Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Internal Medicine for July 2010. 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.
Higher Pediatric Mortality Marked 2009/2010 Flu Season
FRIDAY, July 30 (HealthDay News) -- Since April 2009, influenza activity in the United States has been characterized by much higher pediatric mortality and higher rates of hospitalization in children and young adults than seen in previous years, according a report published in the July 30 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Flu Vaccine for Upcoming Season Approved
FRIDAY, July 30 (HealthDay News) -- The annual flu vaccine for the 2010-2011 influenza season has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the agency said Friday.
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Albuminuria, eGFR Independently Predict Acute Kidney Injury
FRIDAY, July 30 (HealthDay News) -- Protein in the urine (even at low levels) and decreased kidney function are independent warning signs of acute kidney injury (AKI), according to a study published online July 29 in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
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Lumbar Motion Norms Vary by Race, Age in Women
FRIDAY, July 30 (HealthDay News) -- Age has an effect on the degree of lumbar flexion and extension that is possible for a woman, as does race on the degree of extension, thus creating a need for new normative values for these categories, according to research published in the July 15 issue of Spine.
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Population-Based Survey Reveals Work Injury Rates
FRIDAY, July 30 (HealthDay News) -- A module added to the 2007 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey by 10 states found that the proportion of workers work-injured in the previous year ranged from 4.0 to 6.9 per 100 employed individuals, and that the proportion of these cases paid for by workers' compensation ranged from 47 to 77 percent, according to a report published in the July 30 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Fecal Occult Blood Testing May Be Most Efficient Choice
FRIDAY, July 30 (HealthDay News) -- Although colonoscopy is a more accurate colorectal cancer screening method, fecal occult blood testing is likely to result in more individuals getting screened and more life-years gained, suggesting it may be the best approach for programs with limited budgets, according to a study published online July 29 in Health Affairs.
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Transforaminal Steroid Shot Benefits Lumbar Radicular Pain
FRIDAY, July 30 (HealthDay News) -- Transforaminal injection of steroids appears to be a viable alternative to surgery for some patients with lumbar radicular pain caused by disc herniation, according to a study published online July 30 in Pain Medicine.
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Combination Weight Loss Drugs Appear Effective for Obesity
FRIDAY, July 30 (HealthDay News) -- Treatment with two obesity drugs, naltrexone and bupropion, plus lifestyle modification appears effective in helping people lose 5 percent or more of their excess body weight, according to research published online July 30 in The Lancet.
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Exercise Adherence Helps Osteoarthritis Patients
FRIDAY, July 30 (HealthDay News) -- Greater adherence to home exercise and more physical activity in general appear to enhance the long-term effectiveness of exercise therapy in patients with osteoarthritis of the hip and/or knee, according to research published in the August issue of Arthritis Care & Research.
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Calcium Supplements May Increase Heart Attack Risk
FRIDAY, July 30 (HealthDay News) -- Calcium supplementation is associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction, according to a meta-analysis published online July 29 in BMJ.
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Specialties See Modest Compensation Increases in '09
FRIDAY, July 30 (HealthDay News) -- Most medical specialties saw modest compensation increases in 2009, but many provider organizations are still operating at a substantial loss, according to the findings of the American Medical Group Association's (AMGA) 2010 Medical Group Compensation and Financial Survey.
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FDA: Daptomycin May Increase Eosinophilic Pneumonia Risk
FRIDAY, July 30 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has requested that the manufacturer of daptomycin (Cubicin) add information to its drug label regarding a possible increased risk of eosinophilic pneumonia in patients receiving the drug.
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Many Visit Emergency Room in Year Prior to Suicide
THURSDAY, July 29 (HealthDay News) -- Many mental health patients who later commit suicide visit the emergency department in the year prior to their death, with some individuals visiting frequently, according to a study published online July 26 in the Emergency Medical Journal.
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Thiazolidinediones May Up Fracture Risk in Older Women
THURSDAY, July 29 (HealthDay News) -- In type 2 diabetes patients, thiazolidinedione (TZD) exposure is associated with an increased risk of fracture in women age 50 and older -- especially in higher doses -- and in men who are concurrently exposed to loop diuretics, according to research published online July 14 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.
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Consistent Web Tool Use Linked to Weight Loss Maintenance
THURSDAY, July 29 (HealthDay News) -- Patients who actively engage with a Web-based interactive weight maintenance tool may be more likely to maintain weight loss in the long term, according to research published in the July to September issue of the Journal of Medical Internet Research.
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Validated Obesity Variants Have Limited Clinical Utility
THURSDAY, July 29 (HealthDay News) -- The discriminative value of 20 validated common genetic variants associated with obesity is too weak for clinical practice use; however, when added to conventional nongenetic risk factors, they increase the discrimination ability, according to a study published in the July issue of Diabetes.
