Extremely high or low resting heart rates in young men may predict psychiatric illness later in life, a large new study has found. Researchers used heart rate and blood pressure data gathered at Swedish military inductions from 1969 to 2010, and linked them with information from the country's detailed health records through the end of 2013. The highest heart rates — above 82 beats a minute — were associated with increased risks of obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety disorder and schizophrenia. The lowest, below 62 beats, were associated with an increased risk of substance abuse and violent criminality. Extremes in blood pressure followed similar patterns, but the associations were not as strong.
Skin patch could help kids with peanut allergies
A wearable skin patch may help children who are allergic to peanuts by delivering small doses of peanut protein, according to a new study that calls for the therapy to be further explored. The study, published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, found that nearly half of those treated with the Viaskin Peanut patch for one year were able to consumer at least 10 times more peanut protein than they were able to before treatment. The biggest benefit came for those from 4 years old to 11 years old. Participants older than 12 didn't see as much of an effect, the study found.
Ultrasounds do little to help heal broken bones
Ultrasound is often performed to help speed the healing of broken bones. But a randomized trial reports the procedure is ineffective. A team led by Canadian researchers recruited 501 patients with fractures of the tibia, the larger of the two lower leg bones. After standard care to repair their fractures, the patients were randomly assigned to low-intensity pulsed ultrasound or to a sham treatment. There were no differences between the treatment and placebo groups in the time it took for bones to heal completely, as determined by X-ray. Nor did the procedure reduce the time it took people to return to work without limitations.
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