A round-up of today's other health stories in brief.
CHRONIC FATIGUE RESEARCH: An intense battery of medical and psychological tests of people with chronic fatigue syndrome has strengthened the idea that the mysterious ailment is a collection of five or more conditions with varying genetic and environmental causes, according to scientists.
But while the syndrome comes in many flavours, these experts said, the new work also points to an important common feature: the brains and immune systems of affected people do not respond normally to physical and psychological stresses.
The researchers predicted that continued clarification of the precise genes and hormones involved will lead to better diagnostic tests and therapies for the ailment. The new findings come from the largest clinical trial ever to focus on people with the syndrome, a debilitating condition accompanied by unexplained extreme fatigue, memory and concentration problems, sleep disorders and chronic pain.
The results, published in more than a dozen reports and commentaries in the April issue of the journal Pharmacogenomics, released last week, suggest that many cases of chronic fatigue have links to a handful of brain- and immune system-related genes that either harbour small mutations or are working abnormally for other reasons.
That finding strengthens the case that some people are born with a predisposition to the condition. But those genetic links remain weak and incomplete, researchers conceded, leaving most of the syndrome's roots hidden in a fog of poorly understood physiological, neurological, psychological and behavioural factors
REGAINING SEATS: The former president of the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO), Dr James Reilly, is to contest the Fine Gael selection convention in Dublin North. He will be trying to regain Fine Gael's seat in Dublin North, which was previously held by Nora Owen, former Minister for Justice.
Dr Reilly is married with five children and has worked as a GP in the North County Dublin area for the past 23 years, with surgeries in Lusk and Donabate. He was involved in the development of a new town centre in Lusk to provide medical facilities including X-ray services, ultrasound, dentistry and physiotherapy.
MRI TENDERS: VHi is inviting tenders for the provision of outpatient MRI services and will establish a directory of approved MRI centres from June 1st. It follows a review of the provision of insurance cover for MRI scanners.
VHi says the directory will offer Vhi Healthcare members a choice between fully covered centres with direct payment arrangements and other centres with varying levels of cover under the outpatient element of their policy. The directory will also allow Vhi members to be referred for an MRI by either a GP or a consultant.
MENINGITIS GUIDE: The Meningitis Research Foundation will release a guide tomorrow aimed at helping healthcare professionals answer questions about life-threatening meningococcal diseases.
Vital Signs, Vital Issues will be a resource to help patients recognise the warning signs of meningitis and septicaemia and answer questions about immunisations.
Maria Duffy, medical information officer for the foundation, says there are many misconceptions about vaccines, which cause people to avoid immunisation. The booklet will not be made available to the public, and will serve only as a resource for healthcare professionals, she said.
STROKE ADVICE: Stroke is the third most common cause of death in Ireland, after heart disease and cancer, yet most of us know little or nothing about its causes or how to prevent it.
That's according to the Volunteer Stroke Scheme (VSS) which has launched a DVD and video to help educate people on how to avoid having a stroke. It offers expert medical advice on stroke prevention and also highlights real life stories as told by stroke survivors.
The DVD/video highlights that stroke is preventable and by identifying your risk and making simple lifestyle changes (such as monitoring high blood pressure, cholesterol, giving up smoking and regular exercise) you can significantly reduce the chances of having a stroke.
HERBAL TEA TIME: Robert Roberts, perhaps better known for its coffee in Ireland, has now brought a South African herbal tea to the market. Rooibos, or Red Bush, is a herbal tea made from the Aspalathus Linearis bush that grows in the Cedarburg area of South Africa. Robert Roberts claims it is "a 100 per cent pure and natural product as the leaves are merely harvested and left to dry in the sun".
Many herbal teas have positive health associations - they are generally caffeine free and some are high in antioxidants. For some Irish people, the company says an added attraction is that it can be taken with milk.