(October 1, 2009 - Insidermedicine)

From the UK - Women who smoke while pregnant put their children at increased risk for developing psychotic symptoms, according to a report published in the British Journal of Psychiatry. Researchers studied over 6,000 children, over 11% of whom had, at 12 years old, clearly demonstrated symptoms of psychosis. Results showed that children were more likely to develop these symptoms if their mother smoked during pregnancy, the risk increasing significantly the more the mother smoked.

From Michigan - According to a report published in the New England Journal of Medicine, care of postoperative complications determines a hospitals surgical death rate as much as the complications themselves. Researchers examined over 80, 000 people who underwent surgery in different US hospitals. There was little difference between the hospitals overall rate of complications, but the difference between the lowest and highest surgical death rate was twofold. These results suggest that hospital's surgical death rates vary as a result of differences in how complications are treated.

And finally, from Philadelphia - Adolescent boys with metabolic syndrome have an increased risk of liver disease, according to a report published in the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. Researchers studied over 1,300 boys aged 12-19. They found that obese teenaged boys had increased liver enzyme levels--levels that were connected to metabolic syndrome more-so than obesity--and thus, were more likely to suffer liver disease.