January 2013 Briefing - Internal Medicine

Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Internal Medicine for January 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.

Adiposity, Hyperglycemia Tied to Cognitive Performance

THURSDAY, Jan. 31 (HealthDay News) -- Among healthy middle-aged adults, adiposity and hyperglycemia correlate with poor cognitive performance, according to a study published online Dec. 28 in Diabetes Care.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Conflict-of-Interest Policy Affects Prescribing Behavior

THURSDAY, Jan. 31 (HealthDay News) -- Psychiatrists exposed to conflict-of-interest (COI) policies while completing their residency program are less likely to prescribe brand-name antidepressants after completion of their residency, according to research published in the February issue of Medical Care.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Overuse of Surveillance Colonoscopy After Resection

THURSDAY, Jan. 31 (HealthDay News) -- Approximately one-third of patients with normal results on their first and second colonoscopies after undergoing curative resection for colorectal cancer undergo subsequent surveillance colonoscopies within two years, which is earlier than recommended by current guidelines, according to research published in the January issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)

Updated Guidelines Issued for Care of Acute Ischemic Stroke

THURSDAY, Jan. 31 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with acute ischemic stroke, the keys to limiting associated morbidity and mortality include the recognition of stroke, early diagnosis and treatment, and hospital care, according to updated guidelines published online Jan. 31 in Stroke.

Abstract
Full Text

Ranibizumab No Better Than Saline for Vitreous Hemorrhage

THURSDAY, Jan. 31 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with vitreous hemorrhage from proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), the probability of vitrectomy within 16 weeks after intravitreal injections of ranibizumab or saline is lower than expected, with little difference seen between the two treatments, according to a study published online Jan. 31 in JAMA Ophthalmology.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

CDC: Non-Flu Adult Vaccination Rates Largely Unchanged

THURSDAY, Jan. 31 (HealthDay News) -- In 2011, non-influenza vaccination coverage among adults was similar to that of 2010, except for modest increases in human papillomavirus (HPV) among women and in tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis (Tdap) overall and among household contacts of children, according to a report published in the Jan. 29 early-release issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report.

Full Text

Peds Rotavirus Vaccine Offers Indirect Protection for Adults

THURSDAY, Jan. 31 (HealthDay News) -- Pediatric rotavirus vaccinations also decrease the prevalence of the disease in unvaccinated adults, according to a study published online Jan. 23 in Clinical Infectious Diseases.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Low Diuretic Use in Home Care for Blacks With Hypertension

THURSDAY, Jan. 31 (HealthDay News) -- A majority of black patients enrolled in an urban home health organization who have uncontrolled hypertension are not receiving diuretic antihypertensive medication, despite guideline recommendations regarding the important role diuretics play in hypertension control, according to research published in the February issue of the American Journal of Hypertension.

Abstract
Full Text

Kynamro Approved for Genetic Condition Tied to Cholesterol

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Kynamro (mipomersen sodium) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH), a rare inherited condition in which the body can't remove low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol from the blood, as an addition to lipid-lowering medications and diet.

More Information

Long-Term Outcomes Similar With Prostatectomy, Radiation

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 30 (HealthDay News) -- At 15 years after diagnosis, disease-specific functional outcomes are not significantly different for men with localized cancer undergoing prostatectomy or radiotherapy, according to a study published in the Jan. 31 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Yoga Shown to Reduce Clinical Symptoms of Atrial Fibrillation

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Yoga significantly reduces clinical symptoms and improves quality-of-life measures in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), according to a study published online Jan. 30 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Abstract
Full Text

Common Obesity Beliefs Often Unsupported by Science

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Many commonly held beliefs about obesity and weight loss are not supported by scientific evidence, according to a study published in the Jan. 31 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

PhysioDirect Equal to Usual Care for Musculoskeletal Issues

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 30 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with musculoskeletal problems, PhysioDirect, a service which invites patients to telephone a physical therapist for initial assessment and advice, followed by face-to-face physical therapy if necessary, is similarly effective to usual care, but is associated with slightly lower patient satisfaction, according to a study published online Jan. 29 in BMJ.

Full Text

Parents Not Too Concerned About Child Abuse of Pain Meds

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Parents are not that concerned about misuse of narcotic pain medicines by their children and teens, according to the University of Michigan's Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health.

More Information

Study Confirms Prolongation of QT Interval With Citalopram

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, including citalopram, escitalopram, and amitriptyline, are associated with prolonged corrected QT (QTc) interval, according to a study published online Jan. 29 in BMJ.

Full Text

Moxifloxacin Monotherapy Equivalent to Antibiotic Combo

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Oral monotherapy with moxifloxacin is as efficacious and safe as combination therapy with ciprofloxacin plus amoxicillin/clavulanic acid for treatment of fever in adult patients with cancer and neutropenia who are at low risk of complications, according to a study published online Jan. 28 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial

Majority of Patients Will Consider ICD Deactivation

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 30 (HealthDay News) -- The majority of patients with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) would want ICD deactivation in at least one scenario describing deteriorating health outcomes common in patients approaching the end of life, according to a study published online Jan. 28 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)

Early Palliative Care in Lung CA Focuses on Coping, Symptoms

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Early palliative care (PC) clinic visits, integrated with standard oncologic care for patients with metastatic lung cancer, emphasize symptom management, coping, and psychosocial aspects of illness, according to research published online Jan. 28 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Bile Acid Sequestrant Reduces Glucose Concentration in T2DM

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 30 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with type 2 diabetes taking metformin monotherapy, the bile acid sequestrant colesevelam reduces fasting and postprandial glucose concentrations without any effects on insulin concentration, secretion, or action, according to research published online Dec. 18 in Diabetes.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Mortality Risk Up for Patients Admitted on Public Holidays

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Patients admitted to the hospital as emergencies on public holidays have significantly higher seven-day and 30-day mortality than patients admitted on non-holidays, according to a study published online Jan. 23 in the Journal of Emergency Medicine.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Physicians Commonly Report Unsafe Hospital Workloads

TUESDAY, Jan. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Physicians say they often face unsafe hospital workloads, according to a study published online Jan. 28 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

In STEMI, Diabetes Linked to Worse Long-Term Outcomes

TUESDAY, Jan. 29 (HealthDay News) -- In patients undergoing primary angioplasty for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), diabetes is associated with worse long-term outcomes, including mortality, reinfarction, stent thrombosis, and target vessel revascularization (TVR), according to research published online Dec. 28 in Diabetes Care.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Brain Scans Show Doctors Empathize With Patients

