Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Neurology for August 2020. 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.
Few U.S. Children Meet Guidelines for Exercise, Screen Time
MONDAY, Aug. 31, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Few U.S. children meet all three guidelines for physical activity, screen time, and sleep, according to a study published online Aug. 27 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
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Use of Fitness Trackers May Spur Exercise in Older Adults With MS
MONDAY, Aug. 31, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Older adults with multiple sclerosis (MS) who say they use fitness trackers report greater amounts of physical activity, according to a study published online July 31 in the Disability & Health Journal.
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Palliative Care Explored for Long-Term Neurological Conditions
MONDAY, Aug. 31, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with long-term neurological conditions, a short-term integrated palliative care (SIPC) intervention does not alter palliative care outcomes or patient-reported outcomes compared with standard care, according to a study published online Aug. 28 in JAMA Network Open.
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Editorial
Risk for Cancer Reduced for Patients With Multiple Sclerosis
FRIDAY, Aug. 28, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- The risk for cancer is reduced among patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a systematic review and meta-analysis published online Aug. 13 in Autoimmunity Reviews.
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Smoking, High Early-Life BMI Projected to Add to MS Burden
THURSDAY, Aug. 27, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- The combined estimated multiple sclerosis (MS) population-attributable fractions (PAFs) for smoking and childhood and adolescent high body mass index (BMI) vary from 11 to 14 percent in conservative estimates, according to a study published online Aug. 26 in the International Journal of Epidemiology.
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Admissions for Stroke, TIA Down Early in COVID-19 Pandemic
THURSDAY, Aug. 27, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Admissions for stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA) have decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a study published online Aug. 26 in Stroke and Vascular Neurology.
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Recovery Protocol Cuts Opioid Use After Elective Neurosurgery
THURSDAY, Aug. 27, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols can reduce postoperative use of opioids in patients undergoing elective spine and peripheral nerve surgical procedures, according to a study published online Aug. 6 in Pain Medicine.
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WHO: Polio Eradicated in Africa
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 26, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- An effort that began in 1996 has led to the eradication of polio in Africa, according to the World Health Organization.
CNN Article
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Blacks Have Higher Incidence of Cerebral Venous Thrombosis
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 26, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Black Americans have a higher incidence of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) compared with other races, according to a study published online Aug. 26 in Neurology.
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Exposure to Burning Wood Linked to Abnormal Cardiac Parameters
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 26, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Occupational exposures to burning wood, pesticides, and metals is associated with abnormal parameters of left and right ventricular systolic function, according to a study published online Aug. 26 in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
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AHA Details How to Lower Stroke Risk During, After Heart Surgery
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 26, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- In a scientific statement issued by the American Heart Association and published online Aug. 26 in Circulation, recommendations are presented for reducing the risk for perioperative stroke in adults undergoing cardiac and thoracic aortic operations.
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About One in Three Multiple Sclerosis Patients Have Migraine
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 26, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Internationally, more than three in 10 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) have migraine, according to a review published in the September issue of the Journal of Clinical Neuroscience.
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For Black Children With Autism, Diagnosis Occurs at About Age 5
MONDAY, Aug. 24, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Diagnosis of African American children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) occurs at an average of 64.9 months, many months after parents' first concerns about their child's development, according to a study published online Aug. 24 in Pediatrics.
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Antihypertensive Agents Not Tied to Higher Risk for Depression
MONDAY, Aug. 24, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Nine individual antihypertensive agents from the classes of angiotensin agents, calcium antagonists, and β-blockers are associated with reduced rates of depression, according to a study published online Aug. 24 in Hypertension.
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Feeling Dizzy Upon Standing May Point to Later Dementia
MONDAY, Aug. 24, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Systolic orthostatic hypotension (OHYPO) and variability in visit-to-visit seated systolic blood pressure (BP) postural change are associated with greater dementia risk, according to a study published online July 20 in Neurology.
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Advisory Panel Rejects Nearly All Proposals for Fetal Tissue Research
THURSDAY, Aug. 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- A Trump administration advisory board to evaluate scientific research involving fetal tissue says 13 of 14 proposals should be rejected.
The New York Times Article
Relationship Between Alzheimer Disease, Sleep Patterns Explored
THURSDAY, Aug. 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Alzheimer disease (AD) may causally influence sleep patterns, but these patterns do not have a causal role in AD, according to a study published online Aug. 19 in Neurology.
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Healthy Diet Inversely Linked to Prodromal Parkinson Disease Features
THURSDAY, Aug. 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Increased adherence to alternate Mediterranean (aMED) and Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI) dietary patterns is inversely associated with prodromal features of Parkinson disease (PD), according to a study published online Aug. 19 in Neurology.
