Low Selenium Levels Contribute to Cognitive Decline
Age-related decreases in plasma selenium status contribute to neuropsychologic decline in the elderly, according to a longitudinal study of 1389 persons aged 60 to 71 years who were followed for 9 years. Plasma selenium status over time was independently associated with cognitive function. Among persons whose plasma selenium level decreased over time, the extent of decrease was directly related to the probability of cognitive decline. Among persons whose plasma selenium level increased over time, the extent of increase was inversely related to the level of cognitive decline. There was no association between short-term selenium changes and cognitive function.

Methamphetamine Can Cause Cardiomyopathy
Use of methamphetamine, the most widely used illegal stimulant in the United States, increases the risk for cardiomyopathy in young persons, according to a case-control study of 221 hospitalized patients (aged 45 years or younger) with similar cardiovascular risk factors; length of hospitalization; and use of alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine, among other variables. After adjusting for age, body mass index, and renal failure, methamphetamine use was associated with a 3.7-fold increased odds ratio for cardiomyopathy among patients (n = 107) who were discharged with a diagnosis of cardiomyopathy or heart failure compared with the control group (n = 114). Control patients underwent echocardiography, had ejection fractions of 55% or more, and showed no wall-motion abnormalities.

Zinc Supplements Protect Elderly from Infections
Dietary zinc supplementation significantly decreases the incidence of infections in the elderly, according to the findings from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study that included 50 healthy persons aged 55 to 87 years who received oral zinc gluconate (45 mg/day elemental zinc) or placebo for 12 months. Compared with a reference group of 31 younger participants (aged 18-54 years), these 50 older individuals had significantly lower plasma zinc levels at baseline (101.4 versus 94.3 ?g/dL). The incidence of infection was significantly lower in those randomized to zinc supplements than in those randomized to placebo (29% versus 88%). Analysis also showed that the treatment group had significantly lower serum levels of inflammatory marker, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha. As expected, plasma zinc levels were higher in the supplementation group (104 ?g/dL) than the placebo group (88.5 ?g/dL) when the study ended.

The Testosterone?Diabetes Connection
Low levels of free testosterone are a risk factor for diabetes in men, according to a study of 1413 adult men enrolled in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. In multivariate models, the risk for diabetes was about 4 times greater in men in the lowest tertile of free testosterone level than in men in the highest tertile. Similarly, men in the lowest tertile of bioavailable testosterone were about 4 times more likely to have diabetes than those in the highest tertile. No relationship was observed between total testosterone level and diabetes risk after multivariate adjustment. The associations between free and bioavailable testosterone levels and diabetes risk persisted even after excluding men with abnormally low free or total testosterone concentration.

OTC Analgesics Increase Hypertension Risk
Regular use of over-the-counter (OTC) and nonnarcotic analgesics is independently associated with an increased risk for hypertension in men. Detailed information about the use of acetaminophen, aspirin, and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) was obtained at baseline and then 2 years later from 16,031 men with no history of hypertension at baseline. Some 1968 incident cases of hypertension were identified during 4 years of follow-up. Men who used acetaminophen 6 to 7 days weekly had a 34% increased risk for hypertension compared with nonusers (P = .01); use of NSAIDs increased the hypertension risk by 38% (P = .002), and use of aspirin was associated with a 26% increased risk (P <.001). The results were similar when the number of weekly tablets was analyzed rather than the frequency of daily use.

New Prostate Cancer Test May Limit Repeat Biopsies
An investigational test, which measures levels of the prostate cancer gene 3 (PCA3) in urine, may help prevent unnecessary repeat biopsies in men who have elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels but negative biopsy findings. PCA3 scores were determined in urine samples obtained from 233 men whose serum PSA levels were persistently 2.5 ng/mL or more and who had at least 1 previous negative biopsy. Repeat biopsy revealed prostate cancer in 60 (27%) of the 226 men in whom the urine RNA yield was adequate for analysis. Receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis revealed an area under the curve score of 0.68 for the PCA3 score versus 0.52 for serum PSA. At a PCA3 score cutoff of 35, the assay had a sensitivity of 58% and specificity of 72% for detecting prostate cancer on repeat biopsy.

Diabetic Retinopathy an Independent Risk for Ischemic Stroke
Diabetic retinopathy is an independent risk factor for ischemic stroke, according to a prospective study of 1617 middle-aged adults with diabetes who underwent retinal photography. During a mean follow-up of 7.8 years, there were 75 ischemic stroke events. Diabetic retinopathy was associated with an increased risk for ischemic stroke (hazard ratio, 2.34), after controlling for age, gender, race, mean arterial blood pressure, antihypertensive treatment, fasting glucose level, insulin treatment, duration of diabetes, cigarette smoking, and low-density and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels.

CRP Levels Predict COPD Outcome
Serum C-reactive protein (CRP) level are a strong and independent predictor of long-term outcomes in persons with airway obstruction. CRP levels were measured at baseline in 1302 persons with airway obstruction who were followed for a median of 8 years. During follow-up, 185 (14%) persons were hospitalized for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and 83 (6%) persons died of COPD. Compared with persons with a baseline serum CRP level of 3 mg/L or less, those with greater CRP levels had an increased adjusted hazard ratio for hospitalization and death from COPD (1.4 and 2.2, respectively). Mean baseline serum CRP level increased by 1.2 mg/L (P = .002) and 4.1 mg/L (P = .001) in those who were subsequently hospitalized for or died of COPD, respectively.

US Blood Supply Now Screened for Chagas Disease
The American Red Cross and Blood Systems—responsible for 65% of the US blood supply—has begun screening blood for Chagas disease, a zoonotic illness usually caused by the bloodborne parasite Trypanosoma cruzi that affects an estimated 11 million persons throughout much of Latin America. The screening decision was based, in part, on a study of 148,969 blood-donation specimens that found that 63 specimens from 61 donors tested positive for T cruzi antibodies (about 1 in 2365 donations). The study was conducted in areas of the United States where Chagas disease was expected to be relatively prevalent. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, which uses epimastigote lysate antigens to detect antibodies to T cruzi in serum and plasma, was licensed for blood donor screening by the FDA in December 2006. Blood centers are not currently required to screen for T cruzi antibodies.

Obese Men at Lower Risk of Suicide
Despite previous evidence of an association between obesity and depression, the risk for suicide in men is inversely related to their body mass index, according to a prospective study of 46,755 male participants in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study who recorded their height, weight, diet, and physical activity, beginning in 1986 and continuing until death or 2002. A total of 131 men died of suicide during follow-up. Rates of successful suicide ranged from 13 deaths per 100,000 person-years among men with a body mass index of 30 kg/m² to 52 deaths per 100,000 among men with a body mass index less than 21 kg/m². The risk for suicide decreased 11% for each 1-unit increase in body mass index. The association between body mass index and suicide risk was not influenced by other measured factors, including antidepressant use or social support system.