TUESDAY, Jan. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Physicians who empathize with a patient in pain and feel relief when the patient receives effective treatment show activity in brain regions associated with pain relief and reward, according to a study published online Jan. 29 in Molecular Psychiatry.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

States Vary in Implementation of Smoking Reduction Policies

TUESDAY, Jan. 29 (HealthDay News) -- The prevalence of smoking and the implementation of combined interventions to reduce smoking vary between states, according to a report published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

More Information

Appropriate Use Criteria Established for Amyloid PET

TUESDAY, Jan. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Experts have agreed upon appropriate use criteria for positron emission tomography (PET) of brain amyloid β, according to a report published online Jan. 28 in Alzheimer's & Dementia.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

ER Visits Up for Misuse of ADHD Stimulants by Young Adults

TUESDAY, Jan. 29 (HealthDay News) -- From 2005 to 2010, there was an increase in the number of emergency department visits involving attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) stimulant medications, with the number of visits increasing significantly among adults aged 18 years or older, according to a study published online Jan. 24 by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

More Information

Low Rate of Prostate Cancer Diagnosis After REDUCE

TUESDAY, Jan. 29 (HealthDay News) -- In a two-year, observational follow-up study of the four-year REduction by DUtasteride of prostate Cancer Events (REDUCE) clinical study, men demonstrated a low rate of new prostate cancer diagnoses, although those men who had been treated with the 5α-reductase inhibitor (5ARI) dutasteride exhibited twice as many prostate cancers compared with placebo-treated men, according to research published in the March issue of The Journal of Urology.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

AMA Reviews Challenges of Signing Death Certificates

TUESDAY, Jan. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Signing death certificates is not always straightforward and has long-term ramifications on mortality data and funding, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).

More Information

2013 Guidelines for Adult Vaccination Published

MONDAY, Jan. 28 (HealthDay News) -- The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has released updated adult vaccination recommendations for 2013; these recommendations have been published online Jan. 28 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Full Text

Less CVD Hospitalization When SBP, LDL-C Controlled in T2DM

MONDAY, Jan. 28 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with type 2 diabetes with controlled systolic blood pressure (SBP) or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) have significantly lower rates of hospitalization for cardiovascular disease (CVD), especially when both risk factors are controlled, according to research published online Jan. 28 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

In CAD, Highest Mortality Risk for Central Obesity, Normal BMI

MONDAY, Jan. 28 (HealthDay News) -- For individuals with coronary artery disease (CAD), central obesity in combination with normal weight is associated with the highest risk of mortality, according to research published in the Feb. 5 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Abstract
Full Text

Substantial Increase in Spinal Interventional Techniques Seen

MONDAY, Jan. 28 (HealthDay News) -- Between 2000 and 2008, there was a nearly 108 percent increase in the number of Medicare recipients receiving spinal interventional techniques, according to a study published in the Jan. 15 issue of Spine.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

FDA: Three New Treatments Approved for Type 2 Diabetes

MONDAY, Jan. 28 (HealthDay News) -- Three new products have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes, for use as monotherapy or in combination with other therapies and together with diet and exercise.

More Information

Prehospital Antiplatelets Improve Graft Intervention Outcomes

MONDAY, Jan. 28 (HealthDay News) -- Prehospital use of antiplatelet therapy, either aspirin/clopidogrel or dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT), is associated with a lower incidence of major adverse cardiac events after saphenous vein graft (SVG) intervention, according to research published in the Jan. 15 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.

Abstract
Full Text

Modified DASH Intervention Feasible for African-Americans

MONDAY, Jan. 28 (HealthDay News) -- For African-Americans in an under-resourced community, use of a modified Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)-intervention is feasible, according to a study published online Jan. 10 in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Preventing Chronic Disease.

Abstract
Full Text

Sclerostin Linked to Vascular Disease in Type 2 Diabetes

MONDAY, Jan. 28 (HealthDay News) -- Circulating levels of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling inhibitor sclerostin are higher in patients with type 2 diabetes who also have atherosclerotic disease, according to a study published online Jan. 3 in Diabetes Care.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

FDA Panel Votes for Tougher Restrictions on Hydrocodone

FRIDAY, Jan. 25 (HealthDay News) -- A U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel met Thursday and Friday to discuss the fate of certain painkillers that contain the opioid known as hydrocodone, concluding in a vote in favor of moving hydrocodone combination products into the more restrictive Schedule II category of controlled substances.

More Information

CDC: Bisexual Women at Higher Risk of Intimate Partner Violence

FRIDAY, Jan. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Lesbians and gay men report lifetime levels of intimate partner violence (IPV) and sexual violence (SV) equivalent to or higher than those reported by heterosexuals, according to data released Jan. 25 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

More Information

FDA: Samsca May Cause Irreversible Liver Damage

FRIDAY, Jan. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Patients who take Samsca (tolvaptan) may be at elevated risk for significant liver injury, according to a Jan. 25 safety alert issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

More Information

Marked Geographic Variation in Mental Health Medication Use

FRIDAY, Jan. 25 (HealthDay News) -- There is considerable local and regional variation within the United States in the use of antidepressants, antipsychotics, and stimulants, according to a study published online Jan. 7 in Health & Place.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Folic Acid Supplementation Has No Effect on Cancer Incidence

FRIDAY, Jan. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Folic acid supplementation has no effect on the risk of cancer in the first five years of treatment, according to a meta-analysis published online Jan. 25 in The Lancet.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)

CDC: 1,527 Foodborne Disease Outbreaks in 2009 to 2010

FRIDAY, Jan. 25 (HealthDay News) -- In 2009 to 2010, there were 1,527 foodborne disease outbreaks reported, according to research published in the Jan. 25 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report.

Full Text

Support Players Needed to Improve Primary Care Delivery

FRIDAY, Jan. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Practice facilitators and care managers can play important roles in improving delivery of primary care, according to a study published in the January/February issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.

Abstract
Full Text

Increases in Mean Platelet Volume After PCI Tied to Death

FRIDAY, Jan. 25 (HealthDay News) -- For patients who undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), mortality is associated with increases in mean platelet volume (MPV) over time following the procedure, according to a study published in the Jan. 15 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.

Abstract
Full Text

Hyperbaric Oxygen Improves Function Long After Stroke

FRIDAY, Jan. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) significantly improves neurological function and quality of life in people who had a stroke up to three years earlier, according to a study published online Jan. 15 in PLOS One.

