PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Around 1 in 10 UK women has dry eye disease, requiring artificial tears

Altered pain perception and psychological factors may be involved

2014-09-03
(Press-News.org) The symptoms of dry eye disease include the sensation of grit in the eye, frequently accompanied by itching, burning and visual disturbance. The causes are poorly understood. The researchers base their findings on almost 4000 women aged 20 to 87 (average age 57) from the TwinsUK cohort, drawn from the registry held at St Thomas' Hospital in London. This cohort is widely regarded as representative of the UK general population, and has been used to look at a wide range of diseases and genetic traits over the years. The prevalence of dry eye disease, and the frequency and severity of symptoms, were assessed through questionnaires mailed out to the women. At the same time 681 randomly selected twins from the cohort, who were taking part in a subsidiary study on pain, supplied additional information on dry eye symptoms and rated their own health on a five point scale. Around one in 10 of the women (9.6%) had been diagnosed with dry eye disease, which was being treated with artificial tear eye drops or gel. One in five (just under 21%) had experienced symptoms in the past three months. The analysis showed that the prevalence of a diagnosis of dry eye disease rose with age, from 2.7% among women in their 30s to one in five of those in their 90s. Cataract surgery, age related macular degeneration, and glaucoma were all significantly associated with dry eye disease, as was the use of contact lenses. Autoimmune diseases, such as thyroid problems, rheumatoid arthritis, and allergies asthma and eczema were also linked to a heightened risk. Furthermore, fertility problems were strongly associated with dry eye disease, as was osteoarthritis. But the strongest associations were found with long-term pain syndromes (known as chronic pain syndromes), such as irritable bowel syndrome, pelvic pain, and chronic widespread pain syndrome (also known as fibromyalgia). People with these conditions also tended to have depression and migraine—risk factors for dry eye disease in their own right. The responses to the health questionnaire showed that people with dry eye symptoms rated their health, on average, worse than those without symptoms. They highlighted difficulties watching TV, driving, working online, and experienced discomfort in places that were air conditioned or where the air was dry. The researchers conclude that dry eye disease is very common among women and that it has a significant impact on perceived quality of life. They add that their findings suggest that altered pain perception as well as psychological factors may influence the development of the condition and symptom severity, and that some patients might be helped by treating the pain rather than just lubricating the eyes.

INFORMATION: END


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Stillbirth gap closing between indigenous and non-indigenous women, shows Australian study

2014-09-03
The gap in stillbirth rates between indigenous and non-indigenous women in Queensland, Australia, is closing, however indigenous women are still at risk of stillbirth due to preventable causes, find researchers in a new study published today (3 September) in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (BJOG). The Australian study used data from the Queensland Perinatal Data Collection and looked at 881,211 singleton births from 1995 to 2011. It aimed to assess the differences in stillbirth rates over time among indigenous (Australian Aboriginal and Torres ...

Estrogen increases cannabis sensitivity

Estrogen increases cannabis sensitivity
2014-09-03
PULLMAN, Wash. - Smoking today's concentrated pot might be risky business for women, according to new research from Washington State University. The study is the first to demonstrate sex differences in the development of tolerance to THC. Psychology professor Rebecca Craft showed that, thanks to their estrogen levels, female rats are at least 30 percent more sensitive than males to the pain-relieving qualities of THC—the key active ingredient in cannabis. Females also develop tolerance to THC more quickly. These sensitivities could increase vulnerability to negative ...

Discharged patients return to the ER because 'better safe than sorry'

2014-09-02
WASHINGTON – Patients who return to the emergency department within a few days of discharge do so principally because they are anxious about their symptoms and have lost trust in other parts of the health care system, according to the results of a study published online today in Annals of Emergency Medicine ("Return Visits to the Emergency Department: The Patient Perspective"). "When asked why they did not follow up as an outpatient, patients reported feeling that their symptoms were too severe to wait until their scheduled appointment or being instructed to return ...

NASA satellites calling here you come again, Tropical Storm Dolly

NASA satellites calling here you come again, Tropical Storm Dolly
2014-09-02
Tropical Storm Dolly visited Mexico six years ago, and NASA satellite data is calling "Here you come again," reminiscent of the famous country singer's hit song, as another storm named Dolly heads for a second landfall in Mexico. In July of 2008, Tropical Storm Dolly made landfall on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico before making a second and final landfall in south Texas. Now, six years later, Tropical Storm Dolly returns thanks to the six year list of revolving hurricane names, and once again Dolly is making landfall in eastern Mexico. NASA's Aqua satellite caught ...

Residency training predicts physicians' ability to practice conservatively

2014-09-02
LEBANON, NH – Doctors trained in locations with less intensive (and expensive) practice patterns appear to consistently be better at making clinical decisions that spare patients unnecessary and excessive medical care, according to a new study in JAMA Internal Medicine. "Growing concern about the costs and harms of medical care has spurred interest in assessing physicians' ability to avoid the provision of unnecessary care," said lead author Brenda Sirovich of the VA Outcomes Group and The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy & Clinical Practice. Sirovich and colleagues ...

