(July 27, 2010 - Insidermedicine)

From the UK - Alcohol consumption may reduce severity of rheumatoid arthritis, according to a report published in Rheumatology. Researchers compared nearly 900 RA patients to over 100 healthy controls, finding that those who drank alcohol had considerably less problems from their RA than non-drinkers. Results also showed that those who did not drink at all had a 4x increased risk of developing the condition.

From  Minnesota - Three epilepsy drugs may raise risk of suicide, according to a report published in Neurology. Studying over 44,000 people who had at least one prescription for an epilepsy drug, researchers found that the newer medications levetiracetam, topiramate and vigabatrin had a 3x increased risk of harming themselves or attempting suicide

And finally, from Chicago - Infants born in the late preterm period are more likely to suffer respiratory illness, according to a report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Researchers studied over 230,000 deliveries over a 6 year period, finding that babies born at 34 weeks had a 40x increased risk of respiratory distress syndrome, while the risk of the condition decreased for every additional week spent in the womb.