Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Neurology for May 2009. 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.
Window for Stroke Treatment Opened to 4.5 Hours
FRIDAY, May 29 (HealthDay News) -- The clot-busting drug recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) can be given to eligible stroke victims as long as 4.5 hours after onset of symptoms, according to a new scientific advisory published online May 28 in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association, but the American Heart Association (AHA)/American Stroke Association (ASA) still urge further analyses.
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Watching Advanced Dementia Video Affects Care Decisions
FRIDAY, May 29 (HealthDay News) -- Showing elderly people a video depicting advanced dementia after they hear a verbal description, affects the choices they make about end-of-life care, according to a study published online May 28 in BMJ.
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Vascular Disease Prevention Benefits of Aspirin Uncertain
FRIDAY, May 29 (HealthDay News) -- The benefits of using aspirin in the primary prevention of vascular disease are uncertain because it reduces the risk of heart attack but increases the risk of internal bleeding, according to a study published in the May 30 issue of The Lancet.
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Cell Transplantation May Improve Bladder Function
FRIDAY, May 29 (HealthDay News) -- In rats with spinal cord injury, transplantation of neuronal-glial restricted precursors or bone marrow stromal cells leads to significant improvement in bladder function but falls short of inducing full recovery, according to a study published in the June issue of The Journal of Urology.
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Physician, Patient Traits Affect Back Pain Imaging in Elderly
FRIDAY, May 29 (HealthDay News) -- Quality metrics that focus on overuse as well as underuse of services may be helpful in improving the quality of diagnostic services for elderly patients presenting with acute low back pain (LBP), according to a study in the May 25 Archives of Internal Medicine.
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Stockings Do Not Appear to Cut Thrombosis Risk After Stroke
THURSDAY, May 28 (HealthDay News) -- Thigh-length graduated compression stockings do not reduce the risk of deep vein thrombosis in patients with acute stroke, according to a study published online on May 27 in The Lancet.
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Perimenopause Temporarily Affects Cognitive Performance
THURSDAY, May 28 (HealthDay News) -- Perimenopause may be associated with some declines in cognitive performance which return to premenopausal levels after menopause, and hormone therapy has differential effects on cognitive performance depending on the time of initiation, according to a study in the May 26 issue of Neurology.
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Computerized Prescription Order Errors a Risk for Patients
THURSDAY, May 28 (HealthDay News) -- Computerized provider order entry systems are prone to input errors that may put patients at risk, according to a study published in the May 25 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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Focus on Meaningful Work Protects Doctors From Burnout
THURSDAY, May 27 (HealthDay News) -- Academic faculty physicians who focus on what they find most meaningful are less likely to experience burnout, according to a study published in the May 25 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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Age Affects Alzheimer's Pathology Link to Dementia
WEDNESDAY, May 27 (HealthDay News) -- Most neuropathological changes associated with Alzheimer's disease are strongly associated with dementia only in younger elderly persons, according to a study in the May 28 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Better Rat Model of Epilepsy in Women Developed
WEDNESDAY, May 27 (HealthDay News) -- A better animal model of epilepsy in women has been developed where the animals retain reproductive function, which may allow better study of epilepsy where seizures occur during specific stages of the menstrual cycle, according to a study published online May 14 in Endocrinology.
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Statins Improve Long-Term Outcomes After First Stroke
WEDNESDAY, May 27 (HealthDay News) -- First-ever acute ischemic stroke patients who are prescribed statins after hospital discharge may have a significantly lower long-term risk of recurrent stroke or death, according to a study published in the May 26 issue of Neurology.
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Three-Step Program Helps Manage Depression and Pain
TUESDAY, May 27 (HealthDay News) -- In patients with depression and chronic pain, an optimized three-step intervention may lead to significant improvements in both conditions, according to a study published in the May 27 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Dispatching Software Misses More Than Half of Strokes
TUESDAY, May 26 (HealthDay News) -- The telephone-based software used to prioritize emergency ambulance response failed to identify more than half the incidents of stroke over a six-month period, according to a study in the June Emergency Medicine Journal.