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Physicians Not Good Judges of Patients' Health Beliefs
THURSDAY, July 29 (HealthDay News) -- Physicians do not appear to be good judges of their patients' health beliefs, but they have a stronger understanding of patients' beliefs when patients take a more active role in the office visit, according to a study published online July 23 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
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More Leisure Time Sitting Linked to Higher Mortality Risk
WEDNESDAY, July 28 (HealthDay News) -- People who sit for six or more hours in their leisure time daily face a higher risk of mortality, with time spent sitting associated with mortality regardless of physical activity level, according to research published online July 22 in the American Journal of Epidemiology.
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Predictors for Long-Term Back Pain and Disability Evaluated
WEDNESDAY, July 28 (HealthDay News) -- For patients who miss work with low back pain (LBP), persistent disability and pain one year after treatment are associated with baseline pain intensity and degree of disability, diffuse tenderness, health anxiety and fear avoidance, little or moderate exercise, and having made a compensation claim, according to a study in the August issue of The Spine Journal.
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Drinking Alcohol May Thwart Rheumatoid Arthritis
WEDNESDAY, July 28 (HealthDay News) -- Drinking alcohol appears to be protective against the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to be associated with less severe symptoms in those who have the condition, according to research published online July 28 in Rheumatology.
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Social Relationships Linked to Improved Survival
WEDNESDAY, July 28 (HealthDay News) -- Having stronger social relationships is associated with an increased likelihood of survival, with a magnitude of effect that's comparable to quitting smoking, according to research published online July 27 in PLoS Medicine.
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Risk of Poor Outcomes Up for Seniors With Delirium in Hospital
TUESDAY, July 27 (HealthDay News) -- Seniors who experience delirium during hospitalization are at elevated risk for death, eventual institutionalization, and dementia, according to a meta-analysis published in the July 28 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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HIV Care Quality in VA Hospitals Generally High
TUESDAY, July 27 (HealthDay News) -- National performance rates for quality-of-care measures for HIV patients receiving care through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are generally high, though there is variation from facility to facility, according to a study in the July 26 Archives of Internal Medicine. Another study in the same issue suggests that some HIV drugs increase the risk of heart attack in HIV-infected patients.
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Women's BP Measurements Higher When Taken by Doctors
TUESDAY, July 27 (HealthDay News) -- Female patients with normal blood pressure (BP) may have significantly higher systolic and diastolic readings when their BP is taken by a physician rather than a nurse or automated device, according to research published in the August issue of Applied Nursing Research.
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Cardiac Function Poor in Many Childhood Cancer Survivors
MONDAY, July 26 (HealthDay News) -- Decreased cardiac function occurs in 27 percent of five-year childhood cancer survivors (CCSs), and higher cumulative anthracycline dose, radiation to the thorax, and younger age at diagnosis are all associated with left ventricular shortening fraction (LVSF) in these patients, according to a study in the July 26 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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Some Epilepsy Drugs Linked to Self-Harm, Suicidal Behavior
MONDAY, July 26 (HealthDay News) -- Patients taking newer antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) that are associated with a high risk of depression may have an elevated risk of self-harm or suicidal behavior, but other groups of AEDs do not appear to carry this risk, according to research published in the July 27 issue of Neurology.
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Odds of Medicare Carotid Procedures Differ Regionally
MONDAY, July 26 (HealthDay News) -- There are significant regional variations in the odds of Medicare beneficiaries undergoing a carotid revascularization procedure, according to research published in the July 26 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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Many With Low-Risk Prostate Cancer Get Aggressive Therapy
MONDAY, July 26 (HealthDay News) -- Most men diagnosed with prostate cancer who have a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) threshold below 4.0 ng/mL undergo aggressive local therapy despite having low-risk disease, according to research published in the July 26 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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Depression May Compromise Treatment for Hepatitis C Virus
MONDAY, July 26 (HealthDay News) -- Symptoms of major depression in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) are often missed during routine clinical interviews, and the presence of depression hinders treatment outcomes; in addition, HCV is associated with greater absence from work, lower productivity, and higher health care costs, according to two articles published in the August issue of Hepatology.
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FDA Panels Vote Against Plan to Reduce Opioid Abuse
MONDAY, July 26 (HealthDay News) -- On July 23, two U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panels voted against the FDA's plan for reducing abuse of long-acting and extended-release opioid drugs.
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Automated Phone Outreach Doesn't Improve Testing Rates
FRIDAY, July 23 (HealthDay News) -- Automated telephone outreach with speech recognition (ATO-SR) does not improve rates of diabetes-related testing compared with usual care, according to research published in the July issue of Diabetes Care.
