Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Diabetes & Endocrinology for November 2013. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Normal Weight Obesity Ups Cardiac Deaths in Older Adults
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 27, 2013 (HealthDay News) -- In older adults, normal weight obesity (NWO) is associated with cardiac abnormalities and increased risk for cardiovascular mortality, according to research published in the Nov. 15 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
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Insurance Exchanges May Benefit Small Medical Practices
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 27, 2013 (HealthDay News) -- Small medical practices may not need to offer their employees health insurance, although there may be advantages to doing so, according to an article published Nov. 10 in Medical Economics.
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Age at First Childbirth Influences Later Diabetes Risk
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 27, 2013 (HealthDay News) -- Age at first childbirth is associated with the risk of diabetes in postmenopausal women, according to a study published online Nov. 15 in Diabetes Care.
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Practices Should Start Preparing for Transition to ICD-10
TUESDAY, Nov. 26, 2013 (HealthDay News) -- Practices should start preparing for the transition to International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10), according to an article published Nov. 10 in Medical Economics.
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Optimal Testosterone Levels Tied to Survival in Older Men
TUESDAY, Nov. 26, 2013 (HealthDay News) -- Higher and lower levels of testosterone (T) and its metabolites may raise mortality risk in older men, according to a study published online Nov. 20 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
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FDA to Lift Restrictions on Diabetes Drug Avandia
MONDAY, Nov. 25, 2013 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Monday that it is lifting the tough safety restrictions it imposed on the diabetes drug Avandia two years ago because of reported links to heart problems.
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American Medical Groups Protesting Physician Cuts
MONDAY, Nov. 25, 2013 (HealthDay News) -- Medical societies are taking action against the mass cancellations of physicians in Medicare Advantage plans in many states, according to an article published online Nov. 22 in Medical Economics.
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Testosterone Therapy Doesn't Worsen Urinary Symptoms
MONDAY, Nov. 25, 2013 (HealthDay News) -- For hypogonadal men, testosterone replacement therapy is associated with a low risk of worsening lower urinary tract symptoms, according to a study published in the November issue of The Journal of Urology.
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Family Doc Finds Mid-Level Providers Increase Revenue
MONDAY, Nov. 25, 2013 (HealthDay News) -- Hiring mid-levels -- physicians assistants and nurse practitioners -- can improve productivity, resulting in increased physician take-home pay, according to an article published Nov. 10 in Medical Economics.
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Nexavar Approval Expanded for Common Thyroid Cancer
FRIDAY, Nov. 22, 2013 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for the anti-cancer drug Nexavar (sorafenib) has been expanded to include late-stage differentiated thyroid cancer, the most common type of thyroid cancer.
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White House Extends Enrollment Deadline for Health Insurance
FRIDAY, Nov. 22, 2013 (HealthDay News) -- Consumers who want to enroll in a health insurance plan through HealthCare.gov will get a few extra days to sign up for coverage that will take effect on Jan. 1. The deadline for buying insurance through the federal health insurance exchange will be pushed from Dec. 15 to Dec. 23, a spokeswoman for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) said during a Friday news conference.
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Water pH Impacts Gut Microflora in Non-Obese Diabetic Mice
FRIDAY, Nov. 22, 2013 (HealthDay News) -- For non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice that spontaneously develop type 1 diabetes (T1D), the pH of drinking water influences the composition of the gut microflora, correlating with an altered immune response and T1D incidence, according to an experimental study published online Nov. 5 in Diabetes.
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Metabolic Factors Mediate Much of BMI-Tied Excess Cardio Risk
FRIDAY, Nov. 22, 2013 (HealthDay News) -- Blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose mediate much of the excess risk of coronary heart disease and stroke associated with high body mass index (BMI), according to a study published online Nov. 22 in The Lancet.
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Daily Text Messages Improve Diabetes Outcomes
FRIDAY, Nov. 22, 2013 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with poorly controlled diabetes have improvements in hemoglobin A1c and medication adherence and fewer trips to the emergency room after receiving daily text messages, according to a study published online Nov. 13 in the Annals of Emergency Medicine.
