Research Roundup

Piercings mean risky business

Teenagers who sport body piercings are more likely to take part in several risky
behaviors than their unskewered counterparts, according to research presented at the annual conference of the Pediatric Academic Societies in Baltimore.

Based on a study led by pediatrician Timothy Roberts of Golisano Children's Hospital, the findings show that pierced girls in particular are more likely to engage in risky behaviors than their counterparts who have no body piercings. The team found that girls with body piercings--piercings in body areas other than the ears--are more than twice as likely as other girls to smoke, to skip school, or to have had sex.

"Piercing is one way that teenagers paint a picture of how they choose to present themselves to the world," says Roberts. "You can use that image to tailor services to them. Use the piercing to open up a dialog."

Study targets NYC firefighters

Rochester researchers who specialize in studying the health effects of tiny particles on the lungs have been chosen to study respiratory symptoms in 300 New York City firefighters and to take part in a survey and follow-up study of 6,000 Manhattan residents. The study is one of several studies announced by Tommy G. Thompson, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, to address health concerns in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Rochester scientists led by Guenter Oberdoerster, professor of environmental medicine, will work together with researchers from New York University and Columbia University, thanks to $1.2 million in funding from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

Diagnosis is just a click away

Doctors' ability to diagnose skin problems ranging from common allergic reactions to rare and potentially deadly diseases like anthrax more than doubled when they had access to a new software system developed largely by University physicians.

Officials with Logical Images Inc., the Rochester-based company that has grown out of the effort begun by Assistant Professor Art Papier and Professor Lowell Goldsmith, presented the new software system at the Empire State 2002 Biotech Conference in Albany.

"Every dermatologist sees plenty of cases where the diagnosis was missed by an earlier visit to a physician, even though a visual clue is present," says Papier.

The new software system makes it easier to pinpoint a disease by providing a searchable image bank and more than doubles the rate of accurate diagnosis by emergency room physicians, family and primary-care doctors, according to results presented by Papier at meetings of the American Medical Informatics Association.

Insulin pumps prove safe

Insulin pumps are a safe and effective alternative to shots for even the youngest of children, according to researchers at Golisano Children's Hospital. A recent study confirms that several advantages of the insulin pump, documented in older populations, hold true for children younger than 13.

For instance, children experienced better control of their diabetes because they were able to more effectively manage their insulin levels, resulting in less erratic blood-glucose levels. In addition, blood sugar levels for children using pumps were closer to normal, and children experienced less severe low-blood-sugar reactions than when getting shots.

"These findings should encourage parents and pediatricians to support this technology, which has gained widespread acceptance in older populations," says Nicholas Jospe, associate professor of pediatric endocrinology. "We recommend that parents of children who have diabetes at least start a discussion with their health care provider about the possible benefits of insulin pumps."

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