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Modest Weight Loss Linked to Urinary Incontinence Benefits
FRIDAY, July 23 (HealthDay News) -- In overweight and obese women, modest weight loss can result in significant urinary incontinence benefits, according to a study in the August issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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Phone Intervention Helps Heart Failure Patients Long Term
THURSDAY, July 22 (HealthDay News) -- A telephone intervention aimed at improving education and compliance in heart failure patients can lead to fewer heart failure hospitalizations and a lower death rate than no intervention up to three years after the program ends, according to a study in the July 27 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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Pluripotent Stem Cells Model Cardiac Disease Mechanisms
THURSDAY, July 22 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers have successfully generated pluripotent stem cells capable of recapitulating certain aspects of long-QT syndrome type 1, according to an article published online July 21 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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When LDL After Statin is Very Low, HDL Not a Risk Factor
THURSDAY, July 22 (HealthDay News) -- Low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels are associated with increased cardiovascular risk in patients untreated by statins, but in treated patients who achieve very low low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels, HDL level is no longer associated with level of risk, according to research published online July 22 in The Lancet.
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FDA Places Partial Clinical Hold on Avandia Trial
THURSDAY, July 22 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has informed GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), the manufacturer of rosiglitazone (Avandia), that the Thiazolidinedione Intervention With Vitamin D Evaluation (TIDE) trial has been placed on partial clinical hold, one week after an FDA advisory panel recommended that the diabetes drug remain on the market with tightened controls or restricted sales due to cardiovascular safety concerns.
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Method Estimates Complexity of Ambulatory Encounters
WEDNESDAY, July 21 (HealthDay News) -- A method of estimating the relative complexity of ambulatory clinical encounters could be useful in making comparisons between specialties, and the Guided Care approach may provide benefits for primary care physicians who work with chronically ill older patients, according to two studies published in the July/August Annals of Family Medicine.
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PCB Exposure May Raise Risk for Hypertension
WEDNESDAY, July 21 (HealthDay News) -- Exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) appears to be associated with rates of hypertension, and may have an effect on blood pressure control, according to research published online July 16 in the Journal of Hypertension.
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CHD Risk Factors Common in Young Men and Women
TUESDAY, July 20 (HealthDay News) -- Risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD) are common among young adults, but they don't seem to alter rates of screening for high cholesterol, according to research published in the July/August issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
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Intervention Ups Vaccination Rate in Health Care Workers
TUESDAY, July 20 (HealthDay News) -- An educational intervention program can increase low influenza vaccination rates in primary health care workers, according to research published in the July/August issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
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Physicians May Ignore Patients' Contextual Red Flags
TUESDAY, July 20 (HealthDay News) -- Physicians often ignore contextual red flags presented during patient encounters, which may ultimately lead to medical errors, according to research published in the July 20 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Electronic Health Records Boost Medical Office Efficiency
TUESDAY, July 20 (HealthDay News) -- The implementation of electronic health records (EHRs) can improve medical office efficiency and time management without impairing patients' strong sense of trust in the physician-patient relationship, according to a study in the July/August issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
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5.2 Percent of Residency Applicant Essays Plagiarized
TUESDAY, July 20 (HealthDay News) -- About 5 percent of the application essays to residency programs -- often referred to as the personal statement -- contain plagiarized material, according to research published in the July 20 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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CRC Screening Disparities Persist for Seniors on Medicare
TUESDAY, July 20 (HealthDay News) -- Despite expanding coverage for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening in the Medicare population, disparities persist based on differences in usual place of health care, education level, and insurance coverage type, according to research published in the July/August issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
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More Homeless Finish Advance Directives With Intervention
TUESDAY, July 20 (HealthDay News) -- Counselor-assisted end-of-life planning for homeless people significantly increases the rate of completion of advance directives in this population, according to research published in the July issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Zinc Nasal Gel May Lead to Loss of Sense of Smell
TUESDAY, July 20 (HealthDay News) -- Use of over-the-counter homeopathic nasal zinc gluconate gel may result in loss of the sense of smell, according to a report in the July issue of the Archives of Otolaryngology -- Head & Neck Surgery.
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Post-Traumatic Epilepsy Can Occur Years After Brain Injury
MONDAY, July 19 (HealthDay News) -- Some soldiers who suffered penetrating head injuries (PHIs) in the Vietnam War developed post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE) more than 14 years after receiving their injuries, and the location, size, and type of lesion all predict PTE, according to the latest phase of the decades-long Vietnam Head Injury Study (VHIS) reported in the July 20 issue of Neurology.
