Health News

By David Bjerklie; Nadia Mustafa Sunday, July 27, 2003
    • Osteoarthritis: Not Just For Women
    What men don't know about osteoporosis can hurt them. This crippling disease is a lot more common in males than is realized by most men — and their physicians. The National Osteoporosis Foundation says 1 in 8 men will experience an osteoporosis-related fracture sometime in their lives. In fact, men over 50 are at greater risk for such a fracture than they are for prostate cancer.

    The best way to diagnose the problem is a bone-density test. And while it isn't necessary — or even practical — to screen every man 50 or older, those at highest risk should be tested, says Dr. Clifford Rosen of the Maine Center for Osteoporosis Research and Education. Among the signs to watch for: a fracture suffered as an adult, unexplained back pain and the loss of 2 in. or more in height. Also at risk are men with a family history of osteoporosis or a personal history of alcoholism, kidney stones, or treatment with cortisone or prednisone for such chronic conditions as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. -- By David Bjerklie

    Test Grade?
    The standard screening for prostate cancer, the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test, is already controversial because early detection does not necessarily translate into saved lives. Now a study reports that the test, which recommends biopsies for men with PSA blood levels of more than 4 nanograms per milliliter, misses 82% of cancers in men under 60. Lowering the threshold for biopsy to 2.6, the study's authors suggest, would double the cancer-detection rate. Critics, however, caution that lowering the PSA threshold could result in overdiagnosis and needless anxiety. -- By David Bjerklie

    Just A Scoop?
    Fat alert! Ice cream is more fattening than you think, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a health-advocacy group. The culprit isn't necessarily the Ben & Jerry's in your freezer, but also the ice cream — shop treats laden with sugary toppings. They can pack the calories of three cheeseburgers and a day and a half's worth of saturated fat. -- By Nadia Mustafa