Mayo Clinic News

Have 1 of the 100+ Forms of Arthritis? Join Us for #ArthritisChat

sharontheimer — Mon, 20 May 2013 14:41:25 +0000

Many people are familiar with the common condition osteoarthritis, but did you know there are actually more than 100 forms of arthritis? Learn about their causes, symptoms, treatment and prevention in #arthritischat this Wednesday from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern.

What’s the difference between gout and pseudogout? How can you protect your joints while exercising? Does rheumatoid arthritis affect more than just the joints? Can women with lupus have safe pregnancies? We’re ready to take your questions about a range of rheumatic conditions including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, psoriatic arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica, vasculitis and more.

The chat will be moderated by USA Today health writer Liz Szabo and include Mayo Clinic rheumatologists, the American College of Rheumatology, the Arthritis Foundation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Please share your arthritis-related questions and experiences by following and tweeting hashtag #arthritischat on Wednesday from 1-2 p.m. Eastern.

Have Fun in the Sun, But Be Sun Smart (& Join #SkinCancerChat)

sharontheimer — Thu, 09 May 2013 19:33:24 +0000

Melanoma is rising faster than any other form of cancer, and it’s happening to young people _ especially to young women, and even teens. To learn the latest on skin cancer prevention, detection and treatment and to share your questions and experiences, please join #SkinCancerChat on Wednesday, May 15, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern.

The chat will be moderated by USA Today health writer Liz Szabo and include experts from Mayo Clinic, the American Cancer Society, American Academy of Dermatology and American Academy of Pediatrics, among others.

You can tweet your questions and join the discussion by using hashtag #SkinCancerChat.

Protected: Special for NGS

Joel Streed — Thu, 09 May 2013 12:10:21 +0000

CNET, Mayo to host Twitter chat on health apps

nickhanson — Tue, 07 May 2013 19:18:59 +0000

CNET’s Scott Stein will moderate the #healthapps Twitter chat.

Mayo Clinic and Scott Stein from CNET will be teaming up for a Twitter chat Wednesday, May 8 from 1-2 p.m. ET. to talk about health apps. Hashtag to follow: #healthapps

Mobile software (apps) is designed to run on handheld computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), enterprise digital assistants (EDAs), smartphones and cellphones, according to Mashable. Apple’s App Store now has a selcetion of nearly 1 million apps – many of which target health related issues and topics ranging from daily fitness monitoring anxiety.

During the chat we’ll be talking about current health apps on the market, which type of apps work and what is coming down the pike in terms of new health apps and technology.

The chat is from 1-2 p.m. ET. To follow, simply use the hashtag #healthapps. We also recommend using tweetchat.com to more easily follow the flow of the conversation.

Questions? Contact Nick Hanson at hanson.nicholas@mayo.edu.

SAVING LIVES WITH GUS: Don’t Text While Driving

Dana Sparks — Fri, 03 May 2013 17:03:53 +0000

This video series is designed to educate, entertain and deliver life-saving tips with high-tech mannequins.

Click here to learn more about the project and look for new tips each week.

Follow #SavingLivesWithGus

27 Genes Make Rubella Vaccine Less Effective

Dana Sparks — Thu, 02 May 2013 19:05:11 +0000

Using advanced genetic sequencing technology and analysis, Mayo Clinic vaccine researchers have identified 27 genes that respond in very different ways to the standard rubella vaccine, making the vaccine less effective for a portion of the population. Mayo Clinic vaccinologist Gregory Poland, M.D., says, “This study highlighted the genes potentially responsible for poor response to the rubella vaccine. We found differences in genes responsible for antigen interactions, inflammation and differences in the gene pathways involved between low- and high-vaccine responders. It’s another instance of using individualized medicine approaches to find potential solutions for patients not benefiting from standard treatments.” The findings are in the online journal PLOS ONE.

Click here for news release

Anesthesia No Threat For Long-Term Dementia

Dana Sparks — Thu, 02 May 2013 18:58:43 +0000

Mayo Clinic researchers have found that elderly patients who receive anesthesia are no more likely to develop long-term dementia or Alzheimer’s disease than other seniors. Pediatric anesthesiologist at the Mayo Clinic Children’s Center, David Warner, M.D., says, “It’s reassuring we’re adding to the body of knowledge that there is not an association of anesthesia and surgery with Alzheimer’s.”

The study analyzed thousands of patients using the Rochester Epidemiology Project — which allows researchers access to medical records of nearly all residents of Olmsted County, Minn. — and found that receiving general anesthesia for procedures after age 45 is not a risk factor for developing dementia. The findings are published online in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

Click here to read news release

WSJ, Mayo, others partnering for Twitter chat on autism

nickhanson — Wed, 01 May 2013 21:39:47 +0000

Health reporter Shirley Wang will moderate the #autismchat.

The Wall Street Journal’s Shirley Wang and experts from Mayo Clinic, Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, Yale and other institutions are teaming up for a Twitter chat on autism at 12 ET on Friday, May 3. Hashtag: #autismchat.

The chat will focus on new research on autism; diagnosis (including biomarkers); treatment (drug and behavioral interventions); and risk factors (environmental factors, genetic work, etc…). Wang will be tweeting live from the International Meeting for Autism Research in Spain.

Autism is one of a group of serious developmental problems called autism spectrum disorders that appear in early childhood — usually before age 3. Though symptoms and severity vary, all autism spectrum disorders affect a child’s ability to communicate and interact with others.

About 1 in 88 children has been identified with an autism spectrum disorder, according to estimates from Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Autism spectrum disorders occur in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups, although autism is 5 times more common in boys than girls.

We recommend logging into tweetchat.com to more easily follow the flow of the conversation.

Questions? Contact Nick Hanson at hanson.nicholas@mayo.edu.

Mayo Clinic Cartoon-Style PSAs Take Aim at Rise in Melanoma Among Young People

Dana Sparks — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 20:04:23 +0000

Melanoma is deadly and it’s on the rise, particularly among teens and young adults. Research shows it’s up eightfold among women and fourfold among young men under 40. Mayo Clinic dermatologist Jerry Brewer, M.D., says, “We’re seeing melanoma happen more often in even teenagers nowadays … and one of the messages is that it can happen to you!”
Mayo Clinic is reminding people of all ages to have fun in the sun, but be sun smart! Helping to deliver this message, especially for younger audiences, are new public service announcements released in time for May’s Skin Cancer Awareness Month. Two cartoon moles — animal moles — illustrate the importance of four key skin cancer prevention and early detection tips:
       • Wear sunscreen
       • Skip tanning beds
       • Seek shade
       • Get spots checked

Click here for entire news release

Electronic Prolonged QT Interval Warning System

Dana Sparks — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 16:22:28 +0000

Using a one-of-a-kind computer-aided program, Mayo Clinic has developed and implemented a Mayo-wide electronic warning system to identify patients at risk of QT-related deaths from an abnormality in the heart’s electrical system. The system informs all physicians, regardless of their specialty or QT awareness, if their patient’s ECG activated the QT alarm. The findings are published in the current issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

Click here to read the news release.