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CDC Report: Health Disparities Persist in America
THURSDAY, Nov. 21, 2013 (HealthDay News) -- Despite progress in some areas, health disparities remain for many Americans, health officials reported Thursday. These inequalities are related to income, education, sex, race, ethnicity, employment and sexual orientation, and they all affect Americans' health and well-being, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Flavonoid Intake Inversely Linked to Type 2 Diabetes
THURSDAY, Nov. 21, 2013 (HealthDay News) -- Flavonoid intake is inversely associated with the risk of type 2 diabetes, according to a large European study published online Oct. 15 in Diabetes Care.
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Race May Affect Assessment of Vitamin D Status
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 20, 2013 (HealthDay News) -- Common genetic polymorphisms may explain racial differences in manifestations of vitamin D deficiency, according to research published in the Nov. 21 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Health Care Frustration Higher in U.S. Than Other Countries
TUESDAY, Nov. 19, 2013 (HealthDay News) -- Compared to 10 other high-income industrialized nations, adults in the United States are more likely to go without health care because of costs, experience difficulty paying medical bills, and deal with frustrating health insurance paperwork or disputes such as unpaid claims, according to a report published by The Commonwealth Fund.
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Comorbidity Has Considerable Impact on Life Expectancy
TUESDAY, Nov. 19, 2013 (HealthDay News) -- Life expectancy in elderly individuals of the same chronological age varies with levels of comorbidity, according to research published in the Nov. 19 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Risk of Hospitalized Fall Injury Up for Seniors With Diabetes
TUESDAY, Nov. 19, 2013 (HealthDay News) -- Older adults with diabetes, especially those treated with insulin, are at increased risk of injurious falls requiring hospitalization, according to a study published online Oct. 15 in Diabetes Care.
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Guidelines Issued for Managing Diabetes in Pregnancy
FRIDAY, Nov. 15, 2013 (HealthDay News) -- Guidelines have been formulated for the management of pregnant women with diabetes; the clinical practice guideline has been published in the Nov. 1 issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
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New Guidelines Issued for Managing Overweight, Obesity
FRIDAY, Nov. 15, 2013 (HealthDay News) -- Evidence-based recommendations for the management of overweight and obesity have been developed by the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology; the guidelines were published online Nov. 12 in Circulation and the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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Lower Glucose Threshold for T2DM Prevention Ups Costs
FRIDAY, Nov. 15, 2013 (HealthDay News) -- Although lowering the threshold for a normal fasting plasma glucose would identify more adults at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes, intervention costs would increase, according to research published online Oct. 17 in Diabetes Care.
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Obama Nominates Health Care Law Backer to Be Surgeon General
FRIDAY, Nov. 15, 2013 (HealthDay News) -- An early supporter and advocate for the Affordable Care Act has been nominated by President Barack Obama to be the country's next surgeon general.
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MetS No Better Than BMI for ID'ing Risk for Heart Disease
FRIDAY, Nov. 15, 2013 (HealthDay News) -- Being overweight or obese is a risk factor for myocardial infarction (MI) and ischemic heart disease (IHD) regardless of metabolic syndrome status, according to a study published online Nov. 11 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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Bariatric Surgery Linked to Increased Pregnancy Risks
FRIDAY, Nov. 15, 2013 (HealthDay News) -- Women with a history of bariatric surgery are at increased risk for preterm or small-for-gestational-age babies, according to a study published online Nov. 12 in BMJ.
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Obama: You Can Keep Your Health Plan (for a Year)
THURSDAY, Nov. 14 (HealthDay News) -- Bending to political pressure, President Barack Obama on Thursday announced a plan to allow Americans to keep their health insurance plans for another year, even if that coverage would have been cancelled because it fails to meet new rules under the Affordable Care Act.
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No Promises on Nov. 30 ACA Website Fix: U.S. Tech Chief
THURSDAY, Nov. 14 (HealthDay News) -- The nation's chief of information technology would not confirm on Wednesday whether the hobbled HealthCare.gov insurance exchange website would be fixed by month's end.
