from Northwestern University cardiologists looks at CDC epidemiologic data for nearly 48 million Americans from 35 to 84 years of age. The study shows that the trend toward declining death rates from heart failure seen over the past 3 decades is now reversing.  Younger individuals are now more likely to develop heart failure, and the reasons appear to be due to our country’s dual interrelated epidemics of obesity and diabetes.  Middle-aged black men are at a particularly high risk. Heart failure is deadly with outcomes similar to metastatic lung cancer.  The best treatment is prevention by maintaining a healthy weight, keeping your blood pressure under control, and monitoring your cholesterol and lipid profiles.  These goals will be far easier to achieve by eliminating fast food and excessive alcohol. Peter Glynn, Dona

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/-UtbUESmvgM Orthorexia nervosa is medical jargon for an obsession with healthy eating.  Psychologists from Toronto’s York University explain the drivers and dangers of this condition in a review article just published in the journal Appetite. Orthorexia nervosa tends to develop in those individuals with a history of eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive personalities, a history of repeated dieting, a poor body image, a desire to be thin, and often a history of depression.  Those individuals who adopt restrictive eating practices such as vegetarians, vegans, and especially lacto-vegetarians are at high risk for this disorder. Unlike those who suffer from anorexia nervosa and the drive to restrict calories in the effort to maintain a low body weight, persons with Orthorexia nervosa fixate on obtaining or preparing healthy food.  They spend so many hours of the day, planning, purchasing ingredients, and preparing healthy meals that they have little time left for other pursuits.  This

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/qkRJ7UIEFVM The myth that falling asleep to the TV is good for children is now dispelled by a study from the University of ‘Massachusetts-Amherst.  Developmental specialists and neuroscientists there studied some 470 preschoolers and their parents using electronic sleep monitoring and questionnaires for behavioral assessment. Thirty-four percent of the kids had TVs in their bedrooms, and those children slept 17 fewer minutes per 24 hours than those without bedroom TVs.  They tended to require longer daytime naps and spent an average of 12 minutes more asleep during the day. TV viewing during the day also had effects on sleep patterns.  The World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics both recommend limiting TV viewing for 2 to 4 year olds to one hour of high quality, educational programming a day, and the viewing should occur with a parent if possible.   The study showed that only 46% of kids had viewing habits that met these guidelines. Those children whose dail