Abstract
Full Text

ACPE Survey Finds Skepticism Relating to Online Doc Ratings

THURSDAY, Jan. 24 (HealthDay News) -- Physicians are skeptical of online ratings, and believe that few patients use them, according to a survey published by the American College of Physician Executives (ACPE).

More Information

Retinopathy Severity Linked to Cardiovascular Outcome

THURSDAY, Jan. 24 (HealthDay News) -- For individuals with type 2 diabetes, incident cardiovascular outcomes are determined not only by the severity of diabetic retinopathy but also by its progression, according to research published online Dec. 13 in Diabetes Care.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

CDC: Novel Norovirus Replacing Former Dominant Strain

THURSDAY, Jan. 24 (HealthDay News) -- A novel strain of norovirus, GII.4 Sydney, which was first detected in Australia in March of last year, was responsible for the majority of norovirus outbreaks in the United States from September through December 2012, according to a report published in the Jan. 25 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report.

Full Text

Physician Education Ups Communication for New Meds

THURSDAY, Jan. 24 (HealthDay News) -- A physician-targeted education session improves physician communication about newly-prescribed medications, according to a study published in the January/February issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.

Abstract
Full Text

Cancer Prevalence Higher With Long Duration of Diabetes

THURSDAY, Jan. 24 (HealthDay News) -- Patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes have a greater prevalence of cancer with longer diabetes duration and with insulin use, according to a study published online Jan. 8 in Diabetes Care.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Scoring System IDs Patients at Risk for Nosocomial GI Bleed

THURSDAY, Jan. 24 (HealthDay News) -- A scoring system based on several independent risk factors can identify non-critically ill hospitalized patients at risk for nosocomial gastrointestinal bleeding, according to a study published in the January issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Exposure to Triggers Causes Migraine With Aura in Only a Few

THURSDAY, Jan. 24 (HealthDay News) -- For patients who suffer from migraine with aura (MA), provocation with natural self-reported trigger factors causes migraine in only a small subgroup, according to a study published online Jan. 23 in Neurology.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)

IOM Urges Coordinated Care for Multisymptom Illness in Vets

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Individualized treatment plans and a team approach providing comprehensive and coordinated care is recommended for veterans with chronic multisymptom illness (CMI), a health condition which affects about one-third of 1991 Gulf War veterans, according to a report published Jan. 23 by the Institute of Medicine (IOM).

More Information

Peginesatide Safe for Anemia in Patients Undergoing Dialysis

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Peginesatide, a peptide-based erythropoiesis-stimulating agent, is safe and effective in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease and anemia as long as they are undergoing dialysis, according to two studies published in the Jan. 24 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine.

Full Text - Fishbane (subscription or payment may be required)
Full Text - Macdougall (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)

Lung Cancer Death Risk in Female Smokers Has Risen

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Although female smokers had a lower risk of dying of lung cancer than male smokers through the 1980s, male and female smokers now have similar risks of dying from lung cancer and other causes, according to a study published in the Jan. 24 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Abstract
Full Text
Editorial

Smoking Cuts Life Expectancy by More Than 10 Years

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Smokers typically die at least a decade earlier than nonsmokers, but this can be at least partially reversed by quitting smoking, according to a study published in the Jan. 24 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial

Fetal Exposure to Valproate Linked to Lower IQ at Age 6

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Fetal exposure to valproate is associated with lower IQ compared with exposure to other antiepileptic drugs, according to a study published online Jan. 23 in The Lancet Neurology.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)

Large Teaching Hospitals Face More Readmission Penalties

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Large hospitals, teaching hospitals, and safety-net hospitals (SNHs) are more likely than other hospitals to be penalized under the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP), according to a research letter published in the Jan. 23/30 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Low Ratio of n3:n6 Fatty Acids Correlates With CAD Progression

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 23 (HealthDay News) -- For statin-treated patients with coronary artery disease, decreases in the ratio of serum n-3 to n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) correlate with atherosclerosis progression, according to research published in the Jan. 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.

Abstract
Full Text

Fatty Liver May Directly Mediate CAD in Metabolic Syndrome

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Men and women with fatty liver are more likely to have metabolic syndrome (MetS) with type 2 diabetes, and women with fatty liver are more likely to have MetS with subclinical atherosclerosis, according to research published online Dec. 18 in Diabetes Care.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Care Transition Initiative Decreases Rehospitalizations

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Communities instituting quality improvement initiatives for care transitions see significant declines in the rate of 30-day rehospitalizations and hospitalizations, according to a study published in the Jan. 23/30 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)

New Guidelines Issued for MCS Device Use in Heart Failure

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 23 (HealthDay News) -- The International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation has developed practice guidelines on the use of mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices in the treatment of patients with advanced heart failure; the guidelines have been published in the February issue of The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation.

Full Text

High BMI Increases Risk of Chronic Low Back Pain Later

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 23 (HealthDay News) -- High body mass index (BMI) significantly increases the risk of chronic low back pain later, according to a study published in the Jan. 15 issue of Spine.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Physical Activity Cuts Mortality in Colorectal Cancer Survivors

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 23 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with invasive, non-metastatic colorectal cancer, increased recreational physical activity is associated with reduced all-cause mortality, while prolonged sedentary time correlates with increased all-cause mortality, according to a study published online Jan. 22 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

FDA: First Skin Patch Approved to Treat Migraines

TUESDAY, Jan. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Zecuity, a sumatriptan iontophoretic single-use, battery-powered transdermal system, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for acute treatment of migraine with or without aura in adults.

More Information

Aspirin Ups Risk of Age-Related Macular Degeneration

TUESDAY, Jan. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Regular aspirin use is associated with an increased risk of developing neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), with evidence of a dose-response effect, according to a study published online Jan. 21 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)

Increase in Proportion of Livers Not Used for Transplantation

TUESDAY, Jan. 22 (HealthDay News) -- The proportion of livers not used for transplantation is increasing, with the primary causes being donation after cardiac death (DCD), older donor age, greater body mass index (BMI), and increasing diabetes prevalence, according to research published in the January issue of Liver Transplantation.

Abstract
Full Text

Early Predictors of Occupational Back Reinjury Identified

TUESDAY, Jan. 22 (HealthDay News) -- About 25 percent of workers with back injury report reinjury after returning to work, with risk factors including male sex, previous similar injury, and having health insurance, according to a study published in the Jan. 15 issue of Spine.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Poor Sensitivity for Clinician Suspicion of Alcohol Problem

TUESDAY, Jan. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Primary care physicians' clinical suspicion of an alcohol problem has high specificity, but poor sensitivity, according to research published in the January/February issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.