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Poll: More Older Adults Using Telehealth During Pandemic
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 19, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- More older adults have used telehealth to consult with a health care provider during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with that seen in the previous year, according to a report published online Aug. 17 based on the results of the University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging.
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Racial Health Disparities Exist Among Pro Football Players
TUESDAY, Aug. 18, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Black and other nonwhite athletes report more pain, physical impairment, mood disorders, and cognitive problems than white peers, according to a study published online July 30 in Annals of Epidemiology.
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CNS-Active Meds Often Prescribed for Older Adults With Dementia
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 19, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with dementia are frequently prescribed central nervous system (CNS)-active medications, according to a research letter published online Aug. 18 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Baby Boomers Showing Higher Rates of Cognitive Decline
MONDAY, Aug. 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Reversing recent trends, baby boomers are showing lower cognitive functioning as they age than previous generations, according to a study published online July 29 in The Journals of Gerontology: Series B.
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Exposure to Outdoor Air Pollution May Increase Risk for CVD
FRIDAY, Aug. 14, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Long-term exposure to outdoor fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease in adults, regardless of country wealth, according to a study recently published in The Lancet Planetary Health.
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Outdoor Artificial Light at Night May Worsen Sleep in Teens
FRIDAY, Aug. 14, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Higher levels of outdoor artificial light at night (ALAN) are associated with less favorable sleep patterns as well as mood and anxiety disorders in adolescents, according to a study published online July 8 in JAMA Psychiatry.
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Burnout Less Likely for Doctors in Minority Race/Ethnic Groups
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 12, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Compared with non-Hispanic White physicians, physicians in minority racial/ethnic groups are less likely to report burnout, according to a study published online Aug. 7 in JAMA Network Open.
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Brain Changes Identified in Nonconcussed Contact Athletes
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 12, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- There are longitudinal changes in the microstructure and function of the brain in otherwise healthy, asymptomatic athletes participating in contact sports, according to a study published online July 28 in Neurology.
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Factors ID'd in Withdrawal of Life Support in Severe TBI Patients
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 12, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- In addition to clinical factors, socioeconomic factors may play a role in the decision regarding withdrawal of life-supporting treatment (WLST) in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI), according to a study recently published in JAMA Surgery.
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Preventable Hospitalizations Up Among Those With Dementia
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 12, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- The number of potentially preventable hospitalizations among older adults with dementia is increasing, according to a study published online July 23 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
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Guidance Helps Doctors Optimize Telemedicine for Seniors
TUESDAY, Aug. 11, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- In an Ideas and Opinions article published online Aug. 11 in the Annals of Internal Medicine, guidance is provided for physicians to optimize telemedicine, which can be challenging for older patients.
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Prenatal Cannabis Exposure May Harm Child Neurodevelopment
TUESDAY, Aug. 11, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Cannabis use during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring by age 10 years, according to a study published Aug. 10 in Nature Medicine.
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Expanding Medicaid in Holdout States Could Insure 3.9 Million
MONDAY, Aug. 10, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Expanding Medicaid to all states could reduce the number of uninsured by 28 percent based on pre-COVID-19 data, according to a report released by the Urban Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
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Four in 10 Children's Behavioral Care Facilities Offer Autism Services
MONDAY, Aug. 10, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Fewer than half of U.S. mental health treatment facilities providing care for children offer services for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to a report published in the June issue of Health Affairs.
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Mental Stress-Induced Brain Activation Linked to Angina
MONDAY, Aug. 10, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Mental stress-induced inferior frontal lobe activation is associated with angina among patients with coronary artery disease, according to a study published online Aug. 10 in Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging.
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In Wales, One-Fifth of Adults With Hearing Aids Do Not Use Them
FRIDAY, Aug. 7, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- About 20 percent of adults with hearing aids in Wales, the United Kingdom, do not use them, according to a study recently published in the International Journal of Audiology.
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Almost One in Three Black Young Adults in U.S. Have Hypertension
FRIDAY, Aug. 7, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Nearly one in three young non-Hispanic black adults and about one in five young Mexican-American and non-Hispanic white adults have hypertension, according to a study published in the July 1 issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
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Life Expectancy 78.60 Years for U.S. Population for 2009-2011
FRIDAY, Aug. 7, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Life expectancy for 2009 to 2011 was 78.60 years for the total U.S. population, with the highest life expectancy for Hispanic women, according to the Aug. 7 National Vital Statistics Reports, a publication from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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COVID-19 Tied to Higher Risk for Large Vessel Occlusion Strokes
FRIDAY, Aug. 7, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- COVID-19 is associated with large vessel occlusion (LVO) strokes, according to a study published online July 29 in the American Journal of Roentgenology.
