Henry Ford Hospital Medical Research News Feed: MRSA, Prostate Cancer, EKGs

*MRSA Strain Linked to High Death Rates A strain of MRSA that causes bloodstream infections is five times more lethal than other strains and has shown to have some resistance to the potent antibiotic drug vancomycin used to treat MRSA, according researchers at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. The study found that 50 percent of the patients infected with the strain died within 30 days compared to 11 percent of patients infected with other MRSA strains. READ MORE: http://henryford.com/body.cfm?xyzpdqabc=0&id=46335&action=detail&ref=1034

*Does Race, Income Predict Prostate Cancer Outcome? A patient's socioeconomic status (income, martial status and race) has absolutely no impact on his outcome following curative radiation therapy for the treatment of prostate cancer, according to a new study from Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. Only known disease risk factors determined overall survival or biochemical (PSA) control rates. READ MORE: http://henryford.com/body.cfm?xyzpdqabc=0&id=46335&action=detail&ref=1035

*EKG Can Show False Positive Readings The electrical measurements on the electrocardiogram can often mislead physicians in diagnosing the heart condition left ventricular hypertrophy, causing other screening tests to be ordered before a definitive conclusion can be made, according to a Henry Ford Hospital study. The study found a false positive reading between 77 and 82 percent in patients screened by electrocardiogram, and a false negative reading between 6 percent to 7 percent. READ MORE: http://henryford.com/body.cfm?xyzpdqabc=0&id=46335&action=detail&ref=1037

*Memory Risk: Brain Radiation for Lung Cancer Patients A new study shows that while preventative brain radiation for patients with non-small cell lung cancer – the most common form of lung cancer – does reduce the chance of cancer spreading to the brain, it may impact patients’ short-term and long-term memory. Plus, preventative brain radiation does not increase survival and has no significant impact on quality of life. READ MORE: http://henryford.com/body.cfm?xyzpdqabc=0&id=46335&action=detail&ref=1033

*Extending Treatment After Liver Transplant May Benefit Patients Extending hepatitis C treatment for liver transplant patients beyond current practice results in high rates of clearance of the hepatitis C virus from the blood, as well as a low rate of relapse, according to a Henry Ford Hospital study. "We found that patients who achieved a sustained virological response were more likely to have had extended treatment," says senior author Kimberly Brown, M.D., Division head of Gastroenterology at Henry Ford Hospital. READ MORE: http://www.henryford.com/body.cfm?xyzpdqabc=0&id=46335&action=detail&ref=1031

*Elevated Biomarkers Lead to Diminished Quality of Life Many heart attack patients have high levels of cardiac biomarkers in the blood for several months after leaving the hospital, with more shortness of breath and chest pain, according to a Henry Ford Hospital study. "These elevated biomarkers are definitely associated with a reduced quality of life for patients and may signal even worse outcomes," says lead author David Lanfear, M.D., a heart failure physician at Henry Ford. READ MORE: http://henryford.com/body.cfm?xyzpdqabc=0&id=46335&action=detail&ref=1038

*Simulated Training for Ultrasound Procedures Improves Safety A new Henry Ford Hospital study finds that using mannequins to teach doctors-in-training how to do ultrasound-guided procedures is an effective way to improve their skills without compromising patient care and safety. READ MORE: http://henryford.com/body.cfm?xyzpdqabc=0&id=46335&action=detail&ref=1042