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BMI at Age 18 Found to Predict Psoriatic Arthritis Risk
MONDAY, July 19 (HealthDay News) -- Psoriasis patients with a higher body mass index (BMI) at age 18 have an increased risk of developing psoriatic arthritis (PsA) than those with a lower BMI at that age, according to research published in the July issue of the Archives of Dermatology.
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Morning Urine Test Best Predicts Renal Events
MONDAY, July 19 (HealthDay News) -- To detect declining kidney performance in patients with type 2 diabetes and nephropathy, a morning urine test to determine the albumin:creatinine ratio (ACR) is superior to other urine collection and test protocols, according to a study published online July 15 in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
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Depression Linked to Erectile Dysfunction May Raise CV Risk
MONDAY, July 19 (HealthDay News) -- Depressive symptoms in men with erectile dysfunction (ED) constitute an independent risk factor for the incidence of a major cardiovascular event (MACE), according to a study published online July 13 in the Journal of Sexual Medicine.
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FDA Warns Public Regarding Stolen Advair Diskus Inhalers
MONDAY, July 19 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning to consumers, pharmacists, and wholesalers that certain lots of Advair Diskus (fluticasone propionate and salmeterol inhalation powder) inhalers were stolen from a GlaxoSmithKline distribution warehouse near Richmond, Virginia, in August 2009 and have recently been found in some pharmacies.
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Admissions for Prescription Pain Reliever Abuse Rising
FRIDAY, July 16 (HealthDay News) -- Substance abuse admissions involving prescription pain reliever abuse increased from 2.2 to 9.8 percent between 1998 and 2008 in those aged 12 and older, according to a recent study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
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Myocardial Perfusion Imaging, eGFR Aid in Risk Stratification
FRIDAY, July 16 (HealthDay News) -- In patients with and without diabetes, myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) are valuable for risk stratification, and underlying chronic kidney disease (CKD) in diabetes patients is linked to an increased risk of cardiac death, according to research published in the July issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Cardiovascular Imaging.
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Quality of Internet Info on Sports Med Diagnoses Variable
FRIDAY, July 16 (HealthDay News) -- The quality of content and financial transparency of Internet health information related to orthopedic sports medicine diagnoses is highly variable, but Web sites displaying the HONcode seal are significantly more likely to score higher in both of these areas, according to research published in the July 7 issue of the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.
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Pain and Depression Dim Work Expectations After Whiplash
FRIDAY, July 16 (HealthDay News) -- Among people who suffer whiplash-associated disorder (WAD) resulting from a car accident, those in the most pain and those with depression symptoms appear to have the lowest expectations of returning to work, according to a study in the July 1 issue of Spine.
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Stroke Risk Doubled One Hour After Drinking Alcohol
THURSDAY, July 15 (HealthDay News) -- The risk of stroke is more than doubled in the hour after ingestion of alcohol, according to the results of a study published online July 15 in Stroke.
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Emergency Nurse Practitioners Rarely Miss Injuries
THURSDAY, July 15 (HealthDay News) -- Emergency nurse practitioners (ENPs) exhibit high diagnostic accuracy, and there are no significant differences between ENPs and physicians related to diagnosis and management of minor injuries and illness, according to research published in the July issue of the Journal of Emergency Nursing.
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FDA Issues Requirements for Baxter Infusion Pump Recall
THURSDAY, July 15 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued conditions for Baxter Healthcare Corporation to follow in performing its April 2010 recall of Colleague Volumetric Infusion Pumps (CVIPs), and the agency is requiring the company to provide refunds or replacement pumps for customers or terminate their leases.
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Lower Alcohol Use Rate Seen in American Indians, Alaska Natives
THURSDAY, July 14 (HealthDay News) -- The rate of alcohol use in the past month among American Indians and Alaska Natives is lower than the national average, but these groups have higher-than-average rates of binge drinking, according to a report published June 24 by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
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BMI Linked to Poorer Cognitive Function in Older Women
THURSDAY, July 15 (HealthDay News) -- Among postmenopausal women, higher body mass index (BMI) is associated with poorer cognitive function in those with a smaller waist-to-hip ratio, according to research published online July 14 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
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BMIPP Data Improve Acute Coronary Syndrome Diagnosis
THURSDAY, July 15 (HealthDay News) -- Use of β-methyl-p-[123I]-iodophenyl-pentadecanoic acid (BMIPP) data in addition to initially available information can help with the early diagnosis of acute coronary syndromes (ACS), according to research published in the July 20 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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Blister Packs of Coumadin Recalled
THURSDAY, July 15 (HealthDay News) -- Bristol-Myers Squibb has initiated a voluntary recall of physician sample blister packs and hospital unit dose (HUD) blister packs of Coumadin, a medication used to treat or prevent blood clots.