Abstract
Full Text

USPSTF: Younger Women Should Be Screened for Partner Violence

MONDAY, Jan. 21 (HealthDay News) -- Women of childbearing age should be screened for intimate partner violence (IPV) and referred for intervention services if necessary, according to recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), published online Jan. 21 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Abstract
Full Text

Hearing Loss Linked to Cognitive Impairment in Elderly

MONDAY, Jan. 21 (HealthDay News) -- For older adults, hearing loss is independently associated with incident cognitive impairment; and about 11 percent of those aged 80 or older have dual sensory impairment (DSI), according to two studies published online Jan. 21 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Abstract - Lin
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Abstract - Swenor
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)

Docs' Use of Informed Decision-Making for PSA Testing Varies

MONDAY, Jan. 21 (HealthDay News) -- Physicians' practice styles related to informed decision-making for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening are linked to their personal beliefs about screening, according to a study published in the January/February issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.

Abstract
Full Text

Most With C. difficile Receive Unnecessary Antimicrobials

MONDAY, Jan. 21 (HealthDay News) -- The majority of patients with current or recent Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) receive unnecessary antimicrobials, with 26 percent receiving only unnecessary antimicrobials, according to research published in the February issue of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Accelerated Cognitive Decline Seen With T2DM in Middle Age

MONDAY, Jan. 21 (HealthDay News) -- Middle-aged patients with type 2 diabetes show accelerated cognitive decline in information processing speed and executive function, according to a study published online Dec. 28 in Diabetes Care.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Ulcerative Colitis, Not Crohn's, Deaths Down From 1982

MONDAY, Jan. 21 (HealthDay News) -- Over the past 30 years in Denmark, mortality from ulcerative colitis (UC) has decreased, but mortality from Crohn's disease (CD) has remained persistently higher than the general population, according to research published in the January issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

Abstract
Full Text

Alcohol Disinfection Cap Cuts Contamination of Central Lines

FRIDAY, Jan. 18 (HealthDay News) -- Continuous passive disinfection of central line catheter hubs using an alcohol-containing disinfection cap reduces line contamination, organism density, and the rate of central-line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs), according to a study published in the January issue of the American Journal of Infection Control.

Abstract
Full Text

In STEMI, C-Reactive Protein at Presentation Predicts MI, Death

FRIDAY, Jan. 18 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) measurements at presentation predict subsequent nonfatal MI and cardiac death; and for patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS), fetuin-A and CRP have prognostic value, according to two studies published in the Jan. 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.

Abstract - Makrygiannis
Full Text
Abstract - Lim
Full Text

ERs Need to Focus on Integration Into New Payment Models

FRIDAY, Jan. 18 (HealthDay News) -- Emergency care systems need to focus on integrating into new payment models by promoting efficiency and coordinated care, according to an article published online Jan. 2 in the Annals of Emergency Medicine.

Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Coronary Artery Calcium Predicts Cardiovascular Death in T2DM

FRIDAY, Jan. 18 (HealthDay News) -- In addition to traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors, in patients with type 2 diabetes, coronary artery calcium (CAC) predicts the risk of cardiovascular death, according to a study published online Dec. 10 in Diabetes Care.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

BCIS Myocardial Jeopardy Score Predicts Post-PCI Death

FRIDAY, Jan. 18 (HealthDay News) -- The British Cardiovascular Intervention Society myocardial jeopardy score (BCIS-JS) predicts mortality after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), according to research published in the Jan. 15 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Physical Activity Requirement in <40 Percent of College Programs

FRIDAY, Jan. 18 (HealthDay News) -- Compared with historic levels, as of 2010, less than 40 percent of four-year universities and colleges in the United States have a physical education requirement for graduation with a baccalaureate degree, according to research published in the December issue of Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Efforts Failed to Up Primary Care, Rural Resident Training

FRIDAY, Jan. 18 (HealthDay News) -- The 2005 redistribution of graduate medical education (GME) funds did little to train more residents in primary care and in rural areas, according to a study published in the January issue of Health Affairs.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Differences in Care for E-Visits, Office Visits for Sinusitis, UTI

THURSDAY, Jan. 17 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with sinusitis or urinary tract infection (UTI), follow-up is similar following office visits or e-visits, but antibiotics are more likely to be prescribed and preventive care is less likely with e-visits, according to a research letter published in the Jan. 14 issue of JAMA Internal Medicine.

Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Marriage Protects Against Premature Midlife Death

THURSDAY, Jan. 17 (HealthDay News) -- Being married during midlife protects against a higher risk of premature death, according to a study published in the January issue of the Annals of Behavioral Medicine.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

FDA: Octaplas Approved for Blood-Clotting Disorders

THURSDAY, Jan. 17 (HealthDay News) -- Octaplas has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to augment insufficient clotting proteins that could otherwise lead to excessive bleeding or excessive clotting.

More Information

Fasting Plasma Glucose Beats HbA1c for Diabetes Screening

THURSDAY, Jan. 17 (HealthDay News) -- For patients without diabetes undergoing coronary angiography (CAG), fasting plasma glucose (FPG) performs better in diabetes screening than glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), according to a study published online Dec. 13 in Diabetes Care.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Venous Thromboembolism, PE Risk Up in IVF Pregnancies

THURSDAY, Jan. 17 (HealthDay News) -- Pregnant women have an increased risk of venous thromboembolism and pulmonary embolism after in vitro fertilization (IVF), especially during the first trimester, according to a study published online Jan. 15 in BMJ.

Full Text

Short Course of ART Therapy Delays HIV Progression

THURSDAY, Jan. 17 (HealthDay News) -- Early in the course of primary HIV-1 infection, a 48-week session of antiretroviral therapy (ART) delays disease progression versus no ART; and initiation of ART more than four months after the estimated start date of HIV infection reduces the likelihood of CD4+ T-cell count recovery, according to two studies published in the Jan. 17 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Abstract - Fidler
Full Text
Abstract - Le
Full Text
Editorial

Case Study IDs B. miyamotoi As Cause of Meningoencephalitis

THURSDAY, Jan. 17 (HealthDay News) -- The spirochete, Borrelia miyamotoi, may be an underrecognized cause of meningoencephalitis, according to a case study published in the Jan. 17 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Letter to the Editor

Checklists Up Performance in Operating-Room Crises

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 16 (HealthDay News) -- Using checklists during operating-room crises can improve surgical care, according to a study published in the Jan. 17 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Letter to the Editor

