Health dispatches

Paracetamol suspected to increase the risk of infantile asthma

A study published in The Lancet establishes a relationship between taking paracetamol during the first year of life and the development of asthma, eczema and allergies during childhood. However, this link is yet to be confirmed… Giving an infant paracetamol to bring down a high temperature appears to increase the risk of asthma by 46%. Worse still, for babies who are regularly given this analgesic the risk increases threefold.

However, these findings should not in any way encourage parents to stop using paracetamol. Best perhaps is to follow the official recommendations of the WHO in this matter – in other words, only use paracetamol to treat infants with a temperature of over 38.5°C.

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Getting rid of bloating…

Sweeteners used in chewing gum, sweets and so-called “diet” drinks can increase the production of intestinal gas. And as a result, can lead to bloating. As indeed can the soluble fibre found in wholegrain cereals, for example. So it’s important not to overindulge in these. As far as remedies go … the best solution is to get rid of the gas. That, in any case, is the opinion of the editorial team of the magazine Revue Prescrire. According to them, anything that encourages the passing of wind will speed up relief from bloating. Which means that “delaying the passing of a motion or holding back on breaking wind will increase bloating.” As far as treatment is concerned, there is none: no form of medication has been shown to be effective.

People who suffer regularly from such episodes should seek out the cause. Diet, chewing gum, sweet treats, and also medicines can cause bloating. As indeed can certain medication, particularly laxatives. If in spite of this you still have a problem, go and see your GP who will be able to suggest a change of diet or arrange for further testing.

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Smoking – genetics and addiction  

Just as the risk of developing cancer varies from smoker to smoker, so too does the risk of dependency! And in both cases it is our genes that seem to be at fault. A new American study has brought to light genetic predisposition as a causal factor. This “injustice” appears to be linked to a little understood nicotine receptor that is likely to become infamous … People who carry a certain genetic variation of this receptor are quick to develop cigarette dependency.

Heavy smokers are 8 times more likely to be carriers of this variant. So try to think back to how it felt when you tried that first cigarette. A sensation of immediate pleasure is very often a sign of a genetic predisposition. You’ve been warned!

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Cancer and mobile phones – the jury is still out

Interphone,  the most extensive research project into a possible link between mobile phones and the development of tumours is reaching a conclusion.  However, given the vast range of semantic nuances and tools used by the authors, this will most likely not be a conclusion at all.

Thirteen countries and as many national studies have been involved to date, yet there is a complete lack of certainty regarding the dangers that may be posed by using mobile phones. According to the WHO’s Interphone coordinating centre, the CIRC (International Cancer Research Centre in Lyon, France), after pooling Scandinavian data and other data from the United Kingdom, it was possible to identify a significantly increased risk of glioma (ie of brain tumour). A risk to be studied in relation to the use of mobile phones on the side of the head where the tumour developed over a period of 10 years or more.

However, the authors are quick to state their reservations, pointing out that these results could be due either to a cause-and-effect relationship or to an artefact possibly associated with difference in recall in case-control studies … In other words, a methodological bias. It therefore seems that the debate is far being over. But at this stage all we have are intermediary conclusions; the final version of the study is not due to be published until 2009. So watch this space.

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Incense … not so harmless after all?

A new study into the risks associated with indoor pollution draws some very worrying conclusions. And this time the pollutant in question is none other than incense! According to the authors, prolonged use of incense sticks appears to increase the risk of cancer of the respiratory tract.

Between 1993 and 2005, an international team of American, Danish and Taiwanese researchers monitored more than 61,000 Chinese inhabitants of Singapore. The participants were aged between 45 and 74 and none of them was suffering from cancer at the start of the study. All completed a questionnaire regarding their diet and lifestyle.

Twelve years later, the authors recorded 325 cases of cancer of the respiratory tract (nose, sinuses, tongue, mouth, etc) within the study group. We have shown that prolonged use of incense is associated with a significant increase in the risk of cancer of the respiratory tract, the scientists explain. And they point out that prolonged use of incense is particularly common on the continent of Asia.

Back in 2004, the French magazine Que-Choisir had already sounded the alarm. According to their investigations, incense sticks gave off up to 110 times more benzene (a highly carcinogenic substance) into the atmosphere than the level recommended by public authorities. So this is a good opportunity for some common sense advice: if there is an unpleasant smell in your house or apartment … just open the windows…

www.destinationsante.com

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