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Health Care Enrollments Fall Far Short of White House Estimates
THURSDAY, Nov. 14 (HealthDay News) -- The Obama administration late Wednesday released a report revealing a disappointing number of health plan enrollments through the new federal and state insurance exchanges. Just over 106,000 Americans enrolled in health plans through the new marketplaces from Oct. 1 through Nov. 2, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said during a news conference.
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Obesity Ups Women's Death, Disability Risk Before Age 85
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Obese older women are at higher risk of death, disease, and disability before age 85, relative to healthy-weight women, according to a study published online Nov. 11 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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Less Brown Adipose Tissue in Asians May Underlie Metabolic Risk
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 13 (HealthDay News) -- South Asians have lower total brown adipose tissue (BAT) volume than white Caucasians, according to a study published online Nov. 12 in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.
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New Models Could Alleviate Primary Care Provider Shortage
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 13 (HealthDay News) -- New models of primary care delivery could reduce the anticipated primary care physician shortage, according to an article published Nov. 4 in Medical Economics.
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Many Would Give Health Plans Private Info to Save Money: Poll
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Many Americans say they'd submit to insurance company medical tests and lifestyle monitoring in exchange for lower-cost premiums, a new Harris/HealthDay poll finds.
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Population Aging Crisis May Have Been Overestimated
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Use of an alternative measure for assessing the number of dependent older people suggests that the population aging crisis may have been overestimated, according to an analysis published online Nov. 12 in BMJ.
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Lifestyle Management Guidance Issued for Cutting CVD Risk
TUESDAY, Nov. 12 (HealthDay News) -- Recommendations for lifestyle management for adults who need to reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) or blood pressure have been developed, according to a report published online Nov. 12 in Circulation and the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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Initial Health-Plan Enrollment Falls Below Expectations
TUESDAY, Nov. 12 (HealthDay News) -- Fewer than 50,000 people have enrolled in health insurance through the federal HealthCare.gov website, according to published reports. The tally represents enrollment in the troubled federal health insurance exchange from its launch date on Oct. 1 through last week, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday. HealthCare.gov serves as the insurance exchange for people in 36 states.
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Many Americans Want Docs to Help Explain Genetic Tests
TUESDAY, Nov. 12 (HealthDay News) -- When it comes to genetic testing, Americans support more research, laws to protect against discrimination, and involving medical professionals in offering guidance, according to research published online Nov. 7 in Genetics in Medicine.
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Analysis Describes Economic Anatomy of U.S. Health Care
TUESDAY, Nov. 12 (HealthDay News) -- Despite the increases in resources devoted to health care in the United States, multiple health care metrics show that the United States is trailing peer nations, according to a special communication published in the Nov. 13 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, a theme issue on critical issues in U.S. health care.
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Weight Loss in One Partner May Complicate Relationship
MONDAY, Nov. 11 (HealthDay News) -- When one person in a couple loses weight, the extent to which the partner embraces the changes in lifestyle influences post-weight-loss interaction, according to research published online Oct. 24 in Health Communication.
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Obama 'Sorry' Some People Losing Health Coverage
FRIDAY, Nov. 8 (HealthDay News) -- President Barack Obama said he's "sorry" some Americans are losing their insurance coverage as a result of his signature health-reform law, but his administration is pressing ahead with the law's implementation. It's estimated that 5 percent of Americans have individual health insurance policies, and many of these people are receiving cancellation notices as insurers switch to plans that comply with new health-reform requirements.
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Most Patients Satisfied With Telephonic Health Coaching
FRIDAY, Nov. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Most individuals who participate in telephonic health coaching are satisfied and report that health coaching helped them achieve their weight-related goal, according to a study published Oct. 31 in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Preventing Chronic Disease.
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Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy Prevalent in Youth With T2DM
THURSDAY, Nov. 7 (HealthDay News) -- The prevalence of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is 25.7 percent among youth with type 2 diabetes, and is significantly higher than that seen among youth with type 1 diabetes, according to a study published online Oct. 21 in Diabetes Care.