Energy Drink-Linked ER Visits Up From 2007 to 2011

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 16 (HealthDay News) -- From 2007 to 2011, the number of emergency department visits involving energy drinks more than doubled, according to a study published online Jan. 10 by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

More Information

Influenza Vaccine in Pregnancy May Reduce Fetal Deaths

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 16 (HealthDay News) -- Pandemic influenza A (H1N1) infection in pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of fetal death, and vaccination is associated with a non-significant reduction in the risk of fetal death, according to a study published online Jan. 16 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Abstract
Full Text

Donor Fecal Infusion Effective for C. difficile Infection

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 16 (HealthDay News) -- Duodenal infusions of donor feces are significantly more effective than vancomycin for treating recurrent Clostridium difficile infections, according to a study published online Jan. 16 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Abstract
Full Text
Editorial

For Under-75s, Living Alone Tied to Higher Mortality Risk

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 16 (HealthDay News) -- For adults younger than 75 years of age, living alone is a significant predictor of all-cause mortality, according to a study published online Jan. 14 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)

Selective D-Dimer Testing Strategy Seems Safe, Effective

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 16 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with suspected deep venous thrombosis (DVT), selective D-dimer testing is a safe and a more efficient testing strategy than universal testing, according to a study published in the Jan. 15 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Income Affects Oncology Clinical Trial Participation

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 16 (HealthDay News) -- Oncology patients with lower income, even older patients with access to Medicare, are significantly less likely to participate in clinical trials, according to research published online Jan. 7 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Family Docs Are Early Adopters of Electronic Health Records

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 16 (HealthDay News) -- Family practice physicians are adopting electronic health record (EHR) systems at a fast pace, with 68 percent using an EHR system by 2011, and 80 percent expected to be users by 2013, according to research published in the January/February issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.

Abstract
Full Text

Even Brief Interruptions Dramatically Increase Errors

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 16 (HealthDay News) -- Even momentary interruptions of two to four seconds can significantly affect a person's ability to accurately complete a task requiring considerable thought, according to research published online Jan. 7 in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Older Individuals Have Atypical Stone Presentation

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 16 (HealthDay News) -- Older individuals are more likely to have atypical presentation with urolithiasis, according to a study published in the January issue of The Journal of Urology.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Education, Wealth Levels Impact Mortality in Diabetes Patients

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 16 (HealthDay News) -- Socioeconomic status, as measured by education and financial wealth, is a strong independent predictor of mortality risk among adult diabetes patients, according to a study published in the January issue of Diabetes Care.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Depressive Symptoms Tied to Doubled Risk for Crohn's

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 16 (HealthDay News) -- Depressive symptoms are associated with a two-fold increase in risk of Crohn's disease (CD) but not ulcerative colitis (UC), according to research published in the January issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

Abstract
Full Text

No Gastric Volume Monitoring Is Not Inferior Strategy

TUESDAY, Jan. 15 (HealthDay News) -- For adults requiring invasive mechanical ventilation, enteral nutrition management without residual gastric volume monitoring is not inferior to a similar protocol which includes monitoring for protection against ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), according to a study published in the Jan. 16 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)

Medicare Advantage Quality Ratings Impact Enrollment

TUESDAY, Jan. 15 (HealthDay News) -- For Medicare Advantage first-time enrollees and enrollees switching plans, there is an association between the quality rating and enrollment, according to a study published in the Jan. 16 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)

Prehospital Advanced Airway Use Hurts Neurologic Outcome

TUESDAY, Jan. 15 (HealthDay News) -- For adults with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), the odds of favorable neurologic outcome are significantly reduced with advanced airway management versus conventional bag-valve-mask ventilation, according to a study published in the Jan. 16 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)

Mismatched Expectations on Average Duration of Cough

TUESDAY, Jan. 15 (HealthDay News) -- Patients tend to underestimate the average duration of acute cough illness (ACI), according to research published in the January/February issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.

Abstract
Full Text

Generic Three-Pill HIV Regimen Could Result in Big Savings

TUESDAY, Jan. 15 (HealthDay News) -- The use of first-line, generic-based antiretroviral (ART) HIV treatment in the United States could potentially save almost $1 billion in the first year of implementation, according to a study published in the Jan. 15 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)

Decision Support Reduces Antibiotic Usage for Bronchitis

TUESDAY, Jan. 15 (HealthDay News) -- Decision support strategies can help reduce the over-prescription of antibiotics for acute bronchitis in primary care settings, according to a study published online Jan. 14 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)

Medicare Pay Cut for Doctors Not in E-Prescribing Program

TUESDAY, Jan. 15 (HealthDay News) -- Medicare-participating physicians who failed to meet the requirements for Medicare's Electronic Prescribing (eRx) Incentive Program in 2012 are being informed of their penalty for 2013, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

More Information

AAFP, Other Physician Groups Request Stop to ICD-10

MONDAY, Jan. 14 (HealthDay News) -- The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) has joined the American Medical Association and other physician organizations to request that the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) halt implementation of the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Edition (ICD-10), in a letter sent Dec. 20.

More Information

Certain Online Behaviors of Docs Warrant Investigation

MONDAY, Jan. 14 (HealthDay News) -- There is high consensus among state medical boards regarding the likelihood of probable investigations for certain online behaviors, according to a study published in the Jan. 15 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Top Five Issues for Docs and Patients Identified for 2013

MONDAY, Jan. 14 (HealthDay News) -- The top five issues that will impact physicians and patients in 2013 have been identified, according to a report published Dec. 10 by The Physicians Foundation.

More Information

New Hematuria Risk Index IDs Patients at Low Cancer Risk

MONDAY, Jan. 14 (HealthDay News) -- A Hematuria Risk Index could identify cancer risk among patients with asymptomatic microscopic hematuria, according to a study published online Jan. 11 in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

Abstract
Full Text

Novel Racial/Ethnic Differences Found in Diabetic Kidney Disease

MONDAY, Jan. 14 (HealthDay News) -- Rates of proteinuric and nonproteinuric diabetic kidney disease (DKD) vary significantly across racial/ethnic groups, according to a study published online Dec. 13 in Diabetes Care.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Use of Beta-Blockers Tied to Improved Lung Cancer Survival

FRIDAY, Jan. 11 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), intake of beta-blockers is associated with improved survival, according to a study published online Jan. 8 in the Annals of Oncology.