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FDA Panel Recommends Avandia Remain on Market
THURSDAY, July 15 (HealthDay News) -- After two days of deliberations, sparked by concerns over cardiovascular safety issues, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel, comprising 33 experts, has recommended that rosiglitazone (Avandia) remain on the market with tightened controls or restricted sales.
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Lorcaserin Linked to Weight Loss, Maintenance
WEDNESDAY, July 14 (HealthDay News) -- The use of lorcaserin, along with behavioral modification, is associated with weight loss and subsequent weight maintenance compared to placebo, according to a study published in the July 15 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Phone Therapy Reduces PTSD After Stem Cell Transplant
WEDNESDAY, July 14 (HealthDay News) -- A series of telephone-administered cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) sessions can significantly improve symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and general distress after hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT), according to research published online July 12 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Attempted Method Predicts Later Successful Suicide
WEDNESDAY, July 14 (HealthDay News) -- The method a person chooses to attempt suicide appears to be predictive of whether they will attempt suicide again and succeed, with attempts involving hanging, firearms or explosives, drowning, gassing, or jumping from a height at least moderately associated with later successful suicide, according to research published July 13 in BMJ.
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Intervention Helps Mothers Prevent Weight Gain
WEDNESDAY, July 14 (HealthDay News) -- Mothers who receive self-management guidance in a community setting are less likely to gain weight and more likely to improve health-related behaviors, according to research published July 13 in BMJ.
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FDA: Antirheumatic Drug Gets New Boxed Warning
WEDNESDAY, July 14 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has added information on risk of severe liver injury to the boxed warning of leflunomide (Arava), a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug.
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Many Physicians Don't Report Incompetent Colleagues
TUESDAY, July 13 (HealthDay News) -- While physicians generally acknowledge their responsibility to report an impaired or incompetent colleague to authorities, many do not actually report incompetent colleagues when faced with this situation, according to the results of a survey published in the July 14 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Excess Mortality Persists in Childhood Cancer Survivors
TUESDAY, July 13 (HealthDay News) -- Long-term childhood cancer survivors face an increased mortality risk even 45 years after diagnosis, with the bulk of the excess mortality being from second primary cancers and circulatory diseases, according to research published in the July 14 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Program Linked to Fewer HIV Risk Behaviors in Couples
TUESDAY, July 13 (HealthDay News) -- A culturally congruent intervention may reduce sexual risk behaviors in African-American couples who are HIV serodiscordant, according to research published online July 12 in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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Pneumonia, Raised CRP Level Tied to Severe H1N1 Outcomes
TUESDAY, July 13 (HealthDay News) -- Pandemic H1N1 influenza infection often leads to hospitalization in previously healthy individuals, as well as people with underlying conditions, and an abnormal chest X-ray or an elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) level -- particularly in obese individuals or those with pulmonary conditions other than asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) -- is associated with a potentially serious outcome, according to research published in the July issue of Thorax.
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Vitamins E, D Linked to Cognitive Benefits in Later Life
TUESDAY, July 13 (HealthDay News) -- Higher intake of vitamin E appears to lower risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease, while older individuals with low vitamin D levels appear more likely to experience cognitive decline, according to two studies published in the July Archives of Neurology and the July 12 Archives of Internal Medicine, respectively.
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Hospital Care of Heart Attack Patients Has Improved
TUESDAY, July 13 (HealthDay News) -- Hospitals nationwide have improved their care of heart attack patients and are increasingly administering therapies -- such as percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) -- in a timely manner, safely, and according to clinical guidelines, according to a new analysis of data from the American College of Cardiology's National Cardiovascular Data Registry published in the July 20 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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Weight Loss Efforts May Reduce Symptoms of Hot Flushes
TUESDAY, July 13 (HealthDay News) -- An intensive behavioral weight loss intervention can lead to improvements in hot flushes in overweight and obese women, according to research published in the July 12 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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AHA Offers Recommendations for Diet and Exercise Programs
MONDAY, July 12 (HealthDay News) -- Behavioral modification programs combining careful goal-setting, frequent provider counseling, and self-monitoring of diet and exercise are the most effective way to help individuals successfully make healthy lifestyle changes to reduce their risk for cardiovascular diseases, according to an American Heart Association (AHA) scientific statement published online July 12 in Circulation.
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Obstructive Sleep Apnea Tied to Heart Failure Risk in Men
MONDAY, July 12 (HealthDay News) -- Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with an increased risk of incident heart failure in middle-aged and older men but not in women of any age, and it may also be associated with incident coronary heart disease in men 70 years of age and younger, according to a study published online July 12 in Circulation.