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Telestroke Consultations Down During COVID-19 Pandemic
FRIDAY, Aug. 7, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- The median number of weekly consults seen through a telestroke network decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, with Black patients significantly less likely to present with strokes, according to a study published online Aug. 5 in Stroke.
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ED Visits Decreased in Five States From January Through April 2020
THURSDAY, Aug. 6, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- As the COVID-19 pandemic intensified, there was a decrease in emergency department visits in five states from January through April 2020, according to a study published online Aug. 3 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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CDC: More American Indian, Alaska Natives in Fair, Poor Health
THURSDAY, Aug. 6, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) adults are more likely to be in fair or poor health than all U.S. adults, according to an August data brief published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics.
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Relapse Rates Lower With Ofatumumab in Multiple Sclerosis
THURSDAY, Aug. 6, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Among patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis, annualized relapse rates are lower for those receiving anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody ofatumumab compared with teriflunomide, according to a study published in the Aug. 6 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Vitamin D/Calcium Reduces Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo
THURSDAY, Aug. 6, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), a vitamin D and calcium supplementation intervention is beneficial for preventing recurrences, according to a study published online Aug. 5 in Neurology.
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Education May Affect β-Amyloid Burden in Alzheimer Disease
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 5, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Years of education and the ε4 risk allele at APOE influence β-amyloid pathology in asymptomatic individuals with a parental history of sporadic Alzheimer disease (AD), while only years of education influence β-amyloid pathology in presymptomatic autosomal dominant AD mutation carriers, according to a study published online Aug. 5 in Neurology.
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CDC Describes 238 Confirmed Cases of Acute Flaccid Myelitis
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 5, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) mainly occurs during August to November, and weakness onset is often preceded by prodromal fever, respiratory illness, or both, according to research published in the Aug. 4 early-release issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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CV Meds Underused in Hispanics With Peripheral Artery Disease
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 5, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Individuals of Hispanic/Latino background with known peripheral artery disease (PAD) have the lowest use of all classes of cardiovascular medications, according to a study published online Aug. 5 in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
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Health Plans Not Implementing Prior Authorization Reforms
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 5, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Physicians say prior authorization (PA) continues to interfere with patient care and can lead to adverse clinical consequences, according to the results of a survey released by the American Medical Association.
Press Release
Physician Survey
President Says Medicare Should Expand Telehealth Services
TUESDAY, Aug. 4, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- President Donald Trump signed an order on Monday that will broaden the role of telehealth for Medicare patients, the Associated Press reported.
AP News Article
Most Studies Still Fail to Analyze Data by Sex
TUESDAY, Aug. 4, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- The effect of gender is still largely ignored in scientific studies, according to a study published online June 9 in eLife.
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USPSTF Still Advises Against Carotid Artery Stenosis Screening
TUESDAY, Aug. 4, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends against screening the general adult population for asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis. This recommendation forms the basis of a draft recommendation statement published online Aug. 4 by the USPSTF.
Draft Evidence Review
Draft Recommendation Statement
Comment on Recommendation Statement
Long-Term Negative Thinking Tied to Alzheimer Risk
TUESDAY, Aug. 4, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Repetitive negative thinking (RNT) may be associated with increased Alzheimer disease (AD) risk, according to a study published in the July issue of Alzheimer's & Dementia.
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Cost-Related Rx Nonadherence Highest in Young U.S. Women
MONDAY, Aug. 3, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Cost-related prescription nonadherence is highest among younger U.S. women compared with individuals living in 10 other high-income countries, according to a report published in the August issue of Health Affairs.
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Early-Life Adversity Associated With Accelerated Biological Aging
MONDAY, Aug. 3, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Early-life adversity (ELA) is associated with accelerated biological aging, although the associations vary as a function of adversity type, according to a review published online Aug. 3 in the Physiological Bulletin.
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More Than One in Three Stroke Survivors Have Uncontrolled HTN
MONDAY, Aug. 3, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- More than one-third of stroke survivors have uncontrolled hypertension, and about one in five are not taking antihypertensive medications, according to a study published online July 27 in JAMA Neurology.
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Risk for Acute Cerebrovascular Events Low in COVID-19 Patients
MONDAY, Aug. 3, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- For hospitalized COVID-19 patients, the risk for acute cerebrovascular events is low, according to a study published online July 20 in Stroke.
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38 Percent of Older Adults in U.S. Not Ready for Video Doctor Visits
MONDAY, Aug. 3, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- An estimated 38 percent of all older adults in the United States are not ready for video visits with physicians, according to a research letter published online Aug. 3 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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