Abstract
Full Text

Radiation Therapy Use Low in End-Stage Cancer

FRIDAY, Jan. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Although the overall use of radiation treatment among elderly end-stage cancer patients is low during their final month of life, many receive more than 10 days of treatment, according to a study published in the Jan. 1 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

CDC: Flu Activity Remains High in the United States

FRIDAY, Jan. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Flu activity remains elevated, according to FluView, a weekly influenza surveillance report prepared by the Influenza Division of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; however, the annual flu vaccine is moderately effective at preventing the disease, according to a report published in the Jan. 11 early-release issue of CDC's Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report.

FluView
Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report

Everolimus Reduces Angiomyolipoma Volume

FRIDAY, Jan. 11 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with tuberous sclerosis or sporadic lymphangioleiomyomatosis-associated angiomyolipomata, the angiomyolipoma response rate is significantly higher with everolimus than placebo, with an acceptable safety profile, according to a study published online Jan. 11 in The Lancet.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)

Initial Guidelines Issued for Lung Cancer Screening

FRIDAY, Jan. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Initial guidelines indicate that low-dose computed-tomography lung cancer screening should be discussed with high-risk patients, with review of the potential harms, benefits, and limitations associated with screening, according to a report published online Jan. 11 in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.

Abstract
Full Text

Malaria Drug Association With Hemolytic Anemia Unclear

FRIDAY, Jan. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Artesunate, a drug used in the treatment of severe malaria, may or may not be associated with hemolytic anemia, so the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends close monitoring of patients treated with the drug for four weeks after administration of the agent, according to a report published in the Jan. 11 issue of the CDC's Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report.

Full Text

National U.S. Health Care Spending Relatively Stable

FRIDAY, Jan. 11 (HealthDay News) -- The growth in national U.S. health care spending was relatively stable in 2011, but growth in personal health care spending accelerated, according to a study published in the January issue of Health Affairs.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Post-Op Mortality Up for Elderly With Pre-Heart Op Anxiety

THURSDAY, Jan. 10 (HealthDay News) -- Few elderly patients about to undergo cardiac surgery experience high levels of anxiety, but for those who do, there is a five-fold higher risk of postoperative major morbidity or mortality, according to research published in the Jan. 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.

Abstract
Full Text

CDC: Rare Blood Disorder Found in Intravenous Drug Users

THURSDAY, Jan. 10 (HealthDay News) -- In 2012, 15 intravenous drug users within a relatively small geographic area developed thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), possibly due to reformulating and injecting an oral pain reliever, according to a report published in the Jan. 11 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report.

Full Text

Rate of Non-Medical Use of Rx Pain Meds 4.6 Percent

THURSDAY, Jan. 10 (HealthDay News) -- The rate of non-medical use of prescription pain relievers in the past year among individuals aged 12 years and older is estimated at 4.6 percent nationally, with considerable variation between states, according to a study published online Jan. 8 by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

More Information

Intervention to Reduce Air Pollution Tied to Drop in Deaths

THURSDAY, Jan. 10 (HealthDay News) -- Decreased air pollution from wood-burning stove use during the winter months in Launceston, Australia, correlated with a decrease in annual mortality among males, according to research published online Jan. 8 in BMJ.

Full Text

10-Year Lag in Survival Benefit After Cancer Screening

THURSDAY, Jan. 10 (HealthDay News) -- Breast and colorectal cancer screening have, on average, a 10-year time lag to survival benefit, according to a meta-analysis published online Jan. 8 in BMJ.

Full Text

High Unawareness of Distal Sensorimotor Polyneuropathy

THURSDAY, Jan. 10 (HealthDay News) -- A high percentage of older adults with diabetes and prediabetes are unaware of having clinical distal sensorimotor polyneuropathy (DSPN), according to a study published online Dec. 28 in Diabetes Care.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

SPIRIT 2013 Clinical Trial Protocol Guidelines Issued

THURSDAY, Jan. 10 (HealthDay News) -- A panel of experts, including trial investigators, trial coordinators, and representatives from ethics and regulatory agencies, has developed the Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials (SPIRIT) 2013 guidelines for the minimum content of a clinical trial, according to a statement published online Jan. 8 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Abstract
Full Text

Hospital Stays Shorter for Prostatectomy, Cystectomy

THURSDAY, Jan. 10 (HealthDay News) -- There were reductions in hospital stays for patients undergoing prostatectomy and cystectomy in 2004 to 2005, compared to those undergoing the procedures in 1992 to 1993, according to research published in the January issue of The Journal of Urology.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Americans Sicker, Die Younger Than Other Developed Nations

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 9 (HealthDay News) -- Americans have worse health than their peers in high-income countries, according to a report published Jan. 9 by the National Research Council and Institute of Medicine.

More Information

Multiple Stressors Contribute to Readmission Within 30 Days

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 9 (HealthDay News) -- Nearly one-fifth of Medicare patients discharged from the hospital are readmitted within 30 days, which seems to arise from a combination of factors contributing to patient vulnerability, according to research published in the Jan. 9 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Full Text

Breast Cancer Screening Costs Medicare >$1 Billion Yearly

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 9 (HealthDay News) -- Breast cancer screening costs the Medicare fee-for-service program more than $1 billion annually, according to a study published online Jan. 7 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)

Supplements Fail to Accurately Identify Caffeine Quantity

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 9 (HealthDay News) -- One-quarter of supplements sold on military bases fail to meet minimal legal requirements for listing per-serving amounts of caffeine, according to a study published online Jan. 7 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Full Text
Editorial

Two HTN Meds Plus NSAIDs Ups Acute Kidney Injury Risk

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 9 (HealthDay News) -- Use of triple therapy comprising diuretics and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, or angiotensin receptor blockers, together with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is associated with an increased risk of acute kidney injury, particularly in the first 30 days of treatment, according to a study published online Jan. 8 in BMJ.

Full Text
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)

~40 Percent of Docs Acquiesce to Demand for Brand-Name Rx

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 9 (HealthDay News) -- Close to 40 percent of physicians sometimes or often acquiesce to patient demands for brand-name drugs, even when generic drugs are available, according to a research letter published online Jan. 7 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial 1 (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial 2 (subscription or payment may be required)

Vitamin D Does Not Improve Knee OA Progression, Symptoms

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 9 (HealthDay News) -- For adults with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis (OA), vitamin D supplementation for two years does not reduce knee pain or cartilage volume loss compared to placebo, according to a study published in the Jan. 9 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Abstract
Full Text

Number of Adults Using Walk-in Retail Clinics Increasing

TUESDAY, Jan. 8 (HealthDay News) -- The popularity of retail and work-based clinics is increasing, with most users satisfied with care, according to a Harris Interactive/HealthDay poll.