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Morphine Metabolite May Increase Pain Sensitivity
TUESDAY, May 26 (HealthDay News) -- Injections of the morphine metabolite morphine-6β-glucuronide (M6G) -- a potent analgesic in humans -- may also cause hyperalgesia, according to research published in the June issue of Anesthesiology.
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Triglyceride Level Associated with Diabetic Neuropathy
TUESDAY, May 26 (HealthDay News) -- The progression of diabetic neuropathy is associated with elevated triglycerides in the blood and with decreased conduction of the peroneal motor nerve, according to a study published online May 1 in Diabetes.
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Vitamin D Linked to Cognitive Function in Men
MONDAY, May 25 (HealthDay News) -- The level of vitamin D in the blood is associated with cognitive function in middle-aged and older men, according to a study published online May 21 in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.
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Mad Cow Disease May Be Minimal Threat in Britain
FRIDAY, May 22 (HealthDay News) -- In the United Kingdom, the prevalence of the prion protein that causes variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (PrPCJD) may be lower than previously estimated, according to a study published online May 21 in BMJ.
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Bioresorbable, Titanium Plates Similar in Spinal Fusion
FRIDAY, May 22 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with degenerative disc disease undergoing cervical spine fusion with plate fixation do equally well with a bioresorbable plate compared with a titanium plate, according to a study in the May issue of the Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques.
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Intensive Glucose Lowering Reduces Diabetics' Heart Risks
FRIDAY, May 22 (HealthDay News) -- In patients with type 2 diabetes, an intensive glucose-lowering regimen significantly reduces coronary events without increasing the risk of death, according to a study published in the May 23 issue of The Lancet.
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Special Interest in Back Pain May Cause Treatment to Suffer
FRIDAY, May 22 (HealthDay News) -- Australian physicians with an interest in low back pain (LBP) or related fields harbor beliefs that are at odds with current evidence-based practice, according to a study in the May 15 issue of Spine.
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Comfrey Root Ointment Found to Reduce Lower Back Pain
FRIDAY, May 22 (HealthDay News) -- An ointment made from comfrey root extract dramatically reduced lower back pain compared to placebo, according to a study published in the May 21 issue of the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
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Breast Tumors Linked to Depression and Anxiety
THURSDAY, May 21 (HealthDay News) -- The mere presence of breast tumors in rats is associated with depression and anxiety, according to a study published online May 18 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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Democrats Set Ambitious Goal for Health Care Reform
THURSDAY, May 21 (HealthDay News) -- Congressional Democrats face formidable challenges in their efforts to pass health care reform legislation by July 31, but physicians can take the lead to ensure changes are enacted, according to two perspectives published online May 20 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Hybrid Revascularization Procedures Seem Feasible
THURSDAY, May 21 (HealthDay News) -- A hybrid approach to treating carotid and coronary artery disease with back-to-back procedures may be a feasible therapeutic strategy, according to research published in the May issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Cardiovascular Interventions.
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Scans Correlate Well to Assess Spinal Deformity
THURSDAY, May 21 (HealthDay News) -- Computed tomography (CT) and radiography scans correlate well in assessing traumatic spinal deformity, according to a study published in the May issue of the Journal of Spinal Disorders and Techniques.
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Sticking to Work Hours Limits Very Costly
WEDNESDAY, May 20 (HealthDay News) -- Adherence to the 2003 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) limits on work hours, and other measures aimed at reducing fatigue among residents, would be costly with no proven benefits, according to an article published in the May 21 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Cellular Pathway Essential for Myelin-Forming Cells
TUESDAY, May 19 (HealthDay News) -- Activation of a cellular signaling pathway is essential for the differentiation of myelin-forming oligodendrocytes, which could represent a target in demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis, according to a study in the May 13 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience.