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Comorbidities Add to Colorectal Cancer Racial Disparities
MONDAY, July 12 (HealthDay News) -- Among patients with colorectal cancer, comorbidities and socioeconomic status appear to be relatively important explanations for the poorer survival seen in blacks compared to Asians and whites, according to research published online July 12 in Cancer.
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H1N1 Tied to Death, Serious Illness in Transplant Patients
FRIDAY, July 9 (HealthDay News) -- Influenza A H1N1 can cause substantial morbidity and mortality in solid organ transplant recipients; however, initiation of antiviral therapy within 48 hours of symptom development may decrease intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, according to a study published online July 9 in the The Lancet: Infectious Diseases.
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Wearable Defibrillator Shows Benefits in Mortality
FRIDAY, July 9 (HealthDay News) -- Nationwide, wearable cardioverter-defibrillator (WCD) compliance is satisfactory, and use of the device is associated with low sudden death mortality, though asystole is an important cause of mortality, according to research published in the July 13 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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Personalized Video May Be Useful Anti-Smoking Tool
FRIDAY, July 9 (HealthDay News) -- A personalized video that simulates the impact of a myocardial infarction for smokers could be useful as a smoking cessation tool, according to research published in the July 1 issue of the American Journal of Cardiology.
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Gastric Acid Drugs May Increase Hip Fracture Risk
FRIDAY, July 9 (HealthDay News) -- The use of drugs that inhibit gastric acid is linked to a higher risk of hip fracture among patients; however, with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) this appears limited to those who have at least one other fracture risk factor, according to research published in the July issue of Gastroenterology.
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FDA: Off-Label Use of Malaria Drug Tied to Serious Effects
FRIDAY, July 9 (HealthDay News) -- In response to continued reports of serious side effects in patients using quinine sulfate (Qualaquin) off-label for the treatment or prevention of nocturnal leg cramps, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) to educate practitioners and patients about the potential for serious side effects associated with such unapproved uses.
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Heart Rate Measures May Predict Kidney Disease Risk
FRIDAY, July 9 (HealthDay News) -- High resting heart rate and low heart rate variability appear to be associated with increased risk of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and hospitalization related to chronic kidney disease (CKD), according to a study published online July 8 in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
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Sudden Cardiac Death May Affect Women's Mortality Less
FRIDAY, July 9 (HealthDay News) -- Women with dilated cardiomyopathy enrolled in primary prevention implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) trials have the same overall mortality as men but undergo significantly fewer appropriate ICD interventions, implying a smaller impact of sudden cardiac death on overall mortality in women, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis published in the July issue of Heart Rhythm.
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Wrist Fractures, Functional Decline Linked in Older Women
FRIDAY, July 9 (HealthDay News) -- Wrist fractures in older women can result in clinically important functional decline, according to a study published online July 8 in BMJ.
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Personal, Substantial Diagnosis Talk Preferred by Patients
THURSDAY, July 8 (HealthDay News) -- Cancer patient satisfaction scores are higher when physicians disclose their cancer diagnoses in person, in a personal setting, and spend a substantial amount of time discussing the diagnosis and treatment options, according to research published online July 6 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Qigong and Tai Chi Have Multiple Health Benefits
THURSDAY, July 8 (HealthDay News) -- The combined outcomes of 77 studies on Qigong and Tai Chi suggest that these practices have a positive effect on multiple areas of health and well-being, according to a review published in the July/August issue of the American Journal of Health Promotion.
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Poor Health Literacy Not Major Factor in LBP Disability
THURSDAY, July 8 (HealthDay News) -- Beliefs about chronic low back pain (CLBP), as well as behaviors related to fear of pain, have more effect on disability than pain intensity or LBP health literacy, according to research published in the July issue of Pain.
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Fish Oil Usage Linked to Lower Risk of Certain Breast Cancers
THURSDAY, July 8 (HealthDay News) -- The use of fish oil supplementation may be associated with a lower risk of certain breast cancers, according to research published in the July issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
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Cardiac Imaging Confers Substantial Radiation Exposure
THURSDAY, July 8 (HealthDay News) -- For many patients, cardiac imaging that uses ionizing radiation results in substantial radiation exposure, with annual effective doses increasing with age, according to research published online July 7 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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Telemonitoring, Self-Titration Tied to Lower Blood Pressure
THURSDAY, July 8 (HealthDay News) -- Patients who self-manage their antihypertensive medication and engage in telemonitoring of their blood pressure (BP) measurements appear to fare better than patients who receive conventional treatment for hypertension, according to a study published online July 8 in The Lancet.
