Dr Brett’s Blog

From Rueters Health

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - While influenza vaccination does provide protection against catching the flu, it does not have a major impact on death in the elderly, contrary to what some studies have suggested, a new study suggests.

In prior studies, an impressive 50 percent reduction in death from any cause had been noted in elderly people who got a flu shot, but some researchers were skeptical of this degree of benefit, suggesting that it may have been the result of the “healthy user effect.” The new study supports this line of thinking.

The study included more than 700 elderly people, half of whom had gotten a flu shot and half of whom had not. After controlling for a variety of factors that were largely not considered or simply not available in previous studies, the researchers concluded that any death benefit “if present at all, was very small and statistically non-significant and may simply be a healthy-user artifact that they were unable to identify.”

“The healthy-user effect,” study chief Dr. Sumit Majumdar of the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada explained in a statement, “is seen in what doctors often refer to as their ‘good’ patients — patients who are well-informed about their health, who exercise regularly, do not smoke or have quit, drink only in moderation, watch what they eat, come in regularly for health maintenance visits and disease screenings, take their medications exactly as prescribed — and quite religiously get vaccinated each year so as to stay healthy. Such attributes are almost impossible to capture in large scale studies using administrative databases.”

“Over the last two decades in the United Sates, even while (flu) vaccination rates among the elderly have increased from 15 to 65 percent, there has been no commensurate decrease in hospital admissions or all-cause mortality,” added co-investigator Dr. Dean T. Eurich, who is also with the University of Alberta.

“Further, only about 10 percent of winter-time deaths in the United States are attributable to influenza, thus to suggest that the vaccine can reduce 50 percent of deaths from all causes is implausible in our opinion,” he added.

The study involved 352 patients given the vaccine and 352 matched control subjects. Overall, 85 percent of patients were over 64 years of age. Severe pneumonia was seen in 29 percent of patients and 12 percent of the patients died.

Flu vaccination was, in fact, associated with reduced mortality of about 50 percent (8 percent vs. 15 percent mortality in the vaccinated and unvaccinated groups, respectively), and this finding did not change after accounting for age, gender, or co-existing illnesses.

However, after adjusting for other potential confounders, including functional and socioeconomic status, the mortality reduction was weakened and no longer statistically significant.

“Previous studies were likely measuring a benefit not directly attributable to the vaccine itself, but something specific to the individuals who were vaccinated — a healthy-user benefit or frailty bias,” Eurich concluded in a statement.

SOURCE: American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, September 2008.

Dr Brett Says: This is a good study that looks a little closer at the facts. As is often the case with vaccination research they attempt to claim all decreases in mortality as being vaccine related without taking into account the effects of altered lifestyles, sanitaion, diet etc. If you really want to avoid the flu make sure that you eat, move and think in a way that ensures your immune system is performing at it’s best (This of course includes regular chiropractic care to ensure there is no interference to your nervous system).

A new Flinders University study has shown that 1 in 4 parents fail to realise when their child is carrying too much weight and of those who did recognise it only 35-40% were concerned.

Dr Brett Says: The concern with this is to do with what we now consider to be normal. In our society today we often confuse what is common with what is normal. What is common in our society is that people are quite unwell, in fact according to the Australian Beureu of Statistics 4 out of every five people are chronically ill. This is far from normal. So whether it is from our role modelling, reinforcement from those around us or a lack of health understanding we often consider the common lack of health to be normal. Remember also that it is possible to be a “normal” weight and be unhealthy, your focus should be on getting healthy and if you do that your body will naturally find it’s healthy weight.

From Adelaide Now.

THE mother of a five-month-old baby was interrogated by police and security guards after she used a parents’ room at Westfield Marion to express breast milk, The Messenger reports.

Sharleen Salmon, who works at Marion, said she felt harassed and was embarrassed after a woman and a female cleaner at the shopping centre complained about her using the room during her half-hour lunch break.

The young mum, who has recently returned to work in the hair and beauty industry, to support her family, said she was behind a curtain in the parents’ room when the cleaner came in and stared at her - before complaining to centre security guards and police.

Dr Brett says: What a disgrace. We have ads on radio trying to encourage people to breast feed,  yet we still have this sort of behaviour. With all of the mountains of research coming out supporting the need to help support mums breast feeding for the health of their babies this sort of behaviour should be long gone.

p.s. Well done to the mum for continuing to breast feed after going back to work!

CARMICHAEL, Calif., Aug 13, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) — At age 40, Jeff Hartwig goes on record as the oldest member of the 2008 Olympic U.S. Track and Field team, competing in the pole vault event. A two time Olympian and four-time national champion, Hartwig holds the American indoor pole vaulting record and attributes much of his athletic success to chiropractic care.

“The first time I was treated by a chiropractor was akin to a miracle — a much better option than simply using conventional medicine because my injuries healed faster and my whole body felt better,” said Hartwig during an interview conducted a week prior to the Olympic events.

Just shy of his 41st birthday, Jeff is one of the three U.S. pole vault athletes competing in Beijing. He vaulted 18 feet, eight inches to become the oldest American to qualify for the Olympic team in his event. Hartwig finished 11th at the 1996 Games in Atlanta and went on to set the American record in 1998 at 19 feet, 9 1/4 inches.

“Without chiropractic care, I doubt that I would ever have been able to reach these levels or be able to train at such an intense level,” said Hartwig. Jeff is treated by U.S. Olympic Committee team chiropractor Ted Forcum, D.C. of Tigard, Ore., one of four doctors of chiropractic joining the 62-member U.S. Olympic healthcare team for the 2008 Olympic Games.

“Chiropractic fulfills a niche need, not only by treating injuries but also by aiding in recovery and positively impacting athletic performance,” said Forcum. “Chiropractors promote active care and treatment with a commitment to healthy progression and  rehabilitation.”

Since the 1980 Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid, New York, chiropractors have provided healthcare services to elite performers, and this year chiropractors will assume an even greater role in the integrated healthcare team, which includes medical doctors, massage therapists, and certified athletic trainers.

In addition to the four chiropractors who will provide care to the U.S. Olympic athletes, chiropractors from around the world will be joining their respective Olympic teams in providing safe and effective healthcare. Team chiropractors will be present from New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Canada, Brazil, and China among others.

Dr Brett says: It seems everywhere I look at the moment I am reading about high profile people utilising chiropractic care to help them perform at their best. Be it Olympic athletes, Tour de France competitors or even Madonna more and more people are turning to chiropractic care to help them get the best out of their bodies.

Keep an eye out for my new column in the Adelaide Magazine, coming out in The Advertiser this Thursday the 28th of August. This month’s topic is all about positive thinking.

Welcome to Dr Brett’s Blog. Dr Brett Hill. wellness expert, chiropractor and columnist will be regularly blogging here with his views on all of the latest health and wellness information in the media and all the latest research.