(March 5, 2009 - Insidermedicine) From Florida - According to research in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, older adults may be more impaired after one or two drinks than they realize. In a study of 68 people, researchers found that those aged 50-74 performed worse on special tests than those aged 25-35 after consuming alcohol. Older adults also took about five seconds longer to complete a test than those who did not have a drink.

From Boston - According to a study in Arthritis Care & Research, weight loss does not seem to affect progression of osteoarthritis of the knees. In a study of over 2,600 people, researchers found no link between BMI and progression of osteoarthritis of the knees among those who already had the disease. However, among high-risk patients without osteoarthritis at baseline, lower BMI helped prevent the disease.

And finally, from the Netherlands - According to research in the journal Chest, depression can increase the risk of death among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In a study of 121 patients with stable COPD, researchers found that those with moderate to severe depression were nearly twice as likely to die from any cause compared to those without these symptoms.

For Insidermedicine in 60, I'm Dr. Susan Sharma.