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Fast Weight Decline in Old Age May Increase Dementia Risk
TUESDAY, May 19 (HealthDay News) -- Higher body mass index (BMI) late in life is associated with a lowered risk of developing dementia with further aging, according to a study reported in the May 19 issue of Neurology.
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Hyperkyphosis, Spinal Fracture Linked to Mortality Risk
TUESDAY, May 19 (HealthDay News) -- Older women with hyperkyphosis and a history of vertebral fractures may have a higher risk of death, according to research published in the May 19 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Treatments Show Benefits in Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
MONDAY, May 18 (HealthDay News) -- Physical therapy and epidural steroid injections both appear to be useful treatments for individuals with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS), according to research published in the May 1 issue of Spine.
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American Pain Society Offers Back Pain Treatment Guidance
MONDAY, May 18 (HealthDay News) -- The American Pain Society (APS) has issued a new series of recommendations to guide clinicians deciding among the various surgical and nonsurgical options for treating low back pain (LBP). The guidelines are presented in separate studies in the May 1 issue of Spine.
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Impaired Sense of Smell More Common With Lupus
MONDAY, May 18 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) may be more likely to have a decreased sense of smell compared to individuals without the condition, according to research published in the May issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.
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Workweek Cuts a Concern for Neurosurgery Residents
MONDAY, May 18 (HealthDay News) -- Many involved in the training of neurosurgeons express concern that further reductions in residents' weekly work hours would threaten the quality of their education and patient care, according to two studies in the May Journal of Neurosurgery.
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Late-Life Dementia Risk Index Developed
THURSDAY, May 14 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers have developed a risk index for Alzheimer's disease that could be used in targeted research and, someday, to determine prevention strategies, according to a study in the May 13 issue of Neurology.
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Cerebrospinal Fluid May Help Pinpoint Alzheimer's Cases
THURSDAY, May 14 (HealthDay News) -- Levels of the cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers Aβ peptide 1-42 (Aβ42), tau, and phosphorylated tau may help predict which patients with very mild Alzheimer-type dementia may progress more rapidly to cognitive deficits and dementia, according to a study published in the May issue of the Archives of Neurology.
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Fatal Encephalitis in New York Man Linked to Deer Tick Virus
WEDNESDAY, May 13 (HealthDay News) -- A report of a fatal case of encephalitis related to deer tick virus illustrates that the incidence of infection in humans may be underappreciated, according to research published in the May 14 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Cancer Caregivers Show Excessive Inflammation
WEDNESDAY, May 13 (HealthDay News) -- Caregivers of patients with brain cancer show increased inflammation in the year after diagnosis that could put them at risk of developing conditions involving excessive inflammation, according to a study published online May 11 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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History of Stroke Raises Mild Cognitive Impairment Risk
WEDNESDAY, May 13 (HealthDay News) -- Nonamnestic mild cognitive impairment is more common among those with a history of stroke than those without, while the APOE ε4 genotype is associated with amnestic mild cognitive impairment and memory loss, according to a study in the May Archives of Neurology.
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Diet May Protect Against Age-Related Macular Degeneration
WEDNESDAY, May 13 (HealthDay News) -- Dietary intake may have an influence over the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to two studies published in the May issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology, while a third study in the same issue indicates that cognitive impairment may share common risk factors with the eye condition.
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Role of Patent Foramen Ovale in Stroke Needs More Study
WEDNESDAY, May 13 (HealthDay News) -- Greater patient involvement in ongoing trials is needed to guide clinical decisions on the optimal treatment of patent foramen ovale (PFO) for stroke prevention, according to an advisory published online May 11 in Circulation.
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Acupuncture Beats Usual Care at Relieving Back Pain
TUESDAY, May 12 (HealthDay News) -- Acupuncture, even simulated acupuncture using a toothpick, outperformed usual care in relieving low back pain according to a study in the May 11 Archives of Internal Medicine.
