1 in 12 teens depressed
One in every 12 American teens (about 2.1 million) ages 12 to 17 experienced major depression in the last year, according to a report released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
There was a large gender difference, with 12.7 percent of females and 4.6 percent of males reporting major depression. It’s defined as a period of two weeks or longer of depressed mood or loss of interest or pleasure, and at least four other symptoms — such as problems with sleep, energy, concentration and self-image — reflecting a change in functioning. The report was based on data from 67,706 teens who took part in the 2004 to 2006 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health.
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Mixed news on breast cancer
Research has found both bad and good news on breast cancer risk.
The bad news is a risk factor you can’t change: Women whose sisters were diagnosed with breast cancer face a sixfold higher risk of breast cancer throughout their lives than women whose sisters didn’t have breast cancer, according to a study in the May 13 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI).
“This suggests that sisters of breast cancer patients, especially the young sisters, should be intensely screened,” said study co-author Marie Reilly of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm.
The good news comes from a risk factor you can do something about: Women who exercise are much less likely to get breast cancer, according to two new studies — from the same issue of JNCI and from the 2008 online first edition of the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Women who walked about 13 hours a week or ran 3.25 hours a week had a 23 percent reduced risk of premenopausal breast cancer than women who were less active, the JNCI study found.
The British Journal study found that moderate and vigorous exercise caused a similar reduction in risk, and that activity after menopause was more effective.
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Drugs for restless legs
The drugs widely used to treat restless-legs syndrome do provide relief, but they are burdened by side effects and a gradual loss of effectiveness, a new analysis finds.
“One of the things that we found that we can’t fully explain is that they have more robust effects early in therapy,” said study co-author C. Michael White of the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy. The report was published in the May/June issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
White and his colleagues looked at trials of three nonergot dopamine agonist (NEDA) drugs: pramipexole (Mirapex), ropinirole (Requip) and rotigotine (Neupro). These are the primary treatments for restless legs, a neurological disorder that affects 5 to 10 percent of U.S. adults.
“It looks like they all had the same measure of efficacy” in relieving symptoms, at least over the short term, White said.
The dropout rate was greatest in trials of ropinirole, “which may be the drug that is causing the most profound side effects,” such as nausea and dizziness.