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FDA to Ban Trans Fats in Foods
THURSDAY, Nov. 7 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. health officials announced Thursday a plan to phase out heart-harmful trans fats in processed foods and restaurant fare. U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, M.D., said the proposed restrictions on the use of trans fats could prevent 20,000 heart attacks a year and 7,000 deaths.
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Telemedicine Represents Enhanced Care Model
THURSDAY, Nov. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Telemedicine may represent an effective care model but there are associated concerns, specifically relating to reimbursement and legal issues, according to an article published Oct. 25 in Medical Economics.
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Metformin Little Benefit for CHD Patients Without Diabetes
THURSDAY, Nov. 7 (HealthDay News) -- For patients without diabetes with high cardiovascular risk who are taking statins, metformin has no effect on mean distal carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), according to a study published online Nov. 7 in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.
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Amount of Care Similar for Rural, Urban Medicare Users
THURSDAY, Nov. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Although there may be a limited supply of physicians in some rural areas, little difference is found in the amount of health care received by Medicare beneficiaries for rural versus urban areas within the same region, according to research published in the November issue of Health Affairs.
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Family Meals, Associated Rituals Could Lower Child, Adult BMI
THURSDAY, Nov. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Family meals and their related rituals are associated with both child and adult body mass index (BMI), according to a study published online Oct. 1 in Obesity.
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For Hospitalized Adults, Light Inversely Tied to Fatigue, Mood
THURSDAY, Nov. 7 (HealthDay News) -- For hospitalized adult patients, light exposure is inversely associated with fatigue and total mood disturbance, according to a study published online Oct. 27 in the Journal of Advanced Nursing.
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Aspiring Doctors Are Optimistic About the Future of Medicine
THURSDAY, Nov. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Aspiring doctors are optimistic about the future of medicine, according to a report published by the National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists.
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Assisted Conception Doesn't Up Overall Cancer Risk in Children
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Assisted conception is not associated with an overall increase in cancer risk among children, according to a study published in the Nov. 7 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Sebelius on Exchange Website: 'Delay Is Not an Option'
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 6 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Wednesday that the Obama administration will not consider delaying implementation of health reform. Nor will it take down HealthCare.gov -- the troubled health insurance marketplace website -- while it's being fixed. "For millions of Americans, delay is not an option," Sebelius told the Senate Finance Committee during a hearing on the new health insurance marketplace. "People's lives depend on this," she said.
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Provider Reminder Tool Can Improve Screening Rates
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 6 (HealthDay News) -- A care coordinator and clinical reminder tool can enhance providers' ordering of preventive health screenings, according to a study published in the September/October issue of the Journal for Healthcare Quality.
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Hyperglycemia May Increase Myocardial Infarction Mortality
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Hyperglycemia is common among patients presenting with myocardial infarction and is associated with a higher risk of death, according to a study published in the Nov. 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
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Senators Seek Answers on Health Marketplace Woes
TUESDAY, Nov. 5 (HealthDay News) -- A top Obama administration health official said Tuesday that HealthCare.gov -- the troubled federal website used to sign up for insurance -- is improving, and insisted that private information provided during the online application process is safe and secure.
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In the Doctor's Lounge With Dr. Cindy Haines
FRIDAY, Nov. 1 (HealthDay News) -- This is the second issue of a monthly letter from me, HealthDay's chief medical officer and the managing editor of Physician's Briefing, HealthDay's news service for health care professionals. The intention of this letter (and the intention of what we do at HealthDay) is to provide tools of communication. At Physician's Briefing, this is by providing you, the busy and buried health care professional, news and information that matters to you in a way that won't slow you down. The intention is to provide news that can help you stay abreast of changing clinical guidelines, cutting-edge technologies, and novel treatment options. And now, we offer free Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits for you on select clinical articles, enabling you to get (at least) two birds with one stone.
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In the Doctor's Lounge With Dr. Cindy Haines
TUESDAY, Oct. 1 (HealthDay News) -- Please allow me to introduce myself: I am HealthDay's chief medical officer and the managing editor of Physician's Briefing, HealthDay's news service for health care professionals. This service is intended to provide busy physicians, nurses, and pharmacists with easily accessible, digestible health news that can keep them up-to-date and not missing a beat in their busy days providing care for those in need (and navigating the headaches and heartaches the business of medicine can too often bring). In short, this service is intended to make your professional life flow more smoothly in the way that helpful, useable, relevant, and timely information can.