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Telemedicine Can Help Improve Stroke Care
TUESDAY, May 12 (HealthDay News) -- Telemedicine can be implemented within stroke-care systems to help fill the gaps in coverage, according to two articles published online on May 7 in Stroke. A third article published in the same online edition revisits the definition and evaluation of transient ischemic attack.
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Transporter of Toxic Molecules Damages Neurons
MONDAY, May 11 (HealthDay News) -- A protein that transports toxic molecules in the brain plays an important role in the neurodegeneration that occurs due to Parkinson's disease and methamphetamine abuse, according to a study published online April 29 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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NSAID Use Inhibits Post-Surgery Spine Fusion
MONDAY, May 11 (HealthDay News) -- The use of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) diclofenac sodium for pain after vertebrae-fusing surgery appears to inhibit the successful fusion of the vertebrae, according to a study published in the May issue of The Spine Journal.
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Spinal Outcomes Linked to Pre-Surgery Time Off
MONDAY, May 11 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with symptomatic disc degeneration have a greater improvement in pain and disability after surgery if they were off work less than 13 weeks before surgery, according to a study in the May issue of The Spine Journal.
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Target of Inhibitors of Memory Loss Identified
FRIDAY, May 8 (HealthDay News) -- One member of the histone deacetylase (HDAC) family, which represses gene expression, has been identified as a negative regulator of learning and memory and can be targeted by inhibitors leading to enhanced learning and memory, according to a study in the May 7 issue of Nature.
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Better Treatment of Brain Hemorrhage Needed
FRIDAY, May 8 (HealthDay News) -- Given that death rates for patients with non-traumatic cerebral hemorrhage have not improved in the last decade, better clinical management is needed to reduce death and increase functional survival, according to a study in the May 9 issue of The Lancet.
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Three Genes Linked to Breast Cancer Metastases
FRIDAY, May 8 (HealthDay News) -- Three different genes may mediate the spread of breast cancer to the brain, according to a study published online May 6 in Nature.
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Gene Variants Linked to Autism Spectrum Disorders
THURSDAY, May 7 (HealthDay News) -- Variants of neuronal cell-adhesion molecules are associated with autism spectrum disorders, according to two studies published online April 28 in Nature.
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Delirium May Accelerate Decline in Alzheimer's Disease
TUESDAY, May 5 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with Alzheimer's disease have a greater acceleration in cognitive decline after an episode of delirium, according to a study in the May 5 issue of Neurology.
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Medical Center Press Releases Often Lacking Key Details
TUESDAY, May 5 (HealthDay News) -- Press releases from academic medical centers may often overstate the importance of research findings while failing to acknowledge relevant limitations of the studies, according to research published in the May 5 Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Amygdala Enlargement Seen in Young Children With Autism
TUESDAY, May 5 (HealthDay News) -- At the age of 2 years, the amygdala was enlarged in children with autism compared to controls, a finding that was associated with joint attention, according to research published in the May issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry.
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Evidence Supports Folic Acid for Neural Tube Protection
TUESDAY, May 5 (HealthDay News) -- New evidence continues to support the use of folic acid supplementation for preventing neural tube defects, according to research published in the May 5 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Falling Furniture Is an Increasing Hazard for Children
MONDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) -- Because tipped-over furniture accounts for an increasing number of injuries among children, pediatricians and caregivers need to be aware of such hazards and acquaint themselves with prevention strategies, according to a study published online May 3 in Clinical Pediatrics.
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Depression Types Can Be Discerned by Brain Blood Flow
FRIDAY, May 1 (HealthDay News) -- Refractory and nonrefractory depressive disorder are distinguished by differing perfusion in the regions of the brain, which might be useful in diagnosis and customizing therapy, according to a study reported in the May issue of Radiology.
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More Americans Reporting Disability
FRIDAY, May 1 (HealthDay News) -- The number of Americans reporting disabilities rose by 7.7 percent from 44.1 million in 1999 to 47.5 million in 2005, according to a report in the May 1 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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