More Information

Failure Rate of Cefixime for N. gonorrhoeae Infection Explored

TUESDAY, Jan. 8 (HealthDay News) -- For Neisseria gonorrhoeae (N. gonorrhoeae) infections, the rate of clinical treatment failure with cefixime is 6.77 percent, and is associated with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 0.12 µg/mL or more, according to a study published in the Jan. 9 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)

Health Care Use Dropped Among All During Recession

TUESDAY, Jan. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Health care use declined significantly among all races and ethnicities during the recession from 2007 to 2009, with the only ethnic disparity being fewer physician visits by Hispanics compared with whites, according to a study published online Jan. 7 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Reduced Penile Size Linked to Prostate Cancer Treatment

TUESDAY, Jan. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Compared with radiotherapy alone, men with recurrent prostate cancer are more likely to have complaints about reduced penile size after treatment with radiotherapy plus androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) or radical prostatectomy (RP), according to research published in the January issue of Urology.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Impaired Cognition, Depression Common in Aging NFL Players

TUESDAY, Jan. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Retired professional football players may be more likely to have cognitive impairments or depression, which are associated with white matter abnormalities and changes in cerebral blood flow, according to a study published online Jan. 7 in JAMA Neurology.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)

Fetuin-A Levels Linked to Cardiovascular Disease Risk

TUESDAY, Jan. 8 (HealthDay News) -- In elderly individuals without type 2 diabetes, high levels of fetuin-A, a protein that inhibits arterial calcification and insulin action, is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, according to a study published online Dec. 18 in Diabetes Care.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Fewer Than One-Third of U.S. Teen Girls Vaccinated for HPV

MONDAY, Jan. 7 (HealthDay News) -- The national prevalence of three doses of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination among adolescent girls is about 32.0 percent, and incidence rates for some HPV-associated cancers are increasing, according to a report published online Jan. 7 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Abstract
Full Text
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)

Death Rate for All Cancers Down in U.S. From 2000 to 2009

MONDAY, Jan. 7 (HealthDay News) -- From 2000 to 2009, there was a general decrease in the death rates for all cancers combined for men and women, although the incidence of some cancers continued to rise, according to a report published online Jan. 7 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Abstract
Full Text

Prevalence of Interstitial Cystitis/Chronic Prostatitis ID'd

MONDAY, Jan. 7 (HealthDay News) -- The symptoms of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) are widespread among men in the United States, according to research published in the January issue of The Journal of Urology.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Low Rates of High Platelet Reactivity With Prasugrel Tx

MONDAY, Jan. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Treatment of patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) with percutaneous coronary intervention and a maintenance dose of prasugrel is associated with low rates of high platelet reactivity (HPR), ischemic events, and major bleeding in the first 30 days of treatment, according to research published in the Jan. 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.

Abstract
Full Text

Data Suggest Depression Doesn't Precede Impaired Cognition

MONDAY, Jan. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Among older adults, depression correlates with prevalent mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and progression to dementia, but not with incident MCI, according to a study published online Dec. 31 in JAMA Neurology.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Shared Savings May Promote Care Coordination Entity Use

MONDAY, Jan. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Use of shared savings could encourage individuals who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid to enroll in state-designed care coordination entities (CCEs), according to a perspective piece published online Jan. 2 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Full Text

CDC: Influenza Activity Increasing Across the U.S.

FRIDAY, Jan. 4 (HealthDay News) -- Flu season descended on the United States early and hard this winter, with significant increases in flu activity observed over the past month, according to an update issued Jan. 4 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

More Information

Most Unaware of Out-of-Pocket Costs for Prostate Cancer Tx

FRIDAY, Jan. 4 (HealthDay News) -- Most patients with localized prostate cancer know little about the out-of-pocket expenses (OOPE) of the different treatments, and would not have chosen a different treatment even if they had known the actual OOPE of their treatment, according to a study published in the December issue of Urology.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

E-mail Prompts Improve Code Status Documentation

FRIDAY, Jan. 4 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with advanced lung cancer, prompting oncologists via e-mail successfully improved both the rate and timing of outpatient code status documentation in patients' electronic health records, according to research published online Jan. 2 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial

FDA Proposes New Food Safety Standards

FRIDAY, Jan. 4 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is proposing two new food safety rules as part of the implementation of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act in an effort to shift the focus of food safety from reactive to preventive measures, according to a Jan. 4 news release issued by the agency.

More Information

Functional MRI Can Improve Prediction of CBT Success

FRIDAY, Jan. 4 (HealthDay News) -- Results of functional brain imaging can greatly improve prediction of which patients with social anxiety disorder (SAD) will benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), according to a study published in the January issue of JAMA Psychiatry.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Improved Staffing Cuts Medicare Patient Readmissions

FRIDAY, Jan. 4 (HealthDay News) -- Hospital nurses with good work environments who are caring for fewer patients have significantly fewer elderly Medicare patients with heart failure, acute myocardial infarction (MI), and pneumonia who are readmitted to the hospital within the first 30 days, according to research published in the January issue of Medical Care.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Tomosynthesis Ups Accuracy of Digital Mammography

FRIDAY, Jan. 4 (HealthDay News) -- Using a combination of tomosynthesis, which produces a three-dimensional reconstruction of the breast, with digital mammography increases radiologists' diagnostic accuracy and significantly lowers the number of recalls for non-cancer cases, according to research published in the January issue of Radiology.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Distributing Naloxone to Heroin Users Likely Cost-Effective

FRIDAY, Jan. 4 (HealthDay News) -- Distributing naloxone to heroin users for lay administration for overdose reversal would be cost-effective and likely reduce overdose deaths, according to a study published in the Jan. 1 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)

Patient-Doctor Communication Affects Medication Adherence

FRIDAY, Jan. 4 (HealthDay News) -- Poor communication between patients and health care providers is linked to lower cardiometabolic medication adherence, according to a study published online Dec. 31 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Nurse-Led Monitoring Improves Cancer-Related Fatigue

FRIDAY, Jan. 4 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with advanced cancer, nurse-led monitoring and optimized treatment of physical symptoms significantly improves cancer-related fatigue, according to research published online Jan. 2 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

High-Dose Flu Vaccine Better Protects HIV-Infected Adults

THURSDAY, Jan. 3 (HealthDay News) -- HIV-infected adults achieve higher rates of seroprotection when immunized with a high-dose of the influenza trivalent vaccine compared to the standard dose, according to a study published in the Jan. 1 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Prevalence of Drowsy Driving About 4 Percent in U.S.