Exchanges Will Be Cornerstone for Coverage Choices
Young Adults May Be Key to Making It All Work
Expect Pluses, Minuses for Those With Job-Based Coverage
If You're an Uninsured Worker, It's Your Chance to Get Covered
Medicaid Expansion Will Allow More to Get More
Many on Medicare Already Enjoying Benefits
AMA Presents: The National Journal
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Iron Status Predicts Prognosis in Patients With T2DM, CAD
TUESDAY, Nov. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Iron status can independently predict long-term outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD), according to a study published online Oct. 15 in Diabetes Care.
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More Sleep Linked to Lower Weight in Children
MONDAY, Nov. 4 (HealthDay News) -- Increased duration of sleep is associated with lower food intake and lower weight in children, according to a study published online Nov. 4 in Pediatrics.
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Family Planning Program for Teens With Diabetes Effective
MONDAY, Nov. 4 (HealthDay News) -- A self-administered preconception counseling program on family planning for teenage girls with diabetes is associated with greater knowledge and a willingness to discuss reproductive health with health care providers and may reduce sexual activity, according to a study published online Oct. 15 in Diabetes Care.
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Weight-Loss Surgery for Severely Obese Teens Safe
MONDAY, Nov. 4 (HealthDay News) -- Half of severely obese adolescents who undergo weight-loss surgery have several major comorbid conditions, but the short-term safety profile of the surgery is positive, according to a study published online Nov. 4 in JAMA Pediatrics.
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Considerable Weight Loss for Severely Obese Post-Bariatric Sx
MONDAY, Nov. 4 (HealthDay News) -- For severely obese adults undergoing bariatric surgery, there is considerable weight loss after surgery, and self-reported weight loss seems to be a valid measure of weight loss following bariatric surgery, according to a study and research letter published online Nov. 4 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Bariatric Surgery May Improve Sexual Function in Women
MONDAY, Nov. 4 (HealthDay News) -- Women who undergo bariatric surgery to achieve weight loss have significant improvements in sexual function, according to research published online Nov. 4 in JAMA Surgery.
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FTO Linked to BMI, BMI-for-Age Z Score in Children
FRIDAY, Nov. 1 (HealthDay News) -- For children from the Brazilian Amazon, FTO rs9939609 allele is associated with increased body mass index (BMI) and BMI-for-age Z scores, with the effect significantly modified by vitamin D status, according to a study published online Oct. 15 in Diabetes.
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Six People Signed Up on Day One of Federal Exchange Website
FRIDAY, Nov. 1 (HealthDay News) -- Just six people enrolled for health insurance through the federal HealthCare.gov website the first day of operation on Oct. 1, just-released Obama administration documents show.
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Physician Buy-In Key to Reducing Health Care Costs
FRIDAY, Nov. 1 (HealthDay News) -- Physician buy-in is essential for creation of any new payment system aimed at reducing health care costs, according to an article published Oct. 21 in Medical Economics.
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Abnormal Thyroid Function Predicts Mortality in Elderly
FRIDAY, Nov. 1 (HealthDay News) -- Abnormal thyroid function test results detected in elderly patients during hospitalization are significantly related to poorer prognosis, according to research published online Oct. 30 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
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Fruit, Veggie Intake Has No Impact on Insulin Resistance
FRIDAY, Nov. 1 (HealthDay News) -- For individuals at high risk of cardiovascular disease, increased consumption of fruits and vegetables has no impact on insulin resistance, according to a study published in the Oct. 15 issue of Diabetes Care.
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In Prostate Cancer, BMI at Diagnosis Linked to Mortality
FRIDAY, Nov. 1 (HealthDay News) -- For men with prostate cancer, body mass index (BMI) at diagnosis is associated with mortality, according to a study published online Aug. 6 in Obesity Research & Clinical Practice.
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