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Radiation Training May Be Lacking in Cardiology Fellows
THURSDAY, July 8 (HealthDay News) -- Cardiology fellows appear to be inadequately educated about radiation safety, according to research published in the July 1 issue of the American Journal of Cardiology.
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Self-Identified Race May Lead to Misestimated Lung Function
WEDNESDAY, July 7 (HealthDay News) -- The use of predictive equations that depend on self-identified race alone may not correctly assess lung function in individuals who identify themselves as African-American, and including ancestry may improve lung-function estimates, according to research published online July 7 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Many Doctors in Specialties Other Than Their Early Choices
WEDNESDAY, July 7 (HealthDay News) -- Ten years after graduation, approximately one-fourth of doctors work in a specialty other than the one they chose in their third year post-graduation, according to research published online July 6 in BMJ.
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E-mail Use Associated With Improved Care Effectiveness
WEDNESDAY, July 7 (HealthDay News) -- The incorporation of secure patient-provider e-mails has been identified by the American Recovery and Reinvestment act as an objective for electronic health records, and it does appear to improve the effectiveness of care in patients with diabetes, hypertension, or both, according to research published in the July issue of Health Affairs.
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Weekend ICU Admission Linked to Higher Mortality Risk
WEDNESDAY, July 7 (HealthDay News) -- Patients admitted to hospital intensive care units (ICUs) on the weekends may have an increased mortality risk, but those admitted at night do not appear to have a higher mortality risk, according to research published in the July issue of Chest.
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Nutraceutical Drug Use Often Ignored by Clinicians
WEDNESDAY, July 7 (HealthDay News) -- Although the use of nutraceuticals and nonprescription over-the-counter (OTC) drugs may be high among patients, cardiovascular clinicians may largely ignore the use of these agents among their patients, according to research published in the July 6 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Generalized Anxiety Linked to Poor Cardiac Outcomes in CHD
WEDNESDAY, July 7 (HealthDay News) -- Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events in patients with stable coronary heart disease (CHD), and disease severity does not explain this association, according to a study in the July issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry.
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FOBT Accuracy Declines As Temperature Rises
WEDNESDAY, July 7 (HealthDay News) -- Fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) for the detection of colorectal cancer is significantly less accurate in the summer than in the winter, according to research published online July 5 in Gut.
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Vaccinations Not Associated With Rheumatoid Arthritis Risk
WEDNESDAY, July 7 (HealthDay News) -- There does not appear to be any association between routine vaccinations in adults and an increased risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to a study published online July 5 in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.
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Breast Cancer Risk in Men With BRCA2 Mutation Quantified
WEDNESDAY, July 7 (HealthDay News) -- Men with a BRCA2 genetic mutation have a 7.1 percent chance of developing breast cancer by the time they turn 70, and an 8.4 percent chance by the time they turn 80, according to research published online June 28 in the Journal of Medical Genetics.
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Glucosamine Similar to Placebo in Treating Back Pain
TUESDAY, July 6 (HealthDay News) -- Compared with placebo, treatment with glucosamine is not associated with reductions in pain-related disability in people with chronic low back pain and degenerative lumbar osteoarthritis, according to a study in the July 7 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Tight BP Control May Not Benefit Patients With Diabetes, CAD
TUESDAY, July 6 (HealthDay News) -- Individuals with diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD) do not appear to have improved cardiovascular outcomes when they achieve tight control of systolic blood pressure as opposed to usual control, according to research published in the July 7 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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CDC: U.S. Colorectal Cancer Screening Rates Up
TUESDAY, July 6 (HealthDay News) -- Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates have increased in the United States since 2002 and mammography rates have plateaued, while millions of people have not undergone recommended CRC screening, and millions of women have not had a recent mammogram, according to research published July 6 in an early issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Cardiac, Pulmonary Function of Ticagrelor Patients Studied
TUESDAY, July 6 (HealthDay News) -- Dyspnea is commonly reported by coronary artery disease (CAD) patients taking ticagrelor, but it does not appear to have a negative impact on cardiac or pulmonary function in these patients, according to research published in the July 13 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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Review Updates Evidence on Osteoporosis Screening
TUESDAY, July 6 (HealthDay News) -- Screening methods are available to predict risk of osteoporotic fractures, and medications to reduce fractures are effective, but studies have yet to directly identify the effectiveness or potential harm of screening or establish ideal screening intervals, according to a review published online July 5 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Users of ED Drugs Have Higher Rates of Sexual Diseases
TUESDAY, July 6 (HealthDay News) -- Men using medication for erectile dysfunction (ED) have higher rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) -- especially HIV infection -- both before and after using these drugs, according to research published in the July 6 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Older Adults Watch More TV Than Younger Individuals
MONDAY, July 5 (HealthDay News) -- Older adults watch more television than young and middle-aged adults, but they enjoy it less than younger individuals, according to research published online June 29 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
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In Mentally Ill, Premature Mortality Significantly Higher
FRIDAY, July 2 (HealthDay News) -- Compared with the general population, people who have serious mental illness lose significantly more years of potential life, and differences in cause of death do not explain this disparity, according to research published in the July issue of Psychiatric Services.