THURSDAY, Jan. 3 (HealthDay News) -- The prevalence of drowsy driving is about 4 percent across 19 states and the District of Columbia, and correlates with other sleep-related characteristics, according to a study published in the Jan. 4 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report.

Full Text

Eliquis Approved for People With Non-Valvular Atrial Fibrillation

THURSDAY, Jan. 3 (HealthDay News) -- The anticoagulant Eliquis (apixaban) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to help prevent stroke and dangerous blood clots in people with atrial fibrillation that isn't caused by a heart valve problem.

More Information

Measures Recommended to Prevent Gun-Related Injuries

THURSDAY, Jan. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Following the tragic shooting on Dec. 14 in Newtown, Conn., measures should be implemented to prevent further gun-related injuries, according to a perspective piece published online Dec. 28 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Full Text

Survival Similar for ICDs in Trials and Clinical Practice

THURSDAY, Jan. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Survival is similar for patients who receive implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) as part of a randomized clinical trial or in routine clinical practice for primary prevention, according to research published in the Jan. 2 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Smoking Impairs Saphenous Vein Conduits in CABG Surgery

THURSDAY, Jan. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Patients undergoing heart bypass surgery using saphenous veins are more likely to have signs of graft failure if they are smokers, even if they quit smoking more than a year earlier, according to a study published in the January issue of the Annals of Thoracic Surgery.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Association Between Health Care Cost, Quality Inconsistent

THURSDAY, Jan. 3 (HealthDay News) -- The direction of the association between health care cost and quality is unclear, with inconsistent evidence indicating positive, negative, mixed, and indeterminate associations, according to a review published in the Jan. 1 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)

Ban on Ambulance Diversions Doesn't Worsen ER Crowding

THURSDAY, Jan. 3 (HealthDay News) -- A 2009 ban on ambulance diversion in Massachusetts did not worsen crowding in emergency departments or ambulance turnaround times, according to research published online Dec. 21 in the Annals of Emergency Medicine.

Full Text

Prior Brain Injury Linked to Re-Injury Later in Life

THURSDAY, Jan. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Older adults with a history of traumatic brain injury (TBI) with loss of consciousness (LOC) have a 2.5- to almost four-fold higher risk of subsequent re-injury later in life, according to research published online Nov. 21 in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Fracture Risk Down With Adherence to Bisphosphonates

THURSDAY, Jan. 3 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with an osteoporotic fracture, adherence to bisphosphonate treatment is associated with reduced fracture risk; and for veterans with rheumatoid arthritis, non-adherence to bisphosphonate treatment is over 50 percent, according to two studies published in the December issue of Arthritis Care & Research.

Abstract - Curtis
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Abstract - Richards
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Direct Costs for Low Back Pain Care in U.K. Are Substantial

THURSDAY, Jan. 3 (HealthDay News) -- The financial burden of caring for patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP) in the United Kingdom is twice that of caring for patients without CLBP, according to a study published in the Jan. 1 issue of Spine.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

TPN-Linked Hyperglycemia Ups Death for Non-Critically Ill

THURSDAY, Jan. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Non-critically ill hospitalized patients who develop hyperglycemia after total parenteral nutrition (TPN) are more than five times more likely to die in the hospital, according to research published online Dec. 6 in Diabetes Care.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Interferon-Free Therapies for Hep C Virus Look Promising

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 2 (HealthDay News) -- For untreated patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV), treatment with an oral nucleotide inhibitor of HCV polymerase, sofosbuvir, plus ribavirin seems effective for genotypes 1, 2, and 3; and the HCV NS3 protease inhibitor ABT-450, combined with low-dose ritonavir (ABT-450/r) plus the nonnucleoside NS5B polymerase inhibitor ABT-333 and ribavirin, seems effective for genotype 1, according to two studies published in the Jan. 2 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Full Text - Gane (subscription or payment may be required)
Full Text - Poordad (subscription or payment may be required)

Restrictive Transfusion Strategy Safe for Acute GI Bleeding

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 2 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with severe acute gastrointestinal bleeding, a restrictive transfusion approach is safe and effective compared with a liberal approach, according to a study published in the Jan. 2 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)

Glucose, Fructose Affect Cerebral Blood Flow Differently

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Ingestion of fructose is associated with a distinct pattern of regional cerebral blood flow compared with glucose, which has implications for appetite regulation, according to a study published in the Jan. 1 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)

Review: All-Cause Mortality Down for Mildly Overweight

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Obesity (all grades combined) and grades 2 and 3 obesity, based on standard body mass index (BMI) categories, correlate with increased risk of all-cause mortality, while overweight is associated with decreased risk compared with normal weight, according to a review published in the Jan. 2 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Abstract
Full Text
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)

House Joins Senate to Avert Medicare Cuts

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 2 (HealthDay News) -- The House of Representatives settled on an 11th-hour agreement late Tuesday night that has averted the widespread tax increases and spending cuts that would have gone into effect January 1. This agreement occurred 21 hours after the U.S. Senate did its part to steer the country clear of the "fiscal cliff."

More Information

Surgery Consultation Common After MRI of the Spine

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Almost half of patients whose primary care physicians recommend a lumbosacral or cervical spine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan go on to receive a surgical consultation, but few end up undergoing spinal surgery, according to research published in the Jan. 1 issue of Spine.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Fibromyalgia May Be Underdiagnosed, More So in Men

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Fibromyalgia may be underdiagnosed in the general population, particularly in men, according to research published online Nov. 30 in Arthritis Care & Research.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Primary Care Docs Support Added Training in Obesity Care

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Primary care physicians overwhelmingly support additional training and practice-based changes to improve obesity care in their practice, according to a study published online Dec. 20 in BMJ Open.

Abstract
Full Text

Administering Chemo Ups Income for Non-Salaried Oncologists

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Non-salaried oncologists report the potential for increased salaries with the administration of chemotherapy or growth factors for lung or colorectal cancer patients, according to a study published online Dec. 26 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)

Open-Angle Glaucoma Up 22 Percent in Last 10 Years

TUESDAY, Jan. 1 (HealthDay News) -- The prevalence of open-angle glaucoma has increased more than 20 percent in the last 10 years and currently affects more than 2.7 million Americans age 40 years and older, according to a report from Prevent Blindness America and the National Eye Institute.

More Information

Travel-Based Interventions May Be As Effective As Diet on BMI

TUESDAY, Jan. 1 (HealthDay News) -- Cutting car travel can be as effective as reducing calories in lowering body mass index (BMI), according to research published online Dec. 5 in Preventive Medicine.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Related Stories

No stories found.
logo
www.healthday.com