Experiences make you happier than possessions -- Before and after

2014-09-02
To get the most enjoyment out of our dollar, science tells us to focus our discretionary spending on experiences such as travel over material goods. A new Cornell University study shows that the enjoyment we derive from experiential purchases may begin even before we buy. This research offers important information for individual consumers who are trying to "decide on the right mix of material and experiential consumption for maximizing well-being," said psychology researcher and study author Thomas Gilovich of Cornell University. Previously, Gilovich and colleagues ...

Diabetes mellitus and mild cognitive impairment: Higher risk in middle age?

2014-09-02
Essen, Germany, September 2, 2014 – In a large population-based study of randomly selected participants in Germany, researchers found that mild cognitive impairment (MCI) occurred twice more often in individuals diagnosed with diabetes mellitus type 2. Interestingly, this strong association was only observed in middle-aged participants (50-65 years), whereas in older participants (66-80 years) the association vanished. This study is published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. The concept of MCI describes an intermediate state between normal cognitive aging and dementia. ...

This week From AGU: California earthquake, future Mars rovers, models underestimate ozone

2014-09-02
From AGU's blogs: Earthquake rupture through a U.S. suburb Observations and mapping by seismologists at the University of California Davis in the hours and days after the August 24 earthquake in northern California are helping scientists understand why the earthquake caused so much damage in the region, according to a post in The Trembling Earth blog, hosted by the American Geophysical Union. From this week's Eos: Future Mars Rovers: The Next Places to Direct Our Curiosity Selecting where the next Mars rovers will land involves a series of open-invitation workshops ...

‘Prepped’ by tumor cells, lymphatic cells encourage breast cancer cells to spread

2014-09-02
Breast cancer cells can lay the groundwork for their own spread throughout the body by coaxing cells within lymphatic vessels to send out tumor-welcoming signals, according to a new report by Johns Hopkins scientists. Writing in the Sept. 2 issue of Nature Communications, the researchers describe animal and cell-culture experiments that show increased levels of so-called signaling molecules released by breast cancer cells. These molecules cause lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) in the lungs and lymph nodes to produce proteins called CCL5 and VEGF. CCL5 attracts tumor ...

Cool calculations for cold atoms

Cool calculations for cold atoms
2014-09-02
Chemical reactions drive the mechanisms of life as well as a million other natural processes on earth. These reactions occur at a wide spectrum of temperatures, from those prevailing at the chilly polar icecaps to those at work churning near the earth's core. At nanokelvin temperatures, by contrast, nothing was supposed to happen. Chemistry was expected to freeze up. Experiments and theoretical work have now show that this is not true. Even at conditions close to absolute zero atoms can interact and manage to form chemical bonds. Within this science of ultracold ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Andrew Siemion to receive the SETI Institute’s 2024 Drake Award

New study shows how the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus enters our cells

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy proves effective for locally advanced penile squamous cell carcinoma

Study flips treatment paradigm in bilateral Wilms tumor, shows resistance to chemotherapy may point toward favorable outcomes

Doctors received approximately $12.1 billion from drug and device makers between 2013-2022

Discovery suggests new strategy against follicular lymphoma

Making the future too bright: how wishful thinking can point us in the wrong direction

Ochsner Health named to Newsweek’s America’s Greatest Workplaces 2024 for Job Starters

Three-year study of young stars with NASA’s Hubble enters new chapter

North Carolina takes the lead in PFAs research with Collaboratory’s $3 million investment to expand the state’s research capacity

Is it the school, or the students?

Exploring the relationship between HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis and the incidence of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis – findings from Denmark

Music: Song lyrics have become simpler and more repetitive since 1980

Environment: More than half of Colorado River’s water used to irrigate crops

When inequality is more than “skin-deep”: Social status leaves traces in the epigenome of spotted hyenas in Tanzania

Study explores the future of at-home cancer treatment

First performance standards published to measure the effectiveness of lifestyle medicine treatments

To keep volunteers, connect them

Suppressing boredom at work hurts future productivity, study shows

Older brain cells linger unexpectedly before their death

Clear shift in arterial diseases in diabetes

Celebrating half a century of pioneering excellence: EBMT marks its 50th anniversary

Ancient DNA reveals the appearance of a 6th century Chinese emperor

DNA study IDs descendants of George Washington from unmarked remains, findings to aid service member IDs going back to World War II

Familial Alzheimer’s disease transferred via bone marrow transplant in mice

Perspectives of oncologists on the ethical implications of using AI for cancer care

Industry payments to US physicians by specialty and product type

Andrew E. Place, MD, PhD appointed as Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center Vice President, Pediatric Chief Medical Officer

COVID-19 antibody discovery could explain long COVID

Wild plants face viral surprise

[Press-News.org] Around 1 in 10 UK women has dry eye disease, requiring artificial tears
Altered pain perception and psychological factors may be involved