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Out-of-Hospital CHD Mortality Higher in Young Men
FRIDAY, July 2 (HealthDay News) -- Young men have a higher rate of out-of-hospital coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality than young women, which could partly explain the fact that young women are more likely than young men to die when hospitalized for myocardial infarction (MI), according to research published in the July 1 issue of the American Journal of Cardiology.
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West Nile Neuroinvasive Disease Rate Lowest Since '01
FRIDAY, July 2 (HealthDay News) -- There were 386 cases of West Nile virus (WNV) neuroinvasive disease reported in the United States in 2009, for an incidence of 0.13 cases per 100,000 population, the lowest incidence since 2001, according to a report published in the July 2 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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CDC: Vaccinia Virus Infection Linked to Sexual Contact
FRIDAY, July 2 (HealthDay News) -- Following sexual contact with her military serviceman boyfriend, who had been recently vaccinated for smallpox, a woman in Washington state contracted vaccinia virus infection in her vagina, according to a case report published in the July 2 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Genetic Signatures of Exceptional Longevity ID'd
FRIDAY, July 2 (HealthDay News) -- Though environment and family history contribute to living a long life, genetic variants play a critical role in conferring exceptional longevity, according to a report published online July 1 in Science.
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Transit System Use Linked to Healthful Changes for Riders
FRIDAY, July 2 (HealthDay News) -- Increased use of light rail transit (LRT) systems is associated with reduced body mass index (BMI) and lower odds of becoming obese, and individuals with more positive perceptions of their neighborhoods are less likely to be obese and more likely to get recommended levels of exercise, according to research published online June 29 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
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TMP-SMX Associated With Hyperkalemia in Elderly
FRIDAY, July 2 (HealthDay News) -- Older patients taking trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) have a substantially increased risk of hyperkalemia requiring hospitalization, but being on β-blockers does not further increase this risk, according to research published online July 1 in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
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Higher Fructose Intake Tied to Increased Hypertension Risk
FRIDAY, July 2 (HealthDay News) -- Despite inconsistent findings from previous studies, high intakes of fructose are associated with an increased risk of developing hypertension, according to research published online July 1 in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
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Early Stroke Complications Rob Patients of Healthy Years
THURSDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- Early complications following ischemic stroke cost patients about two years' worth of optimal health, in addition to the loss of optimal health due to the stroke itself, and a higher number of complications is linked to a larger loss of healthy life-years, according to research published online July 1 in Stroke.
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Report Addresses Physician Financial Conflicts in Care
THURSDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- In a new report, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) urges U.S. teaching hospitals to establish policies that ensure financial relationships between physicians and industry do not result in conflicts of interest that influence patient care.
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Half of Cirrhosis Patients With Ascites Have Renal Failure
THURSDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- About half of all patients with cirrhosis will develop functional renal failure after the development of ascites, and renal failure in these patients is linked to worse prognosis, according to research published in the July issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
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In Women, Early Life Activity Cuts Cognitive Impairment Risk
THURSDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- Women who have been physically active at any point in their lives -- but especially during the teenage years -- are at lower risk of developing cognitive impairment in late life than women who have been inactive, according to research published online June 30 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
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Home Symptoms Poor Indicator of Lactose Malabsorption
THURSDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- Daily life subjective symptoms associated with lactose intolerance are often worse than symptoms after a lactose challenge test and are not a good indicator of true lactose malabsorption, according to research published in the July issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
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Lupus Associated With Oxidative, Nitrosative Stress
THURSDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- People with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have higher levels of oxidative and nitrosative stress markers, and the levels of markers appear to increase with the degree of disease activity, according to research published in the July issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.
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Switching Prostate Meds Can Drive Up PSA Velocity
THURSDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- In patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), switching from one 5α-reductase inhibitor to another can result in a significant change in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) velocity that may prompt physicians to order unnecessary biopsies, according to research published in the July issue of The Journal of Urology.
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PSA Program Linked to Less Prostate Cancer Mortality
THURSDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- A prostate-specific antigen (PSA)-based screening program is associated with a reduction in prostate cancer mortality of nearly half over 14 years, but with a substantial risk of overdiagnosis, according to research published online July 1 in The Lancet Oncology.
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